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Across northern Iraq, Kurds, freed for now from President Saddam Hussein's grip, have begun revealing the horrors of nearly a quarter of a century of repressive rule. In former Iraqi police stations and prisons, Kurdish officials have discovered torture chambers and execution sites where they say thousands of political prisoners died under torture or were shot in the 1980s. Meanwhile, municipal grave diggers and villagers, now free to tell their stories, have led Kurdish investigators to hundreds of unmarked, single and mass graves. The Kurds have long charged the Saddam Hussein government with gross violations of human rights. Some especially severe cases have been independently substantiated and widely publicized; most notably the attacks with chemical and conventional weapons on Kurdish towns and villages in the late 1980s in which thousands--and most likely tens of thousands--were killed. But it was not until the March 1991 uprising, when the Kurdish resistance fighters, or peshmerga, drove the Iraqis from the region, that the systematic nature, and extent, of Baghdad's repression became fully known. | <urn:uuid:f95f7277-c628-4937-82fd-a0304fd3778e> | CC-MAIN-2016-07 | https://www.hrw.org/report/1992/02/01/unquiet-graves/search-disappeared-iraqi-kurdistan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-07/segments/1454701159985.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160205193919-00128-ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971641 | 203 | 2.75 | 3 |
Sadra’s Philosophical System as a Model in Islamic Philosophy
The aim of this paper is to show that through the perspective of Mulla Sadra’s philosophical system Islamic philosophy in its present state is stagnant. The main reason for this is that the past philosophical systems produced in Islamic civilization were neither modified nor replaced by new ones according to the fresh knowledge, which gave lead to new understandings.
As we shall show in the course of our treatment of Mulla Sadra’s system, in scientific studies human mind cannot operate without a system, and this is an indispensable epistemological requirement of the mind to function in. Since the mind needs a dynamic system to work in, old systems, which have become worn out, so to speak, and decrepit in view of the newly continuous emergence of knowledge, can no longer support the mind in producing original ideas.
The dynamic characters of systems come from their originality as relevant to their socio-cultural and scientific context. Otherwise, they will not find acceptance in a civilization and gradually they will loose their effect upon the scientific community and in turn upon the community at large. We shall try to evaluate these points in relation to Sadra’sphilosophical system. But since the idea of system is central to my paper, I shall try to introduce Sadra’s system in relation to the concept of system in philosophy.
First of all, philosophers may be classified into three classes according to what they project in the history of philosophy:
1. Systematic system builders, whom I shall call “system philosophers”;
2. Those philosophers whose writings can constitute a system, in principle but did not create such a system systematically, may be called “minor-system philosophers”, in which case we have to construct their system systematically out of their corpus;
3. Those philosophers that deal only with certain philosophical problems and therefrom construct theories of that nature may be called “piece-meal philosophers”. These thinkers usually accept a system that was constructed before them and carry out their scientific studies within it.
According to our classification, Mulla Sadra is a “system philosopher” of the first kind, as he constructed a system in a systematic way in his magnum opus, al-Hikmat al-muta‘aliyah fi’l-asfar al-‘aqliyyat al-arba‘ah.1 In this work we find all the characteristics that a philosophical system may have, such as well-defined concepts, holistic approach and covering all aspects of its scope, coherence and consistency, well-developed theoretical framework and deductive connection of all parts of the system. We can see these characteristics as reflected in the system of Sadra. It is the aim of this study to show this; but this is a task that requires further clarification of the concept of system as understood in this context.
A system is, to use Kant’s term, a “systematic organization of ideas into an architectonic whole”. In this sense, a system is a well-knit organization of ideas and doctrines, which cannot have any gaps, nor any inconsistencies and contradictory ideas in it. As such it is “a coherent, logical, necessary [unity] of general ideas in terms of which every element of our experience can be interpreted.2 Philosophers who pay attention to this point do explain the nature of systems as understood in philosophy:
Human reason is by nature architectonic. That is to say, it regards all our knowledge as belonging to a possible system...3 Systematic unity... is indispensable to reason...4 By an architectonic I understand the art of constructing systems. As systematic unity is what first raises ordinary knowledge to the rank of science, that is makes a system out of a mere aggregate of knowledge, architectonic is the doctrine of the scientific in our knowledge...
By a system I understand the unity of the manifold modes of knowledge under one idea. This idea is the concept provided by reason... The whole is thus an organized unity, and not an aggregate. It may grow from within, but not by external addition. It is thus like an animal body, the growth of which is not by the addition of a new member, but by rendering of each member, without change of proportion, stronger and more effective for its purposes.5
Here Kant defines the “architectonic” as “the art of constructing systems”, whereas I define it as “the structural design of a unity”. Thus, the science or “art” of constructing systems is to be understood here as “philosophy”. As it is seen, Kant attributes the process of constructing a system to the pure reason and thus architectonic is its characteristic. But this would lead us to think that constructing a system is not a science, whereas he claims that systematic unity is attained only in a science. In that case, he must either establish architectonic of reason as an independent science, or refuse this and instead simply claim this task for philosophy.
Although a system is a well-knit unity, as we shall see, it is possible to divide it into certain subsystems that make up its “parts”. Subsystems, or parts, are not merely attached to the main system, but rather they are all deduced discursively from the knowledge established gradually. Therefore, in most systems architectonic unity is a deductive unity, which gives it its speculative character. It is the method employed by the philosopher, which determines this deductive or speculative character of his system. Therefore, we also observe that every system decides for a specific manner of constructing the system, which is defined as its “method”; for example, we can say that Kant’s approach in his system utilizes what might be called the “transcendental method”. But Spinoza’s method is geometrical, and Hegel’s dialectical. We may thus ask, what is Sadra’s method?
First of all, by their very constitution systems are inevitably speculative and in this sense creative imagination must play a significant role in the method used constructing them. In that case, speculative character cannot make up the method of any system; it rather belongs to the nature of systems. By method then we must understand the manner or the approach the system-builder uses in constructing his system.
Sadra belongs to the mystical tradition, which already delineates his approach. This tradition, some may argue, excludes rationalistic procedures and therefore, cannot be qualified for a study of systems in the philosophical sense. For a system is a rational interpretation of reality as understood by sciences involved in this interpretation. We must realize, however, that Sadra’smystical approach does not end with the use of mystical approach, as his dictum expresses: ‘knowledge is a mode of Being.’6 But ‘every instance of reality is a unique individual’.7 Therefore, Being is the starting point of a system, and the epistemological tool corresponding to this tool is intuition. But this tool is applied by a “rational procedure” as clear in the title of Asfar, al-asfar al-‘aqliyyah. But there are ways to understand ‘aqliyyah, i.e. “rational”; hence, secondly, as Nasr shows,8 his is the theosophic tradition as opposed to the purely rational which may exclude experiential knowledge, or even purely mystical tradition that excludes any discursive approach. In this sense Sadra is a rationalistic mystical philosopher. His methodology thus begins with intuition and proceeds with philosophical cognition and ends with the mystical experiential union. It is this methodological approach that Sadra’s students rightly term “transcendent theosophy” (al-hikmat al-muta‘aliyah).9 This philosophical method is an attempt to capture reality with intellectual vision, which thus came to be used as the designation of Sadra’sschool of thought. It must be for this reason that Sadra included this designation in the title of his magnum opus, to be translated as ‘The Transcendent Theosophy in Four Rational Journeys’.
Sadra, therefore, lays down his methodology right at the outset of his system as comprising primarily four journeys, each of which has “stations” (marhalah, in singular), comprising of levels (tabaqat) and so on. This intellectual journey is required by the experiential approach and thus within the theosophic tradition it means that the philosopher is actually in the state of “seeing the truth” as it is, and the disclosing of that experiential vision is what he defines as “rational”. This is clear in the way Sadra lays down his method:
“Know that wayfarers (salikin) among the Gnostics and Saints have four journeys: one of them is the journey from the creature to the Truth; the second is the journey with the Truth in the Truth; the third journey corresponds to the first one, because it is from the Truth to the creature with the Truth; and finally, the fourth journey in a sense corresponds to the first, as it is with the Truth in the creature.”10
But in Sadra’s methodology historical approach is combined with the theosophic and philosophic methodology, and thus can be called the “transcendent theosophy”, but as understood by Sadra, or simply as “sublime wisdom”.11 Accordingly Sadra does not only develop his ideas by this methodology, but he also summarizes, analyzes, and evaluates the ideas of his predecessors. In this way, he actually presents a history of Islamic philosophy as well.
The problem of methodology is usually not discussed by the system builder in a direct manner. It is rather discussed either directly in relation to certain problems within the system or it is manifested throughout the system by the procedure utilized in handling particular problems within it, and this is the case in Sadra’s system as well. For example, whenever he wants to formulate a new theory, Sadra usually examines almost all the theories concerning the subject, not only in Islam but in Greek philosophy as well. When we consider this historical approach in Sadra’s procedure, we can describe his methodology as historical approach harmoniously combined with the theosophic and philosophic procedures. We hope that the particular details of Sadra’s methodology will be clarified below in our exhibition of the general outlines and structure of his system.
A philosophical system is, as we have seen, an orderly unity. The order in this unity is arranged according to certain principles and rules, which are developed by the system-builder. Since these principles and rules may change from philosopher to philosopher, the structure of a system may also change according to these principles and rules, which we outlined above as “methodology”.12 Therefore, we will concentrate on the structure of systems in relation to methodology in general and to Sadra’s methodology in particular.
Every system is constructed on a theoretical foundation, which is usually a ‘general, or fundamental metaphysics’ and can be called ‘basic system’. The basic system as a ‘general metaphysics’, consists of doctrines, rules and principles that determine all the other parts of the whole system. It thus includes and usually outlines the methodology of the philosopher as well. This fundamental metaphysics is determined by the orientation of the philosopher. For example, a Muslim Philosopher’s orientation is determined by the Qur’anic insight which is God-centered, and thus, God, as the ground of all Being will occupy the central place in the fundamental metaphysics. In that case, if we name any system built by a Muslim philosopher “Islamic system of philosophy”, we can say that such a system will be either theology or ontology oriented. In other words, the fundamental metaphysics or the basic system of any Islamic philosophical system will either be a theology and/or ontology, but not an epistemology.
On the other hand, an Islamic system of philosophy may begin by an epistemology only as a methodology outlined above. This is because it is the type of epistemology, which will determine the orientation of the philosopher to adopt a rationalist theology, or revealed theology and so on.13 In that case, epistemology cannot be the foundation of an Islamic system. This fact is clearly observed in Sadra’s system, which is clearly ontology-based. It is from this ontological basis that his theology springs. But the methodology, which he adopted, which we have termed, “transcendent theosophy” (following Professor Nasr’s coinage), has already determined his next step to be taken after the fundamental metaphysics.
Usually system builders try to deduce another fundamental doctrine based on their metaphysics. In fact, this process of deduction continues until the whole system is complete; each doctrine deduced from a former one(s) becomes a part of the whole system. In this sense, if we try to outline the structure of philosophical systems in general, we cannot pass on any general conclusion about the part of the system that is deduced immediately from the general metaphysics. But it is possible to call each part deduced therefrom by a general name; ‘subsystem’. Each part of the system, which is based on the fundamental metaphysics can be conveniently classified into super-systems, and sub-systems, according to the positions they occupy within the system. The part of the system that is prior is a super-system in relation to the ones that follow subsequently, which are sub-systems in relation to the immediately former one (or the former ones). It must also be clear that a part of the system can be both a sub-system and a super-system, depending on the position it occupies within the whole system.
Whatever the fundamental metaphysics may be, therefore, it is the beginning point of the whole, and thus it is the foundation of that system. Then, the other parts of the system follow usually with a different order as a branch of science such as, logic, philosophy of nature, ethics, politics, aesthetics, legal philosophy, philosophy of religion, philosophy of man and society, or as sociology. Since each part of a system is a science, the system taken as a whole is a unity of sciences. Philosophy can be conceived as a special branch, which deals primarily with this unity.
On the other hand, since it is the purpose of philosophy as a science to establish systems, the whole system itself is philosophy. In this sense, philosophy is the science par excellence; in other words, it is another general name given to sciences, in a sense it is a “mother science” (umm al-‘ulêm). Moreover, all the parts of a system taken as a unity, may yield a cosmology, namely a general conception of the universe; if not, then cosmology itself is treated as a sub-system, i. e., an independent science within the system.
Let us now examine the structure of system in relation to its parts with reference to Sadra’s system. As an application of his method, Sadra divides all philosophical sciences into four main branches. For this classification Sadra’s clue is the mystical movement of human reality, which must pass through four stages. The rational argument that can be deduced for this procedure is his definition of philosophy:
Philosophy is [the endeavour to attain] the perfection of the human soul through the knowledge of the reality of things as they are, and to judge their existence by investigation with demonstrative proof not by accepting with conjecture and blind imitation.14
If, therefore, the aim of philosophy is to attain the perfection of the soul by acquiring true knowledge, then the path to knowledge must be the path of the soul, which is identical with the path of knowledge. Hence, the stations of the soul in its journey to perfection are sciences, namely stations of knowledge, which correspond to subsystems in our theory of systems. In this sense, the rational aspect of the soul cannot be separated from its experiential aspect. As Sadra’s definition shows clearly his acceptance of the philosophical method as well, i. e. the rational and discursive method, both the rational and the experiential are united in one methodological procedure. We have already given the journeys of the soul described by Sadra; now the corresponding sciences in his system are the following:
The First Journey: Ontology (from the creature to the Truth);
The Second Journey: Natural Philosophy or Cosmology (from the Truth to the creature with the Truth);
The Third Journey: Theology (with the Truth in the Truth);15
The Fourth Journey: Philosophy of Man (psychology) and Eschatology (with the Truth in the creature).
Before we proceed to outline Sadra’s philosophical system in a general manner, we need to elucidate one more point with regard to systems in general. This is the fact that besides a general metaphysics, super-systems, and sub-systems, certain theories and doctrines construct a system. A theory is a formulation given as a solution to a certain problem. Therefore, a theory usually involves only one particular problem. A doctrine, on the other hand, may involve more than one problem. Thus a doctrine may be constructed out of a number of theories. In that case, a doctrine is a formulation of how we understand a certain state-of-affairs, or a more complex problem that may involve some other problems as well. We may thus classify the major components of a system into five elements:
1. Theories, constructed usually by axioms, or postulates, presuppositions, hypotheses, and concepts previously defined. All these are interconnected by argumentation to formulate a theory.
2. Doctrines, constructed in a similar manner as theories, which are also used in turn for this construction.
3. General metaphysics, or basic system.
5. Sub-systems; all these parts are constructed in the same way, but in somewhat a different manner than theories and doctrines.
In the first journey, which is from the creature to the Truth, Sadra begins formulating his doctrine of Being, which becomes the basis of his ontology, which in turn becomes the basis of his whole system. In doing so, he utilizes many theories, such as his theory of philosophy, which outlines his conception of philosophy; then his theories of essence, necessity, possibility, non-existence and mental existence.
Moreover, his ontology develops his theory of j‘al, which brings in view gradation of existence. Here he outlines his theory of cause and effect as well. Then all other ontological concepts are elucidated within his doctrine of Being; such as quiddity, genus, species, difference, form and matter. The most important theory that emerges as a result of this discussion is his theory of movement, which for the first time in the history of philosophy introduces the idea of changing substances (al-harakah al-jawhariyyah).
His ontology ends with a discussion of the Prime Mover, which logically brings into view the question of God-world relationship and the problem of Creation. This is in line with the general methodology of Sadra because according to this methodology the first journey of the soul brings us from the creation to the Truth, i.e. God. But here we need a reverse move, namely although the mystical movement continues with the Truth in the Truth, the rational counterpart of it must first explain how we can reach God from the creation. Therefore, the third journey replaces the second one as a logical deduction. Hence, the second journey continues from the Truth to the creation but now with the Truth, which corresponds to the philosophical science of physics or natural philosophy.
It is clear that Sadra’s ontology is the fundamental metaphysics of his whole system. Since his natural philosophy is directly deduced from this fundamental metaphysics, it is the super-system in relation to the subsequent parts of his whole system. Other than what is required by Sadra’s novel doctrine of Being, we do not find much originality in his physics, which is Aristotelian throughout. It thus begins with the theory of ten Aristotelian categories, and continues to elaborate them one by one.
Physics as a super-system in relation to the subsequent parts, but as a sub-system in relation to the fundamental metaphysics, ends with the discussion of perpetual movement; transient nature and its continuous renewal, in relation to creatio ex-nihilo, and the problem of the eternity of the world. Sadra’s physics yields his theory of the hierarchical order of the universe, which ends in the Truth, i.e. God. His physics has shown how the rational counterpart of the experiential journey can reach God. Hence, logically the next journey, which is in the philosophical sense a station of knowledge and thus as a sub-system, is theology, which is the movement now within the third journey, with the Truth in the Truth.
Here we find his solution to many theological problems discussed within Islamic civilization. First, the idea of God as wajib al-wujêd is elaborated, then proofs of His existence, His Unity and simplicity are discussed. His doctrine of attributes and their relation to God’s èhat is presented; God’s knowledge of the world, attributes of qudrah and iradah, then the attributes of hayat, sam‘ (hearing), takallum are elucidated.
This journey ends with a discussion of Providence (how the divine Will acts in the world; the problem of good and evil), and Divine af‘al (acts), which brings in the theory of grades of manifestation. The issues of Providence and Divine manifestation naturally suggest the idea of man in relation to God. From this one can easily deduce the logical sequence of psychology, which is linked with Sadrian eschatology. Therefore, the fourth journey, which is the movement with the Truth in the creation, presents two sub-systems in relation to the former parts of the system, psychology and eschatology. It is here that we find the roots of Mulla Sadra’s moral theory, as well as his doctrine of the soul.
First a definition of the soul and proofs for its existence are given, then the divisions of the soul are discussed as animal soul, vegetative soul and human soul. The faculties of the animal soul as external and internal senses are introduced. The problem of tajarrud (catharsis), soul’s independence from matter, genesis of the soul, higher states of perfection possible for the human soul are the problems, which are explained. These higher states are deduced from the Qur’an as a result of the doctrine of bodily resurrection; concepts of akhirah, such as al-sa‘ah, sir, jahannam, jannah, ‘adhab al-qabr, and eternal bliss are what make up Sadra’s eschatology, which is thus the end of his system.
Since the time of Hegel, philosophers have not addressed the concept of system directly. Of course philosophically speaking this is not an ambiguous concept, and as such we continually use it and apply to our studies, especially in the history of philosophy. But it is a concept, which must be evaluated from an epistemological perspective, and with regard to the structure of systems. I believe that this is especially pertinent for the Muslim thinkers in our times, if they are interested at all in reviving Islamic philosophical thought. In order to show this, we need to elucidate the functions of systems. We shall thus raise in this context a question: what is the function of a system, if any at all? I shall try to argue that systems basically have two functions; one is epistemological, and the other is social. Our evaluation of these points shall clarify the relevance of Sadra’s philosophical system to the Islamic civilization in our times. In the meantime, as I try to develop this theme concerning the epistemological and social functions of systems, I hope to shed more light on this concept especially in relation to Sadra’s system as outlined above.
The epistemological function of systems is similar to that of worldviews, which is a perspective from which the individual views the universe and the things in it. Therefore, no one can evaluate any question or a problem without first assuming a worldview of a sort. In fact human mind works only within the context of such an architectonic whole.
We may say in this respect that every human activity emerges out of an observable and non-observable foundation. We mean by “foundation”, ‘the reasons and intentions underlying the act, disposition of the agent and whatever justification may be given for his action’. A foundation of an action is, therefore, ‘all the observable and non-observable phenomena assumed to be taking place in relation to that action in the mind, body and surroundings of the person in question, either at the time of his performing the action, or at times prior to its performance’. Whatever preceding action, behavior, disposition and events given as either reason or condition for the action performed are the observable phenomena, which we term the “observable foundation”. On the other hand, all the mental operations and dispositions leading to that action considered as either justification for it or causes of it are the non-observable phenomena, which can be called the “non-observable foundation”.
In order to clarify this, we may give the following analogy: a student who cheats may be said to be cheating because he is selfish, dishonest, and because of the circumstances which led him to that undesirable action. We consider all these and similar motives or circumstances underlying the act to be the observable foundation, because they can be observed either directly or indirectly within the action itself. Yet there are also certain other mental conditions that lead him question to his action, such as his conception of cheating and the placement of that concept within his worldview. As these are the non-observable foundation for his action, they can only be inferred discursively.
As it is seen in our analogy, the development of these foundations in the individual’s life must take place in different ways, but in relation to each other. The mental framework, for instance, which we take to be the worldview of the individual, does not develop instantly, though the action itself is performed at an instance. Even the environmental and physiological conditions may develop right prior to the action itself, yet in relation to the mental framework and the performance of the action. In fact, the mental framework is the general perspective, which includes the totality of concepts and mentalities developed by the individual throughout his life, and as such it constitutes what we call “worldview”.
Since every related concept and event is evaluated within a certain worldview before a decision is taken to perform the action, it must be the prior most condition of any action. A worldview is, therefore, that vision of reality and truth, which, as an architectonic mental unity, acts as the non-observable foundation of all human conduct, and as the general framework out of which follow scientific and technological activities.
Since we take worldview to be the prior-most foundation of any action, we conclude from this that every human action, including scientific and philosophical activities, is ultimately traceable to its worldview; and as such it is reducible ultimately to that worldview. But this foundation of human conduct cannot be perceived by observation directly and as a result, it can be over viewed easily; in order to emphasize this fact we called a worldview the “non-observable foundation”, or to use our other term, the “environment” of human actions. It must have become clear by now that by the environment we do not mean the physical surrounding.
On the contrary, physical surrounding is only the observable environment; whereas the worldview is the discernible environment, and as such it can be termed “non-observable foundation of human activities”, including, of course, the scientific activities as well. Therefore, it can be termed “the conceptual environment” as well. Our exposition of the concept of worldview thus brings us also to the conclusion that no philosophical problem can be evaluated without such a mental framework; only that such a mental framework is constructed scientifically by the philosopher himself, which we call “system”.
The epistemological function of worldviews is, therefore, to act primarily as general schemes through which we perceive everything, including ourselves. In this respect, their function is to put our conception into a unified whole. Whenever we philosophize, or construct a theory, we inevitably and necessarily, by the very nature of our mind, presuppose a worldview. But the philosopher gradually departs from this conceptual environment to the one, which he elaborates on the basis of that worldview; the architectonic whole at which he arrives is called “system”. Of course, not every philosopher builds a system, but every philosopher by the very nature of our faculties of knowledge necessarily works within such a previously built philosophical system; for it is not possible to solve any problem or discuss it philosophically without a system, just as it is not possible for the layman to conduct his daily life without a worldview.
Besides the epistemological function systems play a different role in the society. A system gives certain dynamism to its society, out of which it flourishes. The most important dynamism it provides to its society is a systematic worldview. In fact, one may reasonably claim that it is the system developed by a thinker, or thinkers, that dominates the major worldview in a society. Whitehead points to this fact so adamantly:
“...The mentality of an epoch springs from the view of the world which is, in fact, dominant in the educated sections of the communities in question.”16
Therefore, since concepts, terms, and problems are well-defined, they are clearly and distinctly expressed in systems. A worldview can be made so systematic by the philosophical expression that it may be presented as a system too. But of course, as this is reflected in individual minds within a society, it is never a system, but always a worldview. When a worldview is thus influenced by a system, its concepts, views, ideas and outlook acquires a certain degree of clarity and distinctness. Although this degree of clarity and distinctness is possible for a worldview in the mind of an individual who is not a system builder, it can never acquire the systematic unity of a system. On the other hand, this extent of clarity given by the system to the worldviews in a society is sufficient to activate individuals towards its concepts, terms ideas and insights.
These concepts ideas and insights may also be ethical, political, economic, and educational attracting thus individuals with some dynamism towards the implementation of these with a certain degree of effectiveness. It is this dynamism that is vital for the progress of a society; and it is this progressive development of a society that we call the “social function of systems”. Since a system gives dynamism to a society it will always result with social progress, provided that there are no impediments in that society which hinder the influence of a system (or systems). The way systems function as such in a society is very complex; therefore, instead of going into details, let us see how systems work their way into individual minds as shaping their worldviews.
The continual combination of our experiences in our daily lives by the mind according to its rules and principles gradually forms in the mind a framework, which is first identifiable as the life structure, and then as it further develops to such an extent that it can manifest certain mentalities, it can be entitled “worldview”.
The worldview thus becomes the mental environment within which the mind operates, and without which it cannot function at all. Therefore, our concept of worldview refers to the conceptual totality as an attempt to grasp the universe, and as such a worldview is an architectonic whole, in which notions, ideas and beliefs are so interconnected that together they form a network of organized concepts. This network forms a coherent mental structure naturally, thanks to the constitution of our mind. It is clear, therefore, that the individual does not necessarily construct a worldview, but rather it arises in the mind of the individual necessarily. It is in this sense that we shall claim its disclosure to be a natural process, rather than a conscious effort to build an architectonically whole perspective.17 For a worldview is, in fact, a perspective from which the individual views everything.
A worldview is, therefore, a coherent network of ideas, conceptions, beliefs, and aspirations in which all that make it up are organized in a coherent manner, but not necessarily in a systematically interconnected network (which is called “system” in the philosophical sense). Therefore, by calling the process out of which a worldview comes to arise in the mind of an individual “natural”, we do not mean that this process is governed by natural means. On the contrary, it is for the most part regulated by education and society, and in the case of the Islamic worldview primarily by religion. Hence, by the natural process we mean the natural operations of our mind that begin to take place right after we are born, and as we grow, through this process we begin to acquire the knowledge that makes up the constitution of our worldview.18
As we have indicated, the major factors leading to the rise of a worldview in the mind of an individual are mainly religion, cultural environment and education. Other factors that are also dominant in the disclosing process of a worldview are the psychology of the person, language, natural environment and other social conditions. Since these are precisely the major factors that form a worldview, through the natural operations of the mind, the individual does not have to make a conscious effort to construct a systematically organized worldview. The individual’s effort is only to find answers for certain questions that either arise in his mind or he simply comes across them in an accidental manner in his daily life. But we do not mean that the individual has absolutely no conceptual effort in the process of the emergence of his worldview.
On the contrary, he contributes to this process in his effort of obtaining knowledge. What he is not conscious of is the actual formation of the worldview itself, an act of reaching an architectonic totality in the epistemological sense, which primarily and naturally belongs to the mind. Hence, a worldview is formed by our mind as a matter of habit that is dominant in our daily life. This formation is either through (1) culture, technology, scientific, religious and speculative ideas that we acquire through education and other means, or (2) a conscious effort to acquire knowledge, or (3) in both of these ways.
In the first case, a worldview is not constructed, but rather it is formed naturally by the individual in a casual manner. We shall thus refer to this kind of a worldview as “natural worldview”, because the acquisition of its major components is regulated by the natural operations of the mind. But in the second and third cases, the worldview arises in the mind by a conscious use of the natural operations of the mind. As a result, the basic components of the worldview come into existence in the mind through investigation and search for knowledge. That is why many of the basic ideas, beliefs, outlooks and conceptions in it are clarified to the person trying to search for knowledge. Obviously this kind of a worldview is completely different from the natural one; we shall thus refer to it as “transparent worldview”.
A transparent worldview may also arise in two different ways: first, in an environment in which the dissemination of knowledge within the society takes place quasi-scientifically; second, in a society where scientific knowledge regulates the dissemination of knowledge. In order to make this point clear, I would like to elucidate how scientific knowledge may regulate the dissemination of knowledge, which will shed light on both cases at the same time. Then, on the basis of that I will attempt to clarify the first case.
First of all, in order for scientific knowledge to regulate the dissemination of knowledge, there must be a sophisticated mechanism for the production of scientific knowledge. This mechanism, above all, requires a well-equipped scientific conceptual scheme,19 and a worldview that is suitable for the development of this scheme, assuming that this mechanism works well in a given society then some sophisticated scientific activities begin to exist. Obviously through time there will be an accumulation of scientific knowledge in that society. Besides this there will be a group of people, called “scientists” (i.e., the ‘ulama’). But the knowledge put forward by those scientists utilizes a special language, in which many of the everyday words are not used anymore in their daily meaning; a specific scientific meaning is attached to them.
Moreover, in certain disciplines, such as philosophy and theology, the concepts used are abstract. As a result, the general masses are unable to understand this knowledge, to which we have referred as “scientific knowledge”. But the community of scholars well understands the scientific knowledge and if an adequate network of communication is established between them, knowledge disseminates at this level directly and rapidly. Thus is formed the first stage in the process of the dissemination of knowledge which we shall call the “abstract level”. This group of scientists are called ‘ulama’20 in the Islamic sense, but generally speaking they are the ‘ulama’ like Mulla Sadra forming systems to make up such dynamic frameworks in the minds of scientists.
Secondly, either there will be or there arises, as a result of the emergence of scientific knowledge, in such a society, a group of people called “intellectuals”, such as men of literature, artists, architects, teachers and educators, who are educated and are able to understand the available scientific knowledge. The intellectuals are not scientists, nor are they scholars, but rather illuminated personalities who develop a transparent worldview within an environment of scientific activities. Therefore, they are able to express and clearly define terms and concepts that occupy a prominent place in their worldview; such concepts may be, for example, God, the universe, knowledge, science, the meaning of life, good, evil, freedom, justice, and many other moral, religious, political, educational and social terms. At this level, since the intellectuals are able to understand the scientific knowledge developed by the ‘ulama’, they will naturally reflect it in their works, because their worldview is already shaped within that knowledge. Hence, we may term this level in the dissemination of knowledge the “concretized level”. Since the works of the intellectuals are usually of a concrete nature, the scientific knowledge is concretized and thus handed down to the general masses who can understand the concrete ideas more easily.
Finally, at the third stage, the knowledge thus far produced enters into a massive dissemination through the educational institutions and mass media. This is possible through the work of scientists and intellectuals, because all the educational institutions are formed in accordance with the knowledge put forward by them. When the scientific knowledge thus disseminates from the top level of abstraction to the bottom level of concretization, it reaches to the masses and begins shaping their worldview according to its well-defined and systematically developed concepts, ideas and doctrines, namely, according to a system, developed by the ‘ulama’. When a transparent worldview is thus formed in accordance with the system developed by the ‘ulama’, it is called “scientific worldview”; and this way of worldview-formation we call “scientific worldview-formation”. Therefore, by the scientific development of a worldview, we mean the inculcation of its major components, i.e., its concepts, ideas and beliefs, to the individuals of the society through clear and transparent definitions and a systematically organized body of knowledge.
How can we evaluate Sadra’s system on the basis of our system theory? First of all, we must note that the scientific worldview-formation, discussed above, is not the only way in which transparent worldviews may be formed in the minds of the individuals. For there may be other ways for the rise of such worldviews in the minds of individuals. We shall not discuss all such possible ways here, but only allude to one of those ways in which historically speaking it occurred in our civilization. This is the Islamic worldview as established by the Prophet in Mecca, through the Revelation. Since the Muslim community as such did not exist at that time, we cannot talk of any scientific knowledge within the newly emerging society. As a result, the formation of the transparent Islamic worldview took place differently. This process of the Islamic worldview-formation was very much similar to the scientific worldview-formation, and as such can be called “quasi-scientific worldview-formation”.
As we know from history each time a new Revelation came, the Prophet explained it to his community and each term and idea thus revealed found a clear definition and a proper place within the Islamic worldview. Hence, since the way the Islamic worldview was established in its original form in the first Muslim community is similar to scientific worldviews, we may call all worldviews that arise in this way in the minds of individuals “quasi-scientific worldviews”.
What distinguishes the transparent worldviews from the natural ones is the dynamism they induce to the individuals in whose mind they are formed. This is clear from the historical world phenomenon exhibited by the early Muslims who once possessed the Islamic worldview they became world leaders in culture, science and civilization. But the worldviews these people had before Islam can be defined as natural, which lacked the adequate dynamism to give to the individuals of that society. In such a mental framework no scientific activity would have ever been possible. We must also point out that what makes worldviews dynamic, invigorating and stimulating is the continual renewal through scientific or quasi-scientific activities of the same kind which established the original Islamic worldview. If these activities of renewal cease to exist the transparent worldview can gradually turn into a natural worldview in which scientific and civilizational activities also cease.
Sadra’s system falls within the mainstream of this philosophical tradition, which is unfortunately long forgotten in Islamic civilization. That is why today Muslims cannot meaningfully contribute to the advancement of sciences within their own civilization. When we consider what we have said concerning the functions of systems I think the crucial significance of Sadra’s system comes fore. We need not elaborate on this any further, except indicating also to the historical importance of Sadra’s system for our civilization, Nasr’s remarks are meaningful:
“Mulla Sadra studied his past fervently, not as a dead past, but as permanent intellectual perspectives that continued to be relevant within the living tradition of Islam. Having absorbed these teachings thoroughly, he then set out to create a synthesis and a new intellectual dimension, the ‘transcendent theosophy’ (al-hikmat al-muta‘aliyah), which was not just an eclecticism, a putting together of different theories and views, but a new school based upon a fresh interpretation of the traditional verities. It was a school that was at once new and traditional, such as can be produced only by a veritable reviver (mujaddid) of traditional teachings, who is able to renovate a doctrine because of a new and fresh vision of the transcendent truths which the traditional doctrines reveal and expound. Mulla Sadra was such a mujaddid; through the prism of his luminous intellect a new intellectual perspective was born which was at once profoundly Islamic and attuned to both the logical demands of the mind and the requisites of the spiritual vision that is made possible through the opening of the ‘eye of the heart’.”21
There is no need to point out that the current state of Islamic philosophy is static. The reason for this is the mechanism of renewal of old systems was broken down. As Professor Nasr indicates above there is no absorbing of these old teachings thoroughly, and ‘then setting out to create a synthesis and a new intellectual dimension, which was not just an eclecticism, a putting together of different theories and views’ creating thus a new school based upon a fresh interpretation of the traditional verities. We hope that Mulla Sadra’s system can be an illuminating guide for us in this respect; so that we study this system carefully and assiduously in order to reach a new synthesis, which is relevant to our time as well.
1. This work, for short al-Asfar, is edited with commentaries of Sadra’s prominent student Sabziwari and al-Tabataba’i by Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar, 9 vols. (Tehran: Matbê‘at Haydari, 1383 A.H.; second ed. Qum: Maktabat al-Mustafa, 68). There is also a one-volume lithographed edition of this work (complete) with the commentary of his prominent student ‘Abd al-Razzaq Lahiji in the margins (N.p., 1283 A.H.).
2. Alfred North Whitehead. Process and Reality (PR), ed. by David Ray Griffin and Donald W. Sherburne (New York: The Free Press, 1979), 3.
3. Immanuel Kant. Critique of Pure Reason, trans. by N. K. Smith (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1965), 429; A474, B502.
4. Ibid., 556; A 681, B 709.
5. Ibid., 653,; A 832-3, B 860-1.
6. al-Asfar, 3: 296. [kull ‘ilm huwa nahwun min al-wujêd... Fa‘l-‘ilm bi-kull wujêd wa tashakhkhus la yumkin illa bi-wajhin kulliyyin ‘amin.].
7. See Alparslan Acikgenc. Being and Existence in Sadra and Heidegger: A Comparative Ontology (Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 1993), 58f.
8. Seyyed Hossein Nasr. Sadr al-Din Shirazi and his Transcendent Theosophy (Tehran: Imperial Iranian Academy of Philosophy, 1978).
9. See Ibid., especially ch. 5; also see note 11 below.
10. al-Asfar, 1: 13.
11. Sadra’s expression al-hikmat al-muta‘aliyah causes certain problems in translation; if, for example, we translate the term hikmah as simply “philosophy”, the mystical contents it was laden by the time of Sadra is lost, and there is no doubt that Sadra has that content in mind in using this term. Following the theosophy of Ibn ‘Arabi, the only closest term available in English would be “theosophy”. But we must at the same time bear in mind that this theosophy is not devoid of rationality as understood by the great mystical philosophers of Islam. For this reason in the title of his magnum opus this aspect is emphasized as “rational journeys”. The term muta‘aliyah, on the other hand, cannot simply mean “transcendent” especially as understood by Kant. For, according to Mulla Sadra, transcendence is not something beyond the reach of our experiential faculties, though it is out of reach of our sensitive and discursive faculties. In order to avoid this meaning, we may translate it as “sublime”, suggested by the late Professor Fazlur Rahman. See The Philosophy of Mulla Sadra (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1975), 19. But this is a literal translation of his methodology as “sublime wisdom” which does not pay any attention to the mystical tradition at the root of Mulla Sadra’s philosophy, though avoids the already existing and perhaps misleading meanings of both “transcendent” and “theosophy” in English.
12. I think what Whitehead calls “assemblage” largely corresponds to what we mean by “methodology” as we use it in a general sense. See his Modes of Thought (New York: The Free Press, 1968, first ed. 1938), 2.
13. For this kind of a fundamental metaphysics, namely basic system, we can give as an example Avicenna’s logic as a basic theory of knowledge for his whole system that fulfills the function of a methodology in his system, and thus it is always given at the outset of his system presented in the al-Shifa with greater details, and in al-Nijat, and ‘Uyên al-hikmah in general outline.
14. al-Asfar, 1: 20.
15. If we note here, in the al-Asfar this organization is not developed according to the mystical order of the experiential journeys. We offer the explanation that this is because these journeys are rational and that this rationality takes precedence since they are presented in the science of philosophy. Therefore, they are presented here in a rational order, which requires next the discussion of the creation rather than the Truth, as will be explained further below.
16. This section dealing with the function of systems is based on our previous work Islamic Science: Towards A Definition (Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, 1997), 7-30.
17. Alfred North Whitehead. Science and the Modern World (New York: The Free Press, 1967), vii.
18. In fact if there is such an effort to build a framework systematically, that will be a scientific activity, which is already existing in philosophy. Therefore, the counterpart of the term “worldview” in philosophy is the concept of “system”. We thus distinguish these two terms only in this sense. For an elaboration and comparison of the concept of “system” in relation to worldview, see the present author’s A Concept of Philosophy in the Qur’anic Context, The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 11: 2 (1994), 170-4.
19. By the natural operations of the mind, we mean the logical principles, such as the law of contradiction, the principle of identity, association, deductive, inductive and similar ways of argumentation that belong to our intellect, and intuition, mental awareness, imaginative creation. These have been discussed in the first section of this chapter. The mind uses these ways naturally to acquire knowledge, and as we acquire any kind of knowledge, our worldview is formed simultaneously from the kinds of knowledge, which we accept. Then, we organize our life on the basis of such accepted knowledge, which is called here “worldview”.
20. “Scientific conceptual scheme” is the body of general scientific nomenclature developed by the scientists and scholars, and as such it includes in general five fundamental concepts: knowledge, truth, method, theory and science. These are the general concepts, which every scientific tradition in history seems to have developed. But besides these fundamental doctrinal scientific concepts, each scientific tradition developed in its scientific conceptual scheme many other concepts. We may give the following concepts as example from the Islamic civilization as we observe them also within the system of Sadra: ‘ilm, ra’y, ijtihad, qiyas, fiqh, ‘aql, qalb, idrak, wahm, tadabbur, fikr, nazar, hikmah, yaqin, wahy, tafsir, ta’wil, ‘alam, kalam, nutq, zann, haqq, batil, Sidq, kidhb, wujêd, ‘adam, dahr, Samad, sarmad, azal, abad, khalq, khulq, firasah, fitrah, tabi‘ah, ikhtiyar, kasb, khayr, sharr, halal, haram, wajib, mumkin, amr, iman, and ‘iradah. For a detailed discussion of this see Islamic Science, op. cit., 60-92.
21. What we mean by the term ‘ulama’ (singular ‘alim) is primarily “scholars of Islam”, which includes all scholars, such as philosophers, theologians, physicists, chemists and astronomers, who carry out their scientific activities within the Islamic worldview. Therefore, we do not mean merely its contemporary usage, which includes only the traditional Islamic scholars as a class of clergy, which is indeed a corrupt usage.
22. Nasr. Sadr al-Din Shirazi and his Transcendent Theosophy, 27.
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Status and Distribution
Widespread and common over much of England; more local in northern parts of England, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man. Very local in southern and central Scotland. Records from North-east Scotland (commencing in 2009) and a single record from Inverness, in 2015, suggest it may be extending its range northwards.
Bradley & Fletcher no:
Maps updated with all data received by February 2018.
Foodplant and Larval Feeding Signs
Tortula muralis (wall screw-moss), see plant distribution map, and probably other mosses on walls.
Feeds within a silken gallery.
Most frequently encountered in urban or suburban areas.
Finding the Moth
Larva: the fully grown larva has been found feeding outside the silken gallery, especially early on wet or dewy mornings.
Adult: comes readily to light in small numbers.
The forewing patterning and colour combinations make Bryotropha domestica a distinctive species. The first plical stigma (just below the leading edge and about one third across the forewing) is directly above the second discal stigma, only found in two other much more local British species, B. basaltinella and B. dryadella. These two are slightly smaller (wingspan of B. domestica 12-13mm compared with 10-12mm in B. basaltinella and B. dryadella) and darker species with comparatively broader forewings. Pale forms of B. dryadella can be distinguished by the much darker hindwing.
Single brooded, with a prolonged period of emergence from early June to early September. Occasional sightings in May and to the end of September are not unusual but are relatively few in number.
Earliest: 8th May 1990 (VC2). A late April record related to a moth found indoors while a much earlier record exists but requires confirmation.
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Building a home is an exercise in patience as you navigate numerous decisions that will impact how you will live for many years to come. Many choices are superficial, like details and finishes. Some more lasting such as the building envelope and disaster resilience. It’s important you understand your choices before you make those decisions. Take time to look deeper at one of your most important investments. Learning and having these conversations with your homebuilder early will help reduce worry and stress about your project before and after you move in.
Most homebuilders don’t spend much time talking with customers about the building envelope technology that will be used in their home. They are building with a code-compliant design that will meet many of your expectations. Whether custom-building with a homebuilder or contracting it yourself, knowing more can help. We’re going to look two areas that you and your homebuilder should understand well: evaluating R-value, and building envelope design considerations. These two topics help explain, “The ICF Experience,” and how to quantify it.
Evaluating R-Value: All R’s Are Not Equal
R-value has been generally well understood for many decades. Many think it’s all the same and more is better. Right? Well, actually no, not all R’s are the same. Just like when cooking, a cast iron skillet performs differently from aluminum or glass on the same burner with the same heat. R-value is much the same with two competing attributes: materials and performance.
Insulation in practice works by trapping air in a material that prevents the easy transmission of heat or cold through the material. Materials perform much differently in practice. Cellulose insulation in a cavity wall performs differently than rockwool, fiberglass batts, spray foam, etc. Even if the R-value of the materials are equal, the results are different. ICFs are the only material that gains R-value in real world applications.
Building science research has concluded that keeping that air trapped is extremely important in performance. When air is no longer trapped, as a home breathes for example, air escapes and with that air precious heating and cooling along with it. Comparing the number of air changes per hour (ACH)—typically measured at 50 pascal of pressure—is a straightforward method to use to evaluate actual performance. The lower this number, the better the insulation performs, and the less energy is being wasted.
An air change per hour means that in an hour all of the air in your home is exchanged with the outside. New Canadian homes are typically less than four ACH50 and U.S. homes less than five ACH50. Older existing homes may change air significantly more depending on construction materials and age of insulation. In the U.S. the Environmental Protection Agency recommends an ACH of 0.35.
In stark contrast to traditional construction, the airtightness of ICFs dramatically decreases air leakage, averaging about 1.26 ACH50. This is partially because the air is trapped inside the foam beads and doesn’t leak and the concrete core in an ICF wall itself is airtight. Air only leaks through penetrations such as door and window openings and through a vented attic. This is one reason ICFs perform better than their material R-value.
The other reason is the insulated concrete core is insulated from temperature changes and is very resistant to change itself. These combine to delivery unprecedented airtightness and R-value performance. The short version is that the concrete core is very difficult to change temperature and is insulated on both sides.
Building Envelope Considerations: Sometimes Different is Hard
Whether experienced in using ICFs as a wall system or not, understanding how they work will drive how you evaluate your options. Like all businesses, homebuilders are in the business of building homes and meeting the expectations of their customers. To be clear, homebuilders want to build a quality home and make sure their customers are satisfied. Even though they have lots of advice and experience, they are not impartial to your choices. But changing methods, materials, contractors, vendors, and timetables can be hard.
Building to Code
Homebuilders must build all homes to code. Understanding what “code” requires is one place to start when beginning the home building process. It may be a surprise, but “code” isn’t the highest standard structures are built to; it’s the minimum allowed. Building codes are a collection of agreed “best practices”, but the most progressive codes aren’t always adopted quickly in many areas. Increased energy efficiency benefits every homeowner, but doesn’t drive construction practices in many areas. Continue to educate yourself and your homebuilder and stay focused on what’s important to you. You will be living in your home and paying the utility bills every month, not your homebuilder.
ICFs are unique among building material technologies since they provide inherent benefits in several key areas: energy efficiency, airtightness, disaster resilience, sound proofing, and ease of construction. Disaster resilience is more and more critical with stronger storms and other disasters becoming more commonplace. Knowing your home will be a safe space is important to everyone.
The airtightness drives energy-efficiency through limiting wasted energy, and the EPS foam of ICFs also delivers R-22+ insulation on a material basis. Foam insulation is the only insulation material that stops all forms of energy transfer through the wall system: convection, conduction, and radiation.
Wind and Fire Resistance
A standard ICF wall delivers more than 150 mph windspeed protection and is a solid mass wall that prevents penetration by debris. The reinforced structural concrete core provides superior performance in high-seismic zones and provides a four-hour fire rating. This means it will take four hours of continuous fire to provide enough heat to ignite the interior of a structure though the wall. In wildfire-prone areas keeping the building envelope intact remains a structure’s best chance to withstand fast moving fires.
The soundproofing quality of a solid concrete wall combined with the sound-dampening nature of EPS foam ensures outside noise stays outside. The simple nature of construction also makes adoption easy and straightforward to both experienced builders and DIY customers as well.
Understanding “The ICF Experience”
You can take almost any building material and make it energy efficient. You can take almost any structure and make it disaster resilient. Doing both takes time and significant cost using traditional building materials.
Over the last 40 years ICFs have grown significantly to be a major component of change. ICFs deliver superior energy-efficiency, unparalleled disaster resilience from wildfire, high-winds from hurricanes and tornadoes, seismic protection in high seismic zones, and interior comfort from air-tightness and sound dampening. ICFs do this inherently without requiring additional time, labor, or in many areas a difference in cost.
What Should You Do Now?
For everyone who has chosen ICFs, keep talking about them. I quote one of my favorite poets, e.e. cummings, “To be nobody but yourself—in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else—means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight.” For those who are just learning about ICFs, continue learning, become educated and don’t let anyone talk you out of doing what you know is right.
Brian Corder is marketing chair for the Insulated Concrete Form Manufacturers Association and president and CEO of BuildBlock Building Systems. | <urn:uuid:7a56e931-f221-4194-bc38-8cddca3b4641> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://www.icfmag.com/2020/07/what-homebuilders-wont-tell-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296949694.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20230401001704-20230401031704-00333.warc.gz | en | 0.943299 | 1,576 | 2.546875 | 3 |
injection, introduction of a fluid into the body, usually by means of a needle and syringe. The material injected may be a test substance (as in determining allergic sensitivity or immunity to a disease), an anesthetic, a therapeutic drug, a nutrient (in cases where intravenous feeding is necessary), blood, or blood plasma (see blood transfusion). An intracutaneous injection is the introduction of a small amount of fluid between the skin layers. A subcutaneous injection is directed to the tissues under the skin. When quicker absorption of a drug is required, an intramuscular injection may be used; even more rapid action is obtained by injection into a vein (intravenous). In certain emergencies involving the heart, such as cardiac arrest, an intracardiac injection can penetrate directly into a chamber of the musculature of the heart. Anesthetics are sometimes injected into the spine. In an injection by means of a jet injector gun, fluid penetrates through the skin by means of air pressure and there is no visible puncture mark. Micro-injections can be made into fetuses, even individual cells, with tiny capillary injectors.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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Learn the steps of vegetable gardening from planning through planting and more with this project created by 4-H Quebec.
In this project you’ll learn:
- Planning your garden
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The Environment & Healthy Living
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Researchers in New Zealand have developed a prototype Bluetooth-enabled medical monitoring device that can be connected wirelessly to your smart phone and keep track of various physiological parameters, such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and movements.
The prototype could be extended to include sensors for other factors such as blood glucose as well as markers for specific diseases. The connectivity would allow patients to send data directly to their healthcare provider and receive timely advice and medication suggestions.
Writing in the International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications, Helen Zhou and Tim Roberts of the School of Electrical Engineering at Manukau Institute of Technology explain how they have developed a microcontroller-based personal health monitoring unit that can carry medical sensors and a positioning device. The unit can connect to other devices via the short-range wireless networking system known as Bluetooth and so could be readily connected to software on a smart mobile phone for health monitoring.
The team adds that the mobile phone can be used as a gateway to further relay patient health data to a remote database via the mobile network for remote diagnoses. “Any medical instructions can be sent back instantly to the mobile users,” the team says. “The use of standard development tools makes it possible for patients to easily use everyday mobile devices for their personal health monitoring and assessment anytime anywhere.” They add that, “Bluetooth and mobile networks enable wireless communications among mobile users, medical professionals and other healthcare givers in an easy, secure and efficient manner.”
The device software is based on the familiar cross-platform Java system and provides user with an easy to use graphical user interface (GUI) on their smart phone that uses the standard navigation buttons on mobile devices.
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Alaska became the 49th state in the Union on January 3, 1959. The state’s first two senators, Bob Bartlett and Ernest Gruening, were sworn into office on January 7, 1959. Alaska’s longest-serving senator is Ted Stevens (1968-2009). Stevens served in several leadership positions in the Senate, including president pro tempore and Republican Party whip. In 2002 Lisa Murkowski became the first daughter of a senator to serve in the Senate, and in 2010, only the second person to win a U.S. Senate seat as a write-in candidate. | <urn:uuid:da2c9f62-c760-4e00-9aeb-7f6396f8205e> | CC-MAIN-2014-35 | http://www.senate.gov/states/AK/intro.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1408500823528.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20140820021343-00202-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975988 | 121 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Though visual representations of quantitative information were traditionally cast as the end phase of the data analysis pipeline, visualizations can play important roles throughout the analytic process and are critical to the work of the data scientist. Where static outputs and tabular data may render patterns opaque, human visual analysis can uncover volumes and lead to more robust programming and better data products. For students getting started with data science, visual diagnostics are particularly important for effective machine learning. When all it takes is few lines of Python to instantiate and fit a predictive model, visual analysis can help navigate the feature selection process, build intuition around model selection, identify common pitfalls like local minima and overfit, and support hyperparameter tuning to render more successful predictive models.
In this course, students will learn to deploy a suite of visual tools using Scikit-Learn, Matplotlib, Pandas, Bokeh, and Seaborn to augment the analytic process and support machine learning from preliminary feature analysis through model selection, evaluation, and tuning.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to use visualizations to:
- Summarize and analyze a range of data sets.
- Support feature engineering and feature selection.
- Diagnose common machine learning problems like bias, heteroscedasticity, underfit, and overtraining.
- Evaluate their machine learning models' performance, stability, and predictive value.
- Steer their predictive models toward more successful results.
Enrollment in this course is restricted. Students must submit an application and be accepted into the Certificate in Data Science in order to register for this course.
Current Georgetown students must create an application using their Georgetown NetID and password. New students will be prompted to create an account.
Course prerequisites include:
- A bachelor's degree or equivalent
- Completion of at least two college-level math courses (e.g. statistics, calculus, etc.)
- Successful completion of Data Analysis II: Machine Learning (XBUS-505)
- Basic familiarity with programming or a programming language
- A laptop for class meetings and coursework | <urn:uuid:e2bc07a1-f342-4452-bc99-2b4ffe6f5eaf> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://scs.georgetown.edu/courses/975/data-storytelling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257825125.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071025-00238-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.876203 | 430 | 2.671875 | 3 |
National Family Literacy Day, celebrated across the U.S., focuses on special activities and events that showcase the importance of family literacy programs. First held in 1994, the annual event is officially celebrated on November 1st, but many events are held throughout the month of November. Schools, libraries, and other literacy organizations participate through read-a-thons, celebrity appearances, book drives, and more. As both a parent and a teacher, I know it’s critical that we make the connection between home and school.
As children learn to write, parents and family members can support their progress in a variety of ways. The NCTE document “How to Help Your Child Become a Better Writer” details some useful tips, and is available in both English and Spanish.
