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Israel has imposed a closure on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, starting Tuesday midnight and ending midnight on Thursday, after Independence Day.
- Israel Independence Day torch-lighting honors go to 14 ‘civilian heroes’
- Israeli Memorial Day Movies: A Film For Every Conflict
This is a comprehensive step that will restrict the work of about 60,000 Palestinians during Memorial Day and Independence Day.
According to the IDF spokesman, during those days, which are defined as a time of “general closure,” entry into Israel will be permitted only in cases related to humanitarian and health-related issues. That will also require the approval of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
The defense establishment usually imposes a general closure on the territories during major Jewish holidays, mainly during Yom Kippur and Passover. Last Purim, a closure was also imposed. According to a defense establishment source, the decision originated with the political leadership, and was designed to reduce the friction between Palestinians and Israelis.
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The Osa Peninsula juts off southwestern Costa Rica and extends into the Pacific Ocean.
Incredibly, at least half of all species living in Costa Rica can be found here. Corcovado National Park covers about a third of the peninsula and has been called “the most biologically intense place on Earth” by National Geographic. But to really understand what that means, you have to visit.
The Costa Rican government realizes this, and over the past few decades the area’s economy has begun to abandon gold mining and logging for more sustainable (and oftentimes more profitable) industries like ecotourism. Business is booming: more and more visitors travel to this region every year in the hopes of seeing rare wildlife like the endangered Baird’s tapir or the harpy eagle.
They want to see crocodiles, spectacled caiman, and bull sharks swimming in the rivers. They know they can find endangered squirrel monkey, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and sloths up in the trees. And they hope that they’ll glimpse the elusive jaguar, even when they know few longtime residents of the region have ever spotted one.
This winter I was one of those visitors. I flew in a single-engine plane, drove across riverbeds, and hitched a ride in the back of some Ticos’ trucks to get there. It was worth the trip. We saw white-faced capuchins, scrambled up waterfalls, swam with sharks, and watched a thousand bats pour out of a sea cave at dusk.
The Osa Peninsula is unlike any place I’ve been before, and probably unlike any other place that I’ll ever go. But it’s rapidly changing. English-language signs which advertise vacation rentals are becoming commonplace. In town, souvenir shops and tourism offices replace local bars. You can still feel the grit of this former frontier hanging in the air–this place was settled by tough people–but everything has been given a fresh coat of paint. Luckily, paint doesn’t last too long in the jungle.
The biodiversity of the Osa Peninsula is breathtaking, and it’s the reason so many of us travel to the region. In fact, Costa Rica is the most visited nation in Central America. In 1970, when Costa Rica established the National Park Service and began investing in ecotourism, the country’s GDP was about $100 million.
By 2013 Costa Rica’s GDP had risen to almost $50 billion with a whopping 72 percent coming from the service industry. It received 2.42 million foreign visitors that year, and besides our open-mouthed gaping and poor grasp of the Spanish language we bring something with us: money. Each visitor spends an average of $1,000 throughout his/her stay.
And while this influx of foreign money has adverse affects (cost of living rises while wages remain stagnant), good does come from it, too. Ecotourism gives previously impoverished areas a steady stream of capital, which provides the government and its constituents with an incentive to protect land and wildlife.
According to a survey conducted during the peak travel season of 1986 by the ICT (Costa Rican Institute of Tourism), 75 percent of tourists interviewed claimed to have come to Costa Rica because of its natural beauty. A lush, thriving ecosystem is now a valuable commodity. Which sounds like a good thing, right?
The answer is not a simple “yes” or “no”. Land is being protected, which is good, but the quality of that land is undoubtedly diminished by human visitors. When we step into the jungle, we’re disrupting the habits of the very wildlife we’re attempting to see, and whose livelihoods our money is theoretically protecting. Additionally, Costa Rica has no laws in place to regulate ecotourism, which means anyone can claim to run an ecotourism outfit regardless of experience or intentions.
Costa Rica isn’t the only country facing a nature-lover-induced environmental crisis: the United States is having issues of its own. Round River Conservation Studies researched the relationship of wolverine habits and the “growing popularity of winter backcountry recreation” in Wyoming’s previously unreachable public land, and found that any human activity has a negative impact on the lives of these wild animals.
The wolverines in the study moved faster and with an increased frequency on weekends when more humans were present in their habitat. That might seem like a small problem, but for apex predators every calorie counts, and this increased movement stresses an already delicate balance. Large carnivores–like wolverines, jaguars, and pumas–need huge, human-free habitats to thrive, and land untouched by humans just doesn’t exist anymore in the United States, Costa Rica, or almost anywhere else.
Not all species respond to human presence in the same way. While many apex predators flee, other animals acclimate. They become comfortable with us or even glad for our arrival because we bring food. But wild animals who rely on human handouts are in danger of becoming too domesticated. What happens when we leave for the wet season? What happens when humans entering their environment aren’t tourists but poachers?
Outdoor recreation and tourism are listed as the fourth-leading reason that species are threatened or endangered (behind nonnative species, urban growth, and agriculture). This fact is almost enough to make the most enthusiastic nature lover hang up her hiking boots, but it isn’t the whole story. Outdoor recreation and tourism are also a leading reason that land is protected in the first place. Costa Rica initially began to create protected areas due to international pressure to preserve the environment, but the government has continued setting land aside–14 percent of the entire country to date–because national protected areas have also become popular tourist attractions.
For a while, conservation and recreation didn’t oppose one another. But as human populations continue to swell and an untouched wilderness reveals itself as more of an idea than a reality, wildlife doesn’t have anywhere else to go besides publicly-owned lands. Wildlife can attract money and improve people’s lives, as we’ve seen in Costa Rica, but all development comes at a cost. At some point Costa Rica’s parks will reach their carrying capacity of human visitors.
Several large parks in Canada and the United States have begun restricting human access to areas with a high wildlife density. On the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado already heavily limits camping and requires that visitors hire an official guide, both of which are beneficial to wildlife as they reduce human traffic in ecosystems.
None of this is to say that ecotourism is, at its core, an evil institution. It alleviates the risk of environmental degradation and poverty, but provides no long term solutions to the problems it appears to be tackling. Ecotourism is a business that benefits from protecting the environment, but it’s still a business.
Once degraded and overused land translates to less profits, there’s no way to guarantee that these areas will still be considered worth protecting. Ecotourism is obviously preferable to the extractive industries it often replaces, but like any solution to pressing problems, it has flaws.
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JuneteenthJun 19, 2014. Written by Bruce Ormond Grant
Slavery has always been a contradiction in the American cultural matrix. As the United States affirmed its independence and sovereignty, the humanists that were involved in constructing the Declaration of Independence asserted our collective human-centered prerogatives. As such, the Declaration of Independence reads in part that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
In grappling with the need to ensure the viability of the Union, in January 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued The Emancipation Proclamation – a statement of philosophical and political ideology that was not approved by the United States congress. The proclamation assumed limited causality in preserving the Union while upholding the humanitarian clause of the Declaration of Independence. In part, the Emancipation Proclamation denotes: Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit: That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
Interestingly enough, the Emancipation Proclamation was only applicable to states that had seceded from the Union (The Confederate States) – and Texas was one such confederate state.
The end of the Civil War in 1865 did not proffer an end to chattel slavery; in particular, chattel slavery did not find an end in Texas despite the spirit of The Declaration of Independence or the Emancipation Proclamation. As such, federal enforcement of the spirit of the Emancipation Proclamation was deemed necessary and proper. On June 19th, 1865, nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted via presidential decree, Union General Gordon Granger landed on Galveston Bay, Texas with roughly two-thousand Union Troops to enforce the Proclamation. While on Galveston Bay, General Granger read General Order #3 from the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, which stated the following: The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, “all slaves as free.” This involves an absolute equality of personal rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes, and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and that they will not be supported in idleness there or elsewhere.
The ensuing celebration –a full two and half years after The Emancipation Proclamation abolished chattel slavery – by the newly freed men, women and children would serve as the origins of what is called Juneteenth.
Currently, Juneteenth is an annual celebration on June 19th, and it signifies, among other things, the rendering obsolete of slavery in the state of Texas, and generally, the emancipation of blacks or African Americans from slavery (The 13th Amendment to The United States Constitution would formally abolish slavery in the United States). The date of June 19th is marked by special observance or state-holiday status by more than forty-states and the District of Columbia.
June 19th continues to be a day of celebration for African-American freedom, perseverance and achievement in the United States. It is a celebration of the best of humanity; it symbolizes the victory of humanity over the complexities of chattel slavery in the United States. Juneteenth is a reminder that human beings, however conflicted, can find their way to a liberated heart and mind; it is also a constant reminder that freedom is never free.
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Ningxia Rich Resource International Co., Ltd
Anthocyanins are a type of flavonoid, a class of compounds with antioxidant effects. Found naturally in a number of foods, anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their rich coloring. In addition to acting as antioxidants and fighting free radicals, anthocyanins may offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits.
Recent research suggests that anthocyanins may also help fend off major health problems, including heart disease and cancer.
1) Heart Disease
Anthocyanins may enhance heart health, anthocyanins appear to improve cholesterol levels and blood sugar metabolism, as well as fight oxidative stress.
Preliminary research suggests that anthocyanins may protect against obesity.
Anthocyanins may aid in the prevention of breast cancer, according to a laboratory study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2010.
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Note, This article is originally based on the article, Writing Portable Device Drivers published in Linux Journal Embedded by Greg Kroah-Hartman, and has been added here by the original author. Please feel free to update it like any other page on this site.
Almost all Linux kernel device drivers work on more than just one type of processor. This only happens because device-driver writers adhere to a few important rules. These rules include using the proper variable types, not relying on specific memory page sizes, being aware of endian issues with external data, setting up proper data alignment and accessing device memory locations through the proper interface. Here is a list of these rules:
If you follow these different rules when creating a new Linux kernel device driver, or when modifying an existing one, the resulting code will run successfully on a wide range of processors. These rules are also good to remember when debugging a driver that only works on one platform (remember those endian issues).
The most important resource to remember is to look at existing kernel drivers that are known to work on different platforms. One of Linux's strengths is the open access of its code, which provides a powerful learning tool for aspiring driver authors.
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In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed the many dangers that construction workers who work atop scaffolding, ladders and other heights face. In fact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration consistently reports that, among construction workers, fall-related accidents are the leading cause of injury and death. Recently, the criminal indictments of two construction managers and their companies in New York City also shed light on the many dangers facing construction workers who work on excavation and trenching projects.
Statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that an average of 40 construction workers are killed each year in accidents related to trench and excavation cave ins. For a worker who is completing assigned duties in a trench that is 10 feet deep, being struck with even a small amount of falling debris or soil can result in serious injury. To prevent injury and death, OSHA developed safety regulations that construction employers must follow.
OSHA requires that construction employers take steps to protect against cave ins for all trenches that are five or more feet deep. Cave in prevention includes angling the sides of a trench so they slope away from the opening and utilizing hydraulic supports inside a trench’s walls to help stabilize the soil.
Additionally, there are numerous factors that can affect the safety of a trench including the type of soil, use of heavy machinery near a trench and weather. It’s imperative; therefore, that a trench is inspected for signs of instability before and after every work day as well as after it rains.
Construction workers who have suffered injuries or families who have lost a loved one in a trench cave in may choose to take legal action.
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The Most Famous Aircraft Ever Built:
the RAF Supermarine Spitfire
The plane that saved Western Civilization, or helped to, anyway, shown here being built at the main Spitfire factory in Southampton UK in 1941.
A very cool article from the Telegraph of London about the workers who built the Spitfire and about the documentary recently made about these men and women. Over one hundred civilian workers were killed by German bombs when the Supermarine factory was targeted by the Luftwaffe.
From the London Daily Telegraph
The Spitfire factory workers who helped win the Battle of Britain.
The extraordinary story of workers building the aircraft that helped win the Battle of Britain is detailed for the first time in a BBC television documentary. More than 100 were killed by Luftwaffe air raids that flattened the Spitfire factory in Southampton 70 years ago this month.
But despite the loss of their colleagues and the destruction of the city’s Supermarine workshops, employees found alternative sites within weeks and began producing aircraft around the clock. Furniture stores, garages, and even a bus depot were commandeered to allow more fighters to be built as the aerial battle with Germany intensified.
You can read the entire article here:
Spitfire Mark VB, R6923 QJ-S, of No 92 Squadron RAF based at Biggin Hill, Kent, banking towards the photographing aircraft. It was shot down over the sea by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 22 June 1941.
(Photo courtesy of the Imperial War Museum. Posted by author Charles McCain).
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb serial no. AA936.
(thought to be an official RAF photo)
Produced in October 1941, AA936 was one of the early series of Mk. Vs coming from the Supermarine factory. The aircraft had an unusually long combat career serving between November 1941 and August 1944.
The aircraft was lost on 1 August 1944 as the engine cut forced the pilot to ditch off St. Catherine’s Point, Isle of Wight.
A row of Supermarine Spitfire Mark XIVs of No. 130 Squadron RAF, on the ground at B.82/Grave, Holland.
130 Squadron received their Griffon-powered Mk. XIVs two months after D-Day. The new type was immediately put to good use in countering the V1 menace then ravaging Britain.
photo and caption courtesy www.spitfiresite.com
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Menlo Park, Calif. -- Scientists have taken a major step forward in harnessing machine learning to accelerate the design for better batteries: Instead of using it just to speed up scientific analysis by looking for patterns in data, as researchers generally do, they combined it with knowledge gained from experiments and equations guided by physics to discover and explain a process that shortens the lifetimes of fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.
It was the first time this approach, known as "scientific machine learning," has been applied to battery cycling, said Will Chueh, an associate professor at Stanford University and investigator with the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory who led the study. He said the results overturn long-held assumptions about how lithium-ion batteries charge and discharge and give researchers a new set of rules for engineering longer-lasting batteries.
The research, reported today in Nature Materials, is the latest result from a collaboration between Stanford, SLAC, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Toyota Research Institute (TRI). The goal is to bring together foundational research and industry know-how to develop a long-lived electric vehicle battery that can be charged in 10 minutes.
"Battery technology is important for any type of electric powertrain," said Patrick Herring, senior research scientist for Toyota Research Institute. "By understanding the fundamental reactions that occur within the battery we can extend its life, enable faster charging and ultimately design better battery materials. We look forward to building on this work through future experiments to achieve lower-cost, better-performing batteries."
A trio of advances
The new study builds on two previous advances where the group used more conventional forms of machine learning to dramatically accelerate both battery testing and the process of winnowing down many possible charging methods to find the ones that work best. While these studies allowed researchers to make much faster progress - reducing the time needed to determine battery lifetimes by 98%, for instance - they didn't reveal the underlying physics or chemistry that made some batteries last longer than others, as the latest study did.
Combining all three approaches could potentially slash the time needed to bring a new battery technology from the lab bench to the consumer by as much as two-thirds, Chueh said.
"In this case, we are teaching the machine how to learn the physics of a new type of failure mechanism that could help us design better and safer fast-charging batteries," Chueh said. "Fast charging is incredibly stressful and damaging to batteries, and solving this problem is key to expanding the nation's fleet of electric vehicles as part of the overall strategy for fighting climate change."
The new combined approach can also be applied to developing the grid-scale battery systems needed for a greater deployment of wind and solar electricity, which will become even more urgent as the nation pursues recently announced Biden Administration goals of eliminating fossil fuels from electric power generation by 2035 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Zooming in for closeups
The new study zoomed in on battery electrodes, which are made of nano-sized grains glommed together into particles. Lithium ions slosh back and forth between the cathode and anode during charging and discharging, seeping into the particles and flowing back out again. This constant back-and-forth makes particles swell, shrink and crack, gradually decreasing their ability to store charge, and fast charging just makes things worse.
To look at this process in more detail, the team observed the behavior of cathode particles made of nickel, manganese and cobalt, a combination known as NMC that's one of the most widely used materials in electric vehicle batteries. These particles absorb lithium ions when the battery discharges and release them when it charges.
Stanford postdoctoral researchers Stephen Dongmin Kang and Jungjin Park used X-rays from SLAC's Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource to get an overall look at particles that were undergoing fast charging. Then they took particles to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source to be examined with scanning X-ray transmission microscopy, which homes in on individual particles.
The data from those experiments, along with information from mathematical models of fast charging and equations that describe the chemistry and physics of the process, were incorporated into scientific machine learning algorithms.
"Rather than having the computer directly figure out the model by simply feeding it data, as we did in the two previous studies, we taught the computer how to choose or learn the right equations, and thus the right physics," said Kang, who performed the modeling with MIT graduate student Hongbo Zhao, working with chemical engineering professor Martin Bazant.
The rich-get-richer effect
Until now, scientists had assumed that the differences between particles were insignificant and that their ability to store and release ions was limited by how fast lithium could move inside the particles, Kang said. In this way of seeing things, lithium ions flow in and out of all the particles at the same time and at roughly the same speed.
But the new approach revealed that the particles themselves control how fast lithium ions move out of cathode particles when a battery charges, he said. Some particles immediately release a lot of their ions while others release very few or none at all. And the quick-to-release particles go on releasing ions at a faster rate than their neighbors - a positive feedback, or "rich get richer," effect that had not been identified before.
"We now have a picture - literally a movie - of how lithium moves around inside the battery, and it's very different than scientists and engineers thought it was," Kang said. "This uneven charging and discharging puts more stress on the electrodes and decreases their working lifetimes. Understanding this process on a fundamental level is an important step toward solving the fast charging problem."
The scientists say their new method has potential for improving the cost, storage capacity, durability and other important properties of batteries for a wide range of applications, from electric vehicles to laptops to large-scale storage of renewable energy on the grid.
"It was just two years ago that the 2019 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded for the development of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which dates back to the 1970s," Chueh said. "So I am encouraged that there's still so much to learn about how to make batteries better."
This research was funded by Toyota Research Institute. The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource and Advanced Light Source are DOE Office of Science user facilities, and work there was supported by the DOE Office of Science and the DOE Advanced Battery Materials Research Program.
SLAC is a vibrant multiprogram laboratory that explores how the universe works at the biggest, smallest and fastest scales and invents powerful tools used by scientists around the globe. With research spanning particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology, materials, chemistry, bio- and energy sciences and scientific computing, we help solve real-world problems and advance the interests of the nation.
SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
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Credit management is a process used by financial institutions and businesses to manage and minimize the risk associated with lending money. The primary objective of credit management is to reduce the financial risk for the lender, which can include the risk of default or non-repayment by the borrower. Financial institutions, such as banks, play a vital role in providing loans to businesses, and this process involves inherent credit risk. The lender must assess the creditworthiness of the borrower before approving a loan, and then monitor the loan throughout its term to ensure that it is being repaid as agreed.
What is Credit Management?
The process of overseeing and controlling the lending process to minimize the risk associated with lending money to borrowers is known as credit management. It includes granting credit, establishing the terms of the agreement, collecting the loaned amount, performing due diligence, and more. An efficient credit management system focuses on reducing credit risk which could negatively affect the cash flow and result in losses.
A sound credit management strategy ensures that the business never faces any cash flow disruptions and also minimizes the amount of capital tied up with debtors so it can be invested to generate returns. Eliminating bad debts by decreasing credit risk can greatly assist in saving funds for profitable ventures.
Banks and financial institutions play a major role in channeling funds into the economy, and with this comes an increased risk of credit risk. Therefore, an effective credit management policy is essential for players in the banking and financial services industry.
Objectives of Credit Management
The central aim of credit management is to avoid excessive debt. Having easy access to credit, such as multiple credit accounts with large credit limits, can cause significant financial difficulties and even bankruptcy in case of a job loss or illness. It is important to follow prudent spending guidelines when determining the appropriate size of your credit lines relative to your income and the amount of debt you should have on those lines.
1. Managing Financial Risk
The primary goal of credit management is to minimize financial risk for financial institutions. Credit risk is the risk of a borrower defaulting on their loan repayment obligation. There are many factors that can increase credit risk, which can lead to significant losses for banks and financial corporations. Credit management helps to efficiently manage the financial risk associated with doing business. Effective credit management policies help to identify and exclude poor borrowers who are not eligible for a loan from banks. When companies adhere to credit management policies, they can better handle losses and bad debts.
2. Improving Cash Flow
Cash flow refers to the cash income and expenditure that are recorded in a company’s financial records. Maintaining a balanced cash flow enables businesses to manage their investments effectively. Businesses require cash for various purposes such as paying creditors or suppliers, buying assets or inventory, investing, etc. Elevated credit risk can impede cash flow and result in losses. Enhancing cash flow can be decisive for organizations, particularly for banks and financial companies.
3. Fiduciary Responsibility
A company has a legal and ethical duty to act in the best interest of its clients or other stakeholders. Lending companies also have a fiduciary responsibility towards their shareholders, which means they are accountable for all of their actions. Implementing a conservative credit risk management policy is crucial in fulfilling fiduciary responsibility as it helps to protect loan portfolios and reduces the likelihood of bad debts that could harm the interest of shareholders.
In conclusion, implementing a conservative credit risk management policy is crucial for lending companies to fulfill their fiduciary responsibility towards their clients, stakeholders and shareholders. By managing risks and protecting the interests of their investments, lending companies can ensure the longevity and success of their business.
Secure your spot in our next event to learn more on Credit Managment for Financial Institutions.
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A key message of this site is that contemporary armies are unprepared for the challenges of operating in cities. In some respects, though, we are actually much less prepared now than in the past. Last year John Spencer offered a wish list of tools the US Army does not have but that he would want if sent to fight in a dense urban environment, as he did in Baghdad in 2007–2008. Ironically, there were weapons systems available in 1944 that were better suited to the problems of urban combat than those we have today.
By 1944 both Allied and Axis armies had paid in blood to discover what was needed to progress against a determined enemy who took advantage of the cover and concealment offered by buildings and presented a threat of constant ambush from three dimensions. While tactics differed between armies, some attack methods were constant. The essential tool for clearing was the grenade. Attackers had learned that they would lose a close-quarters marksmanship contest with lurking defenders unless every room and space was first blasted before entry to kill, or at least daze and deafen, anyone within. The building-clearing drill in Commonwealth armies was focused on supporting the “bomber” who, directed by the section commander, constantly tossed or dropped grenades ahead of the “entrymen.” Soviet Gen. Vasily Chuikov emphasized that in urban warfare, “you’ve got to pluck the enemy out with bayonets and grenades,” and directed troops to carry ten to twelve grenades and throw one first at every corner and doorway. Wehrmacht soldiers would tie their stick grenades in bundles to breach walls and use poles to get them behind interior cover or to reach defenders in upper rooms or stairwells.
Yet, by 1944 all the armies had also learned to minimize building-to-building and room-to-room fighting and exploit firepower. As the Soviets pushed west, Stalin’s Stavka, the Soviet high command, directed bypassing defended urban areas and even leaving escape routes open to avoid a close urban fight that reduced Soviet advantages in mass and firepower. When assault could not be avoided, Soviet forces applied their planning norms for extraordinarily heavy “annihilation” (unichtozhenie) levels of artillery bombardment. In the later battles for the smaller cities and towns of East Prussia this approach would turn the wood-and-brick buildings into a pile of rubble that buried the defenders: resistance often only lasted a few hours. In the bigger cities where buildings were more substantial, a doctrine of direct artillery fire was emphasized. Attacking Soviet infantry forces were not only accompanied by tanks but closely followed by medium and heavy guns to provide the direct fire that could systematically destroy buildings used as strongpoints. The Allies learned the same technique: after surrendering Aachen, the German garrison commander said, “When the Americans start using 155s as sniper weapons it’s time to give up.”
Immediately after D-Day the Allied forces also sought to use air bombardment to collapse resistance in urban objectives, despite having already discovered at Monte Cassino and other towns in Italy that if the defenders had underground shelter, the air bombing provided the enemy with a massive obstacle impassable to armored vehicles. The Commonwealth forces encountered the same challenge when, to support the breakout from Normandy, the Royal Air Force bombed the French city of Caen. The military problem created by the rubble was compounded by the political problems flowing from the number of French civilian casualties. The resulting requirement for “restraint” to reduce civilian casualties came at a time that the Allies were also struggling with shortages of manpower and becoming increasingly sensitive to their own casualties. Commonwealth armies determined that a man should not be sent to do what a machine could achieve, and increasingly relied on a variety of specialized armored engineering vehicles that had been designed to overcome the German coastal fortifications and obstacles. During the advance into Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, tanks equipped to fire demolition charges and those fitted with flamethrowers proved a potent combination for collapsing an urban defense.
By this stage in the war, the Germans were now usually on the defensive, for which they had discovered their simple, tough self-propelled guns were a force multiplier in both urban defense and counterattack. They proved particularly valuable in the latter, by reducing the requirement to conduct infantry counterassaults against determined defenders in buildings, which invariably caused heavy casualties. During the battles in the Netherlands to eject British and Polish airborne forces from Arnhem and Oosterbeek, or in Warsaw to destroy the Polish Home Army, the Germans learned to bring the self-propelled guns up and systematically destroy each defended building from the roof downwards. In the same battles they also used fire, deliberately burning large parts of the Dutch towns to variously evict the paratroopers or turn them into hot ruins that could not be occupied.
The assault and engineering vehicles and some specialist infantry weapons that were available in 1944 might still prove remarkably useful if modern military forces had them today. Certainly, updated versions or new systems able to provide equivalent effects would offer significant capabilities that we do not currently possess. Let’s have a look at some examples.
Sturmtiger direct-fire assault mortar. The most striking urban assault system of World War II was the Sturmtiger—a sixty-eight-ton behemoth built on a short Tiger chassis with nearly five inches of armor on the front. It mounted a huge “mortar” that fired 380-millimeter rocket projectiles adapted from a naval depth-charge system. Only fourteen rounds could be carried and loading the 770-pound rounds required re-elevation of the barrel, use of a winch, and the efforts of the entire crew of five. However, the thin-walled projectiles had a massive explosive fill: 275 pounds for the high-explosive rounds, which were each capable of flattening a large building, while the slightly lighter hollow-charge rounds would breach eight feet of concrete. The short-barreled rocket system was inaccurate at longer ranges. For example, it failed to hit the US-captured bridge at Remagen when used at its maximum range of eight thousand yards; however, a single projectile incidentally knocked out three Sherman tanks. For protection against infantry at close range the Sturmtiger not only had a machine gun and firing ports for submachine guns, but a Nahverteidigungswaffe—a dedicated, close-in defense system that launched fragmentation grenades derived from “Bouncing Betty” S-mines—to detonate a few meters above the hull, throwing fragments in all directions. Like many other German innovations, the Sturmtiger appeared late in the war and in limited numbers, and as an assault weapon for an army on the defensive its potential remained largely unrealized. It was employed to devastating effect in the destruction of the Polish Home Army in Warsaw, but its lack of agility among rubble and craters meant it was generally employed from several hundred metres behind the leading German troops.
Self-propelled guns and the ISU-152. The Soviets and Germans fielded large numbers of “turretless” armored self-propelled guns during World War II, with the SU-76 and StuG III becoming the respective infantry-support workhorses of their armies. Their three-inch-equivalent high-velocity guns were effective against armored vehicles and could penetrate double-brick walls. Both armies would use them to move closely behind advancing troops to provide fire support as soon as resistance was encountered. The effects of their impact-fused, high-explosive shells would suppress defenders, but to eliminate or drive out determined defenders from a substantial building by fire was a slow process, often requiring its systematic destruction from the top down. Defenders often chose substantial concrete and stone buildings as strongpoints, so to breach their walls and neutralize those within a bigger explosive round proved necessary. The Germans developed the Sturmpanzer IV with a potent 150-millimeter short-barreled gun, but the forty-three-ton Soviet ISU-152 assault gun was probably the best of its class. It had thick frontal protection and was reliable and relatively agile. The 152-millimeter high-velocity gun could punch shells through substantial concrete walls to detonate its twelve-pound explosive payload within. It proved a devastatingly effective close-support weapon in the urban battles up to and including Berlin.
Hetzer light tank destroyer. At the bottom end of the scale we find an interesting, “asymmetric” German armored vehicle that, while remembered as a utilitarian anti-armor platform, proved remarkably useful in urban combat. The Hetzer (JgPz38) light tank destroyer was small—weighing a mere fifteen tons—and reliable, and had a potent 75-millimeter gun that would defeat virtually any Allied tank at urban ranges. While its side armor was thin and it needed infantry protection because of poor crew visibility, it was an ideal ambush weapon that could be readily hidden in urban cover or even within buildings. In offensive operations such as the suppression of the Polish uprising in Warsaw it proved a surprisingly effective platform for working closely on the street with German infantry sections. Infantry troops could advance using the vehicle hull for protection while the remote-controlled overhead machine gun provided fire support on contact. A combination of the low height and a commander’s hatch that opened angled to the rear made it possible for an infantryman to climb on the vehicle to communicate with the crew while remaining protected. The Hetzer remains an archetype for a simple infantry close-support platform.
Churchill tank funnies: AVRE, Crocodile, and Kangaroo. The British Churchill tank was slow and initially mechanically unreliable, yet later models were as well armored as a German Tiger. A low center of gravity and good hull clearance meant it could climb steep slopes and cross rubble that few other vehicles could attempt. It performed well in its intended role as an infantry support tank, and outstandingly as the basis for a family of specialist vehicles, often referred to as “funnies.” A particular advantage was that it had forward access hatches between the tracks on both sides, allowing soldiers to dismount in relative safety. This feature was exploited in the turretless “Kangaroo” infantry carrying version as well as in engineer vehicles where dedicated demolition crewmen were carried to place explosives or smoke pots by hand. Variants included bridge-layers, mine-clearing flails, and explosive hose launchers, but two other versions working together proved devastatingly effective in urban fighting in northern Europe after D-Day.
The Churchill Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) was equipped with a 290-millimeter spigot mortar that fired a forty-pound bomb containing twenty-six pounds of high explosive. While the maximum range was only one hundred yards, the weapon reliably knocked out reinforced concrete bunkers and collapsed buildings.
The Churchill Crocodile had a hull-mounted flamethrower supplied with gas-pressurized fuel from a trailer, with a flame range of 120 yards. In street battles in France, the Netherlands, and Germany, strongpoints would be abandoned when an approaching Crocodile fired a demonstration burst. If the defenders did not yield, the Crocodile and AVRE would close up in the resulting smoke, the AVRE would fire a bomb to “crack” the position, and the Crocodile would flow flame into the breach or onto the rubble. While the effects of flame weapons are undoubtedly horrific, the British and Canadian use of specialized armored vehicles to evict defenders rather than systematically clear buildings in detail not only reduced their own and enemy casualties, but avoided the previous reliance on heavy bombardment, which invariably caused many civilian deaths. Consequently, the use of specialist engineer vehicles, including flamethrowers, can counterintuitively be argued to represent a restrained approach that better satisfies the humanitarian-law requirements of proportionality.
The Panzerfaust as a wall-breaching weapon. The Panzerfaust was a simple, handheld recoilless infantry anti-tank weapon first fielded by the Germans in 1943. It was aimed with a simple peep sight while holding the launching tube under the arm. On firing, there was a backblast of several meters as the projectile launched, stabilizing fins popped out, and the fuse was armed. When the projectile impacted, the detonation of the hollow-charge warhead collapsed the conical metal liner and blasted it through the target. Early models had a range of thirty meters and would penetrate about 140 millimeters of steel armor, and in later models this increased to 220 millimeters. More modern hollow-charge warhead designs yielded almost three times this penetration for a similar amount of explosive, mainly by distributing the explosive further back and increasing the distance from the target at which detonation occurs. However, the penetration hole of Panzerfaust warheads was larger, while shockwave within the target material, frontal spalling, and blast were greater. This meant that when a Panzerfaust projectile struck a wall, especially interior brick walls, it would often create a man-passable breach—unlike, say, a contemporary RPG-7 or M72 HEAT round, which make neat, small holes. Furthermore, the Panzerfaust could be readily fired from cover, one-handed, around a doorway or window against an interior far wall. This capability was not only exploited by the Germans. In the urban battles as the Soviets fought toward Berlin, they distributed captured stocks to their storm detachments in order to conduct explosive mouse-holing during assaults.
Sturmgewehr 44 and Krummlauf. The German Sturmgewehr 44 was the innovative forerunner of modern selective-fire assault rifles. With a thirty-round magazine and firing a new “intermediate” 7.92-millimeter short round to an effective range of three hundred meters, it revolutionized infantry tactics—and inspired Kalashnikov’s design. Concurrently, the Germans developed a curved barrel attachment, the Krummlauf. This allowed the Sturmgewehr 44 to be fired from inside an armored vehicle at enemy infantry attempting to hand-place explosive charges—a constant danger in dense terrain. The infantry version of the attachment had a mirror sight that allowed a soldier to fire around a corner or from inside a trench while remaining behind cover. Even after initial technical problems were addressed, the attachment only had a life of a couple of hundred rounds, bullets often broke up in the device, and it was unlikely to achieve a hit on a target beyond one hundred meters. These were great disadvantages in open terrain, but less so in urban, close-quarters fighting, when the bullet disintegration increased hit probability and lethality. There are reports of a few weapons being used in the battle for Berlin and the Soviets were sufficiently impressed to trial a curved barrel version of the PPshK submachine gun (and later the RPK LMG). However, the great potential of the Sturmgewehr 44 with Krummlauf was to address a problem that barely existed at the end of World War II—to reduce risk to attackers during building clearing under restricted rules of engagement.
Nebelwerfer rockets. During World War II the Germans progressively fielded a family of light rocket artillery of increasing size and range: the Nebelwerfer series. Rocket propulsion allowed a thin-walled projectile with a relatively large smoke composition or high-explosive payload, the latter giving blast effects equivalent to larger artillery rounds. The most-produced 1941 model was a six-barrelled, two-wheeled towed launcher that ripple-fired 150-millimeter high-explosive or smoke projectiles up to 6,900 meters. A battery of six launchers could deliver its thirty-six rounds within twelve seconds, either inflicting a devastating barrage or rapidly smoking off a substantial area of the battlefield. The latter is an often-forgotten but crucial capability for urban operations—not only for the break-in urban battle, but to blind snipers who could otherwise often bring an attack to a halt. The Nebelwerfer was not intended for direct fire, but soldiers developed crude but effective aiming techniques and, on occasion, were able to hit and destroy tanks. In the 1941 model, the rocket motor was at the front of the spin-stabilized projectile, ensuring that a high-explosive warhead would normally be above ground on detonation, thus giving maximum fragmentation spread. If delay-fuzed ammunition was fired against buildings, the initial impact of the motor assembly assisted the warhead in penetrating walls to burst beyond. The larger, longer-range, later-model systems were less portable and therefore less valuable in urban combat; however, some projectiles could be fired from the frames or cases in which they were delivered. This meant that it was possible to manhandle these rocket projectiles within buildings to reach firing positions, such as the upper stories of buildings, where it was not possible to take conventional guns or tanks. Having been aimed at the target, the rocket would then be fired electrically from a distance, avoiding the risk of return fire to the now-obvious firing point. The Soviets used individual Katyusha rockets in a similar manner, firing them from rails propped between furniture and windowsills.
The Rammpanzer. Reflecting the experience of street fighting in Stalingrad, the German high command generated a requirement for an armored vehicle to clear obstacles and physically breach urban objectives by ramming. (The potential for tanks to assault buildings in this way had long been known, and occasionally practiced with the early-model Panzers, which were smaller, with barrels that did not protrude beyond the front of the hull. However, as vehicles became taller, the risk of either jamming against ceiling beams or dislodging them and collapsing the building on top of the vehicle inhibited commanders. Furthermore, they could no longer slew their turrets within buildings.) The concept was to mount a turtle-like, heavily armored shell on a turretless version of a Tiger tank. This had a breaching prow at the front and a sloped roof to disperse falling rubble to the sides. Significantly, the overhead armor was fifty millimeters thick while the frontal and side armor was thirty millimeters. The Rammpanzer had thicker top armor than that of the tank on whose frame it was built. This reflects the strength needed to survive falling rubble, but also recognizes the threat from infantry anti-armor weapons fired or thrown from above in urban combat. It appears that this double layer of substantial armor with an air gap would have given unprecedented protection against shaped-charge grenades and satchel charges, which were the main threat at very close quarters. While there would certainly have been room within the vehicle for a number of assault infantryman, the hatch layouts do not suggest this was intended. The records show that Hitler personally ordered the development of three prototypes and suggest that they were built, although there is some dispute and no genuine photographs have been found. Certainly they did not see action. Nevertheless, the concept itself may have some merit, although both Allied experience with armored bulldozers and the Germans successful use of turretless “Raumpanzer” tanks with angled dozing blades to clear streets in their bombed cities suggest that the addition of a similar movable blade would avoid the tank drivers’ problem of becoming “piered”—jammed on sections of wall or large rubble beneath the hull.
“Cultivator” trenching machine. During the early “phoney war” stages of World War II the prospect of conducting deliberate attacks against extensive fortifications akin to the trench warfare of World War I loomed large. Possibly inspired by Austrian rail-mounted trench-digging machines from that war, Winston Churchill directed the development of machines that would advance just below ground level, excavating its own trench. Infantry and armored vehicles would follow in the trench and use the machine as a ramp to emerge unscathed on the enemy objective. While large numbers were initially planned, eventually only a few of the narrower infantry version were built by the Royal Navy and none were ever used in action. The machine, codenamed Cultivator No. 6, was massive—seventy-seven feet long (in two sections), ten feet high, and seven feet wide—and excavated the lower part of the trench with a large cylindrical cutting blade and displaced the soil above this with a plow arrangement. Even above ground it could only move at three miles an hour, and its turning radius of a mile proved problematic. Nevertheless the “Cultivator” did demonstrate the technical feasibility of a military vehicle capable of moving just below ground level. This, reinforced by developments in small-tunnel boring technology, strongly suggests that it would be possible to build more compact unmanned machines that could operate in a broadly comparable fashion in urban terrain.
Insights and Inspiration from 1944?
It is sobering to reflect that there were technologies and capabilities available in 1944 that are now abandoned and forgotten, yet might today give decisive advantage in an urban fight. A large-caliber “mortar” capable of indirect and direct fire—something like the 380-millimeter launch on the Sturmtiger—would offer the ground commander an assured form of destructive effect that is currently delivered by guided aircraft bombs. Furthermore, inert projectiles would offer reliable breaching of substantial walls without the blast hazard of other breaching munitions. Effects can be delivered within seconds of the target being identified, largely avoiding the approval processes for airstrikes. Certainly, such a capability avoids the commitment of a squadron of strike aircraft and refuelling support that is required to keep an armed plane permanently on station.
Self-propelled assault guns such as the Sturmtiger and the ISU-152 were also designed for the close fight, with very heavy armor, and were resistant to the kinetic projectiles of the lighter anti-tank guns they might encounter in an urban area. While shaped and hand-placed explosive charges remained a threat, the vehicles were tough enough to be able to reduce this vulnerability by advancing into their own side’s bombardment—or in the case of the Sturmtiger, by using its own mine discharger to suppress infantry nearby. These vehicles were also extraordinarily robust compared to modern self-propelled guns, which are generally only armored against small-arms fire and shell splinters. This meant that provided the commander was alert for under-floors or cellars and took care to avoid striking main supports, such vehicles could be driven straight through buildings. This toughness was well illustrated during the Chernobyl disaster, when a number of old ISU-152s were used both to ram entries for specialists and as bulldozers to bring down irradiated buildings, literally collapsing walls and roofs on themselves with impunity.
The capability provided by small self-propelled guns, as well as tanks equipped with flamethrowers or demolition guns, would be extraordinarily valuable today—with the clear acknowledgement that while flame weapons are not explicitly prohibited (except against civilians), domestic and international perceptions make their use problematic. It would also seem that the lessons learned using these manned vehicles during World War II might usefully inform requirements for future platforms. For example, the utility of the forward hatches on the Churchill tank was that it allowed sappers or infantryman to dismount while protected, and this is incidentally the exact capability that Israel has developed on some of its specialist engineering vehicles derived from Centurion tanks, where there is a forward dismounting in the glacis plate. Importantly, all three of these capabilities—a large-caliber mortar, self-propelled assault guns, and unique tank capabilities—could now be provided by unmanned armored platforms. In particular, spigot mortars offer a way to provide a small tele-operated platform with a very substantial warhead for close-range use.
While Israel has developed and licensed a family of door– and wall-breaching munitions, there has been a curious failure by contemporary armies to adopt these—or their equivalents. Without experience and confidence in their use, it is risky to assert that they would offer radical advantage in building clearing. Nevertheless, the occasional surviving account of how Russian “storm groups” freely used stocks of captured Panzerfausts to conduct simultaneous multi-entry, through-wall assaults concurrently in cellars and upper stories suggests such potential. The Krummlauf concept—allowing the soldier to engage around cover while remaining hidden—has now been delivered by devices such as the “corner shot,” as well as sighting systems where an image from a rifle held around cover is projected to a head-mounted display. In contrast, there do not appear to be any available equivalents of Nebelwerfer launchers and projectiles. While enhanced blast munitions from shoulder-fired launchers arguably offer dramatically improved terminal effects, these require firers to expose themselves to engage. A direct-fire system that is fired remotely (or even electronically) after setting up, from cover, has great utility in the urban fight.
Possibly the most thought-provoking of the 1944 technologies worth considering are not lethal. A very tough armored vehicle that can move through buildings and obstacles would mitigate some of the tactical challenges presented by the urban fabric. The British Cultivator No. 6 demonstrated that a mole-like trench excavator that advances through an urban area just below the surface is technically possible. A tunneling machine used by ISIS showed that this can be done with modest engineering capability. Adding the capacity to lay supports on which to spread excavated soil and rubble to form a tunnel appears straightforward. Yet the real significance of these examples is to show that it is possible to build cutting machines for both manned or unmanned armored vehicles to enable them to move through structures by cutting their way rather than ramming.
All of the capabilities described and discussed above had limitations in 1944, and many would be more vulnerable on today’s battlefield. Nevertheless, on the streets of Europe commanders had tactical options that we do not have today—options that saved their soldiers’ lives—and would still have been valuable in Marawi or Mosul. It is an indictment that, with few exceptions, we have not exploited contemporary technologies to deliver the special types of effect that offer decision on the urban battlefield. We need to fix that.
Dr. Charles Knight has served with British Army, RAF and several overseas forces and is a lecturer in Terrorism, Asymmetric Conflict & Urban Operations at Charles Sturt University. He developed UK training in Soviet urban doctrine, subterranean recce capability & urban anti-tank guided weapon procedures. He spent a decade in Special Operations development, commanded 2/17 Royal New South Wales Regiment, served in 1 Commando Regiment and developed Australian Army urban doctrine.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.
Featured image: Nebelwerfer firing in Warsaw (Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild / Leher)
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Traditional and handmade forgings
- Shipped within 24 hours
- Free shipping from: €75 NL / €95 BE
- Authenticity guaranteed!
History of forging
The first signs of metalworking date back to 4500 BC, when the Sumerians laid the foundations for metallurgy as we still know it today. Metal forming by using pressure and heat experienced an unusual revival in the dark Middle Ages. Almost all progress stood still, but metal forging became enormously popular. Mainly due to the demand for weapons due to the large number of wars that were fought in that time.
The Romans had even dedicated gods to the forgery. The most well known is Vulcanus. Besides weapons, the ornamental forgery was also growing in popularity. These objects were not only functional but also beautiful to see and gave status to the owner. From this the silver and goldsmith became real professions.
Steel and iron meteorites
The forgery offered here is traditionally forged in fire and finished by hand so that each piece has a unique character. Steel and even iron meteorites are used to make these decorative objects.
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Indian extinction threat
Photo : Ravi Dev
Roar of Ravi Dev
In Guyana, “the land of six peoples”, with the introduction of the universal franchise in 1953, voting became increasingly influenced by ethnicity. With independence in sight by the 1960’s - deciding “who” will rule - it was not a coincidence that elections became ethnic censuses. Under the Westminster majoritarian rule, one challenge presented was how to control this reflexive formation of ethnic “factions” to preclude a “tyranny of the majority”. The African section, with its numbers approaching the Indians’, had to deal with the possibility of being forever excluded from the Executive, even though they felt they had greater legitimacy to rule. This was the “African Ethnic Security Dilemma”: if they played by the rules of Democracy, Africans in Guyana would be excluded from the Executive. Burnham used this argument to his constituency to justify rigging elections.
Democracy also presumes the State will be managed for all the people of the country. Those who manage the affairs of the State have to ensure they are servants of all the people. Hegel called them the “universal class”. If the staffing of state institutions are under the control of any one “faction”, however, this presents another dilemma for democracy. Typically, the majority faction also controls the state and in fact this can produce the actual “tyranny of the majority”. However, if there are circumstances, such as in Guyana, in which a minority controls the state institutions, especially the Armed Forces; the Civil Service and the Judiciary, then the will of the majority can also be denied, since the minority would calculate they have the wherewithal to always challenge the majority violently. This the PNC did between 1961-64 with the help of the CIA; and on their own between 1998-2002.
The African domination of state institutions effectively neutralises the numerical advantage of the Indians and creates an “Indian Ethnic Security Dilemma”. The latter’s majority may deliver the Executive after “free-and-fair” elections, but that Executive cannot guarantee stability, especially for their supporters. As Jagan said of his 1961-1964 term, “the PPP was in office but not in power”. The PPP Executive, under “the principle of anticipated reactions”, had to always consider whether the opposition would initiate violence, under cover of their controlled State institutions. At the same time, their Indian supporters are under an omnipresent fear of being physically wiped out by their political opponents, whenever the question of national power is contested.
Way back in 1963, the British Secretary of the State for the Colonies stated the Ethnic Security Dilemmas succinctly:
“…the Premier (Dr. Jagan) told me that, if the British troops were withdrawn, the situation would get completely out of control. The Africans accuse the Government party of governing in the interests only of the Indians, and demand a share in political decisions. On the other side, the Indians accuse the Police, which is mainly African, of partiality towards the Africans and demand the creation of a separate defence force, recruited more extensively from the Indian community, to counterbalance the Police.”
In its proposals, the British pointed emphasised the need, in general, “to protect minorities” and in particular, to address “the racial nature of the problem”. For the latter problem, “the Government should endeavour to rule with the general consent of the population…(and a new armed force) …should be constituted before independence by the Governor, who would endeavour to ensure that recruits were not drawn predominantly from any one racial group.”
Burnham, of course, disbanded the Governor’s racially balanced SSU and ignored both the British proposal on the Armed Force as well as the 1965 ICJ’s recommendations to make them more representative. In fact, he increased the Armed Forces exponentially and maintained a 90% domination of African membership, which the PPP inherited in 1992, after free and fair elections.
Palpably paralysed by the aforementioned principle of anticipated reactions, the PPP government did not attempt to make the Armed Forces more representative even though a “Disciplined Forces Commission” – which included the Brigadier (retd) Gavid Granger – recommended such a policy in 2004. After 2002, private militias had to confront “African Freedom Fighters” based in Buxton, which took on the PPP government.
After 2012, the African Security Dilemma disappeared with the Indian majority shrunken to below 40% and the African/Mixed segments risen to 49%. There was also no more “Indian Security Dilemma”, since they had no majority to deliver the executive. There only remains the existential threat of being wiped out.
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188.8.131.52 X-Function Input and Output
LabTalk variable types (except StringArray) as arguments. In addition to LabTalk variables, X-Functions also use special variable types for more complicated data structures.
These special variable types work only as argumentsSpecial Keywords for Range section below for more details about available key words.):
to X-Functions, and are listed in the table below (Please see the
| Variable Type
|| Sample Constructions
A combination of X, Y, and optional Y Error Bar data
| For graph, use index directly to indicate plot range|
(1,2) means 1st and 2nd plots on graph
A combination of X, Y, and Z data
A Tree based object for a Hierarchical Report
Must be associated with a worksheet range or a LabTalk Tree variable
A Tree based object for a collection of vectors
Must be associated with a worksheet range or a LabTalk Tree variable. Unlike ReportTree, ReportData outputs to a regular worksheet and thus can be used to append to the end of existing data in a worksheet. All the columns in a ReportData object must be grouped together.
To understand these variable types better, please refer to the real examples in the ReportData Output section below, which have shown some concrete usages.
Special Keywords for Range
- Adding/Creating a new object
- Use the active object
- Same as the input range in the same X-Function
- Same as the previous variable in the X-Function
- Indicate the object is optional in input or output
- No object will be created
Many X-Functions generate multiple output vectors in the form of a ReportData object. Typically, a ReportData object is associated with a worksheet, such as the Fit Curves output from the NLFit X-Function. Consider, for example, the output from the fft1 X-Function:
// Send ReportData output to Book2, Sheet3.
// Send ReportData output to a new sheet in Book2.
// Send ReportData output to Column 4 in the active workbook/sheet.
// Send ReportData output to a new sheet in the active workbook.
// Send ReportData output to a tree variable named tr1;
// If 'tr1' does not exist, it will be created.
Sending ReportData to Tree Variable
Often, you may need the ReportData output only as an intermediate variable and thus may prefer not to involve the overhead of a worksheet to hold such data temporarily.
One alternative then is to store the datasets that make up the Report Data object using a Tree variable, which already supports bundling of multiple vectors, including support for additional attributes for such vectors.
The output range specification for a worksheet is usually in one of the following forms: [Book]Sheet!, <new>, or <active>. If the output string does not have one of these usual book-sheet specifications, then the output is automatically considered to be a LabTalk Tree name.
The following is an example featuring the avecurves X-Function. In this example, the resulting ReportData object is first output to a tree variable, and then one vector from that tree is placed at a specific column-location within the same sheet that houses the input data. ReportData output typically defaults to a new sheet.
int nn = 10;
col(1)=data(1,20); //fill some data
range ay=col(2); //for 'avecurves' Y-output
Tree tr; // output Tree
avecurves (1,3:end) rd:=tr;
// Assign tree node (vector) 'aveY' to the range 'ay'.
// Use 'tr.=' to see the tree structure.
ay[L]$="Ave Y"; // set its LongName
// Plot the raw data as scatter-plot using the default-X.
plotxy (?,3:end) p:=201;
// Add the data in range 'ay' to the same as line-plot.
plotxy ay o:=<active> p:=200;
Sending ReportData Directly to a Specific Book/Sheet/Column Location
If you are happy with simply putting the result from the X-Function into the input sheet as new columns, then you can also do the following:
avecurves (1,2:5) rd:=[<input>]<input>!<new>;
Or if you would like to specify a particular column of the input sheet in which to put the ReportData output, you may specify that as well:
avecurves (1,2:5) rd:=[<input>]<input>!Col(3);
Subsequent access to the data is more complicated, as you will need to write additional code to find these new columns.
Realize that output of the ReportData type will contain different amounts (columns) of data depending on the specific X-Function being used. If you are sending the results to an existing sheet, be careful not to overwrite existing data with the ReportData columns that are generated.
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Type: New Feature
Resolution: Won't Fix
Affects Version/s: 2.1.M0, 2.4-M2
Fix Version/s: 2.7-M3
NetCDF (network Common Data Form) is an interface for array-oriented data access and a library that provides an implementation of the interface. The netCDF library also defines a machine-independent format for representing scientific data. Together, the interface, library, and format support the creation, access, and sharing of scientific data. The netCDF software was developed at the Unidata Program Center in Boulder, Colorado.
More detail can be found at:
A LGPL Java library already exists at:
NOTE Added 6/25/2005 by Bryce:
A review of the current form of the netCDF java library, as well as reviewing the direction in which netCDF is heading reveals:
- Java is the prototype language for which the new features in NetCDF4 are tested.
- NetCDF4 implements a "Common Data Model" (CDM) which is the result of generalizing the NetCDF3, HDF5, and OpenDAP data models.
- The NetCDF-Java library automatically recognizes many of the common ways of storing geographic information in netCDF files and abstracts to the "GeoGrid" object.
- The NetCDF-Java library is a 100% java library which can read/write NetCDF3 files, and can read a number of other formats (HDF5, GRIB, etc.)
This should alleviate some of the concerns expressed in the comments below and suggests the following:
- GeoTools should provide an adapter from the GeoGrid abstraction to the GeoAPI framework.
- NetCDF conventions should be added to the netCDF-java library.
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IPCC report ‘underestimates potential of these key dangers to send Earth into spiral of runaway climate change’.
Key dangers largely left out of the IPCC special report on 1.5C of warming are raising alarm among some scientists who fear we may have underestimated the impacts of humans on the Earth’s climate.
The IPCC report sets out the world’s current knowledge of the impacts of 1.5C of warming and clearly shows the dangers of breaching such a limit. However, many scientists are increasingly worried about factors about which we know much less.
These “known unknowns” of climate change are tipping points, or feedback mechanisms within the climate system – thresholds that, if passed, could send the Earth into a spiral of runaway climate change.
Tipping points merit only a few mentions in the IPCC report. Durwood Zaelke, founder of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, said: “The IPCC report fails to focus on the weakest link in the climate chain: the self-reinforcing feedbacks which, if allowed to continue, will accelerate warming and risk cascading climate tipping points and runaway warming.”
He pointed to water vapour in the air, which traps heat in the atmosphere, as well as the loss of polar ice, the collapse of permafrost, and the migration of tropical clouds towards the poles.
Ice melting at the poles is known to be of particular danger. The Earth’s ice caps act as reflectors, sending some of the sun’s rays back into space and cooling the planet. When sea ice melts, it reveals dark water underneath, which absorbs more heat and in turn triggers greater warming, in a constant feedback loop.
(Read more at TheGuardian.com)
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The first step in diagnosing cardiogenic shock is to identify that a person is in shock. At that point, emergency treatment should be started.
Once emergency treatment starts, doctors can look for the specific cause of the shock. If the reason for the shock is that the heart isn't pumping strongly enough, then the diagnosis is cardiogenic shock.
Tests To Diagnose Shock
Blood Pressure Test
Using a simple blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, medical personnel can check whether a person has very low blood pressure. This is the most common sign of shock. A blood pressure test can easily be done before the person goes to a hospital.
Less serious conditions also can cause low blood pressure, such as fainting or taking certain medicines, such as those used to treat high blood pressure.
An EKG is a simple test that detects and records the heart's electrical activity. The test shows how fast the heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular).
An EKG also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart. Doctors use EKGs to diagnose severe heart attacks and monitor the heart's condition.
Cardiac Enzyme Test
When cells in the heart die, they release enzymes into the blood called markers or biomarkers. Measuring these markers can show whether the heart is damaged and the extent of the damage.
Tests To Diagnose the Underlying Cause of Shock
Chest X Ray
A chest x ray takes pictures of organs and structures inside the chest, including the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. This test shows whether the heart is enlarged or whether there’s fluid in the lungs. These can be signs of cardiogenic shock.
Echocardiography uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. The test provides information about the size and shape of the heart and how well the heart chambers and valves are working.
The test also can identify areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that aren't contracting normally, and previous injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.
Coronary angiography (an-jee-OG-ra-fee) is an x-ray exam of the heart and blood vessels. The doctor passes a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) through an artery in the leg or arm to the heart. The catheter can measure the pressure inside the heart chambers.
A dye that can be seen on x ray is injected into the bloodstream through the tip of the catheter. The dye lets the doctor study the flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels and see any blockages.
Certain blood tests also are used to help diagnose cardiogenic shock, including:
Cardiogenic shock is a state in which a suddenly weakened heart isn't able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.read more
Cardiogenic shock refers to a medical condition in which the heart suddenly fails to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body.read more
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http://www.onlymyhealth.com/what-diagnosis-cardiogenic-shock-12977606508
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Humans need an atmosphere which has at least 10 per cent oxygen to survive, but naked mole rats have evolved to live in stuffy underground burrows in the African desert which can be 15 miles long, and have little air.
They are virtually cold-blooded and the only mammal with a social structure similar to that of ants and termites. They don't get tumors, they're immune to chronic pain and the irritating components of chili peppers. Naked mole rats achieve their feat by turning to a molecular trick used by plants: They stop metabolizing glucose and start metabolizing a different sugar, fructose.
Naked mole rats are wrinkly, hairless, poop-eating, delightful creatures that live in large colonies of up to 280 animals.
When oxygen levels fall to a life-threatening level, the subterranean animal simply slows down its heart rate and switches to another metabolism system.
He also wonders whether extreme divers, who survive for relatively long periods of time without taking in any oxygen, may have unwittingly taught their bodies how to switch from using glucose to fructose in the metabolic process. The naked mole-rats could survive on fructose when oxygen was at levels that would have been fatal for humans: we would have died in a matter of minutes while the animals survived for a minimum of 5 hours under those impossible conditions. After five hours at five percent oxygen, the team made a decision to take the subjects out of their test chamber because nothing was happening. "And we put them in and fifteen minutes later they looked fine, after an hour they looked fine, and after five hours of exposure to five percent O2 they still looked fine", he continued.
Mole rats can survive for just under 20 minutes with no oxygen supply.
There is some benefit to humans in all of this.
But the researchers' findings in the naked mole rat could lead to breakthroughs in surviving heart attacks and strokes.
"They live in really challenging conditions", says Chris Faulkes of Queen Mary, University of London, who studies mole rats, but wasn't involved in the research.
"If we could activate the fructose pathway in a heart attack victim, that would extend the amount of time we have to get that victim to a medical facility where they can get resuscitated and spare the brain damage that frequently comes along with a heart attack", Park said.
The lack of GLUT5 and KHK in other organs - the brain and the heart, for instance - means the energy bound in fructose is unavailable to them, causing them to fail in low-oxygen environments.
In 0% oxygen, both the mice and mole rats quickly lost consciousness. Another interesting question is how the naked mole-rats use fructose without experiencing any of the negative effects of fructose such as obesity.
National Geographic said that usually, when there is a buildup of fructose in an organism, the body tissues will be damaged.
Thomas Park, a neuroscientist at the University of IL in Chicago, and Gary Lewin, a physiologist at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, placed naked mole rats and mice in a chamber with only five percent oxygen. They have a variety of quirks which separate them from other mammals.
Unlike all other known mammals, when the brain cells of naked mole rats are deprived of oxygen they do not run out of energy and die. "The most misunderstood thing is that they're ugly". They now hope to harness lessons learned from this rodent to design future therapies for people to prevent calamitous damage during heart attacks or strokes when oxygenated blood can not reach the brain.
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In order to define Social Justice, let us begin, by taking a look at what social ministry is:
Social Ministry has two main aspects: social service (also known as Parish or Social Outreach) and social action (also known as Social Justice.
Social Service is giving direct aid to someone in need. It usually involves performing one or more of the corporal works of mercy. That is, giving alms to the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick or imprisoned, taking care of orphans and widows, visiting the shut-ins etc. Another name for it is charity. We at St. Bartholomew's are involved in a number of charitable works: the Parish Food Pantry, support of the Community FoodBank in Hilside, feeding the hungary and housing the homeless through Homefirst, and offering alms and solidarity to the poor in underdevelooped countries through Operation Rice Bowl.
Social Action is correcting the structures that perpetuate the need. Another name for this is Social Justice. Through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching, we begin to take a look at the problems and issues facing us in our own communities, the nation and finally the world, and we begin to ask questions such as, "Why is there so much unemployment in our area?" "Why are there so many poor in our community?" "How come not everyone in our nation has access to health care, etc. Very often when you are performing social service, you also become involved in solving the problem which created the need in the first place, and the two are closely related and often blend together. An example of this would be, someone comes to our Food Pantry, and tells us she has no food, because she lost her job recently. You may know of an employer looking to hire someone right away for a job requiring little or no skills. You give that person food, then place that person in touch with the employer. You then would have solved both problems for that person. (a) the immediate need of food through an act of charity (social service) and (b) you would have corrected the problem which created and perpetuated the need. (Social Justice).
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Conventional Potatoes Are Grown With 31 Cancer-Causing Toxins From Pesticides
Last updated on
Potatoes have long been used as a great addition to a variety of dishes in almost all cultures. There are many ways to prepare them: steamed, boiled, mashed or fried.
Potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber and contain a very small amount of fat. Certain types of potatoes, such as the red and russet potatoes, have good amounts of vitamin A and C and also contain flavonoids.
When prepared in the right way, potatoes have so many nutritional benefits, yet they often get a bad rap for being associated with starch and carbs.
Read about the health benefits of potatoes.
While this alone shouldn’t be enough to put you off of buying potatoes in general, you may want to consider switching to organic after you find out just how many chemicals are being added to conventional potatoes during their growth.
Reasons To Avoid Conventionally Grown Potatoes
A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that the average potatoes contained more pesticides by weight than any other type of produce. They have also been shown to have a higher concentration of pesticides compared to most other produce.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program, the average potato contains 6 known or probable carcinogens, 12 suspected hormone disruptors, 7 neurotoxins and 6 developmental or reproductive toxins.
Chlorpropham is a plant growth regulator that is used to keep potatoes from sprouting. It is the most common pesticide when it comes to potatoes, and high levels of chlorpropham have been reportedly found on 80% of all conventionally grown potatoes.
According to a study conducted by Cornell University, too much exposure to chlorpropham may cause adverse reproductive effects and put you at risk of developing carcinogenic tumors. It also may cause irritation of the eyes and skin.