Bursting with the energetic voices of young writers and their families, Family Message Journals: Teaching Writing through Family Involvement, follows the development of emergent and beginning writers as they explore the power and joy of written communication. View the lesson plans based on this book and written by the author, Julie Wollman.
NCTE’s Becoming Teammates: Teachers and Families as Literacy Partners offers a bold new look at how teachers and families can work together to build family-school relationships that value and respect each other’s perspectives on literacy. This book features the voices of parents, teachers, graduate students, and preservice teachers.
In Reading and Writing and Teens: A Parent’s Guide to Adolescent Literacy, author Cathy Fleischer, an English professor and mother of teenagers, explains what current research tells us about reading, writing, technology, and standards and testing – and gives specific suggestions for what parents and caregivers can do to help children succeed, both in school and outside the classroom.
“The Family Writing Project: Creating Space for Sustaining Teacher Identity”, an article from English Journal shares a report on the study of family writing projects in an urban school district. Using the concept of “third space,” they describe the influence of this family literacy program on teacher practice.
The themed issue of English Leadership Quarterly Leadership Roles in Family Literacy Projects covers the topic of family literacy with articles such as “Fostering Literacy: Connecting Families with Schools” and “Building Home and School Literacy Partnerships: A Principal’s Perspective”.
Visit ReadWriteThink.org’s Parent & Afterschool Resources for an array of activities you can recommend to families and caregivers to make connections between literacy learning in and out of the school setting. | <urn:uuid:40c6052d-2087-4350-bda5-56d8af537ed9> | CC-MAIN-2018-39 | http://www2.ncte.org/blog/2015/10/family-literacy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-39/segments/1537267159938.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20180923232129-20180924012529-00098.warc.gz | en | 0.945686 | 537 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Bell's Palsy, aka facial paralysis, describes a temporary paralysis of one side of the face caused by trauma or infection of the facial nerves. It usually affects only one side of the face at a time but in very rare cases can affect both sides simultaneously. The damaged facial nerves don't allow information to pass from the brain to the face resulting in facial paralysis. The condition is marked by a drooping of the affected side of the face with the eyelids and mouth having a sagging appearance. Eyelids typically don't blink together because the affected eyelid moves more slowly than the other.
In extreme cases the eyelid cannot move at all and eyedrops are used to moisten the eye. The cause of Bell's Palsy is ultimately unknown but believed to be caused by a virus that damages the facial nerves. Typically treatment is a combination of antiviral medicines and steroids. | <urn:uuid:4066a1c6-adcc-494a-8688-7b3aa70416d4> | CC-MAIN-2019-35 | https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Bell%27s+Palsy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-35/segments/1566027312128.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20190817102624-20190817124624-00180.warc.gz | en | 0.942973 | 181 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Vol. 3, Issue 2, Part A (2021)
Can a medical grade honey sterilize an unsterilized honey
Amit Kumar C Jain
Background: Honey has reemerged as a new antimicrobial to treat and heal wounds. However, often it is found to be contaminated with microbes. Aim: To test whether the medical grade honey can be used as a method of sterilizing a fresh unsterilized honey. Methods and Materials: A freshly obtained raw honey of Apis Dorsata species was procured from Amit Jain’s Centre of Apitherapy, Amit Jain’s Institute of Diabetic Foot and Wound Care, Brindhavvan Areion hospital, Bengaluru, India. A sample of it was sent to microbiology laboratory to determine any microbial growths. Subsequently, 10 ml of medical grade honey that was sterilized with gamma irradiation was added to unsterilized honey and after 1 week, this mixed honey sample was sent for microbial analysis. Results: It was noted that the mixed honey specimen containing sterilized medical grade honey yielded growth in culture similar to unsterilized honey. Conclusion: Medical grade honey is ineffective in sterilizing fresh raw honey and should not be used as a method of honey sterilization.
Pages: 12-13 | 461 Views 193 Downloads | <urn:uuid:3b5f23f7-406e-4a9d-9b03-caffd4d504f6> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.medicalpaper.net/archives/2021.v3.i2.A.35/can-a-medical-grade-honey-sterilize-an-unsterilized-honey | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510149.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20230926043538-20230926073538-00834.warc.gz | en | 0.952345 | 284 | 2.8125 | 3 |
The United States established diplomatic relations with Eritrea in 1993, following its independence and separation from Ethiopia. The United States supported Eritrea’s independence, but ongoing government detention of political dissidents and others, the closure of the independent press, limits on civil liberties, allegations of human rights abuses, and the expulsion of some U.S. government agencies have contributed to strained U.S.-Eritrean relations. Eritrea’s authoritarian regime is controlled entirely by the president, who heads the sole political party, which has ruled the country since 1991. National elections have not taken place since 1991 and the constitution has not been implemented. Regionally, Eritrea has long-standing border disputes with Ethiopia and Djibouti that, in the past, turned violent. Eritrea remains subject to two UN Security Council sanctions resolutions which impose an arms embargo, and restrict the travel of some individuals and freeze their assets.
U.S. interests in Eritrea include reconciling ongoing disputes with Ethiopia and Djibouti, urging progress toward a democratic political culture, citing and addressing human rights issues, promoting economic reform, and encouraging Eritrea to contribute to regional stability. | <urn:uuid:0e498fae-698a-4863-81a6-8b8de774165b> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://er.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/policy-history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439738562.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20200809162458-20200809192458-00260.warc.gz | en | 0.941186 | 236 | 2.875 | 3 |
Solving Equations Involving Exponents
Lesson 10 of 13
Objective: SWBAT solve exponential equations by reasoning about exponent values and by graphing functions.
Any time a mathematical property/theorem has a restriction, it is important to have students think about why the restriction exists. By doing so, we help students make sense of properties at a deeper level (MP3). In order to accomplish this in today's lesson, I begin class by asking students to read and make sense out of the solve_exponential_equations_launch individually. After about 2 minutes, I ask my students to do a Think-Pair-Share to work together to put the information in the slide into their own words. I also encourage my students to think about the question at the bottom of the slide regarding the base not being equal to 1.
To conclude the Think-Pair-Share, I will have students share out their understanding of the property defined on the slide. As they share, I prompt them to come up with additional examples of this property, similar to the one given on the slide. I will keep track of these examples on the board so that students see many instances of this property.
After the launch we will continuing working from the Solve Exponential_Equations_Direct presentation.
I plan to have students turn-and-talk with a partner about how to solve the first equation (MP3). Some students may observe that the goal is to get the base/exponent portion of the equation isolated on one side. This can be done in the first equation by multiplying both sides of the equation by 1/3 (or dividing each side by 3). I plan to remind students that this "move" will lead to another true equation. At this point, all that is left is to figure out the power that represents the value of x. Since this example is designed to result in a whole number answer, I expect some students may see right away that 2^4 is 16. Others may make a list of powers of 2.
Although more complex, the second equation is similar to the first. I am interested in seeing what my students do as a first step. Then, I hope that my students see that both the numerator and denominator of the fraction must be raised to the same power. Again, some students may not see right away that (5/3)^3 is 125/27. In this case, I may proactive and suggest that students make a list of powers of 5/3.
When we turn our attention to Slide 2, I plan to have my students do a think-pair-share. I expect the first part to be relatively straightforward for students. I ask them to make a prediction in order to forestall the answer, "It's impossible."
Making a prediction of the value of x with some accuracy requires students to reason about the powers of 2 and interpolate (MP2). For example, a student may say:
There is no power of 2 that will equal exactly 10. 2^3=8 and 2^4=16 so we know the power must be in between 3 and 4. Since the value of 10 is closer to 8 than it is to 16, we could guess that the answer would be around 3.3.
This is a fairly comprehensive answer.
Most likely, you will be able to question your students in order to guide them towards this type of understanding. This gets students thinking about the fact that not all exponents have to be whole numbers. With this in mind, they can attempt the next question.
I ask students to begin to work on this problem with a partner. I encourage them to work together to set up an equation that could be used to solve this problem (MP1). I intend for my students to base their equation on the exponential growth model we have studied inprevious lessons. Once students produce their equations, I will ask them to estimate values for x and then try to use guess and check to determine a solution. Once students have had some time to think, I plan to inform them that there is a way to solve this equation by graphing (if they have not thought of this themselves).
I will begin by reminding students that two sides of an equation can be thought of as different functions (A.REI.11). If we take this approach, we can then graph both functions and determine the point of intersection by visual inspection. In this case, the two functions can be written as f(x)=100,000 and g(x)=79,918(1.06)^x. After discussing this, I will ask my students to graph the functions on their graphing calculators (or using Desmos graphing software -- see solving_exponential_equations_solution).
Using Solve_Exponential_Equations_Practice, students will be able to practice what they have learned so far. For this activity, I will ask my students to work with a partner. I will encourage them to focus on being precise and supporting each other with respect to this mathematical practice (MP6). I will also require my students to check each answer by testing their answer in the original equation. This practice will be especially valuable for equations that have non-integer answers.
Questions 1 to 6 require students to solve an equation by recognizing the power that would make the equation true. If they are stumped, students can also make a list of powers until they reach the correct result. For example, for 3^x=81 students could make a list of powers of three 3, 9, 27, 81 and determine that the correct value for x is 4 (x = 4).
The final three questions require students to reason about the value of the exponent before graphing the two equations and finding the point of intersection. I make sure to clearly state these instructions to my students. I think that it is important for them to make a prediction about the value of the exponent by reasoning before working on an exact answer. Mathematically proficient students reason about the solution in many different ways to ensure it is the correct one (MP6).
This Ticket out the Door is an application problem that students will have to read and make sense of (MP1). I plan to examine the student work closely to determine which parts of the question my students are able to complete:
- writing the equation
- breaking the equation into two functions
- graphing the functions
- finding the point of intersection
Students can estimate the value by raising 1.08 to various powers to determine how quickly it is growing and how long it will take to reach a value of 2. They can then graph the two functions to find the exact number of years (9.006 years). | <urn:uuid:fec29f4b-cbf4-46fd-82bd-b816ed1467fd> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2141413/solving_exponential_equations_solution-pdf | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501172017.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104612-00153-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951475 | 1,381 | 4.59375 | 5 |
The landscapes we interact with on a daily basis influence not only our behaviour but also our physical and mental well-being . For example, providing access to “green lungs” in the form of urban parks, was already considered important in the 19th century. However, landscapes are not just static arrangements of physical objects, but rather the product of an interaction between humans and the environment. Our perception of landscape varies according to factors such as age, gender and cultural background. Analysing natural language has the potential to shed light on underlying perceptions and categorisations, but how can we find out how people talk about different landscapes and the language they use to describe such landscapes?
In July 2016 Pokémon GO was released. It had a major impact on acceptance of location-based games by the general public, and a considerable impact on human mobility patterns . Suddenly, people walked through unknown streets and ventured into mysterious places, all for virtual rewards in a virtual world. What sparked my scientific interest was how Pokémon GO used volunteered geographic information (VGI) generated in a previous successful location-based game called INGRESS. Users would opt-in to upload a new point of interest (POIs) by providing a photograph of a “culturally significant” object or place and a short text description. Even though this process was decoupled from the actual gameplay, users generated millions of POIs, essentially providing a spatially heterogeneous (e.g. urban vs. rural) but in some areas such as urban centres very detailed map of objects they perceived to have cultural value. Coincidentally, at the beginning of the Pokémon GO phenomenon, I attended a colloquium talk on using simple games to validate land cover images and the potential of games to generate high quality spatial information at low cost . I thought: since data contributed by a large number of non‐experts are increasingly used to validate and curate land cover data, couldn’t we use game elements and, in particular, the unprecedented interest in location-based games to make land cover data collection fun?
So, in my Master’s thesis, I set out to develop, implement and analyse a location-based game for in-situ land cover data generation. “StarBorn” was a location-based game with a strong focus on game play. Users conquered game‐tiles by visiting real‐world locations and collecting land cover data. Within three months, StarBorn generated 13’319 land cover classifications from 84 users. I was able to show that data are concentrated around users’ daily life spaces. As one might imagine, agreement was highest for urban and industrial land cover and user‐generated land cover classifications exhibit high agreement with an authoritative data set. However, I also observed low user retention rates and negative correlations between number of contributions and agreement rates. My master’s thesis won an award for outstanding scientific achievements at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University of Zurich and the results were published in the journal Transactions in GIS .
After my first successful venture into the domains of gamification and crowdsourcing I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had merely scratched the surface of the potential of using entertainment as a means of rewarding participation. In my current PhD project, I am revisiting the questions mentioned at the start of this article: how can data on how people talk about different landscapes and the language they use to describe such landscapes be collected? Are location-based games a viable methodological approach to generating high-quality natural language landscape descriptions? Can we build a corpus of how different people describe landscapes and can this corpus tell us something about how landscapes are perceived, categorised and communicated? And maybe most importantly, can we use fun to fuel science?
Seresinhe, C., Preis, T. & Moat, H. Quantifying the Impact of Scenic Environments on Health. Sci Rep 5, 16899 (2015) doi:10.1038/srep16899
Colley, A., Thebault-spieker, J., Lin, A. Y., Degraen, D., Häkkilä, J., Kuehl, K., … Schöning, J. (2017). The Geography of Pokémon GO: Beneficial and Problematic Effects on Places and Movement. Chi 2017. https://doi.org/10.1145/3025453.3025495
Salk, C. F., Sturn, T., See, L., Fritz, S., & Perger, C. (2016). Assessing quality of volunteer crowdsourcing contributions: lessons from the Cropland Capture game. International Journal of Digital Earth, 9(4), 410–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2015.1039609
Baer, M., Wartmann, F. M., & Purves, R. S. (2019). StarBorn: Towards making in-situ land cover data generation fun with a location based game. Transactions in GIS, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/tgis.12543 | <urn:uuid:2bb39843-592f-46a1-899b-d095c60fc9b4> | CC-MAIN-2020-45 | https://www.spatialsparks.com/20191025/the-story-behind-starborn/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-45/segments/1603107890586.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20201026061044-20201026091044-00339.warc.gz | en | 0.921695 | 1,055 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Rabbits should be fed mainly on grass and hay. We recommend feeding a very small amount (an egg cup a day) of commercial mix to your rabbit to compensate for any mineral deficiencies in the grasses they're eating, but this food should be no more than 3% of your rabbit's body weight per day. There should never be commercial food left in the bowl at the end of the day. To eat grass and hay a rabbit needs to be hungry and it would probably choose commercial mix over its natural diet if given the choice.
Rabbits have continually growing teeth. If their diet doesn't involve a large amount of gnawing, they will develop dental problems. Dental disease is due to a combination of genetic factors, diet and calcium metabolism. To help metabolise calcium your rabbit requires vitamin D which is activated by sunlight. Thus a diet involving lots of grass and a regular exposure to sunlight will aid in preventing disease. Rabbits intestines are designed to process large amounts of grass and plant material. This roughage is essential for the optimum functioning of their intestines.
Rabbits' diets can be complemented by many other vegetables and greenstuffs listed below. Rabbits should not be fed lettuce since is it nutritionally poor and may give them diarrhoea.
Safe Plants For Rabbits
Grass of any type is safe, palatable and ideal for rabbits. Vaccination against viral haemorrhagic disease(VHD) is advisable due to the risk of transmission from wild rabbits.
Wild plants that are safe include: agrimony, brambles, chickweed, clover, coltsfoot, cow parsnip (hogweed), dandelion, young docks, goosegrass, ground elder, groundsel, knapweed, mallow, mayweed, plantain, raspberry, sea beet, shepherds purse, sow-thistle, trefoil, vetch, wild strawberry and yarrow (NB: Many of these plants are illustrated in Virginia Richardson's book Rabbit Nutrition).
Safe cultivated plants include: artichoke leaves, apple, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots and carrot tops, celery, cauliflower leaves, chicory, coriander, corncobs, green beans, kale kohl rabi, lettuce (in moderation), parsley, peapods, pear, parsnip, radish, spinach, spring greens (spring cabbage), sprout peelings, sunflowers plants, swedes, sweetcorn plants, turnips, watercress. N.B.Turnips and Spinach should be fed occasionally (not more than once a week) due to their oxalate content.
Tree leaves can be eaten by rabbits, especially from fruit trees and hazel. | <urn:uuid:51c4dcf5-d30c-493f-bcb9-444ee2594b50> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | https://www.purtonvets.co.uk/pet-advice/rabbit | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998291.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616182800-20190616204800-00521.warc.gz | en | 0.931636 | 573 | 2.890625 | 3 |
BioEnergy Patch Obesity is a disease whose main characteristic is excess body fat. It, by itself, can generate a seriesDuring the pandemic, the issue of obesity became even more evident. Young people died or were in serious condition. And it’s not by chance: excess fat generates a range of constant inflammatory processes. So the defense system gets so busy with it that fighting other health problems can be quite difficult.
According to statistics, more than half of Americans are overweight and about 20% of the population is obese. These are numbers that generate concern and a serious health problem.
What is obesity?
BioEnergy Patch Obesity of health problems and leaves the body more vulnerable to develop other problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Obesity is diagnosed when a person has a BMI (Body Mass Index) greater than 30.
What are the main causes?
There are several causes for obesity. Some are controllable. Others don’t. For example, people with Cushing’s Syndrome are more likely to become obese. Other causes for the problem are sedentary lifestyle and maintenance of a bad diet, full of carbohydrates and fats, which are bad for your health.
There are also associated risk factors. For example, obesity is also linked to a genetic cause, but this does not mean that it is something that determines whether a person is obese. It just means that it will be harder for her to keep the weight off compared to other people.
The use of some medications, such as antidepressants, can also help the body accumulate fat. People with sleep problems tend to eat more and, most of the time, they are not healthy foods.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor, especially the endocrinologist, nutritionist or nutritionist can diagnose obesity. To do this, simply calculate the BMI, based on the patient’s height and weight. If the BMI is greater than 30, the patient is diagnosed with the disease.
For this, other tests are also performed, such as cholesterol – total and fractions – blood tests to analyze if there are hormonal problems involved and fasting blood glucose. In fact, these tests help to establish the current condition of the patient, in order to initiate the best treatment and understand the cause of the problem.
How is obesity treated?
Changes in diet and physical exercise are essential for recovery. As these are usually the causes, eliminating them, it is possible to have a positive result. In more severe cases or where the patient has movement limitations (which is not uncommon), surgical intervention may be necessary. Here comes, for example, bariatric surgery – already well known. The physician will choose the best technique to be used, according to the patient’s need and state of health. Preventing obesity is not difficult. The main idea is to spend more calories than consume. A change in diet is critical, especially increasing your intake of healthy protein and fat and reducing your intake of carbohydrates.
So many people have tried in some way to lose weight and have not been successful! Many of them even report that they did it for a while, but not as definitely as they expected. Nobody likes to fail, that’s a fact! When we fail in something that practically only depends on us, the feeling of frustration seems to be even greater. We know that we are largely responsible for that unwanted result, it really bothers us a lot.
Each person reacts in a way with the feeling of frustration. People who were on restrictive diets tend to take this frustration out on their food (one of the big reasons why restrictive diets don’t work, but that’s talk for another day). We failed on the diet and started eating even worse because of a whirlwind of bad feelings that surround us right now! Have you seen this movie? You know the ending, right?
The problem lies in consuming excess carbohydrates, conditioning our bodies to burn carbohydrates (for energy) instead of fat. Thus, our fat content tends to remain the same, even increasing as we age. If you are one of those who are frustrated with this situation, you should focus on burning fat and we recommend a unique method for that, the BioEnergy Patch™.
What is the BioEnergy Patch™?
This is a bio-frequency patch specifically designed to provide an instant yet safe fat burning solution. The patches are activated by the body’s natural heat and as a result, revolutionary waves in each patch work in tandem with the body’s natural heat and vibrations. They will target the area where you want the fat to be removed. This BioEnergy Patch can work quickly and effectively, burning fat from many areas of your body quickly.
The fat burning method with the BBR bio-frequency patch is a kind of revolutionary step. Broadly speaking, its users are able to burn 1 pound of fat every day.
Why these patches?
– It can burn fat very quickly.
– They burn your excess fat stores for energy, not carbs!
– They can increase your energy (up to 225% more).
Made of polyvinyl material
This is a BioEnergy Patch made of polyvinyl material embedded with carbon. This patch works by storing and transferring frequencies in the form of sub-harmonic signals. To attach it, an FDA-skin-approved adhesive is used. The adhesive is made by 3M Company to prevent bacterial growth on the surface of the skin covered by the patch. The recommended maximum duration of use is 3 days. Thus for a period of a month, it takes 10 patches.
There are three easy steps to apply the patch:
– Peel off the patch.
– Glue the patch on your left shoulder.
– After 3 days replace with a new one.
Read Also: Osteoporosis: What It Is And How To “Fix” It
With just one patch, you can get the following benefits:
- Lose weight fast.
- Burning fat in areas that store “stubborn fat.”
- You can burn fat without having to worry about a strict diet and strenuous exercise.
- Maintain muscle mass.
- Brain health is better than ever.
Can’t wait to use the patches? You can click here! | <urn:uuid:b32ab28c-fd2f-4512-b537-d31798a59f54> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://askkissy.com/the-bioenergy-patch-a-unique-solution-to-burn-your-fat-quickly-and-safely/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764495001.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20230127164242-20230127194242-00614.warc.gz | en | 0.955831 | 1,291 | 3.484375 | 3 |
The Dreaded Diatom Bloom
I wanted to write about something that is often discussed, but never fully explained. I am talking about diatoms.
Diatoms are a member of the Kingdom Protista. Newer hobbyists are usually led to believe that the word diatom is used to describe one specific species of algae. However, the class Bacillariophyceaea (diatoms) includes more than twenty thousand species of algae. That is, if you tell a new hobbyist that you have had a bloom of the same algae, you might just be lying. Diatoms have a few subtle differences from the stereotypical alga. The first difference in diatoms is that they have an outer shell composed of silica. As humans, we benefit from these shells every day. The silica shells of diatoms are made into things such as toothpaste, paint, polish, soap, and even ice cream. Secondly, diatoms have a unique and interesting way of reproducing which I will outline later in this article.
To begin, let’s discuss why diatoms are bad, where they come from, why they appear, and how to get rid of them.
Diatoms Are Bad?
Almost every hobbyist will experience an outbreak of diatoms during the months that their aquarium is cycling. For new hobbyists, seeing brownish-red or rust colored algae cover their aquarium leads them to the assumption that it is bad. After seeing this growth, they will seek help, usually to get the advice that it is, “Just a diatom bloom” and that it will, “go away in a few weeks.” There are three ways in which diatoms can be bad for your aquarium. The first way that they can be bad, is that they are unsightly. The second way that they are bad is that when they die, they will cause a drop in dissolved oxygen levels. The third way that they can be a nuisance is rarer than the first two.
Certain species of diatoms are encrusting. This means that the algae will form a thicker layer (or crust if you will) around your rocks and coral bodies. This can then suffocate and kill certain corals. Generally, the third nuisance will not occur. With that said, when the population is stable, they are very good for your aquarium. Seeing as 98% of phytoplankton is composed of diatoms, this can be a very good and natural source of food for your filter feeding “wet pets.”
There are more ways in which diatoms can be helpful. The first is that diatoms on your sand are a great food source for a large portion of mollusks and crustaceans common sold in this hobby. Secondly, diatoms consume nitrates and phosphates. When the diatoms are filtered out via protein skimming or filter feeders, the nitrates and phosphates are filtered out as well. So next time you have diatoms, don’t “get rid of them,” but rather get their populations under control.
Where Are They Coming From?
This is a simple question with a simple answer. Diatoms come from live sand or live rock that you buy. Even live rock from stable tanks that have been running for years have diatoms. These diatoms are in stable populations as they should be though, and when given the nutrient resources available in newer tanks, the population flourishes and gives the aquarium a nice coating of algae.
Why Are They Appearing?
Most hobbyists assume that diatoms appear because they are doing something wrong. This is usually not the case as even experienced hobbyists can get a bloom of diatoms when starting a new tank. As we already discussed, diatoms have an outer shell composed of silica. To form this shell, diatoms need to feed on silicates. There are two main sources that silicates come from. The first source explains why diatoms occur during the first weeks of aquarium keeping. The first source is sand. When you buy sand, there is generally a high concentration of silicates which can cause a bloom. After all of the silicates are consumed from the sand, the population of diatoms should stabilize, but this is not always the case. The second source of silicates is your source water. If the water that you use to top off and use for water changes has silicates in it, then the population of diatoms will have an unlimited and bountiful food source and may not stabilize.
Even when using reverse osmosis and deionization, the filtered water may contain silicates. It doesn’t take very long for the silicates in your tap water to clog the membrane and allow more silicates through. So if you get a diatom bloom in a mature tank or if your diatom bloom does not go away, then you will need to check (or change) your source water and source water filters. I should also mention that certain types of sand that are not made for aquariums can have very high levels of silicates and silicic acid which will cause a never ending diatom bloom. These sands should be avoided unless you are sure that they are aquarium safe.
How Do I Get Rid of Them?
This question is asked much too often and the answer to it is usually very simple. To get rid of diatoms, you just wait. I do not like this answer, although it isn’t wrong. To get rid of diatoms, you need to get rid of the silicates in your water. Since diatoms are consuming the silicates, you can simply remove the diatoms from the water and the problem should eventually go away. With frequent water changes, the remaining silicates in the water will be removed. After all, “dilution is the best solution to pollution.” Some people take advantage of the diatom bloom and begin adding their clean up crew at this time.
Since diatoms are such a good source of food, your pets get fed as your problem gets solved. Be sure to not add too many members to your clean up crew though, you do not want them to starve after all the diatoms are gone. Some good diatom cleaners that I recommend are nassarius, cerith, and astrea snails. However, there are several organisms that consume diatoms, so choose the ones that are best for you. If you are running an aggressive tank and such invertebrates won’t work for you, then there are other ways of ridding your tank of diatoms. You can remove the diatoms by hand and you can also buy a diatom filter pad. There are several products out there that can be used to filter out silicates. You want to be sure that you get these diatoms out of your water, because if they die, they can cause oxygen levels to decrease and become food for other nuisance algae and bacteria.
How Do They Reproduce?
Diatoms can reproduce very quickly and as I said before, there means of reproduction is something very unique. Diatoms reproduce both sexually and asexually. When culturing diatoms in a Petri dish, I realized that diatoms look somewhat like the Petri dish itself. Diatoms are circular disk-like organisms with two halves (like the lid and the base of a Petri dish). These two pieces will split apart asexually and form another half. Each new half will function as a “lid” and grow a base. Since the base is smaller than the lid in diameter, the new diatom will be smaller than its parent. As a matter of fact, diatom comes from the word diatomos meaning cut in half. After several generations of reproduction, the diatoms will eventually become too small to reproduce asexually. When this happens, the diatom will produce either sperm or eggs and release this into the water column. When the sperm meets the egg, a new generation of diatoms will form, this time much larger.
This asexual reproduction occurs very quickly if there are enough nutrients for it to feed on. The entire aquarium could be completely covered in these algae in a matter of a few days if the nutrients are available. If there are not enough resources for these algae to survive on, they can form endospores. Basically, an endospore is an inactive organism. Diatoms form endospores when there are not enough available nutrients or when conditions are not favorable for them. When the conditions do become favorable, they can spring back to life and reproduce astronomically. This is just something to be aware of.
I hope this article has been somewhat educational and has opened your eyes to how overlooked diatoms are in this hobby. They are an important, if not necessary part of the hobby and are usually dubbed the role of one of the bad alga.
- C. Dennis
Awesome write up here. Thanks for the info!
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"There is no right way to do the wrong thing." - KingFisher "Only bad things happen fast in this hobby" - Cliff Boo train boo train boo train boo train woohoo
Good article. And yes, diatoms are certainly annoying and unsightly. | <urn:uuid:c893f4ee-a4d0-4408-9e7f-0cfe80635c34> | CC-MAIN-2016-40 | http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=60144 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-40/segments/1474738661123.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160924173741-00218-ip-10-143-35-109.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958971 | 1,954 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Malaria is a severe mosquito-borne disease due to a parasite. It is a disease, which if not diagnosed and treated right away, can be life-threatening. A person can contract malaria with only a single bite. Back in 2016, there are 216 million estimated cases of malaria that occurred worldwide with 445,000 people who died. Most of those who were affected and died are children from the African region.
In the United States, there are around 1,700 cases of malaria that are diagnosed every year. Most of these cases are travelers and immigrants who came from countries where there is malaria transmission. Many of them come from South Asia and the sub-Saharan Africa regions. There is a massive danger to malaria that the authorities strictly recommend to get vaccinated.
When bitten with a mosquito infected with the virus, the parasite begins to multiply in the liver and may also affect the red blood cells. Malaria is prevalent mostly in tropical and subtropical countries, such as Africa, Asia, South America, and parts of Europe. It is essential for travelers to these countries have to take malaria prophylaxis before leaving the country.
Travelers must be aware of the symptoms of malaria before they go to areas where there is a high risk of the disease. Those symptoms are:
These symptoms often appear between 7 to 18 days after infection.
In some cases, however, the symptoms do not appear for a year or even longer than that. If you develop symptoms after visiting a disease risk area, make sure to seek a medical help as soon as possible. Make sure that you visit your doctor even if it has been weeks, months or years after you returned from traveling.
If there is a possibility that you may have malaria, the doctor will conduct a blood test to confirm whether you are infected or not. Usually, you can receive the results of the examination on the same day. If found that you are infected, then the treatment can commence right away as well. Your doctor will guide through all of these.
The cause of malaria is the Plasmodium parasite. As mentioned before, this parasite is transmitted through mosquito bites. There are numerous types of Plasmodia parasites. However, only 5 of these types can cause malaria in humans. The female Anopheles mosquitos are the main culprit that spreads the parasite.
This mosquito bites usually at dusk and night. When an infected mosquito bites you, it will pass the parasite into the bloodstream. Transfer from person to person can happen through blood transfusion or the sharing of needles, but cases like this are rare. Vaccines are the primary way you can stay protected from malaria infection.
Prevention is better than cure, and with the danger of malaria, it is better to protect yourself by getting vaccinated. At the same time, you must also maintain protection while staying abroad. In that regard, make sure to discuss your medical history and itinerary with your doctor. Your physician will be able to tell you the appropriate level of protection against malaria, and which travel vaccine you should take. | <urn:uuid:0748b9a7-820b-41f8-a9fe-72f44c383e54> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://www.walkinclinic.london/travel-vaccinations/malaria | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323588244.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20211027212831-20211028002831-00557.warc.gz | en | 0.958855 | 618 | 3.84375 | 4 |
While hanging out in the soft sunlight, hundreds of village girls and boys speak English in a free and frisky manner like parrots. This sight is common in Bukik Batabuah, Agam regency in West Sumatra. This village is blessed with beautiful rice terraces and cool air. The road along the village turns into a place of learning English by hundreds of teens located at the foot of Mount Singgalang. This smart breakthrough—initiated by Romeo Rissal Panji Alam, a banker and professional—is called English Power System, while the place is named Global Village.
Global Village is developed as a centre of human capital development where education is focused on the formation of attitude, motivation, persistence and capability. The program begins with a system to motivate students to speak English, followed by the development of their ability in sciences and providing them with career guidance. Young people are educated to open up their horizons, while other people can come and stay while learning various things of interest and participate in social and economic activities. Hopefully, the village will become a cultural and educational tourism destination.
The major approach of teaching at Global Village is transformation to a fun learning system. Teachers are required not to teach but manage learning processes using the English Power System whereby motivation training is its foremost important aspect. Those paying the village a visit will find it interesting considering its uniqueness—English school without walls—since Global Village is a great program which takes place not in classrooms but in the streets of a village.
The entire program is derived from sound teaching ideas. Teachers, known as Princesses, guide the students. Yet the true teaching is done by the students themselves, known as Super Buddies. Each Super Buddy has the responsibility over a group of children and plans and directs activities.
They are individuals who stand out from the group concerning learning and leadership, and are called upon to design activities and lead their own group of “friends” in English-learning activities. They are the true teachers of the program, and herein lies the innovation. Children teaching children and learners teaching learners is amazingly effective and reinforces the skills and knowledge for both parties. It also supports the development of leadership and other skills that will take these young people far in life, not only in English but in their personal lives and careers as well.
Having visited the place a couple of times, Jennifer Zirbes, an American and an English Language Fellow, said that Global Village should be lauded for its focus on authenticity. The program tries to use English in authentic activities and situations, through which it hopes to prepare students for real-life situations. It is frequently found that graduates are unable to speak a complete sentence, whereas in fact they have studied English all throughout their student career. Global Village is attempting to fix this problem through practical applications. Having a functional use of English opens up many professional doors, and in the grand scheme of things is beneficial for the country of Indonesia as a whole.
With Global Village specializing not in classrooms but in the streets of a village, the learning environment becomes exceptional. There is no classroom. Rather, the children gather in their groups along a narrow street in front of a farm house. The setting is natural and informal, and lends an air of fun, freedom, and relaxation to the learning process. This need for positive reinforcement and an encouraging environment has also been taken into account into the basic methodology of the classes, which the Super Buddies are trained in. Any educator who is worth their salt knows that the best learning occurs in an environment where negative emotions such as stress, pressure, fear and embarrassment are minimalized. In Global Village, they have taken some great steps forward in this direction with impressive results.
Looking at its formative period, Global Village was established on July 7, 2012. Romeo, the father of Global Village, mentioned that he has actually set up another Global Village in Ampalu Village in Pariaman, West Sumatra. However, it is discontinued since two teachers in charge of it are now pursuing their master’s degrees. He has received many requests to set up the same Global Village programs in Pekanbaru, Bandung and Bali. In the past two months, Romeo and his teams are making preparation for the establishment of Global Village programs at Andalas University campus, Sawahlunto—despite their attempts to seek and find teachers who are willing to work there—and Talago Village in Lima Puluh Kota regency.
Media coverage and social media are mostly run by their own members, yet Romeo did not stand alone prior to and during the program launching. The preparation started with kind assistance of Mr. Stanley Harsha, the US Consulate General in Medan who helped to launch the English Power System on August 25,2010, with the presence of the Remarkable Current Band from the US in Padang. The teachers were trained by Mr. Erans Williams of RELO (Regional English Language Office, the US Embassy). Even Agam regent Indra Cantri came to the place by SMS invitation for officially launching the Global Village on July 7, 2012. Romeo runs this program using his own money thus far. He is still finding ways since he and his team members want to help other villages too. | <urn:uuid:817e5649-60b9-4f04-a6f2-fcc27565218a> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://indonesiaexpat.biz/travel/global-village-an-english-school-without-walls/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585371826355.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20200408233313-20200409023813-00523.warc.gz | en | 0.970824 | 1,068 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Islam places great emphasis on caring for the vulnerable members of society, particularly orphaned children. The Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) highlight the significance of providing support, love, and protection to those who have lost their parents. In this blog, we will explore the importance of supporting orphaned children in Islam and how organizations like Penny Appeal USA are making a difference in their lives.
The Status of Orphaned Children in Islam:
In Islamic teachings, orphans hold a special place. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself was an orphan, and he emphasized the need to care for those who have lost their parents. In the Quran, Allah commands believers to take care of orphans, recognizing their vulnerability and the responsibility the community bears towards them.
The Importance of Supporting Orphaned Children
Fulfilling an Islamic Duty: Supporting orphaned children is not only a noble act of kindness but also a religious obligation in Islam. Allah promises immense rewards for those who care for orphans and treat them with compassion and love. By fulfilling this duty, believers seek the pleasure of Allah and emulate the example set by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Preserving Their Rights: Orphaned children, having lost the love and protection of their parents, are among the most vulnerable members of society. Islam stresses the importance of upholding their rights, including their right to love, care, education, and a stable upbringing. By supporting orphaned children, we ensure that these rights are safeguarded, giving them a chance to grow and thrive.
Building Strong Communities: By supporting orphaned children, we contribute to building strong and cohesive communities. Islam encourages believers to extend their families and provide a nurturing environment for orphaned children. This act of compassion strengthens the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood, fostering a sense of unity and empathy within the community.
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Orphaned children often face economic hardships, lacking access to basic necessities and educational opportunities. Supporting them not only provides immediate relief but also breaks the cycle of poverty. Through programs that focus on education, healthcare, and vocational training, Penny Appeal USA empower orphaned children with the tools they need to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Penny Appeal USA recognizes the importance of supporting orphaned children in accordance with Islamic teachings. They implement comprehensive programs to provide physical, emotional, and educational support to orphaned children, ensuring they have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Here are some of the ways in which Penny Appeal USA makes a difference:
Orphan Sponsorship: Penny Appeal USA facilitates orphan sponsorship programs, connecting caring individuals and families with orphaned children in need. Through monthly donations, sponsors contribute to the child’s education, healthcare, and overall well-being, offering them love, support, and stability.
Education and Vocational Training: Penny Appeal USA invests in the education and vocational training of orphaned children. By providing access to quality education, scholarships, and skills development, they equip these children with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in life.
Psychosocial Support: Penny Appeal USA understands the importance of emotional support for orphaned children. They provide counseling, mentorship, and recreational activities, creating a safe and nurturing environment where children can heal, grow, and develop a positive outlook on life.
Community Integration: Penny Appeal USA focuses on integrating orphaned children into the broader community. Through initiatives such as community centers, family support, and social events, they ensure that these children feel connected, loved, and accepted by their surroundings.
Supporting orphaned children is an integral part of Islamic teachings, and Penny Appeal USA is instrumental in carrying out this important duty. By nurturing and supporting these children, we fulfill our religious obligations, preserve their rights, and contribute to the formation of strong and compassionate communities. Together, let us embrace the spirit of compassion and generosity, and work towards providing a loving and secure future for every orphaned child, in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
Empowering through Education:
Central to the success of the Yemen Food and Vegetable Gardens project was the emphasis on education and skill-building. Recognizing the transformative power of knowledge, the project trained 125 families in the art of cultivating home gardens, imparting essential knowledge about different seed types, cultivation techniques, irrigation methods, and crop management. By equipping families with the necessary tools and expertise, the project not only empowered them to take charge of their food production but also provided them with a potential source of income, fostering a sense of self-reliance and dignity within the community.
The Yemen Food and Vegetable Gardens project went beyond providing immediate relief, emphasizing the importance of cultivating long-term self-sufficiency within the community. By educating families on sustainable agricultural practices, the project encouraged the cultivation of home gardens as a reliable source of nutritious food and a potential avenue for generating income. The project’s focus on sustainable techniques such as weed control, efficient irrigation, and crop management instilled a culture of resilience and self-reliance, enabling families to break free from the cycle of dependency and create a more secure and prosperous future for themselves. | <urn:uuid:118d502b-16ef-435d-9de4-0bdb9a206b99> | CC-MAIN-2024-10 | https://pennyappealusa.org/blog/supporting-orphaned-children-as-a-part-of-faith/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-10/segments/1707947475757.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20240302052634-20240302082634-00206.warc.gz | en | 0.939523 | 1,051 | 2.6875 | 3 |
9 Ways To Raise Kids Who Love Fruits And Veggies (According To Science)
We all know that fruits and vegetables are filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. They're low in calories and contain no saturated fat and no added sugar or salt. And they can help promote health and prevent diseases, including childhood obesity.
That's why, ideally, fruits and veggies should fill at least half of every child's plate. But getting kids to enjoy eating healthy can often be a huge challenge.
As a registered dietitian, parents often ask me how to get their kids to eat more fruits and veggies. Here are nine easy tips I recommend for getting little ones to love plants:
1. Start young.
Research shows that food preferences develop very early. In one recent study, kids who were introduced to a variety of fruits and vegetables at age 14 months were more likely to eat them and be less fussy about food around age 4. I recommend including a variety of textures and flavors in babies' meals early on.
2. Keep serving a new food for at least 10 tries.
Don't get discouraged if your child rejects a certain food at first. Studies show that it can take 10 to 15 tries before a kid will develop a liking for a food, so repeated exposure to vegetables may help.
Start with a dip or pair a vegetable with something your children already like, such as their favorite fruit. Offer just a small taste at first. I also recommend using this Try, Try, Try Again chart to help you and your kids keep track of tries in a fun way. Use different colors or stickers to mark every attempt.
3. Cut up foods and serve them in fun styles.
Have fun creating novel ways to present fruits and veggies. For example, since kids often choose fruits over veggies, combine them together into salads or kebabs. Or, try creating a "sandwich" with fruit or veggie slices using a nut or seed butter in between.
Some kids will prefer raw veggies while others will prefer eating them cooked. Be patient and experiment to determine your child's preference.
4. Be a healthy role model.
Children learn through observation, and they notice parents' eating habits. So if you're excited about eating fruits and veggies then your children may become excited, too.
Snack times are good opportunities to show smart eating choices, and it can be as simple as adding blueberries to plain yogurt or enjoying red pepper slices with a hummus dip. Research backs up the idea that role modeling can lead to more fruit and vegetable consumption in kids.
5. Create a family meal routine.
Family meals are a great way to establish healthy eating habits. In fact, studies show that adolescents who have regular meals together as a family tend to eat more fruits and veggies.
Since we're all busy, make small changes and simply aim for at least three sit-down family meals per week. They don't have to be dinner. Maybe try a breakfast or lunch on the weekend or Sunday supper. And they don't have to be long meals or elaborate menus. When you're crunched for time, I recommend a simple veggie egg scramble for dinner.
6. Keep healthy food visible and within reach.
Instead of hiding fruits and veggies, place them in visible and reachable areas in the kitchen, which can increase consumption. Kids will grab and eat them if they don't have to go out of their way.
You can store bananas, apples, citrus, cucumbers, and tomatoes on the counter. Cut-up fruits and veggies can be left at room temperature for no more than two hours.
7. Involve your kids in grocery shopping and cooking.
Kids are more adventurous to try new foods if they had a role in the planning and preparation of meals. Take your kids to local markets or farmers markets and spend time in the produce section. Look at the beautiful, colorful displays; observe the different shapes; and have your kids touch the various textures. Research shows that such hands-on activities may motivate your little ones to try new foods.
I also recommend letting your child select a fruit or veggie they want to include in the meal and then letting them help you prepare it. Studies suggest that cooking with kids may boost vegetable consumption.
Be creative: since kids love pizza and pasta, try making pizza crust from cauliflower or pasta from the squash family. Let kids help stuff a tomato or eggplant with your choice of protein.
8. Cultivate a garden.
Kids who garden are more likely to want to eat the fruits or veggies they grow. Besides being a wonderful physical activity, gardening may enhance preferences for fruits and veggies.
If you don't have much outdoor space, you can start by growing fresh herbs in a pot in the kitchen. You can also get kids involved in school or community garden programs.
9. Use the power of books and pictures.
We know that reading with kids stimulates brain activities and is an amazing bonding experience. But did you also know that reading can influence eating behaviors?
Repeatedly exposing toddlers to picture books with fruits and vegetables may enhance their likelihood of trying these unfamiliar foods. A Stanford study demonstrated that reading books about veggies at snack time improved veggie intake in preschoolers because they understood why they should be eating these foods. In fact, I wrote the children's book Teddy Tries a Veggie (along with an interactive Apple version) with this goal in mind.
What else have you found to work in your family? | <urn:uuid:797343b1-50e7-4736-9ec4-764275f8860b> | CC-MAIN-2018-13 | https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23965/9-ways-to-raise-kids-who-love-fruits-and-veggies-according-to-science.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-13/segments/1521257651465.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20180324225928-20180325005928-00582.warc.gz | en | 0.95915 | 1,132 | 3.453125 | 3 |
New Hampshire and Utah top a new study about financial literacy, and those two states' education systems are a big reason for their high rankings.
The study was released by personal financial website WalletHub. Financial literacy is defined as understanding how money works in the world, how someone earns and spends it, and proper management of it.
New Hampshire had the smallest high school dropout rate among the 50 states, just 1.2%. Its overall education ranking was fifth in the country and it was first in both main sub-categories: knowledge & education and planning & daily habits.
Utah was No. 2 on the list, ranking No. 1 in high school financial literacy scores based on a test created by Champlain
In addition to the ninth-best return on investment from the state government for taxes that citizens pay, Utah also ranks 10th in number of citizen's with at least a bachelor's degree, 16th in lowest high school dropout rate and 19th in number of citizens whose expenditures exceed their income, reports Lee Davidson for The Salt Lake Tribune. Virginia and New Jersey are third and fourth in the overall rankings, respectively.
The state that received the lowest overall score was Mississippi, reports Jeff Ayres for The Clarion Ledger. It is No. 49 in the number of residents with a bachelor's degree, sufficient financial-literacy skills, and percentage of residents whose expenditures are more than their income and people with an rainy day fund. Mississippi is also No. 50 in people who drop out from high school and No. 45 in the percentage of state citizens who borrow money from non-bank lenders. Ayres writes:
That's why Mississippi needs to seize upon the lone bright spot in the WalletHub study, a No. 21 ranking in high school financial literacy programs. Groups like the Mississippi Council on Economic Education and the Mississippi Economic Council, to say nothing of grass-roots-level nonprofits and community groups statewide, have done sterling work in promoting the need for financial skills to be taught in the classroom as well as the broader links between a quality education and professional success after graduation.
The study's rankings were based on factors such as financial planning, savings, and education. Other factors include whether or not citizens had a rainy day fund and if they spent more than their income. WalletHub did its study by investigating financial education classes and the financial habits of citizens in each of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia.
Since the beginning of 2012, the study found that the nation has accumulated a total of over $73 billion in new credit card debt. This comes as no surprise since only two in five adults does a budget every month. Around 19% of Americans' expediters exceed their income and 60% of Americans do not save for a rainy day, writes John S. Kiernan for WalletHub. | <urn:uuid:4b446c22-f8f6-4e06-9f1d-65dc82c315bd> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://www.educationnews.org/k-12-schools/new-hampshire-tops-financial-literacy-list/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875144429.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20200219214816-20200220004816-00166.warc.gz | en | 0.972549 | 575 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Investigating the serious crime of sexual assault or rape is perhaps one of the most challenging jobs that confronts police forces advises Nicola Mitchell.
Rape is a serious violent crime perpetrated overwhelmingly by men against women, children, and men. It is the most underreported of all violent crime in the US with only 16-39% of rapes being reported. In England and Wales that statistic is strikingly lower with just 6-18% of rapes being reported to the police. The rate of conviction for rape in Ireland in 2013 was 19% but after taking into account those who contested the charges, the conviction rate was actually 7%. This figure is in line with the British Home Office and Ministry of Justice data (2013) which found that conviction rates have remained at around 7% since 2000.
One of the main obstacles to victims reporting is the ‘rape myth’ which is more commonly referred to as ‘real’ rape. This stereotypical scenario of rape is an assumption that rape is more likely to be true if it is committed by a stranger, with the presence of a weapon and includes inflicting injury on the victim. However, statistics and research contradicts this widely held view of what ‘real’ rape is. Between 70 and 90% of perpetrators are known to the victim, with many of them being intimate partners. In the US only 11% of rapes were committed with the use of a weapon such as a gun or knife. As a result, victims of rape are less likely to report being raped as they fear they won’t be believed and this leads to a lack of trust in the police and criminal justice system.
When investigating allegations of rape, police are often confronted with a number of factors that may influence whether the allegation is deemed to be ‘false’, unfounded, or sent for prosecution. ‘Downstream orientation’ of justice refers to decisions being made on the basis of how others, in particular the jury and the defence team, will interpret and respond to a case. Rape has been referred to as an inherently legal activity made illegal by a lack of consent. Proving lack of consent is sometimes more difficult because the victim is also the only witness, she has had an intimate relationship with the perpetrator, and there is no corroborating physical or forensic evidence. Research has shown that women are less likely to be believed if they were judged to have a negative moral character, were dressed provocatively, were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or if they suffered from mental health issues. Perpetrators are more likely to be believed if they are known to the victim, are employed, have a privileged status within their local community, and particularly in the US, if they are white and have no previous convictions.
The number of false allegations of rape are generally overestimated with some studies of police officers believing that the figures are between 40-50%. However, the actual rate of false allegations is somewhere between 2-8%, with one study of the LAPD finding a rate of 4.5%. Perhaps not surprisingly, actual ‘false allegations’ are more likely to fit the ‘real rape’ scenario of a stranger rape with the use of a weapon and the threat of physical violence, as these scenarios are more likely to be believed.
Why is there such a gap between the perception of false allegations and the true number? This more often than not comes down to the credibility of the victim. Police often report that the victims were emotionally ‘flat’ during the interview, when it might be expected that victims show signs of upset and distress; they were unable to give a chronological account of what happened; their memory recall of key elements of the attack was poor; and their account showed inconsistencies. These deficits in a victim’s account makes her less ‘credible’ and it is no wonder that law enforcement officials view such accounts with scepticism.
However, neuroscience can provide us with an explanation into why victims’ behaviour does not fit into the expectations of how someone who has been raped should behave. When confronted with a threatening and traumatic event, people will engage in ‘fight’, ‘flight’, or ‘freeze’ to cope with the threat. About one third of women report physically resisting their assailant, and these women are subsequently less likely to report symptoms of distress, depression, self-blame and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the vast majority of women will experience a freeze response referred to as tonic immobility (TI) or ‘rape-induced paralysis’.
The amygdala is the part of the brain that reacts to sources of emotion, stress and fear, while the prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making, judgement and insight. The prefrontal cortex regulates the amygdala and prevents it from over-responding to emotions. Trauma is a heightened form of stress and when the amygdala is over activated the prefrontal cortex can no longer maintain internal stability in the brain. This causes the victim to ‘shut down’ in order to cope with the traumatic event and is known as ‘dissociation’. Dissociation occurs as a result of extreme fear but to the untrained observer may appear as if the victim chose not to resist the assault. When dissociation occurs during and immediately after a traumatic event it is common for the victim to experience disruptions in how the brain encodes and stores the details of the traumatic event. They are more likely to avoid the memories, downplay them or even deny the rape or aspects of the rape occurred. So, when a victim is faced with having to make a statement and revisit the traumatic event, she may have memory gaps which leads to a fragmented or disjointed account of the rape, she may appear emotionless, or she may laugh and smile inappropriately when describing what happened.
The US military has led the way in using knowledge of how trauma affects the brain and in turn affects the behaviour of victims of rape, by incorporating this information in how they investigate rape cases. Victims are encouraged to recount their story by using a ‘narrative’ approach rather than being asked very direct questions designed to establish the sequence of events and highlight inconsistencies. The narrative approach may focus on sensory details such as sounds or smells that the victim remembers, allowing her to piece together her fragmented memory of the event without feeling threatened or re-traumatised by the interviewing process. She is encouraged to start with the most significant details that she can remember and to elaborate from there. This has led to fewer discrepancies in the victims’ accounts of their assaults, and a more positive view of how police deal with victims of rape. This in turn should lead to an increase in the number of rapes reported and ultimately in convictions secured. It will also mean a lower incidence of PTSD among rape victims, as those who delay or do not report the assault are more likely to experience PTSD and depressive symptoms than those who disclose early.
The key to improving rates of reporting and ultimately conviction is to provide appropriate training for personnel who will be investigating allegations of rape and sexual assault. Training should incorporate sound interviewing techniques as well as the neurobiology of trauma. This will help investigators to understand victim behaviour immediately after rape, and why memory recall is often so fragmented. While some victims express a preference for a female investigator, research shows that if a male investigator has good interviewing skills then this will make a female victim feel more comfortable and increase her willingness to prosecute.
Nicola Mitchell is a psychologist and psychotherapist
For full and in-depth coverage, see the current printed edition of Garda Review. | <urn:uuid:6206190d-bf73-4a64-a03a-759a0e1e4781> | CC-MAIN-2017-17 | http://www.gardareview.ie/index.php/a-crime-like-no-other/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917120338.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031200-00295-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971998 | 1,547 | 2.90625 | 3 |
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|October 11, 2002||
The River sutra
It is a truism that water is the elixir of life. Therefore it is not surprising that the earliest civilisations generally appeared near river systems: the Indus-Sarasvati, the Euphrates-Tigris, the Nile, the Yellow River. As humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled farmers, it goes without saying that an assured source of water was critically important. Naturally, the great cities of antiquity also sprung up near rivers: for, rivers are perfect for water-borne trade. Today, despite railways and roads, much cargo is ferried up and down rivers; and despite great water-works, we continue to be heavily dependent on rivers for life-giving water for agriculture and urban consumption.
Riparian areas have become centers of civilisation for purely economic reasons too. For, the surplus generated by intensive agriculture can be used to sustain a culture where not everybody has to be a subsistence farmer. There is enough wealth to support warriors, artists, traders, scientists, writers, priests, architects, and so forth. This is famously true of the Nile delta where flooding left a precious alluvium of new topsoil every year.