Imidacloprid is an insecticide that was made to mimic nicotine (as nicotine is toxic to insects) and is found on approximately 25% of all conventionally grown potatoes. Exposure to imidacloprid can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms including skin or eye irritation, dizziness, breathlessness, confusion or vomiting.
How to Avoid Pesticides
The best way to avoid all of the harmful chemicals added to conventionally grown potatoes is to opt for organic or grow it yourself.
According to a study conducted by Cynthia Curl of the University of Washington, people who reported that they “often or always” buy organic produce have been found to have significantly less amounts of insecticide in their urine. This is very significant, especially due to the fact that organic-buyers reportedly eat 70% more produce than individuals claiming that they “rarely or never” purchase organic produce.
Some of the links I post on this site are affiliate links. If you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you). However, note that I’m recommending these products because of their quality and that I have good experience using them, not because of the commission to be made.
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Hopefully, over the course of your academic journey, the issue of academic dishonesty is addressed in some of your classes. Often times, this involves addressing the issue of plagiarism–the stealing of ideas or exact wording from another source without giving that source credit. Dishonestly treating someone else’s ideas as one’s own is certainly not appropriate, especially for Christians, who worship a God in whom there is nothing false, and who expects his people to speak only truth (Exod 20:16; Matt 5:33-37).
Yet, there are other forms of academic dishonesty, such as misrepresenting sources. Sometimes, misrepresenting the work of others means extracting their ideas from their context, and then misapplying them so that they appear to support your own conclusions. At other times, misrepresenting sources takes the opposite form, where you may intentionally distort or detract from the argument of someone with whom you do not agree, in order to make your own argument appear more polished and more persuasive. Both approaches are dishonest and inconsistent with Christian virtue.
It is of great importance, when we do research, that we do so fairly, that is with honesty and charity. Keeping in mind the following will help us in doing so:
- View all of your academic work as an act of worship before God. Practice the presence of God as you do your research. Even if your research is just a paper for a class, that will never get published, and will only be read by your professor, who may never catch the misused information, God knows and sees all that you do. All of this world belongs to God (including the academy ) and whatever we do (including our academic work) should be done in a way that pleases him (Col 1:16; Rom 12:1; cf. Ps 19:14). God expects honesty from his people in all things.
- View your sources as people. It’s easy at times to view our sources as merely words on a page, or simply ideas, with nothing human underlying them. But this is wrong. The books and articles you read are written by real people, who have (usually) invested time and hard work in putting together their ideas for us to consider. They are made in God’s image, just like you and I, and are worthy of love, respect and, of course, fairness. Making a strawman argument out of another person’s work is not only unfair, but unloving. Remember that “Our Lord hates dishonest scales” (Prov 11:1). Love your authors as your love yourself; treat them the way you want to be treated (Lev 19:18; Matt 7:12; 22:39).
- Be charitable. Give your sources the benefit of the doubt, showing them respect. If an argument seems to be unbelievably absurd after a first reading of it, you yourself have probably missed something. Reread the work, and extend charity wherever possible. Remember that we “see through a glass darkly” (1 Cor 13:12). Assume going into your research that your source has something to say worthy of consideration (even if you know you will probably disagree). If something they say can be taken multiple ways, one of which is glaringly erroneous, assume they mean it in the most sensible way and treat it as such in your writing. If an argument is unclear, and you still need to use it in your work, it’s okay to state that you believe that the argument needs more clarification. Whatever the case, assume the author is an intelligent conversation partner; if he or she isn’t, then you probably should be using another source anyway.
- Finally, and closely related to my previous point, make sure that you actually understand what is being said by an author before using his or her work. Other than my first point above, this is perhaps the most important thing to do in research. Read works slowly. Carefully evaluate their arguments. What is their claim? What are their reasons that support their claims? What evidence (data) do they use? What information do they ignore? Asking these questions is the safest way to make sure you are not twisting someone’s work to support your own agenda, or underselling it to make your argument look more appealing than alternative ones. Only after carefully reading and considering an author’s claims are you prepared to cite his or her work.
As the semester wraps up and you are preparing your final papers, I hope you will keep these things in mind. Blessings to you as you press on toward the end of the semester.
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- UCAS course code
- UCAS institution code
BSc Genetics with a Modern Language / Course details
Year of entry: 2021
- View tabs
- View full page
Course unit details:
Science & the Modern World
|Unit level||Level 1|
|Teaching period(s)||Semester 1|
|Offered by||Centre for History of Science, Technology & Medicine (L5)|
|Available as a free choice unit?||Yes|
Science has a central role in our cultural, economic and political life. You will reflect on the role of science in the past and in the present through the use of a variety of resources including literature and film.
Using a variety of examples from past and present, this unit explores the place of science in human affairs. By using a non-specialist vocabulary, it helps to understand why we trust scientists and where that reliance comes from historically. It invites to reflect critically on the methods scientific experts use and the influence they exercise in the modern world.
A variety of resources, from scientists’ writings to literature and film will thus be made available to introduce arts, humanities and science students to different ways of understanding science in the past and the present. Through a variety of case studies showing scientists at work the course analyses their ambitions, successes and the controversies that their research engendered. It will thus explore how science confronts politics, religion and culture more generally.
What is science? And why does science have authority in our society and culture? You don’t have to be Einstein to find an answer!
PLEASE NOTE that this course can be taken in 10 or 20 credit versions.
Students will have an appreciation of the complexity of the modern sciences in the broad context of their historical development; understand a range of ways of thinking about the sciences and contemporary society and the relationships between them; be able to reflect critically on the role of the sciences in modern culture; develop their communication and group-working skills.
Lectures form a connected series of case studies of various aspects of science in society and culture, based on the following themes:
- What is Science? An Introduction to the course
- Who should we trust? The authority of science
- “This statement is false” is false: truth and method
- C.U.D.O.S.! Science and ideology.
- God or Nature? Looking at science and
- The path towards global warming: Discovering the environment
- Show me the money! Science as a commodity
- Sexist? Science and Gender
- The Dark Side: War, Secrecy and Surveillance
- Non-Neutral or Post-Normal? Science and its critics
Review of the course Seminars consolidate lecture material through a set weekly reading. Students are required to conduct groups activities based on their readings, answer questions and discuss the content. They will also prepare weekly a piece of writing that will then form integral part of their final essay.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
This course offers an opportunity to learn creatively and collectively. Your team-working skills will definitely improve as result of coursework activities and so will your leading skills. The research output requested will increase your problem-solving capacity, while it will also give you an invaluable opportunity to improve your writing skills. More significantly, you’ll get up to speed with your knowledge of science and learn to critically review what is being discussed in the media and there will be a significant amount of discussions in the class which will help you to give and accept constructive criticism.
1. Non-assessed one paragraph summaries of the readings which are used to provide students with feedback on their reading and writing abilities. These abstracts are meant to introduce skills that could be applied in essay writing.
2. Essays on select topics, pre-circulated. The essays are 1000 words long and are meant to enable students to produce a short but coherent review of the arguments related to the course. In the running of weekly coursework, students will prepare the sections of their final essay accordingly to the principles of “patchwork assessment”. They will also learn how to write an essay and what literature is available.
3. Students taking this unit as 20credits will additionally learn how to research and write a longer piece.
- Analytical skills
- Analytical skills are at the core of all the above exercises.
- Essays are based on students' own interests and ideas and it is the requirement of the unit that they offer their own views on existing debates or issues. This ethos is further strengthened by the class discussions. The key in all such exercises is the ability to understand the logic of sustainable claims with relevance to non-scientific discourse.
- Oral communication
- Students do not have a formal oral presentation in this unit but they are asked to read a text for the seminars during which an oral interaction takes form of a discussion on a topic of relevance for science and society issues - usually on a topical issue such as the role of ideology in science, or the role of laboratory work in the production of biological knowledge. The seminars are lively and sometimes demanding in that they require the skills of real-time dialoguing and defending opposing cases.
- Students perform research for essays. They are given a list of initial readings but are not fed into reproducing the consensus. They are told how to use databases, how to avoid unreliable public domain resources and how to develop the criteria for judging the quality of academic work.
- Written communication
- See transferable skills above
- Critical analysis and independent evaluation of arguments in relevant literature. Communication skills developed during seminars. Effective writing skills (abstract summaries) and extended composition for Essays. Independent research, time management and organization of data for Projects. Team work in preparation for in seminars. Effective learning and revision techniques.
Both lecture and seminar content are assessed by:
- 1000 word essay (50% of overall mark)
- 2 hour exam (50% of overall mark)
Students are encouraged to ask questions at any time during lectures and seminars. Teaching staff answers queries in the class and also by email or during office hours (contact details in the course handbook or at lectures). All submitted coursework will be returned with annotations and comments explaining the rationale for the marks given.
- Peter Bowler & Iwan Morus, Making Modern Science: A Historical Survey, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005.
- Alan Chalmers, What is This Thing Called Science? Indianapolis: Hackett Publications, 1999
- Harry Collins and Trevor Pinch, The Golem: What Everyone Should Know About Science, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998
|Scheduled activity hours|
|Assessment written exam||2|
|Independent study hours|
|Simone Turchetti||Unit coordinator|
|
<urn:uuid:13b5a13c-0726-47a7-93a1-c069aa8efae1>
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CC-MAIN-2021-10
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https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2021/00573/bsc-genetics-with-a-modern-language/course-details/HSTM10221
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I've written and talked about essential skills students need for the future... the infographic above lists ten of the important skills students need for the future.
Critical thinking, social intelligence, collaboration and using new technologies are all part of this, which should be included in the curriculum across college. It is important that colleges work to help students develop all of these skills so that they can be successful in the workplace.
By Leonard Sommer Our current education system is ill-prepared to educate the next generation of creative leaders.
Linda Buckmaster's insight:
Leonard Sommer's article based upon research finding that our current education system is ill-prepared to educate the next generation of creative leaders.
"We live in a time where things are constantly changing and evolving. The old, established rules used by past generations to educate and secure success are not suitable for the next generation who will thrive in such an innovative time." L Sommer
Above is an interesting critical thinking framework I came across through Educational Technology & Mobile Learning. The strength of this framework lies in the fact that it is applicable to all subjects. It's holistic approach can be used in various teaching situations to help students develop critical thinking skills.
Students can perform way better if they master the art of note taking. Students need develop these skills; there are various methods of note taking ... the attached infographic is a great visual for the classroom
Infographic that explains graphic facilitation (also known as sketch note taking). This is a great way for older students to take notes particularly those who find it difficult to concentrate or keep still in the class.
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CC-MAIN-2015-06
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http://www.scoop.it/t/21st-century-creative-learning/p/4001826601/2013/05/18/a-straightforward-guide-to-using-pinterest-in-education-edudemic
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Be sure that you have an application to open
this file type before downloading and/or purchasing.
68 MB|20 pages
These are great task cards to help students compare fractions. There are 72 task cards and 2 recording sheets.
Comparing fractions using >, < or =.
*Fractions with same numerator
*Fractions with same denominator
* 1-digit numerator, denominator
* 2-digit numerator, denominator
The documents are for non-commercial or personal use only.
The documents are intended for the original purchaser only. Do not share them with other teachers. They may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view.
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Analysis led by Lancaster University researchers suggests that spontaneous humour is used and appreciated by people with cancer and can be a helpful way of dealing with distressing, taboo or embarrassing circumstances.
People can use humorous metaphors (figures of speech) to empower themselves by undermining the illness, mocking it and distancing themselves from it.
In 'Metaphor, Cancer and the End of Life', Elena Semino, Andrew Hardie, Sheila Payne and Paul Rayson, from Lancaster University, and Zsófia Demjén from University College London, present the methodology, findings and implications of a large-scale corpus-based study of the metaphors used to talk about cancer and the end of life (including care at the end of life) in the UK.
"We studied an online forum for people with cancer and found that some contributors regularly joke about what is happening to them," says Professor Elena Semino, who led the research team.
"For example, the cancer is referred to as 'Mr C', a colostomy bag as 'Baggy' and an oncologist as 'the Wizard of Onc'".
Co-author Dr Zsófia Demjén adds: "Making fun of cancer helps some people on the online forum cope with serious, threatening and unpredictable circumstances, and to bond with one another."
The whole study presents what is the largest-scale study to date of metaphor in the experience of cancer and (care at) the end of life.
It focuses on metaphor as a central linguistic and cognitive tool frequently used to talk and think about sensitive and subjective experiences, such as illness, emotions, death, and dying. It can both help and hinder communication and well-being, depending on how it is used.
The study examines particularly the metaphorical language used by members of three different groups in healthcare:
- People diagnosed with advanced cancer
- Unpaid family carers looking after someone who has cancer
- Healthcare professionals
The team adopted corpus linguistics - a branch of linguistics that uses computer-aided methods to study a variety of linguistic phenomena in large digital collections of texts known as 'corpora' (singular, 'corpus'), to examine the metaphors used by the three groups to talk about cancer and the end of life.
The team built a 1.5-million-word corpus consisting of interviews with and online forum posts by people from each of the three groups.
They then used a combination of qualitative analysis and corpus linguistic methods to present a range of findings that have implications for: metaphor theory and analysis; corpus linguistic and computational approaches to metaphor; and training and practice in cancer care and hospice, palliative and end-of-life care.
The study shows the metaphors most commonly used by members of the three participant groups, and points out both differences and similarities across the groups.
It reveals the possible effects and functions of different patterns of metaphor use, such as, to engender a sense of community amongst cancer patients communicating in a peer-to-peer online forum.
It argues that there are no inherently 'good' or 'bad' metaphors in communication about illness, but that different uses of metaphor may be more or less (dis)empowering, depending on how they are used at different points in time and how they reflect and reinforce different emotions, self-perceptions and degrees of agency and control.
The study has implications for how healthcare professionals can engage with the metaphors used by patients and family carers in clinical contexts, and generally for how to employ metaphors sensitively and effectively in healthcare communications.
Professor Elena Semino: "By exploring systematically the metaphors used by patients, family carers and healthcare professionals in the context of cancer and the end of life, we hope to increase healthcare professionals' awareness of their own and others' uses of language, so that they can adopt more sensitive and effective communication strategies with patients and their families.
The research presented in the book, published today (December 6) by Routledge, was supported by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council.
Top ten metaphors revealed in the study
Animals: Used primarily by patients and carers writing online. Both groups describe cancer negatively as a 'beast'. Animal metaphors are also used by both patients and carers to describe themselves in self-deprecatory terms, usually because of attitudes or behaviours that are part of the experience of illness. Several patients use 'chicken' metaphorically to suggest that they perceive themselves as the opposite of the conventional notion of the 'brave' cancer patient, and are like a scared animal in car headlights.
Sports and Games: Both patients and healthcare professionals used the opposition between a 'sprint' and a 'marathon' metaphorically to suggest that, like a marathon, cancer requires sustained effort, determination and resilience over a long period of time. A doctor writing online suggests the 'marathon vs. sprint' metaphor is a good way to prepare someone to care for a person with a terminal illness. There are references to 'winners' and 'gold medallists'.
Religion and the Supernatural: Metaphors drawing from religion and the supernatural are more frequent in online forum contributions by patients than by the two other participant groups. Both patients and carers online describe distressing situations as being in 'hell' and situations of uncertainty and lack of activity (e.g. waiting for appointments or results) as being in 'limbo'. Others talk about the 'green eyed monster' and tumours as 'dragons'.
Restraint: Both patients and carers talk about the consequences of cancer in their lives in terms of being physically restrained in a particular location. This applies particularly to the inability to leave their homes so the house becomes a 'trap' or they are 'trapped' in a nightmare
Openness: The members of all three groups use Openness metaphors to describe the ability and willingness to talk honestly and explicitly about emotions, a cancer diagnosis, and/or the imminence of death
Obstacles: The member of all three groups talk - quite conventionally - about different kinds of difficulties as 'obstacles' and 'hurdles'.
Wholeness: Metaphors to do with wholeness, and particularly loss of wholeness, are primarily used by patients and carers writing online to talk about the consequences of illness or bereavement for their own mental states, self-perceptions and sense of identity.
Machines: These include a number of highly conventional metaphorical expressions for people's mental lives, such as 'coping mechanism' or 'switching off' from worries. 'Roller coaster' and 'treadmill' are common.
Violence and Journey: The project team previously identified that Violence and Journey metaphors were the most commonly used in the data. While there is evidence that violence metaphors can be harmful for patients, the study showed that both violence and journey metaphors can be empowering or disempowering, depending on how they are used.
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Art Attack Theme Party
Art attack Theme Party means to play with art. To make things with the help of some survival prop and some of waste particles with we made some of households, some decorative pieces like wooden or card board flower vas, table tops, paper flowers used articles at home or office or may be in your school stationary. We make models for our children for schools. To make some flowers with paper, straws. We make some puzzle games like interactive drawing, sand paintings, graffiti art, simple creative activities are some of the building blocks of child development. Learning to create and appreciate visual aesthetics may be more important than ever to the development of the next generation of children as they grow up.
Being a child many of the motions involved in making art, such as holding a paintbrush or scribbling with a crayon, are essential to the growth of fine art skills in young children. To keep all these matters in mind we discovered Art & Craft theme for birthday parties so that creativity would be present amongst the guest children. Whole decoration is done with crepe paper ribbons, cutouts of pencils, card board, eraser, paint brush, drawing board, drawing sheets and many other objects related to art and crafts. Whole venue itself would speak the theme.
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The Spiritualist Church claimed it was the first photograph taken of a spirit, and before long, Mumler left his engraving job to become a full-time 'Spirit Photographer'. Within a year he was brought up on charges of fraud...
What happened at the trial to allow both sides to claim a victory?
The First 'Spirit' Photo
One day in 1862, while developing a self portrait, Mumler discovered what looked like a shadowy human figure standing at his side. Being quite familiar with the photographic process Mumler assumed it was a double exposure and thought nothing more of it. However, when Mumler showed family and friends this image they told him the figure resembled his dead cousin.
It was not long before the photo caught the attention of the spiritualist community who proclaimed it the first photo ever taken of a spirit. On this day spirit photography was born.
Mumler had come to the attention of the law when many began to notice that the spirits who appeared in the photos closely resembled those who had recently sat for Mumler and were still very much alive. Fellow photographers took offence to all this as they feared Mumler was giving a bad name to the profession
Both Sides Win
At the end the judge in the case reluctantly dropped the charges against Mumler stating “however he might believe that trick and deception had been practiced [by Mumler], yet, as he sat there in his capacity as magistrate, he was compelled to decide...the prosecution had failed to prove the case.”.
The prosecution celebrated as they had publicly exposed Mumler. Mumler celebrated as he had beaten the charges laid against him.
However Mumlers finances were near ruin. He continued to take spirit photographs until 1879 when he gave it up and died penniless five years later in 1884. Shortly before his death he destroyed all his negatives.
Mumlers Most Famous Photos
The story behind this image is interesting however. Mary Todd Lincoln had become involved in spiritualism after her sons death in 1862 of Typhoid. During this period of mourning she went to many seances in order to make contact with her deceased son.
It was during this time that as many as eight seances were held in the White House itself and it was during one session that Mary Todd Lincoln finally made contact with her son.
In 1865 Abraham Lincoln was Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at the Ford Theatre Mary Todd Lincoln went into another period of mourning travelling around the country to meet with different spiritualist mediums.
On medium told Lincoln she should sit for Mumler and this she did.
Mary Todd arrived at Mumlers Studio in disguise and under an assumed name.
Whether Mumler was forewarned or somehow otherwise guessed the true identity of the person who sat for him that day will never be known. However when the photograph was developed Mary identified her husband standing at her side...
Today most people accept that Mumler's Spirit Photos are just double exposures though quite nicely done. Although considered a fraud Mumler did perfect the technique and for that some credit should be given.
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We have these Land and Water kits that EVERY 5th grade class HAS to do. They're basically plastic tubs filled with dirt, sand, gravel, and red clay, and the kids experiment with different flows of water and slope and such to see the effects of erosion and weathering. They're a big mess, but they're actually pretty fun.
So, we've been working away at our kits for almost 2 months. This week, my technology instructor came in for a class visit to see the kids using all of our technology. She had told me about a teacher who used to be in our district who had put most of the kit online and added some things to make it more technologically advanced.
Thanks, Mrs. Ghumm, for your great resources! It's a great site, and I think I'll use it a lot more next year! We were ready to begin the portion of our kits where students experiment with how humans affect the flow of water.
After doing a Wall Wisher activity where the kids posted what they already knew about how we affect water, we moved on to researching different types of dams. Amazingly, there were only a couple students who giggled at the word "dam."
Students were put into groups of 4 and each person had a different type of dam to research. After researching, they had to share and decide as a team which type of dam to build. Then, they had to create a project proposal that included a diagram of their dam, then they presented these to the class. After all that, they were able to build their dams.
They turned out pretty well! Out of 2 classes, 8 total groups, we had only 3 dams fail and flood their town!
Columbus Day Activity for Upper Grades
2 days ago
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Digital transformation is revolutionizing every sector and every organization, both public and private. And healthcare facilities are no exception. Across hospitals today, connected devices are everywhere to be found, while more and more confidential patient information is being digitized. Though rapid technological developments are certainly increasing the quality of healthcare, this is accompanied by a huge growth in the threats to hospitals and patients, plus the risks of attacks on their data.
Day-to-day activity at hospitals is going digital, with an increasing amount of equipment such as pacemakers and insulin pumps being digitally connected. These can send data on their operating status or on the patient, and can even be programmed remotely. In 2016, 114,000 patients at a pharmaceutical laboratory were contacted after a security flaw was found in an insulin pump model. The control unit contained a vulnerability which, if exploited, could be used to inject the patient with a potentially fatal dose of insulin.
Obsolete IT environments
Workstations are also connected, so they can access email and tools such as scanners and MRI machines. Yet, many facilities still operate using an obsolete IT environment, according to McAfee. A study by Deloitte of 24 hospitals in 9 EMEA countries also revealed that more than half of them use standard default passwords to secure their hardware. What’s more, only a fifth of hospitals surveyed said that the majority of their IT equipment uses secure networks to ensure the reliability and confidentiality of their data.
Data worth more than gold
Hackers are increasingly targeting facilities like these, as the data they can steal is so valuable. In fact, the information stored by hospitals (like medical records and social security numbers) is worth more than gold to them. Data can be sold on the black market for around 50 dollars – that’s 50 times what a credit card number is worth, according to Symantec.
No wonder cyberattacks are increasingly targeting hospitals. And there’s no shortage of cases. In May 2017, a global cyberattack caused millions of computers to be blocked. The culprit… WannaCry ransomware. The UK’s healthcare service, the NHS, was one of the worst hit by the attack. Thousands of consultations, examinations, and surgeries had to be canceled in more than 40 facilities after their systems were blocked. The NHS had failed to download a Windows update which would have prevented WannaCry from infecting it. Hundreds of thousands of other computers are still running on Windows XP – a real security loophole.
Attacks that cost dearly
In March 2016, the Locky virus blocked access to nearly 10,000 files, or 3% of the content of an IT department at a hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France. In February that year, a hospital in California paid 17,000 dollars’ worth of bitcoins to regain access to its IT system. MedStar Health, an IT system used to manage around a dozen hospitals in Maryland, United States, also had its network shut down after a cyberattack. And the list of cyberattack victims in the healthcare sector continues to grow and grow.
In the second quarter of 2016, hospitals were the target of 88% of ransomware attacks, according to a study by security solutions provider NTTSecurity.
Hospitals dedicate very little of their financial and physical resources to their IT security – just 6% of their budget in 2016 compared to the industry average of 16%, Symantec explains. But repeated cyberattacks have made them more aware of the need to act now to protect their IT system and their patients’ data by putting a security policy in place. According to the Hospital Information Systems Atlas published every year since 2013 by the French Directorate-General for Healthcare, 91% of healthcare centers have a security policy in force. The Digital Hospital program aims to raise this figure to 100% by January 1, 2018.
Oodrive – the software publisher specializing in managing sensitive data – provides online backup solutions to recover your data after a cyberattack, as well as certified collaboration solutions used by companies with the most stringent security requirements.
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Angle Of Perception
By Anjali Mohapatra • November 24, 2015
Once, a professor kept a chair at a certain distance on the stage, in front of the audience. He started his lecture, then pointing to the middle row, those who were sitting exactly in front of the chair, he asked, 'How many legs the chair has that you can see, but answer me exactly what you observe, not assuming that the chair has four legs?'
The first person of the middle row replied, 'Two', because the other two legs were hidden behind the front legs.
The professor then asked the same question to the left side viewers. The answer came 'Three'. Here, one back leg was hidden behind one of it's front side leg. So, only three were visible.
The same question was repeated to the right side and the extreme corner side audience. The answers, he received were 'Three' and 'Four' respectively.
The professor then said, 'Look!! All of you know that the chair has four legs, but when I asked you to answer me exactly what you are observing from your angle, your answer varied. But, do you think it is possible? So what does it mean? Do you think that the same chair has two, three or four legs? Obviously, the answer is 'no'. We assume it as the varied numbers according to our perception, the angle from which we view. So, what I mean to say is that our perception is not always absolutely correct or true. The same thing happens to everybody, when he/she judges others from his/her view points. Kindly, take your time, but judge others correctly.'
Good things are always taught, but it depends upon you, how much you want to grab it!!! Sometimes, things are misunderstood because of our angle of perception.
Once, I had attended one maths seminar at Goumati nagar in Lucknow, where one foreign delegate cited this example. But unfortunately, his lecture was not clearly audible, because of excessive disturbance (maybe some technical problem of the Mike). However, I could only visualise what he was showing. So, I assumed it this way what I have mentioned above. Kindly ignore the mistakes.
This Mother Bear Doing Her Best To Get Her Cubs Across The Road
Man On Walk Shares Wholesome Photos Of Dogs Posing For Group Photo On Bridge
'I Feel Loved Every Single Day': Daughter Pens Heartfelt Thank You For Adoptive Parents
The Obituary Of Matt Groening's Mother Explains The Origins Of The Simpsons
Professor Shares The Best True Excuse A Student Used For Missing An Assignment
Shaquille O'Neal Buys Engagement Ring For Random Store Customer
This Dog Hiding Blueberries In His Mouth Is Going To Make You Laugh
This Conversation Between A Pregnant Woman And Man At A Bus Stop Will Bring You To Tears
Husband Puts Baby Powder In Wife's Hair Dryer On April Fool's Day
Husband Roasts Wife For Her Overuse Of Lip Stick
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Of unknown origin. Suggested by R. Lowe Thompson to derive from Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- (“horn”), which would mean it is related to English horn. Others have suggested that it comes from Old English Herian, literally "warrior-leader", which is a name for Woden. Another theory is that it derives from the surname Horne.
- Herne the Hunter, an English mythological figure.
- A city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Herne ? (genitive Hernes)
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• pillage •
Part of Speech: Verb, transitive
Meaning: To loot on a grand scale, to plunder, to take forcibly as spoils of war.
Notes: This bad Good Word has only a few relatives: the agent noun, pillager and a regular process noun, pillaging, which can double as an adjective (the pillaging hordes). Just remember that the backbone of this word is a double L, not a single.
In Play: I suppose we should begin with a reference to one of the legendary pillagers: "The Mongol-Tatar armies of Genghis Khan would as soon pillage a village as straddle a saddle." They did both very well: according to historians, they could stay in their saddles for four days on a diet of mare's milk and horse blood. We might think that we are lucky to avoid pillage, but the corporate raiders of the 80s and 90s pillaged, in a real sense, several US airlines and a few other companies.
Word History: Sometimes we find a word that knocked another out of the language. Today's word comes from an older verb, to pill, with the same meaning as to pillage. Apparently, this word was ousted by the noun (a) pill in an attempt to avoid confusion. Anyway, the older verb to pill came from Old French piller "to plunder", a verb from Vulgar (street) Latin pilare "to depilate (deprive of hair), shave, scalp, pillage". This verb came from the noun pilus "hair", poil today in French; pelo in Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. A variation of the verb to pill, to peel, has remained with a variant meaning not totally unrelated to scalping.
Come visit our website at <http://www.alphadictionary.com> for more Good Words and other language resources!
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Today August 5, 2015 a procession was held in tribute to the victims of the atomic bomb in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.
People pray for the victims of the atomic bomb in front of the cenotaph for the victims of the atomic bomb in 1945, at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan, on August 5, 2015, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the first pump . (REUTERS)
Objects carried by Theodore J. Van Kirk, navigator aboard the Enola Gay on the Hiroshima mission, including an original copy of the order to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. (Museum of the Second World War)
FSeptember 8, 1945. Only a handful of buildings remain standing in the middle of the desert of Hiroshima, the Japanese city reduced to rubble after the first atomic bomb.
Two people walking between the resulting destruction of August 6 by the fall of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. (AP).
A correspondent walks through the rubble in front of the remains of the building that once was an exhibition center and government office in Hiroshima, Japan, a month after the first atomic bomb.
This photo taken on August 6, 1945 by the US Army shows the mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb dropped by the B-29 bomber Enola Gay on the city of Hiroshima. (AFP).
Photo taken in November 1945 by the US Army shows the Atomic Bomb Dome three months after the atomic bomb dropped by the B-29 bomber Enola Gay on the city of Hiroshima. (AFP).
Domo de la Bomba en el Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park en Hiroshima,Japón. (EFE).
A Buddhist monk in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, Japan. The Atomic Bomb Dome, or Genbaku Dome is the only structure left standing in this district of the city and has been preserved as a monument to peace. (REUTERS / Thomas Peter).
Lee Bong Moon (90) poses with an old photograph of himself in Hapcheon Centre for survivors of the atomic bomb, South Korea, on Monday July 13, 2015. (SeongJoon Cho / Bloomberg).
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Something to think about: the recent Gibbons et al. (2013) PNAS paper found that *one* site in the English Channel showed a 31.7-66.2% overlap in microbial communities when compared to any one of 356 datasets collected as part of the International Census of Marine Microbes (ICoMM). That’s a ridiculous overlap! As the paper title suggests, this gives us “Evidence for a persistent microbial seed bank throughout the global ocean.”
Microbe species don’t fuck around. They’re everywhere. You just have to sequence lots of DNA to find them all.
Except…some deep sea species were *only* found in the Deep Sea…
For example, the marine cold seep biome contributed OTUs [Operational Taxonomic Units, a.k.a putative "species" defined solely from DNA] from the Halanaerobiaceae family. This family includes anaerobic, halophylic species, which have been found to be highly abundant in hypersaline brine pools such as those associated with cold seeps (19); this comparison suggests that a number of Halanaerobiaceae OTUs in the cold seep biome were not detected in the L4 [English Channel] site.