Similarly, the Cauveri delta supported the cultural flowering of the Cholas: those immense temple towers at Srirangam and Chidambaram and Gangaikondacholapuram, the expeditions of Rajaraja Chola to the Indonesian archipelago, and those sublime Chola bronzes of Thanjavur, are directly attributable to, and financed by, the diligent Tamil farmer and artisan. And as late as the colonial era, the Cauveri delta (Tamil Nadu) and the Brahmaputra delta (Bengal) were among the four greatest centers of industrial production in the world.
Ancient Indians did recognise the importance of their rivers as literally the lifeblood of the nation. Hence the great honour and respect given to them in Hindu scriptures. See, for example, the sloka:
Gange cha! Yamune chiava! Godavari! Sarasvati!
In this water, I invoke the presence of holy waters from The rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Cauvery!
The divinity attributed to the sacred rivers such as the Sarasvati, the Ganga, the Cauveri, and the Narmada has perhaps helped us manage and preserve them. The Rg Veda speaks often about the mighty river Sarasvati, as broad as the ocean. In the story of Indra's slaying of the water-demon Vrtra, we see the damming of the river and its subsequent release. Pilgrims even today undertake the arduous trek to Gaumukh, the origin of the Ganga/Bhagirathi, even though the glacier that gives rise to the river has receded eighteen kilometers away from the original temple to Ganga built millennia ago at the then source, Gangotri.
The Sarasvati, along whose banks the bulk of the settlements of the Indus-Sarasvati (Harappan) civilisation can be found, dried up circa 2000 BCE, after an earthquake caused its tributaries to be captured by other rivers, the Sutlej by the Indus, and the Yamuna by the Ganga. The Indus-Sarasvati civilisation declined precipitously thereafter, and its next flowering was hundreds of years later, in the Gangetic Plain to the east. The river died, and so almost did the civilisation; this is a cautionary tale for us. (For more details, see Michel Danino, The Invasion That Never Was, Mother's Institute of Research, Nilgiris, 2001, also see http://www.bharatvani.org/michel_danino/homepage.htm)
There are those who still remember the long-lost river. The Gauda Saraswat Brahmins of the Konkan coast, Sarasvati's children, still recall that immense river, whose course was eight kilometers wide in parts.
Much later, on the banks of the Tungabhadra at present-day Hampi, the capital city of the Vijayanagar empire flourished: at its peak, it was the largest and wealthiest city in the world. The city, situated in an arid area, was entirely dependent on the life-giving river for its very existence.
But in modern times, we are clearly abusing our rivers. In Kerala, for instance, storied rivers such as the Pamba, the Nila, and the Periyar, are all dying because of sand mining, rainforest destruction, and pollution. I fear that one of these days, our rivers will be so polluted that they will catch fire, as the rivers in Cleveland (Cuyahoga) and Pittsburgh (Allegheny?) used to do periodically until they embarked on a massive clean-up drive.
Growing up in watery Kerala, dominated by backwaters, beautiful and practical at the same time -- the milk run on the old ferryboat between Alappuzha and Kollam is one of the true journeys of a lifetime -- I never knew what it meant to not have water. The tap water in Trivandrum was plentiful and sweet; and when we went to the village, there was abundant well-water, the only catch was that we had to pull it by hand, and that too was eased when they invested in pump-sets. During the monsoons, the little streams would overflow their banks, and my cousin and I would wade in carrying our bicycles over our heads, safe from the brown, rampaging waters.
I realise now how lucky I was. The United Nations estimated that 60 per cent of Indians suffer from a lack of access to clean water, and this number is increasing. And it is not as though we don't get enough water: India is blessed with more than enough rainfall, and if only we managed our water better, we would be in much better shape.
I was first exposed to the lack of water when I was a student at IIT Madras. Chennai, then as now, suffered from a lack of water, and hostelmates used to keep a sharp eye on us "hydrophilic" Malayalis who were prone to take long showers. In the summers, there would be big red worms in the water, and we would tie cloth filters to the taps to prevent the worms from coming through. It is even worse now, I am told.
Later, I lived through several years of drought in California: the state encourages overuse by farmers through skewed pricing schemes. But the drought showed me how, even in a technologically advanced society, humans are vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather gods. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s is not just a distant memory, it can recur in the US.
I wrote a column Water Wars: Cauvery, Chinatown and Cadillac Desert a couple of years ago about how the Cauvery water showdown then between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was merely a symptom of the kinds of problems we are likely to face in future regarding the availability of fresh water. Today, this particular rift has taken on far graver proportions: Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are practically on the verge of war. At least one person has become a martyr to this cause by jumping into a reservoir in protest. This is causing simmering chauvinistic feelings among Kannadigas and Tamils to come to the fore, which is unfortunate.
However, there is no simple answer to the question of whether Karnataka should release more water or not. The Supreme Court has come up with an answer; but this is a strictly legalistic interpretation of certain treaties, which may or may not have been signed with full consideration of all the consequences. For instance, the folks in the Owens Valley in California never dreamt they were signing the death knell of their valley when they transferred water rights to a thirsty Los Angeles in the 1920s. There is no equitable solution in the case of the Cauvery: for it is a zero-sum game, and demand has risen in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. To expect the river to continue to meet everyone's needs is to delude ourselves.
This is not a local problem alone, incidentally. Water will become, according to some experts, the main reason for wars in many places. For water is much more precious than that other coveted fluid, petroleum: after all, you cannot drink petroleum, nor can you grow crops with it. There is the interesting conjecture that the West Asian wars are really about control over the waters of the Jordan River.
Behind all the religious rhetoric, there is a rational reason for Pakistan's desire to control Kashmir: the waters of the Indus. Today, Pakistan has good reason to feel vulnerable: if India, which controls the headwaters of the Indus, were to divert them, Pakistan would in effect turn into a desert. It is a different matter that India would find it rather difficult to deal with all that water: where can it be diverted to fruitfully, and how? There have been reports recently about how the Pakistanis are attempting to melt glaciers in their control in the Siachen area by covering them with coal and thus increasing the solar heat absorption. Short-sighted? Certainly. Once the glacier is gone, there might be no more water, period. These are not harvestable resources, but ones that need husbanding.
There is an immensely frightening prospect along similar lines. The Chinese now control the Tibetan plateau. And the major rivers of the Asia generally rise from Tibet. For instance, the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Irrawaddy (or Airavati), the Mekong. And the Chinese have an ambitious programme to divert the waters of all these rivers up north to their thirsty interior provinces. If this is done, Northern India, Bangladesh, upper Burma and all the riparian states of the Mekong, including Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, will rapidly turn into deserts. Given the nature of the Chinese government, they will use this fact to blackmail all of these countries.
This is perhaps the greatest threat from the Chinese colonisation of Tibet, that "chacha" Nehru acquiesced to so easily. In addition to pointing nuclear missiles at India from the Tibetan highlands, in addition to decimating the culture and population of Tibet and swamping it with ethnic Han Chinese immigrants, in addition to inundating it with nuclear waste, in addition to destroying the entire fauna of Tibet by ruthlessly shooting it, they are in position to devastate the fertility of the entire Ganga-Brahmaputra doab. If this is not a threat to national security, I do not know what is. There are people in India who are talking seriously of the Ganga-Cauvery linkup to share the overflow in the northern rivers with the arid Deccan and the Coromandel coast; but as Tibetologist and Sinologist Claude Arpi points out, the Chinese are making rapid progress on their plans to divert the rivers. We may end up having to pump Cauvery water north!
Therefore, India is vulnerable on several counts. Current usage patterns are unsustainable, as the water table is falling swiftly in many parts of India. The problems in Bangalore and Chennai with dried-up wells are legendary. On a visit to the utopian community of Auroville, I was told that the over-use of groundwater, possibly even by Neyveli Lignite not far from there, is causing aquifers to run dry and also causing the land to subside. I was reminded of sinkholes in Texas from the over-use of the Ogallala Aquifer.
The only answer seems to be rainwater harvesting. In some ways, this is not a perfect solution -- nothing is, I suppose, other than conservation and reduction of use -- as it may cause problems for the dams and weirs downstream: if the water is captured locally, it may not recharge aquifers further down. But it is the best bet we have today, for as much as 80 per cent of the needs of a family can be met by capturing the rain that falls on their house, even in relatively rain-sparse areas.
The efforts of the Tarun Bharat Sangh and its founder Rajendra Singh in this regard are notable. There is a detailed story about them on the Good News India site. Instead of depending on large dams whose efficacy is questionable, they focused on local knowledge and local cooperation in building small-scale waterworks. They have succeeded in recharging a number of lakes, and they have made some of the rugged Aravalli hills bloom again with forest cover; most significantly, they have made some seasonal rivers perennial! This is remarkable, and encouraging.
There are efforts now under way in various places to do rainwater harvesting on a larger scale. From the IIT Madras mailing lists, I understand that there is a project called Akash Ganga, the brainchild of a US-based alumnus, which attempts to provide know-how about the techniques of rainwater harvesting to homeowners all over Chennai. There are pilot projects in two of the hostels to reduce the dependency on trucked-in water: apparently each hostel has to buy several truckloads of water (which of course is of uncertain quality) every day.
I am sure that all of these efforts could use funding, so I would request you, gentle reader, to donate generously. This is the only way forward, until and unless we ever arrive at a point when solar energy gets to be so cheap that sea-water desalination becomes economically feasible. At least coastal cities in the tropics will be able to afford it. Today, even affluent Singapore is forced to purchase water from Malaysia rather than attempting to desalinate sea-water.
The current imbroglio between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is a mere side-show: it merely makes for fine grandstanding. But the solution is in the hands of the people: each of us have to conserve and harvest.
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Protect Yourself by Detecting Cancers Early
By Kenneth L. Noller, MD
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Cancer claims the lives of too many women. It is the second leading cause of death of women in the US. In 2007, an estimated 270,000 women died and 678,000 women were diagnosed with some type of cancer.
It is no surprise that cancer tops many women’s lists of health fears. A recent ACOG/Harris Interactive® survey polled women on their cancer knowledge and found that:
- One in five women said they would prefer not to know if they have cancer. Fear of the disease may cause women to skip important screening exams and preventive health check-ups that can detect cancer early.
- Nearly two-thirds of women mistakenly believe that having no family history of cancer means they have a low risk of developing the disease, when, in fact, the majority of cancers occur in people who have no family history.
- Only half of the women surveyed felt that they were doing enough to reduce their cancer risk, but nearly one in five were not willing to change daily lifestyle habits, which can reduce their cancer risk.
These statistics are especially upsetting when you consider that as many as half of all cancer deaths could be prevented if people simply practiced healthy lifestyle habits — such as eating well, exercising, and not smoking — and got recommended health screenings.
Do you know your true cancer risk? ACOG has developed a free, web-based guide called Protect & Detect: What Women Should Know about Cancer that contains up-to-date information on cancer and cancer prevention to combat the gaps in women’s knowledge.
Protect & Detect covers breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, ovarian, and uterine cancers — the six cancers that most often affect women. The guide also addresses who is most at risk, how cancer can be prevented, types of screening exams available and when to have them, and how cancers are treated.
Your ob-gyn can provide valuable information on many types of cancer, assist in early detection, and keep you informed about age-appropriate screening exams. Women of all ages are encouraged to use the Protect & Detect guide in partnership with their ob-gyn to help them take charge of their health and reduce their cancer risk. Take the guide with you to your next ob-gyn visit and share your questions and concerns with your doctor.
To get started, download Protect & Detect: What Women Should Know about Cancer | <urn:uuid:8aee7d47-d13b-4ece-9c23-b36682763160> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://pakistanlink.org/Commentary/2008/Apr08/18/02.HTM | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189734.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00335-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961893 | 513 | 2.90625 | 3 |
The Imperial Hotel in Tokyo in the 1960s was a stunning structure. Designed by the legendary architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Imperial Hotel’s lava rock facing, the abundance greenery and the dominant reflection pool makes me think of Angkor Wat or the Taj Mahal on a more intimate scale.
Known in Japan as the Teikoku Hotel, the Wright designed structure was built in the early 1920’s, opening up on September 1, 1923, the day of Japan’s most powerful earthquake ever, one that resulted in the flattening of Tokyo and over 140,000 deaths. Wright had already left Japan several months before, but was proud when told that the Imperial Hotel remained standing.
The ad above was published in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics Official Souvenir book, an item recently rescued from the damp and dingy garage of my old house in Queens we recently sold. The text in the ad makes the classic Japanese pitch to westerners, how their offerings are a perfect blend of East meets West.
While the ad was placed to attract guests, there was actually little need for advertising. A tremendous shortage of hotel rooms in Tokyo were expected during the 1964 Olympics. According to the official report of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee post-Olympiad XVIII, the International Olympic Committee, the various national Olympic committees and international sports federations were going to send a significantly large number of foreign guests to Tokyo, and they would be in need of a dwindling number of accommodations in September and October, 1964.
Worried about meeting the needs of their important guests, the Imperial Hotel agreed, in 1962, to allocate 250 beds for the International Olympic Committee and the national Olympic committees. 750 beds were set aside by the Daiichi Hotel for the various international sports federations and their visitors. Nearly 600 additional beds were also reserved for the dignitaries by nine other hotels, including the Hotel New Otani, Fairmont Hotel and the Haneda Tokyu Hotel.
In the years and months leading up to the Games, the hotels tried hard to get the various committees and federations to provide more exact numbers of guests. The hotels were facing increasing pressures to accommodate more tourists, but they had already made commitments for the Olympic officials. Special liaison offices were created in each hotel to help confirm the exact number of guests who were planning to arrive.
In the end, many of the hotels got screwed, or perhaps a better way to say, they took one for the team. The Fairmont Hotel and Haneda Tokyu Hotel ended up filling 26% of the allocated rooms for national Olympic committee members and their guests, clearly given overly ambitious numbers. Other hotels suffered the same fate, although the Imperial Hotel, no doubt hosting the crème de la crème of the International Olympic Committee, were able to achieve 93% occupancy of rooms allocated to the Olympic and sports federation officials.
By the late 1960s, the Wright-designed structure was falling into decay, part of the building sinking into its foundation. The number of rooms was woefully short of economic viability for a downtown Tokyo hotel as well. The hotel was closed at the end of 1967, and demolished to make way for a high-rise structure.
For those nostalgic for the Wright-designed hotel, take a trip to Inuyama in Aichi prefecture, near Nagoya. There is a place called Meiji-mura, of the Meiji Village Museum, where historic buildings from Japan’s past are reconstructed, restored and preserved, including the entrance and facade of the Imperial Hotel. | <urn:uuid:3f28892d-51b6-429b-ade0-ca6b8e96e181> | CC-MAIN-2021-17 | https://theolympians.co/2016/11/24/frank-lloyd-wrights-imperial-hotel-gone-but-not-forgotten/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-17/segments/1618038916163.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20210419173508-20210419203508-00485.warc.gz | en | 0.973673 | 726 | 2.984375 | 3 |
A semiconductor material has a band gap of 1eV. Acceptor impurities are doped into it which create acceptor levels 1 meV above the valence band. Assume that the transition from one energy level to the other is almost forbidden if $k T$ is less than $1 / 50$ of the energy gap. Also, if $k T$ is more than twice the gap. The upper levels have maximum population. The temperature of the semiconductor is increased from oK. The concentration of the holes increases with temperature and after a certain temperature it becomes approximately constant. As the temperature is further increased, the hole concentration again starts increasing at a certain temperature. Find the order of the temperature range in which the hole concentration remains approximately constant. | <urn:uuid:445c01c5-1db0-48fd-acc4-2bad34a4e3f3> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://www.esaral.com/q/a-semiconductor-material-has-a-band-gap-of-1ev-76237 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224649439.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20230604025306-20230604055306-00617.warc.gz | en | 0.916176 | 154 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Infanticide throughout history and pre-history
The practice of infanticide has taken many forms. Child sacrifice to supernatural figures or forces, such as the one practiced in ancient Carthage, may be only the most notorious example in the ancient world. Regardless of the cause, throughout history infanticide has been common. Anthropologist Laila Williamson notes that "Infanticide has been practiced on every continent and by people on every level of cultural complexity, from hunter gatherers to high civilizations, including our own ancestors. Rather than being an exception, then, it has been the rule."
Carthage was described by its competitors as practicing child sacrifice. Plutarch (ca. 46–120 AD) mentions the practice, as do Tertullian, Orosius, Diodorus Siculus and Philo. However, Livy and Polybius do not. The Hebrew Bible also mentions what appears to be child sacrifice practiced at a place called the Topheth תפת (or Tophet "place of fire, a place in the southeast end of the valley of the son of Hinnom south of Jerusalem.") by the Canaanites, related to the Carthaginians, although there is to date no evidence of human sacrifice among the Canaanites.
9 However, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech. 11 And he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the chamberlain, which was in the precincts. And he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 2 Kings 23:9-11 ESV
→ Additional Information Related To Infanticide | <urn:uuid:16d6e75b-085a-4755-ab4e-79287b56a213> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | http://tdwotd.blogspot.com/2011/09/infanticide.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891808539.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20180217224905-20180218004905-00055.warc.gz | en | 0.968745 | 410 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Thuja occidentalis L.
Cupressaceae -- Cypress family
William F. Johnston
Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis) is also called eastern white-cedar, arborvitae, and swamp-cedar. The name arborvitae or "tree of life" dates from the 16th century when the French explorer Cartier learned from the Indians how to use the tree's foliage to treat scurvy. A record tree in Michigan measures 175 cm (69 in) in d.b.h. and 34 m (113 ft) in height. The rot- and termite-resistant wood is used principally for products in contact with water and soil. The tree provides valuable shelter and browse in winter deeryards, and it is a widely planted ornamental.
The main range of northern white-cedar extends through the southern part of the eastern half of Canada and the adjacent northern part of the United States. Specifically, it extends westward from Anticosti Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the southern part of James Bay and through central Ontario to southeastern Manitoba; then south through central Minnesota and Wisconsin to a narrow fringe around the southern tip of Lake Michigan; then east through southern Michigan, southern New York, central Vermont and New Hampshire, and Maine. The species also grows locally in northwestern Ontario, west-central Manitoba, southeastern Minnesota, southern Wisconsin, north-central Illinois, Ohio, southern New England, and in the Appalachian Mountains from western Pennsylvania south to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
- The native range of northern white-cedar.
Northern white-cedar grows in a relatively humid climate. Annual precipitation commonly ranges from 710 to 1170 mm (28 to 46 in), but the extremes range from about 510 mm (20 in) at the tree's northern and western limits to 1400 mm (55 in) in the southern Appalachians. One-third to one-half of the precipitation occurs during the warm season. Snowfall ranges from about 100 cm (40 in) to more than 380 cm (150 in) annually.
Temperatures are often cool during a moderately short growing season. The northern limit of the range extends to the forest-tundra transition (subarctic zone) in Canada. The southern limit has an average annual temperature of less than 10° C (50° F) in the Lake States and up to 16° C (60° F) in the southern Appalachians. Average January temperatures commonly range from -12° to -4° C (10° to 24° F) and those of July from 16° to 22° C (60° to 72° F). The average frost-free period commonly ranges from about 90 to 180 days, but the extremes range from less than 80 days at the tree's northern limit to about 200 days in the southern Appalachians (16).
Northern white-cedar grows on a wide variety of organic soils (Histosols) and mineral soils (especially Inceptisols and Entisols); however, it does not develop well on extremely wet or extremely dry sites. It is most often associated with cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites, particularly on organic soils near streams or other drainage-ways, or on calcareous mineral soils. In Minnesota, however, white-cedar stands on uplands are primarily determined by an interaction of vegetation and lack of disturbance (21). Northern white-cedar commonly grows on soils ranging from pH 5.5 to 7.2 (9,36).
Northern white-cedar is usually dominant in rich swamps (forested rich fens) that have a strong flow of moderately mineral-rich soil water. The organic soil (peat) is usually moderately to well decomposed, 0.3 to 1.8 m (1 to 6 ft) thick, and often contains much rotted wood. It can also dominate the peat ridges in bog and fen complexes that have a sluggish movement of weakly enriched water (22).
On mineral soil (upland) sites northern white-cedar is characteristic of seepage areas, limestone uplands, and old fields. It is common on shallow loam over broken limestone in southeastern Ontario and often forms pure stands in old fields and pastures on moist, well-drained soils in Maine (9), southern Quebec, and southeastern Ontario. The tree also grows on calcareous clays, limestone cliffs, outcrops of acidic trap rock, and sandstone bluffs (10,29).
Northern white-cedar generally grows best on limestone-derived soils that are neutral or slightly alkaline and moist but well drained. Nevertheless, most commercial stands are in swamps, where northern white-cedar can compete well with its associates (13) and is normally protected from fire (23). Although old-field soils differ greatly, the tree's form and volume growth are much better on old fields than in poorly drained swamps (9).
Northern white-cedar grows from near sea level to more than 600 m (2,000 ft), but within most of its range it is found between 150 and 600 m (500 and 2,000 ft).
Northern white-cedar most commonly grows in mixed stands but is also found in pure stands. It comprises a majority of the stocking or is pure in the Northern White-Cedar forest cover type (Society of American Foresters Type 37) and is an associate species in the following types (13):
5 Balsam Fir
12 Black Spruce
13 Black Spruce-Tamarack
21 Eastern White Pine
23 Eastern Hemlock
24 Hemlock-Yellow Birch
30 Red Spruce-Yellow Birch
32 Red Spruce
33 Red Spruce-Balsam Fir
35 Paper Birch-Red Spruce-Balsam Fir
39 Black Ash-American Elm-Red Maple
108 Red Maple
The northern white-cedar type commonly includes some balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and tamarack (Larix laricina) in the boreal region of Canada but tends to be mixed with additional species farther south. Balsam fir, black spruce (Picea mariana), white spruce (P. glauca), red spruce (P. rubens), tamarack, black ash (Fraxinus nigra), and red maple (Acer rubrum) are common associates on the wetter sites, especially swamps. Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), paper birch (B. papyrifera), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), bigtooth aspen (P. grandidentata), balsam poplar (P. balsamifera), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) are common on the better drained sites, especially uplands.
Except when dense, northern white-cedar stands usually have an undergrowth of shrubs and herbs. Speckled alder (Alnus rugosa) is commonly the most important shrub on the better sites. Other characteristic shrubs on the better sites (especially in swamps) include mountain maple (Acer spicatum), red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), and fly honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis). On poorer sites they include Labrador-tea (Ledum groenlandicum), blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), and wintergreen (teaberry) (Gaultheria procumbens); creeping snowberry (G. hispidula) is common on both kinds of sites (see 16 for a more complete list). Characteristic herbs on the better sites (especially in swamps) include dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens), false lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum canadense), woodfern (Dryopteris spp.), and bunchberry (Cornus canadensis). On poorer sites they include false Solomons-seal (Smilacina trifolia) and pitcherplant (Sarracenia purpurea). Ground cover is usually a mosaic of sphagnum (Sphagnum spp.) and other mosses, liverworts, decaying logs, and litter (13).
Flowering and Fruiting- Male and female flowers of northern white-cedar, a monoecious species, are usually borne on separate twigs or branchlets; they are tiny, terminal, cone-like bodies. Male flowers are yellowish and arise from branchlets near the base of the shoot; female flowers are pinkish and appear at the tips of short terminal branchlets. Ripe cones are pale cinnamon brown, oblong, and 8 to 13 mm (0.3 to 0.5 in) long.
In northeastern Minnesota, flower buds, which form during autumn, begin to expand the following spring from about mid-April to early May; pollen dispersal begins from late April to early June (1). In northern Michigan flowering occurs from late April to early May, pollinated conelets begin to grow rapidly in late June, cones are full grown by mid-August, and cones ripen from August to September (16,34,41). The period between cone ripening and cone opening is only from 7 to 10 days.
Seed Production and Dissemination- Cone production has been induced within 3 months of seed germination using gibberellic acid and a long photoperiod (18). Under normal conditions cones have been found on northern white-cedars as young as 6 years old (9). Seed production in large quantities begins when the trees are about 30 years old but is best after 75 years. An average-sized tree with a fairly full crown can produce about 9 liters (0.25 bu) of cones (16), yielding 60,000 to 260,000 cleaned seeds. Limited data from Michigan indicate that white-cedar trees on upland sites produce more cones per tree, more seeds per cone, and a higher percentage of full seeds than those on swamp sites (6).
Rangewide, northern white-cedar generally bears good or better seed crops at intervals of 2 to 5 years. However, during a 26-year period (1949-74) in northeastern Wisconsin, such crops were produced every 1 to 3 years, with medium crops to failures in the intervening years. In addition, it was found that good or better white-cedar seed crops can be predicted by similar-sized crops in red maple the preceding spring (20).
Seed dispersal usually begins in September, although it sometimes begins as early as August. In the northern Lake States cones open from mid-September to late October (1,41). Most of the seeds are released by November, but some seeds continue to fall throughout the winter.
Northern white-cedar seeds are light chestnut brown, about 6 mm (0.25 in) long, and have lateral wings about as wide as the body; cleaned seeds average 763,000/kg (346,000/lb) (41). Most seed is wind disseminated, with the seeding range estimated to be from 45 to 60 m (150 to 200 ft) under normal conditions (16).
Seedling Development- Northern white-cedar seeds remain viable for 5 years or more when stored in sealed containers at 6 to 8 percent moisture content and 0° to 3° C (32° to 38° F). As a rule the seeds have only slight internal dormancy. Under forest conditions dormancy is broken while the seeds lie on the ground during the first winter; thus fall sowing is generally recommended (41). Because white-cedar seeds apparently do not remain viable in the forest floor longer than 1 year, such seeds should not be relied on for reproduction after clearcutting or fire (6,17).
Germination is epigeal, with the cotyledons rising above the ground. The seed seems to germinate best at high temperatures such as 29° C (84° F) (19), so that even though germination normally begins in May or June of the year following seed dispersal, it sometimes does not occur until late July or early August. Alternating day and night temperatures of 30° and 20° C (86° and 68° F), respectively, are recommended for germination tests (41).
Northern white-cedar seeds germinate readily on a variety of moist substrates, but seedlings become established on only a few. The main requirements for early development seem to be a constant moisture supply and warm temperatures (10,19). Although white-cedar generally grows best on neutral or slightly alkaline soil, seedlings do best on neutral or slightly acid soil but will grow on slightly alkaline soil (16). On cutover white-cedar swamps in Minnesota, seedlings were found only where the pH of the surface soil (upper 10 cm or 4 in) ranged from 6.6 to 7.2 (36).
On undisturbed areas, seedbeds of decaying (rotten) wood of logs and stumps account for more than 70 percent of the seedlings (10,25). These seedbeds usually are more moist, warmer, and have less litter than other seedbed types (19); they are also commonly dominated by mosses such as Heterophyllium, Pleurozium, and Brotherella (25). Some seedlings become established-but usually much less frequently-on decayed litter, peat or humus, and sphagnum moss.
On disturbed areas, northern white-cedar seedlings commonly prosper on both upland and swamp burns. Broadcast burning (or wildfire) apparently must be fairly severe, however, to expose favorable, mineral soil seedbeds on uplands or to improve moss seedbeds in swamps (27,48). White-cedar seedlings also reproduce well on skid roads where the compacted moss stays moist (16). A heavy cover of slash hinders seedling establishment, but a light cover is more favorable than none (27,48).
Northern white-cedar seedlings generally grow slowly under both forest and nursery conditions. Annual height growth averages only about 8 cm (3 in) during the first several years; seedlings can grow this much in 140 days under long photoperiods in growth chambers (18). Stock raised in a nutrient solution and hardened in a nursery was superior to 3-year-old (2-1) nursery transplants (49). In upland plantings transplants averaged 0.9 m (2.9 ft) tall at 9 years of age in the northern Lake States and 2.6 m (8.5 ft) tall at 12 years in Illinois (26,29).
Although moisture is often the most important factor during the first few years, ample light is needed for continued seedling development. Seedlings were tallest when grown in about half of full light, but their shoots and roots were heaviest in full light (31). In areas with frequent hot, dry spells, partial overstory shade is necessary to reduce losses from drought and herbaceous competition (19).
Both shoot and radial growth generally begin in May and end by late August or in September in the northern Lake States and New Brunswick (1,16).
Mortality of northern white-cedar seedlings during their early years is extremely high. Drought is probably the most important cause; seedlings on substrates such as thick moss, stumps, and hummocks often dry out during the summer. Other causes of early loss or damage include smothering by sphagnum moss or logging slash, cutting or girdling by small rodents such as the red-backed vole, and deer browsing (especially on planted stock) (9,16,26,49).
Vegetative Reproduction- Northern white-cedar can send out roots from any part of a branch or stem if moisture conditions are favorable. Thus it frequently reproduces vegetatively in swamps, especially on poor sites with abundant sphagnum moss. If young seedlings are not considered, many more stems probably originate vegetatively than from seed in most swamps because vegetative reproduction is more tolerant of shade and is never without an adequate root system (9).
Layering generally accounts for more than half the stems of white-cedar reproduction in northern Michigan and Maine swamps. It is most common in young stands and those with leaning trees, where the lower branches become covered by moss. Seedlings may produce layerings by age 5 or before (16,34).
New trees also develop vegetatively from uprooted trees whose vertical branches form roots. Sprouts from roots or stumps are generally rare (16). Cuttings are commonly used to propagate cultivars of northern white-cedar; under forest conditions branchlets may be rooted by setting them out in deep sphagnum moss (9).
Growth and Yield- Northern white-cedar is a medium-sized tree, commonly 12 to 15 m (40 to 50 ft) tall and 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in) in d.b.h. at maturity. Infrequently it reaches 21 to 24 m (70 to 80 ft) tall and 120 to 150 cm (48 to 60 in) in d.b.h. (10). Maximum dimensions reported are more than 30 m (100 ft) in height and 180 cm (72 in) in d.b.h. White-cedar reaches a maximum age of 400 years or more in swamps or on other lowland sites (16).
The growth rate of northern white-cedar is greatly affected by site productivity and is expressed as site index or the height of dominants at age 50 years. In the Lake States, site index ranges from about 12 m (40 ft) on the best sites to 5 m (15 ft) on the poorest (27). Indications are that the site productivity of white-cedar swamps could be increased substantially by drainage (44). Northern white-cedar generally grows more slowly and attains less height than associated trees, especially in swamps.
Information on yield of northern white-cedar is limited mainly to normal yield tables for pure, fully stocked, even-aged stands in the Lakes States. Such stands have yields at 120 years as shown in table 1 (27).
|Site index at base age 50 years|
|Item||9 m or 30 ft||12 m or 40 ft|
|Height of dominants and codominants, m||15||21|
|Basal area, m²/ha¹||45||47|
|Merchantable volume, m³/ha²||244||319|
|Sawtimber volume (Scribner), m³/ha³||129||279|
|Height of dominants and codominants, ft||50||69|
|Basal area, ft²/acre¹||195||205|
|Merchantable volume, ft³/acre²||3,480||4,560|
|Sawtimber volume (Scribner), fbm/acre³||9,220||19,900|
¹Trees 0.25 cm (0.1 in) and larger in d.b.h.
²Peeled volume for trees 13 cm (5.0 in) and larger in d.b.h.
³Volume for trees 23 cm (9.0 in) and larger in d.b.h.
Northern white-cedar reaches a maximum basal area of about 69 m²/ha (300 ft²/acre) (8). Unfortunately for its value as timber, the tree commonly has a curved butt and poor form, especially in swamps (9).
Little is known about biomass production, although components of various-sized white-cedars have been analyzed for weight (and nutrient elements) (12). Above-ground biomass in one 70- to 100-year-old white-cedar stand totaled 159 t/ha (71 tons/acre) and had a net annual productivity of about 10 t/ha (4.5 tons/acre) (38).
Timber rotations for northern white-cedar differ greatly with site productivity and management objective. Rotations for maximizing merchantable cubic volume range from 70 to 90 years for a site index of 12 m (40 ft) and from 80 to 100 years for an index of 9 m (30 ft). Rotations for sawtimber range from 110 to 140 years for a site index of 12 m (40 ft) and from 130 to 160 years for an index of 9 m (30 ft) (27).
Rooting Habit- Northern white-cedar seedlings grown in different soil media have shown that as moisture-holding capacity increases, root form changes from a long taproot with few laterals to shorter, thicker roots with many laterals. Root extension is particularly pronounced in rotten wood (9). In Wisconsin, seedlings grown from seed collected in upland stands developed deep root systems in well-drained soils and shallow root systems in saturated soils; their lowland counterparts showed little plasticity in root development (33).
After the seedling stage northern white-cedar generally develops a shallow, wide-spreading root system; and natural root grafts are fairly common. Because the tree grows on rocky cliffs throughout its range, the root system is apparently well adapted to secure water and nutrients from cracks in rocks (10).
Reaction to Competition- Northern white-cedar is classed as shade tolerant, but it has been placed in three classes: very tolerant, tolerant, and intermediate. This variation probably exists because vegetative reproduction is considered more tolerant than seedlings (9). Northern white-cedar is less tolerant than balsam fir but slightly more tolerant than black spruce. White-cedar can withstand severe suppression for several years, and it responds well to release not only during the reproduction period but at nearly all ages (3,16).
Response to thinning northern white-cedar depends upon site quality, residual stand density, and stand age. In a well-drained Michigan swamp, a 45-year-old stand with a residual basal area of 15.8 m²/ha (69 ft²/acre) more than doubled its basal area in 8 years following thinning; a similar thinning in a poorly drained swamp showed no beneficial effect (16). In a 65-year-old stand on a medium swamp site in Wisconsin, basal area growth following a second thinning was independent of stand density over a wide range. The growth rate decreased following the second thinning, however, probably because of increasing stand age (14).
Both even-aged and uneven-aged stands of northern white-cedar are common. Even-aged stands develop in large swamp openings following wildfire or clearcutting (13). In Wisconsin white-cedar often invades speckled alder thickets that form in swamps following wildfire or changes in water level; and it can reproduce directly on burned peat (10). Even-aged stands also develop on abandoned upland fields in Maine (and southeastern Canada)- but apparently only where competition is not severe (9).
Uneven-aged white-cedar stands are generally associated with the late stages of succession and are found mainly in swamps or on other moist sites (23). They develop where white-cedar reproduces in small openings created by partial cutting or wind damage, especially on poor sites where reproduction is mainly of vegetative origin. Uneven-aged stands also develop where white-cedar gradually succeeds associates- such as balsam poplar, tamarack, and black spruce- that are not as shade tolerant or long-lived (13). However, understory white-cedars sometimes are not much younger than the overstory species; in such cases what appears to have developed through succession may really be due to suppression (23).
Without major disturbance such as fire, the northern white-cedar type is exceedingly stable because the tree is long-lived and balsam fir is the only important associate sufficiently shade tolerant to grow in dense white-cedar stands (10). Many stands, however, have been either opened by timber harvesting or severely browsed by white-tailed deer. In both cases, succession is often to balsam fir or swamp hardwoods, especially black ash (27).
In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, northern white-cedar reproduction was most abundant after clearcutting in small blocks and narrow strips, and it should grow best after such cutting because hardwood competition is less than after partial cutting (3). Shelterwood cutting is preferred, however, for the last blocks or strips to ensure adequate natural seeding (27). This method of cutting also provides the partial overstory shade necessary to reproduce white-cedar in areas with frequent hot, dry spells (19).
Successful deeryard management requires reproducing large, even-aged stands of white-cedar (47). Because deeryard management and timber management are usually inseparable in the white-cedar type, the general recommendation is to produce large patches- 16 to 65 ha (40 to 160 acres)- by harvesting small blocks annually (48), using clearcutting or shelterwood cutting as indicated above. Satisfactory reestablishment of white-cedar after clearcutting, however, often requires some kind of site preparation, particularly broadcast burning of slash (48). Where winter deer densities are high, the entire patch must be completely cleared in 10 years or less to minimize overbrowsing (27); but where they are low, small blocks or narrow strips may be clearcut at 30-year intervals (42).
Damaging Agents- On wet sites such as swamps, restricted soil aeration resulting from abnormally high water levels usually reduces the growth rate of northern white-cedar and may kill entire stands. Wetland road crossings and beaver damming are the primary causes of flooding. Road-caused flooding has killed white-cedar or reduced its growth on thousands of hectares in northern Minnesota (45); natural gas and petroleum pipelines will probably have similar effects unless cross drainage is provided (4).
Wind-induced uprooting and breakage sometimes occur in older stands on both upland and swamp sites, especially along exposed edges and in stands opened by partial cutting (27). Large trees and those with basal defect are most susceptible to wind damage.
Northern white-cedar is highly susceptible to fire damage because its bark is thin and has a high oil content; its shallow roots are easily damaged even by light ground fires (6). On the Laurentian Shield in northeastern Minnesota, this species has been driven to the lakeshores by fire (23). The risk of wildfire is low, however, on most white-cedar areas in the United States and good fire protection now results in little loss (27).
Snow and ice often damage northern white-cedar by breaking limbs (6); they also break stems or force trees into a permanent leaning position (7,9).
Agents that turn northern white-cedar foliage yellow or brown and sometimes cause severe damage or death include unfavorable winter weather, deicing salts, and drought. Plantings are particularly susceptible to winterkill caused by dehydration (40). The tree's tolerance of deicing salts is only moderate or intermediate (15,46); so branches exposed to salt spray along highways commonly have severe dieback. In Iowa windbreaks, white-cedar had more drought damage than other evergreens during a very dry winter (37). When the oldest foliage turns rusty red in the fall, however, it is a natural shedding of branchlets (cladoptosis) (39).
Northern white-cedar is relatively free from serious insect injury (9,39). Carpenter ants and leafminers are probably its principal insect pests. The black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) commonly reduces the timber value of large trees and often makes them subject to windbreakage. The red carpenter ant (C. ferrugineus) has caused significant damage in Minnesota (2).
Leafminers are common pests of northern white-cedar. They have caused severe "scorching" of foliage and often subsequent twig, branch, or tree mortality in southeastern Canada (39). Outbreaks of the arborvitae leafminer (Argyresthia thuiella) have severely damaged white-cedar stands in Maine, and damage to ornamentals and nursery seedlings is often severe. Ornamental white-cedars are also subject to serious injury by another leafminer, Coleotechnites thujaella (2).
Several other insects and related organisms (such as mites) feed on northern white-cedar, but only a few are important. The bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis), juniper scale (Carulaspis juniperi), and spruce spider mite (Oligonychus ununguis) can significantly damage ornamental white-cedars (39,50). Heavy infestations of the Fletcher scale (Lecanium fletcheri), arborvitae aphid (Cinara tujafilina), and arborvitae weevil (Phyllobius intrusus) have occurred in nurseries (2).
Northern white-cedar has few serious diseases as a forest tree, especially in immature stands; whereas in cultivation it is subject to several seedling and foliage diseases. Seedlings seem to be resistant to damping-off fungi, however. The foliage-blight fungi Phomopsis juniperovora and Didymascella thujina are among the main organisms causing seedling diseases. Beyond the seedling stage Phomopsis juniperovora blights foliage and shoots under humid conditions, and Didymascella thujina causes some unsightliness. In Quebec a snow-blight fungus (Phacidium sp.) has caused important damage in nurseries and hedges (24).
Although several root- and butt-rot fungi attack northern white-cedar, they mainly attack old or damaged trees. Because fruiting bodies of these fungi seldom appear on living trees, the most common outward sign of rot is woodpecker holes. Poria subacida, causing a white stringy butt rot, and balsam (or brown) butt rot (Tyromyces balsameus) and red-brown butt rot (Phaeolus schweinitzii), both causing cubical rots, are common in trees on knolls or other drier parts of swamps (16). Balsam butt rot can also cause extensive root rot in suppressed white-cedars (24).
Winter browsing by white-tailed deer often severely damages older seedling- and sapling-stage northern white-cedar in the Lake States and can prevent the satisfactory reestablishment of the type after harvesting (27), especially in deeryards. In some areas, however, damage from snowshoe hares is as great as, or greater than, from deer (16).
Porcupines sometimes kill white-cedar trees or lower their growth and timber quality by feeding heavily on foliage and by girdling stems and branches. Red squirrels frequently clip branchlets with flower buds and cone clusters, and thus may significantly reduce the supply of seed available for reproduction (6). Both porcupine and squirrel damage contribute to the prevalence of stag-headedness in old trees (9).
The principal commercial uses of northern white-cedar are for rustic fencing and posts; other important products include cabin logs, lumber, poles, and shingles. Smaller amounts are used for paneling, piling, lagging, pails, potato barrels, tubs, ties, boats (especially canoes), tanks, novelties, and woodenware (28). Recently, white-cedar has been used for making kraft pulp and it appears excellent for particleboard. "Cedar leaf oil" is distilled from boughs and used in medicines and perfumes; boughs are also used in floral arrangements (32).
The northern white-cedar type is valuable for wildlife habitat, particularly for deeryards during severe winters. The tree is highly preferred by white-tailed deer for both shelter and browse. Sapling stands produce a great amount of deer food (47) and clearcut stands in Michigan yielded almost 6000 kg/ha (5,340 lb/acre) of browse from tops (16). White-cedar is also utilized by such mammals as the snowshoe hare, porcupine, and red squirrel. Its browse is generally rated as highly preferred by hares (5,30) and is sometimes heavily utilized (6). Birds common in white-cedar stands during the summer include several warblers (northern parula, black-throated green, blackburnian, black-and-white, and magnolia), white-throated sparrows, and kinglets (9,11). The pileated woodpecker commonly excavates cavities in mature white-cedars to feed upon carpenter ants.
Northern white-cedar forms an attractive fringe around some lakes and peatlands. Stands with high basal area, large trees, and little undergrowth are especially attractive (35). The tree's unusual bark and foliage patterns are esthetically appealing to many forest users (27).
Northern white-cedar is widely used for ornamental plantings in the United States (24), is now common in Newfoundland, and has been grown in Europe since the 16th century. White-cedar is particularly useful for barrier and shelter plantings (29), and it is one of the few conifers recommended for power line rights-of-way (43).
Northern white-cedar has limited value as a watershed protector because it usually grows on gently sloping terrain. Although harvesting of white-cedar is presently on a small scale, clearcutting on peatland sites has little effect on annual water yields or water tables. Nutrient concentrations in streamflow or temperatures in trout streams should not increase significantly unless harvesting is on a massive scale (27,35).
Northern white-cedar is morphologically similar throughout its range, with no races or varieties reported. But a rangewide provenance study indicates that significant genetic variation does exist.
In the Lake States, provenances from intermediate latitudes generally grew best (26); in Illinois, provenances from south of the species' main range were shortest but a definite geographic pattern was lacking, perhaps because of localized ecotypes (29). In Wisconsin, upland and lowland populations less than 0.7 km (0.4 mi) apart may form separate ecotypes (33), but the extent of differentiation seems to vary from one area to another.
The existence of more than 120 ornamental cultivars of northern white-cedar, which differ in foliage color and growth habit, also reflects significant genetic variation in natural populations.
No natural or artificial hybrids have been reported (6,33). | <urn:uuid:1b483f2e-3306-4857-968f-082ceb8dae08> | CC-MAIN-2018-51 | https://srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/thuja/occidentalis.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-51/segments/1544376827998.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20181216213120-20181216235120-00215.warc.gz | en | 0.930372 | 7,309 | 3.46875 | 3 |
A. Notify an administrator
B. Install new antivirus software
C. Update the antivirus signature files
D. Contain the problem.
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Answer: D. The first step in response to an incident to contain or isolate the problem. This can often be done by simply pulling the cable on the NIC. Notification should be done after containment, but policy would often dictate the notification of someone on an incident response team. Ensuring that a system has antivirus software and updated signature files are good steps to take, but not as a first step after an infection. You’d still want to contain the problem to a single system before installing the software and updating definitions.
This question is related to objective:
6.3 Differentiate between and execute appropriate incident response procedures.
- Damage and loss control | <urn:uuid:842ba2ef-9d69-4f94-9d8f-b111be8be126> | CC-MAIN-2018-30 | http://sy0201.blogspot.com/2010/02/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-30/segments/1531676590051.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20180718041450-20180718061450-00191.warc.gz | en | 0.900611 | 207 | 2.625 | 3 |
They were all over this place like bolls on cotton.
The first flowers usually appear in June, and the bolls ripen from early in August.
Flowering and fruiting go on continually, although in diminishing degree, until the advent of frost, which kills the flowers and young bolls and so puts an end to the production of cotton for the season.
In either case an adequate but not excessive rainfall, increasing from the time of sowing to the period of active growth, and then decreasing as the bolls ripen, with a dry picking season, combined with sunny days and warm nights, provide the ideal conditions for successful cotton cultivation.
It sheds its " forms " (as the buds are called), blooms, and even half-grown bolls in great numbers.
It has frequently been noted that even well-fertilized plants upon good soil will mature only 15 or 20% of the bolls produced.
The careless gathering of dead leaves and twigs, and the soiling of the cotton by earth or by the natural colouring matter from the bolls, injure the quality.
These do not drop, but as the grubs develop the cotton is ruined and the bolls usually become discoloured and crack, their contents being rendered useless.
Also, inside the young bolls which had been pierced a similar poliferation or growth of the tissue was set up, which enveloped and killed the pest.
They bore holes and penetrate into flower-buds and young bolls, causing them to drop. Fortunately the " worms " prefer maize to cotton, and the inter-planting at proper times of maize, to be cut down and destroyed when well infested, is a method commonly employed to keep down this pest.
The " cotton stainers," various species of Dysdercus, are widely distributed, occurring for example in America, the West Indies, Africa, India, &c. The larvae suck the sap from the young bolls and seeds, causing shrivelling and reduction in quantity of fibre.
Small red-brown spots appear on the bolls, gradually enlarge, and develop into irregular black and grey patches.
- Seed should be selected from early and late opening bolls, according to requirements.
In some instances a slight difference in the shape, mode of opening, &c., of the boll prevents this, and accordingly seed is selected from bolls which suffer least under the particular adverse conditions.
As a general rule the removal of the " bolls " or capsules by the process of rippling immediately follows the pulling, the operation being performed in the field; but under some systems of cultivation, as, for example, the Courtrai method, alluded to below, the crop is made up into sheaves, dried and stacked, and is only boiled and retted in the early part of the next ensuing season.
By rippling he separated 1946 lb of bolls which yielded 910 lb of seed.
Thus the weight of the fibre was equal to about 9% of the dried flax with the bolls, 12% of the boiled straw, and over 16% of the retted straw.
One hundred tons treated by Schenck's method gave 33 tons bolls, with 27.50 tons of loss in steeping; 32.13 tons were separated in scutching, leaving 5.90 tons of finished fibre, with 1.47 tons of tow and pluckings. | <urn:uuid:92281681-7fc2-4dbb-8087-aa6d0d70e8df> | CC-MAIN-2017-22 | http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/bolls | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-22/segments/1495463608084.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20170525140724-20170525160724-00620.warc.gz | en | 0.959831 | 711 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Getting pharmaceuticals from solution into an amorphous state, however, is no easy task. If the solution evaporates while it is in contact with part of a vessel, it is far more likely to solidify in its crystalline form. "It's almost as if these substances want to find a way to become crystalline," Benmore said.
In order to avoid this problem, Benmore needed to find a way to evaporate a solution without it touching anything. Because liquids conform to the shape of their containers, this was a nearly impossible requirement -- so difficult, in fact, that Benmore had to turn to an acoustic levitator, a piece of equipment originally developed for NASA to simulate microgravity conditions.
The acoustic levitator uses two small speakers to generate sound waves at frequencies slightly above the audible range -- roughly 22 kilohertz. When the top and bottom speakers are precisely aligned, they create two sets of sound waves that perfectly interfere with each other, setting up a phenomenon known as a standing wave.
At certain points along a standing wave, known as nodes, there is no net transfer of energy at all. Because the acoustic pressure from the sound waves is sufficient to cancel the effect of gravity, light objects are able to levitate when placed at the nodes. | <urn:uuid:96b24f41-f20b-47a2-9f19-7ddf6f9f5e3f> | CC-MAIN-2016-50 | https://www.jwz.org/blog/2013/01/acoustic-levitator/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-50/segments/1480698541910.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20161202170901-00130-ip-10-31-129-80.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947426 | 262 | 4.0625 | 4 |
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In December 1950, a Polish construction worker clearing the rubble from the ruined Warsaw Ghetto unearthed a tin milk container containing a trove of Hebrew and Yiddish-language manuscripts. The papers proved to be one of the three caches buried in the last months of the war by Oneg Shabbat, the secret society of amateur historians working under the direction of Dr. Emmanuel Ringelblum, dedicated to the task of documenting the life and death of Warsaw Jewry under the Nazi occupation. Included among the documents were the wartime writings of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira, a noted Hasidic leader. His Saturday afternoon sermons, delivered between September 1939 and July 1942 and with annotations through January 1943, were published in 1960 under the Hebrew title Aish Kodesh: Holy Fire.
The sermons, which the author called Torah from the Years of Wrath, are virtually unparalleled as a source for the spiritual life of religious Jews during the Holocaust. Taken together, they constitute perhaps the most sustained discussion of theodicy since the biblical Book of Job. Pious Hasidim and secular academics alike have studied these writings for Rabbi Shapira’s profound theological insights.
The sermons seem inscrutably disconnected from history. Nowhere in the book do the terms “Nazi” or “German” appear, and indeed if it were not for a few scattered annotations, it would be possible to read the entire work without realizing that it was anything other than an unusually dark work of Hasidic thought from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Scholars therefore tended to dismiss the possibility of mining his writings for historical information. The prevailing wisdom among students of Rabbi Shapira’s wartime writings argued that the principal value of the Rebbe’s thought was accessible with a cursory familiarity with the history of Warsaw Jewry during the Holocaust.
The following chapters will demonstrate precisely the opposite: a full appreciation of the Rebbe’s wartime work is only possible with a thorough grounding in the specific events in the daily life in the Ghetto. This is because the sermons should be understood as public documents, shared widely in real time, and not as solitary meditations written in private and stored away in a desk drawer. Week after week the followers of the Rebbe gathered to hear his wisdom, the wisdom of the Torah and Hasidism, to help them understand the traumatic experiences they shared since the previous Sabbath. The veiled nature of the Rebbe’s words was a literary and theological device, opaque to post-war readers but easily penetrated by his audience. Each and every sermon was nothing less than a Hasidic response to the micro-history of the Ghetto, placing the quotidian events in the cosmic meta-history of the the weekly Torah reading.
Reading the sermons in the light of historical data reveals the hidden meaning of the Rebbe’s words. It also exposes a spiritual and intellectual heroism of incredible proportions. Refusing offers to escape the Ghetto, the Rebbe insisted on remaining with his Hasidim to the bitter end, enduring tragedies both communal and personal. He drew deeply from his immense reservoirs of faith and Torah learning to provide hizuk, encouragement, to his fellow Jews, right up to his own martyrdom in November 1943. This book illustrates the Rebbe’s method of providing hope and meaning to Jews suffering in the hellish environment of the Warsaw Ghetto.
Chapter One will provide a biographical introduction to Rabbi Shapira, placing him in his religious, literary, and cultural environment. Chapters Two, Three and Four will look at the Hebrew years 5700, 5701 and 5702 respectively, covering the secular dates September 1939 through July 1942, when the great deportation of Warsaw’s Jewish population to Treblinka took place. Chapter Five will discuss the Rebbe’s final textual annotations, his last days in a labor camp, and the spiritual legacy he left for his followers. This final chapter will also place the Rebbe’s work in the larger context of Holocaust theology.
As part of his literary will, Rabbi Shapira requested that any publication of his works include a memorial to his family members, including his wife Hanah Berakhah who passed away in 1937. He also asked that the names of his father and father-in-law should appear on the title page. Not included was his only daughter Rekhil Yehudis, whose fate was unknown when the Rebbe composed the memorial. Instead, in a cover letter he expressed his heartfelt prayer for the safety of his “precious daughter, the gentle and modest Rekhil Yehudis.” She was taken by the Nazis in an Aktion on the second day of Rosh Hodesh Elul, 5702 (August 14, 1942) and deported to the Treblinka death camp, where she was murdered.
The following memorial represents the last written testimony to the centuries of Hasidic civilization that once flourished in Poland.
In Eternal Memory
of my holy, righteous and honored mother and teacher, the woman of valor Hanah Berakhah of noble lineage, daughter of the holy and righteous Rabbi Hayim Shmuel ha-Levi of Hantshin. She served God with all her might, heart and soul, and with great effort raised her children to Torah. Her holy and pure soul rose on high on the Sabbath eve of the 7th of Marheshvan 5700 [October 20 1939].
My honored wife, the righteous, modest, pious woman of noble lineage Rahel Hayah Miriam, the daughter of the righteous and holy Rabbi Yerahmiel Moshe, Head of the court of Kozienice. She had an exceptionally fine character and even learned Torah every day. She was like a merciful mother to every embittered soul, and especially to Torah students and Hasidim. In the bloom of youth her holy and pure soul rose on high, on the holy Sabbath of the week and Miriam died there, the tenth of Tammuz, 5697 [June 19, 1937].
My honored only son, cherished heart and soul, the holy and pious Rabbi of noble lineage Elimelekh Ben Tsion. A man of truth, of fine and good character, steeped in Torah, wise, a lover of Israel, who left behind Torah insights on tractate Shabbat and the first volume of Yoreh Deah. Gravely wounded at a time of suffering for Yaakov, on Monday the 12th of Tishrei 5700, after great and bitter suffering his holy and pure soul rose on high on the 16th, the second day of Sukkot [September 29, 1939].
His honored wife, my daughter-in-law, the holy, pure and modest woman of noble lineage Gitl, daughter of the righteous Rabbi Shlomo Hayim of Balakhov. With great personal sacrifice she remained by the hospital where her husband, my holy son, lay wounded, and she was killed on Tuesday the 13th of Tishrei [September 26, 1939].
May the Merciful One shelter them forever and bind their souls in the bonds of life. God is their inheritance, and may they rest in peace, amen.
Reviews and Praise
Dr. Abramson has written a book which is destined to lead to an increase of study of the rebbe’s Torah and thought in both the academic and Jewish world. His is a work which while maintaining high academic standards and containing ideas which will advance the field, is at once accessible to the non-scholar, and written in an engaging and compelling manner.
Especially for the reader who is looking for a work which contains both Torah and Avodas HaShem, along with serious scholarship, I can not recommend this incredible book strongly enough.
Rabbi Pesach Sommer, The Jewish Star
The haunting world of the Aish Kodesh comes to life in this gripping book. Through Professor Abramson’s work, we see how the Rebbe lived the educational program which he taught.
I’m loving the book–so powerful.
Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, Boca Raton Synagogue | <urn:uuid:8c603d64-2a49-4b82-896b-4a5e46334f4c> | CC-MAIN-2019-04 | https://henryabramson.com/torah-from-the-years-of-wrath/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-04/segments/1547583795042.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20190121152218-20190121174218-00323.warc.gz | en | 0.960359 | 1,710 | 2.75 | 3 |
Refugees face a substantially higher risk of psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, compared to non-refugee migrants from the same regions of origin, finds a study published in The BMJ.
The humanitarian crises in Europe, the Middle East, north Africa, and central Asia have led to more displaced people, asylum seekers, and refugees worldwide than at any time since the second world war.
Refugees are known to be at an increased risk of mental health problems, such as post traumatic stress disorder and common mental disorders, compared to non-refugee migrants, but little is known about their risk of psychosis.
So a team of researchers from the Karolinska Institutet and UCL carried out a study to determine the risk of schizophrenia and other non-affective psychotic disorders among refugees, compared to non-refugee migrants, and the general Swedish population.
The researchers used a linked national register data to examine more than 1.3 million people in Sweden, and tracked diagnoses of non-affective psychotic disorders among the population.
On a per capita basis, Sweden has granted more refugee applications than any other high-income country, and in 2011, refugees constituted 12% of the total immigrant population.
The cohort included people born to two Swedish-born parents, refugees, and non-refugee migrants from the four major refugee generating regions: the Middle East and north Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia.
Results showed 3,704 cases of non-affective psychotic disorders during the 8.9 million person years of follow up.
Refugees granted asylum were on average 66% more likely to develop schizophrenia or another non-affective psychotic disorder than non-refugee migrants. In addition, they were up to 3.6 times more likely to do so than the Swedish-born population.
Incidence rates for non-affective psychosis were 385 per million in those born in Sweden, 804 per million in non-refugee migrants, and 1264 per million in refugees.
The increased rate in refugees was significant for all areas of origin except sub-Saharan Africa, for whom rates in both groups were similarly high relative to the Swedish-born population.
One possible explanation is "that a larger proportion of sub-Saharan Africa immigrants will have been exposed to deleterious psychosocial adversities before emigration, irrespective of refugee status," suggest the authors.
Alternatively, it's also possible that "post-migratory factors, such as discrimination, racism, and social exclusion" may explain these high rates.
Overall, they say "our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that increased risk of non-affective psychotic disorders among immigrants is due to a higher frequency of exposure to social adversity before migration, including the effects of war, violence, or persecution."
They add the findings emphasise "the need to take the early signs and symptoms of psychosis into account in refugee populations, as part of any clinical mental health service responses to the current global humanitarian crises."
In a linked editorial, Cornelius Katona, medical director at the Helen Bamber Foundation, says "a robust mental health response to the refugee 'crisis' must lie in a combination of clinical vigilance, recognition of vulnerability factors, and above all, a determination to minimise the aggravating effects of post-migration experiences." | <urn:uuid:9955b8ab-8522-438e-ba7a-b3e2afd33b1f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/307874.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282110.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00307-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94379 | 689 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/warjaz(Redirected from Appendix:Proto-Germanic/warjaz)
Derived from *warjaną (“to hinder, defend”).
This noun does not survive on its own in any language, but only as a suffix. This may mean that it appeared only in compounds in Proto-Germanic as well.
The compound form of this noun was conflated with *-ārijaz in many languages, eventually causing both to be treated as one.
- Old English: -ware
- Old Frisian: -ere
- Old Saxon: *-āri
- Old Dutch: *-āri
- Old High German: -āri, -eri
- Old Norse: -verr
- Icelandic: -verji
- → Latin: -vārii (in ancient Germanic tribal names) | <urn:uuid:6da40957-d7c9-42be-bf81-b52cc26b1908> | CC-MAIN-2018-26 | https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Proto-Germanic/warjaz | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267859817.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20180617213237-20180617233237-00267.warc.gz | en | 0.844162 | 195 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Aug. 9, 2003
Listen (RealAudio) | How to listen
Poem: "Cut Grass," by Philip Larkin from High Windows (Faber and Faber).
Cut grass lies frail:
Brief is the breath
Mown stalks exhale.
Long, long the death
It dies in the white hours
Of young-leafed June
With chestnut flowers,
With hedges snowlike strewn,
White lilac bowed,
Lost lanes of Queen Anne's lace,
And that high-builded cloud
Moving at summer's pace.
On this day in 1854, Henry David Thoreau published Walden; or, Life in the Woods. His friend Ralph Waldo Emerson said he saw a "tremble of great expectation" in Thoreau just before publication day. Thoreau's previous book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849) sold less than 300 copies. On the day he got his 706 unsold copies back from the publisher, he wrote in his diary: "I have now a library of nearly nine hundred volumes, over seven hundred of which I wrote myself " Walden didn't do much better. It took five years to sell off the first edition of 2,000 copies, and Thoreau did not live to see a second edition. Thoreau tried to arrange a nation-wide lecture tour, but only one city made an offer, and so Thoreau kept his lectures to the Concord area. Since then, millions of copies of Walden have been sold.
On this day in 378 A.D., the Romans were defeated by the Visigoths at the Battle of Adrianople. It was a victory of barbarian horsemen over Roman infantry, and one of the most decisive battles in history. In what is now Turkey, two-thirds of the Roman army-40,000 men by some accounts-including Emperor Valens himself, were overrun and slaughtered by the mounted barbarians. The stage was set for the fall of the Roman empire.
It's the birthday of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland (1896). He dedicated his life to the question of how a child learns. He wore rumpled suits, and he spent long hours on his hands and knees, playing marbles with children. He followed a strict schedule, waking up every morning at 4 a.m. and writing at least four publishable pages in small, neat handwriting. His major works include The Language and Thought of the Child (1923) and The Origins of Intelligence in Children (1948).
It's the birthday of the creator of Mary Poppins, P. L. (Pamela Lyndon) Travers, born in Mayborough, Queensland, Australia (1899).
It's the birthday of English poet Philip
Larkin, born in Coventry, England (1922). During his life he was called
"England's other Poet Laureate," and when the position became vacant
in 1984, many poets and critics wanted Larkin to be appointed. His books of
poetry include The Less Deceived (1955), The Whitsun Weddings (1964),
and High Windows (1974). In college at Oxford, Larkin met Kingsley Amis
and the two writers became best friends, a relationship that would last their
whole lives. They shared a love of jazz and wrote hundreds of letters to each
other, often with funny cartoons. To support himself, he worked as a professional
librarian for more than forty years, writing in his spare time. Larkin was also
a jazz critic for the London Daily Telegraph, and his reviews were reprinted
in All What Jazz; A Record Diary 1961-1968 (1970). He said, "Deprivation
is for me what daffodils were for Wordsworth." And he said, "I think
writing about unhappiness is probably the source of my popularity, if I have
any. After all, most people are unhappy, don't you think?"
Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.® | <urn:uuid:a2981788-7792-422e-9c32-169b8c77208e> | CC-MAIN-2016-07 | http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2003/08/09 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-07/segments/1454701156520.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160205193916-00023-ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96923 | 859 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Behind the buzz and beyond the hype:
Our Nanowerk-exclusive feature articles
Posted: Oct 15, 2012
Remotely activating biological materials with nanocomposites
(Nanowerk Spotlight) The heating properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have been exploited through the years for use in cancer therapy, gene regulation, and temperature responsive valves. These applications have demonstrated the versatility of iron oxide nanoparticles, but they had rarely, if ever, been used to enhance the activity of thermophilic enzymes.
Thermophilic enzymes are highly stable biomolecular systems that are excellent tools due to their thermostability and long-term activity for extended lifetime uses in the field and other applications.
Traditionally, these enzymes are heated in an oven or water bath at a specified temperature. These heating methods are not efficient and much of the heat can be lost due to diffusion limitations of the heat to the sample.
New work by researchers in the U.S. addresses the problem of remotely activating biological materials with a higher efficiency than conventional methods such as water baths or convection ovens.
"In our work, we fabricated a hydrogel in which we chemically immobilized a thermophilic dehalogenase and encapsulated iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles," Sylvia Daunert, Professor and Lucille P. Markey Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Miami, explains to Nanowerk. "Previous studies have shown that these nanoparticles heat up when in the presence of an alternating magnetic field (AMF). We used the hydrogel nanocomposites in the AMF to find the field strength for optimum enzymatic activity. Additionally, we heated the hydrogel nanocomposites in a water bath at the optimal temperature for enzymatic activity."
Comparing these results, it was found that the enzyme was two times more efficient when heating in the AMF as compared to heating in a water bath in one-third of the time.
Daunert points out that this heating method is localized as compared to other heating methods. "Furthermore, by using an AMF, which is not limited by penetration depth for uses in vivo like other nanomaterials, we envision that this method could be expanded for personalized therapeutics, bioremediation, catalysis, filtering devices, separations, etc. In short, this application could be potentially applied to any system where you need to turn on and off bioactivity."
Top: Thermophilic enzymes can be encapsulated into a hydrogel network with iron oxides nanoparticles. Remote-controlled actuation is achievable by exposing the materials to an alternating magnetic field. Bottom: The activity of the enzyme is tunable dependent upon the field amplitude. (Figure: Leslie D. Knecht, University of Miami)
This work was the result of collaboration between Daunert's lab and J. Zach Hilt's group in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Kentucky.
"Dr. Hilt's group used an AMF to heat the Fe3O4 nanoparticles for hyperthermia treatment in cancer patients" says Daunert. "My lab focused on recombinant proteins for biomedical and environmental analysis. The enzyme had recently been characterized in the my lab and we felt it was an ideal enzyme to show the proof of concept that we could efficiently heat and activate an enzyme remotely using Fe3O4 nanoparticles."
Previous research had already shown that by combining the remote heating capabilities of magnetic nanoparticles with the stimuli responsive properties of hydrogels, multifunctional materials can be designed for targeted applications such as drug delivery or hyperthermia cancer treatment (see for instance our previous Nanowerk Spotlight: "Remote-controlled nanocomposite for on-demand drug delivery inside the body").
What is new in this work is that the responsive hydrogel nanocomposite system includes a thermophilic enzyme that can be remotely switched on or off. In their paper, the team focuses on using a thermophilic dehalogenase for remote controlled dehalogenation of samples. By encapsulating the enzyme into the hydrogel, it allows for the use of the biocatalyst through many enzymatic cycles with different substrates without the need for complicated separation and/or regeneration steps.
"Although this current work focuses on bioremediation, it can be expanded to other applications where thermophilic proteins are employed," says Daunert. "Additionally, the enzyme and nanoparticles in our work were immobilized in a hydrogel network but for future applications, various matrices can be used such as weaving the protein into textiles or incorporation into thin films."
This means that, due to the numerous available methods and chemistries used to functionalize proteins, there are many materials that can be used as platforms to incorporate both the nanoparticles and protein of interest for a variety of applications.
For instance, the scientists envision that their technique could be applied to molecular biology techniques such as using thermostable DNA polymerase for polymerase chain reaction. Remote heating may be plausible in industrial settings where thermophilic enzymes are used for processes such as hydrolysis of starches, cleavage of proteins, or use of thermophilic lipases. The benefit of using a localized heating method allows for less energy input for a greater catalytic output, which could provide cost-savings for some of these applications.
Daunert notes that the library of thermophilic organisms that are being discovered is growing. "As this number grows, the breadth of capabilities of this system can be extensive, limited only by the number and type of thermophilic proteins available. Incorporation of thermophilic enzymes into additional platforms beyond hydrogels represents an important advance for designer applications where additional experimental challenges will be met and further research will be required." | <urn:uuid:a5d0b613-e5da-40e1-9718-2c2657e99145> | CC-MAIN-2014-52 | http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=26973.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-52/segments/1418802767453.104/warc/CC-MAIN-20141217075247-00175-ip-10-231-17-201.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933871 | 1,206 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Persistent Infrared Spectral Hole Burning
In 1974, persistent spectral holes were first produced in the inhomogeneous electronic transitions in solids. To this day, persistent spectral features caused by both photochemical and non-photochemical processes are found in ever increasing numbers. In the 1980s, low frequency analogues of these processes were discovered and explored. Persistent IR spectral holes can be generated in the vibrational degrees of freedom of molecular defects in crystals and glasses even though no electronic excitation is involved, i.e., a non-photochemical process. The brief overview of these findings presented below demonstrates that such persistent IR spectral holes do provide a new high resolution technique with which to explore the dynamics of vibrational defects in solids, as well as the properties of the solids themselves.
Become a member or log in to view the full text of this article.
OSA Members get the full text of Optics & Photonics News, plus a variety of other member benefits. | <urn:uuid:fe388c12-f131-4e3a-b987-5588b0483e63> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.osa-opn.org/home/articles/volume_1/issue_12/features/persistent_infrared_spectral_hole_burning/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396027.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00159-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942894 | 201 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Digital printing is the process of making prints from an electronic file. The artwork is created on a computer and directly printed onto the material. In fact, digital printing is an alternative to traditional printing methods such as flexography, lithography, offset printing, letterpress, gravure, and others. The process eliminates most of the steps that are needed for traditional printing methods such as colour proofs, making films, making printing plates, and stripping the pieces together manually.
The image needed for printing is directly sent to the printer through a digital file such as PDF, EPS and many other formats. The process is ideal for printing that requires smaller quantities with high amounts of detail. The process doesn’t include prepress stages between the document file and the final product – prepress stages are mandatory in most of the other traditional printing methods out there. On the other hand, you don’t need messy formatting equipment such as photo chemicals and film plates for this process. Here are the most important stages of digital printing. In fact, your print will come out perfectly when you follow these steps in digital printing.
The first step is to prepare a clean, sharp image with a high resolution for printing purposes.
Crop marks and bleeds are added as per the requirement of the printing order. Crop marks are the lines on the corner of the print. Once the bleed is trimmed, crop marks will ensure that there are no unprinted edges in the final trimmed document.
The next step is imposition.
This ensures the maximum area of the paper is used for the print. This will help make the print job efficient and cut down on material waste.
Before being sent to the printer, the files need to be formatted properly. PDF, EPS, JPEG files are all used for printing purposes depending on the software that you use and the quality of the image.
When setting up files for printing we use the universal colour reproduction methods commonly referred to as RGB and CMYK. RGB refers to the primary colours of light - Red, Green and Blue, that are used in monitors, television screens, digital cameras and scanners. CMYK refers to the primary colours of pigment: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. The combination of RGB light creates white, while the combination of CMYK inks creates black.
Another method for colour reproduction is PMS colour matching which is a commonly used method for matching up and staying faithful to the colour scheme of your business
PMS (which stands for Pantone Matching System) is a colour system based upon over one thousand standardized ink colours, unlike the CMYK colour system, where cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink are mixed during the printing process.
Digital printing is convenient and highly effective compared to traditional methods and comes with numerous benefits. That is why the process is so popular in this day and age. | <urn:uuid:5d7d601f-76e9-455f-a08d-b66a57b5b0d2> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | https://diversesign.com.au/signage-services/digital-printing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600400189264.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20200918221856-20200919011856-00316.warc.gz | en | 0.928575 | 582 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Organic farming is in vogue nowadays, and both hobbyists and farmers are having a go at it. This is due to the fact that it is inexpensive and eco-friendly, in comparison to inorganic farming. Therefore, the first thing to do is to acquire some supplies for organic gardening.
Organic farming supplies
Supplies for organic gardening consist of several things. Actually, the first thing you need to obtain is compost. This helps to improve the soil’s condition. Also, it neutralizes the soil pH, offers a selection of nutrients and enhances important microbes in the soil.
In addition, you can make compost using household waste. You could use dead leaves, cut weeds, fruit, manure, and meat and vegetable waste products. This restores the soil, whilst simultaneously cutting down the quantity of rubbish that is put into landfills.
Now, you will need to obtain the seeds to plant into the soil. Prior to purchasing these, you should find out which ones are suited to your present environment. To do this, you could conduct some research independently, or question the sales person at the shop.
However, what if you wish to purchase plants that have grown already? When you choose them from the shop, ensure that they are sturdy and short with just a small number of flowers. Look closely at the leaves to avoid purchasing those that are wilted or discolored.
The largest threats to organic gardens are pests, so you will require several things to address this. Examples include floating row covers, bird netting, some of your own insects and sticky traps. Ladybugs consume aphids, but if you can not get hold of these beetles are a suitable alternative.
Also, you could use birds and toads to destroy pests that pose a threat to your garden. You just need to create an environment for them by erecting a bond or a bird house, so they make themselves at home.
In the event that you encounter insect larvae and caterpillars, utilize microbial insecticides. Another option that serves this purpose well is horticultural oils. These oils break down rapidly and do not pose a toxicity threat to pets or humans.
Weeds are another danger that grow between your crops. These can be pulled from the soil, however, because they keep returning, you can use a horticultural vinegar spray, or drop granules of corn meal on them. These granules stop weeds from proliferating and release nitrogen into the ground. This ought to be applied early in the spring when the majority of weeds appear.
In addition, you could use seaweed or fish liquid based fertilizers, because these also release phosphate, potash, and nitrogen that benefits your crops.
Where to buy organic gardening supplies
Supplies for organic gardening can be bought on the Internet or in your local shop. Apart from seeds, compost, pots, and fertilizers, some even provide tips and guidance, such as advising gardeners to avoid planting on warm days. Instead, gardeners are advised to do this on an evening, or when rain is about to fall. The logic behind this is not to help you get a sun tan, but rather that new plants require plenty of water.
Therefore, ensure that you have everything well-prepared, prior to planting anything. You will save time this way, which allows you to perform crop harvesting and plant new crops.
If you wish to live a healthy life, you should try going organic. Doing this will save you cash and be enjoyable as well, providing it is done correctly with suitable organic gardening supplies to hand.
Hey, just in case you missed it: Get to know a leading resource for gardening!
Pin that post if you enjoy it! | <urn:uuid:082f9e5b-4498-4239-9aad-230bbdf9e75a> | CC-MAIN-2019-09 | https://www.buildgreatfarms.com/supplies-for-organic-gardening/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-09/segments/1550247479627.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20190215224408-20190216010408-00323.warc.gz | en | 0.955256 | 757 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Trapping and fishing played huge roles in the history of Snow Lake area. The earliest trappers, the Aboriginal peoples inhabiting the area, traded furs for goods with Hudson's Bay Company representatives and other traders.
Samuel Hearne and David Thompson, fur traders and explorers, traversed northern Manitoba, including the Grass River corridor. Tramping Lake and Wekusko Lake (previously known as Herb Lake), which are just a few minutes from the Town of Snow Lake, form part of that river system that crosses the whole of northern Manitoba.
One of the earliest settlers in Snow Lake area was George Bartlett. He arrived in 1912 with a friend, Carl Auley, and trapped in the area of Mitishto Creek near what is now Dyce Lake. He and Henry Morton had an ill-fated venture raising silver foxes, which were very valuable at $800 a pelt. After serving in the war, Bartlett eventually built a trading post on Loonead Lake at the entrance of the File River. This business collapsed after a few months when the bottom fell out of the market. He used to say: "That's the fur game. The "Skin Game" we used to call it.
The next venture was fishing and freighting for the Rex and Bingo mines on the east shore at the south end of Herb Lake (Known as Wekusko Lake - "wekusko" means "herb" in the Cree language). But fur was his heartfelt trade, and he decided to build another trading post on Reed Lake. This business was successful until 1929, when the railroad to Flin Flon and later the line to Sherridon cut off most of his trade. He then moved to the town of Herb Lake and purchased a store. Bartlett and his wife Ernestine and their family operated the store for many years. He then moved to Bartlett's Landing on the west shore of Herb Lake to help operate a fish camp with his stepson, Charlie.
Bill English came to Wekusko Lake area in 1920 to try prospecting. He'd had a varied career in the US and Panama, and fought in the First World War. Winters he partnered with Joe Kerr and Wilfred Vickers to raise the capital for prospecting. In summers, they searched out ore-bearing rock with a dip needle, the only instrument available at the time. Chisel Lake property was first staked in 1927 by Bill English, Joe Kerr, Dick Woosey and Johnny Kerr. In 1928 he prospected at Cold Lake, and held property at Stall Lake until a disagreement with the government caused him to release it. Joe Kerr and Walter Johnson then staked it, and sold their claims to Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. English didn't enjoy trapping, so in 1934 he quit and opened a store near the town of Herb Lake. His wife Margaret was an accountant from Seattle, and she is remembered for her many kindnesses to trappers and prospectors whose clothes she mended and washed. The Herb Lake children also benefited from her piano teaching.
The English home was moved across the ice in two pieces from the site on English's old trapline to Snow Creek. He then went into business with Snow Lake's first general store. The old log house remains, but the store is gone.
Another early trapper was Ralph Bryenton, who came west Wekusko Lake area in 1930. There were no registered traplines them, but trappers respected each other's territory. In 1939 Bryenton built a home on an island in Herb Bay, and his wife and his stepchildren joined him. He freighted on Wekusko Lake, and also operated a theatre in the town of Herb Lake. He created several films, including Fur Trapper of the North. He also had staked the property, then dropped it, which later became the Osborne Lake mine. Bryenton spent three summers in the far north studying and collecting botany samples. They eventually moved to Alberta, and then back to the trapline in 1961. | <urn:uuid:dcf28958-7355-4bcf-b6c1-1a20380b6608> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | http://snowlake.ca/p/trapping-fishing-history | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964358480.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20211128073830-20211128103830-00520.warc.gz | en | 0.981891 | 828 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Salmonella is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacilli that can cause diarrheal illness in humans. They are microscopic living creatures that pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or other animals.
The Salmonella family includes over 2,300 serotypes of bacteria which are one-celled organisms too small to be seen without a microscope. Two types, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium are the most common in the United States and account for half of all human infections. Strains that cause no symptoms in animals can make people sick, and vice versa. If present in food, it does not usually affect the taste, smell, or appearance of the food. The bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of infected animals and humans.
Salmonella bacteria have been known to cause illness for over 100 years. They were discovered by an American scientist, Dr. Daniel E. Salmon.
Photo by Jean Guard-Petter. USDA | <urn:uuid:93ce45d0-15dd-46bf-8522-45e8d26285cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.microbeworld.org/index.php?option=com_jlibrary&view=article&id=7131 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164019268/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133339-00090-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942974 | 203 | 3.859375 | 4 |
There is no sure way to prevent your loved one's self-injuring behavior. But reducing the risk of self-injury may include strategies that involve both individuals and communities — for example, parents, schools, medical professionals, supervisors, co-workers and coaches:
Dec. 06, 2012
- Identify people most at risk and offer help. For instance, those at risk can be taught resilience and healthy coping skills that they can then draw on during periods of distress.
- Encourage expansion of social networks. Many people who self-injure feel lonely and disconnected. Forming connections to people who don't self-injure can improve relationship and communication skills.
- Raise awareness. Adults, especially those who work with children, should be educated about the warning signs of self-injury and what to do when they suspect it. Documentaries, multimedia-based educational programs and group discussions are helpful strategies.
- Promote programs that encourage peers to seek help. Peers tend to be loyal to friends even when they know a friend is in crisis. Programs that encourage youths to reach out to adults may chip away at social norms supporting secrecy.
- Offer education about media influence. News media, music and other highly visible outlets that feature self-injury may nudge vulnerable children and young adults to experiment. Teaching children critical thinking skills about the influences around them might reduce the harmful impact.
- Shedler J. The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist. 2010;65:98.
- Self-harm in young adults. National Alliance on Mental Illness. http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/SelfInjury_Fact_Sheet_FINAL.pdf. Accessed Oct. 11, 2010.
- What is self-injury, self-harm, self-abuse? The Official Newsletter of NAMI Springfield. 2012;2:1.
- Cutting. TeensHealth from Nemours. http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/cutting.html. Accessed Oct. 11, 2012.
- Facts for families: Self-injury in adolescents. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Self-Injury+in+Adolescents§ion=Facts+for+Families. Accessed Oct. 11, 2012.
- Depression. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
- A family guide: What families need to know about adolescent depression. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Child_and_Adolescent_Action_Center&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=24806. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
- When you fear someone may take their life. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=f2f25092-7e90-9bd4-c4658f1d2b5d19a0. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
- Mental health and teens: Watch for danger signs. Healthychildren.org. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token. Accessed Oct. 11, 2012.
- Hofmann SG, et al. The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2010;78:1.
- Self-injury. NAMI On Campus. http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Find_Support/NAMI_on_Campus1/Mental_Illness_Fact_Sheets/Self-injury.pdf. Accessed Oct. 12, 2012.
- Barrocas AL, et al. Rates of nonsuicidal self-injury in youth: Age, sex, and behavioral methods in a community sample. Pediatrics. 2012;130:39.
- Lewis SP, et al. The scope of nonsuicidal self-injury on YouTube. Pediatrics. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org. Accessed Oct. 11, 2012.
- Palmer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. (Nov. 1, 2012).
- Alarcon RD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. (Nov. 4, 2012).
You Are ... The Campaign for Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. Make a difference today. | <urn:uuid:87b0d602-3e44-430f-940d-946860d3d9af> | CC-MAIN-2014-23 | http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/basics/prevention/con-20025897 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1406510273513.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20140728011753-00390-ip-10-146-231-18.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.849888 | 1,027 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Endometriosis is a common condition that involves uterine-like tissue growing in other areas of the body besides the uterus itself, especially in the ovaries. This can cause a lot of different symptoms, including severe pain during or around menstruation, pain while ovulating, when having sex, etc. Women with endometriosis might also experience abdominal bloating, heavy or irregular bleeding, fatigue, and infertility is also common.
There is currently no way to cure endometriosis through conventional medical treatment methods, and the main reason for this is because most medical doctors don’t know what the actual cause of endometriosis is. As a result, they usually just treat the person with pain medication, and they may give some hormonal treatments to reduce the production of estrogen, or in some cases might perform surgery to remove the endometriotic lesions.
What Is The Cause Of Endometriosis?
In order to cure endometriosis, it’s important to understand how this condition develops. In the past I have spoken about a condition called estrogen dominance, which involves an imbalance in the ratios of estrogen and progesterone. Although this can be caused by an excess in estrogen, the most common cause is a deficiency of progesterone.
In any case, estrogen dominance can cause many problems, and endometriosis is potentially one of these conditions that can develop due to this hormone imbalance. Some doctors think that this condition is due to an excess of estrogen, which is the reasoning behind the hormonal injections to reduce the amount of estrogen. But while these injections might help someone who has estrogen dominance due to an excess of estrogen, it won’t help women who have a progesterone deficiency, which is the problem with many people.
So rather than just randomly giving women with endometriosis hormone injections or performing surgery, it makes sense to at least try to determine the actual cause of the condition. And our friend, the Female Hormone Panel, will frequently reveal a hormone imbalance that has caused this condition to develop. So whenever I see a patient who has endometriosis, this is the first step I recommend in trying to determine what the actual cause is. If the test shows a progesterone deficiency, then I recommend a certain protocol for the patient. On the other hand, if excess estrogen is the culprit, then I’ll recommend a completely different protocol. And if estrogen dominance isn’t the cause, then this of course will be ruled out as a cause and I’ll need to do some additional detective work!
This is just further proof of how most medical doctors don’t use common sense, not only with endometriosis, but with most other conditions as well. After all, this condition doesn’t just spontaneously develop. The fact that it only happens in cycling women is a big hint that it has something to do with hormones. So it just make sense to begin with a hormone panel to confirm that there is an imbalance of hormones, and give us the necessary information to correct it.
Dealing With Endometriosis And Infertility
Since infertility is such a common problem, you might wonder whether providing a cure for endometriosis through natural treatment methods will correct the infertility problem and allow the woman to get pregnant. In many cases following a protocol to cure endometriosis will indeed also correct the infertility problem. Obviously there are no guarantees with any type of treatment, but since a natural treatment protocol is non-invasive and has a high level of success, in my opinion this should be the first option. Then if all else fails you can of course always choose to receive the conventional medical treatment.
In summary, if you or someone you know has endometriosis, you might want to consider following a natural treatment protocol. If you have already started receiving medical treatment then that’s fine, as you can always switch to natural treatment methods. As usual, just try to keep an open mind and realize that there is a cause of endometriosis, and by determining the cause, in most cases this condition can be cured. | <urn:uuid:f34bf454-ae97-4b60-8299-adc0a1cfa490> | CC-MAIN-2018-05 | http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/archives/how-to-use-natural-treatment-methods-to-cure-endometriosis/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-05/segments/1516084890771.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20180121135825-20180121155825-00039.warc.gz | en | 0.937982 | 848 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Finding a heavily illustrated book that’s in both Google Books (GBS) and Internet Archive (IA) gives a good comparison of the strengths and weaknesses in the way illustrated books are presented in these systems.
Shown below are the “intro” pages for the book in the 2 systems. The clear advantage of the GBS intro page is that the sample thumbnails in the lower right make it immediately obvious that the book has COLOR pictures of good quality.
In Internet Archive the main job of intro screen (below) is to direct the user to options to view the book, in the box in the upper left, and there’s no indication that the book contains pictures.
Even after pulling up the DjVu option to view the book — which is a tricky matter, see how to do it here — there’s no intro screen at all in DjVu, just an imposing blank page waiting for the user to change display options or begin paging through the book sequentially.
It’s when the user chooses display options and begins viewing the book that the advantages of DjVu become evident. The most important option, especially if pictures are an important part of the book, as they are in the Mracek Atlas book shown here, is to turn on the thumbnail display bar (at left) by clicking the icon in the lower right corner of the DjVu display window. It then becomes easy to scroll through the thumbnails and get a good view of the nature of the pictures in the book, and how they relate to the text. In the Mracek Atlas, it happens that the first third of the book is all text, and the last two-thirds is mostly pictures, so the user can scroll to the pictures easily.
Use of thumbnails is a good way to provide access to pictures in a book. But as simple and obvious as it is, thumbnail access is lacking in most e-book systems, so both GBS and DjVu are to be applauded for providing it, in their different ways. Here’s a comparison of the two systems …
In GBS, the About this book page gives immediate thumbnail access to a maximum of 30 pictures. Additional pictures have no thumbnail access, and can only be found by scrolling through pages or text searching.
DjVu has the disadvantage of having no Intro page that gives an overview of pictures in the book. But when the user knows how to set the display options, it provides good thumbnail access to an unlimited number of pictures. In a book like he Mracek Atlas, with over 100 pictures, this is a definite advantage.
Postscript: It wasn’t easy to find a book that’s in both GBS and IA, so I was especially pleased to find the Mracek Atlas discussed here that has pictures in Hardin MD! The full citation for the book is: Atlas of diseases of the skin, by Franz Mracek, 1899 [GBS | IA] | <urn:uuid:b0263e61-d50e-44f2-aac8-11b256b985aa> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://blog.lib.uiowa.edu/hardinmd/2008/09/05/google-books-vs-djvu-in-internet-archive/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593657142589.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20200713033803-20200713063803-00004.warc.gz | en | 0.925869 | 620 | 2.609375 | 3 |
It only takes a spark to light a fire. But if the fire needs to be lit in a turbulent environment, as is the case with a combustion chamber, you’ll need the right equipment to reliably convert ignition voltage into a spark. During the power stroke of an internal combustion engine, cylinder pressures can range anywhere from 300 psi at a light load up to 1,500 psi in some racing applications. To ignite this compressed mixture of air and fuel reliably, you need to have the right ignition components for the job.
By Richard Fong
What’s in a Spark?
A vehicle’s ignition system produces the spark energy to ignite the compressed intake charge in the combustion chamber. Generating a spark starts at the vehicle’s battery, where 12 volts of DC current flow through an ignition coil that typically steps the voltage up to anywhere from 12,000 to 20,000 volts depending on the driving conditions, engine load and temperatures. Once triggered by the ECU or a mechanical signal, the increased voltage is released through each of the spark plugs to ignite the air/fuel mixture.
Used and Abused
The spark plugs are the maintenance item in the ignition system that must endure the most abuse. They thread into the engine (usually the cylinder head), protrude into the combustion chamber and must endure extreme cylinder pressures and the heat of combustion. The tip of the spark plug features a center electrode and a ground electrode. As the ignition coil releases electricity through the spark plug, a spark jumps across a gap between the electrode of the spark plug and the ground electrode, igniting the compressed air and fuel mixture.
Spark plug designs feature important traits such as conductivity, low resistance and durability. The center shaft is typically composed of steel, while the center electrode is typically made with a copper core (for thermal conductivity) and sheathed in an alloy for reduced wear. The part that can be seen (and is usually marketed most aggressively) is the center electrode tip. The typical spark plug center electrode tip can be made up of a combination of materials including copper, nickel-iron, chromium or noble metals (yttrium, iridium, tungsten or palladium.) Modern spark plugs marketed with exotic tip materials such as platinum and iridium feature high melting points and improved durability. These traits permit the use of a smaller center wire that will absorb less heat. These materials do not necessarily improve conduction or lower resistance, however they usually offer superior longevity and facilitate air/fuel mixture ignition. In the case of a racing or performance application, the tip material becomes less of a priority since the plugs are replaced more frequently than most modern street applications that have very long spark plug service intervals.
SPARK PLUGS:Telltale Signs
READING THE SIGNS: While new technology provides consumers with tools to monitor combustion chamber performance, technicians have been observing or “reading” spark plugs for decades to get an idea of what’s going on inside a motor. Seen here are spark plugs indicating a number of problems within the cylinder.
DRY FOULING: This is a common result in use of a colder heat range spark plug in an engine that doesn’t operate frequently at higher temperatures. If this was a spark plug rated at the factory heat range, other problems could be an overly- rich AFR, electrical problem causing misfires or extended operation of little to no throttle load.
WET FOULING: While this is possible with an excessively cold plug or rich AFR, a wet-fouled plug like this is more likely the result of oil or some other contaminant being introduced into the combustion chamber. The smell and appearance of the liquid on the plug would be a key indication at what the problem is.
DEPOSITS: Spark plugs peppered with deposits indicates oil or some other contaminant entering the combustion chamber. Instead of fouling out the plug, the liquid material evaporates and leaves behind crystal-like particles capable of deteriorating the plug and engine internals quickly.
SPECKLING PLUG: Seeing this condition is the first sign of too much heat on the spark plug. Before assuming a step colder plug is the only solution needed, make sure the engine itself isn’t overheating, the AFR isn’t too lean and that the timing isn’t over-advanced.
MELTED ELECTRODE/CRACKED INSULATOR: This is what eventually happens to plugs that face either extreme or extended conditions that cause a plug to speckle. The excessive heat literally melts the metal and the violent detonation breaks away the ceramic insulator. If a spark plug is pulled out of an engine looking like this, expect to have more engine parts needing replacement.
Spark Plug Tech – Selecting and Reading Spark Plugs
Spark plugs are not a one-size-fits-all component. While each engine requires a spark plug of specific dimension, the proper spark plug must still be chosen based on the performance demands of the engine and the spark plug’s corresponding optimal operating temperature or heat range. The heat range of a spark plug describes its ability to dissipate heat. Spark plugs that are “hot” do not dissipate heat very quickly, resulting in a higher operating temperature. On the other hand, “cold” plugs dissipate heat more efficiently, resulting in a cooler operating temperature. Typically, manufacturers control the heat range by changing the shape and size of the ceramic insulator.
How do you know which heat range is right for your engine? A good starting point is to consider what the vehicle manufacturer recommends for a stock engine. Cooler plugs have higher numbers while hotter plugs have lower numbers. For example, a stock Subaru WRX STI (EJ257) comes standard with NGK LFR6A spark plugs (heat range 6). Going one step hotter (from the same plug family) would be an LFR5A (heat range 5), while one step colder would be an LFR7A (heat range 7). If a plug is too “hot” it will retain too much heat, potentially igniting the air-fuel mixture before a spark is generated. This results in a condition called pre-ignition, which can lead to severe engine damage. By contrast, too cold a spark plug will not retain the heat necessary to burn o deposits that form on the electrode, resulting in plug fouling that can inhibit spark production. Knowing this, you can choose the appropriate heat range based on your level of tuning and from reading the spark plugs. In addition to determining if the plugs are of the appropriate heat range, reading spark plugs can also diagnose other potential issues that might arise including the presence of contaminants, bad rings or a blown head gasket.
More With Distributor-Less
Technology drives performance, and simplifying ignition systems by eliminating the cap, rotor, distributor and plug wires of mechanically timed ignition components proved inevitable with the advent of reliable distributor-less ignition systems. Most modern engines employ ECU-controlled distributor-less ignition systems that include multiple coils. These multi-coil arrangements include wasted spark systems with a single coil serving two spark plugs as well as individual coil-on-plug (COP) ignition systems. Wasted spark ignition systems feature one coil for every pair of cylinders. This system fires both plugs per cycle, igniting the air/fuel mixture in one cylinder while the other is “wasted” on the cylinder that is near the end of its exhaust stroke. COP systems gained favor with manufacturers because of their compact packaging, higher performance, lower emissions and reduced maintenance. COP systems, also referred to as “direct ignition”, feature one coil per spark plug.
To enhance distributor-less ignition systems, some aftermarket solutions include higher performing coils and capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) systems. COP systems typically cost manufacturers more than distributor and wasted spark ignitions. Therefore, developing coils that perform adequately for a given application helps to keep the cost down while delivering the performance that OEMs intended. When raising the performance bar, these factory coils could fall short, resulting in misfiring or missed horsepower targets. Bolt-on aftermarket coil solutions designed for increased output could remedy these instances if they are available for your application. Another option is to supplement a COP system with a capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) system. CDI systems store spark energy in reserve to ensure reliable firing of the spark plugs even at higher RPM ranges and at higher boost levels. For older vehicles equipped with a distributor, some aftermarket manufacturers have developed solutions for retrofitting COP systems that include coils, coil drivers, an engine timing device and wiring harness.
(L) A spark plug gapping tool or a feeler gauge (R) can be used to verify plug gaps before installation.
The old standard for ignition systems is the distributor ignition system. This ignition type generally includes a distributor, cap, rotor, plug wires, a coil and an ignitor. The distributor mounts directly to the engine, relying on a gear or camshaft to drive its rotor shaft. It not only delivers spark energy to the spark plugs, it can also regulate the ignition timing. Just rotating the distributor’s position on the axis of its rotor shaft can advance or retard the ignition timing in certain applications. The ignition timing can affect numerous aspects of engine function, including idle quality, drivability and overall performance. However, even if the timing is right, worn components can hamper normal function as well as performance.
Sorting and Sending
The distributor’s main wear items include the rotor and the distributor cap. The rotor mounts to the end of a shaft driven by a gear or camshaft . At the center of the rotor, a contact makes the connection to the ignition coil by way of the distributor cap. As the rotor spins on the shaft , it makes contact with each plug wire terminal, releasing spark energy from the coil through the spark plug wires to the spark plugs.
Typical service intervals for a cap and rotor vary by manufacturer and especially by driving conditions. For example, Honda recommends inspection every 15,000 miles and replacement every 30,000 miles. Even so, in the case of a performance build, it’s best to inspect the cap and rotor more frequently to ensure optimal engine performance. If the contacts are corroded or burnt, it’s a good practice to replace both the rotor and cap.
A specialized distributor cap (L) permits the use of an external coil (R) and an ignition amplifier (Below)
Delivering the Juice
The plug wires join the distributor cap to the spark plugs and deliver the spark energy for ignition. Plug wires should be inspected regularly for damage or increased resistance, potential causes for reduced performance in the form of reduced or lost spark energy. A damaged or failing spark plug wire can also cause damage to the ignition coil (which can cost considerably more than a set of wires). Recommended replacement intervals vary, but upgrading to an aftermarket offering could improve voltage delivery and subsequently increase performance in the form of a smoother idle, reduced or eliminated misfiring and mitigated or eliminated electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Bump Up the Voltage
Ignition systems rely on the coil to step up the ignition output to anywhere between 12,000-25,000 volts (under typical conditions) in order to ensure that the air/fuel mixture ignites. While reasonably sturdy, an ignition coil can experience damage due to a variety of reasons ranging from vibration and excessive heat to shorts caused by worn or damaged plug wires or spark plugs. If you experience misfires even a er replacing the wires and plugs, the coil could be damaged.
When upgrading an engine (both naturally aspirated and forced induction) or tuning more aggressively, increased cylinder pressures demand more of the ignition system. A factory coil could deliver 50,000 volts or more to the spark plugs for a brief moment, but will likely lead to coil failure. Aftermarket coils o er a broad operating range capable of sustained outputs over 40,000 volts, with some racing applications capable of 100,000 volts. However, if you upgrade to a higher-output aftermarket coil, expect to upgrade to an aftermarket ignition amplifier as well. The factory ignitor wasn’t designed to work with a higher voltage coil and will likely result in accelerated wear and premature failure. Many of today’s aftermarket ignition amplifiers employ sophisticated electronics and microprocessors that will ensure reliable spark delivery, control redline and improve startup, throttle response and acceleration.
Keep the Fires Burning
You can’t start a fire without a spark, just as your engine won’t function without a solid ignition system in place. Always keep a watchful eye on maintenance items like spark plugs and wires. They can not only damage other ignition components if they’re worn or damaged, but can also be indicators of your engine’s health. Maintaining your ignition system will contribute to your engine’s efficiency and mileage, but most importantly, performance. | <urn:uuid:483521dc-bc5a-44f4-a442-e4668f91366a> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | http://dsportmag.com/the-tech/education/tune-up-basics-ignition/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891814872.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20180223233832-20180224013832-00241.warc.gz | en | 0.913546 | 2,675 | 3.34375 | 3 |
In kindergarten, children acquire skills that are the foundation for their elementary education. Recognizing, extending, repeating and creating patterns are generally thought of as early math skills, but understanding patterns can also help in reading and writing. Parents should work on kindergarten appropriate pattern activities with their children at home to ensure children acquire these foundational skills.
Whether your kindergartner is learning an instrument such as the piano or can barely sit still long enough to bang on a drum twice, musical patterns can be a fun way to teach your child about patterns. Any simple toy instrument will work such as a tambourine or maracas. If you don't have any toy instruments, use the tabletop as a drum. First, start by making up a pattern of your own. For example, if you use the tambourine, you might try to shake it, then tap it and then shake it. Ask your child to repeat your pattern, then see whether she can describe what you're doing. Next you can let your child create a pattern with the instrument and see whether he can repeat it.
With edible patterns, not only does your kindergartner get to reinforce pattern skills, you get help in the kitchen. You can do this for a snack or a meal or even a treat. Set out several bowls, each containing a different food that your child likes. Then create a pattern of them on your plate such as strawberry, blueberry, apple slice, strawberry, blueberry and apple slice. Encourage your child to copy the pattern on her own plate. Another option would be to let her create her own pattern on her plate and for you to copy it onto a sibling's plate.
Kids in kindergarten love stickers and can usually be trusted not to plaster the walls with them. So try getting several sheets of them, featuring several animals, shapes or other objects. Then encourage children to create a pattern with them. If they've got animal stickers, then maybe they could make a dog, cat, dog, cat pattern across the top of their paper. For more of a challenge, have them recreate the same pattern using animals such as tiger, lion, tiger, lion.
Taking kindergartners on walks is an excellent way to help them learn about the patterns in nature. To incorporate patterns, you can have your child search for them in leaves, fences, buildings or whatever else you see in a walk around your neighborhood. Then you can let your child take a picture of them with your smartphone or you can write down a list for your child.
- Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images | <urn:uuid:f5edc35a-6d05-4edf-b9e9-3c3965ab4a7a> | CC-MAIN-2017-17 | http://oureverydaylife.com/kindergarten-appropriate-pattern-activities-12093.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917126237.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031206-00414-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941966 | 525 | 4.125 | 4 |
The tiny animals that constructed the reef, known as Cloudina, evolved from soft-bodied ancestors.
Scientists at Edinburgh University found that the creatures attached themselves to fixed surfaces and each other using a natural cement made from calcium carbonate.
They may have developed their reef-building ability to protect themselves against increased threats from predators. Reefs also provided access to nutrient-rich currents at a time of growing competition for food and living space.
The development of hard biological structures sparked a dramatic increase in the biodiversity of ocean ecosystems. Professor Rachel Wood, who led the research published in the journal Science, said: "Modern reefs are major centres of biodiversity with sophisticated ecosystems. Like corals, animals build reefs to defend against predators and competitors. We have found that animals were building reefs even before the evolution of complex animal life." | <urn:uuid:9591fb82-9f3b-44db-a6e2-e21da57081c2> | CC-MAIN-2015-14 | http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/ancient-reef-found-in-africa.24604780 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-14/segments/1427131302318.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20150323172142-00084-ip-10-168-14-71.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957766 | 165 | 4.1875 | 4 |
Let’s start with this: The Soyuz spacecraft has a good safety record. Nearly 45 years old, the Soyuz line of craft have flown dozens and dozens of missions. While there have been two fatal accidents in the program’s history (Soyuz 1 and Soyuz 11), both occurred early on and there have been no fatalities since 1971.
It is a relatively simple and reliable vehicle that’s cheaper to fly than the space shuttle.
But we’re talking about flying into, and returning from space, which is not without its perils. In May, 2010, U.S. Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison fought to save the space shuttle by mentioning two incidents in 2007 and 2008 that put the Soyuz crews at risk, but didn’t get much traction.
Nevertheless things could go wrong with the Soyuz during the next four or five years before commercial providers develop a U.S. alternative capsule for carrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
Today’s question is a simple one: What will NASA do if a Soyuz goes down?
After each shuttle accident NASA stopped flying the vehicles for a couple of years to study what had gone wrong and fix the problem. If it takes a similar tack with Russia, not allowing U.S. crew members to fly for a couple of years, we might lose the space station.
Please note this is not an argument to save the space shuttle. That vehicle is going to be retired in a week.
But it is meant to initiate a discussion. If there were an accident, would we allow our remaining crew members on the ISS to fly home on a Soyuz? Would we send new crew members up? How soon could SpaceX’s capsule be rated for humans with an influx of cash? How would lawmakers react? Would the Russians, more likely to react to a Soyuz loss as a one-time failure, continue to operate the space station?
To be sure this is a hypothetical. But it is a possibility. | <urn:uuid:0f4b5d78-868d-48df-96b0-8ee3e5f7dbf4> | CC-MAIN-2019-51 | https://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2011/07/hypothetical-what-happens-to-nasa-if-a-soyuz-is-lost/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-51/segments/1575540517557.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20191209041847-20191209065847-00365.warc.gz | en | 0.953248 | 414 | 2.9375 | 3 |
What Is Western Music Theory?
It is not so easy to simplify music theory in a single definition, due to the music’s evolved state itself. But we know exactly what ‘music’ is being talked about here. It is the music that has accompanied the growth and development of human race on the entire earth; so that you could expect that there is such a long history entailing the conception of what music theory is.
Yet, we could still get a hold on a perspective viewing music theory as a set of principles or basic values that must be on a music. It wraps up pitch, rhythm, form, harmony and even silence. Those elements would always be present on every music composition. It is even like a natural concept flowing through the process of making music.
Music Theory’s History
A long history of human race has proven that music is not a trend. Music-making is an ancestral behavior, as shown by so many prehistoric artifacts which are considered to be our ancestors’ musical instruments. And since that time, music theory had actually been developed.
As humans mobilized, their culture on music-making had also been developed. Western community should have got their own story regarding to how they contemplate music theory of themselves. A writing from Boethius called De institutione was claimed to be the first treatise explaining about how music positioned itself at that time, alongside its composition pattern.
That marks the Western’s contribution to the whole music history, which has finally got the power to be among the most admired music around the world.
Western Music’s Intervals
Well, how do you define Western music? Is it music made originally by Western musicians? Or is it the music produced in Western countries? And even, who are Western people or what are Western countries? It is quite hazy to describe this Western music as one musical concept. Yet, let us rely on the most typical assumption.
If you are wondering about how Western music theory states itself out, then we can see it by analyzing the music’s intervals. Interval, which is the tonal gap between two notes, can be as small as a half step in Western music. That half step is also called minor second. This term, minor second, is one among the twelve notes ended with octave on the 12 half steps.
These interval theory can be a bit confusing and difficult to understand, unless you have been pretty pro on the field. | <urn:uuid:2dea3e60-32ce-436b-aba3-e9d36dc46875> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | http://themusictheory.biz/tag/western-music/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794864725.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20180522112148-20180522132148-00538.warc.gz | en | 0.970196 | 504 | 3.859375 | 4 |
Music degrees take the same amount of time as other college degrees -- about four years in the U.S. for a bachelor's degree, another one or two years for a master's degree and at least three years beyond that for an advanced research degree. Over the years, undergraduate music degrees have spread beyond the arts into the sciences, preparing students to work in many facets of the music world.
For a degree in musical performance, students must not only perform at a high level themselves but recognize what makes a quality performance by observing and learning from others. A comprehensive program includes private lessons, labs and studies of performances. For undergraduates, the course of study culminates in a senior recital in front of judges and invited guests. At Berklee College of Music in Boston -- one of the top programs in the country -- students are also taught about all aspects of interacting with others in the musical performance world.
Programs in music composition generally have the same core requirements as performance degrees do. At the University of Chicago, for example, music majors must participate in performance ensembles and complete additional coursework for a concentration in composition. Courses include composition styles from various centuries, including modern computer-driven techniques. High-performing undergraduate students sometimes also submit a composition put together under the guidance of a faculty member to graduate with honors.
For those who are intrigued by music but who do not want to go into performance, a degree in the music industry or business is the way to go. While universities are more likely to accept an applicant who demonstrates an interest in music, auditions are not required and neither are performance classes. The music industry degree at Drexel University in Philadelphia, for instance, starts with a core of music theory and general music classes, and the program places students in internships at record labels and other players in the music business.
Music education degrees, out of necessity, cover a wide range of musical styles and include vocal and instrumental instruction, although in some programs, students choose a concentration. The degree at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania prepares future public-school music teachers for to teach in kindergarten through 12th grade. Through lab settings and student teaching, the program tries to strike a balance between the intensive training required of professional musicians and the experience needed to go into teaching.
For musical students with a technical bent, music engineering is a relatively new type of college degree, with programs popping up since the 1970s. The University of Miami Frost School of Music combines a Bachelor of Music degree, including a traditional foundation in performance and theory, with a Bachelor of Science that includes training in recording, mixing and producing sounds. The master's program allows students from computer science and electrical engineering backgrounds to acquire additional skills for music engineering.
- music book. manuscript. music score image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com | <urn:uuid:3c058470-bcbd-4831-83a7-e12d832dbdff> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://classroom.synonym.com/types-college-music-degrees-there-4625.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469258943369.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723072903-00212-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949062 | 573 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Fire Public Education Programs
The focus of the 911 education program is geared toward our youth in the community to teach them what constitutes a real emergency, and when it is and when it is not appropriate to call 911.
The bicycle safety program is an educational program that places emphasis on the proper equipment necessary while riding a bike.