…the marine hydrothermal vent samples contributed members of the Campylobacterales not detected in the L4-DeepSeq [English Channel] sample. Campylobacterales is an order within the e-proteobacteria that includes both free-living and host-associated chemolithotrophs, such as those associated with tube-worms surrounding hydrothermal vents (22).
This study was only looking at bacteria and archaea – no DNA from multicelled microbes – and I’m not sure how intensively the deep sea ICoMM samples were sequenced. But I’m becoming more and more convinced that the Deep Sea is an untapped Candy Cane forest of genomes. So much endemic DNA for us to frolic and play with!
We won’t find these genomes roving around at the surface – marine biologists need to focus more on genomic technologies to sequence the deep.
Reference: Gibbons SM, Caporaso JG, Pirrung M, Field D, Knight R, Gilbert JA. (2013) Evidence for a persistent microbial seed bank throughout the global ocean. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 110(12):4651–5.
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The UK is experiencing its worst March weather for 50 years with Arctic winds and snow causing havoc in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It’s not the best time for a spring holiday as the so-called ‘beast from the east’ continues to rage across the country leaving temperatures plummeting.
But spare a thought for one of the UK’s favourite birds – the Puffin – affectionately known as ‘the Sea Parrot’.
This striking-looking black and white sea bird with its trademark bright orange bill and feet has been hit hard by the continuing windy weather.
This extreme blast of Arctic winds and troublesome weather has seen thousands of Puffins being forced onto beaches in Northumberland and eastern Scotland.
Sadly most will die as a result of starvation and there is little that can be done to help the birds as the damage has already been done out at sea.
Just up the coast from where I live in Northumberland these wonderful birds have been forced inland as raging seas have stopped them hunting and diving for food offshore.
Nature experts say it’s not the cold temperatures which have led to the current crisis.
In fact, Puffin or its Latin name Fratercula Arctica means ‘little brother of the Arctic’ which provides some clues as to the bird’s hardy nature and ability to cope in tough climates.
The UK is actually on the southern edge of the puffin’s habitat which should make life relatively straightforward for this plucky bird – apart from the regular attacks from bigger, marauding birds like Greater Black-backed Gulls.
What is causing the trouble is March’s strong winds and extreme conditions, some of the worst ever experienced in spring,
Hundreds of dead birds have already been washed ashore along the east coast, in an area stretching from Aberdeenshire to Northumberland.
It’s a shocking and worrying incident.
I’ve discovered that the death of large numbers of seabirds in a single incident is known as a “wreck”.
A similar incident involving Guillemots happened on the south England coast last month, but that was attributed to pollution from shipping.
This time it seems the extreme weather is to blame – and perhaps the fall-out from long term climate change which appears to be resulting in more extreme conditions at unexpected times of the year.
Earlier this evening I was listening to an expert from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology on the radio who said it is more than 60 years since since such a large puffin wreck was recorded.
It’s an unusual event then, but a devastating sight for bird lovers – many birds in this current ‘wreck’ have been found by tourists or beachcombers walking their dogs, which is very sad indeed.
There’s speculation that these may be younger birds rather than mature adults who are about to start their breeding season.
This could be better news according to experts because it wouldn’t be completely disastrous for breeding adults, if – and it’s a big if – they have escaped the ‘wreck’.
Normally they’d be out at sea at this time of year feeding before heading inland in late spring to have their chicks or pufflings.
Puffins are the indicators of the health of the surrounding environment and eco-system which is worrying when we witness events like this.
So what’s going on and how will it affect eco-tourism? It’s still to early to tell…
Puffin watching in the UK
Whilst we’re pondering the future of the UK’s puffins, here’s a few tips on the best places to see this bird in early spring and summer.
One of my favourite spots is the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast in North East England.
Thirty six thousand puffins can be seen on the Farnes during late spring when the birds nest in burrows on the island from late March-July.
Take the boat trip from Seahouses to the Farnes (operates daily – see Billy Shiels’ Cruises) and you’re guaranteed to see puffins during their breeding season.
You’ll see kamikaze Puffins flying overhead and on the ground as well as swimming and diving out at sea.
The Farnes is also one of the best places to see Arctic and Sandwich Terns as well as Guillemots, Shags and Razorbills.
Let’s hope that this current tragic event is only a one-off and not the start of a recurrent pattern as our climate changes and becomes more extreme.
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Community on the margins VENKITESH RAMAKRISHNAN
The Rajinder Sachar Committee finds that the Muslim community in India is deprived and neglected, and makes far-reaching recommendations. MUKHTAR KHAN/AP
Highlight of the report [Courtesy: http://www.hinduonnet.com/]
HOMELESS MUSLIM WOMEN sleep on the pavement in Srinagar. Incidence of poverty is high amongst the community, especially in urban areas.
ISSUES relating to the social, economic and political status of India's Muslim minority community have been a matter of debate for several decades; quite a few governments have initiated studies on the community and evolved administrative measures on their basis. As early as the 19th century, Monstuart Elphinstone, the legendary British administrator, put it on record that special measures were required to uplift the backward sections of the Muslim community. Studies conducted by the British administration led to the passage of a government Act in 1935 offering Dalit Muslims reservation facilities along with Dalit Hindus. Nearly two and a half decades ago, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi constituted a 10-member high-power panel on Minorities, Scheduled Castes (S.C.s) and Scheduled Tribes (S.T.s) and other weaker sections, headed by Dr. Gopal Singh. In its report submitted on June 14, 1983, the Dr. Gopal Singh Committee maintained that there was a "sense of discrimination prevailing among the minorities" and that it "must be eliminated, root and branch, if we want the minorities to form an
effective part of the mainstream".
Highlight of the report [Courtesy: http://www.hinduonnet.com/]
The examination of the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community by the seven-member high-level committee headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar, constituted by the Manmohan Singh government, and the publication of its report in November represents, on the face of it, a continuation of the debate on the community. Even so, on account of a variety of factors, the work of the Sachar Committee and its report have greater significance and relevance
than earlier initiatives.
Highlight of the report [Courtesy: http://www.hinduonnet.com/]
To start with, it is the first systematic study of the Muslim community in independent India. Earlier commissions, including the Dr. Gopal Singh Committee, looked into issues relating to the Muslim community along with those relating to other segments of society, such as the S.Cs, S.Ts and other weaker sections. Obviously, the Sachar Committee was expected to have an enhanced focus on the Muslim community and this is reflected in its frame of reference and
Highlight of the report [Courtesy: http://www.hinduonnet.com/]
The processes of the committee were essentially based on three types of issues relating to identity, security and equity, with special emphasis on issues of equity. Within this broad perspective, a wide range of specifics were covered by the committee, such as perceptions about Muslims; the size and distribution of the community's population; indices of the community's income, employment, health, education, poverty, consumption, and standards of living; and the
community's access to social and physical infrastructure. The committee also made a meticulous study of the perpetuation of the caste system in the Muslim community.
The committee collated data from across the country and received detailed oral and written presentations from 13 States that have significant Muslim populations. It also collected data from the Indian Air Force and the Navy on the number of Muslims in these services but did not include the same in the report on a specific request from the Defence Ministry. The marshalling of such substantial data was in marked contrast to the processes of earlier commissions. The report of the Dr. Gopal Singh Committee stated that data were not available in any public office about the benefits accruing to the religious minorities. As such the committee had formulated its observations with data from only 80 districts. The context in which the Sachar Committee undertook its work is significant. The sustained campaign of the Hindutva-oriented Sangh Parivar and its political arm, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing secular parties of promoting a policy of "Muslim appeasement" and insinuating that the Muslim community was politically and socially "anti-national" provides this. The Hindutva campaign developed steadily from the mid-1980s, when the Sangh Parivar advanced its Ayodhya Ram Mandir agitation, and has reached a stage today where leaders such as Pravin Togadia of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) castigate all Muslims as global terrorists. Madrassas run by the community were portrayed as "terrorist manufacturing units" as part of this castigation. The very formation of the Sachar Committee, in March 2005, was characterised by these forces as yet another act of Muslim appeasement.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION SWEEPERS M.D. Jaleel and Ganesh Ram sit before their houses at Ambedkar Colony in Patna. [Courtesy: http://www.hinduonnet.com/]
The committee report has taken note of this context. It points out that Muslims "carry a double burden of being labelled `anti-national' and as being appeased at the same time". The report further states, "While Muslims need to prove on a daily basis that they are not anti-national and terrorists, it is not recognised that the alleged appeasement has not resulted in the desired level of socio-economic development of the community." The single most important result of the committee's detailed exploration is the assertion of the latter fact. On the contrary, the report points out that "the community exhibits deficits and deprivation in practically all dimensions of development" . The report adds that "by and large, Muslims rank somewhat above S.Cs/S.Ts but below Hindu OBCs [Other Backward Classes], Other Minorities and Hindu General [mostly upper castes] in almost all indicators considered."
One of the major contentions of the report is that almost 60 years after Independence the country has failed to ensure participation in governance for its largest minority group. The report begins its study on "Government Employment and Programmes" with the observation that "in a pluralistic society, a reasonable representation of various communities in government sector employment is necessary to enhance participatory governance". However, the data presented and analysed by the report show that the country is far from attaining such a goal. Though Muslims have a share of 13.4 per cent in the country's population, their representation in government jobs is a mere 4.9 per cent.
In the elite civil services, comprised of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), Muslim representation is as low as 3.2 per cent. Members of the community constitute a mere 4.5 per cent of the employees of the Railways and 98.7 per cent of them are positioned at the lower levels. Under-representatio n is acute in States in which Muslims constitute large minorities. In West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, where Muslims form 25.2 per cent, 18.5 per cent and 30.9 per cent of the population respectively, the representation of the community in government jobs is as low as 4.7per cent, 7.5 per cent and 10.9 per cent respectively.
The report also points towards the fundamental social condition that has created this situation. Muslims across the country have less access than other religious groups to educational facilities, particularly in higher education. Consequently, only 3.4 per cent of the Muslim population has completed graduation where as the corresponding figure for non-OBC, non-S.C./S.T. Hindus is 15.3per cent. Literacy levels are also similarly low. Only 59.1per cent of the community has literacy while the national average is 64.8 per cent. The literacy level for non-S.C./S.T. Hindus is 65.1 per cent.
The report shows that only 80 per cent of urban Muslim boys are enrolled in schools, compared to 90 per cent in S.C./S.T. communities and 95 per cent among others. Just 68 per cent of Muslim girls go to school, compared to 72 per cent of Dalit girls and 80 per cent of girls from other groups. The report also explodes the myth that Muslims prefer to send their children to madrassas. The data collected from different parts of the country affirms that only 3 to 4 per cent of Muslim children go to madrassas. It emphasises that Muslim parents, as a rule, like to send their children to regular schools but are unable to do so on account of lack of access to general educational institutions.
The community, with such large deficits in education and employment, naturally figures high in terms of incidence of poverty. The report's analysis is that incidence of poverty among Muslims has a Head Count Ratio (HCR) of 31 per cent, which is second only to the S.C./S.T. HCR of 35 per cent. Significantly, in urban areas Muslims have a higher HCR of 38.4 per cent as compared to 36.4 per cent for S.C./S.T. The report points out that though comprehensive community-wise figures about land ownership are not available, it is more or less clear that the percentage of landowners among Muslims is much lower than in other socio-religious categories.
In the background to all this, the community's access to social and physical infrastructure is also abysmal. The committee used the figures of the 2001 Census and data from the NSSO (61st Round) to evaluate access to social and physical infrastructure. The evaluation shows that the proportion of Muslim households living in properly constructed houses is lower than that of the total population. The report also points out that electric lights are used less in the Muslim community when compared to the all-India average with "the share of villages with no electricity increasing substantially" as the size of the Muslim population rises. The story is no different in terms of piped potable water. Only 25 per cent of rural households have piped water and less than 10 per cent of Muslim households have access to this facility.
R. SHIVAJI RAO
JUSTICE RAJINDER SACHAR, who headed the committee.
On the positive side, the Sachar Committee notes that in spite of widespread poverty and under-development, the community has an increasingly better sex ratio than other socio-religious categories. Child mortality rates are also low in the community. The national Infant Mortality Rate stood at 73 in 1998-99 while it was only 59 in the Muslim community. The figure was 77 among Hindus and 49 among Christians. Another positive point the committee has recorded is the better housing conditions; Muslims are on a par with other communities in this and toilet facilities are even better. Despite these pluses, however, the overall condition is one of `development deficit'.
The Committee also points out that the problem of `development deficit' is exacerbated by the widespread perception among Muslims that they are discriminated against and excluded. The colossal shortfall in terms of political representation has contributed in a big way to the growth and expansion of this perception. The report points out that of the 543 Lok Sabha members, only 33 are Muslim, and warns that the low participation of Muslims in nearly all political spaces could have an adverse impact on Indian society and polity in the long run. "Given the power of numbers in a democratic polity, based on universal franchise, minorities in India lack effective agency and political importance," the report said.
Minorities, it added, "do not have the necessary influence or the opportunity to either change or even influence events which enable their meaningful and active participation in development process."
A specific study of the committee on electoral constituencies has brought out several anomalies that militate against the Muslim community. The study shows that several constituencies reserved for S.Cs have Muslim populations. The study also showed that many constituencies with more than 50 per cent S.C. population are in the unreserved category. Taking this into consideration, the committee has recommended the elimination of the anomalies in electoral delimitation schemes: "A more rational delimitation procedure that does not reserve constituencies with high minority population shares for S.C.s will improve the opportunity for minorities, especially Muslims, to contest and get elected to Parliament and State Assemblies."
On the strength of its comprehensive research and analysis the report also highlights the fact that some sections of Muslim society are more unequal than others. It draws attention to "the presence of descent-based social stratification" on the lines of the Hindu caste system among Indian Muslims and identified three social segments - Ashrafs, Ajlafs and Arzals. The traditional occupation of Arzals is similar to that of S.C.s; most of them work as butchers, washer men, barbers and scavengers. Ajlafs are engaged in occupations similar to that of the Hindu OBCs, and a sizable section of them are also landowners. Ashrafs have suffered no social deprivation as they are converts from the Hindu upper-castes or have "foreign blood".
The report said that Arzals are essentially converts from `untouchable' Hindu communities and that the"change in religion did not bring about any change in their social or economic status". The report also points out that Arzals have been clubbed with `Ajlafs, and that while the three groups require different types of affirmative action, the Arzals require multifarious measures, including reservation. The committee maintains that Arzals are "cumulatively oppressed". As such it would be "most appropriate" to absorb them among the S.Cs or at least in a separate category, Most Backward Classes, carved out of the OBCs. The (Scheduled Caste) Order of 1950 has kept Muslim and Christian converts from among Hindu Dalits out of its purview, denying them reservation.
A crucial recommendation of the Sachar Committee is the constitution of an "Equal Opportunity Commission" to look into the grievances of deprived groups. The report also says that an example of such a policy tool is the British Race Relations Act, 1976, and notes:
"Such a measure, while providing a redressal mechanism for different types of discrimination, will give a further reassurance to minorities that any unfair action against them will invite the vigilance of the law." The committee also points out that "mere material change will not bring about the true empowerment of the minorities; they need to acquire and be given the required collective agency." It suggests that a carefully conceived nomination procedure could be worked out to increase the participation of minorities at grassroots and in public bodies.
Reaction to the report has been on on predictable lines. All parties barring the BJP and the Shiv Sena have welcomed it as a step in the right direction. The Congress and the Left parties pointed out that the committee's study had proved the hollowness of the Sangh Parivar's "Muslim appeasement" contention. The BJP asserted that the recommendations would not improve the lot of Muslims as they reflected a pseudo-vision, full of biases and prejudices. Talking to Frontline, Professor T.K. Oommen, well-known sociologist and a member of the Sachar Committee, maintained that the real questions raised by the report need to be addressed and concrete action taken at the earliest. As the report pointed out, "non-implementation of recommendations of several earlier commissions and committees has made the Muslim community wary of any new initiative," he said.
Though the Sachar Committee did not specifically mention it, the summation of the Dr. Gopal Singh Committee must have been considered in this comment. In June 1983, the Dr. Gopal Singh Committee stated that two things were absolutely necessary to root out the sense of discrimination among Muslims: "Wherever the government has to make appointments through nominations, as in the case of governing bodies of banks and other public undertakings, utmost care should be taken to have a fair number of the minorities representatives, especially at the decision-making levels. Similarly, every recruiting agency or services commission must have an adequate number of their representatives, so that the sense of discrimination now prevailing may end." Twenty-three years after the submission of that report there is no record to suggest that these recommendations have been implemented.
What fate awaits the comprehensive report and recommendations of the Sachar Committee? The answer lies squarely with our political class, especially those who commissioned the Sachar panel - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his United Progressive Alliance government.
Vol. 23 :: No. 24 December 02 - 15, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU
Highlight of the report
ALL INDIA UNITED Muslim Morcha members at a demonstration in New Delhi demanding inclusion of Dalit Muslims in the Schedule Caste category. Secondly, in the period following Independence, Muslim masses were the victims of benign neglect and various degrees and modes of discrimination. Intermittently, they have also been the victims of violence and sometimes of gruesome communal killings; in a way, this sets them apart from any other community. But this in itself does not entirely explain their backwardness. We have got to keep their historical inheritance in mind as an important component of their backwardness. It is only then that we can blame successive governments in India of not doing anything to alleviate the abjectness of the socio-economic conditions of Muslims. Much could have been done by way of proactive policies and targeted affirmative action to make their living conditions much better than what they are now.
Behind their plight YOGINDER SIKAND
Muslim organisations see the Sachar report as reiterating their own concerns and providing legitimacy to some of their demands. JUDGING by the sheer volume of representations that the Rajinder Sachar Committee is said to have received, there seems to be a sort of general consensus among Muslims throughout the country that they are economically and socially "backward" compared with the general population. The fact that by and large Muslims are indeed economically marginalised is well known, a point the Sachar Committee report reiterates. Yet, it is surprising how this fact is rarely mentioned in media reporting on Muslims, which tends to focus almost wholly on negative, sensational stories involving some controversy or the other in which Muslims are alleged to be involved.
`Seclusion inflicted by insecurity' T.K. RAJALAKSHMI in New Delhi
Interview with Subhashini Ali, president, All India Democratic Women's Association A slew of reports, including the one by the Sachar Committee, have exploded the myth of Muslim appeasement. There is now a strong call from some sections for affirmative action in favour of Muslims. Given this situation, what kind of a role do you expect from policy-makers in the government?
The answer to this question has to be divided into several parts. When we are discussing affirmative action, those Muslims who are listed in the OBC list in the Mandal Commission report, are, theoretically, entitled to reservation under the OBC quota. But a problem arises in the context of discrimination on religious grounds; this affects them badly as even if they are entitled to reservations as OBCs and compete with Hindu OBCs, they suffer a disadvantage because of their religion. This question has to be addressed. The government and various organisations will have to be questioned on how many Muslims have got jobs under the OBC quota. This is a very important question and the details have to be unearthed. If they are not accessing jobs at all under the OBC quota, then something has to be done. If, as some Muslim organisations argue, Muslims constitute 8 per cent of the OBCs, then they should also be given 8 to 10 per cent of the jobs reserved for the OBCs.
In every State Muslims constitute disadvantaged communities; only the extent and nature of the disadvantage vary.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION SWEEPERS M.D. Jaleel and Ganesh Ram sit before their houses at Ambedkar Colony in Patna.
OUTCASTS Venkitesh Ramakrishnan in Patna
TO the residents of Yarpur basti (an urban settlement) in the heart of Patna, there is nothing extraordinary in the friendship between Mohammed Jaleel and Ganesh Ram Bara. Both of them, in their mid-sixties, had worked together for many decades in the Patna Municipal Corporation as sanitation workers. They spent much of their lives in Yarpur, locally called dom basti or bhangi basti in a disparaging reference to the caste of the sanitation workers. Their work involved a variety of tasks, such as sweeping the roads, unclogging gutters, cleaning toilets, carrying filth and disposing of waste, aimed at keeping Bihar's capital city clean. Because of the nature of their job both Jaleel and Bara faced the same kind of societal exclusion.
Bias and the police PRAVEEN SWAMI in New Delhi
Will more Muslims in India's police forces help combat communal violence?
Is it that the sectarian ideology has already completed its task of ensuring that the half truths, half lies spread by it are the core operating principles of the large section of bureaucracy and police? The insecurity of other minority, the Christians, especially in Adivasi areas knows no bounds and through organizations like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram the divisive and intimidating role is being carried to the full extent in remote places. The news of attacks on Christian nuns ad missionaries have become a matter of routine and no more has any 'news value' as per the parameters of our media. At social and cultural level the Freedom of Religion Bills in various BJP ruled states are an open threat to the Christian missionaries working in the area of education and health in deep interiors. Madhya Pradesh government like other BJP governments has been manipulating the things at cultural level. It has been naming most of the social schemes in Hindu imageries, like water irrigation projects as Jalabhishek, marriage support to the poor as Kanyadan and so on.
Gujarat as a Hindu Rashtra has already relegated the Muslims out into refugee camps away from the main areas. Is it a return of old untouchable ghettoes?
It seems the democratic ethos is under severe threat and the state of alienation of minorities is a pointer to that. It seems that even without being in power, the BJP-RSS agenda of Hindu Nation is already unfolding itself in a threatening manner in BJP ruled states and in a subtle and overt fashion in other states where BJP is not in power. In those states due to the communal attitude of some of those in power and the communalization of state apparatus, police and bureaucracy, the restrictions on liberal democratic spaces are mounting. Is it time for celebration in RSS headquarters or is there time still for it to be taken as a warning signal by those who wish to preserve and strengthen democracy. A lip service to minority welfare and security will not do. Those in leadership who are committed to the values of Liberty, Equality and Community (national) need to wake up and take stock of the all round intimidation and alienation of minorities. If Rajinder Sachar Committee report and Malegaon bandh does not wake them up, what will?
Democracy Besieged By Ram Puniyani 22 November, 2006 Countercurrents.org
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What does it mean to translate subtitles? How do you know if you have done a good job? What are the best practices for new translators?
The most important task in any translation work is to preserve meaning from one language to another. Direct translation or “word-for-word” translation doesn’t always work, which can result in some funny translations. Some words or phrases in the original language won’t have a matching word or phrase in your target language. Good translators find something that captures the meaning, tone, and purpose of the speaker. You might need to paraphrase or adjust your translation to better connect your audience with the subtitles.
After you know how to translate the subtitles, the next step is to make sure that your subtitles are readable. While creating or reviewing your subtitles, take a few steps to make your translation work for the final audience. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Would you be able to follow the plot of the video if it was muted?
- Read your subtitles out loud and pause at the line breaks. Are your line breaks natural?
- Can you read the whole subtitle before the next one comes?
- For most languages: up to 25 characters per second
- For Japanese, Chinese, and Korean: up to 10 characters per second
- Do your subtitles cover too much of the screen?
- Aim for 1-3 lines per subtitle
Do Your Research
Good translators learn how to research. Accepting that research is a part of the job can give you a head-start with technical content, advertisement materials, and more. Imagine translating subtitles for a video, submitting it, and then finding out that you spelled the brand name wrong through the whole video! Doing a little research about the content that you are translating goes a long way.
Focus on Native Languages
It might be tempting to learn a new language by translating subtitles. But there is a possibility that your “practice” translation could hurt someone’s chances to understand a video. The highest quality subtitles come from people who translate into their native language or “mother tongue.” And there are easier ways to learn languages anyway! It’s best to stick with the languages that you are confident in and build your skills and experience there.
Go the Extra Mile
After you become an expert translator, you might look for the next step. And for many, that next step is localization. If your native language has multiple regional dialects (like Parisian vs. Canadian French), then you can learn how to localize content for those regions. You can localize content by converting common measurements to make sense to your local audience: 12 vs 24 hour clock, currency, miles vs kilometers, and others.
Make the Amara Editor Work for You
The Amara Subtitle Editor is free for all users to caption, translate, or review subtitles for online videos. And there are several tools that are great for both old and new translators.
While you are translating subtitles, the original language is visible in the reference panel. This gives you an additional reference so you don’t have to rely only on the sound of the video. If the speech is unclear or there is background noise, it’s good to have a backup!
You can also copy the timing from the original subtitles for easier synchronizations. If your translation runs a little shorter or longer than the original, you can use the merge or split features to make the right adjustments.
We also have some quick tips on creating same-language subtitles (captions). Happy subtitling!
Want to outsource your subtitling effort? Check out our guide:How to Choose A Video Closed Captioning Service-An Easy 6 Steps Guide in 2021
By the way, do you know what’s the difference between subtitles and closed captions? Check out our article: Subtitles vs. Captions: What’s the Difference?
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I improve my translation quality?
Improve your translation quality by learning about localization rules for your language and get involved in translation communities to find review partners.
Collaboration helps us all grow, so don’t be afraid to reach out to find other translators to work with.
What is the easiest way to translate subtitles?
Translating subtitles is a lot easier when you start with a good set of reference subtitles in the original language.
Translators can view the original subtitles beside their translation in the Amara Editor. The subtitles are matched up so you can lock them in place and compare them line-by-line if needed.
How do I make subtitles readable?
The most important thing you can do for readability is to keep your subtitles under the recommended characters per second.
For alphabet-based languages, 25 characters per second is considered a reasonable reading rate so try to keep it at or below. For logographic languages, 10 characters per second is the subtitling standard. The Amara Editor calculates characters per second after you synchronize your subtitles to the video so make sure to keep an eye on any warnings that pop up.
How do I make subtitles correctly?
For most subtitles, creating quality means capturing what is said in the video accurately and synchronizing the subtitles to the video timing so it is easy for the reader to understand.
The best recommendations we can give are to practice with subtitling tools like Amara, talk with other translators, and get someone to review your work as much as you can!
What are the three qualities of a good translation?
Good translations are accurate, preserve meaning, and are enjoyable by local audiences.
Good translation should be seamless. If the audience gets distracted by something, inaccurate timing or an unknown brand or product, it can reduce their enjoyment of your translation. Practicing translation and getting involved in conversations about translation can help you learn the pitfalls for other translators and how to avoid them.
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Healthy living means eating right, working out, and relieving stress. It also means taking responsibility for the natural environment on which we depend. If we nurture our ecosystems, rivers that supply us with drinking water become clean, wetlands regain their ability to shield us from hurricanes like Katrina, forests expand into carbon sinks that slow global warming, and farm soil comes alive, protecting our vegetable harvests from pests and minimizing the need for pesticides.
Stewardship of large wetlands, rivers, and forests may not be your game because it is political. But we all can rebalance the immediate environment we inhabit. What I have in mind is the lawn. Lawns constitute two percent of the continental United States, an area four times the size of any irrigated crop.[i]
Most lawns are filled with imported vegetation. In Houston, my hometown, you’ll find Bermuda grass from the Middle East,[ii] crape myrtles from China, tulips from Western Asia,[iii] daisies from Europe, and bougainvilleas from Brazil. These newcomers are crowding out plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife that were here for thousands of years.
Even migratory animals are under pressure. An example is the famed Monarch butterfly, which passes through Houston on its way to Canada. Only recently did the Washington Post reveal that since 1990 nearly a billion Monarchs have vanished.
By re-envisioning our lawns and making them at once beautiful for ourselves and hospitable to local wildlife, we can restore lost ecology. In that spirit my husband Terry and I have been tossing about ideas for removing several non-native ornamentals from our lawn. The plan is to replace them with fruit trees, thereby localizing our food supply, and Houston native plants to create space for habitat.
Houston native plants at your fingertips, thanks to Mark and Mary Bowen
If you live in the Bayou City and would like to incorporate Houston native plants into your landscaping, you might benefit from a great resource I’ve created. It is based on the book Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas by Mark Bowen and Mary Bowen.
Published in 1998, the book describes the ecology of this region – coastal prairie in a semi-tropical climate with heavy clay soil, large swaths of tall grass, and a limited number of trees. Before European settlers arrived, this prairie was home to herds of buffalo. Today the buffalo are gone and the prairie has shrunk to one percent of its former size.
The Bowens want to give Houstonians the tools to bring back some of the original habitat. They provide advice on how to establish a prairie, create a coastal woods ecosystem or wetland, improve soil health, and attract wildlife. Here’s their guiding principle for habitat gardening:
Plants from your region historically should be given first consideration to meet your needs. If a native plant can’t be found which meets a particular need, then attempt to identify a naturalizing plant from other parts of Texas, from the Southeastern United States, or another part of the world with a similar climate.
The heart of the book is a list of over seventy Houston native plants that are particularly suitable for landscaping your garden.
Here’s the hitch. Habitat Gardening for Houston is out of print with only a few hardcopies traded on Amazon. A Kindle version is available, which I purchased. As it turns out, the Kindle contains the entire text but not a single photograph. Picture my disappointment when I went through the list of perennials, shrubs, and trees: How was I to decide on a plant if I had not idea of its visual impact?
Houston native plants in the Encyclopedia of Life
After a few moments of brooding I had a Eureka moment. Only recently had I discovered the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), a brilliant project that aims to create an open and trusted digital encyclopedia of life on Earth. With support from established institutions such as Harvard University and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, EOL is bound to mature into a trustworthy and widely used resource. Why not create a collection within the Encyclopedia of Life that’s based on the work of Mark and Mary Bowen? Inspired, I went to work.
A few days have passed, and the collection is complete. It contains the entire list of plants produced by the Bowens, together with some basic annotations and links to a detailed and evolving encyclopedic record. To view the collection, click here. You can use it on its own or, better yet, purchase a Kindle copy of Habitat Gardening in Houston and use that in combination with the collection. The fact that the Kindle copy lacks photos is no longer a hindrance.
How to use the EOL collection on Houston native plants
If you wonder how you might put the collection to use, here’s an example.
Considering a hedge for our lawn, Terry asked me to research suitable plant material that is either native or has proven value as a habitat plant. Two weeks ago I would not have known where to begin with this endeavor. But thanks to EOL I was able to visit my collection, sort it by plant type, and browse through the sections on shrubs and generic native plants. I found that the wax myrtle only requires a spacing of three to four feet, which means it can be grown as a small shrub.
Next, I pulled up “wax myrtle hedge” on Google Images to see if other people have built hedges from wax myrtle. Indeed they have.
The cinch is that 37 species of birds like the seed of this shrub. This means the wax myrtle can fulfill two functions: provide privacy for us and habitat for wildlife. How cool is that?
Where can you find Houston native plants?
Perhaps you end up using the collection – I sure hope you do – and come up with a list of plants you want to purchase. You will likely not find them at your nearest discount gardening center, because those stores cater to the majority – folks partial to crape myrtles, tulips, daisies, and bougainvilleas. Finding native plants is a tad challenging. Here’s a list of local stores that might help you:
- Buchanan’s Native Plants, a store in the Houston Heights.
- Joshua’s Native Plants, a store on W. 18th Street.
And here is a list of expert institutions with knowledge of where to find Houston native plants:
- The Houston Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. It occasionally holds native plant sales.
- The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, a non-profit urban nature sanctuary that provides education about the natural environment. Occasionally it holds plant sales.
- The Mercer Arboretum. It is a park and botanical garden run by Harris County’s Precinct 4. Its “About” page states that “Mercer employs a team of experienced botanists, horticulturists, and gardeners who offer a wealth of knowledge and information, and will gladly assist you in anyway they can during your visit.” Occasionally Mercer offers native plant sales.
- The Native Prairies Association of Texas, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of native prairies.
- The Katy Prairie Conservancy, a non-profit land trust that seeks to enhance wildlife habitat and restore both tallgrass prairie and wetlands.
- The Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena. They preserve Armand Bayou’s wetlands prairie, forest and marsh habitats, making them available to the public.
- The Gulf Coast chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist. The Texas Master Naturalist is an organization that wants to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education dedicated to the management of natural areas in Texas.
This should get you started. I wish you good luck as you transform your environment into a space of hospitality. May you enjoy it.
Notes and references
[i] Milesi C., C.D. Elvidge, J.B. Dietz, B.T. Tuttle, R.R. Nemani, and S.W. Running. 2005. A strategy for mapping and modeling the ecological effects of US lawns. Paper presented at the 3rd international symposium on remote sensing and data fusion over urban areas, and at the 5th international symposium on remote sensing of urban areas (joint symposium), Tempe, AZ, USA; March 14–16 2005. Freely available online here. The authors say that lawns are “three times larger than that of any irrigated crop,” which means they are four (not three) times the size of that crop. See Dr. Math.
[ii] Farsani, Tayebeh Mohammadi, Nematollah Etemadi, Badraldin Ebrahim Sayed-Tabatabaei, and Majid Talebi. “Assessment of genetic diversity of Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) using ISSR markers.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences 13, no. 1 (2012): 383-392. Freely available here.
[iii] Christenhusz, Maarten J.M., Rafaël Govaerts, John C. David, Tony Hall, Katherine Borland, Penelope S. Roberts, Anne Tuomisto, Sven Buerki, Mark W. Chase, and Michael F. Fay. “Tiptoe through the tulips–cultural history, molecular phylogenetics and classification of Tulipa (Liliaceae).” Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 172, no. 3 (2013): 280-328. Gated copy available here.
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- Research article
- Open Access
- Open Peer Review
Tracking the spatial diffusion of influenza and norovirus using telehealth data: A spatiotemporal analysis of syndromic data
© Cooper et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2008
- Received: 06 February 2008
- Accepted: 26 June 2008
- Published: 26 June 2008
Telehealth systems have a large potential for informing public health authorities in an early stage of outbreaks of communicable disease. Influenza and norovirus are common viruses that cause significant respiratory and gastrointestinal disease worldwide. Data about these viruses are not routinely mapped for surveillance purposes in the UK, so the spatial diffusion of national outbreaks and epidemics is not known as such incidents occur. We aim to describe the geographical origin and diffusion of rises in fever and vomiting calls to a national telehealth system, and consider the usefulness of these findings for influenza and norovirus surveillance.
Data about fever calls (5- to 14-year-old age group) and vomiting calls (≥ 5-year-old age group) in school-age children, proxies for influenza and norovirus, respectively, were extracted from the NHS Direct national telehealth database for the period June 2005 to May 2006. The SaTScan space-time permutation model was used to retrospectively detect statistically significant clusters of calls on a week-by-week basis. These syndromic results were validated against existing laboratory and clinical surveillance data.
We identified two distinct periods of elevated fever calls. The first originated in the North-West of England during November 2005 and spread in a south-east direction, the second began in Central England during January 2006 and moved southwards. The timing, geographical location, and age structure of these rises in fever calls were similar to a national influenza B outbreak that occurred during winter 2005–2006. We also identified significantly elevated levels of vomiting calls in South-East England during winter 2005–2006.
Spatiotemporal analyses of telehealth data, specifically fever calls, provided a timely and unique description of the evolution of a national influenza outbreak. In a similar way the tool may be useful for tracking norovirus, although the lack of consistent comparison data makes this more difficult to assess. In interpreting these results, care must be taken to consider other infectious and non-infectious causes of fever and vomiting. The scan statistic should be considered for spatial analyses of telehealth data elsewhere and will be used to initiate prospective geographical surveillance of influenza in England.
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus
- Syndromic Surveillance
- Primary Care Trust
- Influenza Surveillance
Disease surveillance systems are used for identifying important events and trends within the distribution of known diseases. This information should inform and drive public health action. Traditionally, laboratory reports and clinical diagnoses are used for disease surveillance, providing epidemiological details about the time, person and place associated with disease. In recent years there has been a growth in syndromic surveillance systems that collect and analyse pre-diagnostic data to provide an early warning of infectious disease outbreaks or potential bio-terrorist attacks . These systems have been successful in detecting rises in syndromes associated with common viral diseases [2, 3]. Influenza and norovirus are two such viruses that cause significant respiratory and gastrointestinal disease in the UK [4, 5] and worldwide. Both are responsible for outbreaks within healthcare and educational settings , and are associated with significant economic costs [8, 9].
The influenza virus causes an acute infection of the respiratory tract characterised by cough, fever and myalgia, and in more serious cases can lead to pneumonia. Its epidemiology has been studied in great detail, partly due to the ability of the virus to mutate, causing national epidemics and worldwide pandemics (for example, during 1918, 1957 and 1968). On a population level the disease spreads via a combination of contagious diffusion (wave-like from a central or multiple foci) and hierarchical diffusion (movement from large to smaller towns) . During the 1918–1919 pandemic in the UK influenza moved in a southerly, then northerly, then southerly direction during three successive epidemic waves . Although there has been a secular decline in the incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI) in the UK in recent decades , elevated activity still occurs during winter, often reaching peak levels first in Northern England [7, 12]. For example, the winter of 2005–2006 was marked by a national outbreak of influenza B and nearly 700 reported school outbreaks during January and February. A well-established surveillance programme published weekly reports throughout the winter, summarising clinical incidence and laboratory data and tabulating regional levels.
Norovirus is associated with projectile vomiting and diarrhoea. There are an estimated 700,000 cases in England each year , although it is estimated that only one out of every 1600 cases reaches national laboratory surveillance , prompting calls for methods of supplementing current surveillance systems. Like influenza, new strains of norovirus may emerge , causing significant illness and a rise in reported outbreaks. The geographical variation in community infection rates of norovirus is poorly understood in the UK as the 'gold standard' for surveillance is considered to be outbreak reports. These reports originate mainly from institutional rather than community settings and are neither timely nor reported in a consistent manner across the country.
Neither influenza nor norovirus data are routinely mapped for surveillance purposes in the UK. This means that the local incidence, and the spatial diffusion of national epidemics, cannot be described prospectively for public health teams, health service planners and the public. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) currently collects and analyses data from a national telephone triage service (NHS Direct) for syndromic surveillance purposes . NHS Direct covers the whole of England and Wales and is widely used by the population. NHS Direct nurses record demographic and syndromic call details over the telephone so the call data offer potential for disease surveillance. Therefore, analysing the usefulness of NHS Direct data has a wider relevance for public health and preparedness.
In this article we have used syndromic data about NHS Direct fever and vomiting calls, of which there are many infectious and non-infectious causes. On a national and regional level, NHS Direct fever calls for school-age children rise at the same time as laboratory reports of influenza B . Vomiting calls rise during periods of increased norovirus activity nationally . Developments in NHS Direct data management systems now enable syndromic call data to be extracted and analysed to a local level. In this study we aimed to characterise the geographical origin and diffusion of rises in NHS Direct fever and vomiting calls (that is, potential epidemics). Freely available spatiotemporal analyses software (SaTScan) was used to detect clusters of elevated NHS Direct calls on a week-by-week basis. We compared these syndromic results with existing laboratory and clinical surveillance data in order to determine whether NHS Direct data provide a sensitive and timely means of describing local and national level increases in common viruses.
Data were extracted from the NHS Direct national database about the syndrome, time of call, age group, and postcode district (geographical identifier) of each NHS Direct call in England for the period June 2005 to May 2006. At the time of analysis a single year's postcoded data were available. A geographical information system (MapInfo GIS) was used to assign a Primary Care Trust (PCT) code to each call. The PCT is the local unit of administration for primary and public health services in England. There are 151 PCTs with an average population of 353,000 people. Two subsets of NHS Direct data were extracted: fever calls for the 5- to 14-year-old age group, used as a proxy for influenza B infection, which predominantly affects school-age children; and vomiting calls for the ≥ 5-year-old age group, used as a proxy for norovirus infection. Vomiting calls about those younger than 5 years old were excluded from the analysis to remove the potentially confounding effect of rotavirus (another common viral cause of vomiting which almost exclusively affects children under 5 years old). It is not currently possible to extract multiple symptoms linked to individual callers due to the way in which call details are stored within the NHS Direct call database.
Data were analysed using the SaTScan scan statistic to analyse spatial, temporal or spatiotemporal data . The scan statistic uses circular windows (potential cluster areas) starting as a single point (PCT location) and increasing in radius to form an additional circle each time a new point is reached. The maximum spatial extent and time period of the circles is defined by the user; in this case it was set to extend to 50% of the total population of England. For each circle the number of observed and expected cases is calculated as well as a likelihood ratio and relative risk (RR) to determine whether the call rate inside the circle is greater than the area outside (that is, a cluster). The statistical significance of clusters with an excess of cases (observed > expected) is calculated by using Monte Carlo hypothesis testing to compare the real data against randomly generated datasets. Clusters with a significantly elevated RR (p ≤ 0.05) were stratified into five levels of risk and mapped using a GIS. If a PCT was contained within two overlapping clusters the RR with the lowest p-value was mapped, a method borrowed from Boscoe et al to visualise SaTScan output . The application of the scan statistic to communicable disease surveillance has been described extensively elsewhere [21–24].
We used a three-stage process to address our aims. For stage 1 we mapped annual total NHS Direct call rates by PCT and used the SaTSCan scan statistic to identify areas of high call rates all year round ('global clustering'). Global clustering may bias the results of the weekly analyses (stage 2) by causing frequent but misleading clusters of syndromic calls in areas of high total call rates. Accounting for the results of stage 1, stage 2 was a spatiotemporal analysis of syndromic calls to describe the location and diffusion of significant rises in fever and vomiting calls. Stage 3 used existing influenza and norovirus surveillance sources (GP consultations, laboratory reports, outbreaks) to describe the accuracy and usefulness of NHS Direct syndromic data. A similar staged approach has been used previously to identify clusters of Escherichia coli 0157 cases in Canada .
Stage 1: mapping total NHS Direct call rates
Total annual NHS Direct call rates (all ages, 5 to 14 years and ≥ 5 years) were mapped by PCT. We then conducted a single retrospective spatial analysis of one year's call data using the SaTScan Poisson probability model. This tested for areas with significantly high or low annual call rates over the whole study period. Three data files were required for analysis: the number of calls per week in each PCT (numerator), the population of each PCT (denominator), and the grid coordinates of the centroid of each PCT (location). The PCT was preferred as the unit of analysis (rather than the smaller postcode district) to test provision of PCT-based data for seasonal influenza surveillance and pandemic influenza preparedness, and to maintain statistical stability by avoiding generating clusters with very small numbers of calls, which in practice are unlikely to be investigated further. This choice of geographical unit is discussed later in the article.
Stage 2: spatiotemporal analyses of syndromic calls
The results of stage 1 (described in the results section) indicated that there was significant global clustering and spatial heterogeneity in local call rates. To correct for this underlying spatial variation, the SaTScan space-time permutation model was used to conduct further analyses. This approach requires only case data (in this case either fever or vomiting calls) and adjusts for purely spatial or purely temporal clusters. For this method the number of observed calls in a cluster is compared with the expected number, assuming that the spatial and temporal locations of calls are independent of each other (no space-time interaction). At each time interval specified, a cluster is identified if a specific area has a higher proportion of excess cases than surrounding areas. Therefore areas with historically high usage of NHS Direct (identified in stage 1) will not bias the results. Also, if during a specific week (for example, the Christmas holiday when doctors' surgeries are closed) all areas experience a doubling of vomiting calls, no clusters will be identified. Such a national rise would be detected by the existing NHS Direct syndromic surveillance system . Changes in PCT population over the study period could hypothetically cause clusters in areas with increased population and reduce the probability of clusters in areas with decreased population. Our study period covered a single year so population change is considered negligible.
We used the space-time permutation model (on historical data) to mimic prospective surveillance and identify 'live' clusters (clusters ending with the most recent date) lasting 1 week and with a p-value of p ≤ 0.05. We retained the maximum cluster population size of 50%. SaTScan uses cases (calls) as a proxy for population in the space-time permutation model as only case data are included. The first 4 months' data (1 June 2005 to 2 October 2005) were used as the control period on which the scan statistic calculates an expected count for each location. Repeated analyses were performed for each additional week's data for a test period from 3 October 2005 to 21 May 2006 for fever calls (5 to 14 years) and vomiting calls (≥ 5 years) separately. Although daily NHS Direct data were available we conducted weekly analyses to simplify the presentation of data and align temporal comparisons with clinical and laboratory data which are available weekly. Details of the location, observed and expected calls, and level of significance of each significant space-time cluster were recorded. The ratio of observed to expected calls (O/E) for each cluster was mapped for each weekly analysis using the same method as in stage 1.
Stage 3: comparison against existing surveillance data
The dates and spatial distribution of fever clusters (identified in stage 2) were compared against: routinely available influenza surveillance data; weekly ILI rates for the 5- to 14-year-old age group for Northern, Central and Southern England (obtained from the Royal College of General Practitioners Weekly Returns Service) ; and the weekly number (all ages combined, influenza A and B separately) of positive influenza samples from community sources from the HPA Centre for Infections virological surveillance scheme . The dates and spatial distribution of vomiting clusters were compared against weekly numbers of norovirus outbreaks recorded by the HPA Centre of Infections Modular Open Laboratory System (MOLIS), presented by the region of origin of laboratory samples. The MOLIS database was recommended as a suitable source of outbreak data as each laboratory sample has an outbreak code and report date, making it possible to derive the number of outbreaks per week and region.
Numbers, rates per 1000/year and percentages of syndromic calls (June 2005 to May 2006)
Number of calls
Call rate per 1000/year (range within Primary Care Trusts)
Syndromic calls, as a percentage of total calls for same age group
Vomiting calls (≥ 5 years)
1.8 (0.6 to 3.2)
Fever calls (5 to 14 years)
3.7 (1.1 to 8.5)
The significant geographical variation in total call rates meant that if we had adopted a similar SaTScan model for the iterative weekly analyses of syndromic data (stage 2) the results would have been largely determined by this underlying variation in call rates. The space-time permutation model was used, therefore, whereby a baseline period is used to establish the expected weekly number of syndromic calls in each PCT.
Description of all significant fever clusters (p ≤ 0.05) detected by the scan statistic during our test period (23 October 2005 to 21 May 2006)
Number of PCTs involved
Observed calls (O)
Expected calls (E)
(radius in km)
[based on control period]
Ashton, Leigh and Wigan
East and North Hertfordshire
Telford and Wrekin
Bath and North East Somerset
North East Essex
East Sussex Downs and Weald
Description of all significant vomiting clusters (p ≤ 0.05) detected by the scan statistic during our test period (23 October 2005 to 21 May 2006)
Number of PCTs involved
Observed calls (O)
Expected calls (E)
(radius in km)
[based on control period]
Portsmouth City Teaching
East and North Hertfordshire
Eastern and Coastal Kent
Hammersmith and Fulham
Great Yarmouth and Waveney
Brighton and Hove City
East and North Hertfordshire
East and north Hertfordshire
Great Yarmouth and Waveney
The majority of the norovirus outbreaks from the MOLIS database were from the North-West, South-East and London regions (84%). There was a period of elevated numbers of outbreaks in the London and South-East regions between November-December 2005 and March 2006 (week 02 in 2006 peak was 26 outbreaks) and a later peak in North-West outbreaks during April (week 15 in 2006 peak was 34 outbreaks). The period of significantly high vomiting calls in South-East England was contained within this period (December 2005 to mid-February 2006) with localised vomiting clusters in South-East England lasting until March 2006.
Spatiotemporal analyses of telehealth calls may serve as a useful adjunct to influenza surveillance. Our analyses of NHS Direct fever calls have provided a clear and detailed geographical description of seasonal influenza in England in 2005–2006. We have identified two distinct periods of significantly high NHS Direct fever calls regarding school-age children. The first rise originated in North-West England during late November 2005 and spread in a predominantly eastwards and then southwards direction over the following month. The second rise began in Central England during mid-January 2006 and moved southwards to eventually cover all of southern England. The timing and geographical location of these rises in fever calls appear similar to a national influenza B outbreak occurring during winter 2005–2006 affecting the same age group, although they were visible slightly earlier than in other data sources. We also identified significantly elevated numbers of vomiting calls in Central and South-East England during December 2005 to February 2006, within a longer period of elevated norovirus outbreak reports in the South-East. There was no apparent spatial correlation between vomiting calls and an April 2006 rise in norovirus outbreaks in the North-East of England. Assessment of the usefulness of vomiting call data for monitoring the spread of norovirus was limited by inconsistent regional level outbreak sample data within our norovirus data source.
We discuss these results from two perspectives. The first and general perspective relates to the potential of a telephone triage system, such as NHS Direct, for surveillance purposes; the second perspective for discussion concerns the specific findings and limitations of the current spatial analysis.
The potential of telephone triage systems for surveillance
Telephone triage health systems may be useful for surveillance purposes for a number of reasons. These services are generally available to the entire population of the area covered and, in the case of NHS Direct, are centrally managed. This means that clinical algorithms are chosen in a consistent manner between call centres (although experienced NHS Direct nurses may be more likely to provide self-care advice than more junior colleagues ). Second, the data are available on a daily basis as opposed to GP- and laboratory-based surveillance systems, which generally report weekly. Third, telehealth is many people's first or only point of contact with the health service, providing an early opportunity to identify an increase in illness potentially 'under the radar' of other systems.
Despite the above, call data will only provide meaningful intelligence if callers' reported illness is representative of community morbidity. In England and Wales, total NHS Direct call rates (82 per 1000 in England) are approximately 3% of annual GP consultation rates for all illness (2700 consultations per 1000; A. Elliot, personal communication). One-quarter of the population have used NHS Direct . Our work identified areas of significantly high NHS Direct call rates in Northern England and substantial variation between PCTs (ranging from 33 to 212 calls per 1000 people per year). This disparity is influenced by a combination of factors, including local arrangements for provision of GP out-of-hours services (generating on average 160 calls per 1000 people per annum ), social deprivation and the length of time the local NHS Direct site has been in operation .
NHS Direct receives a disproportionately high number of calls about children under 4 years old (four times higher than the total call rate) and women of child-bearing age (twice the male call rate). Both of these groups traditionally have a high health service utilisation in the UK . This reporting tendency could have advantages for timely sentinel surveillance of children, to provide early warning of more widespread population impacts. Older people, who have high GP and hospitalisation rates, use NHS Direct the least of any age group. This age and gender bias is consistent with large public telephone triage systems in New Zealand , Australia and Canada . NHS Direct data are, therefore, most suited to surveillance of common illnesses in the UK for those aged below 65 years. Measures must be taken to account for spatial variation in usage, such as establishing local baselines from which to detect real variation in call incidence (as employed in this study using a scan statistic).
Prospectively NHS Direct telephone triage data have been used to identify sharp rises in syndromes at a regional and national level [16, 17]. The retrospective analysis reported here has demonstrated that it is also possible to identify a sub-regional rise in calls suggestive of influenza infection. Other potential benefits include the use of the data to inform the NHS Direct responsive messaging service, an operational tool designed to help manage service demand and to inform patients of relevant topical information (for example, 'flu and colds', 'diarrhoea and vomiting'). Trends in calls may either act as a trigger to initiate responsive messages or provide statistical support for the ongoing provision of this health advice. In addition, as well as monitoring calls suggestive of infections, these data are also used for the acute response to major incidents. For example, during July 2007, daily surveillance of calls identified a statistically significant 40% rise in calls in the Gloucester flood region (caused in part by a rise in people seeking health information and advice). This information was used to brief a national incident team and the Government on the health effects of the floods.
A qualitative evaluation has explored the usefulness of these telephone triage data for surveillance amongst a sample (n = 91) of users of the system (those that receive surveillance bulletins and 'alerts') . The most commonly cited benefits of the surveillance were: providing real-time information for incident teams, local PCTs, media messages, and question and answer briefings for GPs and the public; supporting national plans (for example, surveillance of heat stroke calls during the heatwaves of 2003 and 2006); and preparing laboratory staff for an expected increase in specimens.
In recent years, the number of telephone triage systems has increased internationally in reaction to demands for rapid assessment and reassurance of people with health problems, and in an attempt to reduce the use of face-to-face health services, especially out of hours. Therefore, our results may be useful in other countries where there is a perceived need for real-time monitoring of common syndromes (both infectious and non-infectious). The ability of the telephone triage reporting software to map call data in real-time (not the case with NHS Direct) would also prove useful for analysing local demand for telephone triage, and for evaluating the impact of promotional activities.
Strengths and weaknesses of the current spatial analysis
There are several weaknesses to this work. NHS Direct vomiting calls are likely to be caused by a range of viral and bacterial disease pathogens. This may partially hide, within the data, the true seasonality of norovirus reported to NHS Direct. It is possible that only new norovirus variants will have a substantial impact on the national burden of vomiting calls for this age group (≥ 5 years) displaying a pattern of national diffusion rather than regional raised incidence. For example, the novel norovirus genogroup II4 variant caused an increase and atypical summer peak in outbreaks across the UK and continental Europe during 2002. Also, norovirus-infected individuals phoning NHS Direct may be reflective of norovirus outbreaks in community settings (for example, schools, food outlets), which exhibit little seasonal variation and therefore do not exhibit clear seasonality within our telehealth data. Conversely, outbreaks in semi-closed institutional settings (for example, hospitals, residential homes) show a clear winter peak but these cases are unlikely to telephone NHS Direct because they are already receiving care. This work has not studied the spatiotemporal variation in vomiting calls about young children (in which there is the highest incidence of norovirus infection ). Calls about this group were excluded to remove the potentially confounding affect of rotavirus, which peaks during March in the UK. A study of the epidemic behaviour of rotavirus in the US demonstrated an annual South-West to North-East movement across the country . Analysis of NHS Direct vomiting and diarrhoea calls about young children is required to explore further the spread of viral gastroenteritis in the UK, and respond to calls to supplement existing surveillance systems for infectious intestinal disease . Unfortunately the norovirus outbreak data in our study does not represent outbreaks nationally and data from alternative laboratory or outbreak reporting systems will be sought for future work.
Common respiratory viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), may have contributed to the rise in fever calls (although RSV predominantly effects children younger than 5 years). Previous work estimating the contribution of a range of respiratory pathogens to NHS Direct calls found that RSV was responsible for approximately 15% of NHS Direct 'cough' calls . Although a significant relationship was found between the seasonal variation in fever calls and influenza, no significant relationship was observed with RSV, parainfluenza or rhinovirus.
These analyses used only 151 relatively large spatial units (PCTs) to identify the approximate areas of rises in fever calls, rather than smaller units (postcode areas) to identify local disease transmission or hierarchical diffusion of disease from large to smaller urban centres. The lack of spatial precision means that these results are subject to the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) whereby arbitrary units are used for spatial reporting. Our analysis suffers from what Armhein called the 'scale effect' of the MAUP ; the grouping of small areas into larger ones (postcode districts into PCTs). This had the effect of reducing the number of spatial units, increasing the average number of cases within each unit, but reducing the variation in incidence between units. We may have detected significant clustering at a sub-PCT level by using the smaller postcode district, although there were only 0.7 vomiting and 0.3 fever calls per week per postcode district during our study period. It is yet to be demonstrated that syndromic surveillance systems can prospectively and consistently provide early warning of localised outbreaks of disease. Their utility continues to be seen on a city-wide or regional basis at best. This study has used syndromic (proxy) measures of influenza and norovirus to identify a syndromic pattern consistent with contagious influenza diffusion at a PCT level, rather than onward transmission from an index case or single outbreak. PCTs are a relevant spatial unit for syndromic surveillance as primary care is likely to be among the first services to experience the effects of epidemic outbreaks.
The scan statistic employed here has previously been used for analyses of specific infections (for example, shigella and E. coli ), ongoing public health surveillance (for example, New York City ), and monitoring disease during major sporting events (for example, the Kentucky Derby Festival ). Our work is novel in the use of the scan statistic for surveillance of telehealth calls, a data source that is infrequently used for syndromic surveillance purposes . Although many NHS Direct calls reflect self-limiting disease (for example, influenza B, norovirus) this illness is still disruptive on a societal level and may go unreported by other healthcare surveillance systems. This work, for the first time, provides evidence that it is possible to describe the diffusion of national influenza outbreaks using telehealth data. When using the scan statistic, the underlying spatial variation in incidence is unimportant until it reaches a significant threshold level, clusters are detected, and an alert may be issued to public health teams. Other statistical approaches to deriving these critical values have been described [41, 42]. An alternative approach, however, is kriging, where the entire range of disease incidence across a geographical area is modelled. Kriging uses interpolation techniques to estimate unknown point values of disease incidence from surrounding known point values, from which disease contours are generated . The method has been employed successfully to describe the spread of the peak in influenza across Japan and Europe . For prospective surveillance, however, peak weeks are not known in advance and any global spatial clustering caused by differences in case definitions or reporting behaviour between regions would produce misleading results. The space-time scan statistic accounts for these spatial differences by using a control period from which to establish local baselines for each spatial unit. It may therefore be considered for future national surveillance initiatives, for example, the proposed hospital-based surveillance and 2012 Olympic planning in the UK.
Spatiotemporal analysis of NHS Direct syndromic data should supplement rather than replace the current analyses of regional call data and other components of the UK influenza surveillance programme. It may help to identify sub-regional variation in influenza rates that may not manifest themselves within data from sentinel networks of GPs covering only a proportion of the population . The added value demonstrated by our retrospective analyses was the early identification of a local rise in fever calls; a syndromic 'signal' that may require further investigation via conventional public health means. Used prospectively our analyses could be used to: warn hospitals, doctors, schools and nursing homes of impending problems; identify areas to introduce or enhance microbiological sampling; and describe geographic variation in influenza incidence throughout an epidemic period. We used fever calls regarding school-age children because we were studying a national influenza B outbreak. Spatial analyses of data about the NHS Direct 'colds and flu' syndrome are already used for national surveillance of ILI in adults [[16, 47]]. Further winters' spatial analysis of respiratory syndromes is recommended to assess operational reliability of these results, and also to monitor influenza A strains associated with a high adult incidence.
We have retrospectively described how NHS Direct syndromic call data can be used for geographical surveillance of influenza and norovirus infection in England. Spatiotemporal analyses of fever calls for the 5- to 14-year-old age group provided a timely and unique description of the evolution of a national influenza outbreak. These data provide the opportunity to present how a virus such as influenza spreads across the country affecting different localities to different degrees during the course of the influenza season. Such a tool therefore has utility for local services for both seasonal influenza and in the event of an influenza pandemic. In a similar way the tool may be useful for tracking norovirus, although the lack of reliable and consistent comparison data makes this more difficult to assess. In interpreting these results, care must be taken to consider other infectious and non-infectious causes of fever and vomiting.
To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first published spatiotemporal analysis of national telehealth data used for surveillance purposes. The scan statistic should be considered analyses of telehealth data elsewhere. We will use these results to initiate prospective geographical surveillance of influenza in England.
We thank NHS Direct for the use of national call data, the Royal College of General Practitioners for use of data from the Weekly Returns Service and the Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections for laboratory data. The authors also wish to thank Dr Martin Kulldorff for helpful advice about the application of the SaTScan software.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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A book for graphics programmers, students, researchers, and professionals. This sequel to "Graphic Gems" (Academic Press, 1990) and "Graphic Gems II" (Academic Press, 1991) is a practical collection of computer graphics programming tools and techniques. "Graphics Gems III" contains a larger percentage of gems related to modelling and rendering, particularly lighting and shading. This new edition also covers image processing, numerical and programming techniques, modeling and transformations, 2D and 3D geometry and algorithms, ray tracing and radiosity, rendering, and more clever new tools and tricks for graphics programming. Author David Kirk lends his expertise to the "Graphics Gems Series" in this new volume with his knowledge of modelling and rendering, specifically focusing on the areas of lighting and shading. "Graphics Gems I, II, III" are sourcebooks of ideas for graphics programmers. They also serve as toolboxes full of useful tricks and techniques for novice programmers and graphics experts alike. Features include a disk containing source codes for both the IBM and Mac versions. It features all new graphics gems, explains techniques for making computer graphics implementations more efficient, emphasizes physically based modelling, rendering, radiosity, and ray tracing, and presents techniques for making computer graphics implementations more efficient.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Book Description Academic Press, 1992. Hardcover. Book Condition: New. Bookseller Inventory # DADAX0124096700
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U.S. authorities urge widespread Hepatitis C testing in baby boomers
US authorities on Tuesday urged all adults born between 1945 and 1965 to get tested for hepatitis C, saying millions of Americans are unaware that they are infected with the liver disease.
The so-called baby boom generation accounts for three out of four people with hepatitis C, according to Albert Siu, co-chair of the US Preventive Services Task Force.
“Many people in this age group contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion or unknown or unreported high-risk behaviors,” he said.
“Even though they may have no symptoms yet, the evidence is convincing that one-time screening will help find millions of Americans with the infection before they develop a serious liver disease.”
The US task force also recommends hepatitis C screening for adults at risk of infection, including people who currently use injection drugs or have in the past, as well as people who received a blood transfusion before 1992.
About 1.5 percent of the US population is infected with hepatitis C, making it one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in the United States today, according to the US National Library of Medicine.
The disease can cause cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.
Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more Americans died in 2007 from hepatitis C than from the virus that causes AIDS.
More than 15,000 people died of hepatitis C infections in 2007, compared to 12,734 who died from HIV-related causes, said the data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Money and Fairness
Is there a money imbalance in your relationship?
Money is power. In relationships when one person makes more and the other person feels “less than”, the money dynamic can create resentment, a sense of being controlled, and for sure disconnection.