The Fire Prevention Bureau would be happy to bring this 1 1/2 hour classroom and practical training program to your business. Primary instruction is during the spring, summer, and fall, weather permitting. Learn the different types of fire extinguishers and the easy 4-step how-to procedure. This can be important training for you and your employees.
This program is an opportunity to teach the youth of our community that firefighters are their friends. Firefighters "transform" from men and women in uniform to firefighters in their protective turn-out gear that includes self-contained breathing apparatus. They can look scary so it is important for one to see what they look and sound like while wearing their gear. If someone becomes trapped inside a burning building this is the person you want to see and hear.
"Passport to Safety" is a community-supported program provided jointly by the Vandalia Division of Fire and Police, the Butler Township Fire and Police, and the Vandalia Butler City Schools. This pre-kindergarten safety program is designed to familiarize students with their new school prior to the beginning of school. Topics covered include:
- Animal Safety
- Bicycle Safety
- Bus Safety
- Fire Safety
- Stranger Danger
- Water Safety
This is a fun learning experience for all who attend. This program may be scheduled through the Vandalia Butler City Schools by calling 937-415-6400. | <urn:uuid:479de214-bc6a-46a5-b76f-9575c02f3fe7> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.vandaliaohio.org/190/Fire-Public-Education-Programs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510498.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20230929054611-20230929084611-00391.warc.gz | en | 0.95586 | 359 | 2.890625 | 3 |
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Diuretics (often called water pills) are drugs that cause the body to rid itself of excess fluids and sodium through urination. Excess fluid in the body can lead to high blood pressure. This helps to relieve the heart’s workload and also decreases the buildup of fluid in the lungs and other parts of the body, such as the ankles and legs. Different diuretics remove fluid at varied rates and through different methods. They are used to treat high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and some congenital heart defects.
©2019 Medmovie.com. All rights reserved. Medmovie.com creates and licenses medical illustrations and animations for educational use. Our goal is to increase your understanding of medical terminology and help communication between patients, caregiver and healthcare professionals. The content in the Media Library is for your information and education purposes only. The Media Library is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for specific medical conditions. | <urn:uuid:75e77087-672a-4f2a-a595-616d2ed1aa0e> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | https://medmovie.com/library_id/3255/topic/ahaw_0250i/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514573011.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20190917020816-20190917042816-00157.warc.gz | en | 0.92827 | 206 | 2.734375 | 3 |
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania's collections include a large number of resources that relate to the Jewish community in Philadelphia and beyond, dating from the earliest colonists into the twentieth century. Resources include published materials, manuscript collections, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, and other graphics.
To learn more about the Society's holdings, search our online catalog for "Jewish", "Jew", "Ashkenazic" or "Sephardic". You should also search for family names, synagogue names, town or territory names, or other locations and landmarks that may provide insights into your family history. Keep in mind that some materials may be in Yiddish, German or other languages. Also remember that some foreign words can be Anglicized in different ways; you may want to search for alternate spellings.
Descriptions of all manuscript collections are available in that online catalog, and many collections have finding aids online or at HSP that provide more information. Visitors to HSP's library should also look for names and other terms of interest in our manuscripts card catalog, known as PC1 (and not available online), which serves as a name index for many manuscript items. Collections from the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, which merged with HSP in 2002, are also described in this online manuscript guide.
Note that some genealogy, immigration, and other types of records are now available online. HSP offers visitors to our library free access to AncestryInstitution.com; FamilySearch.org is free for all users. Check out Reading Room Databases to learn more about the tools available to researchers in our library. You can also contact a Reference Librarian for further assistance.
Genealogy and Philadelphia History
HSP has a large number of published resources to help researchers looking into their Jewish roots. For a general overview on genealogy, check out HSP's "Family History & Genealogy" subject guide. You may also want to check out the National Archives' guide, "Genealogy: Ethnic Heritage." Its section on Jewish resources includes a variety of helpful genealogy resources.
Here are a few highlights from HSP's published holdings:
Avotaynu Encyclopedia of Jewish Genealogy edited by Sack, Sallyann Amdur and Gary Mokotoff. REF CS21 .G85 2003
Chronicles Jewish Genealogical Society of Philadelphia. UPA/Ph F 158.9 .J5 N48
Dictionary of Ashkenazic Given Names : Their Origins, Structure, Pronunciation, and Migration Beider, Alexander REF CS 3010 .B18 2001
Dictionary of German-Jewish Surnames Menk, Lars. REF CS 3010 .M45 2005
Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia Beider, Alexander. REF CS 3010 .B45 2004
Dictionary of Jewish surnames from the Kingdom of Poland Beider, Alexander. REF CS 3010.B419 1996
Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire Beider, Alexander. REF CS 3010.B43 1993
Finding Our Fathers : A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy Rottenberg, Dan. REF CS 21 .R58 1977
First American Jewish Families : 600 Genealogies, 1654-1977 Stern, Malcolm H. F 929.20973 S839f 1978 FOLIO
From Generation to Generation : How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Family History Kurzweil, Arthur. CS 21 .K87 1994
Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy Mokotoff, Gary and Warren Blatt. REF CS21 .M65 2000
Jewish Quarter of Philadelphia : A History and Guide, 1881-1930 Boonin, Harry D.UPA/Ph F158.9 .E17 B66 1999
Jewish Personal Names : Their Origin, Derivation, and Diminutive Forms Gorr, Shmuel. REF CS 3010 .G67 1992
Jewish Surnames in Prague : (15th-18th centuries) Beider, Alexander. REF CS 3010 .B44 1994
A Practical Guide to Jewish Cemeteries Menachemson, Nolan. REF BM 712 .M46 2007
Russian-Jewish Given Names : Their Origins and Variants Feldblyum, Boris. REF CS 3010 .F45 1998
Sephardic Genealogy : Discovering Your Sephardic Ancestors and Their World Malka, Jeffrey S. REF CS 66 .J4 M35 2002
ShtetlFinder : Jewish Communities in the 19th and early 20th Centuries in the Pale of Settlement of Russia and Poland, and in Lithuania, Latvia, Galicia, and Bukovina, and with Names of Residents Cohen, Chester G. REF DS 135 .R9 C58 1980
Some Archival Sources for Ukrainian-Jewish Genealogy Kronik, Aleksander and Sallyann Amdur Sack. REF CS 863 .K76 1997
Where Once We Walked : A Guide to the Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust Mokotoff, Gary and Sallyann Amdur Sack. REF DS 135 .E83 M65 2002
HSP also has resources related to a variety of synagogues, including:
Beth Sholom Congregation, Philadelphia. Book of Remembrance 1950-1951 BM 225 .P5 B4x
Congregation Mikveh Israel, 7th above Arch St., 1782-1861. SPC 222 Microfilm, drawer 293; Birth 1776-1886; Marriage and Death 1776-1843 MFilm XCh 493: 1-2
Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 North Broad St., Births, marriages and deaths, circa 1802-1910 MFilm XCh 593
Frank Synagogue, 5501 Old York Road. Celebrating 100 years. FHC NA 5238 .J4 2001
Freedom of Worship: Meeting Houses, Churches and Synagogues of Early Philadelphia. F158.62 .A1 W5x; Wg* v.19
Har Zion Temple, North 54th St. [Bet ha-keneset Har Tsiyon, 684-709]: A Quarter Century of Service. UPA/Ph BM 225 .P5 H375 1949
HSP has resources related to a variety of Jewish cemeteries, including:
Belvue Cemetery, "H" and Tioga St. MFilm XR 486:2
B'nai Israel Cemetery (see Hebrew Mutual Cemetery)
Chevra Bikier Cholim Cemetery, 1853 Bridge St. c. 1860-1985 MFilm XR 894
German Hebrew Congregation (see Rodeph Shalom Congregation)
Har Jehuda Cemetery, 8400 Lansdowne Ave. Upper Darby MFilm XR 906: 1-8
Hebrew Mutual Cemetery, 1850 Cemetery Lane. MFilm XCh 772
Mikveh Israel Cemetery (Federal St. Cemetery) 1114 Federal St. Gen Z26; Ph 76A; MFilm XCh 493: 1-2
Mount Carmel, Frankford and Cheltenham Av. 1891-1985 MFilm XR 890
Mount Sinai Cemetery, Bridge and Cottage St. 1853-1987 MFilm XR 941:7
Rodeph Shalom Congregation, 615 North Broad St. 1859-1960 MFilm XCh 593
The Jewish Cemetery, 9th and Spruce Streets. F 158.61 .M55 J3x; Ph76A
Manuscript Collections and Photographs
HSP's manuscript collections help to document the experiences of Jewish Americans in Philadelphia and beyond. Highlights from our collections include:
(0.4 linear feet) Mendel Boonin was born in Slutsk, Russia in 1887 and came to the United States from England in 1911, settling in Philadelphia. This collection includes Boonin family letters transcribed from Yiddish to English.
(0.2 linear feet) Emily Solis-Cohen was a religious and secular educator and was active in Jewish and women's organizations in Philadelphia. The collection contains miscellaneous correspondence, clippings, poems, published articles, and memorabilia.
(0.4 linear feet) Faigel Katz Silverman was born in Philadelphia. An actress on stage and radio, she gave recitations for community groups and events. The collection includes correspondence, programs, scripts, sheet music, uncatalogued photos, and a diary related to Silverman's career and the community activities of Mayer Katz.
(3.75 linear feet) This collection consists of genealogical research conducted and compiled by Florence Kohn Abrahams, with a particular focus on genealogies of Jewish families. Families of note include Abrahams, Benjamin, Cohen, Moss, and Davis. Correspondence and compiled research comes from family members in Australia, Montreal and the United States.
(1.6 linear feet) Jacob Solis-Cohen was a member of a prominent Philadelphia Sephardic Jewish family. He was a real estate appraiser with the real estate company Mastbaum Brothers and Fleisher, eventually serving as vice-president of the firm. He became president of Albert M. Greenfield and Company when that firm merged with Mastbaum Brothers and Fleisher in 1929. Solis-Cohen was also active in several Jewish organizations. He served as president of the Jewish Publication Society and of the Mikveh Israel Congregation and was a member of the boards of directors of the Foster Home for Hebrew Orphans and the Jewish Theological Seminary, and the executive council of the American Jewish Historical Society. The collection consists primarily of correspondence relating to genealogical matters and to Solis-Cohen's activities with the Foster Home for Hebrew Orphans and other charitable organizations. Also present are writings, chiefly on historical topics, and scrapbooks documenting Solis-Cohen's personal and business life and the genealogy of the Silva-Solis family and related families.
A related group of photographs, Jacob Solis-Cohen Jr. photographs (collection PG061), contains 36 items, including individual portraits, business and social events and miscellany.
(15.0 linear feet) These records of the Philadelphia edition of Forverts include subscription and financial records, and materials concerning carriers and advertising balances.
A related group of 25 photographs, Jewish Daily Forward photographs (collection PG040), includes portraits of leaders of Jewish labor, community, and fraternal organizations, and group portraits and social events.
(1.2 linear feet) Joseph E. Beck (1904-1981), a native of Racine, Wisconsin, was a social worker who helped Jewish refugees during World War II. Having previously worked for various social agencies in Cleveland, Ohio, and Scranton, Pennsylvania, Beck became the executive director of the Jewish Family Society of Philadelphia in 1934. He headed this organization until 1942 when he accepted the executive directorship of the National Refugee Service, in New York City. He left this organization in 1950 and moved to California, where he continued social work and eventually retired. This small yet vivid collection includes correspondence, family records, photographs, clippings, and 16mm films. The majority of the collection is comprised of Beck's candid and personal writings on a variety of social, political, and cultural topics. Many of these writings were used in Beck's autobiography, a copy of which is also in this collection.
(2.9 linear feet) Joseph Paull was a wholesale butcher, professional strongman, and an influential member of the Jewish community in Philadelphia. He was active in a variety of philanthropic organizations, especially the Uptown Home for the Aged. The collection contains biographical material, correspondence, clippings, and awards.
A related group of photographs, Joseph Paull photographs (collection PG129), includes 265 items, including portraits of Paull, friends and associates, family groups, prison activities, and miscellaneous events and philanthropies.
(265 items) Cahn owned theaters and opera houses in the northeastern United States. This business correspondence concerns theater bookings and cancellations.
(0.6 linear feet) The Labor Educational Centre was opened in 1934 as an educational and cultural center. It was the second such center founded by a number of Jewish left and labor organizations, including the Workmen's Circle-affiliated Arbeiter Ring and related groups. The Centre received subsidies from various Jewish organizations including the Allied Jewish Appeal. The collection includes blueprints and other documentation for the building, correspondence, and general administrative and financial records.
(1 volume) This volume contains the minutes of Northern Chevra Kadisha in Philadelphia.
(4.7 linear feet) Ossip Walinsky was born Joseph Melechinsky in Grodno, Lithuania in a Orthodox Jewish family. Following an arrest for anti-government activities in 1904, he escaped to Germany and then settled in London. In 1912 he immigrated to the United States and settled in New York City, where he became active as a labor organizer. In 1918 he became a manager of the Pocketbook Workers Union, New York, and remained with them until elected president of the International Leather Goods, Handbag, Belt, and Novelty Workers Union in 1951. Walinsky was also a prolific writer and was active in Jewish, Zionist and humanitarian organizations. The collection contains biographical material, correspondence and organizational records from the Pocketbook Workers Union and the International Leather Goods, Handbag, Belt, and Novelty Workers Union, and records from several Jewish organizations. Also included are clippings related to Jewish organizations.
A related group of photographs, Ossip Walinsky photograph collection (collection PG125), contains 112 items, including individual and group portraits from testimonial dinners and labor union meetings and events, and other unidentified groups.
(0.2 linear feet) This Philadelphia women's service group was affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. The collection consists of financial records, including income and expense ledgers, and audit statements.
(2.0 linear feet) Rose I. Bender was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of Joseph and Rachel Magil, Lithuanian immigrants and pioneer Zionists. She was active in Hadassah and a wide variety of other Jewish organizations at both the local and national level. In 1945 she became Executive Director of the Philadelphia Zionist Organization of America. The collection consists of correspondence, clippings, and miscellaneous items relating to Bender's activities in Hadassah, the Zionist Organization of America, Allied Jewish Appeal, and other organizations, including the National Jewish Hospital, American Palestine Music Association, and the Palestine Pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. Also included are notes and souvenirs from her work as a delegate at Zionist congresses in Geneva (1939) and Basel (1946).
(0.2 linear feet) Jean Gornish, better known as Shaindele di Chazante, was born in Philadelphia. A liturgical singer, she performed Orthodox music in concert and on the radio. She was the first woman cantor, though she never served in a synagogue. The collection contains correspondence, clippings, posters and publicity and other printed materials.
(13.2 linear feet) The Workmen's Circle, a national Jewish fraternal organization, was founded in 1892 by Russian Jewish immigrants. The first Philadelphia branch was probably chartered in 1904. The organization promoted the development and preservation of Yiddish culture in the United States, and its members were active in the labor movement. The Workmen's Circle was aligned with the Socialist Party for three decades, then increasingly supported liberal democratic policies and Jewish nationalism. The collection contains minutes, correspondence, financial records, and membership records of several organization departments which document the scope and stability of the Philadelphia district programs.
Researchers may also be interested in a related group of 40 photographs, Workmen's Circle photographs (collection PG127), and the Workmen's Circle Choir phonograph recordings (collection D0439).
HSP has microfilm and print copies of various periodicals focused on Jewish communities in Philadelphia, the Northeastern United States, and beyond. Some microfilm newpapers from the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies have been digitized, and are available online for visitors to HSP's library at 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Learn more about HSP's Reading Room Databases.
Highlights of HSP's periodicals related to Jewish life include:
American Hebrew : the national weekly of Jewish affairs. Serial, 1921, 1931-1932, 1935-1941. Call number E .5098
Aufbau. Newspaper, 1934-1970. 36 reels. Published biweekly in New York City by the German Jewish Club, 1934-1940. "Nachrichtenblatt des German-Jewish Club." Microfilm, drawer 320
Avotaynu : the international review of Jewish Genealogy. Serial. Call number DS 101.A87
B'nai B'rith Messenger. Newspaper, 1898-1913. 4 reels. Published weekly in Los Angeles, California. Microfilm, drawer 320
Carolina Israelite. Newspaper, 1944-1958. 1 reel. Microfilm, drawer 320
Chronicles = Divre ha-yamim. Quarterly, spring 1985- Balch serial
Fur Worker. Newspaper, 1916-1930. 1 reel. Published semi-monthly in English and Yiddish. Microfilm, drawer 320
Jewish Chronicle. Newspaper, 1921-1943. 11 reels. Published weekly in Newark. Microfilm, drawer 319
Jewish Exponent. Newspaper, 1887-1926, 1928-1955, 1979. 47 reels. Published weekly in Philadelphia. First issue preceded by "Prospectus." Microfilm, drawer 329
Jewish Journal. Newspaper, 1956-1971. 3 reels. Published semimonthly in New Brunswick. Microfilm, drawer 317
Jewish Messenger. Newspaper, 1857-1902. 15 reels. Published weekly in New York. In English, German and Hebrew. Microfilm, drawer 324
Jewish Record. Newspaper, 1926-1950. 15 reels. Published in St. Louis, Missouri in Yiddish and English. Microfilm, drawer 286
Jewish Voice. In Yiddish. Microfilm, drawer 262
Menorah. Periodical, 1896-1907. 8 reels. Published monthly in New York. Official organ of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. Microfilm, drawer 325
Morgenshtern. Newspaper, 1890. 1 reel. Published weekly in New York City, "A Jewish Labor Weekly devoted to the interests of the downtrodden and oppressed Humanity". In Yiddish. Microfilm, drawer 325
Sephardic Bulletin. 1928-1930. Monthly publication for the Sephardic Community of New York. Balch serial
Sephardic Home News. 1951-, Sephardic Home for the Aged. Balch serial
United Synagogue Recorder. Quarterly, 1920-1929. Balch serial
United Synagogue Review. Biennial, 1943-. Balch serial
Warheit. Newspaper, 1905-1919. 37 reels. Published daily in New York City. Some partial notices in English. In Yiddish. Microfilm, drawer 260
Yiddisher Kaempfer. Volumes 1-9, 1906-1920. In Yiddish. Microfilm, drawer 332
Yiddisher Pok. 1894-1896. Published weekly in New York City. In Yiddish. Microfilm, drawer 333
Other Local Repositories
Researchers may also be interested in consulting the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center (PJAC), which is now part of the Special Collections Research Center at Temple University. | <urn:uuid:60180023-6c69-47a8-b1a9-fac64fb47537> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://www.portal.hsp.org/subject-guides/subject-guide-18 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046154385.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20210802203434-20210802233434-00385.warc.gz | en | 0.902266 | 4,084 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Project Paperclip - Secret Project Series
Toward the close of WW2,
there was a secret operation
conceived and conducted by the US Navy under the military command
of Admiral Byrd, who later settled the US Base at McMurdo Sound
in Antarctica. The highly classified covert action was known as
‘Project Paperclip’. Its purpose was to enter the
Nazi experimental Laboratories and sabotage their operations, and
at the same time investigate and negotiate the repatriation of
the Nazi criminal scientists and geneticists back to the United
States of America where they were to be put to work for the
fledgling CIA at their underground facility at Area 51.
All of the top Nazi scientists who developed unmanned aircraft
(V1 & V2 Rockets), the Jet Engine, Surveillance Radar, flying
weightless discs, particle beams and the Atomic bomb with its
associated need of heavy water were earmarked. Targeted along
with these scientists were all the geneticists that experimented
on prisoners in the death camps. They were all offered immediate
citizenship and promised exoneration from prosecution from any
War Crime Tribunal in order to use their expertise working for
the U.S. Military in New Mexico and Nevada.
Following the discovery of the advanced technology such as
flying discs (foo fighters), particle/laser beam weaponry in
these German military bases, the War Dept decided NASA and the
CIA must control this, and obtain the Nazi engineers involved.
There was only one problem - it was illegal. U.S. law explicitly
prohibited Nazi officials from immigrating to America, and as
many as threequarters of the scientists in question had been
President Harry Truman authorized Project Paperclip, but
excluded any Nazi party member or active supporter of Nazism. The
War Dept’s Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA)
conducted investigations on the scientists. JIOA Director Bosquet
Wev submitted the dossiers to the State and Justice Departments
for review. The Dossiers were damning. Samuel Klaus, the State
Department rep on the JIOA board, claimed all the scientists were
The visa requests were denied. Wev was furious. He wrote a
memo warning that "the best interests of the U S have been
subjugated to the efforts expended in beating a dead Nazi horse."
He also declared these scientists could be exploited by the
US’s enemies, presenting a "greater security threat to
America than any former Nazi affiliation."
The Nazi Intelligence leader Reinhard Gehlen met with the CIA
director Allen Dulles. Dulles and Gehlen hit it off immediately.
Gehlen was a master spy for the Nazis and had infiltrated Russia
with his vast Nazi Intelligence network. Dulles promised Gehlen
that his Intelligence unit was safe in the CIA. Apparently, Wev
sidestepped the problem. Dulles had the scientists
dossier’s re-written to eliminate incriminating evidence.
As promised, Allen Dulles delivered the Nazi Intelligence unit to
the CIA, which later opened many umbrella projects stemming from
Nazi research such as "MK-Ultra" / "Artichoke" and "Operation
Midnight Climax." Military Intelligence "cleansed" the files of
Nazi references. By 1955, more than 760 German scientists were
granted citizenship in the U.S. with prominent positions in the
American scientific community. Many had been in the Gestapo,
having conducted experiments on humans at concentration camps,
along with other war crimes.
Wernher Von Braun
In a 1985 expose in the "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists",
Linda Hunt wrote that she had examined more than 130 reports on
Project Paperclip subjects - and every one "had been changed to
eliminate the security threat classification."
President Truman, who had explicitly ordered no committed
Nazis to be admitted under Project Paperclip, was evidently never
aware that his directive had been violated. State Department
archives and the memoirs of officials from that era confirm this.
Listed below are many of the "Paperclip" players.
WERNHER VON BRAUN; From 1937 to 1945, von Braun was the
technical director of the Peenemunde rocket research centre,
where the V-2 rocket, which devastated England, was developed.
This Nazi’s dossier, like others, was rewritten. A
September 18, 1947, report on the German rocket scientist stated,
"Subject is regarded as a potential security threat by the
Military Governor." The following February, a new security
evaluation of Von Braun said, "No derogatory information is
available. It is the opinion of the Military he is not a security
threat to the U S."
V-2 Rocket at
Imperial War Museum
Working on guided missiles for the U.S. Army and later
director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Centre, he became
a celebrity in the 1950s as one of Disney’s experts on the
"World of Tomorrow." In 1970, he became NASA’s associate
ARTHUR RUDOLPH; He was operations director of the Mittelwerk
factory Dora-Nordhausen concentration camps, where 20,000 workers
died from beating, hanging and starvation. A 1945 file on him
said "100% Nazi, dangerous, security threat." But JIOA’s
final dossier said "nothing in records indicate a war criminal or
ardent Nazi." Granted US citizenship he later designed the Saturn
5 rocket used in the Apollo moon landings. In 1984, when his war
record was finally investigated, he fled to Germany.
KURT BLOME; A high-ranking Nazi scientist, Blome told U.S.
military interrogators in 1945 that he had been ordered in 1943
to experiment with plague vaccines on concentration camp
prisoners. He was tried at Nuremberg in 1947 on charges of
practicing euthanasia (extermination of sick prisoners), and
conducting experiments on humans. Although acquitted, his earlier
admissions were well known, and it was generally accepted that he
had indeed participated in the gruesome experiments.
Arthur Rudolf with
Saturn 5 Rocket
Two months after his Nuremberg acquittal, Blome was
interviewed at Camp David, Maryland, about biological warfare. In
1951, he was hired by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps to work on
chemical warfare. His file neglected to mention Nuremberg.
MAJOR GENERAL WALTER SCHREIBER; According to Linda
Hunt’s article, the US military tribunal at Nuremberg heard
evidence that "Schreiber had assigned doctors to experiment on
concentration camp prisoners and had made funds available for
such experimentation." The assistant prosecutor said the evidence
would have convicted Schreiber if the Soviets, who held him from
1945 to 1948, had made him available for trial.
Again, Schreiber’s Paperclip file made no mention of
this evidence; the project found work for him at the Air Force
School of Medicine at Randolph Field in Texas. When columnist
Drew Pearson publicized the Nuremberg evidence in 1952, the
negative publicity led the JIOA, to arrange "a visa and a job for
Schreiber in Argentina, where his daughter was living." On May
22, 1952, he was flown to Buenos Aires.
HERMANN BECKERFREYSING and SIEGFRIED RUFF; These two, along
with Blome, were among the 23 defendants in the Nuremberg War
Trials "Medical Case." Becker- Freysing was convicted and
sentenced to 20 years in prison for conducting experiments on
Dachau inmates, such as starving them, then force-feeding them
seawater that had been chemically altered to make it drinkable.
Ruff was acquitted (in a close decision) on charges that he had
killed as many as 80 Dachau inmates in a low-pressure chamber
designed to simulate altitudes in excess of 60,000 feet. Before
their trial, Becker-Freysing and Ruff were paid by the Army and
Air Force to write reports about their grotesque experiments.
General Reinhard Gehlen
GENERAL REINHARD GEHLEN; It was five years after the end of
WW2 but one of Hitler’s chief intelligence officers was
still on the job. From a walled-in compound in Bavaria, General
Reinhard Gehlen oversaw a vast network of intelligence agents
spying on Russia. His top aides were Nazi zealots who had
committed some of the most notorious crimes of the war. Gehlen
and his SS unit were swiftly hired as agents of the CIA when they
revealed their massive records on the Soviet Union to the US.
Two months before Germany surrendered in 1945, the Gehlen
organization made its move. Gehlen and a small group of his most
senior officers carefully microfilmed the vast holding on the
USSR in the military section of the German army’s general
staff. They packed the film in watertight steel drums and
secretly buried it in a remote mountain meadow in the Austrian
General William Donovan and Allen Dulles of the CIA were
tipped off about Gehlen’s surrender and his offer of
Russian intelligence in exchange for a job. The CIA was soon
jockeying with military intelligence for authority over
Gehlen’s microfilmed records - and control of the German
spymaster. Dulles arranged for a private intelligence facility in
West Germany to be established, and named it the Gehlen
Organization. Gehlen promised not to hire any former SS, SD, or
Gestapo members; he hired them anyway, and the CIA did not stop
him. Two of Gehlen’s early recruits were Emil Augsburg and
Dr. Franz Six, who had been part of mobile killing squads, which
killed Jews, intellectuals, and Soviet partisans wherever they
Other recruits included Willi Krichbaum, senior Gestapo leader
for south-eastern Europe, and the Gestapo chiefs of Paris and
Kiel, Germany. With the encouragement of the CIA, Gehlen Org
(Licio Gelli) set up "rat lines" to get Nazi war criminals out of
Europe. By setting up transit camps and issuing phoney passports,
the Gehlen Organisation helped more than 5,000 Nazis leave Europe
and relocate especially in South America.
HEINRICH RUPP; Rupp has been convicted of bank fraud. He was
an operative for the CIA and is deeply involved in the Savings
and Loan scandals. A federal jury has indicated they believe
testimony that Rupp, the late CIA Director William Casey(then
Reagan’s campaign manager), and Donald Gregg, now U.S.
Ambassador to South Korea, flew with George Bush to Paris in
1980, during the election in which Bush was on the ticket with
Ronald Reagan. The testimony states that three meetings were held
on Oct 19 and 20 at the Hotel Florida and Hotel Crillion. The
subject? According to the court testimony, the meetings were to
sabotage President Jimmy Carter’s re-election campaign by
delaying the release of US hostages in Iran. The hostages were
released Jan 20 1981, after Reagan and Bush were sworn into
office. Iran was promised return of its frozen assets in the US
and the foundation for the Iran- Contra deal was set into
LICIO GELLI; Head of a 2400 member secret Masonic Lodge, P2, a
neo-fascist organization in Italy that catered to only the elite.
Gelli had high connections in the Vatican, even though he was not
a Catholic. P2’s membership is totally secret and not even
available to its Mother Lodge in England. Gelli was responsible
for providing Argentina with the Exocet missile. He was a double
agent for the CIA and the KGB. He assisted many former Nazi high
officials in their escape from Europe to Central America. He had
close ties with the Italian Mafia. Gelli was a close associate of
Benito Mussolini. He was closely affiliated with Roberto Calvi,
head of scandalridden Vatican Bank. Calvi was murdered.
Gelli’s secret lodge consisted of extremely important
people, including armed forces commanders, secret service chiefs,
head of Italy’s financial police, 30 generals, eight
admirals, newspaper editors, television and top business
executives and key bankers - including Calvi. Licio Gelli and
others in P2 were behind the assassination of Pope John Paul
The central figure in Europe and South America that linked the
CIA, Masonic Lodge, Vatican, ex-Nazis and several South American
governments, the Italian government and several international
banks was Licio Gelli. Gelli worked both sides in Europe. He
helped to found the Red Brigade, spied on Communist partisans and
worked for the Nazis at the same time - a double agent. He helped
establish the Rat Line, which assisted the flight of high ranking
Nazi officials from Europe to South America, with passports
supplied by the Vatican and with the full acknowledgment and
blessing of the United States intelligence community. Gelli
formed the P2 Masonic Lodge-which did not follow the direction of
any Grand Lodge-and it was supplied with a sum of $10 million a
month by the CIA. Its membership was a Who’s Who in the
intelligence, military and Italian community.
So prominent was Gelli’s influence, he was even a guest
of honour at the 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan. Gelli used
blackmail in order to gain prominent members of his P- 2 lodge,
its membership is estimated at 2400 members, including 300 of the
most powerful men in the Western World. He was a close friend of
Pope Paul VI, Juan Peron of Argentina, Libyan Dictator Muammar
el-Qaddafi, and many high officials in the Italian and American
governments. He is also reported to have had some financial
dealings with the "George Bush for President" campaign.
Gelli and his P2 lodge had staggering connections to banking,
intelligence and diplomatic passports. The CIA poured hundreds of
millions of dollars into Italy in the form of secret subsidies
for political parties. This covert financing was exposed by the
Prime Minister of Italy in a speech to Parliament. He indicated
that more than 600 people in Italy still remain on the payroll of
the CIA. Licio Gelli was an ardent Nazi and a perfect asset of
the CIA. As part of Reinhard Gehlen’s intelligence team, he
had excellent contacts. Licio was the go-between for the CIA and
the Vatican through his P2 Lodge.
The Nazis became employed CIA agents, engaging in clandestine
work with the likes of George Bush, the CIA, Henry Kissinger, and
the Masonic P2 lodge. This is but one of the results of Project
Another project spawned from Paperclip was MK-ULTRA. A secret
laboratory was established and funded by CIA director, Allen
Dulles in Montreal, Canada at McGill University in the Allen
Memorial Institute headed by psychiatrist Dr. Ewen Cameron. For
the next several years Dr. Ewen Cameron waged his private war in
Canada. What is ironic about Dr. Cameron is that he served as a
member of the Nuremberg tribunal who heard the cases against the
Nazi doctors. When it was at its height in drug experiments,
operation MK-ULTRA was formed. This was the brainchild of Richard
Helms who later came to be CIA director. It was designed to
defeat the "enemy" in its brain-washing techniques.
MK-ULTRA had another arm involved in Chemical and Biological
Warfare (CBW) known as MK-DELTA. The "doctors" who participated
in these experiments used some of the same techniques as the Nazi
"doctors". Techniques used by Dr. Cameron and previous Nazi
scientists include electro shock, sleep deprivation, memory
implantation, memory erasure, sensory modification, psychoactive
drug experiments, and many more cruel practices.
US Hired Nazis at Fort Monmouth Base
Project Paperclip brought us MKULTRA. This research shows that
the OSS/CIA that was formed in the National Security Act, the
same agency that employed hundreds of Nazis, has been in alliance
with the Vatican through various Agency connections such as Licio
Gelli. The CIA/Vatican alliance that assassinated Pope John Paul
1, JFK, and hundreds of dictators of 3rd world countries is the
The Bavarian Illuminati has been around for centuries in one
way or another. It’s presence in the 20th century is the
direct result of the Nazis. The Nazi connections to the occult
and the Bavarian Thule Society were parallel to the American
members of 33rd degree Freemasonry. When
Project Paperclip was successfully executed, the Nazi element
of the Bavarian Thule society was fused with the American members
of Freemasonry to create the Illuminati and its Skull and Bones
club of which George W Bush and George H. W. Bush are members.
Project Paperclip, MK-ULTRA, October Surprise, and George Bush
are all facets of the Illuminati, a group whose ideals are rooted
in the occult, and dedicated to world domination.
Soon after the American Revolution, John Robinson, a professor
of rural philosophy at Edinburgh University in Scotland and
member of a Freemason lodge, said that he was asked to join the
Illuminati. After studying the group, he concluded that the
purposes of the Illuminati were not compatible with his
In 1798, he published a book called "Proofs Of A Conspiracy,"
which states: "An association has been formed for the express
purpose of rooting out all the religious establishments and
overturning all the existing governments. The leaders would rule
the World with uncontrollable power, while all the rest would be
employed as tools of the ambition of their unknown superiors."
The CIA and the Vatican have rooted out all the religious
establishments in the world. The CIA has overthrown and set up
dictators under their control all over the world. The CIA and the
Vatican have fulfilled the purpose of the Illuminati. The CIA and
the Vatican are the Illuminati. | <urn:uuid:0fb78be5-3091-49d9-b899-af1d5b256cd4> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.omegatimes.com/2006/12/project-paperclip-secret-project-series/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100769.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20231208180539-20231208210539-00139.warc.gz | en | 0.958405 | 3,919 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Study of Abandoned Uranium Mining Impacts
On Private Land Surrounding US Forest Service Land In Western South Dakota
Download the Final North Cave Hills Project Report Here
Download the Final North Cave Hills Groundwater Pumping Test Report Here
Download the Preliminary North Cave Hills Windblown Dust Report Here
Download the North Cave Hills Groundwater Pumping Test Manuscript Here
Welcome to the new SDSM&T/USFS abandoned uranium mine study website. Please note this website is currently under construction, and is continuously being updated. Also note that this website will provide download capabilities for current and future reports and presentations related to the various project phases.
Dr. James Stone - Principle Investigator
Dr. Larry D. Stetler - Co-Principle Investigator
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
This website has been developed as part of the North Cave Hills Area Abandoned Uranium Mines Impact Investigation that is being conducted under a Joint Venture agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service (Forest Service) and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), and a subcontract with Oglala Lakota College (OLC). Funding for this on-going study has been provided through US-EPA CERCLA. This website describes both the field and laboratory methods and results to evaluate potential environmental impact of abandoned uranium mining and exploration sites in the North Cave Hills, Harding County, South Dakota.
Research that will be conducted during the course of this project will focus on the extent that contaminated materials may have moved off of the Lands administered by the Forest Service onto private property. Soil samples will be collected in locations that may have received sediment, water samples will be collected in major drainages leading away from abandoned mine sites, and the air quality will be evaluated both upstream and downstream of the mine sites to determine if there is an impact from blowing dust.
Uranium Mining History
The coal geology of the Cave Hills area was described in 1916 by Winchester et al. Coal was mined as several locations for the next several decades and was followed in 1950 by the first uranium prospecting operations. High interest in the mineral resources of the area led Baker to compile a treatise on the general and structural geology in 1952. Using this and other work, uranium mining in coal bed E began in the Riley Pass district in 1954. Soon afterward, mining increased with the discovery of uranium in carbonate and phosphatic rocks and by 1955, uranium mining was occurring on the western margin South Dakota as well. Mining occurred primarily in coal units in the Ludlow member of the Tertiary Fort Union Formation. Overburden was removed and dumped over the side slopes to expose the uraniferous coal which was mined, later burned to ash, and then the uranium was extracted. In the mid 1960s most mining activity ceased and the abandoned mines are today almost like they were at that time. Subsequent erosion of mine waste plies has created gullying, sheetwash, tunneling, and landslides, all creating a potentially hazardous situation immediately around the mine sites.
Only a few coal claims were located in Harding County prior to 1920. Uranium exploration began in 1954 when the Atomic Energy Commission decided to fly airborne surveys over the Slim Buttes (approximately 20 miles to the east of the Cave Hills). According to Curtiss (1955), “Messrs. Ellis and Fiegen, pilots from Spearfish, were scheduled to fly over the buttes, but a high wind precluded their operations. Instead, they flew over the Cave Hills and recorded high anomalies. As a result, they staked the first claims on August 15, 1954. Since that time, activity in this area has been intense.”
Active mining started around 1954. Mine sites are located primarily within an approximately two-mile broad, northwest trending strip crossing the central North Cave Hills (“hot zone”). Mining was permitted under the General Mining Laws and Public Law 357, which required no form of restoration. Most mining and mining prospects are located on U.S. Forest Service land, but at least two actively mined sites and several prospects and exploration cuts and digs are situated on private land surrounding the North Cave Hills. These uranium mines are abandoned coal strip mines located on relatively flat areas along the top of the buttes. Mining consisted of the removal of up to 80 feet of overburden to reach the uranium bearing lignite beds (“ore zone”).Extensive mining activity occurred in the early 1960s in an effort to supply contracts for uranium. Active mining in the area ceased in 1964. Documented mine sites, spoils, exploration activities and subsequent erosion of spoils cover almost 1,000 acres (see figures below). Some of the spoils were pushed over the edges of buttes onto the steep slopes below the rim rocks during mining. Additional spoils have been deposited on these slopes by subsequent water and/or wind transport. At these sites, the sandstone cliffs are mostly covered, and the overall slope angles are highly over-steepened. The spoils are also mostly void of vegetation, and their composition is also conducive to water channeling and tunneling. All these conditions contribute to high erosion rates and also make these sites highly prone to sliding and slumping. | <urn:uuid:9004392c-02dc-4911-ab2b-a0684cdcf510> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | http://uranium.sdsmt.edu/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998288.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20190616162745-20190616184745-00022.warc.gz | en | 0.959097 | 1,076 | 3.109375 | 3 |
to_date example is a to_date document that shows the process of designing to_date format. A well designed to_date example can help design to_date example with unified style and layout.
to_date example basics
When designing to_date document, it is important to use style settings and tools. Microsoft Office provide a powerful style tool to help you manage your to_date appearance and formatting. A style can apply a consistent look across the whole document instead of having to format each section individually, in the style setting, you can make arrangement for section headers, body text font, header section font, paragraph spacing, color scheme for SmartArt, charts, and shapes etc. a customized to_date styles may help you quickly set to_date titles, to_date subheadings, to_date section headings apart from one another by giving them unique fonts, font characteristics, and sizes. By grouping these characteristics into styles, you can create to_date documents that have a consistent look without having to manually format each section header. Instead you set the style and you can control every heading set as that style from central location. you also need to consider different variations: to_date example in oracle, to_date example in oracle word, oracle date functions example, oracle date functions example word, decode example, decode example word, nvl example, nvl example word
Microsoft Office also has many predefined styles you can use. you can apply Microsoft Word styles to any text in the to_date document by selecting the text or sections, clicking the Home tab, and choosing a style in the Styles Gallery. Hover your mouse over the style, and you can see what the text will look like before you apply the style to it. Using styles helps you streamline the creation and editing of to_date documents, You can also make the styles your own by changing how they look in Microsoft Word. During the process of to_date style design, it is important to consider different variations, for example, to_date error, to_date error word, to_number example, to_number example word, to_char example, to_char example word, to_date sql example, to_date sql example word.
oracle plsql to_date function the oracle plsql to date function converts a string to a date. the string that will be converted to a date. lets look at some oracle to date function examples and explore how to use the to date function in oracle plsql. to_date to date converts char of char , varchar , nchar , or nvarchar datatype to a value the following example converts a character string into a date sql to_date function sql gt sql string functions gt to date function. the to date function is used in oracle to convert a string to a date. accepts a digit input, and returns a digit year. to_date oracle sql todate syntax to date char ,format ,nls lang key char string expression that will be converted to examples to date oct , dd mon yy to date , the oracle to_date function the oracle to date function will convert either a character string or an expression into a date value. example syntax the. oracle to_date from mm dd yyyy to dd you dont need to muck about with extracting parts of the date. just cast it to a date using to date and the format in which its stored, then cast that date oracle dates and times for example, the following sql statement creates a relation with an attribute of string using to date according to the default date format dd mon yy . to_date if you specify no format, to date parses the date string using the default format. the supplied default format is dd mon yyyy. for example oracle to_date function sql syntax examples the oracle to date sql function is used to convert a text or ntext representation of a date into an oracle datetime value. below shows the to date to_char to timestamp and to date skip multiple blank spaces in the input string unless the fx option is used. for example, to timestamp jun, yyyy mon | <urn:uuid:42b0004c-ed3d-481d-ace1-a6fc7a5692bd> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://www.slipbay.com/to_date-example/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128320049.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20170623100455-20170623120455-00282.warc.gz | en | 0.719413 | 864 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Please Note: Program changes effective 2018 Fall. Please see your advisor if working off of an older catalog.
The Early Childhood Education curriculum prepares individuals to work with children from birth through eight in diverse learning environments. Students will combine learned theories with practice in actual settings with young children under the supervision of qualified teachers.
Course work includes child growth and development; physical/nutritional needs of children; care and guidance of children; and communication skills with families and children. Students will foster the cognitive/language, physical/motor, social/emotional, and creative development of young children.
Graduates are prepared to plan and implement developmentally appropriate programs in early childhood settings. Employment opportunities include child development and child care programs, preschools, public and private schools, recreational centers, Head Start Programs, and school-age programs.
A program that prepares individuals to promote child development and learning, work with diverse families and children, observe, document and assess to support young children and families, use content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum, and use developmentally effective approaches in collaboration with other early childhood professionals. Potential course work includes instruction in all areas of child development such as emotional/ social/health/physical/language/communication, approaches to play and learning, working with diverse families, and related observations/student teaching experiences. | <urn:uuid:1a3cae33-ac6a-4991-b5fd-5afa11b7afa2> | CC-MAIN-2019-47 | http://richmondcc.edu/academics/degrees/early-childhood-education-a55220 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-47/segments/1573496668618.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20191115093159-20191115121159-00320.warc.gz | en | 0.927108 | 265 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Anyone who’s ventured outside the past few weeks knows how hot it’s been. The temperature has hovered somewhere between a sauna and the surface of the sun. We have some tips for you to take care of your plants and yourself in hot weather.
For your plants: Water them. Water them deeply and at the cooler times of the day so the water doesn’t evaporate before it can infiltrate the soil. It sounds obvious, but don’t wait until you see that they’re stressed from the heat. In some cases, it may be too late. Hydrangeas are drama queens, so their leaves will droop at the mention of hot weather, but they’ll perk right back up after watering. Don’t spray water on the foliage. Like a magnifying glass, the water droplets amplify the sunlight and can burn the leaves of your plants. Keeping a layer of mulch in the beds will help to insulate the soil and retain moisture. Remember to keep the root flares uncovered! For your lawn, watch out for fungus in this heat. Keep your lawnmower blades sharp and cut the grass high, around 3″ tall. The taller grass will keep the soil cooler and deter weeds and the sharp blades will minimize damage to the blades of grass. Also, do not spray for weeds in the heat, you’ll burn your lawn.
For yourself: Drink water. Drink A LOT of water. Once you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Stay away from soda, caffeine, alcoholic beverages and sugary juices. Wear light colored and lightweight clothing, sunscreen and bug spray. If your yard has trees, try to position yourself in the shade and move with it during the day. The earlier in the day, the better, but earlier and later in the day can mean mosquitoes as well as cooler temperatures. Mosquitoes love sweaty people and humid air, and if you’re susceptible to bites it doesn’t really matter what time of the day you’re out. Remember to get rid of standing water in your yard to keep breeding down.
If you’re concerned about your plants and/or lawn, call us at (631) 271-6460 or email us and we’ll come over and check them out for you. | <urn:uuid:ea66a1fd-ad70-4686-8d6e-a970786f3714> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://www.goldbergandrodler.com/helping-you-and-your-plants-beat-the-heat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446711218.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20221207185519-20221207215519-00009.warc.gz | en | 0.938504 | 481 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Why Breast Cancer Awareness Is Important All Year
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins this week, well start seeing pink awareness efforts everywhere. Pink products will line the shelves at stores, awareness and fundraising ads will showcase celebrities wearing pink ribbons, and high school, collegiate, and even professional athletes will adorn their uniforms with pink, some even articulating a specific person or family member affected by breast cancer for whom theyre dedicating their athletic efforts.
Raising awareness is a great thing. Throughout the year Im asked to speak to community groups about cancer prevention, early detection, and the impact of heredity on cancer risk. The number of requests always escalates sharply in October. These programs provide an opportunity to help educate the public on the health impact of breast cancer, the importance of taking personal responsibility for health, and the new research studies that ultimately affect clinical practice.
Women can do some things to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. Lifestyle factors should not be ignored.
If Breast Cancer Strikes: Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic Offers Help And Hope
A breast cancer diagnosis leaves you with questions, decisions, and anxiety. The Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic at the Regional Cancer Center helps newly diagnosed breast cancer patients or patients looking for a second opinion for their treatment options. Patients can be referred by their physician or they can contact a breast cancer navigator for a self-referral.
Dr. Ferrari says clinic assessments give patients what they need to help them make informed decisions about their treatment.
Many recent advances in the diagnoses and treatment of breast cancer require close collaboration between cancer specialists, who have different areas of expertise, Dr. Ferrari explains. The clinic brings these specialists together to meet with and evaluate each patients case.
A medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and surgeon as well as a medical team together evaluate each persons case, engaging them and their family in the treatment plan.
Typically, this kind of process might take weeks to develop — but we have all the experts in one place, says Dr. Ferrari. Local women have everything they need for screening, diagnosis and fighting breast cancer right here, close to home, at the Regional Cancer Center. That means the plan is complete in a single day, and your treatment begins quickly.
How You Can Help
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. Ready to RISE to the occasion? Here are a handful of ways you can help:
Rally In Screening EveryoneMake a donation to provide life-saving mammograms to women in need. New this year, choose exactly where your donation goes. Take our educationaleBookQuiz to find relevant breast health resources.
Rally In Supporting Everyone
Recommended Reading: Stage 3 Cancer Definition
Why Is Breast Cancer Awareness So Important
Every October, you likely see a wealth of information about breast cancer. And that is a good thing. Awareness surrounding breast cancer is incredibly important as early detection, often through screening, can catch the disease when it is most treatable.
According to the American Cancer Society , breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. The average risk of a woman in the U.S. developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 12%, or a 1 in 8 chance. The chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is about 2.6%, or a 1 in 38 chance.
Patients are experiencing better outcomes as a result of early diagnosis, state-of-the-art treatment options, and less extensive surgery, said Catherine Tuite, MD, Section Chief of Breast Radiology and Associate Professor of Diagnostic Imaging at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Today, there are more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including women still being treated and those who have finished treatment. A heightened awareness of the disease has unquestionably led to a greater number of women being screened for breast cancer, said Tuite. Patients are experiencing better outcomes as a result of early diagnosis, state-of-the-art treatment options and less extensive surgery.
The Balance Of Benefit And Harm
The panel estimates that an invitation to breast screening delivers about a 20% reduction in breast cancer mortality. For the UK screening programmes, this currently corresponds to about 1300 deaths from breast cancer being prevented each year, or equivalently about 22000 years of life being saved. However, this benefit must be balanced against the harms of screening, especially the risk of overdiagnosis. In the panelâs view, overdiagnosed cancers certainly occur, but the frequency in a screening programme of 20 years duration is unknown. Estimates from trials of shorter duration suggest overdiagnosis of about 11% as a proportion of breast cancer incidence during the screening period and for the remainder of the womanâs lifetime, or equivalently about 19% as a proportion of cancers diagnosed during the screening period. Any excess mortality stemming from the investigation and treatment of breast cancer is considered by the panel to be small and considerably outweighed by the benefits of treatment. Some other harms, including increased anxiety and discomfort caused by screening, are also acknowledged.
Notionally, for 10000 women invited to screening, from age 50 for 20 years, it is estimated that 681 cancers will be diagnosed, of which 129 will represent overdiagnosis and 43 deaths from breast cancer will be prevented.
Also Check: Estrogen Related Cancer
What Are The Symptoms
There are different symptoms of breast cancer, and some people have no symptoms at all. Symptoms can include
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
- Pain in any area of the breast.
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk .
- A new lump in the breast or underarm.
If you have any signs that worry you, see your doctor right away.
Does A Benign Breast Condition Mean That I Have A Higher Risk Of Getting Breast Cancer
Benign breast conditions rarely increase your risk of breast cancer. Some women have biopsies that show a condition called hyperplasia . This condition increases your risk only slightly.
When the biopsy shows hyperplasia and abnormal cells, which is a condition called atypical hyperplasia, your risk of breast cancer increases somewhat more. Atypical hyperplasia occurs in about 5% of benign breast biopsies.
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Can Telemedicine Consults Help Breast Cancer Patients Get The Right Help
Telemedicine can help cancer patients seeking expert medical second opinions, counselling on the diagnosis and guidance on navigating the complex healthcare needs for the next best step for their management, that is deemed most appropriate for their cancer stage.
The difficulty in consulting a cancer specialist is often a challenging factor facing patients, regardless of their insurance coverage. Even patients with adequate funds to cover out-of-pocket access, often face the issue of connecting with a credible healthcare provider.
Many tertiary level healthcare facilities have telemedicine booking facilities for remote care appointments with their medical staff. Patients may be able to inquire about available facilities, coverage and the credibility of the clinical staff and their success rates with similar breast cancer patients.
- In some cases there may be further challenges even with remote care access such as:
- A difficult booking process
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Why Is It Important To Detect Breast Cancer Early
Early detection of breast cancer is important as it is associated with an increased number of available treatment options, increased survival, and improved quality of life. While there is no definitive method of preventing breast cancer, early detection provides the best chance of effective treatment.
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How Is Breast Cancer Treated
If the tests find cancer, you and your doctor will develop a treatment plan to eradicate the breast cancer, to reduce the chance of cancer returning in the breast, as well as to reduce the chance of the cancer traveling to a location outside of the breast. Treatment generally follows within a few weeks after the diagnosis.
The type of treatment recommended will depend on the size and location of the tumor in the breast, the results of lab tests done on the cancer cells, and the stage, or extent, of the disease. Your doctor will usually consider your age and general health as well as your feelings about the treatment options.
Breast cancer treatments are local or systemic. Local treatments are used to remove, destroy, or control the cancer cells in a specific area, such as the breast. Surgery and radiation treatment are local treatments. Systemic treatments are used to destroy or control cancer cells all over the body. Chemotherapy and hormone therapy are systemic treatments. A patient may have just one form of treatment or a combination, depending on her individual diagnosis.
About Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual observance held in the month of October. It is intended to raise awareness about breast cancer, the second most common cancer among women in the United States . This breast cancer awareness month campaign can help your organization implement evidence-based practices when communicating about breast cancer.
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Breast Cancer: The Importance Of Raising Awareness Among Seniors
Breast cancer is a disease where malignant cells form in the breast. Although these cancerous cells start by growing and invading healthy cells in the breast, they can eventually make their way to other areas of the body by entering blood vessels or lymph vessels. When this happens, and the cancer cells begin damaging other tissues the process is then called metastasis.
One of the biggest reasons raising awareness about breast cancer is important is that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and it is second leading cause of death among women. Further, in the United States, the median age for a diagnosis of breast cancer is about 60 years old and more than 40 percent of all breast cancers are diagnosed in women aged 65 years or older.
Here are some other facts:
While there is no cure for breast cancer and age is a major risk factor seniors should instead focus on early detection, in order to give our loved ones the best chance of living out their golden years. As we get older, a seniors health may become more complicated and often older adults suffer from multiple chronic conditions. Because this is the case, early breast cancer detection is paramount for senior women.
Why Breast Cancer Awareness Is So Important
Breast Cancer Awareness month is recognized every year in October. According to the Government of Canada, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Canada, and in women, its the number-one most common cancer. In addition, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.
Statistics like these make it important to be aware of your own health and the health of any elderly loved ones in your care. Below are key considerations about breast cancer from the team of professionals at iCare Home Health who deliver home care in Oakville, ON.
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Ways To Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk And Maintain A Breast Cancer Care
Although you can’t change some breast cancer risk factors, such as getting older or your family history, you can help lower your risk of breast cancer by maintaining care for yourself in the following ways.
- Keep a healthy weight
- Avoid or limit hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives
- Eat Healthy
Breast Cancer In The Americas
In the Americas, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. More than 462,000 women are newly diagnosed and aproximately 100,000 women die from breast cancer each year. This is expected to increase by 34% in the Americas by 2030, if current trends continue.
In high income countries, organized screening programs with mammography have led to earlier diagnosis, and coupled with effective treatment, have led to reductions in breast cancer mortality. There are many challenges, however in implementing such effective organized screening programs in limited resource settings. Therefore, raising awareness and understanding about breast cancer risks, early signs and symptoms and overall breast health awareness is an important part of a public health approach for breast cancer.
Join the October Breast Cancer Awareness month campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer and support women to reduce their breast cancer risks, be screened and seek medical attention, if a suspicious lump is detected.
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Why Breast Cancer Awareness Is So Important: A Few Words From Eila
Every October, people across the globe come together to raise awareness of breast cancer and show their support for those affected by the disease. But more so now than ever, its also about exploring and removing the barriers that some people with breast cancer still face.
Anybody can be affected by breast cancer, and it is one of the most common cancers to be diagnosed with. In fact, studies state that one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes in the UK. This may be a devastating figure to grapple with but its worth noting that treatment success rates for breast cancer are pretty optimistic, especially when it is detected early and diagnosed quickly.
And whilst women in the UK are fairly accustomed to hearing about breast cancer awareness, there are still gaps in our knowledge. For instance, did you know that around one in 10 women have reported that they have never checked their breasts?
More alarmingly, studies have found that black women in the UK are disproportionately diagnosed with late stage breast cancer due to the lack of medical representation of women of diverse ethnicities.
With all that in mind, its time we kept the conversation about breast cancer alive and worked on evolving how we deal with these challenges and gaps in our awareness.
Breast Cancer Symptoms And Signs
The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of successful treatment. Its important to check your breasts regularly, and see your doctor if you notice a change.
Common breast cancer signs and symptoms include:
A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit you might feel the lump but not see it
A change in the color of the breast the breast may look red or inflamed
A change to the skin, such as puckering or dimpling
A change to the nipple, for example it has become pulled in
A rash or crusting around the nipple
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What Are The Most Common Signs Or Symptoms Of Breast Cancer
Every woman should know about the signs or symptoms of breast cancer to detect early and take breast cancer treatment. Regular mammograms and clinical breast exams are very useful in women. These tests are helpful to detect breast cancer. Lets see some common signs and symptoms of breast cancer in women.
Breast Cancer Affects Older Women More Than It Affects Young And Middle
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer develops in breast cells. It is formed in either the ducts or lobules of the breast. Lobules are glands that produce milk and ducts are like a pathway that passes the milk from the glands to the nipple. Cancer can also grow in the fibrous connective tissue within the breast. The cancer cells often attack other healthy breast tissue and move to the arms lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are a major pathway that helps the cancer cells travel to other parts of the body.
Breast cancer awareness for symptoms and risk should be public knowledge, just like we know when someone has the flu. The more people will know about it the better the chances of detecting abnormalities or breast cancer in its early stages when breast cancer treatment treatmentcan be successful.
Most important thing that women need to know about breast cancer is the risk factors. These risk factors can include heavy alcohol consumption, tobacco, genetics, women over 50 and older, and family history of breast cancer. And there is not any specific breast cancer reason.
Why Self Breast Exams Necessary?
Symptoms Of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer can be deducted earlier and treated also. So do not include symptoms which include lumps or lump in the breast, swelling, changes to the nipples like redness, pain, dryness, turning inward, thickest texture, dimpling in the skin, discharge from the nipple area and change to the shape or size of the breast.
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Early Detection Can Save Your Life
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. The good news is that many women survive breast cancer thanks to early detection. When a woman finds her breast cancer early , there is a 95% success rate for treatment. And breast cancer is treated easily with pills instead of chemotherapy and painful radiation therapy when detected in stage 1. The first step of early detection is breast self-examination. Breast self-examination can be accepted as a useful and important screening tool, especially when used in combination with regular physical exams by a doctor, mammography, and in some cases ultrasound and/or MRI.
Screening Information For Breast Cancer
Mammography is the best tool doctors have to screen healthy women for breast cancer, as it has been shown to lower deaths from the disease. Like any medical test, mammography involves risks, such as the possibility of additional testing and anxiety if the test falsely shows a suspicious finding, called a âfalse-positiveâ result. Up to 10% to 15% of the time, mammography will not show an existing cancer, called a âfalse-negativeâ result.
Digital mammography may be better able to find breast cancers, particularly in women with dense breasts. A newer type of mammogram is called tomosynthesis or 3D mammography. It may improve the ability to find small cancers and reduce the need to repeat tests due to false-positives. However, there is also the risk of diagnosing problems in the breast that would otherwise go unnoticed and would not lead to any negative consequences. This is called âoverdiagnosisâ and may lead to overtreatment with a potential for harm. This method is approved by the FDA, though research on it is ongoing.
Other breast cancer screening methods
According to the American Cancer Society , women who have BRCA gene mutations, who have a very strong family history of breast cancer, or who had prior radiation therapy to the chest should consider mammography and MRI each year.
Women at moderate risk of breast cancer, such as women with precancerous changes on a biopsy, can talk with their doctor about whether MRI screening should be considered.
You May Like: How To Cure Breast Cancer | <urn:uuid:7001071a-329b-471c-96db-75d0d40ab26a> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://www.breastcancertalk.net/why-is-breast-cancer-awareness-important/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511000.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20231002132844-20231002162844-00892.warc.gz | en | 0.948645 | 3,808 | 2.59375 | 3 |
- freely available
Sensors 2013, 13(5), 6272-6294; doi:10.3390/s130506272
Published: 13 May 2013
Abstract: Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been used in various applications, including human–computer interfaces, diagnosis of brain diseases, and measurement of cognitive status. However, EEG signals can be contaminated with noise caused by user's head movements. Therefore, we propose a new method that combines an EEG acquisition device and a frontal viewing camera to isolate and exclude the sections of EEG data containing these noises. This method is novel in the following three ways. First, we compare the accuracies of detecting head movements based on the features of EEG signals in the frequency and time domains and on the motion features of images captured by the frontal viewing camera. Second, the features of EEG signals in the frequency domain and the motion features captured by the frontal viewing camera are selected as optimal ones. The dimension reduction of the features and feature selection are performed using linear discriminant analysis. Third, the combined features are used as inputs to support vector machine (SVM), which improves the accuracy in detecting head movements. The experimental results show that the proposed method can detect head movements with an average error rate of approximately 3.22%, which is smaller than that of other methods.
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test during which the electric signals of the brain are measured from the scalp of the user. An EEG-based brain–computer interface (BCI) has been widely researched for various applications, including intuitive control for computers, mobile devices, wheelchairs, and robots, as well as for the diagnosis of cerebropathy and for the indirect measurement of the cognitive, emotional, and psychological status of the user [1–6]. In a previous research study, navigation in 3D applications was performed by combining gaze tracking and an EEG measuring device . A research study showed that the EEG-based driver assistant system could perform emergency braking more quickly than that based on pedal responses . Another study showed that the user's EEG signals can be used to control electric wheelchairs [2,8]. A study showed the results of controlling a BCI speller system based on the steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) .
In previous studies, EEG measurement methods using a wearable device were classified into two categories: headset-based and electrode-cap-based methods . The former uses a headset-type device mounted on the user's head [4,5,8,10], and the latter uses a swimming-cap-type EEG acquisition device [7,9,11]. In general, the electrode-cap-type device acquires higher quality EEG signals that are less affected by head movements, because it is tightly worn on the head and it has more electrodes than the headset-type device. However, the headset-type device has the advantages of lower cost and enhanced user convenience, because it can be worn easily. Therefore, in this study, we used the headset-type acquisition method for EEG signals.
In most cases using the headset-type method, the EEG signals can be easily contaminated with noise due to head movements or eye blinks , and this noise should be compensated for in order to acquire more reliable EEG signals. Head movements (rotation and translation of head) usually result in positional changes in a number of EEG electrodes on the head, thereby introducing artifacts into the EEG signals.
Research studies on detecting the EEG artifacts caused by head movements were previously conducted. In those studies, only the EEG signals were analyzed for estimating the noises induced by head movements or eye-blink [12–14]. The head movements were detected by using the extracted temporal-, frequency-, and entropy-based features of the EEG signals . In , authors proposed the automatic classification method of general artifacts in EEG signals by using Temporal Decorrelation source SEParation (TDSEP), Independent Component Analysis (ICA), and Linear Programming Machine (LPM). However, they used only the features from EEG signals, and the performance enhancement can be limited compared to our method which uses both the features of EEG signals and frontal viewing camera images.
The head movements was estimated by analyzing the image sequences obtained by a frontal viewing camera, which was attached to a glass-type lightweight device , to enhance the detection accuracy. In another research, the artifacts caused by walking and running were studied ; however, high-density EEG signals were measured using 248 electrodes, which increased the device cost and rendered it highly inconvenient for the user . O'Regan et al. proposed a new method to detect EEG artifacts caused by head movements by combining the features of the EEG and gyroscope signals . Although the accuracy of that method is very high, it takes more time to extract 16 features (in the time and frequency domains) from the gyroscope signals than to extract only four features from the camera images used in our research (see Section 2.2.1). Sweeney et al. proposed a new method of removing artifacts in the EEG signals using a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (FNIRS) and an accelerometer . However, it has the disadvantage that the setup of two accelerometers requires much care (to ensure the orientation of the two accelerometers is kept consistent with respect to each other ).
Our frontal viewing camera-based method is more flexible than the gyroscope-based and the accelerometer-based methods, because it can distinguish other types of head movements, including shaking, nodding, rolling, moving in horizontal and vertical directions, and moving closer to or farther from the monitor. By combining the features of the scene which the user is looking at (environmental information) with the EEG features, the accuracy of BCI in the real world can be enhanced.
The aim of this research is to detect and exclude the sections of EEG data containing the noises caused by head movements (i.e., the head rotation (yaw) in the horizontal direction) by combining an EEG acquisition device and a frontal viewing camera. By excluding EEG signals that contain such artifacts, we can enhance the accuracy of the EEG-based computer interface system. Based on our experiments with a P300-based speller system, we confirmed the usefulness of the proposed method in a BCI system. Table 1 summarizes the comparison of previous methods and the proposed method.
The rest of this paper is organized as follows: in Section 2, the proposed system and method are described. In Section 3, the experimental setup and results are discussed. Finally, in Section 4, the conclusions are presented.
2. Proposed System and Method
2.1. Proposed Device and Speller UI System
The flowchart of the proposed system is shown in Figure 1. After starting the proposed system, both the EEG signals and the image captured by the frontal viewing camera are acquired simultaneously. The features of the acquired EEG signals are extracted in the frequency domain, and the image features (pixel difference, edge pixel difference, average magnitude of the motion vectors, number of motion vectors) are extracted from the successive images captured by the frontal viewing camera. The EEG and image features are combined, and their dimensions are reduced by using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The head movements are determined by the support vector machine (SVM) on the basis of the features of reduced dimensions. If head movement is found, the EEG signals are not used. On the contrary, if no head movement is found, the EEG signals are used.
As shown in Figure 2(a), the user wears both the headset-type EEG measuring device and the frontal viewing camera mounted on an eyeglass-type frame . A commercial Emotiv EPOC headset is used as the EEG measuring device, which is comprised of 16 electrodes with two reference nodes (CMS and DRL, as shown in Figure 3) . The electrodes are positioned based on the international 10–20 system of electrode placement, also shown in Figure 3 [5,18]. The Emotiv EPOC system outputs the processed EEG data by using a built-in digital 5th order Sinc filter. Specific information about the impedance measurement was not disclosed . In order to reduce the EEG noise of each electrode, we used the averaged value of the EEG data from the 14 electrodes. The sampling rate of the Emotiv EPOC system is 128 Hz (128 samples/s). The EEG data is shown as a floating-point number of 4 bytes, which represents the voltage of an electrode . Because the frontal viewing camera acquires images at 30 Hz (30 frames/s), we used the EEG data which was obtained at the same moment when the image is acquired, in order to synchronize the EEG data and the camera images. As shown in Figure 2(b,c), we use the speller user interface (UI) system, which has been widely used for testing P300-based BCI [10,20]. A commercial web camera is used as the frontal viewing camera (Webcam C600) . The captured image is 640 × 480 pixels with 24-bit RGB colors, acquired at 30 frames/s.
2.2. Feature Extraction
2.2.1. Feature Extraction from EEG Signals
To decrease the variation in the EEG signals obtained from the user, we normalize the signals by adjusting the DC level (average value) of the EEG magnitude to 0, and then performing min-max scaling normalization to represent the EEG magnitude within the range from −1 to 1. As the features of the EEG signals, the normalized magnitudes in frequency domain are obtained from the corresponding frequency bands by using the Fourier transform (FT). We obtained the magnitudes at 12 frequency bands (3–15 Hz, 4–6 Hz, 5–7 Hz, 6–8 Hz, 7–9 Hz, 8–10 Hz, 9–11 Hz, 10–12 Hz, 15–30 Hz, 20–30 Hz, 51–64 Hz, 59–61 Hz). The frequency-domain features of Table 2 are obtained by applying FT on samples in a window with a length of 128 samples. This window is moved by overlapping 127 samples, and the frequency-domain features are consequently obtained every 128 samples.
The time-domain features of Table 2 are also obtained based on the window length of 128 samples. This window is moved by overlapping 127 samples, and the time-domain features are also obtained every 128 samples. Therefore, the epoch length in this research is 128 samples. The following thirteen features of the EEG signal are extracted in the time domain , and their performances are compared: kurtosis, skewness, root mean square (RMS) amplitude, zero-crossing, minimum, maximum, variance of first derivative, variance of second derivative, zero-crossing of first derivative, zero-crossing of second derivative, activity, mobility, and complexity. The features are calculated in the time domain after acquiring every 128 sample in the time domain.
Kurtosis shows the degree of the peak of a distribution, and it can represent the various kinds of distributions such as Laplace, logistic, normal, and uniform distributions, etc. . Skewness shows the degree of the asymmetry of a distribution, where the left or right tail is relatively longer than the other . The RMS amplitude is the peak value divided by . Zero-crossing point is that at which the sign of the EEG signal changes (from negative to positive or from positive to negative). We use the number of zero-crossing points during the predetermined period (128 samples of EEG data) as a feature.
Minimum and maximum are the minimum and maximum values, respectively, of the EEG signal in a particular interval. Variance of first derivative represents the varied range of the amplitude change (first derivative) of the EEG signal. Variance of second derivative shows the varied range of the first derivative change (second derivative) of the EEG signal.
Zero-crossing points of first derivative and second derivative are the changing points of sign (from negative to positive or from positive to negative) of the first and second derivative of the EEG signal value, respectively. We use the number of zero-crossing points during the predetermined period (128 samples of EEG data) as feature.
Activity represents the variance of the amplitude fluctuations in the EEG signal range. Mobility is the square root of the ratio of the variance of the first derivative of the EEG signal to the variance of the EEG signal. Complexity is the ratio of the mobility of the first derivative of the EEG signal to the mobility of the EEG signal [25,26]. All of these features in frequency- and time-domains are used, because they represent the global and local shapes of EEG data.
2.2.2. Feature Extraction from Frontal Viewing Camera Image
As shown in Figure 2(a,b), the frontal viewing camera is mounted on an eyeglass-type frame, and the user's head movements cause the changes in the successive images captured by the camera. From the acquired frontal image sequences, we extracted four features, namely, pixel difference, edge pixel difference, average magnitude of the motion vectors, and number of motion vectors.
The pixel difference is the difference between the pixel values of successive images. Without any head movement, the pixel difference of successive images becomes smaller (similar to black pixel) because the pixel values of successive images at the same position are almost the same. With head movements, the pixel difference is greater.
To calculate the edge pixel difference, the Sobel operator is first applied to the images , and then the pixel difference between successive Sobel-processed edge images is calculated. We used two 3 × 3-pixel Sobel masks (horizontal and vertical directions). The edge pixel difference decreases if the user's head does not move, and the edge pixel difference is greater if the user's head moves.
In Equation (1), It+1(x) and It(x) are the brightness values in the next and current frames, respectively. x and d represent the vectors of pixel location and displacement, respectively. n(x) is the noise. The correlation of the two corresponding feature points in the two successive images is calculated based on the minimum mean squared error (MSE) (E of Equation (2)). In Equation (2), W is the feature window :
The corresponding feature points and the motion vectors between these two feature points are obtained from the correlation result . The magnitude and number of motion vectors decrease in the case of no head movements. With head movements, the magnitude and number of motion vectors are greater. The average magnitude of the motion vectors and the number of motion vectors are used as the third and fourth features of the frontal images, respectively. Table 2 lists all the features considered in this study.
2.3. Feature-Level Fusion and Determination of Head Movements
In this study, the multiple features listed in Table 2 are combined, and the optimal features of reduced dimensions are obtained by using LDA. LDA determines the optimal axes in terms of the classification by decreasing the within-class variance and increasing the between-class variance [30,31].
With the training samples, we can obtain the set of linear projection vectors u based on Fisher's criterion :
The optimal features of reduced dimensions obtained by using LDA are used as the input to the SVM, and the final determination of the head movements is performed. The SVM, as a supervised learning model, is widely used for classifying two or more classes. The support vectors are used to detect the optimal decision hyperplane for the classification . In general, SVM can be represented as follows [32,34]:
The final determination of the head movement is performed based on the SVM output value. The optimal threshold for the final determination is obtained in terms of the smallest average error of Type 1 and 2 errors.
3. Experimental Results
The experiments were performed on a desktop computer equipped with a 2.3 GHz CPU and 4 GB RAM. The proposed algorithm was implemented as C++ applications using the Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) and OpenCV. Ten subjects participated in the experiments (average age: 26.5; standard deviation: 1.86). We acquired the EEG signals and frontal images when the subject's head did not move (Class 1) and when it moved (Class 2), respectively. Each of the subjects underwent the trial twice for the experiments. That is, each subject did two trials while he did not move his head, and he also did two trials while he naturally moved his head. In this research, the head movements included only the head rotation (yaw) in the horizontal direction.
The time period of one trial of either Class 1 or Class 2 was 45–50 s. During each period of Class 1 and Class 2, the average numbers of acquired EEG data are about 1,638 and 1,651, respectively, which are used for experiments. Before the trials, we gave the following instructions to each subject:
For Class 1: “Please do not move your head at all.”
For Class 2: “Please rotate your head in the horizontal direction naturally.”
With only these instructions, each subject performed two trials for Class 1 and two trials for Class 2. The time interval between each trial was approximately 1 min. The EEG data from the 1st and 2nd trials when the subject did not move his head were annotated as Class 1 data. The EEG data of the 1st and 2nd trials when he naturally rotated his head were annotated as Class 2 data.
We performed two-fold cross-validation to measure the accuracy of the methods. Half of the acquired data was used for LDA and SVM training, and the other part was used for testing in order to accurately measure the performance without the effects of the training data. Then, we switched the training data and the testing data with each other (i.e., we used the original training data as the testing data and the original testing data as the training data) and performed the same procedures. We obtained the average accuracies of the two testing data sets as shown in Tables 3, 4, 5 and 6, and Figure 5. This scheme is named as cross-validation and has been widely used for pattern classification [36,37].
Because one trial data of the ten participants were used for training and the other trial data were used for testing, our classifier is participant-dependent. Each feature (Table 2) could have different values in each trial. However, these variations could be compensated for by using LDA and SVM to discriminate Class 1 and Class 2.
Table 3 summarizes Type 1 and Type 2 errors in the testing data using only LDA, without the SVM classifier. The optimal features of reduced dimensions were obtained from the training data of each of the combined features listed in Table 3, and the trained LDA classifier was applied to the testing data of each of the combined features. The Type 1, Type 2, and average errors were obtained, as summarized in Table 3. All the features are explained in Table 2. As summarized in Table 3, the average error rate is the lowest for the combination of the frontal image features and EEG features in the frequency domain. Figure 4 shows an example of using LDA to obtain the optimal number of feature dimensions from the training data in case of the first trial of two-fold cross-validation, based on the average error rate (in the case of using both the frontal image features and EEG features in the frequency domain). In addition, the optimal kernel with parameter and threshold of SVM are determined with training data.
Among the all the methods listed in Table 3, the last three ones (Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain, Frontal image features + EEG features in the frequency domain, Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain + EEG features in the frequency domain) showed smaller average errors compared to the first three methods (EEG features in the frequency domain, EEG features in the time domain, EEG features in the frequency domain + EEG features in the time domain). Therefore, with the last three methods, the final Type 1, Type 2, and average errors in the testing data were measured through LDA and SVM, as summarized in Table 4.
By comparing Table 3 and Table 4, we can confirm that the errors obtained by using both LDA and SVM together are smaller than those obtained by using only LDA. The kernel function with the parameter of the SVM in case of the lowest error rate (combining the frontal image features and the EEG features in the frequency domain, as shown in Table 4) is the RBF kernel with the parameter r value of 8.0 in Equation (5).
LDA has the characteristics of linear classifier. So, it cannot show the good classification performance with the data of complicated distributions whereas the non-linear classifier like SVM is usually reported to show the better performance in this case. In general, the transformed data by LDA (the projected data on LDA eigenvectors) shows the more separable characteristics based on each class than the original data. So, like PCA (principal component analysis), LDA can be used for selecting the optimal feature with dimension reduction before classification [31,38,39]. In previous researches, they also used this kind of scheme [36,39,40]. In , for age classification, they performed SVM-based classification by using the features obtained by PCA. In , for detecting epileptic seizure based on EEG signal, they also performed SVM-based classification by using the features obtained by LDA. In , they obtained the features by PCA+HMM (hidden markov model), and performed SVM-based classification for the discrimination of EEG signal acquired during the imagination of left or right hand movement. We did additional experiments to compare the performance of only using SVM to that using the proposed LDA+SVM. Comparing Tables 4 and 5, the average error of LDA+SVM is smaller than that only using SVM.
Figure 5 shows the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the testing data by using each of the abovementioned methods. As shown in Figure 5, we can confirm that the method that combines the frontal image features and the EEG features in the frequency domain achieves the highest accuracy compared to the other methods. In addition, the accuracy of the proposed method is higher than that of the previous method . In another research study , various EEG signal-based features such as the time domain, frequency domain, and entropy-based features were used. In comparison with the average error in detecting the EEG artifacts in , the average error obtained with the proposed method (3.22%) is much smaller than that obtained with the previous method (∼23.5%).
Table 6 lists the Type 1, Type 2, and average errors when using both the frontal image features and EEG features in the frequency domain with LDA and SVM, for each subject. The average error value varies from person to person; however, we can confirm that the average error rate is low.
Figure 6(a) shows an example of a Type 1 error and an example of the correct detection of no head movement (person 6 listed Table 6). In the case of no movement of the user's head (Class 1), the FT-processed EEG signal has a greater amplitude at low frequency and a lower amplitude at high frequency, as shown in Figure 6(b). However, the slight movements of the user's head can cause a small pixel and edge differences, as shown in Figure 6(d,f), and this, in turn, causes the Type 1 error.
Figure 6(c) also shows the case of no head movement (Class 1); however, the amplitude at low frequency is lower than that shown in Figure 6(b). These incorrect results in the frequency domain are caused by the variations in the EEG signals obtained from different users and by other factors, including the user's level of attention and environmental factors, such as lighting and noise. However, Figure 6(e,g,i) show a small amount of pixel, edge differences and motions, which causes the correct detection of no head movement.
Figure 7(a) shows an example of a Type 1 error and an example of the correct detection of no head movement (person 2 listed Table 6). Although it is the case of no head movement, the FT-processed EEG signal has a lower amplitude at low frequency as shown in Figure 7(b). In addition, the slight movements of the user's head cause the edge pixel difference as shown in Figure 7(f). These factors cause the Type 1 error of Figure 7(a). In case of the correct detection of no head movement of Figure 7(a), the FT-processed EEG signal correctly has a higher amplitude at low frequency as shown in Figure 7(c). In addition, the amount of pixel differences and motions of Figure 7(e,i) are smaller. These factors cause the correct detection of no head movement.
Consequently, correct detection of no head movements is achieved by combining the frontal image features and the EEG features in the frequency domain and then processing them using LDA and SVM.
Figure 8(a) shows an example of a Type 2 error and an example of the correct detection of a head movement (person 9 listed in Table 6). In the case of the user moving his/her head (Class 2), the FT-processed EEG signal has a lower amplitude at low frequency and a greater amplitude at high frequency. Although Figure 8(b) is actually the case of head movement (Class 2), the amplitude at low frequency is greater, which causes the final Type 2 error. On the contrary, Figure 8(c) is actually the case of head movement (Class 2), and the amplitude at low frequency is lower. In addition, the pixel difference and edge pixel difference values are greater and the number of motion vectors is large (Figure 8(e,g,i)), which causes the correct detection of head movement.
Figure 9(a) shows an example of a Type 2 error and an example of the correct detection of a head movement (person 1 listed in Table 6). Although it is the case of head movement, the amount of pixel, edge differences and motions of Figure 9(d,f,h) is smaller due to the severe rotation of user's head, which causes the Type 2 error. Although Figure 9(c) is actually the case of head movement (Class 2), the amplitude at low frequency is incorrectly higher. However, the pixel difference and edge pixel difference values are greater and the number of motion vectors is large (Figure 9(e,g,i)), which causes the correct detection of head movement. Therefore, the head movements are correctly detected by combining the frontal image features and the EEG features in the frequency domain using LDA and SVM.
We performed additional experiments to measure BCI performance in a 6 × 6 speller UI system, as shown in Figure 2(c). A total of five people participated in the experiments and each person performed five trials (without and with head movement).
The 6 × 6 speller UI system has been widely used to measure BCI performance . With a randomly given character (e.g., “R” at the upper-left corner in Figure 2(c)), each row or column is randomly highlighted 20 times. During that time, the maximum peak of the EEG signal is measured based on P300. The P300 is known as the measurement method of the positive component that happens between 200 and 500 ms after a specific stimulus [18,41]. Here, the highlighting of the row or column is regarded as the stimulus. If the maximum peak of EEG signal based on P300 exists in case that row or column including the same character to the given one ((e.g.,) “R” at the left-upper position of screen of Figure 2(c)) is highlighted, it is counted as the correct selection of character in speller UI system . Based on this process, we measured the accuracy of selecting the correct character as the BCI performance. As shown in Figure 10, the accuracy of the P300-based BCI system with the proposed detection method of head movement is higher than that without our method. Rejecting the large sections of EEG data (which are determined as data including the noises by head movement) causes the reduction of the EEG data which can be used for further process. In order to solve this problem, we need to develop a method that regenerates the EEG data of the rejected sections, based on the data in the accepted sections.
We propose a new method that combines an EEG acquisition device and a frontal viewing camera to detect the EEG signals which include the noises caused by the user's head movements. We compared the accuracies in detecting the head movements based on the features of the EEG signals in the frequency and time domains and the motion features of the images captured by the frontal viewing camera. The features of the EEG signals in the frequency domain and the motion features captured by the frontal viewing camera were selected as the optimal ones. The dimension reduction of the features and feature selection are performed using LDA. The combined features are used as the inputs to the SVM, which enhances the accuracy in detecting the head movements. Our future work plans include the development of a scheme that combines additional information such as the user's gaze position, electrooculography (EOG), and electromyography (EMG) to enhance the accuracy in determining the head movement.
This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (No. 2012R1A1A2038666).
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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|Table 1. Comparison of previous and proposed methods to detect EEG artifacts caused by head movements.|
|Using single modality||Using only the EEG features [11–14]||EEG signals are analyzed to detect the head movements or eye blinks.||Acquiring EEG signals is faster than acquiring images with a frontal viewing camera.||The detection of the EEG artifacts is less accurate with a single modality than with multiple modalities.|
|Using only the frontal image features ||Head movements are detected based on the image sequence captured by the frontal viewing camera.||Detecting head movements is more accurate when using this method than when using only the EEG features.|
|Using multiple modalities||Using signals from both EEG and another sensor [15,16]||Signals from both the EEG and another sensor (gyroscope or accelerometer ) are used to detect head movements.||Detecting head movements is more accurate with multiple modalities than with a single modality.||Methods using gyroscopes or accelerometers can distinguish fewer types of head motions than methods using frontal viewing cameras.|
|Using both EEG and frontal image features (proposed method)||Both EEG signals and frontal image features are used to detect head movements.||Frontal viewing cameras can acquire images slower than EEGs, gyroscopes, or accelerometers can acquire signals.|
|Table 2. List of features.|
|Features from EEG signals||Frequency-domain features (12 features)||The normalized magnitudes in the frequency domain at the corresponding frequency bands (3–15 Hz, 4–6 Hz, 5–7 Hz, 6–8 Hz, 7–9 Hz, 8–10 Hz, 9–11 Hz, 10–12 Hz, 15–30 Hz, 20–30 Hz, 51–64 Hz, 59–61 Hz) obtained by using the Fourier transform|
|Time-domain features (13 features)||Kurtosis, Skewness, RMS amplitude, zero-crossing, minimum, maximum, variance of first derivative, variance of second derivative, zero-crossing of first derivative, zero-crossing of second derivative, activity, mobility, complexity|
|Features from images captured by the frontal viewing camera||Pixel difference, edge pixel difference, average magnitude of the motion vectors, number of motion vectors (4 features)|
|Table 3. Type 1, Type 2, and average errors in testing data using LDA.|
|Combined features||Type 1|
|EEG features in the frequency domain||35.49||28.41||31.95|
|EEG features in the time domain||23.28||23.34||23.31|
|EEG features in the frequency domain + EEG features in the time domain||21.87||26.67||24.27|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain||7.21||20.54||13.88|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the frequency domain||1.73||4.96||3.35|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain + EEG features in the frequency domain||2.59||12.14||7.37|
|Table 4. Type 1, Type 2, and average errors in testing data using LDA and SVM.|
|Combined features||Type 1|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain||9.78||6.54||8.16|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the frequency domain||4.55||1.89||3.22|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain + EEG features in the frequency domain||10.49||3.28||6.89|
|Table 5. Average error rate in testing data using only SVM.|
|Combined features||Average error (%)|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain||7.04|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the frequency domain||3.49|
|Frontal image features + EEG features in the time domain + EEG features in the frequency domain||5.66|
|Table 6. Type 1, Type 2, and average errors for each subject when using both frontal image features and EEG features in frequency domain with LDA and SVM.|
|Type 1 error (%)||Type 2 error (%)||Average error (%)|
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). | <urn:uuid:8358cc63-af19-4d42-8ada-ca66cd3bffc0> | CC-MAIN-2015-35 | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/13/5/6272/htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-35/segments/1440644066586.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20150827025426-00135-ip-10-171-96-226.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.897802 | 9,537 | 2.578125 | 3 |
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GCSE: J.B. Priestley
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John Boynton Priestley's biography
- 1 He was born in Yorkshire in 1894. He left school at sixteen because he believed that the world outside the classroom would help him become a writer. He said that it was the years 1911-14 ‘that set their stamp upon me’.
- 2 When World War One broke out in 1914, Priestley joined the infantry and by the time he left the army in 1919, he had seen active front-line service and narrowly escaped being killed. These experiences were to influence his future writing.
- 3 When he left the army he went to Cambridge University and although he finished his degree, he did not like academia and went to London to work as a freelance writer.
- 4 He soon became a successful writer of essays and novels and in 1932 he wrote his first play Dangerous Corner to prove that he could adapt his style for the stage. He soon established himself as a leading figure in the London theatre.
- 5 When World War Two broke out in 1939 Priestley continued to write his plays, while also writing and broadcasting on BBC radio. During this time he was producing his best work and wrote An Inspector Calls (1945) about the effects of an individual’s actions and the consequences of those actions.
This creates a huge effect on the audience, as it gets them to agree with what the Inspector is saying, as the audience already know that these things have happened. The audience would listen to the views of the Inspector not only because the Inspector is omniscient and the fact that he's always right but because they would see Mr Birling as unreliable and disregard everything he says, this adds to the authority the Inspector has in the play. Priestley uses the role of the Inspector as the instigator of development in the play, the Inspector controls the plot of the play, nothing moves along without his say "one person and one line of enquiry at a time".
- Word count: 1662
In Act One of An Inspector Calls how does J.B. Priestley use dramatic devices to convey his concerns and ideas to the members of the audience, as well as interest and involve them in his play?
For example in 1912 the ruling classes saw no need to change the status quo; in 1945 there was a great desire for social change. Immediately after World War 2, Labour's Clement Attlee won a landslide election victory over the Conservative Winston Churchill. "An Inspector Calls" is a thriller; it uses dramatic devices to convey Priestley's concerns and ideas to the members of the audience, as well as interest and involve them in his play. Priestley uses dramatic irony successfully very early on the play to convey his concerns and ideas, by making Mr Birling look foolish and to show us how arrogant the upper class was during 1912.
- Word count: 1361
Mrs Birling does not know the habits of her own son even though they live under the same roof. Another issue with the drink is when Eric asks his father if he is allowed one and Birling shouts no yet the Inspector says Eric needs this drink to see him through. Eric's own father is unable to see Eric's physical needs. Eric is from a younger generation who let their hair down once in a while and have a few drinks. They can often end up getting drunk which can result in them becoming pretty nasty and maybe even ending up having a sexual encounter with a girl.
- Word count: 862
It is not until later that we discover this must be because of his having stolen some money. After the exposition follows the entrances. In an Inspector Calls, all the main characters (excluding the Inspector) are already on stage when the curtain lifts. However, the positioning of the characters, the stage layout, lighting and the costumes can still present a lot about their characters. Priestley describes the set in Act One as "the dining-room of a large suburban house". Such a set gives the sense of a rich, prosperous businessman and provides an idea of the period (1912).
- Word count: 952
In my essay I am going to look at how much moral responsibility the characters in An Inspector Calls accept for the death of Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton and also how the characters reflect the period the play was set in.
Priestley uses the characters in "An Inspector Calls" to criticize attitudes of the society by showing how the upper class looked down on the lower class like the way Mr. and Mrs. Birling did to Eva. Mr. Birling uses his authority to get Eva sacked from his company. Sheila had used her power to get Eva fired. Gerald was overwhelmed by fear and left her just because she was not from the same class. Eric had used his power to use Eva as a prostitute and Mrs.
- Word count: 2894
What does the study of words and actions of the Birling family tell you about attitudes to guilt and responsibility at the time of the play?
"All five are in evening dress of the period." The tone is very light hearted and everyone seems to be getting on brilliantly. Sheila's engagement to Gerald means a lot to Arthur Birling. The marriage means Birling would hopefully be able to work with Gerald's dad in business. "Working together- for lower costs and higher prices." Mrs Birling also feels the marriage is important because Sheila is marrying into a higher social status and a very wealthy family. Mr Birling describes this as "one of the happiest days of my life."
- Word count: 1230
He focuses his themes on the major dilemmas of which happened in post Victorian and pre-World War 1 Britain. The Birlings are, on the fa�ade a picturesque family, but they are over indulgent and abuse money by continuously opting for the more expensive things in life. Apart from the obvious theme of class system, I personally believe that one of the main theme is religion, well the lack of. The Birlings are enjoying some port ''Giving us the port Edna?'' suggests the consumption of blood due to the wine being of a deep red colour, thus it resembles the truth that the family are devilish and are murderous without being aware of their crimes and are possessed with an evil spirit or have lost all sense of morality due to money becoming their topmost passion instead of God .
- Word count: 2718
Explain how far Priestley uses the features of a Well Made Play to create additional tense and suspension in an Inspector Calls.
Due to Inspector Calls being a play it had to grip the audience from the off. Priestley didn't have time to create intricate 3-D personality, or mysterious subtle personas. Instead his characters have to be blunt, and rather stereotypical, so the audience could instantly feel acquainted with them. The entrances and exits are key feature in the play 'Inspector Calls'. The entrances and exits provide a platform for very bold moments within the play. The manner in which a character can enter a room can dictate the majority of the remaining scene, a character leaving a scene can also have a similar effect.
- Word count: 1015
An Inspector Calls. The play has many dramatic moments, explore these in relation to how the conflict in the play shows morality and responsibility
Sheila enters the room very happily not noticing the arrival of the Inspector and is not aware of the tension between the inspector and her father. Sheila at the start of the play has no major concerns except her own issues with the marriage between herself and Gerald she seems to be dandy. 'What was she like quite young? ... Pretty' at hearing the news of Eva smiths death Sheila does show concern and empathy however she questions the inspector about her age also whether she was pretty making it seem that Sheila is only concerned with appearance and looks and that only those aspects of life are important to her.
- Word count: 2816
you're father gets from him.' Priestly expresses this as Birling tries to impress Gerald with a port. Gerald Croft is Old money. This shows that the higher the class you are the more respect you will get. We can also see that new money respect Old Money and that Old money look down on new Money. Priestley also expresses that Working class have a lot of respect for Old money as Edna 'Yes Ma'am' Mrs Birling is of a higher social status than Edna, therefore Edna addresses Mrs Birling as ma'am. We can also see that Mr Birling, who is new money, has a lot of respect for Old money as he addresses Gerald's Father as 'Sir Croft'.
- Word count: 932
then changes the fun and innocent mood of the group and introduces a new character called Combo. He was Woody's old friend who had spent three years in prison. Combo represents all the negatives that come to mind with the skinhead label, unlike the happy, friendly others. Combo is a racist and immediately splits the group of friends into two; one group with Woody just simply wanting friendship and the other following Combo who wants to take action and is a terrible racist. Combo persuades Sean that it was some Asians fault that his dad died and for him to follow Combo.
- Word count: 1418
Priestley was a socialist, and was very concerned about social inequality in Britain. In the aftermath of the Second World War, class distinctions had been considerably reduced and the capitalist social hierarchy of 1912 had been replaced with a socialist one, where everyone was equal and were identically responsible for each other. Priestley did not want the British public to resort back to capitalism, and wrote 'An Inspector Calls' to demonstrate how better off they were with a more socialist society. In 'An Inspector Calls', Priestley uses Arthur Birling as a representative of the typical 'New Rich' man in a capitalist society.
- Word count: 672
I refused of course' 'it's my duty to keep the labour costs down'. This shows that Mr. Birling only thinks of how he can get more money and does not think about the working class; it also shows his ignorance to paying the littlest bit more money to workers, and when the inspector finishes and Birling finds out he is partly responsible he offers money to the inspector, 'Look, Inspector - I'd give thousands, yes thousands...You're offering the money at the wrong time.' These quotes show how selfish Mr. Birling is and shows how much he is willing to pay to keep this quite for his knighthood on the next honours list.
- Word count: 1821
This was a marriage that would have resulted in the merging of two successful local businesses. Suddenly, at the moment everything was going well and according to clockwork, they received a horrifying visit from the inspector, who was investigating the suicide of a young girl (Eva Smith). Each member of the Birling Family has a deviating attitude to responsibility. Inspector Goole wanted each member of the family to share the responsibility of the death of Eva Smith, as he tells them, "Each of you helped to kill her." Here the inspector mentions collective responsibility, everyone in society is linked, in the identical way that the characters in the play are linked to Eva smith.
- Word count: 1836
How does J.B Priestley lay foundations for the downfall of the Birling Household within Act 1 of An Inspector Calls?
Another one of the problems with Birling is his poor judgment as it renders the family really rather vulnerable against things in the future that are unpredictable. "We're in for a long period of increasing prosperity" he says. However, again, through the median of dramatic irony the audience knows that as the play is set in 1912 the Great War, one of the most destructive and devastating events in the whole of history, is about to take place. So if Birling is so overly confident about such direly important matters (and is wrong about them more often than not)
- Word count: 2823
and Gerald Croft, the son of the .................. of high ........... business corporation company Crofts Limited. The Birlings are a high-class, prosperous, family and Mr Birling (a hard-headed business man', a rich business man who thinks very highly of himself), who is the head of Birling and Company, is pleased at the business opportunity in the engagement of Sheila to Gerald. In a speech he announces at the dinner table, he speaks mainly to Gerald; '"Your father and I have been friendly rivals in business for some time now-thought Crofts Limited are both older and bigger than Birling and Company-and now you've brought us together, and perhaps we
- Word count: 1071
Sheila seems to change dramatically throughout the course of the play she begins by being dependant on her parents and as the stage directions state "pleased with her life". However by the end of the play Sheila is able to form her own opinions and able to take responsibility unlike her father and mother. An example of this is she tells her parents that they may not go on like they have done before despite becoming aware of the inspector as a fake she says "you're pretending everything is just as it was before".
- Word count: 1072
when Mr Birling speaks of how he played golf with the chief constable in a threatening manner the inspector simply replies "I don't play golf". The Inspector believes in equality hence speaks to Mrs Birling as he would anyone else . Contradictory to this Mrs Birling due to the social hierarchy thinks he ought to pay her some respect despite her actions ,which she believes are justified .An example of this is when they find the inspector to be a hoax she makes a comment "a real inspector wouldn't talk to us like that".
- Word count: 951
An Inspector Calls Essay Timing and stage directions are central to the text as a play. What is the role of these techniques in the play?
Stage directions at the start of the play establish a typical murder mystery. Everyone's "pleased with themselves" and "are celebrating a special occasion". All characters are on stage, the murder has happened before the play which keeps the audience interested. The audience doesn't see the event emphasising the dramatical element of the play. Furthermore when the inspector comes in, "cutting in" on Birling's speech on "community and all that nonsense" demonstrates that the inspector clearly disagrees with him. Also this proves that Birling is a valid culprit in the play as when Eric mentions Birling's speech on "community and all that nonsense" in front the inspector leaving Birling embarrassed.
- Word count: 1408
How Does Priestley Use A Play That Seems To Be About An Ordinary Middle-class Family To Convey His Political Ideas To His Audience?
Then "the Titanic... - unsinkable" - again the Titanic sinks only a few months after the play is set. And also "there's a lot of wild talk about possible labour trouble in the near future" and again there were a large number of strikes around the time of the play. Everything Birling says is made to make him sound like he merely likes the sound of his own voice but in fact knows nothing, and he also slanders socialists calling them "cranks" and saying they "can't let all these Bernard Shaws and H.G.
- Word count: 1930
An Inspector Calls. The Inspector creates various tension in the family. As soon as he arrives he starts of explaining about a death.
he is not generally talking about how pretty she is, but mainly how she had been a generous person or what she had been through, as you should remember Priestley is using the inspector as a tool. The inspector was no pushover he also shows to stand his ground as when Eric says "I better turn in" the inspector says "and I think you'd better stay here" here he is standing his ground and also making his role, he does this as Priestley is showing that a rich family cant get away with everything.
- Word count: 1269
Analyse the dramatic qualities of Mr. Birlings speech on pages 9/10 of Act1 of An Inspector Calls and the Inspector Gooles speech on page 56 of Act 3.
Birling's character is depicted as an obnoxious, stubborn and self obsessed man. Mr Birling comes across as a show-off in the first act where the engagement scene is commencing. Firstly he gets rid of the women in the room and before he gives his famous lecture on how he feels about the community and socialists including HG Wells and George Bernard Shaw, Mr Birling sits and talks in a formal manner with his back straight and a class of wine in his hand.
- Word count: 1809
Inspector calls - Analyse the dramatic impact of the revelations that Mrs.Birling turned down Evas request for help, that Eva was expecting a baby and that Eric was the father of the child.
Mr.Birling is depicted as a selfish, obnoxious man who cares about none but his own. Mr.Birling was a Capitalist; Priestly depicts a very strong image of Capitalist through Mr.Birling. Mr.Birling does not play much of a role in this act and seems to have very little to say. At the start of the play Mr.Birling is very confident when speaking to the inspector, he believes he has done nothing wrong and doesn't seem to care about the poor girl Eva.
- Word count: 2322
Examine the dramatic impact of the Inspector final speech and explain how Priestly uses his entrance to convey the central message of his play.
Effects of this are showed by the champagne glass and everything else is that they are a wealthy family able to afford such luxuries such as alcohol and cigarettes. They is pink an intimate lighting that will soon change when is Inspector come to show the change in mood. The table is not fully dressed but because of the wealth of the Birling's it will not be because they are poor. "Which has no cloth" maybe because the table is so grade and fancy that they wanted to show it of with the family being is rich this table will help so off their wealth and look more rich.
- Word count: 1840
How does the play highlight the contrasts between the different philosophies of Arthur Birling and Inspector Goole?
And so gives the audience a hint that the celebrations the family are enjoying at the start of the play will be stopped shortly. In the play the audience meets Birling first. This is important because Birling is the first person the inspector questions. This way we get to learn about Birling's character and views. If we had not learned about Birling's snobbish views of the working class we may have thought he made a fair decision: "There's nothing scandalous or mysterious about the business."
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Historical fiction books are set in the past, at least 25-50 years before the novel was written. They could also be novels that were written in the past that give us a view of the period of history that the novel was written in. Historical fiction allows us to learn about detail of the past from the book, although maybe not totally accurate as some artistic license may have been taken.
Often in historical books real characters from the time will feature to give a sense of realism and as a way to explore real historic figures in their actual environment.
Expect all kinds of stories and plots - it is the historical setting that ties these books together into a single genre. You will find stories about everything.
Historical fiction been around for a long time. Even the Ancient Greeks wrote stories set in the past. The genre got really popular in Europe in the 19th century. A great example is Charles Dickens Tale of Two Cities. Written in 1859 it looks back at London and Paris during the French Revolution in the 1790s.
Another classic from this time is Thackeray’s Vanity Fair (1847-48). Set in early 1800s it tells the story of two women from different backgrounds ascending social ladders, and falling from grace into poverty and other problems. Set in the historic background of the time with real events such as the Battle of Waterloo.
Another well know historical novel of the early 1800s is Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757. It was made famous by a number of blockbuster movies over the years. Set in 1757 during the time France and Britain were fighting in America. Both sides used support of Native Americans to help win the fight and this book tells the story of the time giving us insight to the lives of people who lived through it.
In French literature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame was written in 1829 by Victor Hugo and is set in 1482 in Paris. Alexandre Dumas wrote the The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers which are both considered to be historical novels
One of the greatest historical novels of all time is Tolstoy’s War and Peace written in 1869. It tells the story of the Napoleonic wars set 60 years before it was written and uses real life accounts from people who had lived through it. Because of this attention to detail historians have been able to use a work of fiction to build up a picture of what life was actually like.
Download some of the best historical fiction from obooko and take yourself back to another time. Enjoy the story and enjoy the rich historical detail. Learn what it was like to live in that part of history and feel like a time traveller looking into the past. | <urn:uuid:66c882aa-ec31-4f77-8514-96278f519287> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | https://www.obooko.com/category/free-historical-fiction-books | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039742020.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20181114125234-20181114151234-00236.warc.gz | en | 0.975884 | 558 | 3.109375 | 3 |
B12-deficiency anemia is a combination of clinical and hemolytic signs that arise as a result of a change in the morphology of erythrocytes and a violation of the synthesis of RNA and DNA in the bone marrow cells of hematopoiesis. The body of every adult person needs a systematic replenishment of vitamin B12, the main sources of which are food products of animal origin. To perform normal hematopoiesis, the body needs no more than 7 μg of cyanocobalamin per day. The peculiarity of absorption of vitamin B12 is the mandatory presence of gastric gastromucoprotein, which binds cyanocobalamin into the complex.
After the complex with cyanocobalamin enters the small intestine, the absorption and intake of vitamin B12 into the peripheral blood stream and its deposition in the liver and bone marrow tissue are activated. For the implementation of the megaloblastic hematopoiesis process, in addition to maintaining the normal level of vitamin B12, it is imperative to maintain the level of folic acid. To maintain a sufficient level of folic acid in the body, a necessary condition is a constant daily intake of food with food products in a volume of not less than 100 μg.
Vitamin B12 acts as an activator of folic acid, which takes a direct part in the exchange of nucleic acids, which are crucial in the process of erythropoiesis.
Causes of B12-deficiency anemia
The risk group of B12-deficient anemia is the elderly men suffering from chronic diseases of the digestive system.
B12 folic-deficiency anemia belongs to the category of polyethiologic diseases, the occurrence of which is influenced by a number of causes, each of which can be attributed to one of the two main mechanisms - a violation of the absorption of cyanocobalamin or excessive consumption of it.
Violation of the absorption process of vitamin B12 and folic acid can be triggered by a number of etiological factors, of which the most common are:
- the presence of atrophy of glands in the projection of the fundus of the stomach, responsible for the production of gastromucoprotein;
- partial resection of the stomach;
- the presence of large volume formations in the stomach cavity (polyps, malignant neoplasms, teratoma , bezoar);
- burn lesion of the stomach mucosa;
- disruption of gastromucoprotein synthesis by parietal granulocytes of the gastric mucosa as a result of autoimmune disorders in the body;
- toxic damage to the gastric mucosa and small intestine by alcohol and chemical compounds;
- chronic enteritis with atrophic disorders of the mucous membrane of the duodenum, accompanied by a violation of absorption processes.
Increased consumption of vitamin B12 is observed in helminthic invasion (diphyllobothriasis), a widespread diverticulosis with localization in the small intestine and chronic liver pathologies. Megaloblastic anemia occurs not only with an insufficient level of vitamin B12, but also with a decrease in the body of folic acid, which develops with celiac disease, blind loop syndrome, long-term administration of a folic acid antagonist, alcoholism. Physiological decrease in the level of folic acid is observed only with pregnancy and inadequate intake of foodstuffs.
Pathogenetic mechanisms of the appearance of megaloblastic hematopoiesis are based on the violation of the synthesis of erythroblast DNA and the increase in the maturation of elements of the erythroid germ. In the megaloblastic type of hematopoies, a redistribution of red blood cells in the peripheral blood stream is observed, in which a large percentage of hemoglobin is observed, with inclusions in the form of Jolly bodies and Kebot rings.
The mechanism of increasing the level of indirect bilirubin in the blood is caused by increased destruction of the changed erythrocytes in the spleen. As with all other types of anemia, megaloblastic anemia is accompanied by a significant reduction in the life span of erythrocytes. The pathogenesis of the development of funicular myelosis, which is one of the manifestations of B12-deficient anemia, is based on a violation of the process of synthesizing succinic acid and accumulation of toxic methylamine acid.
Symptoms of B12-deficient anemia
A typical clinical picture with B12 folio-deficient anemia develops gradually and is characterized by symptoms of damage to the central nervous system, digestive system organs and the appearance of characteristic signs of anemic syndrome.
Long before the appearance of signs of a decrease in the level of erythrocytes in peripheral blood, patients with megaloblastic anemia complain of growing weakness and disability, a burning sensation in the oral cavity, and a lack of appetite. With the development of severe clinical symptoms of B12-deficiency anemia, the patient develops a pain syndrome in the epigastric region of the aching nature, belching acidic stomach contents, as well as dyspeptic disorders (nausea and vomiting, food-related problems, perversion of taste preferences, stool disorder).
Specific signs of B12-deficiency anemia are the appearance of a constant constrictive headache without irradiation, weakness in the lower extremities with prolonged walking, numbness of the peripheral parts of the upper and lower extremities, the appearance of paresthesias and the violation of skin sensitivity.
At the initial examination of the patient with B12-deficiency anemia of a pronounced degree of development, paleness of the skin with a lemon-yellow hue, ictericity of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and conjunctiva, pastosity of the lower limbs and face are observed. Typical objective manifestations of megaloblastic anemia is a change in the mucous membrane of the tongue with the manifestation of atrophy of the papillae and signs of inflammatory changes in the form of reddening and the presence of aphthae.
Symptoms of central nervous system damage with B12-deficient anemia are a violation of both surface and deep sensitivity, a decrease in the response in the study of tendon reflexes and the development of muscular atrophy of different localization. The appearance of visual and auditory hallucinations in the patient, as well as the appearance of delusional ideas, indicates the progression of B12-deficient anemia.
Symptoms of cardiovascular damage are extremely rare and are a sign of a severe course of B12 deficiency anemia. The most characteristic changes in this situation are: increased heart rate, the appearance of systolic noise in all auscultative points, as well as an increase in the boundaries of relative and absolute cardiac dullness.
Isolated deficiency of folic acid, provided that the level of vitamin B12 in the body is preserved in the body is accompanied by the appearance of signs of glossitis and complete absence of neurologic symptoms.
Diagnosis of B12-deficiency anemia
Informative and accessible in the application of the method of diagnosis of B12-folia deficiency anemia is a detailed blood test. With B12-deficiency anemia, characteristic changes in the composition of peripheral blood are formed in the form of a violation of the shape and size of erythrocytes (macrocytosis, poikilocytosis), the appearance of nuclear substance residues (Jolly's body, Kebot's ring) in erythrocytes, as well as an increased color index.