Money and time as equal resources
In a relationship, it is important that both partners feel as though each is giving equal energy to the relationship. Consider that money and time are finite resources. Both are deposited into the pool of resources for the benefit of the partnership. One of you invests time to make money while the other might invest time to manage the household – time the other cannot spare because they are making money. When one person makes more money, the other often balances that by doing more household chores, which is time invested. If discussed and agreed upon, this can work.
The danger occurs when responsibilities grow, or perhaps children arrive. Then what do you do? One of you will be home with two wild kids all day, working to keep them alive and the house in one piece. The other working all day. The obvious way to manage this is to continually discuss and agree to divide responsibilities so that it works for both of you. Then continually check in with each other to ensure the feeling of fairness continues. Communication by checking in with each other to ensure both are okay.
All this will go south, if the breadwinner arrives home and says, “No I won’t help with your housework or the kids. That’s your job. My job is to bring home the money. Gotta go, my show is on.” In a partnership, both parties continually adjust to ensure both are okay.
If you want to be a partnership share the pain and share the spoils. When it comes to how you prioritize your spending, do this together. You must make decisions together. This means being on the same raft in the same ocean heading in the same direction.
Because money is a resource that both partners need access to, it must be shared. If one of you limits or prevents access, the other will feel controlled. If this happens and one of you feels unfairly treated, the trajectory will not be good unless things change. Time for Some Action.
- Make sure each of you has equal and fair access.
- Decide how much you can each spend without checking with the other.
- Decide how much each gets as a weekly or monthly allowance. This is money they do
not need to track or justify how it is spent.
If your relationship is struggling over disagreements around money, think about ways you can collaborate and be flexible. Make offers to your partner to create more balance or fairness and see what they think and feel.
It is always important to get feedback in your relationship. You can also invite your partner into a conversation. “I want to know if you feel as though I treat you fairly with regards to money and finances?” If they agree you do, then follow up with, “What do I do that helps you feel this way?” If they share that they do not feel this way ask, “Where do I need to work harder, so you feel more fairness?” In the end, only thank them and promise you will reflect on what you have learned and figure out how to be better.
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(Note: This essay was originally published in two segments by the Newport Daily News, RI, on February 1 and February 2, 2021. It was subsequently published on the History News Network on February 14, 2021.)
In his final book before his assassination, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” (Beacon Press, 1968) Martin Luther King, Jr.’s scope is broad and ambitious. Not only does he take on racism and injustice in the U.S., but he also grapples with these issues and more on the international level. More than this, he challenges us not only to think with our minds but also to feel with our hearts and souls.
King finished writing the book in early 1967, as the country was spiraling downward into the disunity and discord of the late 1960s. His overall purpose is never clarified in the opening chapter; therefore, it becomes clear that his purpose is to answer the question in his title: where does our country go from here—chaos or community?
Clearly one of his most important purposes is to challenge those African Americans who advocate “Black Power,” the movement gaining strength at the time, which was much more militant than King’s movement of nonviolence.
After his introductory chapter, “Where Are We?” surveying the status of blacks in the mid-1960s, he devotes his entire second chapter—the longest in the book—to dissecting the Black Power movement and systematically presenting his counter-arguments. King remains steadfast in his belief in nonviolence: “Occasionally in life one develops a conviction so precious and meaningful that he will stand on it till the end. This is what I have found in nonviolence.”
In addition to Black Power and nonviolence, King deals with the concepts and issues of racism, justice, freedom, segregation, discrimination, poverty, and white fear, resistance, and backlash—a full agenda indeed.
He begins to define the central concept of racism by quoting others. George Kelsey: “Racism is a faith …a form of idolatry…an ideological justification for the constellations of political and economic power.” “…the idea of the superior race….”
He quotes Ruth Benedict: “…the dogma that one ethnic group is condemned by nature to hereditary inferiority and another group …superiority.”
King settles on a definition of racism as the “arrogant assertion that one race is the center of value and object of devotion, before which other races must kneel in submission,” eventually abridging his definition to simply “the myth of inferior peoples.”
In terms of diction, King’s word choice for blacks is “Negro” and “Negroes,” phrases that are now anachronistic and offensive. Also surprising and less understandable is his virtually total male vocabulary. He speaks always in male terms, using “he” and “him,” never “she” and “her;” “man” and never “woman.” The only time he even references women is in his brief section on the Negro family.
The main issue King addresses is the continuing racism and injustice in America, resulting in continued discrimination, exploitation, and poverty for blacks. Despite some notable progress after the protests, boycotts, demonstrations, and even landmark federal legislation of the mid-1960s (e.g., Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965) a significant gap remains between the demands of the law and its full and genuine implementation.
“White America was ready to demand that the Negro should be spared the lash of brutality and coarse degradation, but it had never been truly committed to helping him out of poverty, exploitation, or all forms of discrimination.” King asserts: “The daily life of the Negro is still lived in the basement of the Great Society.”
The greatest responsibility for this injustice he places in the hands of whites. “In short, white America must assume the guilt for the black man’s inferior status.”
Even though whites bear the major blame, King maintains that the solutions for these problems must come from both white and black America. He states: “Negroes hold only one key to the double lock of peaceful change. The other is in the hands of the white community.”
In terms of programs, King is clear on its size and focus. America needs a “radical reordering of national priorities” so that a “massive program” can be implemented to provide either guaranteed employment or income, allowing dignity “to come within reach for all.” To ensure its achievement, a timetable should be established.
To those who might question the justification for such a program, King states: “A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for him, in order to equip him to compete on a just and equal basis.”
Martin Luther King eventually turns his sights on black America. King argues that the overall strategy must be nonviolent agitation, even using the word “coercion.” It needs better leaders of character, fewer blacks who remain “aloof” on the sidelines, and more political activism by better organized groups who understand the importance of alliances, all combining to bring the necessary power to effect real change.
Suggested by the pages he devotes to it and the emphasis he places on it, King’s second main purpose in writing the book is to make the argument for his strategy of nonviolence and challenge the strategy of Black Power. While conceding that Black Power was gaining strength, he states: “Black Power has proved to be a slogan without a program, and with an uncertain following.” … “… no new alternatives to nonviolence within the movement have found viable expression.”
In his final chapter, King fulfills his third main purpose by raising his sights from the national level to the international level.While fighting the national crusade against injustice, he calls on all nations to recognize their interdependence, that we are all part of the “world house.” Technology and progress have brought us closer, making us all neighbors now. He summons us to develop a “passionate commitment” to fight the “giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism.” To accomplish this, the “wealthy nations of the world must promptly initiate a massive, sustained Marshall Plan for Asia, Africa, and South America.”
King wrote this book not only with his mind but also with his heart and soul. Thus, the most challenging aspect of reading the book is that we hear King speaking with two different voices: the political realist analyzing the politics of racism and injustice in America, but also the passionate preacher touching our hearts and souls and calling all of us to a higher moral and spiritual plane. The former is concerned with politics and power; the latter is concerned with empathy and love.
In the middle of the second chapter on “Black Power,” this duality first shows itself. “The problem of transforming the ghetto is … a problem of power—a confrontation between the forces of power demanding change and the forces of power dedicated to preserving the status quo.” But then he speaks of love. “In this sense power is not only desirable but necessary in order to implement the demands of love and justice.”
On the next page, he states: “What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” He defines the “collision of immoral power with powerless morality” as “the major crisis of our times.”
In ending his chapter rejecting Black Power, he states: “It will be power infused with love and justice, that will change dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows, and lift us from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. A dark, desperate, confused and sin-sick world waits for this new kind of man and this new kind of power.”
In ending his next chapter on “Racism and White Backlash,” he states: “Man-made laws assure justice, but a higher law produces love.” He continues “…something must touch the hearts and souls of men so that they will come together spiritually because it is natural and right.”
In his final chapter on racism in the U.S., “Where We Are Going,” we hear the political realist first: An oppressed people realizes deliverance comes “when they have accumulated the power to enforce change.” He states that this is simply “mature realism,” and urges us to get the order right: “We have to put the horse (power) before the cart (programs).”
He continues: “Our nettlesome task is to discover how to organize our strength into compelling power so that government cannot elude our demands.”
He eventually uses military language: The movement must become a “crusade.” “Recognizing that no army can mobilize and demobilize and remain a fighting unit, we will have to build far-flung workmanlike and experienced organizations in the future ….” He states that “responsible militant organizations” are “indispensable” to the struggle.
However, to end the book he uses the voice of the passionate preacher. He quotes Arnold Toynbee: “Love is the ultimate force that makes for the saving choice of life and good against the damning choice of death and evil. Therefore the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word.”
He then returns and challenges us with the central issue of his book: the choice between nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation; between community or chaos. He also leaves us to judge whether these two worldviews, one of power and one of love, are indeed complementary or contradictory.
Contributing editor Fred Zilian (zilianblog.com; Twitter: @FredZilian) is an adjunct professor of history and politics at Salve Regina University. He is writing a book on The Challenge of American Civilization.
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Symptoms of Black Mold
Common and early symptoms associated with exposure to black mold may include respiratory problems such as runny nose, sore throat, wheezing, coughing; eye irritation which may be indicated by sore eyes, eye inflammation or even visual impairment; and skin irritation such as itchiness or rashes.
The trouble is that most of the symptoms are deceptively common and could also occur in any number of the so-called ‘sick building syndrome’ situations caused due to poor indoor air quality. Since a variety of other indoor environment pollutants can also be the cause of these symptoms it is important to understand the nature of toxic black mold so that you can identify it before it can cause long-term or permanent health damage due to prolonged exposure.
What exactly is Black Mold?
Toxic black mold is the common name given to ‘Stachybotrys chartarum’ or ‘Stachybotrys atra,’ a greenish-black mold with a slimy appearance. Black mold generally grows indoors in damp, dark conditions where there is excessive moisture or humidity caused by water leakage or flooding. Black mold is called toxic because it releases into the surrounding environment a toxin or poisonous substance called mycotoxin, which is airborne and therefore can easily infect human beings when they come in contact through breathing or touching.
Exposure to mycotoxins released by black mold can produce different reactions in people. Those with asthma or other respiratory problems including allergies are more susceptible and may show earlier symptoms of black mold exposure than others. Similarly children and elderly people as well as those with suppressed immune systems are more likely to show early symptoms of being infected.
Through early detection of exposure to black mold, it is possible to contain and remedy the damages caused by the mycotoxins. However, continued and prolonged exposure can have serious long-term consequences including permanent health problems and even in extreme cases lead to death. It is therefore important to identify the cause and source of black mold so that necessary steps can be taken to isolate and remove it from the infected environment.
Where does Black Mold grow when it causes symptoms?
Usually when black mold grows in indoor environment, it does in places which are normally hidden from sight such as corners and damp places on walls behind cupboards or bookshelves where light and air circulation is minimal. Black mold grows in conditions where there is a high level of cellulose and a low level of nitrogen which means most indoor building materials and surfaces are very likely to be affected such as fiberboard, gypsum board, wood, and wallpaper. Some of the common culprits to watch out for are dampness and humidity cause by undetected and hidden water leakage or seepage in walls and ceilings, in and around bathrooms.
Once detected, toxic mold should be immediately removed because the longer you are exposed to it the more chronic and permanent the damage it can cause. It is recommended that you call for professional and expert toxic black mold removal service because by attempting to do so without taking necessary precautions, it is possible that you may disturb the mold and release millions of mycotoxins which can potentially contaminate you and the environment.
Professional toxic black mold removal services will also ensure they test the mold and also conduct a thorough check to identify any other hidden sources. They will also advise you on the necessary precautions to take which may include evacuating the premises and isolating the environment for a specific period to clear the air of any residual mycotoxins.
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Theodore Roosevelt (18581919). Through the Brazilian Wilderness. 1914.
Then we found my third one alive and at bay, and I killed it with another bullet. Finally we found the colonels. I told him I should ask the authorities of the American museum to mount his and one or two of mine in a group, to commemorate our hunting together.
If we had not used crippling rifles the peccaries might have gotten away, for in the dark jungle, with the masses of intervening leaves and branches, it was impossible to be sure of placing each bullet properly in the half-seen moving beast. We found where the herd had wallowed in the mud. The stomachs of the peccaries we killed contained wild figs, palm nuts, and bundles of root fibres. The dead beasts were convered with ticks. They were at least twice the weight of the smaller peccaries.
On the ride home we saw a buck of the small species of bush deer, not half the size of the kind I had already shot. It was only a patch of red in the bush, a good distance off, but I was lucky enough to hit it. In spite of its small size it was a full-grown male, of a species we had not yet obtained. The antlers had recently been shed, and the new antler growth had just begun. A great jabiru stork let us ride by him a hundred and fifty yards off without thinking it worth while to take flight. This day we saw many of the beautiful violet orchids; and in the swamps were multitudes of flowers, red, yellow, lilac, of which I did not know the names.
I alluded above to the queer custom these people in the interior of Brazil have of gelding their hunting-dogs. This absurd habit is doubtless the chief reason why there are so few hounds worth their salt in the more serious kinds of hunting, where the quarry is the jaguar or big
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Lecture | Studium Generale
Proust and Painting
- Thursday 10 November 2022
2311 BD Leiden
“Thanks to art, instead of seeing one world only, our own, we see that world multiply itself and we have at our disposal as many worlds as there are original artists, worlds more different one from the other than those which revolve in infinite space, worlds which, centuries after the extinction of the fire from which their light first emanated, whether it is called Rembrandt or Vermeer, send us still each one its special radiance.”
From: In Search of Lost Time, volume 7, Time Regained
Marcel Proust enjoys using art objects to tell stories. In In Search of Time Lost, references to classical paintings can be encountered everywhere. From the renowned examples like Botticelli's Primavera and Rembrandt's De Nachtwacht to lesser-known works like Vittore Carpaccio's Apotheosis of St. Ursula: over one-hundred painters or works are mentioned. A part of Lingyun Lai’s PhD research on Proust is focused on how paintings stimulate Proust’s protagonist’s imagination in his cognitive development. In this lecture, he will shed light on how Proust’s narrator cleverly uses the famous paintings as vehicles to articulate “things inaccessible to language,” as well as on how the narrator uses images and events that are hidden in the paintings to enrich his storytelling.
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Since I actually was a little children, I possess always been interested by Consumer electronics and Photo voltaic Energy. More importantly, exactly how in the world does it work and precisely how can easily We use the idea?
The first unique achievement with Solar Power took place in 1839. Enough electricity was made to maybe light up a solitary Christmas forest light, but I suspect it.
And even in order to generate adequate power to impose today’s electric batteries for some sort of Solar Powered Residence, often the equipment would weigh about the same as the Queen Mary 2.
I am typically asked simply by my document readers together with website visitors, what they have to think about when thinking about planning a Solar Powered household. This article will center on, in my judgment, the most important aspect of the system, often the Solar Panels.
One connected with the most asked questions about solar energy is usually how to choose the correct solar panels for your personal home installation. Here happen to be some in the factors to consider:
1. The Price Of This Panels
two. The Efficiency Of Typically the Panels
3. Typically the Sturdiness Of The Panels
five. The Type Of Sun Electric Sections
Those will be four of the very most important factors to consider when deciding on solar panels for the home. Some other key elements that you should definitely consider are:
The recommendations of consultants, buddies, family members, colleagues and co-workers that have had solar panels installed on their own homes.
Often the Workings of a Solar power Electric Section
Solar Electrical Panels are often made up of many smaller Solar energy Cells and are electrically hooked up and encapsulated as a component. This component is called some sort of Solar energy Panel.
Solar Electric power Solar panels or Photovoltaic Segments (PV) often have a bed sheet of glass on often the front side (sunny side up) side, allowing light to help pass through while protecting often the semiconductor elements from the weather.
If photons of sun light strike the solar mobile phone, bad particals are released. They may be shifted through the silicon and are picked up by means of the particular electric powered contacts. They transfer along the circuit in the form of direct recent (DC) – the kind of electrical power latest in a regular battery. The ability flows through the fill (for example, a lighting light bulb or possibly a fan) in addition to back into typically the solar energy cell on the decrease side, completing the routine.
This DC current may be used in real-time during sunshine hours for anything requesting 12 v DC.
Solar Cells are also usually connected in series, or around some sort of chain, in themes, developing an additive volt quality. Hooking up solar panel tissues in seite an seite will yield a new larger current.
Often the more Panels, the more often electrical energy is generated, systems happen to be usually placed (installed) upon rooftops or in open up areas that have typically the best exposure to the direct sun light.
This is done consequently that this Panels can soak up the maximum amount of sun energy at any moment. The Solar Electric powered Screens will vary inside size and this depends upon which demands of the residential or room.
To help make practical use of the solar-generated energy, the energy is quite frequently fed in to the electrical grid employing Inverters Found in Stand Alone Systems, Solar Storage space Battery power are used to shop the electricity that is definitely not needed immediately. This specific stored power can next be applied when typically the sunlight is not provide.
Solar Panels can in addition be used to provide power to or charge portable gadgets.
Your sun electric system comprises the number involving sun modules or solar energy panels that are variously arranged into a sun array. The particular configuration picked will determine the amount of energy your method produces.
The number involving sun panels you require will be based on this amount of charge that will you need to boost your system during the particular sunlight hours of every single day. For a 12 VOLT system, if you will need to replace 100A/h associated with charge to your batteries each day, and a person have 8 natural light several hours in each day you should have…
100AH x 12V sama dengan 1200WH
1200WH / 8H = 150W of solar energy panels.
In reality 150W associated with Sun Electric Panels would likely be enough for the small home or perhaps holiday cottage. In reality it is definitely suggested that you generally overrate your requirements by with least even just the teens, therefore anyone would need 180W connected with solar panels.
So today that you know what you should expect in selecting Solar Electric Panels, it’s time to help shop around .
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Unknown Windows Run Command ?
Run command is most helpful feature in windows based OS to open a particular services. I am also a big fan of run commands. Most of the IT professional knows the most of run command.
Today i am going to show you some Unknown Windows Run Command that’s are really helpful
1. Open your Home directory
A home directory is a file system directory on a multi-user operating system containing files for a given user of the system. The specifics of the home directory (such as its name and location) is defined by the operating system involved; for example
To open run command (Win +R) and type “.” – a single dot. and hit enter
it will open your Home directory
2. Open the User Directory
open run command (Win +R) and type “..” – a double dot. and hit enter
it will open your user directory
3. Open My Computer
open run command (Win +R) and type “…” – a Triple dot. and hit enter
4. Open System drive
The system volume refers to the disk volume that contains the hardware-specific files that are needed to start Windows, such as Ntldr, Boot.ini, and Ntdetect.com.
On computers that are running the Intel x86 line of CPU processors and later versions, the system volume must be a primary volume that is marked as active. This requirement can be fulfilled on any drive on the computer that the system BIOS searches when the operating system starts.
open run command (Win +R) and type “ “and hit enter
Hope you like my post Unknown Windows Run Command. Please Share with others. For more tips & tracks visit my other website http://www.rumyhacktips.com/.
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If your child is charged with a crime but is under the age of 18, he or she will likely face consequences from the juvenile justice system. State and federal laws can be very strict and limiting, and the penalties for breaking such regulations can be severe for adults and children alike. As a parent or guardian, it is important that you understand how juvenile cases are handled differently from standard criminal cases and in what way they may be similar.
The Difference in Formality: In juvenile courts, the children accused of committing offenses are not typically required to act as formally as those tried in standard courts. The court makes allowances for children and will usually be more lenient in how children may act or carry themselves.
Rehabilitation Rather Than Punishment: Whereas the purpose of the adult courts is to punish wrongdoers accordingly, the juvenile justice system seeks to rehabilitate troubled kids and teens. To this end, the court system will aim to penalize children guilty of certain offenses with community service, rehabilitation programs, counseling, or time in a correctional facility. The goal is to correct the bad behavior and prevent children from ending up in jail in the future.
The Right to an Attorney: Whether you are tried in adult court or juvenile court, your right to an attorney remains the same. Anyone tried with a crime or offense is entitled to legal representation. However, whereas adults have the right to a public trial, all juvenile court decisions are made by the judge in an adjudication hearing.
It is also important to note that, while anyone under the age of 18 can be tried in juvenile court, there is also a chance that a child may instead be tried as an adult. Typically individuals under the age of 18 are only tried by the adult justice system if their crime was violent or particularly serious, or if they are very close to the age of 18.
For a free consultation, contact the Law Office of Kevin Cahill.
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Aetna is pleased to celebrate the African American men and women who have followed their passion for wellness in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
In this 32nd annual Aetna African American History Calendar, you will meet 12 extraordinary individuals who understand the importance of treating the whole body. They do this by taking the time necessary to understand the mind, body and spirit of the person they are treating.
We live in a time where there are many alternatives. Health care is no exception. While alternative medicine therapies have been practiced around the world for centuries, their use has become more prevalent in the United States, especially over the last three decades.
Read amazing stories about how:
The individuals featured believe in their work because they have tried the therapies and remedies. They, too, were looking for cures to heal their own ailments from anxiety to addictions, from sports injuries to skin rashes.
By integrating modern medicine with alternative medicine, we can help people live smarter, healthier and happier.
Alternative medical therapies have a long, rich history that spans centuries in cultures and countries around the world. Recognizing the need for a holistic approach to health and wellness, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has been used to balance and integrate with mainstream medicine.
Some of these practices include herbal remedies, aromatherapy, yoga, Pilates, prayer, meditation, chiropractic and acupuncture. Therapies such as these can be integrated with allopathic medicine to provide optimum care for individuals.
Evidence continues to emerge through national studies led by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, formerly the Office of Alternative Medicine, which was first established in 1992, regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of many of these therapies. While positive effects of some of the therapies cannot be explained, practitioners continue to present positive experiences from their patients.
The practice of wellness has to start at an early age — and it should be a family affair. Good dietary practices, mindfulness, meditation, prayer and physical activity can start early in the home. This will help to reinforce the need for healthful practices throughout the life cycle.
It is especially important to teach young children why these practices are important and valuable to the human body. By understanding the benefits of good choices early on, our youth will be able to deal better with peer pressure later on. Individuals at various life stages can benefit from several simple CAM practices.
For infants, it is important to consider breastfeeding and the late introduction of appropriately textured whole foods. The focus on whole foods — vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, etc. — versus processed foods will help train the child to enjoy, select and seek healthful foods.
Throughout life, whole foods should be coupled with good mental health practices of mindfulness, meditation, massage, music, art, dance therapies, physical activity (yoga, Reiki) and spirituality.
The health status at each stage of life is predicated on previous behaviors — another reason to encourage healthful habits at an early age. The goal is not only to live long, but to live long and be healthy during the mature years.
As people live longer, they often need to or want to be employed later in life. To keep working, good health is necessary. Fortunately, CAM offers alternatives that take into consideration the whole body — mind, spirit and health.
Dr. Yvonne Bronner is a professor and founding director of the M.P.H./Dr.P.H. program at Morgan State University. She previously served as director of the university’s Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Training Program.
The material in this calendar is provided for informational purposes only. Aetna is not endorsing any of the therapies presented, and Aetna plans may not cover them.
Alternative medical therapies have a long, rich history that spans centuries in cultures and countries around the world.
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Anticoagulant Toxicity in Cats
Although designed to kill rats and mice, cats often find rodenticides (rat and mouse poison) tempting as well. Most (but not all) rodenticides are composed of anticoagulants, a type of drug that prevents blood from clotting by interfering with vitamin K, a key ingredient in the clotting process. When taken in sufficient quantities by the cat, it results in spontaneous bleeding (internal bleeding, external bleeding, or both). If left untreated, this could prove fatal for your cat.
What to Watch For
Typically, it takes 2 to 5 days for the following symptoms associated with anticoagulant poisoning to appear:
- Pale gums
- Blood in urine, vomit, feces
- Bleeding from gums, nose, rectum, eyes, ears
- Weakness, staggering gait, depression
- Blood accumulation in the chest (hemothorax), which may lead to shallow or labored breathing
- Blood accumulation in the abdomen (hemoabdomen), which may cause the abdomen to distend
Cats can ingest toxic doses of anticoagulants by eating rodenticide left on the ground or by eating a rodent that has ingested rodenticide. There are many forms of anticoagulant used in rodenticides; some of the more common forms are warfarin, brodifacoum, bromadiolone.
- Call your veterinarian, the nearest animal hospital or the Pet Poison Helpline at at 1-855-213-6680, especially if you notice your cat is bleeding.
- If you can find the container or label for the poison, bring it with you to the veterinarian.
If you should witness your cat eating rodenticide or see pieces of rat poison in her vomitus, anticoagulant poisoning is a near certainty. Otherwise, if your cat should start bleeding without cause, your veterinarian will conduct blood tests to determine if the time it takes for the blood to clot is abnormally long.
However, blood tests should not be the only determining factor for diagnosis, as the clotting time for a cat that has only recently ingested anticoagulants is normal, only to gradually worsen until the point where the blood can no longer effectively clot.
If there is uncertainty about whether the symptoms are due to an anticoagulant, your veterinarian will do additional tests to make that determination.
If the anticoagulant is suspected to have been ingested within the past two hours, and if you have not already done so, your veterinarian will induce vomiting. Activated charcoal is given orally within 12 hours after ingestion of the poison to absorb any of the toxin that may still be in the intestines.
Vitamin K is also given by injection, followed by 1 to 4 weeks of vitamin K tablets given orally at home. The length of the prescription is determined by the type of anticoagulant.
If your cat is actively bleeding, he will be hospitalized and monitored until the bleeding stops. If blood loss is severe, your cat may require intravenous fluids or a blood transfusion. There may be a need for special treatments if other problems should arise. For example, if there is bleeding into the chest, that blood will need to be drained so the cat can breathe easier.
Human medications that contain anticoagulants, like Coumadin® and other blood thinners, are a potential source of anticoagulant poisoning.
Living and Management
Once your cat is stable, she will be sent home with a vitamin K prescription to be given orally. It is best to give it with canned food, as the fat in the food will help it to be absorbed. It is also important for your cat to get the full course of vitamin K prescribed, even if she seems fine. It often takes a while for certain anticoagulants to be eliminated from a cat's body. Your veterinarian will schedule follow-up tests to monitor your cat’s blood count and clotting time.
Please note: The vitamin K your veterinarian prescribes is in a highly concentrated form. The vitamin K you can buy over the counter is only a small fraction of the strength needed and will not be enough to help your cat.
It is best not to use rodenticides if you have pets or young children in your home. There are other products that can control rodents without the use of poison. Your cat may even be willing to help with the rodent control.
In addition, since you have no control over how your neighbors eliminate rodents, it is best not to let your cat outside unsupervised.
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Basics of iSCSI
In the computing world, iSCSI is an acronym for Internet Small Computer Systems Interface, an (IP Internet Protocol)-based storage networking standard for linking data storage facilities. It provides block-level access to storage devices by carrying SCSI commands over a TCP/IP network.
With the emergence of high-speed networks which includes 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 50 Gbps and 100 Gbps speeds iSCSI becoming more popular where Fiber channel still dominates in production environments but for the non-critical environment and the customers looking for a cheap storage solution iSCSI is the best option for them. In recent years vSphere has tons of improvement in the iSCSI software initiator especially with the jumbo frames support iSCSI is spreading widely in the industry.
Let’s starts with the basics, it is one of the main IP storage standards especially for the none critical load. In the figure below a server is on network is accessing block storage.Type-1 hypervisors are capable to support different storage technologies and protocols for presenting external storage devices. We will discuss here mostly about VMware and a little bit about KVM. So vSphere is providing support for iSCSI storage since it’s the greatest version of all times “virtual infrastructure 3”.
Adoption of iSCSI
We do not need to create the new network as we do in FC, we can have SCSI in our common network for LAN, MAN & WAN. TCP/IP have no limits on distance. Manpower and TCP/IP opensource tools are widely available, so these are the main benefits we have over FC if we implement iSCSI
Nowadays you do not need a storage admin as companies were in need 10 years ago. Storage arrays evaluated a lot in recent years and it is now so easy to configure them. Management software will do all the raids and hardware monitoring for you. One of the main benefits of ISCSI implementation is it is inexpensive as compared to its other counterpart storage protocols such as fibre channel protocol.
“The Bitterness of poor performance lasts long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten” Michael Webster VMworld 2013
When iSCSI use network interface cards rather than dedicated iSCSI adapters, interfaces expected to use significant amount of CPU resource of your servers. There are many ways to overcome this problem but one of them is to use TOE ( TCP Offload Engine) capable NIC.
What TOE do?
It just simply move the TCP packet processing tasks from server CPU to specialized TCP processor on the network adopter or it could be possible that move to the Storage device. The concept of offloading work from the main processor is similar to that governing graphics coprocessors, which offload 3D calculations and visual rendering tasks from the main CPU.
The ability of TOE to perform full transport layer functionality is essential to obtaining tangible benefits. The important aspect of this layer is it being the process-to-process layer.
In my point of view the cost is unquestionably the main issue that has hindered the adoption of TOE in general enterprise community. The normal TOE capable cards can range in price from $400 to $2000 and in some of the server you need to use the expansion slot or even raiser so additional cost and the benefit you get is not that big that everybody consider to buy TOE cards.
Moreover, in my point of view over the time VMware has improved its vSphere a lot specially with the liberty to enable Jumbo Frames I would prefer to use the software iSCSI and on other side with TOE you don’t have it. For VMware please go to VMware HCL
Difference between iSCSI and Fiber Channel
One of the main difference between iSCSI and Fibre channel is the ways to handle the I/O congestion. So when an iSCSI path is overloaded or it drops packet and become substantially oversubscribed, this bad situation quickly grows and become worse. The performance further degrades because dropped packet must be resent, where as FC protocol is having a built in pause mechanism when congestion occurs. So both protocols are having different mechanism to handle congestion.
Currently many vendors implemented delayed Ack and congestion avoidance as a part to there TCP/IP stack. VMware recommends consulting the iSCSI array vendor for specific recommendations around Delayed Ack.
TCP delayed acknowledgment
Difference between iSCSI and NAS
NAS presents devices at the file level. NAS is specialized for serving files either by its hardware, software or configuration. Its often manufactured as a computer appliance.
iSCSI is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard for encapsulating SCSI control and data in TCP/IP packets. In shown below figure you can see how iSCSI is encapsulated in TCP/IP and Ethernet frames.
VMware iSCSI Names
Named globally unique and they are not bound to any ethernet adopters or IP addresses. iSCSI support two forms, one is Extended Unique Identifier (EUI) and iSCSI Qualified names IQN
Basically, iSCSI is the client-server architecture. The clients of an iSCSI interface are known as initiators and the server that shares the storage area is known as targets.
There are two basic iSCSI components;
It functions as an iSCSI client. An iSCSI initiator sends an SCSI command over an IP network. There are two kinds of initiators;
A software initiator uses code to implement iSCSI, typically, this happens in the kernel device driver that uses the network card and network stack to emulate SCSI devices for a computer by speaking the iSCSI protocol.
Nowadays all most all the popular operating system comes with the software initiators. In the table below you can find the dates when operating systems released their software intiators.
|Operating System||First day release||Version||Features|
|VMware ESX||2006||ESX 3.0-7.X||Target,Multipath|
The iSCSI refers to a storage resource located on an iSCSI server as a target. These are typically data providers. This is your storage array and it provides distinct iSCSI targets for numerous clients.
In the context of vSphere, iSCSI initiators fall into three distinct categories.
Software iSCSI Adaptor
This is VMware code built into the vmkernel, it enables your host to connect to the iSCSI storage device through the standard network adapter.
Depended hardware iSCSI Adapter
Provided by VMware this type of adapter can be a card that presents a standard network adapter and iSCSI offload functionality for the same port. An example of a dependent adapter is the iSCSI licensed Broadcom 5709.
Independent hardware iSCSI Adapter
This kind of adapter represents an independent hardware iSCSI adapter which is a card that presents either iSCSI offload functionality and standard nic functionality. The iSCSI offload functionality has independent configuration management that assigns the IP address, MAC address, and other parameters used for the iSCSI sessions. This is the kind we talked about earlier TOE cards. To identify if TOE and other TCP features are enabled or not, run the command:
To check the status of TSO in ESX/ESXi, run the command:
ethtool -k vmnicX
To disable TSO within a Linux guest OS, run the command:
ethtool -K ethX tso off
Simplest Topology of An iSCSI Array
In the figure below four ESX hosts are connected in the simplest form, so each ESX is having two uplinks and they are connected with two switches and on other side storage array is connected to the switch. All the connections are redundant.
Try to avoid vSphere NIC teaming and use port binding. with port binding you can utilise the multipathing for availability of access to the iSCSI targets.
There will be some senarios where you need to use the teaming. If this is the case then turn off port security on the switch for the two ports on which the virtual IP address is shared. By turning off the security setting you can prevent spoofing of IP address.
How to add an iSCSI initiator to the vSphere ESXi
Before adding a new iSCSI initiator here are some recommendations.
- Make sure that the host recognizes LUNs at start-up.
- SCSI controller driver in the guest operating system should have a large queue. for Windows OS increase the value of the SCSI Timeout value parameter to tolerate delays I/O resulting from path failover.
- Configure your environment to have only one VMFS datastore for each LUN.
Select on the ESX hosts click configure and click +Add Software Adapter it will pop-up one more windows in the that windows chose “Add Software iSCSI Adopter.
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The small number of convicts at public work, and the labour necessary for preparing the ground to receive wheat, did not admit of more than one hundred acres of wheat, and eighteen of maize being sown last year for the crown; the produce of which had been abundant; but the quantity was much reduced by the weeds that grew with it, and from an attack by lightning when in blossom.
Cultivation was confined to maize, wheat, potatoes, and other garden-vegetables. The heat of the climate, occasional droughts, and blighting winds, rendered wheat an uncertain crop; nor could it be averaged at more than eighteen bushels an acre, though some had yielded twenty-five.
Owing to the quick and constant growth of rank weeds few individuals could sow more wheat than was necessary to mix with their maize, which hitherto had rarely exceeded five acres each family. Some few indeed among the settlers, who were remarkably industrious, or who had greater advantages than others, had generally from five to eleven acres in wheat; but the number of these was very small.
The harvests of maize were constant, certain, and plentiful; and two crops were generally procured in twelve months. The produce of one crop might be averaged at forty-five bushels per acre, and many had yielded from seventy to eighty.
By the statement before given it appears, that there were five thousand two hundred and forty-seven acres occupied; of which only one thousand five hundred and twenty-eight were cleared of timber: that there also remained five thousand seven hundred and fifty-three neither occupied nor cleared, making in the whole nine thousand four hundred and seventy-two acres not cleared of timber. If six thousand of the nine thousand four hundred and seventy-two acres not cleared could be put under cultivation in addition to the one thousand five hundred and twenty-eight already cleared of timber, its produce at one crop only, and allowing no more than thirty bushels of maize to the acre, would be two hundred and twenty-five thousand eight hundred and forty bushels of grain; and even this might be doubled, if, as before said, there were labourers to procure a second crop.
The remaining three thousand four hundred and seventy-two acres might be reserved for fuel, building-timber, and other purposes.
From these data some calculation may be made of the number of people that the island might be made to maintain.
The following is a statement of the stock belonging to government and individuals on the 18th October 1796:
To whom belonging
Male—–Female—–Male and Female
Government 3 3
Individuals — —
Horses ------ Government — — Individuals 1 2
Asses ----- Government 2 4 Individuals 0 0
Sheep ----- Government 22
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Many parents believe that a baby who wears shoes or uses an infant walker will learn to walk sooner. Baby walkers are intended to allow infants, who are able to sit up but not yet walk by themselves, to move around independently. Walkers consist of a cloth seat that supports the baby’s weight but lets his feet touch the floor. The base of the walker is set on wheels, allowing for easy mobility. Infant walkers have become immensely popular, and parents often welcome such a simple form of entertainment and exercise for their child. However, studies have shown that infant walkers can be dangerous. Furthermore, no studies have found that walkers help children learn to walk sooner, and some have even found that using a walker appears to hinder proper development.
Evidence Against the Health Claim
Putting a baby in shoes at an early age will not encourage him to walk sooner. In fact, keeping a baby barefoot helps strengthen foot muscles and promotes balance. Walkers also interfere with the natural progression of learning to sit, crawl, stand, and then walk. The majority of chiropractors oppose the use of baby walkers because of the long-term spinal implications that result from skipping such steps. Also, a baby who sits in an infant walker cannot see his feet because of the wide tray. This may impede coordination because the baby does not get visual feedback as he is learning how to walk.
Various studies have compared the physical and mental development of infants who use baby walkers to that of infants who do not. Many studies have found that infants who used baby walkers actually sat, crawled, and walked later than those who did not. Walker-experienced infants also scored lower on Bayley scales of mental and motor development (an infant developmental scale popular among researchers). A few studies found no difference between the onset of walking among walker users and nonusers. Regardless, no studies have shown that infant walkers help children to walk sooner than they would if they didn’t use a walker.
Risks of Walker Use
The risks associated with using walkers outweigh the potential benefits. In 2004, the Canadian government banned baby walkers. In the US, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been asking for a ban since 1995. In 1997, safety measures were added to protect babies from falling down stairs. While this has significantly reduced the number of injuries, there were still over 3,000 injuries in 2003.
Walkers can pinch fingers and toes, tip over, collapse, fall into water, plunge down stairs, knock over baby gates, gather speed quickly (up to three feet per second), and make it easier for a baby to reach higher objects that could be dangerous (such as a hot cup of coffee, or a heavy or breakable object on a shelf). Most walker-related injuries occur when adults are supervising the baby in the walker.
Evidence for the Health Claim
No known studies support the claim that a baby who wears shoes or uses an infant walker will learn to walk sooner.
Parents use infant walkers for a variety of reasons, including keeping an infant entertained, providing a means of exercise, and encouraging mobility and early walking. However, research has not found a connection between infant walkers and early walking. In fact, the opposite may be true! Because there are no clear developmental advantages to infant walkers, and because the injury rate is so high, the AAP urges parents not to use baby walkers. Encouraging early walking by having a baby wear shoes is not recommended either, as this may hinder proper muscle development. Allowing infants to sit, crawl, and walk on their own and at their own pace is the best way to promote coordination and walking skill.
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There are many tech terms are used in web hosting. if you are not aware much about these terms, this article will surely help you. Here are more than 35 common web hosting terms and definitions.
One of the world’s most popular Web server programs, Apache was built by a group of open-source programmers and is often used because of its outstanding performance, strong security features and the fact that it is free.
A separate web site that is included in your account sharing the resources of whatever plan you are on.
It is a computer program that automatically respond or answer an email sent to it.
The amount of data that can be transmitted at a given moment to a server. This occurs every time someone visits or uses your site, an email is sent or received or files are uploaded and downloaded. The higher your bandwidth, the larger amount of traffic your site can handle at one time.
A web site or portion of a web site that has individual entries of various types – discussion or informational. It is also called weblog or web blog. It is the most effective tool to drive business and get more visibility in search engines.
Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a standard way for a web server to pass a web user’s request to an application program and receive data back to forward to user.
Cloud is network of servers which are connected to each other. It is not physical. It provide online service (on-demand) and allow to store data and access it.
The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than having a local servers or personal computer.
CMS stands for Content Management System. It allows maintaining and managing pages, blogs, and articles online. You can easily write or modify content on your website & instantly updated.
The control panel is the central hub for a web hosting account where the user modifies and controls all aspects of their web hosting.
Distributed Denial of Service Attack. It is an attempt to make an online service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple sources.
User have entire server & user’s websites are stored on the server. User have total control over the web server.
“Domain Name Server.” It is an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. Because domain names are alphabetic, they’re easier to remember. This is why you can enter Sarv.com instead of having to remember our IP address.
The amount of space allocated to you on the server to store files, pages, emails, and more.
A firewall is a system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both.
File Transfer Protocol. It is a method of allowing remote users and web servers to exchange files.
Hyper Text Markup Language. the language by which web servers and client browsers communicate.
Infrastructure as a service. It is a way of delivering cloud infrastructure servers, storage, network and operating systems as an on-demand service.
Internet Protocol. It designates the format of “data packets” that are used to exchange information over the Internet.
Internet Message Access Protocol. It is a method that allows you to access electronic mail or messages that are kept on a mail server.
Distributing data across a network of servers in order to ensure that a single web server does not get overloaded with work, thereby affecting performance.
A database system that is often included in hosting packages. It is commonly used with a variety of applications
A server responsible for translating domain names and IP addresses.
Network Operation Centers. The NOC is usually where most administration, technical support and physical server storage takes place.
Platform as a Service. It allows to upgrade & changed web applications quickly & easily. You don’t need to buy softwares, you can rent hardware, operating system, & network capacity over the Internet and it will cut your business cost.
Redundant Array of Independent Disks. RAID is the way of combining several independent and relatively small disks into a single storage of a large size. The disks included into the array are called array members.
Reseller hosting is a form of web hosting wherein the account owner has the ability to use his or her allotted hard drive space and bandwidth to host websites on behalf of third parties.
Software as a Service. Applications are hosted by a service provider & offered to users over the Internet. It is most widely used service model.
Storage Area Network. It is a dedicated high-speed network (or subnetwork) that interconnects and presents shared pools of storage devices to multiple servers.
The ability to adapt to rapid changes in demand, by dynamically adding or removing cloud resources based upon performance metrics and load thresholds.
In shared hosting, multiple websites are placed on same server & share space and resources on a single server.
Server or Web server is a computer on which web pages are stored. Servers are provided by web hosting companies.
Service Level Agreement. A formal written agreement made between two parties: the service provider and the service recipient. The SLA itself defines the basis of understanding between the two parties for delivery of the service itself.
Secure Socket Layer. It is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.
Standard Query Language. A standard protocol used to request information from databases. Servers that can handle SQL are known as SQL servers.
The amount of time the server is uninterrupted and your website is accessible. This is typically shown as a percentage. You want a high uptime (99% and above) so as not to disrupt access to your site
Virtual Private Network. It is a network technology that creates a secure network connection over a public network such as the Internet or a private network owned by a service provider.
Virtual Private Server. VPS divides a server into multiple virtual servers. Users have root access to their virtual server. It is also called virtual dedicated server.
Website hosting or web hosting means a website or web pages available to public over the Internet. Webpages require a computer to store them.
Did you like these terms? Share with your friends and spread the knowledge!
Want to know more about web hosting – READ HERE
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"alternative" health practices
"It's become politically correct to investigate nonsense." --R. Barker Bausell
A health or medical practice is called "alternative" if it is based on untested, untraditional, or unscientific principles, methods, treatments, or knowledge. "Alternative" medicine is often based on metaphysical beliefs and is frequently anti-scientific. Because truly "alternative" medical practices would be ones that are known to be equally or nearly equally effective, most "alternative" medical practices are not truly "alternative," but quackery. If the "alternative" health practice is offered along with scientific medicine, it is referred to as "complementary" medicine or CAM, complementary and alternative medicine, or integrative medicine because it integrates good medicine with quackery.
Alternative medical treatment is slowly achieving acceptance in mainstream health professions. It is estimated that "alternative" medicine is a $15 billion a year business. Traditionally, most insurance companies have not covered "alternative" medicine, but American Western Life Insurance Company is typical of a growing trend. It offers a network of about 300 providers in California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah specializing in acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, chiropractic, herbal medicine, massage, naturopathy, reflexology, and yoga, among other therapies. Also, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co. has reimbursed clients for the costs of a non-surgical "alternative" therapy for heart disease. Dr. Dean Ornish, an internist and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, developed the therapy, which includes a vegetarian diet, meditation, and exercise. Mutual of Omaha was quick to note that they were not opening the door to covering all forms of "alternative" therapies. They considered Dr. Ornish's treatment to have been proven effective.
The National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine (now the NCCAM) has supported a number of research studies of unorthodox cures, including the use of shark cartilage to treat cancer and the effectiveness of bee pollen in treating allergies. The most popular "alternative" therapies are prayer, relaxation techniques, chiropractic, herbal medicine, and massage. Very few high caliber scientific studies are done by "alternative" practitioners (Bausell 2007). If they do studies at all, they rarely use control groups, study adequate-sized samples, or used methods that blind the researchers in appropriate ways. (When every study comes out positive, as acupuncture studies done in China have, one knows something is fishy.) Indeed, many disdain science in favor of metaphysics, faith, and magical thinking.
On the other hand, many questionable products touted as cure-alls or as cures for serious illnesses such as cancer or heart disease are promoted with scientific-sounding gobbledygook and misrepresentation or falsification of scientific studies. Jodie Bernstein, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, offers the following list of signs of quackery:
** The product is advertised as a quick and effective cure-all for a wide range of ailments.
** The promoters use words like scientific breakthrough, miraculous cure, exclusive product, secret ingredient or ancient remedy.
** The text is written in "medicalese" - impressive-sounding terminology to disguise a lack of good science.
** The promoter claims the government, the medical profession or research scientists have conspired to suppress the product.
** The advertisement includes undocumented case histories claiming amazing results.
** The product is advertised as available from only one source.
The general rule is "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
DAILY MAIL (London)
"Potentially life-threatening problems have been caused by
treatments such as homeopathy, acupuncture and chiropractic, a survey has found. Hepatitis
B infections, nerve damage, allergic reactions and delayed diagnoses of
One in ten of the 686 GPs reported serious side-effects suspected
to have been triggered by complementary therapies. A further third reported non-serious
side effects such as inappropriate treatment. About half the serious side-effects,
including nerve damage, spinal cord compression and worsening of existing conditions,
resulted from spinal manipulation, usually by chiropractic or osteopathic techniques,
according to the survey published in the International Journal of Risk and
Homeopathy was held responsible for at least one 'avoidable death' from pneumonia, there were delays in cancer diagnosis and asthmatics needed hospital treatment after being told to stop medication."
Why is "alternative" health care so popular?
The New England Journal of Medicine reported on a study in January 1993 which showed that about one-third of American adults sought some sort of unorthodox therapy during the preceding year. Why is "alternative" health care [AHC] so popular? There are several reasons.
1. Drugs and surgery are not part of AHC. Fear of surgery and of the side effects of drugs alienate many people from scientific medicine. AHC is attractive because it does not offer these frightening types of treatments. Furthermore, scientific medicine often harms patients. AHC treatments are usually inherently less risky and less likely to cause direct harm.
Selective thinking and confirmation bias can easily lead one to focus on cases where surgeons amputate the wrong limb, remove the wrong part of the brain, or kill a patient by administering too much anaesthetic or radiation. Many people ignore the millions of patients who are alive and well today because of surgery or drugs. They focus instead on the cases of patients who die after "routine" surgery, who are permanently disabled because of an adverse reaction to a drug, or who are killed by a deranged nurse acting as a self-appointed "mercy" killer.
This fear and skepticism regarding drug treatment, hospitalization, and surgery is not without foundation. Some harm is caused by malpractice; some is the tragic but inevitable outcome of unpredictable reactions to drugs or surgery. Because there are often legal issues involved, physicians and hospitals are often not forthcoming with details of patient deaths for which they might be responsible. Confidence in medicine erodes with each report of "therapeutic misadventures."
Are these "therapeutic misadventures" rare? As far as I know, there has never been a national study of the issue. There was a study done in New York in 1991 (The Harvard Medical Practice Study) which found that nearly 4 percent of patients were harmed in the hospital and 14 percent of these died, presumably of their hospital-inflicted injuries. Lucian L. Leape, a Boston physician, extrapolated from this data that as many as 180,000 Americans may be dying each year of medical injuries suffered at the hands of medical care providers. He notes, for dramatic effect, that this is the equivalent of three jumbo-jet crashes every two days. ("Truth about human error in hospitals," by Abigail Trafford, editor of the Washington Post's health section, printed in the Sacramento Bee, March 21, 1995, p. B7.)
On the other hand, the risks of being positively harmed by an "alternative" practitioner such as a homeopath, for example, are negligible when compared to the risks of being harmed by a physician dispensing powerful drugs and performing risky surgeries. This is because a homeopath is not intervening in any significant way. The doses they give are not likely to have any effect on anyone. A homeopath is not likely to ever kill a patient by mistake. "Alternative" medical treatments are essentially non-interventionist and their risks are generally negative, not positive. The harm to the patients comes not from positive intervention but from not getting treatment (drugs or surgery) which would improve their health and increase their life span.
While it is true that scientific medicine is not without its risks--even fatal risks--it is unreasonable to reject it altogether on these grounds. Reasonable people can't ignore the diabetics now alive and well, thanks to their drugs, or the millions of people who owe their lives to vaccinations against lethal or crippling diseases. We can't ignore the millions whose pain is gone thanks to surgery, or who owe their continuing existence to successful medical treatment involving both drugs and surgery.
A reasonable response to the very real risks of treatment by
providers who use up-to-date scientific treatments is to take greater responsibility for one's treatment. A reasonable patient
cannot have blind faith in his or her physician, no matter how godlike the doctor may seem
or try to present himself. (A very dear friend of mine who lived to be 80 thanks to pills
and surgery, found great humor in telling her physicians she knew M.D. stands for
"medical divinity.") We have to become more knowledgeable of the drugs
prescribed to us. We have to participate more in our own treatment, which means we have to
ask lots of questions and assume nothing. We can't assume that the drug the nurse wants us
to swallow is the one our physician has prescribed. (Just ask, "What's this
pill?" You should know whether you're supposed to take it or not.) We need to seek
second and third opinions, which doesn't mean look for another doctor who will tell you
what you want to hear. It means do research. Read about your illness and the prescribed
treatment for it. We can never eliminate risk altogether when we must depend on human
beings, fallible and imperfect as we are. But we can reduce our risk by being more
responsible for our health care and being less passive. Some faith in the competence of
our health care providers is necessary, but it need not be blind faith. You may
have to have surgery to have a limb removed or an artery widened, but you may need to make
sure that the surgeon ready to operate doesn't think he's supposed to remove your gall
bladder. The young boy who was to have a leg amputated and had written in large ink
letters on his good leg "NOT THIS ONE" may have gotten a laugh from the hospital
personnel. We can admire the boy's humor, but it is his lack of blind faith that is most
admirable to a skeptic.
2. Scientific medicine often fails to discover the cause of an illness or to relieve
pain. This is true of AHC as well. But practitioners of scientific
medicine are not as likely to
express hopefulness when their medicine fails. "Alternative" practitioners often
encourage their patients to be hopeful even when the situation is hopeless.
3. When scientific medicine does discover the cause of an illness, it often fails to offer treatment that is guaranteed to be successful. Again, AHC offers hope when scientific medicine can't offer a safe and sure cure. A local television news anchor rejected chemotherapy for her breast cancer in favor of Gerson Therapy, a treatment approved of by Prince Charles. Pat Davis followed a rigorous 13-hour-a-day regimen of diet (green vegetables and green juices), exercise, and coffee enemas (four a day) developed by Dr. Max Gerson. Davis mother had had breast cancer twice, undergoing chemotherapy and a mastectomy. Davis knew the dangers of chemotherapy and the effects of breast surgery. She refused to accept that there were no alternatives. Gerson therapy gave her hope. When it was clear that the Gerson treatment was ineffective, Davis agreed to undergo chemotherapy. She died four months later on March 20, 1999, at the age of 39, after two and one-half years of fighting her cancer. Could chemotherapy have saved her had she sought the treatment earlier? Maybe. The odds may have been against her, but the slim hope offered by scientific medicine was at least a real hope. The hope offered by Gerson is a false hope through and through.
4.AHC often uses "natural" remedies. Many people believe that what is natural is necessarily better and safer than what is
artificial (such as pharmaceuticals). Just because something is natural does not mean
that it is good, safe, or healthy. There are many natural substances that are dangerous and
harmful. There are also many natural products that are ineffective and of little or no
value to ones health and well-being.
5. AHC is often less expensive than scientific medicine. This fact has made "alternative" treatments attractive to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and to insurance companies, both of whom are coming to realize that it is cheaper and thus more profitable to offer "alternative" treatments. If "alternative" therapies were truly alternatives, it would make no sense to pay more for the same quality treatment. However, most so-called "alternative" therapies are not truly alternatives; they are not equally effective treatments. Thus, the fact that they are cheaper is of little significance.
6. AHC is often sanctioned by state governments, which license and regulate "alternative" practices and even protect "alternative" practitioners from attacks by the medical establishment. Chiropractors, for example, won a major restraint-of-trade lawsuit against the American Medical Association in 1987. A federal judge permanently barred the AMA from "hindering the practice of chiropractic." Being government licensed, regulated, and protected is seen as legitimizing AHC. Actually, much of the licensing and regulation is aimed at protecting the public from frauds and quacks.
7. Many doctors who use scientific medicine treat diseases first and people secondly. Alternative" practitioners are often "holistic," claiming to treat the mind, body and soul of the patient. Many people are attracted to the spiritual and metaphysical connections made by AHC practitioners. Many AHC patients claim that their "healers" treat them as persons and seem to care about them, whereas doctors who use scientific medicine often seem to lack good "bedside manner." The claim that practitioners of scientific medicine are uncaring automatons is not based on empirical study, but it propaganda spread by some members of the alternative health community.
Practitioners of scientific medicine
often work out of large hospitals or HMOs and see hundreds or thousands of patients for
their specialized needs. "Alternative" therapists, on the other hand, often work
out of their homes or small offices or clinics, and see many fewer patients. More
important, those who seek help from a practitioner of scientific
medicine usually do not care what his
or her personal religious, metaphysical, or spiritual beliefs are. Those who seek
"alternative" medicine often are attracted to the personality and worldview of
their practitioner. For example, a person with diabetes who goes to an endocrinologist
probably will not be interested in his or her physicians belief in chi or any
other spiritual or metaphysical notions. Whether the doctor believes in a god or the soul is
irrelevant. What matters is the doctors knowledge and experience with the disease.
If the doctor is kind and personable, that is all the better. A cold and indifferent
"alternative" practitioner would not have much business. A cold and indifferent
practitioner of scientific medicine may have patients standing in line for treatment if he or she is an
8.Many people apparently do not understand that scientific medicine has the same shortcomings as all other forms of human knowledge: it is fallible. It also is correctable. Systems of thought that are fundamentally metaphysical in nature are not testable and can therefore never be proven incorrect. Hence, once they get established they tend to become dogmatically adhered to and never change. The only way to change dogma is to become a heretic and set up your own counter-dogma. When scientific medicine errs, it errs in ways that can be corrected. Treatments and practices that are ineffective or harmful are eventually rejected.
"Alternative" practices and treatments are
often based upon faith and belief in metaphysical entities such as chi and lend themselves to ad hoc
hypotheses to explain away failure or ineffectiveness. In scientific medicine
there will be disagreement and controversy, error and argument, testing and more testing,
etc. Decisions will be made by fallible human beings engaging in the fallible practice of
scientific medicine. Some of those decisions will be bad decisions, but in time they will
be discovered for what they are and treatments which were once standard will be rejected
and replaced with other treatments. Medicine will grow, it will progress, it will change
dramatically. Homeopathy, iridology, reflexology, aromatherapy, therapeutic touch, etc.
will not change in any fundamental ways over the years. Their practitioners do not
challenge each other, as scientific medicine requires. Instead, "alternative"
practitioners generally do little more than reinforce each other.
9. "Alternative" therapies appeal to magical thinking. Ideas with little
scientific backing, such as those of sympathetic magic,
are popular among "alternative" practitioners and their clients.
medicine is rejected by some simply because it is not magical. While
medicine may sometimes seem to work miracles, the miracles of modern medicine are based on
science not faith.
10. The main reason people seek "alternative" health care, however, is
they think it "works." That is, they feel better, healthier, more vital, etc.,
after the treatment. Those who say "alternative" medicine "works"
usually mean little more than that they are satisfied customers. For many AHC
practitioners, having satisfied customers is all the proof they need that they are true
healers. In most cases, however, a person's condition would have improved had he or she
done nothing at all. But since the improvement came after the treatment, it is
believed that the improvement must have been caused by the treatment (the post hoc fallacy and
regressive fallacy). In many cases, the successful treatment is due to
nothing more than the placebo effect. In some cases,
treatment by scientific medicine is very painful or it causes more harm than good and the improvement one feels
is due to stopping the science-based treatment rather than to
starting the "alternative" one. (One reason spirit healers in pre-modern medicine times
may have had better success rates on the battlefield than non-spirit healers is due to
the fact that the non-spirit healers often harmed their patients: e.g., infecting them
by touching them during treatment. Spirit healers, who did nothing to the wound, didn't infect the patient,
who often healed thanks to the body's own internal healing mechanisms.)
In many cases, the cure was actually effected by the scientific medicine taken along with the "alternative" therapy, but the credit is given to the "alternative." Also, many so-called cures are not really cures at all in any objective sense. The patient may have been misdiagnosed in the first place, so no cure actually took place.n Also, a patient subjectively reports that he or she "feels better" and that is taken as proof that the therapy is working. Psychological effects of therapies are not identical to objective improvements, however. A person may feel much worse but actually be getting much better. Conversely, a person may feel much better but actually be getting much worse.
11. Finally, many advocates of "alternative" therapies refuse to admit failure. When comedian Pat Paulsen died while receiving "alternative" cancer therapy in Tijuana, Mexico, his daughter did not accept that the therapy was useless. Rather, she believed that the only reason her father died was because he had not sought the "alternative" therapy sooner. Such faith is common among those who are desperate and vulnerable, common traits among those who seek "alternative" therapies.
Another reason so-called alternative medicine (or CAM, as it is now mostly referred to) is popular may be that such things as dieting, exercising, meditating, and praying are considered "medicine" or "therapy" by agencies such as the NCCAM.
It is difficult to find good quality objective data on the popularity of particular CAM interventions, and many of the surveys that have been done are potentially misleading. For example,. the 2007 CDC National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is widely cited as showing that about 30% of Americans use CAM therapies. A careful look at the details of this survey, however, shows that many of the supposed CAM therapies are really relaxation or exercise practices, such as massage and yoga, not medical therapies. Chiropractic is the only medical therapy generally classified as alternative that was used by more than 10% of people in the survey. And that was primarily for idiopathic lower back pain, an indication for which it is generally accepted, even by skeptics such as myself, as having some demonstrated benefit, about equal to standard medical interventions. These usage numbers haven’t changed in decades, which belies the notion that CAM is growing in popularity.
Similarly, much was made by the media of a recent CDC survey that supposedly showed widespread use of CAM therapies in hospice care facilities. A close analysis of this survey also shows that most of the therapies listed are not truly alternative medical interventions and that fewer than half the facilities surveyed offered true CAM therapies, and fewer than 10% of patients in those facilities actually employed the CAM practices offered.*
For example, only 6.5% of Americans reported ever using acupuncture in the 2007 survey.
The fact is that CAM is not that popular: most American adults don’t use acupuncture, energy healing therapy, reiki, naturopathy, Qi gong, Tai chi, or homeopathy. NCCAM exaggerates the popularity of CAM to validate not only the various modalities it lists, but to validate its own existence. The fact that nothing worthwhile has issued from NCCAM despite the 2.5 billion tax dollars it has spent in its more than two decades of existence might make a citizen question the continued funding of the agency. The fact is that CAM modalities do not become validated by how many people use them, but by whether they have been shown to have a prositive effect on health that is superior to doing nothing or to placebo effects.*
Have physicians been prescribing more CAM? Orac doesn't think so, and with good reason.
See Topical index for entries on numerous "alternative" health practices.
See also ad hoc hypothesis, Edgar Cayce, cold reading, communal reinforcement, conditioning, confirmation bias, control study, NCCAM, Occam's razor, placebo effect, post hoc fallacy, regressive fallacy, selective thinking, self-deception, subjective validation, testimonials, and wishful thinking.
nA study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore of 6,000 patients diagnosed with cancer found that one out of every 71 cases was misdiagnosed (a 1.4% error rate). See "Misdiagnosing Cancer" by John McKenzie, May 9, 2001, ABCNews.com.
I have written several articles and short pieces about alternative-health related topics. The following is a list of those I think are most relevant to the article above.
Review of R. Barker Bausell's Snake Oil Science: The Truth about Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Medical Suburban Myths (from the Suburban Myths Page
Myth 2. Prescription drugs are one of the leading causes of death.
Myth 3. Most medical treatments have never been clinically tested.
Myth 19. Medical doctors typically know nothing about nutrition.
Myth 22. Dr. Randolph Byrd scientifically proved that prayer can heal.
Myth 23. Even if Dr. Byrd failed, others have succeeded in proving scientifically that prayer heals.
Myth 25. Transplant organs carry personality traits which are transferred from donors to receivers.
Myth 31. Crimes, mental illness, suicides, and emergency room visits increase when there is a full moon.
Myth 43. Suicide increases over the holidays.
Myth 46. Switching to a low-tar, low-nicotine cigarette will reduce one's chances of being exposed to the carcinogens in cigarette smoke.
Myth 53. Sugar causes hyperactivity in children.
Myth 60. You should drink eight glasses of water a day for good health.* One study, however, does seem to have good evidence that drinking five glasses a day is better than drinking two or fewer with respect to fatal coronary heart disease.
Myth 71. A diet low in animal fat will prevent high cholesterol which will prevent atherosclerosis which will make you immune to having a heart attack.
Myth 72. Pasteur renounced all his works on his death bed.