Typical manifestations of megaloblastic anemia, distinguishing it from other forms of anemia, is the combination of an anemic symptom complex with mild leukopenia and the appearance of giant neutrophils with a hypersegmented nucleus. For B12 folio-deficient anemia, reticulocytosis is not characteristic, even considering the decrease in the absolute numbers of reticulocytes.
In the situation of difficult diagnosis of the megaloblastic type of hemopoiesis, the patient is recommended to perform a sternal puncture and examination of the puncture for hyperplasia of the red shoot and the presence of megaloblasts.
In order to distinguish between the deficiency of cyanocobalamin and folic acid, a blood serum test using a microbiological and radioimmunoassay method is recommended to determine the quantitative and qualitative content of vitamin B12. The criterion for lowering the level of cyanocobalamin in the body is the detection of methylmalonic acid in the analysis of urine.
Biochemical blood test is accompanied only by an elevated level of bilirubin due to its indirect fraction.
Treatment of B12-deficiency anemia
Patients should be treated by a hematologist with the involvement of specialists of a narrow profile, if necessary (gastroenterologist, neurologist, oncologist and physiotherapist). The volume of therapeutic measures depends to a greater extent not on the severity of B12-deficiency anemia, but on the presence of signs of disruption of the cardiovascular, digestive and central nervous system.
Unlike other forms of anemia, B12-folia deficiency anemia is difficult to cure by non-pharmacological methods, which should be used only as additional measures. Among the non-pharmacological methods of correction of vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid, correction of eating behavior and elimination of factors aggravating the course of the disease (use of alcohol and drugs of certain groups, for example, the majority of anticonvulsants) is of the greatest importance.
Adequate selection of etiopathogenetic therapy is an obligatory criterion for achieving a positive result in the treatment of B12-deficiency anemia. For this purpose, it is recommended to pay the greatest attention to the diagnosis of the underlying disease, which is the provoker of the occurrence of anemia, and the selection of an individual treatment regimen. So, with the existing small intestine helminthiasis, it is advisable to use deworming with the obligatory observance of the dosage of the drug (Fenasal in a daily dose of 3 g orally) and constant monitoring of stool analysis.
In a situation where B12-deficiency anemia proceeds in severe form and its occurrence is caused by the presence of volumetric formations in the intestine and stomach, the patient is shown surgical intervention. In order to improve the digestive and absorption functions of the intestine, special attention should be paid to the normalization of the intestinal flora, in this connection, patients are recommended long-term use of Lacidophil 2 capsules 2 r. / Day, as well as enzymatic medicines (Mezim for 1 pills at each meal ).
As a pathogenetic treatment of B12-deficient anemia, parenteral types of administration of Cyanocobalamin are used. The dosage of the drug administered depends on the severity of vitamin B12 deficiency and the associated anemic syndrome. Most often, such a scheme is used Cyanocobalamin: the first 10 days of 500 mg 2 r / day, the next month the drug is administered 1 time a week in a single dose of 500 mg, then six months the drug is taken once a month at a dose of 500 mg. Intramuscular or subcutaneous infusion is preferred.
In a situation where B12-deficiency anemia due to autoimmune disorders is diagnosed, the use of prolonged corticosteroid therapy (Prednisolone at a daily dose of 20 mg orally) is pathogenetically justified.
Replaced transfusion of whole blood and erythrocyte mass with B12-deficiency anemia is the exception to the rule and its use is justified only in case of extremely severe course of the disease. The volume of transfusion is not more than 250 ml of erythrocyte mass with a course of 5-6 infusions.
Indication for the appointment of folic acid in a therapeutic daily dose of 4 mg is its laboratory-confirmed deficiency. | <urn:uuid:7612575f-a9f5-4252-be23-032f6527e812> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | http://en.med-directory.com/v12-defitsitnaya-anemiya_default.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583513844.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20181021094247-20181021115747-00487.warc.gz | en | 0.901571 | 2,550 | 3.5625 | 4 |
April 9, 2018
LimnoTech’s Derek Schlea, Chelsie Boles, and Todd Redder, with lead author Robyn Wilson of The Ohio State University, have written a paper, titled “Using Models of Farmer Behavior to Inform Eutrophication Policy in the Great Lakes.” The authors look at how you can integrate farmer behavior and watershed models to understand nutrient load reduction targets and attainment to help restore Lake Erie and inform Great Lakes policy. The authors discuss the importance of understanding farmers’ perception of how their actions can reduce nutrient loads to Lake Erie when encouraging them to adopt those actions. The research identifies beliefs that are critical to behavioral change, and explores the likelihood that farmers will more readily adopt management practices critical to reducing nutrient loading to Lake Erie when they believe that these actions are changing things for the better — i.e., when they believe that actions they are taking in their fields can truly help attain phosphorus reduction targets for the lake. Based on their findings, the authors suggest that future efforts to reduce nutrient loading should focus on measuring the effectiveness of education and outreach programs aimed at engaging farmers and promoting adoption of recommended management practices. The paper will be published in the August 2018 issue of Water Research. Early access to the paper is available online at ScienceDirect here. | <urn:uuid:bfb903e0-208d-4313-90dc-dd0b776bb098> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | https://www.limno.com/limnotech-staff-contribute-to-paper-on-farmer-perception-of-success-of-nutrient-management-practice-adoption/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794867977.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20180527004958-20180527024958-00243.warc.gz | en | 0.929723 | 263 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Good health is central to dealing with stress and residing an prolonged, more energetic life. In this text, we make clear the that means of good health, the forms of health a person needs to contemplate, and tips about the way to preserve good health. However, no matter this expenditure, individuals in the U.S. have a lower life expectancy than of us in numerous developed nations.
- Among communicable diseases, both viral and bacterial, AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria are the most typical, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths yearly.
- We assist ministers in leading the nation’s health and social care to assist people reside further unbiased, more healthy lives for longer.
- The health of all peoples is prime to the attainment of peace and safety and relies on the fullest co-operation of individuals and States.
- People with larger monetary health, as an example, might fear less about funds and have the means to buy modern meals more usually.
- Factors just like clear water and air, enough housing, and guarded communities and roads all have been discovered to contribute to good health, significantly to the health of infants and youngsters.
A research finds Bristol college college students who took the three-month course have been happier. Coronavirus is clearly a virus that impacts our nervous system – and it appears to have an effect on the brain’s sleep patterns. Schools and households need to be more aware of the problems LGBT individuals face in lockdown, says a charity. GPs and health workers can refer patients to canal-based mostly group tasks for his or her wellbeing. All over-50s and at-danger adults have been offered a vaccine, the Welsh government says. And one other research exhibits even 96-yr-olds are producing a powerful immune response.
Extra Mental Health Assist For Brand New Mothers Unveiled
Due to the place of sleep in regulating metabolism, insufficient sleep may play a role in weight achieve or, conversely, in impeding weight reduction. Google Health is devoted to enhancing girls’s bodily and psychological health and the affected person care they acquire via evaluation, product development, and partnerships. We help ministers in major the nation’s health and social care to help folks live more impartial, extra healthy lives for longer. The new Office for Health Promotion will lead nationwide efforts to enhance and stage up the health of the nation by tackling weight issues, enhancing psychological health and promoting physical exercise.
Treating prostate most cancers with combined hormonal-radiation remedy Androgens, the household of male sex hormones that features testosterone, perform as a gasoline for growth in common development. Most melanomas begin as new spots Most melanomas come inside the type of a model new spot on the pores and skin, not adjustments to an current mole. Understand sleep, fitness, and health using the center charge sensor in your watch. Please notice that Samsung Health is meant Health News for health and wellness purposes solely and isn’t intended for use within the prognosis of illness or completely different circumstances, or within the remedy, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of illness. Treating prostate most cancers with combined hormonal-radiation remedy Androgens, the family of male sex hormones that includes testosterone, function as a gas for improvement in regular development.
Publications: The Place Can I Find Information On Who Publications?
And at Google Health, we’re guided by core privateness and security ideas as we construct new companies and products. Applying AI to breast most cancers research Our group is working with researchers in mammography and pathology to develop AI that might sooner or later help clinicians in screening and diagnosing breast most cancers. Learn extra about Google’s COVID-19 response, how AI expertise might help docs and the way mobile know-how can rework healthcare. | <urn:uuid:534200b6-4371-4ced-9f17-2ab6c316920a> | CC-MAIN-2021-39 | https://www.fivenightsatfreddys-4.com/nsw-health.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-39/segments/1631780057504.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20210924050055-20210924080055-00057.warc.gz | en | 0.948346 | 774 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Dietitians are the only qualified healthcare professionals who can assess, diagnose and treat patients by adjusting their diet and nutritional intake.
Dietitians treat medical conditions and promote healthy living by providing practical advice about food and nutrition. Following a diagnosis, they provide treatments and diet plans to improve or enhance a person’s health. Dietitians work with individuals to treat medical issues, such as kidney problems, diabetes or cancer. They also work with the public, government bodies and private companies to promote health through nutrition.
A dietitian’s role depends on the specific area they specialise in. Some work in research, education or food development. Others specialise in children’s health, food allergies or sports nutrition.
Types of dietitian include:
Dietitian duties can vary, depending on where they work and what they specialise in.
Duties may include:
Most dietitians work from consulting rooms within hospitals, clinics, doctors’ surgeries or other healthcare facilities. You could also be visiting patients on hospital wards or in their homes. They often work as part of a larger team of medical professionals.
Other types of dietitians work in a range of different settings. Sports dietitians, for example, may work at a fitness centre or sports club; and research dietitians may work in universities, offices and hospitals.
Typical work hours are between 35 and 40 hours per week, working 9am to 5pm. This may include occasional weekends. Part-time work is often an option. Dietitians also have the opportunity to work on a freelance basis. This gives you more flexibility, as you'll be able to set your own hours.
During your training you’ll develop specialist skills required to be a dietitian. In addition to practical skills, dietitians also need a wide range of soft skills. These include:
You’ll be explaining complex and sensitive issues to patients, healthcare professionals, government bodies and the media. Good listening, writing and speaking skills are essential.
A patient attitude is vital when you’re working with people from different backgrounds. It takes time to fully understand a person’s needs and provide the right advice to suit them.
Motivating people to change their diets can be difficult. It involves positivity, tact and strong relationship-building skills.
A caring attitude is important. You’ll need to be mindful of other people’s feelings, sensitive to their personal circumstances, and motivated to improve their health.
Dietitians often manage several patients at once, all with differing needs. Good organisation skills are essential in order to deliver an effective, high-quality service.
Before providing nutritional advice, you’ll need to be skilled in collecting, analysing and assessing information and data to make an accurate diagnosis.
Careers in the NHS fall into nine pay bands. Dietitian salary rates are determined by the Agenda for Change. Other employers set their own rates of pay but these are likely to be on a similar scale.
Current NHS rates are:
Dietitian training requirements involve completing a degree that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Undergraduate degrees take three or four years to complete. If you hold a degree in a related subject, such as biology, you’ll need to complete an approved postgraduate course.
After your degree, you can apply for registration with the HCPC. You will then be qualified to work as a Registered Dietitian.
Your career path will depend on where you work and what type of dietitian you’d like to become when you graduate. An NHS clinical dietitian, for example, may have a very different career path to a food service dietitian or a research dietitian. All registered dietitians must take part in Continuing professional development (CPD) throughout their careers, in order to retain their registered status.
As a clinical dietitian in an NHS hospital, you can follow a structured route for career progression. After graduating, you would enter your career as a basic grade dietitian. You could then work your way up to take on specialist dietitian roles and advanced roles. Each step in the career path comes with more responsibility and higher pay. To progress further, you could apply for higher-level management roles.
If you choose to work as a research dietitian for a food manufacturing company, your career path may be less structured. Depending on your interests, you could progress to a role marketing, education, scientific research or journalism. Some dietitians prefer the flexibility and diversity of this type of career path, while others prefer the structure of an NHS setting.
As an overseas student, you can begin your studies with one of the following programmes: | <urn:uuid:db8bc962-40cd-406f-b5f7-00ad9b234000> | CC-MAIN-2019-43 | https://www.bellerbys.com/guides/careers/dietitian-job-profile | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570987813307.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20191022081307-20191022104807-00488.warc.gz | en | 0.956167 | 992 | 3.4375 | 3 |
There are 7,861 households out of which 38.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.8% are married couples living together, 4.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% are non-families. 16.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.75 and the average family size is 3.09.
In the city the population is spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the Mequon http://mequon.net/ is $90,733, and the median income for a family is $101,793. Males have a median income of $72,762 versus $40,280 for females. The per capita income for the city is $48,333. 1.7% of the population and 1.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.2% of those under the age of 18 and 2.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The first white settlers of Mequon were Isaac BIGELOW and Daniel STRICKLAND, who emigrated with their families from the British possessions and settled in the town of Mequon in 1836. The territory at that time was one dense wilderness, the only thoroughfare, if such they could be called, were the Indian trails, leading in different directions through the vast country which lies north and west of the village. The pioneers followed one of these trails north until they came to Mequonsippi or Pigeon Creek, where they proceeded to erect for themselves rude shanties out of such material as could be found until they could replace them with more substantial log structures. In 1837, James W. WOODWORTH and his brother Ephraim came and took up claims near by. In 1838, William WORTH, Taylor HAVERLIN, John WESTON, Peter TURCK, Reuben WELLS, Isham DAY, Joseph LOOMER and several Irish families made settlements in the town. During the month of August, 1839, William F. OPITZ, in company with his father, mother, sister and brother-in-law, Adolph ZIMMERMANN, came and settled in what is now known as Mequon proper, one-half mile south of where the village of Thienville is now situated. They were the first German settlers. A month later, they were followed by five German families, consisting of Andrew GEIDEL, Michael MUELLER, Andrew LANZENDORF, W. SCHUMANN and Gottfried BAER. During the same year, the BONNIWELLS, William, George, James, Charles, Henry and Alfred came from England and settled that portion of Mequon now known as the Bonniwell District. Next after the BONNIWELLS came the Friestadt Colony, numbering about sixty families. These people sheltered themselves at first in tents. Timothy WOODEN, the first settler in the town of Grafton, and a neighbor of his, helped the Germans to erect their log houses. A year later, the colonists erected a log meeting-house, the first structure of the kind built in old Washington County. In the month of May, 1840, Edward H. JANSSEN, Henry HEISEN and John THOMPSON located in Mequon, and at once set about clearing the lands and interesting themselves in the general welfare of the community. Edward H. JANSSEN was the first German school teacher in the town. He was a man of great enterprise, and soon became an active worker in the politics of the county. Besides holding important offices in the town, he was made a member of the Constitutional Convention, was elected for two terms to the office of Register of Deeds, and, in 1851, was elected to the important office of State Treasurer. In 1854, he in company with his brother and a man by the name of GAITSCH built the Hamilton Grist-Mill, a large stone structure located on Cedar Creek, a mile south of the village. He was afterward elected County Superintendent of Schools, which office he held at the time of his death, which occurred during the year 1877. | <urn:uuid:165dc880-1989-4f19-b576-5e5fac854b29> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | http://wiki.coop-tic.eu/wikis/LHM/wakka.php?wiki=MequonWI | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232260658.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20190527025527-20190527051527-00518.warc.gz | en | 0.978652 | 1,002 | 2.796875 | 3 |
As Bryan Walsh writes this week, drought is one of the most insidious types of natural disaster, but no less devastating. The recent record-setting period of dry weather in the American South has caused billions of dollars of damage, ruined crops, and altered entire ecosystems, and it may get worse.
TIME commissioned renowned aerial photographer and photojournalist George Steinmetz to document the effects of the drought in Texas, New Mexico, and Georgia. On his journey, Steinmetz quickly found that even in the driest sections of the country, the cliched idea of the bowl of cracked earth and dust was neither common nor representative of the crisis. In many places, green on the ground was simply evidence of the intensity of water usage for irrigation, homes, and recreation. The effect of the drought can only begin to be appreciated when we see the lakes and reservoirs where the water is coming from, or what the land looks like when we are forced to stop watering.
Reporting by Alyson Krueger | <urn:uuid:9adf366e-f42b-42ac-ba60-942c4b65c56b> | CC-MAIN-2016-07 | http://time.com/3779679/picturing-the-american-drought-george-steinmetz/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-07/segments/1454701159654.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160205193919-00087-ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954163 | 203 | 3.453125 | 3 |
What does coffee sound like? Maybe…a coffee pot making coffee. Or perhaps the Folger’s jingle. But that’s not what the taste of coffee actually sound like. What is that sound—the taste of coffee?
It’s not just a question for synesthetes. Researchers are trying to use sound to quantify taste. Edible Geography writes about the challenges that food scientists have had in really measuring what something tastes like and about a new idea for that sense:
n a paper to be published in June 2013 in the journal Food Hydrocolloids, scientist George A. Van Aken of NIZO, a Dutch food research company, reveals a new method of measuring mouthfeel: the wonderfully named “acoustic tribology.” Van Aken took a tiny contact microphone, packed it in polyethylene to keep it dry, and secured it behind a test subject’s upper front incisor teeth in order to record the acoustic signal produced by the varying vibrations of their papillae as their tongue rubbed against their palate.
In short, Van Aken’s device means that we can now listen to what our tongues feel.
Flavor scientists call that sensation on our tongues is “mouthfeel.” Normally, mouthfeel is reduced to subjective descriptions: velvety, rough, cohesive, hard, heavy. But with Van Aken’s device, scientists can listen to precisely what your mouth is feeling. Here’s a little more about how it works:
The process works by picking up vibrations within tongue tissue, which vary depending on the amount of deformation the papillae experience when rubbing against the palate. To return to our initial experiment, you can actually listen to a recording of the feel of black coffee (mp3), and then compare it to the softer sound of the feel of coffee with cream (mp3) or hear them both back-to-back in this NIZO video (wmv) — from sawing wood to depilling a sweater, and back again, interrupted by an occasional higher-pitched pop (apparently, these are caused by the “snapping of salivary films and air bubbles at the papilla surfaces”).
The results give us more than just a measurable signal for mouthfeel, too. Take coffee. If you put milk in your coffee, it tastes one way. If you take it black, it tastes another way. What Van Aken found that at first, milk has a loud signal, but then later it wears away. Basically, Edible Geography says, “everything tastes creamy when your tongue is worn out — which perhaps lends weight to the Victorian advice to chew each mouthful one hundred times before swallowing.”
Understanding why certain things taste the way they do can pave the way for making artificial foods mimic the real ones. Products like vegan cheese and fake meat can often mimic a taste of a food, but not the way it feels in your mouth. And as anyone who’s ever tasted vegan cheese can attest, it makes a difference.
More from Smithsonian.com: | <urn:uuid:269e64f3-48db-49f0-97ef-82da4c914c4e> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-measure-the-taste-of-food-listen-to-your-taste-buds-15521080/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128320545.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20170625170634-20170625190634-00612.warc.gz | en | 0.95326 | 648 | 2.9375 | 3 |
A light earthquake magnitude 4.9 (ml/mb) strikes 17 kilometers (11 miles) from Polichnítos in Greece on Monday. Global time and date of event 01/02/21 / 2021-02-01 13:10:15 / February 1, 2021 @ 1:10 pm UTC/GMT. Event ids that are associated to the earthquake: us6000ddmm. Id of event: us6000ddmm. The 4.9-magnitude earthquake has occurred at 13:10:15 / 1:10 pm (local time epicenter). Exact location of earthquake, 26.0434° East, 38.9688° North, depth 9.41 km. A tsunami warning has not been issued (Does not indicate if a tsunami actually did or will exist). The epicenter was at a depth of 9.41 km (6 miles).
The epicenter was 100 km (62 miles) from Bergama (c. 57 200 pop), 98 km (61 miles) from Menemen (c. 53 500 pop), 95 km (59 miles) from Urla (c. 45 200 pop), 83 km (51 miles) from Aliağa (c. 44 900 pop), 99 km (62 miles) from Burhaniye (c. 38 100 pop), 68 km (42 miles) from Ayvalık (c. 35 200 pop), 47 km (29 miles) from Mytilíni (c. 28 300 pop). Nearby country/countries, Greece (c. 11 000 000 pop), Turkey (c. 77 804 000 pop) (That might be effected). Nearest cities/city/towns to hypocenter/epicentrum was Bergama, Burhaniye, Menemen (min 5000 pop).
Earthquakes 4.0 to 5.0 are often felt, but only causes minor damage. There are an estimated 13,000 light earthquakes in the world each year. In the past 24 hours, there have been four, in the last 10 days four, in the past 30 days four and in the last 365 days six earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater that has occurred nearby.
How would you describe the shaking?
How did you respond? Did any furniture slide, topple over, or become displaced? Leave a comment or report about activity, shaking and damage at your home, city and country. This information comes from the USGS Earthquake Notification Service. Read more about the earthquake, Seismometer information, Date-Time, Location, Distances, Parameters and details about this quake, recorded: 17 km SW of Polichnítos, Greece.
Copyright © 2021 earthquakenewstoday.com All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:56f42df0-c0e4-468f-ae1d-0746055d6fe1> | CC-MAIN-2021-25 | http://www.earthquakenewstoday.com/2021/02/01/light-earthquake-m4-9-quake-has-struck-near-polichnitos-in-greece/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487621699.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20210616001810-20210616031810-00217.warc.gz | en | 0.908553 | 560 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Exercising just 15 minutes a day can add three years to your life, according to a study measuring the health benefits of low levels of activity.
The large-scale study by Taiwanese researchers found people who averaged 90 minutes a week of moderate exercise had a 14 percent lower risk of dying after eight years, compared with those who were inactive. And their life expectancy was three years longer.
Every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise lowered the risk another 4 percent -- and the risk of dying from cancer dropped by 1 percent.
The study published online today in the British medical journal Lancet involved 416,175 people who took part in a standard medical screening in Taiwan. The participants were asked how much they exercised and were placed into one of five categories: inactive, low, medium, high or very high. More than half were "inactive" and 22 percent were "low-volume" active.
The study found the benefits of exercise applied across the board -- for men and women and for all ages, even for those with cardiovascular disease risks.
In China, Japan and Taiwan, less than one-fifth of the population meets the World Health Organization goal of 150 minutes of weekly exercise, according to a report by Bloomberg. In the U.S., about one-third of Americans meet that goal.
“If the minimum amount of exercise we suggest is adhered to, mortality from heart disease, diabetes and cancer could be reduced,” wrote lead author Chi Pang Wen or Taiwan’s Institute of Population Science. “This low volume of physical activity could play a central part in the global war against non-communicable diseases, reducing medical costs and health disparities.”
The reduction in mortality risk was as high as 40 percent for those who exercised most often. However, there was a limit to the perks of exercise: no additional benefit was found for exercising more than 100 minutes a day.
E-mail Sue Thoms: email@example.com | <urn:uuid:90ed6f2b-3013-4776-a6b6-61a876a11e50> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.mlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/08/15_minutes_of_exercise_a_day_a.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386163952819/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133232-00000-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978921 | 403 | 2.9375 | 3 |
nouns that are always capitalized, because it is naming a specific thing
nouns that are in singular form mean 1 thing. They are never capitalized , because they are just typical names
nouns that at first look like verbs and mostly end in "-ing" It is a noun, because it is the subject in the sentence
a phrase that always start with "to" and then is followed by the noun
nouns that in singular form represent a group of something, but you can make it plural.
nouns that are singular, but represent a group of things and can NOT be made plural. They can also be ideas.
Determiners/noun markers. Show up in front of nouns a lot of the time.
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Northeast Ohio is home to a bevy of incredible colleges and universities — all of which are conducting research that has the potential to save lives and transform our economy. And while much of this work is being done in conjunction with other researchers around the country and globe, there's no denying the intellectual capital housed in Northeast Ohio. Here is just a sampling of the novel research taking place.
Five research projects to watch
University of Akron
Details: 3D printing has the potential to upend the manufacturing industry, and Choi, a mechanical engineering professor who joined the University of Akron in 2011, is developing technology that could expand the revolutionary process even further. Choi has developed a technique for 3D printing called "direct-print photopolymerization." The process extrudes inks from a nozzle in layers and uses light to simultaneously cure it, as opposed to forming something from a vat of material. That's a complicated way of saying this process achieves a new level of detail, as well as being solvent free — meaning it can be used in more sensitive areas like medicine. Choi, meanwhile, did his post-doctoral research at W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation at the University of Texas at El Paso.
John Carroll University
Details: In conjunction with the Cleveland Clinic, Manilich — a computer scientist by training — is leading a project that has the potential to save lives. Manilich's team has developed software that uses data-mining algorithms that can detect errors in blood tests before physicians even have the opportunity to see the results or enter them into a patient's electronic medical record. "If these errors aren't detected, the patient could potentially be harmed," said Manilich, who formerly worked at the Digestive Disease Institute at the Clinic. "Incorrect medications could be prescribed. There are some very serious implications." Using data science, Manilich said she and her team "can approach medical problems with a whole different perspective."
Case Western Reserve University
Details: The adage that a picture is worth a thousand words has taken on new meaning when it comes to research undertaken by Madabhushi that has the potential to lead to new frontiers in the world of personalized cancer diagnostics. Madabushi's team, for instance, is developing algorithms that can quickly scan a pathology image — going beyond what the human eye can see — and determine the aggressiveness of a breast cancer diagnosis, allowing oncologists to make more appropriate treatment plans. That means a patient could avoid the damaging effects of chemotherapy. Last year, the National Cancer Institute supplied a five-year, $3.3 million grant for Madabhushi's research team that includes academics from around the country.
Associate professor; professor
Northeast Ohio Medical University
Details: Cardiologists have long known about a life-saving vessel in the heart called a collateral that serves as a bridge for bloodflow between two major arteries. That said, many patients don't have enough of these collaterals or those collaterals are too small to carry blood when needed. Yin and Chilian are exploring ways, using stem cells, to make those vessels grow bigger and faster — something that could ultimately serve the same function as a bypass and re-route blood to area of the heart receiving insufficient blood because of a blockage, according to information provided by the university. This year, the pair received $435,371 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to support the research's next stage.
Cleveland State University
Details: Psychological stresses like embarrassment, isolation and depression can ravage patients suffering from a traumatic brain injury as well as their caregivers. A research team involving Judge is moving into the fourth year of a project that is exploring ways to test non-pharmacological, psychosocial interventions for both the patients and their caregivers to treat these issues. "There is no way to fix any of these conditions," said Judge, whose research originally began with dementia patients. "There's no solution. For caregivers and individuals it can be overwhelming and isolating. I feel rewarded when these techniques and skills help them lead high quality lives." Judge is partnering with the Veterans Health Administration on the research project. | <urn:uuid:bd5a86c2-d163-4c6b-94e9-4152730e3aca> | CC-MAIN-2022-05 | https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20170617/news/170619814/five-research-projects-watch | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-05/segments/1642320304876.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220125220353-20220126010353-00314.warc.gz | en | 0.959022 | 873 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Did ancient man have knowledge of the same geometries, proportions and relationships that are found in the design of the solar system? We may never know for certain, but ancient architecture and artifacts seem to use these geometries again and again. Take a look and see what you think.
In “The Secrets of the Great Pyramid” by Peter Tompkins, the Babylonian ziggurat is described as having a rectangular top step whose sides averaged 2.5833. Although not identified as such in the book, this is the distance of Earth from the Sun when Mercury’s mean distance is measured as 1. Did the Babylonians have a precise insight into the construction of our solar system, or is this just a coincidence?
The ziggurat is also noted to use important angles such as √5 – 1, or, 1.236, which is generally thought to represent the perfect number series derived from 1+2+3=6 and 1*2*3=6.
In Solar Geometry, we find that Earth ¾ * ( √1 + √2 + √3 + √6 ) = Jupiter..
√5 – 1 is also a variation on the derivation of phi (½ * ( √5 + 1 )), used in Solar Geometry in defining the distance of the Earth.
The pyramids of Egypt embody pi and phi in their dimensions as well as many ratios found between the Earth and Sun. Click HERE for more details.
The Djed of ancient Egypt has key proportions and features that align closely to the Solar Geometry for the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Earth. Click on image for details.
The floor plan from this Hindu temple also has key proportions and features that align closely with the Solar Geometry for the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Earth. Click on image for details. | <urn:uuid:9fa852bd-603b-4193-9d74-543348d0b3ef> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | https://www.solargeometry.com/ancient-knowledge/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794866511.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20180524151157-20180524171157-00598.warc.gz | en | 0.954409 | 383 | 4 | 4 |
One of the key components of any system are the users and groups. Linux is no different. Let’s get right into it.
The important files
So there are three important files when talking about users and groups. They are..
This file (despite it’s name) stores the locally defined user accounts. Each line of the file is for a single user. For instance…
[[email protected] etc]# more /etc/passwd | grep test
A line is broken into a couple of fields delimited by a colon. Here’s what each field is starting from the left..
Place holder – Used to be the encrypted password
User ID (UID) – User defined users should have a UID thats above 500. 0 is reserved for root and 1-499 are system defined (for daemons etc).
Group ID (GID) – Every user has a ‘primary group’ created for them. They are the only people that can be a member of this group. The GID field represents this group.
Comment Field – I guess it’s actually the ‘name’ field in the GUI
Home Directory – The user’s home directory
Login Shell – The user’s login shell
This file keeps track of the locally defined user passwords as well as account items related to things like password aging, password expiration, and so on. A line in the file would look like this…
[[email protected] etc]# more /etc/shadow | grep test_user
The first field shows the user name. The second field is related to account status. For instance, if I create an account and don’t set the passwords it will show as $!!$. If I lock the account, it might shows as $!$. Seems that if everything is in order it looks like $1$. The third field is the encrypted password. And the forth field is really another set of colon delimited integers. These, relate to the aforementioned account settings. These can be set/read with the ‘chage’ command…
[[email protected] etc]# chage -l test_user
Last password change : Jul 11, 2012
Password expires : never
Password inactive : never
Account expires : never
Minimum number of days between password change : 0
Maximum number of days between password change : 99999
Number of days of warning before password expires : 7
This file keeps track of the locally defined groups and their members. Again, it’s pretty straight forward. Here I created a group called ‘test’ and added two users to it (test_user and test_user2).
[[email protected] etc]# more /etc/group | grep test
Note that the grep returned the primary group numbers for each of the users as well. The group ‘test’ has a secondary group ID of 501 and has members test_user2 and test_user in it. The second field (shown as an X) is described as ‘password’. Not sure what the deal with that is though.
Other useful commands for users and groups
o let’s imagine that I just created the test_user user (which I did by the way). I would have done something like this…
[[email protected] etc]# useradd test_user
That’s it. The only other thing I have to do is to set the user’s password. This is done with the ‘passwd’ command.
[[email protected] etc]# passwd test_user
Changing password for user test_user.
New UNIX password:
BAD PASSWORD: it is based on a dictionary word
Retype new UNIX password:
passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.
Now the account is ready to use. what if we wanted to add the user to a group through? That’s done with the ‘usermod’ tool. We’d do something like this…
[[email protected] etc]# usermod -aG test test_user
Make SURE you include the -a flag in the usermod command. The ‘a’ stands for append, and without it, you are removing the user from any previously defined group they were in.
We can also user usermod to lock and unlock accounts with the ‘L’ and ‘U’ flags.
[[email protected] etc]# usermod -L test_user
[[email protected] etc]# passwd -S test_user
test_user LK 2012-07-10 0 99999 7 -1 (Password locked.)
[[email protected] etc]# usermod -U test_user
[[email protected] etc]# passwd -S test_user
test_user PS 2012-07-10 0 99999 7 -1 (Password set, MD5 crypt.)
Also, if you ever want a quick run down on a user, use the ‘id’ command.
[[email protected] etc]# id root
uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm),6(disk),10(wheel),500(AwesomeRootGroup)
This tells us the user ID, the primary group ID, and which groups the user is in.
Now let’s say I want to clean all of this up. Easy, just use the ‘userdel’ and ‘groupdel’ commands.
The -r flag tells the command to cleanup the folders defined for that user as well. If you don’t you’ll need to cleanup those directories manually. | <urn:uuid:07cb8e3b-c2cc-446f-945f-fc9467cbdfbe> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | http://www.dasblinkenlichten.com/red-hat-managing-users-and-groups/?shared=email&msg=fail | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514573105.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20190917181046-20190917203046-00280.warc.gz | en | 0.864492 | 1,215 | 2.984375 | 3 |
What is Islam?
What we know about the religion of Islam? Much and nothing? Studying their religion, you find answers to many questions. But religious knowledge is so vast, like the endless sea, the more immersed in them, the shore drifting further and further.
Not cross the sea of knowledge, but it is impossible to sink in, because this knowledge is divine, they are taught the basics of elementary human life, learn how to behave in the family, in society, in relationships with parents, children, teachers and students, managers and subordinates. In Islam, there are, for Islam - a way of life. Each of our breath and exhale soaked religion, divine purpose. Catches of this will be happy because he's humble and submissive behavior and adherence to all the commandments of Islam - salvation in this life and the next.
Islam - the religion of all the prophets. Religion of Allah began to spread in the Arabian peninsula in the early seventh century AD. The main story of Islam is associated with two cities - Mecca and Medina (then Yathrib).
In Mecca and the adjacent territory dominated tribe of Quraysh, was destined by the will of Almighty God give the world a great man who played a huge role in the spread of religion Creator - Islam. His name was Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was born in Mecca, and in forty years, he began to come down for the testimony, which gave rise to the religious basis of Islam.
Hard times had to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the spread of Islam, the many obstacles he encountered on the way, a lot of testing went through, one of which was a farewell to the city of the Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Medina
childhood, with the city in which he was born - Mecca.
He had to leave it and move to Yathrib, now Medina, where he was expected, and where he was accepted.
Islam is spreading, and it will be up to the Day of Judgment, for Allah Himself says about it. If you look at the world map, you can see the world as it gradually turns green tones of Monotheism, submitting to the Supreme.
Islam - the religion of submission
The word "Islam" in Arabic means "submission", "obedience laws of Allah." In the terminology of Sharia Islam - is a complete, absolute monotheism, submission to the Creator in everything.
Obedience to learn from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. You can learn it to the end of his life, and as we all - the slaves of our Creator, we are required to the same obedience without question. Diploma of how we were obedient, the Creator "will give" to us on the day of trial, and it is better if the "diploma" will be red.
Obedience - is the main distinguishing quality of a Muslim. Akin to or synonymous with this quality also are: hope, humility, obedience. Muslim relies throughout only to the will of Allah, because the word "Insha Allah" - "let it be the will of the Creator" - are frequently used in the language spoken by a Muslim.
Goethe wrote about Islam:
"How stupid way and that chant
Their opinions about this and that!
After all, if Islam means submission to God,
We all live and die all in Islam. "
Islam - is obedience to God, acceptance of all that He has given us through His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muhammad himself (peace be upon him) - the clearest example of humility and trust in Allah. How he had to go through, spreading the religion of God, we never dreamed. Today it is easy to be submissive, all the conditions for the fulfillment of all the commandments of Allah. No insuperable obstacle to the observance of religion not. We ourselves should just learn to live according to the Quran and the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
Islam - the religion of peace
Another meaning of the word "Islam" is "peace." The world begins with the words "assalyamu Alaikum" when a Muslim wants peace to his brother or sister in the faith.
The word "salaam" - "the world" - the basis of many Islamic concepts. Even the name of Allah is "As-Salam". One of the names of Paradise - Dar Al-Salam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another! Do not tell me you about the action, doing that, you will love each other? Spread the "salam" (greeting one another)! "(Imam Muslim).
Islam does not teach violence or violence, however, welcomed only such qualities as kindness, mercy, compassion. Islam spread good teaching kindness to all creatures of creation, from the usual leaf on a tree.
Remember, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to spread religion? Only good things, of the world. No violence, he did not show, but by example and behavior were crucial in spreading the word of Allah. As Islam spread and today - only peace and good relations with other people, respect for other opinions and in no event shall any imposition, because there is no compulsion in religion. | <urn:uuid:ed48c559-b6d0-4d64-a934-7ec3e5e7bd75> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | http://nurpodolsk.ru/en/articles/item/56-what-is-islam?.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347389355.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20200525192537-20200525222537-00100.warc.gz | en | 0.957903 | 1,111 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Dr. James T. Naismith of Scarborough, Ontario, a physician and Bible teacher, continues his series on Genesis.
Copyright by Everyday Publications Inc.; used by permission.
The book of Genesis abounds in many interesting and instructive types of the Lord Jesus Christ and His work for us:
[2. Pictures of Christ in Genesis] cont.
A. Typical Persons
The selection of Adam as the first type of Christ may seem surprising since the record of his life is one of failure with no definite evidence of faith. His name is, significantly, absent from the gallery of faith in Hebrews 11. Yet he is the only Old Testament person who is specifically described as a “figure” or type of Christ. In Both Romans 5:12-21, and 1 Corinthians 15:22-50, it is seen that he stands in the same relationship to humanity as does Christ to redeemed humanity — as head. Adam was head of the natural; Christ is Head of the spiritual.
This type differs in many ways from other Old Testament types, which usually present similarities and comparisons with the antitype. In the case of Adam, however, we are impressed with the striking dissimilarities — the contrasts with the Antitype. These contrasts are so exact, that we might call them “parallel antitheses.” Note the following points of contrast:
1. ORIGIN. 1 Cor. 15:47, The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. Genesis 2:7 confirms the first part of this statement — The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground; the Lord Himself frequently reiterated, during His earthly sojourn, the second part: I came down from earth, John 6:38, etc. We are by nature from the first man earthy, 1 Cor. 15:48, and bear the image of the earthy, v. 48. By grace, we are associated with the Second Man, and one glorious day will bear His image — the image of the heavenly.
2. NATURE. 1 Cor. 15:45. The nature of the first man is expressed in the words, was made a living soul, “living,” that is, by life imparted to him. This is the contrast to the last Adam, who is a life-giving (quickening) spirit — that is, imparting life. “Adam was made a living soul — marking him as “natural” (the adjective form of the word “soul” — used in verse 44, and also in 1 Cor. 2:14); in contrast to Christ who is “a life-giving spirit” — as God is spirit. Note, too, that He is not the second Adam, but “the last Adam” — there is none to follow.
3. CHARACTER AND DEEDS. Rom. 5:12-19. This passage emphasizes particularly the contrast between Adam and Christ in character and actions, and the results accruing from these. This can be readily seen by setting side by side the words used of each:
Sin, offence, transgression
· Adam was a sin-bringer; Christ, the sin-bearer.
· Adam’s disobedience was an act of self-assertion; Christ’s obedience was an act of self-sacrifice.
· Adam was disobedient unto death — forfeiting life for himself and the race of whom he was head. Christ was obedient unto death, Phil. 2:8, giving His life for the race of the redeemed, over whom He is Head.
· Adam, the man, desired to be “as God,” Gen. 3:5, Christ, “being in the form of God,” deigned to be “made in the likeness of men,” Phil. 2:6, 7.
· “The offence of one” was committed in the garden of Eden. “The righteousness of One” — the crowning act of a life of righteousness — was accomplished in the garden of Calvary, John 19:41.
4. RESULTS. Rom. 5:12-19. As a result of Adam’s disobedience and sin, death (vv. 12, 15, 17), condemnation (vv. 16, 18) and judgment (v. 16) were brought upon mankind. Christ’s obedience and righteousness have brought life (v. 17), justification (vs. 16, 18) and grace (vv. 15, 17) to those in Him. In Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, 1 Cor. 15:22.
Adam and Eve
Before leaving the study of Adam, we should note that, in Ephesians 5:30-32, the Holy Spirit uses the divinely provided relationship of Adam and Eve, his bride (cf. Gen. 2:18, 21-24) as an illustration of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church. God’s purpose for Adam was that he should not be alone, but have a “help meet for him.” So He has designed that Christ should be complete in eternal union with His bride, the Church, “the fulness (complement) of Him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:23). The “deep sleep” that God caused to fall upon Adam prefigured the deep sleep of death through which our Lord passed to obtain His bride, for Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, Eph. 5:25. | <urn:uuid:a375e6f8-91da-40f3-9e36-fe26fc985728> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | http://plymouthbrethren.org/article/10117 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600400202418.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20200929154729-20200929184729-00083.warc.gz | en | 0.95756 | 1,179 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Tracing the roots of the piano to the very beginning of consciousness, when man first became aware of sound.
Arthur Whiting (1861 – 1936): American Pianist, Composer, Teacher – Neo-Classicist
- Studied at the New England Conservatory.
- Studied in Germany at the Munich Conservatory (1883 -1885).
- In 1907 he taught an educational series of chamber music known as Expositions at Harvard, Yale and Princeton Universities.
- In 1909 he published The Lesson of the Clavichord in New Music Review writing “the reproduction of the Clavichord and Harpsichord is as important to the present-day students of keyboard music as are some recent discoveries of the antique to archaeologists.” [ 2 ]
[ CLOSE ]
Library of Congress. "Portrait of Arthur Whiting." Photograph. Original from Louis C. Elsen, The History of American Music. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1904: pg. 212, fig. 60. Music Division. Library of Congress. Call number:ML200.E46. LOC.Gov. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2015. No Known Copyright Restrictions.
Haskell, Harry. The Early Music Revival, A History. Mineola: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Google Books. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.
- "Arthur B. Whiting (1861-1936) [biography]." The Library of Congress. The Library of Congress, 12 Oct. 2014. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. | <urn:uuid:bfbfdcc7-bb7c-45fa-9a84-c0cf641dde9d> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | https://www.houstonpianocompany.com/blog/piano-timeline/post/1861-whiting | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600401641638.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20200929091913-20200929121913-00748.warc.gz | en | 0.882233 | 332 | 2.96875 | 3 |
What is Comparative Arts?
Comparative Arts explores the dynamic interaction between Literature, Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Cinema, and Digital Arts. Through comparison of different forms of creative expressions, the field analyzes every compositional style of each single work and places it in direct relationship with the other arts and in particular with Music.
Who might be interested in Comparative Arts?
The Comparative Arts events are ideal for anyone who want to explore the world of Music, Literature and the Arts with as much freedom as possible. All live or online events and workshops in Comparative Arts examine works from several national traditions, often in a variety of artistic forms, and as such it is an excellent way for humanists to expand their horizon. By focusing on the interrelationship of the arts, comparison enables one to appreciate the widest range of works.
No matter what the final goal, anyone with a secret passion for Art, Music, Theater, and Literature will find themselves at home as a minor in Comparative Arts. Professionals and students of the Social Sciences who wish to explore the juxtaposition of the high and low may do so through Lyrics and the Popular Song, Literary and Television Genres, and Western Literature and the Other Arts, for example.
How Comparative Arts works?
The working method in Comparative Arts can follow various paths. Starting from a common subject, for example the classicist period in Europe, we consider various works born in a specific geographical place or in a specific historical context. The comparison between the others, following this common denominator, will take place by examining the various compositional styles of the various works in the different fields and the common elements between them. For example, in the relationship between Literature and Music: the use of rhythm and pitch, repetition and variation, the musical development of symbols. In particular with reference to Music in combination with Psychology, the Comparative Arts take on a different meaning, that is functional more then aesthetic. Alongside the properly comparative aspect between the two disciplines as a way of working on emotions, for example, the field extends to the scientific aspect up to practice through the new musical genre of Imaginative Music by Fernando Fracassi as below described.
WORKSHOPS AND LIVE WEBINARS
WITH FERNANDO FRACASSI
Music and Literature (Essay, Novels, Poetry) or Philosophy
The seminar is divided into four main sections: the first of these deals with the preliminary questions and discusses the elements that Music and Literature (or Philosophy) have in common. The second deals with the relationship between Music and Literature (or Philosophy) for what concerns vocal and Instrumental Music. The third, after an introductory investigation into the fundamental structural principles of the two (or three) arts, discusses the influence of Literature on Music and shows the attempts of writers and playwrights to create works on models of musical compositions. The fourth deals with the opposite problem, namely the influence of Literature (or Philosophy) on Music, especially as regards the so-called Program Music. The seminar includes the performance of live musical examples or listening to pre-recorded music. The reference book is : Six Memos for the Next Millennium: The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures, 1985-86 by Italo Calvino.
Music and Visual Art
(Architecture, Painting, Photography and Sculpture)
The main theme addressed in the above seminar is represented by a careful analysis of the relationship between Music and Visual Arts as a representation of reality or the Imaginary. The first section therefore concerns the common elements between the various arts pertaining to visual art. The second part deals in particular with the relationship between Music, Architecture, Painting , Photography and Sculpture. The third, analyzes the technical tools available to the arts in question, for example the use of color or form. The last part concerns the influence of Music on Visual Arts and vice versa. The seminar includes the performance of live musical examples or listening to pre-recorded tracks.
Music and Psychology
The seminar aims to deal comprehensively with the relationship between musical performance and listening to music and its influence in Experimental Psychology, in particular Imagery Therapy. The first section of the seminar concerns a brief History of Music for therapeutic purposes in the United States and Europe with reference to the various models of active and Receptive Music Therapy, to Biomusic, till the Tomatis method. The second part of the meeting focuses on the study of the unconscious mind, on the altered states of consciousness during music listening and above all on the effects of music on emotions, on its phases (moods, feelings and emotions), on the moods according to the method by Kate Hevner. The third part of the seminar will be based on the general information on the Imagination (historical, anthropological, psychological and similar background) which will be followed by a review of the main lines of Imaginative Therapies (dialogic, autogenous, active, guided, etc.) following the file rouge of the setting that is their own. In particular, it will be examinated in detail the Guided Imagery and Music method by Helen Bonny (GIM Therapy) and the new, innovative Fracassi´s music genre called Imaginative Music. The final part of the seminar will be dedicated to the reference models: pragmatic, psychodynamic and symbolic, to the clinical and non-clinical application fields of Imaginative Music with live musical examples or through pre-recorded tracks made at Fernando Fracassi Music studio.
For more information about dates, prices and bookings of next seminars
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Fun fact: The guava goes by many names. Ranging from jambu batu, ryaba and goyave to kuawa
Guava (scientific name: Psidium guajava) is a tropical fruit being grown in humid or dry regions. The different cultivars of guava, while generally evergreen on the outside, vary in the color of the flesh like white, yellow, pink, and red. It also contains tiny edible seeds, usually found at the core of the fruit. This fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients such as vitamins A and C.
This superfruit has only 68 calories per 100 grams, with zero cholesterol and only 3.5 percent daily-recommended allowance of fat. It also contains 14% DRA dietary fiber. Foods high in fiber fill up while controlling hunger. Aside from its weight loss advantage, dietary fiber also protects the colon mucous membrane from toxins.
Guava is also an abundant source of carbohydrates, an essential nutrient that provides energy for your body. Carbohydrates from food are turned into sugar that is fed to the cells, tissues, and various body organs as energy.
Guavas are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Topping the list of vitamins with the highest DRA found in guavas is vitamin C. This fruit has higher supply of vitamin C, about five times higher than oranges, with 396% DRA per 100 grams of guava. Vitamin C is vital to achieve overall health as it plays several key functions in the body including the protection of the cells for normal growth and development. It also guards the body from infectious agents that may result to certain diseases.
It is also a good source of vitamin A and B-complex vitamins. Vitamin A is essential for a healthy vision. Flavonoids like B-carotene and lycopene found in guavas are transformed into vitamin A to function as antioxidant protecting the body from harmful free radicals. On the other hand B-complex vitamins assists the body to make red blood cells and energy from the food you intake. Guava is abundant in vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) with 9% and 9.5% DRA, respectively.
Aside from such vitamins, guavas are also filled with various minerals like magnesium, manganese and iron. Magnesium functions to normalize blood pressure and muscle and nerve functions. Manganese, meanwhile, is normally found in kidney, liver and bones. It helps in the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates as well as in the absorption of calcium.
Guavas also contain 9% RDA of potassium, which helps control blood pressure and heart rate. This fruit even has higher amount of potassium than banana.
The Important Health Benefits of Guavas
Guavas are termed to be the “superfruits” because of the wide array of vitamins and minerals they can offer to the body. You will be amazed with how guava can optimize human health. It is round and small yet it brings the body good more than you can imagine. As time goes by, guava continuously awes medical experts because of its high-level nutrient content. This fruit is jam-packed with minerals that regulates overall optimal health. Presented below are guava’s healthy properties and their related importance to have a desirable health condition.
Rich in Antioxidants
Vitamin C acts as antioxidants that benefit various body parts and systems. Vitamin C plays an important role in the overall human health and the body needs Vitamin C on a daily basis. It is important to eat as much food that is high in Vitamin C because this mineral is washed out time to time through excretion of water. It is important that the body receives Vitamin C everyday for it to function accordingly. Guavas are excellent source of Vitamin C. In fact it contains 228 mg of Vitamin C sufficient for the body’s daily Vitamin C need. This antioxidant effectively clears the body of harmful toxins that causes various types of disease and illnesses.
Strengthens the Immune System
Vitamin C boosts the immune system in so many levels. It is a powerful antioxidant that removes toxins in the body to avoid easily getting sick. It repairs dead cells and promotes growth of healthy ones. If you want to live your days cough, cold, or flu free, Vitamin C effectively build a strong resistance against – but not limited – to these common diseases. Eat guava regularly to have an effective disease-fighting immune system.
Rejuvenates the Skin
Vitamin C also repairs and nourishes the skin on a cellular level resulting to a fairer, younger looking, and more beautiful skin. Vitamin C regulates the production of collagen which is an important property to have a healthy skin inside out. Enjoy a damage-free flawless skin by eating guava regularly.
Helps in Curing Wounds
Vitamin C also helps in treating and repairing wounds and scars. Vitamin C plays vital part in repairing and growing healthy tissues in the body. If you have wounds and you want them to heal quickly and leave no visible scars, eating guava will greatly help.
Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Eating Guava reduces risks of having cancer specifically prostate, breast, lung, skin and oral cancer. This fruit is rich in anti-tumor compounds that can possibly develop to the types of cancer mentioned. It has lycopene which is a special type of carotenoid phytonutrients that prevent development of free radicals. Free radicals primarily cause many types of serious disease and illnesses such as cancer, heart ailments, diabetes, hypertension and the likes. Guava contains 5204 microgram of lycopene sufficient enough to fight development of free radicals.
Good for the Heart
Lycopene is also known to be good for the heart. This powerful antioxidant effectively regulates blood circulation and strengthens blood vessels to avoid blood clots and the likes. This antioxidant also eliminates excess body cholesterol that can trigger many heart ailments.
Aids Weight Loss
Eating guava also promotes weight loss. On top of its lycopene content, it is also rich in fiber that regulates digestion and bowel movement. If you want a healthy weight loss supplement, guava is a much preferable choice.
Boosts the Body’s Energy Levels
Potassium is needed in the body everyday for it to optimally function. Another perk of eating guava is that it fills the body’s daily potassium requirement up to 90%. Potassium is essential to regulate body’s fluid and sodium levels. Guava, being high in Potassium, acts as electrolytes that boost the body’s energy levels. Electrolytes are the substances responsible for transmission of electrical impulse throughout the body. If you want to keep your energy and strength high either for sports or any other intense physical activities, eating guava before and after would significantly help. Eating guava will help prevent cramping. Cramping is in fact an effect of insufficient electrolytes in the system.
Improved Cardiac Health
Potassium, combined with Vitamin C, is very important for an optimal cardiac health. Potassium assures that the muscles in the body, including heart muscles, are properly functioning. With proper amount of potassium in the body, proper muscle contraction is regulated that effects to normal beating of the heart. This allows proper blood circulation from and to the heart. Eating a lot of guava maintains a healthy heart and prevents high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart-related issues.
Guava is also a source of Vitamin A which is good for eye and skin health. On top of those vitamins and minerals mentioned above, this “superfruit” has vitamin K, vitamin B6, Folate, and Manganese that betters body’s ability for iron absorption and blood formation. | <urn:uuid:c2d986e1-abd0-4d0e-b3ca-d6afc5bc6ad0> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://servingjoy.com/significant-health-benefits-guava-reasons-eat-guavas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710777.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20221130225142-20221201015142-00234.warc.gz | en | 0.937851 | 1,610 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Same day shipping on most statues directly from our California gallery
The Pala Dynasty
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The Pala Dynasty was the ruling Dynasty in Bihar and Bengal India, from the 8th to the 12th century. Called the Palas because all their names ended in Pala, "protector". The Palas rescued Bengal from the chaos into which it had fallen after the death of Shashanka, a rival of Harsha of Kanauj. The founder of the dynasty was Gopala. Gopala reigned from 750-770 consolidated his position by extending his control over all Bengal. His successor. Dharmapala , 770-781, made the Palas a dominant power of northern India, installing his own nominee on the once-prestigious throne at Kanauj. but the Palas soon were threatened by the Pratiharas of central India and gained respite from attacks only because the of a threat to the Pratiharas from another foreign power, Rashtrakutas of the Deccan.
Under Devapala, 810-850, the Palas were able to regain their eminence against both the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas. Devapala's successors were peaceful men, either by disposition or circumstance, and after 860 the Pala empire disintegrated. In addition to the depredations of their northern Indian rivals, the Pals also suffered an invasion by the Chola Rajendra I in 1023. Pala fortunes were revived briefly by Rampala 1077-1120, but by the middle of the 12th century the Pala kingdom had succumbed to the rising power of the Senas.
The Palas, adherents to Mahayana Buddhism, were generous patrons of Buddhist temples and the famous universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. It was through their missionaries that Buddhism was finally established in Tibet. The celebrated Buddhist monk Atisha 981-1054, who reformed Tibetan Buddhism, was the president of the Vikramashila monastery. the Palas also maintained cordial relations with the Hindu-Buddhist state of the Shailendras of Sumatra and Java.
Under Pala patronage a distinctive school of art arose, of which many noteworthy sculptures in stone and metal survive.. | <urn:uuid:4f7fbc5f-a09b-499b-8f9d-8375c37b9abf> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | https://www.lotussculpture.com/pala.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818690016.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20170924115333-20170924135333-00624.warc.gz | en | 0.967433 | 468 | 3.703125 | 4 |
The walnut caterpillar is capable of stripping pecan trees of their leaves, but damage to the orchard may depend on when the pest infestations takes place.
Dr. Charles Allen, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist, San Angelo, says he and his colleagues from Central and South Texas have been getting numerous reports over the past few weeks of pecan trees suddenly being denuded. Walnut caterpillars may be the culprit.
“Walnut caterpillars are often mistaken for webworms, but they don’t make a web, though they do a lot of the same things,” Allen says. “They typically hit our region in the fall and are capable of defoliating whole trees.
“That sounds pretty bad and it can be, or maybe not,” he said.
These caterpillars are fairly large, up to an inch or more long, dark colored with lines down the body, and they are very fuzzy or actually hairy. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of pecan, hickory and walnut trees, which are all closely related. The eggs are laid next to each other and are bright white and reflective.
When the larvae hatch, they feed in a group for several days. The tree may look perfect with just a limb or two eaten bare, which Allen says is not a major issue. But if the tree has lots of egg clusters, chances are it will soon have lots of caterpillars and more defoliation. Even then, the fall season—when they usually hit Central Texas—may be the saving grace.
DEFOLIATION A CONCERN
“Major defoliation is always a concern, but depending on the time of the year, may not be a big problem for the tree,” he says. “Before you risk falling off your roof trying to spray the culprits, remember we’re getting to the point where it may not be as big an issue as it looks.
“That’s because the leaves become less and less functional as we move further into fall. They’re going to start falling before long anyway, so it’s not going to hurt the tree if it loses its leaves as we go further into the fall, say mid- to late October for the central part of the state. We’re getting close to that point right now, so you may not need to do anything to control the caterpillars.”
For those who want to apply some level of control, Allen recommends taking advantage of the caterpillar’ habits. As the caterpillars mature, they move down the trunk of the tree, making them easier to spray.
“You can treat the caterpillars as they reach the rough bark on the trunk,” he says. “That’s a whole lot easier than trying to treat the whole tree.”
Hose-end sprayers using a contact insecticide approved for walnut caterpillars are very effective, he says, though the rate of delivery and other label information should be closely adhered to.
“Caterpillar damage is mostly an issue of aesthetics at this point because the pecan crop is pretty much made,” he says. “At this time of year, the leaves are producing food that goes back to the roots where it’s stored and will be used next spring to push the buds and make the leaves.
“That’s really the biggest concern about major defoliation now; it’s that energy storage component. But at this time, those leaves are storing less and less energy, and since the nuts are mature, in mid-fall, the food produced by the leaves is not going to the nuts themselves, but rather the tree’s roots.
“A good way to scout for impending populations is to go out at night and shine a flashlight into the tree, and those white egg masses will really shine,” Allen says. “So you can tell at night whether you have an egg-lay or not. After the eggs have hatched, typically the caterpillars clump up on a few leaves and as they get a little older, they’ll spread out from there.
“They are not poisonous and they don’t sting,” he adds. “They are interesting because they react to any perceived threat by raising their heads and tails and wiggling threateningly, but it’s all just for show.”
The caterpillars eventually metamorph into a distinctive, rather large brown-patterned moth.
“Having the caterpillars is an annual thing, but it’s not an annual thing everywhere,” he says. “It tends to be pretty sporadic in this part of the world. Closer to the Gulf Coast, it’s more common every year. Fort Bend County, southwest of Houston, seems to be where they show up every year in pretty high numbers, but not so much in other parts of Texas.
“So if you must have a pest, this is not a bad pest to have, most of the time, because it attacks late in the season when the leaves are about to lose their utility. And whether you do or don’t take action to control them, it doesn’t make much difference one way or the other when they occur late. As each day passes from now through the end of October, those leaves are less and less valuable to the tree and most of the food storage we are looking for has already happened.”
Source: Steve Byrns, Southwest Farm Press
PM-19-048 WFRP Plan of Insurance Modifications for 2020August 30, 2019
USDA Resources Available for Farmers Hurt by 2018-2019 DisastersSeptember 9, 2019
PM-19-049 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage and Apiculture Modifications for 2020September 3, 2019
Strong Claims Response Helps Farmers Deal with Tough SpringSeptember 4, 2019
Hemp Crop Insurance Coverage Available for 2020August 28, 2019 | <urn:uuid:3c307f5b-b9b9-4fc3-a6fe-c6e5710f9c95> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | https://www.proag.com/news/walnut-caterpillars-denuding-texas-pecans/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514573908.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20190920071824-20190920093824-00205.warc.gz | en | 0.949586 | 1,277 | 2.6875 | 3 |
What can survive being frozen at just above absolute zero, and sitting in boiling water? What about getting thrown out into space and surviving life in an oxygen-free vacuum with intense solar UV radiation for at least 10 days? It’s the amazing tardigrade! The tardigrade is a tiny, 1 millimeter-long organism that can survive a variety of extreme conditions (conditions that would kill most organisms on Earth), which technically makes it a polyextremophile. Tardigrades (which means “slow-walkers”) are also called waterbears or moss piglets because of their rather adorable appearance and lifestyle; they waddle their barrel-shaped bodies around on eight legs, which have 4 to 8 claws at the ends of each, and spend their days usually sucking liquids out of lichens, mosses, or bacteria.
Although their tiny size is similar to that of unicellular organisms, tardigrades are actually multicellular animals (sometimes having an impressive 40,000 cells). The 1,000-plus species that can be found all over the world today are thought to have their evolutionary origins some 530 million years ago, around when the first trilobites lived, and a few hundred million years before the dinosaurs. The group that they’re most closely related to is the arthropods, which includes insects, spiders, and crustaceans. But they’re clearly rather different from this group.
Tardigrades can also make fascinating lab subjects or even pets. It’s pretty straight-forward to collect, investigate, and grow tardigrades from the wild, where they’re often found on lichen or moss. Alternatively, they can be purchased from online biological suppliers. And only a simple, low-powered microscope is needed to observe them.
So, if you’re looking for a low-maintenance pet that doesn’t take up much space, can tolerate neglect and extreme conditions, and has impressive abilities to show off to friends, consider the amazing tardigrade!
For further reading: | <urn:uuid:b35d4844-0f12-4a2f-8a51-47ab87a4f7c3> | CC-MAIN-2021-39 | http://www.biology-bytes.com/tardigrade/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-39/segments/1631780057371.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20210922163121-20210922193121-00601.warc.gz | en | 0.94878 | 434 | 3.53125 | 4 |
1913 – Fighting breaks out when sheriff’s deputies attempt to arrest Wobbly leader Richie “Blackie” Ford as he addressed striking field workers at the Durst Ranch in Wheatland, Calif. Four people died, including the local district attorney, a deputy and two workers. Despite the lack of evidence against them, Ford and another strike leader were found guilty of murder by a 12-member jury that included eight farmers.
1986 – Florence Reece dies in Knoxville, Tenn., at 86. She was a Mine Workers union activist and author of “Which Side Are You On?,” written after her home was ransacked by Harlan County Sheriff J.H. Blair and his thugs during a 1931 strike.
1981 – Some 15,000 air traffic controllers strike. President Reagan threatens to fire any who do not return to work within 48 hours, saying they “have forfeited their jobs” if they do not. Most stay out, and are fired Aug. 5.
1876 – The Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers is formed. It partnered with the Steel Workers Organizing Committee, CIO in 1935; both organizations disbanded in 1942 to form the new United Steelworkers.
1919 – An estimated 15,000 silk workers strike in Paterson, N.J., for 44-hour week.
1997 – Nearly 185,000 Teamsters begin what is to become a successful 15-day strike at United Parcel Service over excessive use of part-timers.
1931 – Using clubs, police rout 1,500 jobless men who had stormed the plant of the Fruit Growers Express Co. in Indiana Harbor, Ind., demanding jobs.
1949 – Thirteen fire fighters, including 12 smokejumpers who parachuted in to help their coworkers, die while battling a forest fire at Gates of the Mountain, Mont.
1993 – The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) took effect today. The first law signed by President Clinton, it allows many workers time off each year due to serious health conditions or to care for a family member.
2011 – Some 45,000 CWA and IBEW-represented workers at Verizon begin what is to be a two-week strike, refusing to accept more than 100 concession demands by the telecommunications giant.
1894 – Eugene Debs and three other trade unionists arrested after Pullman Strike.
1919 – Actors Equity is recognized by producers after stagehands honor their picket lines, shutting down almost every professional stage production in the country. Before unionizing, it was common practice for actors to pay for their own costumes, rehearse long hours without pay, and be fired without notice.
1983 – Some 675,000 employees struck ATT Corp. over wages, job security, pension plan changes and better health insurance. It was the last time CWA negotiated at one table for all its Bell System members: divestiture came a few months later. The strike was won after 22 days.
1988 – Television writers, members of The Writers Guild of America, end a 22-week strike with a compromise settlement.
2018 – Missouri voters go to the polls to overwhelmingly overturn a “Right-to-Work” measure approved by the state’s Republican legislature and governor in February, 18 months earlier.
1902 – Delegates to the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly elect 35-year-old Charles James, leader of the Boot and Shoe Workers local union, as their president. He was the first African-American elected to that leadership post in St. Paul, and, many believe, the first anywhere in the nation.
1903 – Cripple Creek, Colo., miners strike begins.
1994 – Cesar Chavez is posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, becoming the first Mexican-American ever to receive the honor.
1890 – Knights of Labor strike New York Central railroad, ultimately to be defeated by scabbing.
1927 – Nine men and one woman meet in Oakland, Calif., to form what was to become the 230,000-member California School Employees Association, representing school support staff throughout the state.
1965 – A fire and resultant loss of oxygen when a high pressure hydraulic line was cut with a torch in a Titan missile silo near Searcy, Ark., kills 53 people, mostly civilian repairmen.
1998 – Some 73,000 Bell Atlantic workers end a successful two-day strike over wages and limits on contracting out of work.
(Compiled by David Prosten, founder Union Communication Services) | <urn:uuid:27764e32-c781-4d50-89a8-98e079e20b72> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://labortribune.com/this-week-in-labor-history-august-3-9/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323584567.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20211016105157-20211016135157-00445.warc.gz | en | 0.959758 | 942 | 2.734375 | 3 |
You may not have symptoms if MDS is in early stages. But, they will appear as the disease worsens.
If you do have any of these, do not think it is because of MDS. Other, less serious conditions can cause these problems. But, you should still talk to your doctor about them. Finding and treating the cause early will improve the chances for a cure.
MDS symptoms are mainly related to the low numbers of a certain blood cell type. Each blood cell has a certain function in the body. If they are not in a normal range, it may cause problems.
A drop in the number of normal red blood cells is called anemia. This lowers the amount of oxygen reaching the body's tissues. This can lead to:
A drop in the number of normal white blood cells makes it harder for the body to fight infection and may lead to:
A drop in the number of normal platelets makes it harder for blood to clot. If the blood does not clot, even small injuries can lead to severe bleeding. Problems may include:
General information about myelodysplastic syndromes. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/myeloproliferative/patient/myelodysplastic-treatment-pdq#_1. Updated June 14, 2018. Accessed March 14, 2019.
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114054/Myelodysplastic-syndrome-MDS. Updated October 15, 2018. Accessed March 14, 2019.
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Merck Manual Professional Version website Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology-and-oncology/leukemias/myelodysplastic-syndrome-mds. Updated December 2018. Accessed March 14, 2019.
Signs and symptoms of myeloysplastic syndromes. American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/myelodysplastic-syndrome/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html. Updated January 22, 2018. Accessed March 14, 2019.
Understanding MDS. MDS Foundation website. Available at: https://www.mds-foundation.org/what-is-mds. Accessed March 14, 2019.
Last reviewed December 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP Last Updated: 3/14/2019 | <urn:uuid:8b2e9ee1-a721-4cff-a36b-b5cc673c3021> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=3d2911e7-5b1e-46f2-96a2-ee479a3d0843&chunkiid=32723 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100739.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20231208081124-20231208111124-00890.warc.gz | en | 0.906316 | 573 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Charlie Evans (2018) wrote a great article about the science of emotions and I’ve borrowed the following chart, The chemistry of emotions. The chart explains how different parts of the brain are responsible for different moods, or activate parts of the brain that trigger the stimulation of the autonomic nervous system.
While it’s a scientific explanation, I think the chart is self-explanatory so don’t be afraid of the big words like Noradrenaline and Acetylcholine.
Now let’s look at a neurological description. Lenzen (2005) conducted an interview with noted neurologist Antonio R. Damasio and I’d like to share the following excerpts with you.
Damasio was asked if he differentiated between feelings and emotions.
Yes. In everyday language we often use the terms interchangeably. This shows how closely connected emotions are with feelings. But for neuroscience, emotions are more or less the complex reactions the body has to certain stimuli.
When we are afraid of something, our hearts begin to race, our mouths become dry, our skin turns pale and our muscles contract. This emotional reaction occurs automatically and unconsciously.
Feelings occur after we become aware in our brain of such physical changes; only then do we experience the feeling of fear.
So, feelings are formed by emotions?
Yes. The brain is constantly receiving signals from the body, registering what is going on inside of us. It then processes the signals in neural maps, which it then compiles in the so-called somatosensory centers.
Feelings occur when the maps are read and it becomes apparent that emotional changes have been recorded—as snapshots of our physical state, so to speak.
What are emotions?
We all like to think we know our own emotions and that we can perceive other people’s emotions. But despite this belief, experts in this field have a great deal of difficulty coming to any agreement about what emotions really are. The thing that everyone does agree on is that emotions are the source of our greatest pleasures and our greatest pains. And when we have problems in life we often refer to them as emotional problems.
Some common positive emotions include:
A few of the most commonly felt negative emotions are:
Do you think we need both?
Look back over the list of sample negative emotions. Do you want to feel any of those emotions? You probably don’t, and it’s no wonder! It doesn’t feel good to experience any of those emotions.
We all know for sure that we need positive emotions to function effectively, grow, and thrive.
So if it’s basically universally unpleasant for us to experience negative emotions and universally pleasant and desirable to experience positive emotions, do we actually need the negative ones at all?
As it turns out, yes!
Although they are not pleasant to experience, they’re necessary for two big reasons:
- Negative emotions give us a counterpoint to positive emotions; without the negative, would the positive emotions still feel as good?
- Negative emotions serve evolutionary purposes, encouraging us to act in ways that boost our chances of survival and help us grow and develop as people. (Ackerman 2019)
Through years of studying emotions, American psychologist Dr. Robert Plutchik proposed that there are eight primary emotions that serve as the foundation for all others: joy, sadness, acceptance, disgust, fear, anger, surprise and anticipation. (Pollack, 2016).
Each primary emotion has a polar opposite, so that:
- Joy is the opposite of Sadness
- Fear is the opposite of Anger
- Anticipation is the opposite of Surprise
- Disgust is the opposite of Trust
Can you guess how many emotions a human can experience? It’s around 34,000. (You read that correctly).
So while it’s hard to understand all 34,000 distinct emotions, we can learn how to identify the primary emotions and act accordingly. It’s especially useful for moments of intense feeling and when the mind cannot remain objective as it operates from an impulsive of a “fight or flight” response (Watkins, 2014).
Karimova (2019) suggests that emotions influence our actions in five main ways, which we outline here:
1- Emotion Component. This is where an individual simply experiences the feelings. It’s about monitoring the internal universe and recognizing what is being experienced at that time.
2- Action Tendency Component. Once the emotion is identified, the body moves into action. Emotions bestow certain actions instead of others, which means that while some are beyond our control (and thankfully so), like pulling your hand away from a hot iron, others are within our control, facing the fear to continue with a speech or a presentation.
3- Appraisal Component. By cognitively analyzing the emotion, the individual is able to pick up on the situations, actions, environments, or individuals that are causing the emotion. This aids the individual in tracking how these stimuli impact their well-being. It’s also invaluable for helping communicate the state of our internal world with others.
4- Motor Component. This is the communicative function of how we express what we are experiencing (facial expressions, hand gestures, body movements, etc.). So it is extremely important on the inter-individual level, as well as that of the individual.
5- Physiological Component. This component supports all others and is the chemical reaction that our body experiences. For instance, the rush of blood flow to the hands occurs when one experiences the emotion of anger.
While the components of the emotions we feel are present in all individuals, the intensity and expression of these emotions differ from one person to another. There are also social factors like gender, culture, and race, that influence why people may feel emotions differently despite similar situations.
What are feelings?
You can see there’s a big crossover between the two — emotions and feelings and people will use them interchangeably. However,
What’s important is understanding our own emotions and feelings; learn to name them. Lots of us tend to say “I’m hurt” or “I’m angry”. But look at all the other words that would convey our feelings much more appropriately i.e. “I feel rejected” or “I feel irritated”.
Understanding will help us build better relationships with our families, friends, colleagues and patients or students. That’s because being aware of our emotions can help us talk about feelings more clearly, avoid or resolve conflicts better, and move past difficult feelings more easily.
If you do have strong negative feelings, perhaps after an argument, it’s much easier for the other person to accept “I feel really hurt by what you’ve just said” rather than “You really hurt me”. Which one sounds better?
Think about it — “You really hurt me.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Yes you did….. you said……” and on the argument goes……
No one can argue with your feelings – they’re your feeling, name them and own them, rightly or wrongly in someone else’s opinion. They can’t tell you “No you don’t feel……”
If you have small children, teach them to understand and express their negative feelings. Give them a page of emoticons and ask them to point at the one that they are feeling each day i.e. upset face, agitated or confused. Accept that this is their feeling.
It made me smile when my sons were small and the little one would say to his big brother “I feel really upstet when you won’t let me play with your toys”. The eldest would say “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upstet you. Here, you can play with this”.
Which explanation do you think better explains emotions and feelings, chemical or neurological, maybe both? Did you learn anything that you didn’t already know? Tell me if I’ve missed anything.
- Ackerman. E. What are Positive and Negative Emotions and Do We Need Both? Positivepsychology.com
- Evans. C. How it works daily (2018). Scientific American Mind
- Evans. C. This article was originally published with the title “Feeling Our Emotions” in SA Mind 16, 1, 14-15 (April 2005). doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind0405-14
- Karimova. H. (2019) The Emotion Wheel: What It Is and How to Use It. Positivepsychology.com
- Lenzen. M. (2005) Feeling our emotions. Scientific American Mind. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/feeling-our-emotions/
- Pollack, D. (2015, November 12). Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions Cheat Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.cheatography.com/davidpol/cheat-sheets/plutchik-s-wheel-of-emotions/pdf/
- Watkins, A. (2014). How Controlling Your Emotional Responses Can Improve Your Performance at Work. Retrieved from https://trainingmag.com/how-controlling-your-emotional-responses-can-improve-your-performance-work | <urn:uuid:d8470d42-ddc3-4905-9ab7-7934ff2808f6> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://mentalhealthfromtheotherside.com/2020/01/18/the-ultimate-guide-to-understanding-emotions-and-feelings/?like_comment=812&_wpnonce=13888e0fc0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347390437.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20200525223929-20200526013929-00311.warc.gz | en | 0.93411 | 1,991 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Myofascial cupping: The “new” ancient therapeutic techniqueJune 28, 2019 | by Erik Yuill
Three summers ago during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, I was consistently asked the same question: “What are those purple marks all over the athlete’s bodies?”
The most notable athlete mentioned was American swimmer and greatest Olympian of all time Michael Phelps. Media coverage at the time questioned the appearance of symmetrical spherical bruises on his shoulders and back. I was even asked to do a quick interview for the local news about the scientific evidence behind this “new” therapy technique.
These marks were caused, not by a cutting-edge form of athletic therapy, but by an ancient technique practiced for thousands of years: cupping – for which there was very little research from an athletic performance stand point. That has changed slightly in recent years, with a few brave authors attempting to investigate a mechanism for how cupping might help athletes jump higher, run faster and throw further.
This article will explore a bit of that research and why cupping might be an effective treatment technique for athletes.
WHAT IS CUPPING?
First, what is cupping?
Cupping technique, or myofascial cupping as it is commonly called, has been a technique practiced consistently in the traditional medical systems of Asia, the Middle East and Europe for hundreds, if not thousands, of years1-3. Its historical use can be referred back as far as 3300 BC1.
There are two main forms4 of cupping:
- Dry cupping – performed by applying the cup to selected body parts and creating suction against the skin by heat or manual pressure2.
- Wet cupping – incisions are made on the skin before cups are applied, and blood that is thought to be congested, toxic or stagnant is eliminated from the body by drawing it into the cup1.
Both forms use cups that can be made out of a variety of materials including glass, plastic, rubber, silicone or bamboo.
The neck, back, shoulders, chest, abdomen and limbs are areas commonly treated given the supply of numerous large muscle groups3. Once suction has been achieved, the cup can be moved in quick, rhythmic strokes over the muscles3,4 . Alternatively, the cup can be applied to the skin of these areas and left in place for 3 to 5 minutes.
The number of cups varies from patient to patient depending on their size and the specific condition being treated. In total, a cupping session could take about 20 to 45 minutes4.
The after effects of cupping include redness, swelling and bruising in characteristic circular patterns. These local skin changes will subside within a few weeks3.
The technique is often performed in conjunction with other therapies such as massage, acupuncture, herbal medicine and therapeutic techniques like electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and laser2.
For the purposes of this article we will focus on dry cupping.
Dry cupping therapy has been shown to be beneficial for several musculoskeletal conditions including low back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis1.
The main reasons practitioners perform cupping is it increases local blood circulation which promotes cellular repair, improves immunity and decreases pain1-4.
More specifically, it is known that local vasodilation (the dilatation of blood vessels to decrease blood pressure) and microcirculation improve significantly after cupping1. These local modifications along with mechanical stresses to the skin, could create signals that ultimately result in full body changes of hormone expression and pain control2.
Suffice it to say, cupping technique is a complex therapy with multidimensional influences and several possible benefits.
CUPPING AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
So, how does this translate to the athlete?
Over the past few years, there has been growing interest from diverse athletic populations that seek to capitalize on cupping to enhance athletic performance and improve recovery.
Cupping aids muscular regeneration and improves pain, which is beneficial to athletic performance while undergoing treatment and recovery. For example, some research has shown cupping to be beneficial in soccer players for low back and hip pain1.
Beyond this, the most common benefits reported include improved ranges of motion (ROM) and reduced blood markers of training induced tissue damage1.
Cupping was shown to decrease creatine kinase (CK) concentrations several hours post treatment. CK is an enzyme released into the blood when muscles are damaged, and thus low levels infer a potential state of muscle recovery and readiness to train again. Decreased CK following cupping is assumed to represent improved muscle regeneration and shorted time to readiness for repeated training1.
It’s important to remember that scientific evidence on the use of cupping by athletic populations is limited, especially when considering the potential benefits and suggested mechanisms. Currently no recommendation for or against cupping can be made based solely on literature.
However, that will not stop many athletes from looking for a potential advantage.
Fortius client, Athletics Canada national team member and winner of the 2019 Vancouver Sun Run Justin Kent, uses myofascial cupping as part of his personal recovery strategy to help avoid injury during heavy training periods that see him running upwards of 120 km in a week.
When asked, he said: “I use cupping as part of my home maintenance program to try and help relax sticky and hard to release areas on my legs and hips”.
It is also important that those who are delivering the technique follow appropriate guidelines and hygiene precautions to control for preventable adverse side effects. Myofascial cupping therapy is not suggested for special patient groups such as pediatrics, geriatrics, pregnancy and hemophilia3.
CUPPING AT FORTIUS
At Fortius Sport & Health, myofascial cupping is widely accessible and provided by chiropractors, registered massage therapists, and physiotherapists.
All therapy providers take care to avoid unwanted outcomes with every therapeutic technique used.
- Bridgett et al. Effects of Cupping Therapy in Amateur and Professional Athletes: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. 2018.
- Aboushanab et al. Cupping Therapy: An Overview from a Modern Medicine Perspective. 2018.
- Mehta et al. Cupping Therapy: A Prudent Remedy for a Plethora of Medical Ailments. 2015
- Al-Bedah et al. The Medical Perspective of Cupping Therapy: Effects and Mechanisms of Action. 2019 | <urn:uuid:6a780001-a995-4b81-b3aa-342c513e4821> | CC-MAIN-2019-47 | https://www.fortiussport.com/news/myofascial-cupping-the-new-ancient-therapeutic-technique/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-47/segments/1573496664567.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20191112024224-20191112052224-00209.warc.gz | en | 0.94359 | 1,351 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Scientists tested coconut oil against Streptococcus mutans – a sugar-loving bacterium that clings to teeth and produces acid causing them to rot. When the oil was treated with digestive enzymes it became a powerful killer of the bug.
It paves the way for toothpastes and mouthwashes containing coconut as an active ingredient. Lead researcher Dr Damien Brady, of the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, said: ‘Dental caries is a commonly overlooked health problem affecting 60 to 90 per cent of children and the majority of adults in industrialised countries.
‘Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations.’
He added that his findings could prove to be important considering the problem of bugs’ increasing resistance to many existing antibiotic treatments.Dr Brady’s experiments were inspired by previous research showing that partially digested milk made S. mutans less likely to stick to tooth enamel.He said: ‘Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity.
‘This could have implications for how bacteria colonise the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health.’ He now plans to check if the enzyme-treated coconut oil has any other killer qualities.Tests already suggest it combats Candida albicans, which causes thrush, the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn conference heard. | <urn:uuid:0133421b-250d-49fd-9133-f1a8d72475d1> | CC-MAIN-2018-13 | http://namesake-expert.blogspot.com/2012/09/coconut-oil-toothpaste.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-13/segments/1521257645824.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20180318145821-20180318165821-00456.warc.gz | en | 0.94513 | 304 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Compiled in 940 at the court of the kingdom of Shu, the Huajian ji is the earliest extant collection of song lyrics by literati poets. The collection has traditionally been studied as the precursor to the lyrics of the Song dynasty, or in terms of what it contributed to the later development of the genre. But scholars have rarely examined the work as an anthology, and have more often focused on the work of individual poets and their respective contributions to the genre.
In this book, Anna Shields examines the influence of court culture on the creation of the anthology and the significance of imitation and convention in its lyrics. Shields suggests that by considering the Huajian ji only in terms of its contributions to a later “model,” we unnecessarily limit ourselves to a single literary form, and risk overlooking the broader influence of Tang culture on the Huajian ji. By illuminating the historical and literary contexts of the anthology, the author aims to situate the Huajian ji within larger questions of Chinese literary history, particularly the influence of cultural forces on the emergence of genres and the development of romantic literature. | <urn:uuid:4084a2dc-72de-4b4d-9002-ee091245bf4c> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674021426 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218189802.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212949-00629-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948501 | 227 | 2.515625 | 3 |
is less accessible than the east as the land becomes wooded and mountainous, rising to several peaks over 8,000 feet, along the continental divide, yet here are found some of the best volcanic features, including a chain of over 25 cinder cones (mostly within the adjacent El Malpais National Conservation Area), and remnants of a lava cave system 17 miles long, originating from Bandera Crater. Part of this is known as the
, reached by a seven mile drive on unpaved forest tracks followed by a short hike across the lava flow; the trail leads to two caves (Big Skylight and Four Windows), both quite extensive and containing permanent ice formations, plus a series of lava bridges over a collapsed portion of the cave. The Big Tubes area is remote, undeveloped and very little visited but there is enough to see for at least half a day, if all the passageways are explored fully. The longest cave is about a quarter of a mile, and the NPS recommends that anyone exploring underground needs a hard hat, gloves and three light sources, though as caves go, these are relatively easy to follow.
Map of the Big Tubes area
The unpaved road to the Big Tubes is covered by snow in winter and is generally not passable in spring until all has melted and the ground has dried; the surface is soft soil that becomes deeply rutted if driven over when wet. If dry, the route is usually fine for all vehicles though high clearance may still be required. The road forks south from NM 53 just west of the Bandera Ice Cave and is signposted as the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway
(county road 42); this crosses sparsely forested land, alongside the lava flow for a while then back into the woods. A junction with the Big Tubes Road
is reached after 4.5 miles - a narrower but less traveled track, so also less rutted, which passes more ponderosa pine/Douglas fir woodland on the lower slopes of the Cerro Rendija crater for 2.8 miles to the small parking area at the trailhead. This has rest rooms, an information board and trail map, and would be a good, peaceful place to camp, as so few people visit. The track continues south and becomes much rougher as it crosses part of the lava, leading to Hole-in-the-Wall (an elevated, wooded plateau surrounded by lava), in the West Malpais Wilderness
The parking area is right at the edge of the lava field, here quite irregular and not much overgrown - scattered aspen, pinyon pine, juniper, bushes and echinocereus
cacti grow on the rocks but most of the surface is uncovered and quite black in color, or reddish lower down in crevices. The path to the tubes heads due east, marked by cairns of lava blocks at closely spaced intervals every 30 feet or so, hence the route is quite easy to follow. A sign after 0.3 miles marks a junction from where three routes branch off to the south (Seven Bridges), east (Four Windows Cave) and north (Big Skylight Cave) - all just a few minutes walk away.
Seven Bridges is a deep, mostly collapsed lava tube with a number of short sections of roof that have remained intact. Some of the bridges are many feet thick, have full size ponderosa pine trees growing on top, and are up to 50 feet above the floor of the tube, which is covered by huge broken boulders and bordered by sheer walls, though with various places where it is possible to climb down and walk under the bridges. The south end of the tube descends into a short cave which retains snow and icicles well into summer.
Four Windows Cave
Named because of the small openings in the roof near the main entrance, Four Windows Cave extends a short distance south but a long way north, and some parts have smooth walls and floor, not partially buried under fallen boulders as is often the case. Near the entrance is a small moss garden, sustained by short-lived shafts of sunlight, roped off to protect the delicate plants and insects who live there. The cave deepens northwards, down a slope of lava blocks to the original floor level, where flow patterns from the lava can still be seen. Several narrower side passages join, also smooth-walled. Icicles are often present near the entrance, and deep into the cave is a beautiful (seasonal) stalagmite garden, containing dozens of rounded ice formations covering the cave floor from wall to wall.
Big Skylight Cave
The largest and deepest cavern is entered just north of the trail junction - Big Skylight Cave extends southwards from the opening, starting with a section filled with broken lava blocks underneath a circular roof opening - the Skylight - and bordered by vertical walls crossed by well-defined ledges, remnants of differing levels of the lava flow. Further along, the cave becomes very tall, with a domed ceiling high above the floor which remains carpeted by boulders. The main passage forks near the end and both branches continue to deepen, while other smaller tubes join from both sides, at different levels; a little climbing is necessary to get in. Some parts have ice formations but these are not as extensive as in Four Windows Cave. Back above ground, the northwards section of the lava tube has completely caved in, forming a long, curving ravine (Caterpillar Collapse
), viewable from another branch of the trail. | <urn:uuid:e3e3449e-cc98-4e1c-88d7-8aabf9640eb0> | CC-MAIN-2016-40 | http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/el_malpais_lavabeds/big-tubes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-40/segments/1474738661555.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20160924173741-00119-ip-10-143-35-109.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957143 | 1,142 | 2.703125 | 3 |
What is Deuterium?
Deuterium is one of three forms (or isotopes) of hydrogen – the others being protium and tritium.
The nucleus (core) of a deuterium atom has one proton and one neutron which doubles the mass of the hydrogen atom, making it twice as heavy. For every 1,000,000 atoms of hydrogen, there are 150 atoms of deuterium bound to oxygen, to form water.
When we drink 1 litre of everyday drinking water, we ingest around 150 ppm, or about 33 milligrams, of pure deuterium. And because deuterium fits anywhere hydrogen can, it is present in everything we eat or drink, and in our bodies.
So, what exactly is Deuterium-Depleted water (DDW)?
It is well documented that deuterium is harmful for biological processes and life. Higher deuterium levels can increase the likelihood of obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The level of deuterium present in most natural waters on Earth is in the range of 150 ppm (parts per million). HtoEau® DDW contains just 50ppm per litre, meaning that we have reduced the deuterium content significantly by a multi-stage filtration process. This ‘light water’ (as it is sometimes referred to), can offer multiple health benefits, by reducing deuterium levels within our cells overall.
Is DDW safe?
Absolutely! There are no reported side effects of reducing the deuterium levels in our bodies, only benefits.
What is so great about HtoEau® DDW, as opposed to ‘normal’ water?
Our ability to deplete deuterium decreases with various factors, such as age, illness, poor lifestyle and diet. Drinking DDW daily can be more effective, for example, than following a low-deuterium diet, in helping to reduce the negative effect these factors have on us. For example, by improving tissue oxygenation, balancing blood glucose levels, decreasing deuterium-induced DNA damage and improving production and repair to our mitochondria (known as the power-house of our cells), to name a few!
Other benefits can include:
- Improvement of energy levels and general well-being
- Boosted metabolism as deuterium levels are lowered
- Increase in VO2 max at less intensity of exercise
- Ability to withstand oxidative stress (ROS)
- Reduced lactic acid and faster recovery from exercise
- Acts as an antioxidant
- Optimised mitochondrial repair
- Targets and neutralises free radicals
How much should I drink?
1-2 litres per day is the optimum amount, but it is fine to drink more if you desire! You can even use it to make hot drinks and in cooking if you are trying to maximise the effects of lowering your deuterium levels.
Do I need to chill it?
You can keep the water in or out of the fridge and it can be consumed chilled, or not!
Does it have a taste?
In short, no! HtoEau® DDW is produced by reverse osmosis filtration and isotopic purification, to lower the undesired deuterium fraction. Low temperature, multi-pass distillation is repeated 50-70 times, and it then undergoes light mineralisation with beneficial electrolytes. This removes any tastes associated with tap water or some mineral waters, so that all you experience is a clean, pure taste.
How long will the deuterium level stay at 50ppm?
The levels of deuterium in our DDW are stable, therefore they will not change after you open the bottle. However, as with any water, we recommend that you finish the bottle within 1-2 days.
What does the research say?
DDW and sports performance recovery and optimisation:
In a study of professional rowers, it was evidential that drinking DDW with 105ppm for 44 days, resulted in improved tissue oxygenation and less tissue anoxia, better mobilisation of glycose and utilisation of glucose, and improved metabolic compensation of load-dependent changes. Subjectively, the group drinking DDW reported feeling increased stamina and improved regeneration and performance. Read the full article here.
DDW and anti-aging and cell regeneration:
A 5-week trial of DDW showed marked reversal of signs of aging, along with other age-related health benefits. Read the study here.
DDW and cancer:
Numerous research papers on differing types of cancer tumours have shown that drinking DDW has been instrumental in reducing tumour size and prolonging the life of cancer patients significantly. Even complete remission was observed in some. Read just a few of the studies here, here and here.
DDW and weight, oxidative stress, inflammation and blood sugar levels:
This study depicts a reduction of oxidative stress and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities in a diet-induced obesity group. The subjects that consumed DDW ad libitum for 3 weeks exhibited lowered bodyweight, and normalisation of glucose, tryptophan and serotonin levels was also observed. Read more here. | <urn:uuid:3482c4c6-0336-4452-8b1f-50a2f59ebf10> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://htoeau.com/da/pages/deuterium-depleted-water | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656104683708.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20220707063442-20220707093442-00757.warc.gz | en | 0.927311 | 1,074 | 3.375 | 3 |
According to Merriam-Webster, superstition is "A belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation." Yet, however silly it seems, superstitions have a surprisingly large following. For example, an estimated 17 million to 21 million people in America are afraid of Friday the 13th, 74% of those in the U.K. say they knock on wood to avoid bad luck, and 13% of Americans cringe at the sight of a black cat.
There might be no scientific base for superstitions but one cannot deny that they have a huge impact on people's lives. For instance, for over 2,400 years, the wishbone from a hen has been used to make wishes. The wishing bone tradition is believed to date back to the Etruscans, an ancient Italian civilization.
According to historians and archaeologists, the Etruscans had chicken in their diet regularly. This ancient civilization also believed that birds can predict the future. They regularly used birds, especially chickens (either dead or alive), during their rituals.
However, they did not break apart the chicken's collarbone like we do today to make a wish. Instead, they kept the wishbone in a safe place and whenever they desired to make a wish, they would stroke the bone while thinking of what they wanted.
When this ancient civilization crossed paths with the Romans, the Romans picked up on this superstition. However, chickens were scarce, and therefore so were the wishbones. People had to resort to cracking the bones in half so there were enough to go around.
This tradition was later adopted by the English and then found its way to the new world, the Americas. Apart from being one of the most entertaining parts of Thanksgiving dinners in the U.S., wishing bones found a place for themselves almost in every culture. Some wear wishbones like jewelry to bring them luck, while some continue to carry one in their pockets. However, there is a catch: In order for your wish to come true, you have to break the wishbone.
Whether a majority of people believe in these kinds of superstitions or not, superstitions spread like an epidemic. So, next time you're eating chicken, maybe it is best to look out for a wishbone to bring good fortune. In the end, it never hurts to be cautious. | <urn:uuid:71e96347-97c5-4ade-85a1-057cd70094b2> | CC-MAIN-2019-39 | https://www.dailysabah.com/life/2019/08/19/superstitions-busted-wishing-on-wishbones | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-39/segments/1568514573264.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20190918085827-20190918111827-00466.warc.gz | en | 0.965479 | 488 | 3 | 3 |
The Dangers of Mixing Ritalin and Alcohol
Ritalin and alcohol are two commonly abused substances that each have their own side effects and risks. People who abuse either substance are at risk for short and long-term health risks, including dependence and addiction.
But what happens when people mix Ritalin and alcohol? Understanding the risks of this dangerous substance combination and knowing how to seek help is essential. This guide will explore the effects of Ritalin and alcohol and how these substances interact in the body. You’ll learn the risk of polysubstance abuse and how to seek life-saving treatment. Reach out to the Elevate Recovery team to learn more about our treatment programs and ongoing recovery support.
What is Ritalin (Methylphenidate)?
Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a prescription stimulant medication used to manage the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). When used as prescribed, Ritalin reduces symptoms of ADHD, including:
- Poor focus and attention
- Impulsive behavior
Ritalin is a Schedule II stimulant drug and must be taken only under careful medical supervision to avoid complications, including addiction. Typically, people who take Ritalin ingest it in pill form. However, some who abuse Ritalin may crush and snort the pills or dissolve the tablet in water and inject it.
While Ritalin can improve symptoms for people living with ADHD, its stimulant effects can be appealing to people without an attention disorder. Some people take Ritalin recreationally–meaning without a prescription–because they want to experience some of this drug’s common effects, including:
- Decreased appetite
- Increased ability to focus
- Heightened alertness
People who abuse Ritalin do not typically obtain the drug legally. Instead, they may steal or purchase the prescription drug from people with a prescription for it. Or, they may invent symptoms to attempt to obtain a prescription for Ritalin.
Teens and young adults are the most common groups who abuse Ritalin. Some may use Ritalin to help them study for longer periods or focus on assignments. While Ritalin is sometimes called a “study drug,” research suggests that people who use it to enhance academic performance typically underperform in school compared to those who do not use Ritalin.
Ritalin abuse sometimes has serious consequences, including overdose. An overdose of Ritalin can cause symptoms that include:
- Fast heartbeat
- Muscle twitching
A Ritalin overdose is a serious medical event that requires immediate intervention and treatment.
The Effects and Risks of Alcohol
Alcohol is legal and widely available in most areas of the United States. However, alcohol abuse can cause severe problems in a person’s social, emotional, and physical health. In the short term, alcohol use may cause:
- Mood changes
- Erratic behavior
- Reduced inhibitions
- Impaired judgment
- Poor coordination
- Slow reaction time
Long-term effects of alcohol abuse include:
- Irregular heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Pancreas disease
- Liver disease
- Increased risk of breast, colon, throat, and other cancers
Research from 2009 showed that nearly one in three substance-related ER visits involved alcohol, and half a million of those visits involved a combination of alcohol and at least one other substance. Mixing alcohol and other substances puts people at risk for serious, sometimes life-threatening complications.
Ritalin and Alcohol: A Dangerous Combination
Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, and Ritalin is a stimulant. People may take Ritalin to counteract the sedating effects of alcohol, allowing them to drink more or for longer periods. This can be dangerous and increases the risk of overdose or severe complications.
Mixing alcohol and other substances can lead to other unpredictable, unwanted effects, including:
- Dangerously elevated heart rate
- Increased anxiety
- Increased self-medication
- High blood pressure
- Mood instability
- Unhealthy sleep patterns
- Higher levels of Ritalin in the bloodstream
Mixing Ritalin and alcohol increases the likelihood of someone developing dependence on it. Ritalin dependence and addiction can be difficult to diagnose and treat, and people usually require professional treatment and ongoing support to overcome it.
The bottom line: although many people who use Ritalin recreationally mix the drug with alcohol, this practice is hazardous and can more quickly lead to complications, including addiction.
The Long-Term Effects of Mixing Ritalin and Alcohol
The short-term effects of mixing Ritalin and alcohol can be severe, but the long-term effects are just as hazardous to your health and well-being. Ritalin’s effects can impact your mood, behaviors, and ability to care for yourself. Here are some of the most significant long-term consequences of mixing Ritalin and alcohol:
- Nutritional deficiencies because of suppressed appetite
- Liver damage from alcohol abuse
- Low energy and motivation
- Severe depression
- Heart disease
- Poor sleep
Mixing Ritalin and alcohol–as well as other forms of polysubstance abuse–requires comprehensive treatment and ongoing care. Don’t wait to get help. The sooner you seek treatment, the better your chances of full recovery. | <urn:uuid:6ab775eb-747b-45a7-a21f-06cabf914044> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://elevaterecoveryma.com/alcohol/with-ritalin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510130.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20230926011608-20230926041608-00091.warc.gz | en | 0.931493 | 1,164 | 2.546875 | 3 |
February 13, 2018 by mrcaseyhistory
Quaestio: How did Tang and Song China have a lasting impact on their neighbors and the wider world?
Since I was out sick again today, I gave you guys the textbook reading and documents relevant to tomorrow’s lesson. That way, tomorrow, we can do notes on what would have been todays lesson and go over the inventions you studied on Monday, and then spend time digging into the documents in groups to peer- and self-assess. You guys should have completed the following in class today…
Cultural Change in Tang and Song China
The Response to Buddhism in China DBQ | <urn:uuid:ad94e601-6b5f-4ed3-9c07-d326de87efac> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://mrcaseyhistory.com/2018/02/13/lesson-tang-and-song-golden-age/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250594391.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20200119093733-20200119121733-00018.warc.gz | en | 0.97478 | 135 | 3.203125 | 3 |
Hieroglyph details... (British Museum drawing)
"The writing of the text is erratic as can be seen in the word idnw and the reversal of the phty-sign in the owner's name."
Even though it's all on the slant, Set's hieroglyph is plainly visible.
It's a small stela, not quite four inches high, but it's in good shape.|
"This stela is one of many dedicated to various deities revered by the workmen of Deir el-Medina. Aapehty was the deputy of the gang of workmen who cut and decorated the royal tombs."
Morris Leonard Bierbrier adds "Stela of Aapahte, son of the foreman Paneb. Aapahte is named as deputy of the gang on this stela; he is shown here in adoration of the god Seth"
(from _The Tomb-Builders of the Pharaohs_, page 37)
"Aapehty may have had a connection with the god since his name means 'great of strength' which is one of Seth's epithets. The cult of Seth was particularly strong on the Eastern Delta border of Egypt. The Nineteenth-Dynasty kings with the name Sety, who came from that area, are named after Seth. | <urn:uuid:ad861630-ab46-4a8e-80f4-844385de4d72> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | http://www.joanlansberry.com/setfind/aapehty.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232256586.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20190521222812-20190522004812-00239.warc.gz | en | 0.960692 | 279 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Takeda Castle is often called “The Castle in the Sky” or the “Machu Picchu of Japan” and it certainly lives up to its name in its beautiful location high in the mountains. The castle is located in the city of Asago in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture, and is rated one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles. The castle is also known as Torafushi-jo (Lying Tiger Castle) due to its layout resembling a lying tiger.
Takeda Castle was first built as Izushi Castle in 1441 by Otagaki Mitsukage, but was abandoned after the great samurai Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, when the last lord of the castle was accused of arson and forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide).
Unfortunately the original castle is no longer standing but an extensive set of ruins remain to be explored. The castle ruins can be found beautifully situated atop a mountain, which is 353 meters above sea level. The ruins are absolutely stunning when the clouds roll in making them appear to be floating in the sky. It is very reminiscent of the famous Hayao Miyazaki movie “Castle in the Sky” and hence the nickname.
The phenomenon occurs in Autumn between September and November when the morning mist and fog forms a sea of clouds on a clear day. The fog is caused by the sharp drop in overnight temperatures experienced at that time of the year between day and night. You cannot always see the natural phenomenon and need to rely on a bit of good old-fashioned luck and the right weather conditions being met.
The scale of the castle ruins is impressive and is approximately 400 meters from north to south and 100 meters from east to west. The ruins contain some extensive stone walls that remain well preserved. It is hard to imagine how they managed the feat of getting all those stones to the top of the mountain without modern day equipment.
If you are visiting the castle ruins remember that you can only reach them via a mountain trail, so wear the appropriate shoes and clothing necessary for the hike up the mountain.
The views from the top of the mountain are impressive with 360 degree panoramic views, and the layout and style of the ruins very reminiscent of the majestic mountain ruins of the Inca site Machu Picchu in Peru.
Some of the best spots to enjoy the amazing view of the castle in the clouds are Ritsuunkyo (in front of the ruins) and the Fujiwa Pass (west side of the ruins).
More and more tourists have been discovering the amazing ruins of Takeda Castle so the number of visitors has been steadily increasing over recent years. Some people try and visit the iconic World Heritage Himeji Castle in the same day as they are not too far apart, but if you have the time, try and spend as much time as you can at Takeda Castle to fully appreciate all that it has to offer. I recommend spending at least 90 minutes checking out the castle ruins at the bare minimum.
Takeda Castle is truly a stunning set of castle ruins in a wonderful location high in the mountains of Hyogo.
Address: 169 Kojozan, Takeda, Wadayama-cho. Asago City, Hyogo
Admission: ¥300 for adults
9 am to 4 pm (March 20 – September 20)
3 am to 4 pm (September 21 – December 10)
Closed: December 11 to March 19
Take the JR Bantan Line from JR Himeji Station to JR Takeda Station. The journey takes around 90 minutes. You can reach the castle ruins after a brisk 40 minute hike to the top of the mountain via a mountain trail. | <urn:uuid:f348c793-d637-4c17-b10d-d8dd75952b9f> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://blog.gaijinpot.com/takeda-castle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656103355949.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20220628050721-20220628080721-00721.warc.gz | en | 0.9605 | 805 | 2.875 | 3 |
NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress
May 06, 2009
Bobby Rampey, Gloria Dion, and Patricia Donahue
National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences
As is typical of the Nation's Report Card, the latest results from the long-term trends (LTT) assessment are a mixed bag. Recall that LTT is not the same as the main NAEP assessment. It measures basically the same knowledge and skills as when first administered in the early 1970s, meaning we can observe changes in student performance over time, while the main NAEP assessment responds more readily to curricular fashions. (Read more about the difference here.) This iteration presents data from 2007-08, comparing them, in particular, to the 2004 administration, as well as over the longer term. Key findings include: average reading scores for 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds are up in reading since 2004, but average math scores are up only for 9- and 13-year-olds. In fact, math scores for 17-year-olds have not budged in 35 years. Still, we need to keep in mind shifting demographics. The country has seen an influx of Hispanic students who generally score well below their white peers. So even though all racial subgroups have made gains over the long term, the national average remains flat. However, achievement gaps appear to be widening in recent years; white 9-year-olds improved their math achievement since 2004, while other groups stagnated. Bottom line, LTT and the main NAEP assessment agree: we continue to do better in reading than math overall. There's been plenty of press as to whether these results should be a feather in NCLB's weathered hat (as former Secretary Spellings argues) or another damning indictment. The real question is whether we can really correlate 2008's LTT with NCLB in the first place. You can find the report here. | <urn:uuid:7f423d33-2145-440c-a28b-9c36bbd52e8e> | CC-MAIN-2015-14 | http://edexcellence.net/commentary/education-gadfly-weekly/2009/may-7/naep-2008-trends-in-academic-progress.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-14/segments/1427131300578.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20150323172140-00094-ip-10-168-14-71.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956313 | 395 | 2.53125 | 3 |
As a child I loved McDonalds. My craving was beyond occasional happy meals but an intense desire and craving for double cheeseburgers. Days without 2 double cheeseburgers, a large fries and XL root beer to wash it down felt like going outside in the winter without a coat. The euphoric feeling of eating McDonalds was so strong I would use my school lunch allowance to ensure I could afford my daily fix of Micky D’s.
My mind was mesmerized by McDonalds. After each meal I was thinking when would be my next, which at one point, had me ramp up to 2 visits a day. I can remember begging my parents until they would bring me. And when they wouldn’t I would skip school and riding my bike just to get my meal I couldn’t live without. My urge for McDonalds grew to became a twice daily routine. I was addicted to McDonalds.
Excess of Anything can be Dangerous
When we think about eating we never associate it with addiction. We typically think drugs, gambling, and alcohol. But why does the “addiction” label get attached to only substances and behaviors that are perceived as bad, illegal or dangerous? Can addiction gets applied to positive and routinely performed behaviors such as exercise, eating, running, working or meditating?
- What makes an addiction good or bad?
- What is the difference between a drug habit and energy drink habit when both have bad long-term consequences?
- Why do we think excessive drugs are abused but burying our heads in cell phones is productivity? Why is excessive work hours OK (which leads to depression, burn-out) when excessively gambling is not?
Addictions, extreme behavioral patterns, are perceived as OK based on the level of social acceptability.
An Addiction is the same thing as Habit
Although addiction is a controversial term with negative connotations but believe the focus on addiction has been occluded by socially built expectations of what is believed to be ‘good’ or ‘bad’. What separates an addiction from a habit? What makes excessive work patterns (burnout) or obsession for healthy eating (orthorexia) justifiable when they result in negative outcomes as well? While certain addictive behaviors (e.g., heroin) have short time periods for negative consequences, any behavior in excess can produce negative health outcomes.
The Positive Side to “Addictive” Behaviors
Anyone who has tried to change and sustain a new behavior knows it is not easy. Most people fail. My personal goal has been closing this gap in the real world. The solution for sustainable change requires building behavioral addictions. In other words, building behaviors that when gone without performing them, you simply don’t feel good. For example, my exercise addiction is so baked into my life when I go 2-3 days without exercise or a run, I “feel off” and can see noticeable shifts in my productivity.
To create long-term behavior change we can addictive tendencies around behavior we want to sustain. For example, clients used to come to me to develop exercise and healthy eating habits when most typically hated exercise or the effort involved in healthy eating. My goal was to create behavioral addictions, where when they were going without exercise or eating healthy they felt “off”.
The Take Aways…
- Addictions are simply just labels (they are no different then habit)
- All behaviors performed in excess will have negative consequences (some faster than others)
- The defining feature of addiction is the unsettling feelings when you are unable to perform the behavior over a period of time. (e.g., if I don’t have my morning coffee, if I go 2 days without exercise)
- Adding the ‘addictive’ force to behaviors can help sustain change, by creating an emotional connection to the behavior where you feel less stable without it. | <urn:uuid:b2472ece-28c6-472d-8269-4024af1402be> | CC-MAIN-2019-51 | https://jasonmartuscello.com/behavior-change/harnessing-healthy-addictions-to-create-sustainable-behavior-change/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-51/segments/1575541288287.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20191214174719-20191214202719-00355.warc.gz | en | 0.959058 | 808 | 2.75 | 3 |
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