Myth 73. Laetrile is an effective cancer treatment whose humanitarian discoverer has been persecuted, depriving millions of people of the benefits of this wonder drug.
Myth 83. A study was published in the Western Journal of Medicine that showed changing the letters EPHO (each letter representing a drug being used to treat small-cell lung cancer) to HOPE led to a spectacular increase in positive response to the treatment.
Myths 86-89, thanks to the British Medical Journal:
Myth 86. There
are several effective cures for a hangover.
Myth 87. People who eat late at night gain more weight than those who eat the same amount of food earlier in the day.
Myth 88. More heat escapes from the head than any other part of the body.
Myth 89. Poinsettias are poisonous.
Myth 92. Fruit must be eaten on an empty stomach in order for the body to absorb it properly.
Myth 93. Drinking cold water after meals causes cancer.
Raso, Jack. "Mystical Medical Alternativism," Skeptical Inquirer, Sept/Oct 1995.
Stalker, Douglas. 1995. Evidence and alternative medicine. Mt. Sinai Journal of Medicine.
A Special Message for Cancer Patients Seeking "Alternative" Treatments by Dr. Stephen Barrett
How Quackery Harms Cancer Patients by William T. Jarvis, Ph.D.
Alternative Medicine and the Laws of Physics by Robert L. Park
Healthfinder - the federal consumer health information gateway links to more than 5,000 reliable sites on health and medical info
Scientists urge unis to axe alternative medicine courses In Australia, more than 400 doctors, medical researchers and scientists have formed a powerful lobby group to pressure universities to close down alternative medicine degrees.
Almost one in three Australian universities now offer courses in some form of alternative therapy or complementary medicine, including traditional Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractics, homeopathy, naturopathy, reflexology and aromatherapy. But the new group, Friends of Science in Medicine, wrote to vice-chancellors this week, warning that by giving "undeserved credibility to what in many cases would be better described as quackery" and by "failing to champion evidence-based science and medicine," the universities are trashing their reputation as bastions of scientific rigor.
John Moore: Suzanne Somers — Bimbo, MD "Somers quite ludicrously claims that conventional cancer treatments are a sham propped up by indoctrinated medical workers and big pharma....the former Three's Company actress insisted that the pharmaceutical industry makes $200-billion a year off cancer and will do anything to protect its franchise right down to crushing the few iconoclasts who hold the real keys to curing the disease....The damage that Somers and other celebrity fools such as autism-activist Jenny McCarthy are doing is inestimable."
The Huffington Post is crazy about your health (Arianna Huffington says: "When it comes to health and wellness issues, our goal is to provide a diverse forum for a reasoned discussion of issues of interest and importance to our readers." In other words, we won't make any effort to separate the good advice from the woo.)
$2.5 billion spent, no alternative cures found (Big, government-funded studies show alternative health treatments work no better than placebos. "It's the fox guarding the chicken coop," said Dr. Joseph Jacobs...."This is not science, it's ideology on the part of the advocates." The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), formerly the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM), is a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). "The center was given $50 million in 1999 (its budget was $122 million last year) and ordered to research unconventional therapies and nostrums that Americans were using to see which ones had merit. That is opposite how other National Institutes of Health agencies work, where scientific evidence or at least plausibility is required to justify studies, and treatments go into wide use after there is evidence they work — not before.")
The Academic Woo Aggregator (a list of all the academic medical centers with woo programs)- Orac
Are more physicians really prescribing CAM? from Respectful Insolence by Orac
CAM appears to be more popular than it really is by including such things as yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises as "alternative" medicine. These are no more "alternative" than back-stretching exercises are "alternative" medicine. Here's an example: http://www.newswise.com/articles/health-care-providers-are-prescribing-nontraditional-medicine
More from the endless suppliers of bogus remedies in the Asian "medical" tradition: 1) vaginal mugwort tea steam bath, 2) vaginal tea tree oil douche, and 2) elk antler velvet. For more on the antler velvet see Swift. For more on the vaginal steam bath and vaginal douches see Rebecca Watson here and here (podcast #284).
CAM and the Law, Part 1: Introduction to the issues When I write or talk about the scientific evidence against particular alternative medical approaches, I am frequently asked the question, “So, if it doesn’t work, why is it legal?” Believers in CAM ask this to show that there must be something to what they are promoting or, presumably, the government wouldn’t let them sell it.
CAM and the Law Part 2: Licensure and Scope of Practice Laws My goal here is to highlight a few of the ways in which licensure and scope of practice laws intersect the practice of CAM and give a few representative examples.
CAM and the Law Part 3: Malpractice ...malpractice laws apply to alternative medicine practices in ways that are broadly similar, but sometimes subtly and significantly different, from how they apply to scientific medicine.
Uff Da! The Mayo Clinic Shills for Snake Oil by Kimball Atwood "What’s most noticeable about the tone of the book is it’s ponderous, ditzy blandness (if there is any hope that woo-philic readers will tire when they finally realize that they are being treated like small children, this book will be invaluable). Such blandness, of course, is common to apologetic, quackademic expositions. So are the misleading language devices mentioned above (and more: chiropractic becomes “chiropractic care”; homeopathy becomes “homeopathic medicine,” which “seeks to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself by giving small doses of highly diluted substances [that] are derived from natural substances,” and so forth)."
Longing for a past that never existed "There once was a time when all food was organic and no pesticides were used....Advocates of alternative health have a romanticized and completely unrealistic notion of purported benefits of a “natural” lifestyle. Far from being a paradise, it was hell."
Last updated 18-Feb-2014
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Lecture 12, Isaiah (Part 1):
The children of Israel were known for breaking covenant with God by placing their trust in other gods, foreign alliances, and their own strength. In a sense, they declared independence from God. Will there ever be a government that will truly establish righteousness? In this message, Dr. Sproul reminds us of God’s promise of a government that will establish perfect peace, justice, and righteousness.
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Risk Factors for End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
by Debra Wood, RN
A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.
It is possible to develop ESRD with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing ESRD. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.
Risk factors for ESRD include the following:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.... Updated August 23, 2016. Accessed October 4, 2016.
What I need to know about kidney failure and how it's treated. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated September 2013. Accessed November 17, 2016.
Last reviewed November 2016 by Adrienne Carmack, MD
Last Updated: 5/20/2015
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at firstname.lastname@example.org. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.
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November 11, 2018, 1:00 PM
Durand-Hedden will observe the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice of World War I with an expanded exhibit on the newly rediscovered stories of the eight young men who lost their lives and for whom there is a memorial in Memorial Park, the efforts at the home front, and how the use of propaganda, including posters by nationally known artists, promoted patriotism. Reenactors will provide opportunities to learn about the lives of soldiers in the Great War, hear music of the period played by an authentically attired drum and bugle corps, and be persuaded by actress Theda Bara to buy war bonds. Young visitors will be able to participate in the interactive activity of making red paper poppies which symbolize remembrance.
Read more about:
Slavery in New Jersey: A Troubled History is an illustrated 40-page book that traces the evolution of slavery in New Jersey, which began with Dutch settlement in the seventeenth century and continued through the end of the Civil War.
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NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
The NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms features 8,506 terms related to cancer and medicine.
We offer a widget that you can add to your website to let users look up cancer-related terms. Get NCI’s Dictionary of Cancer Terms Widget.
- HER2 negative
- listen (… NEH-guh-tiv)
- Describes cancer cells that do not have a large amount of a protein called HER2 on their surface. In normal cells, HER2 helps to control cell growth. Cancer cells that are HER2 negative may grow more slowly and are less likely to recur (come back) or spread to other parts of the body than cancer cells that have a large amount of HER2 on their surface. Checking for the amount of HER2 on some types of cancer cells may help plan treatment. These cancers include breast, bladder, ovarian, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. Also called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative.
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From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
Damnation is punishment leveled by God against those who have defied his will. It is a first tier divine retribution classified in severity below smiting, and above flagellation. Mortals often invoke God's power by 'damning' their enemies, sometimes going to far, invoking his wrath by name- "Get out of your goddamn bed, and go to school!" Once damned you will be ordered to report to Hell at your earliest convenience.
edit Who Qualifies?
edit Pertaining to other people
Any person who contains a soul, and a sound mind who rejects the complete authority of Jesus. You are not subject to damning if you were born prior to 32 BC, were born between 32 BC and 1 AD and lived outside the areas of Judea, Galilee, Bethlehem, Syria, Persia, or New Mormania. If you were born in Egypt on the night of the tenth plague, before dusk in a house marked with lamb’s blood you are ineligible for damning. However if you were born after dusk, or before dawn, whether the house be marked or unmarked you are eligible for damnation. Those born with “the mark” (which takes the form of a small round dot on your skin-also called a "freckle") are considered ineligible for damning unless they break one of the six covenants of Christ or say the word "it" twice in a year as outlined in the supplemental Bible (see Dead Sea Scrolls). If your name is Socrates, Aristotle, or Plato you are very eligible for damnation.
If your name is not written in a fancy book at the entrance to Heaven, you will need to report to Purgatory to check your damnation status. A CR-18B Form must be completed. In triplicate, if any appeal to your damnation status is to be filed, no exceptions! Further, a CI-434 form must be filed to choose the final destination you wish to end at, and a CT-564 must be completed, in triplicate, and filed with the Soul Resources department. If you have a soul a UT-54, IT-435, and HE-11 form must be completed and filed with both Heaven and Hell if you wish to keep your soul. The entire process may take up to 300 years, depending on your circumstances, and also requires that pleas be submitted to both God and the Devil. Response times vary. Alternatively, if you have been damned and do not wish to appeal the decision you needn't fill out any forms as they will be completed and filed for you, but may take up to a week to complete. In the meantime you can relax and enjoy Purgatory's lavish 5-star Hotel, Casino, Spa, 36 Hole Golf Course, and much more! All expenses paid. If you wish to speed up the damnation process, a simple HLL-666 form must be completed. Or if you wish to return back to earth, you must complete a PN-14 form to go back to earth, undamned, or complete a TyX-23 form to go back to earth to start your life completely over. You will have a different body, and your parents will be chosen randomly. Nothing, except your soul, will be the same if you choose to complete and submit a TyX-23 form. Both of these forms require you to pay $800, and get approval by God himself. If he's not available, you can also ask Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
edit So You've Been Damned, Now What?
If you’ve expired before and not during judgment day you qualify for a one time exemption from an eternity in Hell. This exemption must be filed NO LATER than seven business days from the last separation of sheep and goats. After this separation, and before the opening of the great books, those guilty of venial sins must submit or check the status of any outstanding CR-18B forms if they wish to be eligible for redemption.
Some believe that forwarding stupid chain letters signed "Jesus" will save them from damnation. Because of their blasphemy, when aforementioned "bozos" are immediately damned. Also, the very worst of the worst are forced to participate in long-winded and drawn out seminars on sexual harassment, led by a woman with breasts the size of watermelons.
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|1628||Guru Har Gobind
Sahib fought and won the first battle of Amritsar against the Mughal
==> Guru HAR GOBIND PATSHAH (1595-1644) was born on Hadh 21
sunmat 1652 (June 14, 1595) to father Sri Guru Arjan Dev Patshah
and mother Matta Ganga Ji, in village Vadhali. He received his religious
education from Baba Budha Ji. Guru Sahib married three time:
Guru Sahib had five sons (Baba Gurditta Ji, Suraj Mal, Aani Rai, Atal Rai, and Guru Teg Bahadhur Ji) and one daughter (Bhiro). On Jaeth 29 sunmat 1663 (May 25 1606), while ascended to Guru Gadhi, Guru Har Gobind Patshah changed the previous tradition of wearing "Saeli toppi" (cap) and replaced it with wearing "Kalgi". At the same time, he started the tradition of wearing two swords of "Miri Piri". Observing the prevalent conditions of the nation at that time, Guru Sahib started teaching self-protection skills along with the religious preaching.
When the Akbar's policy of assimilation changed to Jahagir's propaganda against the Sikhs, resulting in the martyrdom of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Patshah, Guru Har Gobind Patshah urged his followers to pick up weapons for their self-protection. He preached self-protection along with his religious message. Upon hearing this, Jahagir arrested and jailed Guru Sahib in Gawalior fort. However, instead of losing popularity, as expected by Jahagir, this action immensely increased the popularity and following of Guru Sahib. Many renowned muslims issued a call for Guru Sahib's release. As a result, Jahagir not only released Guru Sahib but actively sought to establish some level of friendship. However, when Shahjahan came to power in sunmat 1685, the government policy went strongly against the Sikhs. As a result, Guru Sahib fought the following four wars with the mughal forces:
However, Guru Sahib continued with his active propagation of Sikh faith. He traveled to Kashmir, PiliBheet, Baar, and Malwa and enlightened thousands on to the correct path. As a result many muslims came under the fold of Sikhs. He also encouraged Udasis to travel throughout the world to propagate Guru Nanak's message.
Guru Sahib left this materialistic world for heavenly abode on Chaet 7 sunmat 1701 (March 3, 1644) after serving as the sixth Guru of GurSikhism for a total of 37 years, 10 months, and 7 days. Guru Sahib's entire journey through this planet amounted to 48 years, 8 months, and 15 days. Guru Har Rai Patshah ascended to Guru Gadhi after Guru Har Gobind. "Arjan Har Gobind Nu Simaro Sri Har Rai" (Chandhi 3)
-Ref. Mahan Kosh (pp. 265)
|1663||Janam, Bhai Mohkam
Singh, one of the first five GurSikh initiated into the Khalsa order.
Bhai Mohkam Singh was born at Dwarka to father Teerath Chand Shanbae and Mata Dev Bhai. Bhai Mohkam Singh was one of the first five GurSikhs initiated into the Khalsa order. Bhai Mohkam died while fighting at Chamkaur.
|1711||The Khalsa Dal
forces, under the leadership of Banda Singh Bahadur, defeated the
forces of Delhi emporer, Bahadhur Shah, at Behrampur.
==> BANDA SINGH BAHADHUR: born on KatakSudhi 13 sunmat 1727 to Rajput father Ramdev who was a resident of the Rajori village in Jammu. He was named Lashman Dev by his parents. Since childhood, he exhibited extremely fondness for sanskrit literature and hunting. However, he plunged into deep remorse after killing a pregnant deer. As a result he discarded all his hunting tools and became a disciple of Vaesnav JankiPrasad. He shed all his material wealth, started onto the seekers path for enlightenment,and adopted the new name, Madho Dass.
Wondering in search of enlightenment, when he traveled towards south India and reached the banks of Godawari, he fell in love with this beautiful new place. He established his Ashram and started living here. In sunmat 1765, when Guru Gobind Singh Ji reached Nandaedh, he was extremely impressed and influenced by Guru's preaching. He offered himself as "Satguru Da Banda" (Satguru's person). Guru Gobind Singh Ji introduced him to Amrit and changed his name to Gurbakash Singh. However, he remained popularly known in our Panth as "Banda".
To eradicate the prevalent injustices, Guru Gobind Singh sent Banda accompanied by the following five GurSikhs to Punjab:
Banda went to Punjab in sunmat 1765 accompanied with a Hukamnama from Guru Gobind Singh addressed to all the GurSikh. In this Hukamnama, Guru Gobind Singh asked GurSikhs to help Banda in his efforts. Before departure, Banda received three arrows from Guru Gobind Singh and the following instructions:
Upon reaching Punjab, Gurbakash Singh strictly followed Guru Sahib's instructions and successfully punish all who had previously mistreated the Khalsa Panth. On the 1st Hadh sunmat 1767, after conquering Sirhind, Wajir Khan was punished and eventually killed for the mistreatment of Sahibzadas.
However, Gurbakash Singh became popular among the Khalsa Panth, his self-godliness started awakening. As a result he started adopting and engaging in practices that were against Gurmat. In sunmat 1771, Banda Bahdhur expressed desires to establish his own Gadhi in Sri Harmindar Sahib and sought his self-worhsip. He started a new slogan of "Sachae Sahib ki Fateh" in contrast to the traditional "Vaaheguru Jee Kee Fateh". This resulted in a severe split among Khalsa Panth. Those following the principles as laid by Guru Gobind Singh came to known as "TattKhalsa" while the followers of Gurbakash Singh were known as "BandaiKhalsa". Today there are very few Bandai Sikhs. They do not believe in any other holy scriptures other than Sri Guru Granth Sahib. All their practice are according to Gurmat principles.
Eventually, Banda Bahadhur was cornered by the pursuing enemy forces at "Gurdaspur de Gadhi". It is also popularly known as Bhai Duni Chand di Hawaeli. After months of sustained attacks from AbdalSamadKhan and others with a force of over 20,000, Banda Bahadhur was arrested along with his companions and taken to Delhi. He accepted Shahadat on Chaet Sudhi 1st sunmat 1773.
-Ref. Mahan Kosh
==> BAHADHUR SHAH: second son of Aurangzeb, born at Burhanpur on October 4, 1643. He was initially named Muyajam and Shah Alam. He assumed the Delhi throne in 1707 and subsequently changed his name to Bahadhur Shah. He spent most of time fighting in southern part of India against the Bijapur and Goalkunda dynasties. Upon learning about the rising Sikh power and death of WajirKhan, Sirhind Governor, he attempted to return back to Punjab. However, he was unsuccessful in establishing any form of peace in the country and subsequently died on Feb. 18, 1712.
- Ref. Mahan Kosh (pp. 827)
Mani Singh Ji, cut to pieces in Lahore.
Bhai Mani Singh accepted martyrdom over forceful conversion. in Lahore. In the process, his body was cut to pieces. Bhai Mani Singh had asked for and was granted permission to organize a 10-day fair on the eve of Diwali at Amritsar on payment of a fee of Rs. 5,000. Harghabat Narajania of Jandiala, Karma of Chhina and others suggested to Zakharia Khan to use the occasion to put to the sword teh entire Khalsa gathered for the fair. Diwan Lakhpat Rai who was part of the Hindu conspiracy undertook to execute the orders when issued by the Governor.
The Sikhs got wind of the mechinations of the Mughal authorities and ill-disposed Hindus. They informed Bhai Mani Singh who passed on the word to the Sikhs, not to visit Amritsar for the occasion. Some of them who could not be informed reached Amritsar and were attacked and put to death while taking bath in the sacred tank. Harmindir was taken into government possession and Diwali could not be celebrated.
Bhai Mani Singh protested against the conspiracy and the attack. He was instead called upon to pay the fee of Rs. 5000. That was part of the story. What rankled in the mind of ill disposed Hindus were his proselytising activities. They were in the forefront in suggesting to his being converted to Islam or put to death. As such, Bhai Mani Singh was ordered to be cut to pieces, limb by limb. That was accomplished at Nakhas, hore market, outside Delhi Gate, Lahore, where Gurudwara Shahid Ganj stands now.
|1923||Ata Mohammed Patwari of Nandachaur, murdered by the Babbar Akalis.|
Indian Army occupied the Sikh Shrines, archives, libraries, museums.
Most of them were later set abalze.
The fascist Indian Armed Forces, under the orders of Indira Gandhi (then prime minister) and Zail Singh (then President) launched the final assault on the Golden Temple complex
Today, the whole Sikh Nation salutes all those GurSikh martyrs who gave their lives while protecting the sanctity of Sri Akal Takhat and Sri Darbar Sahib. So many GurSikhs were killed that although the army paid Rs. 50 for picking up a dead body and loading it onto the awaiting trucks, there weren't enough people to get this work done. People clearing dead bodies were also given permission for retain all valuables recovered from the body. The most notable GurSikhs included Jarnail Singh Bhindrawalae, Amrik Singh and General Shahbeg Singh.
Giani Puran Singh, Darbar Sahib's high priest, was told by the soldiers that the bodies of Bhindranwalae, Amrik Singh and General Shahbeg Singh were found in the courtyard of Sri Akal Takhat. Ropes were tied to the body of Gen. Shahbeg Singh. His body seemed to have been dragged from Sri Akal Takhat.
Additionally, the indian army occupied the Sikh Shrines, archives, libraries, and museums. Most of them were later set abalze. In contrast, the Hindus of Amritsar welcomed the Indian Army with garlands, sweets, and dances. (see description below on operation Bluestar. NOTE:- brief biographical description with appropriate references for Jarnail Singh Singh Ji, Amrik Singh Ji, and General Shehbeg Singh Ji are sought).
==> BLUESTAR OPERATION is the code name for the June 1984 attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, by the Indian Armed Forces. This attack was conducted under the pretext of flushing out terrorists but was designed for maximum damage. The attack took place on the day of Guru Arjan Dev Patshah's Shahadat Gurpurab observations. Further this operation was sanctioned under the direct orders of Indira Gandhi (then prime minister) and Zail Singh (then President). The Golden Temple Complex was attacked by the Indian Armed Forces using tanks, helicopters, and other heavy artillery, under the command of Major General Kuldip Singh Brar. Sri Akal Takhat was desecrated during this attack. Sri Darbar Sahib sustained at least 300 bullet holes. Thousands of innocent people were murdered in cold blood. Their fault? They were attending the Martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The brave GurSikh soldiers in the Akal Takhat, numbering about 250, gave extremely tough resistance to the Indian army. However, their resistance was no match to the large number of tanks, helicopters, bombs, and other heavy artillery that destroyed the Akal Takhat. The whole Sikh nation rose as a whole to protest against this ghastly attack. Thousands of Sikhs were martyred in the holy precincts of Darbar Sahib. Many gave their lives in attempts to reach for Darbar Sahib's protection. All roads to Amritsar were blocked. Every Sikh approaching these blockades were asked to remove their kirpan and turban. Those refusing were immediately killed or arrested. Anyone with blue or saffron turbans were particularly targeted and killed. Those arrested were blind folded and their hands tied behind their backs with their own turbans. Arrested Sikhs were packed in groups of 60-70 in small rooms with liitle room for any mobility.
In protest, many respected Sikhs returned their Padam Bushan medals/honors bestowed upon them by the Indian government and sacrificed their high positions. Several Sikh Army personal deserted their posts in protest and marched straight to protect Darbar Sahib. However, Indira Ghandhi did receive retribution for her black deeds on Oct. 31st, that same year.
For detailed description of events surrounding this attack, readers are referred to the following:
==> SRI DARBAR
SAHIB also known as Harminder Sahib and Golden Temple was constructed
by Guru Arjun in the middle of an sacred water tank (sarowar).
In sunmat 1621, with Guru Amar Das's permission, Guru Ram Das started the digging of a tank (Taal) near villages Tugh, Gumtala, and Sultanwind. This digging was completed by Guru Arjun Dev in sunmat 1645 and named "Santoksar".
Simultaneously, with Guru Amar Das's permission, a village was established nearby and named "Guru Ka Chaak". Guru Sahib's residence in this village were popularly known as "Guru Kae Mahal". To the west of these residences, next to the tree known as "DukhBhanjani Baeri", the digging of a tank was started in 1634. However, this digging remained incomplete and was eventually completed by Guru Arjun Dev after he ascended to the Gur Gadhi. Guru Arjun Dev vigorously pushed all of the projects initiated by Guru Ram Das. He invited business people, scholars, and skilled people from all over, to come and settle around this area and establish new markets. As a result this area came to known as "Ramdas Pur". Bhai Sallo is especially noted for his hard work in establishing and populating this area. His contributions are extremely noteworthy.
In sunmat 1643, the construction of permanent sarowar began and its name changed to "Amritsar". As a result the surrounding city also adopted the "Amritsar" name. On magh 1, sunmat 1645, Guru Arjun Dev Patshah asked Sain Mian Meer to lay the foundation stone of Harminder Sahib. The foundation stone was laid right in the middle of the sarowar and upon completion of its construction, Sri Guru Granth Sahib's prakash was established in sunmat 1661.
Harminder Sahib is the most prominent among all Sikh gurudwaras, where Akhand Kirtan is performed for most of the day. The Vaisakhi Maela celebrations in Harminder Sahib were established by Guru Arjun Dev, while the Diwali Maela celebrations were instituted by Baba Budha Ji, immediately upon the release and safe return of Guru Hargobind from the Gawalior fort.
In Sunmat 1818, Ahmad Shah Abdali blew up the Harminder Sahib with explosives and leveled the sarowar. However, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia once again laid the foundation stone on 11 Vaishakh, sunmat 1821. And through Dees Raj's diligent efforts Harminder Sahib was reconstructed in a few years. Abdali, on three occasions, 1757, 1761, and 1762 pulled down Harimandir Sahib and defiled the sacred tank by caracases of cows. The Sikhs for the first time in 1757 defeated Afghan forces at the battle of Amritsar. The following year, they captured retreating Afghan forces and made them clean Harimandir and the sacred tank.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh took control of Amritsar in sunmat 1859 and decorated Harminder sahib with white marble and gold. Additionally during 1805-9, "Ram Bagh" was developed in remembrance of Guru Ram Das and "GobindGadh Fort" was established in remembrance of Guru Gobind Singh. Khalsa College was established by the Panth in 1892.
-Ref. Mahan Kosh (pp. 267)
For further details on Harminder Sahib, interested readers are referred to the following:
After midnight tanks are used to break down the steps leading to the parkarma from the hostel side and an 8-wheeled Polish-built armored personnel carrier makes it's way towards the Akal Takht. It is destroyed by a Chinese-made rocket propelled grenade launcher. Six or more Vijayanta tanks enter the temple complex crushing the delicate marble inlays of the parkarma and plow their way towards the Akal Takht. Orders arrive and the tanks start firing their large 105mm cannons equipped with high explosive squash-head shells into the Akal Takht. These shells are designed for hard targets like armour and fortifications. When the shells hit a target, their heads spread or squash on the hard surface. Their fuses are arranged to allow a short delay between the impact and the shells igniting, so that a shock-wave passes through the target and a heavy slab of armour or masonry is forced away from the inside of the target armour or fortification.
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عنوان مقاله [English]
The direct displacement based-design is a design method that has a simplified procedure to design of structural member and in recent years, has been developed to design of structures by the researchers. This method was first established just for concrete structures and bridges and then has been developed for steel structures such as moment Frames, concentrically and eccentrically braced-frames and Buckling-restrained braced frames. However, steel shear walls have not been studied. The main parameters of the direct displacement based design are the yield displacement and the hysteresis damping where is studied in this paper for steel shear walls. To achieve this purpose, two types of frames with different dimensions and plate thickness (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 millimeter) are designed based on plate capacity according the AISC 340, and by using plate and frame interaction (PFI). The effective design parameters of steel shear walls are obtained by the hysteresis static analysis and simplified expressions are proposed to the design goals. The results showed that, the yield displacement and the hysteresis damping depended on frame height, plate thickness and material properties.Simplified expression to determine the damping was proposed in terms of the ductility, the plate thickness, and the height of the frame.
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Irrigation of crops in the Mid-South has grown by leaps and bounds over the last two decades, but an ongoing challenge for farmers has been to improve the accuracy and timeliness of water applications.
A research project under way in Mississippi may hold a solution.
With the online scheduling tool being developed, a producer could log onto a Web site, plug in information such as field boundaries from aerial photos, crop planting date, soil moisture present in the field, etc. The program would then update the weather information to add current and predictive weather data and suggest the best time to apply irrigation (or if rain is predicted, the producer could elect to hold off on the application).
After an irrigation application, or if rainfall occurred, that information would be added in order to determine timing of the next irrigation.
The tool will work for all types of irrigation delivery systems — sprinkler, flood, and furrow — and flow rates.
“For nearly two years, we’ve been working to develop the online irrigation scheduling tool,” says Amy Schmidt, assistant Extension professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Mississippi State University.
She is part of a team that includes Gretchen F. Sassenrath, plant physiologist, and Daniel K. Fisher, agricultural engineer, both with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Crop Production Systems Research Unit at Stoneville, Miss.; Lyle Pringle, associate agricultural engineer at the Delta Research and Extension Center, Stoneville; and Scott Samson, Extension professor in the Geosystems Resources Institute at Mississippi State University, who is managing the computer coding and web site development.
“Our goal is a reliable, easy to use irrigation scheduling tool that integrates crop monitoring, current weather, and weather predictions to improve the timing and application of irrigation in the humid, high rainfall environment of Mississippi,” Schmidt says. By making the scheduling tool Web-based, producers will be able to access the tool from mobile devices, including phones.
Saving energy through reduced pumping
“While we hope there will also be water conservation benefits, the main goal is to provide producers with a tool that will allow them to better time irrigation applications and to save energy by not pumping water when they don’t have to.”
Funding assistance from the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board will continue the project through March 2011 to allow beta testing of the program with producers.
“Dr. Sassenrath has identified soybean producers in the Delta who she and I will work with to test the tool and determine how easy it is for them to enter field data, how effective the tool is, and what may be missing that would make it work better,” Schmidt says.
While the tool is initially being used with soybeans, it will also be adapted to cotton and corn, with a possibility of later including rice.
There are a couple of tools of this type being used in Midwest states, she notes, but nothing for the humid South. “If it proves effective for Mississippi producers, we could then potentially expand it for use by growers in other southern states.
“By next summer, we should have enough experience and input from the initial group of producers to decide whether to continue the project,” Schmidt says. “If it goes forward, we would hope to make it generally available for the 2012 crop season.”
Even though Mississippi receives high rainfall — in excess of 40 inches annually — over the past several years more water has been pumped from the alluvial aquifer than is being replenished, which has begun to deplete the aquifer.
If soil moisture isn’t sufficient during the growing season, crop yields and profits suffer. Weather-related risks have increased the use of irrigation in the Delta, which has resulted in an average decline in the alluvial aquifer of 300,000 acre feet per year over the past 10 years.
No readily available, accurate, easy to use irrigation scheduling tools have been developed and calibrated for the environmental conditions and crops in the area.
'Checkbook' method to determine when to irrigate
“Wise water management requires knowledge of how much water the crop needs and when that water is needed,” Schmidt says. “More effective irrigation scheduling can help producers to better match the timing and application of irrigation with crop water use.”
In a paper to be presented later this year at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ national irrigation conference, the researchers note that irrigation in hot, humid areas is “particularly challenging,” because water must be applied in a timely manner to prevent yield loss due to crop water stress, while avoiding flooding should rain occur following an irrigation.
Also, it is difficult to detect the onset of crop water stress under environmental conditions that limit evaporative cooling.
The irrigation decision support system is based on calculations of crop water use from weather data collected from weather stations throughout Mississippi, using crop coefficients developed from weighing lysimeters.
A “checkbook” method is used to indicate when supplemental irrigation is needed, based on water available to the plants and crop water use. The method is very similar to a check book, with inputs to the available soil water from rainfall and irrigation being “credits”, and use of soil water by crops being “debits”. As the daily soil water balance decreases with crop growth, the loss of soil water to a predetermined negative balance indicates the need to irrigate.
The tool will be integrated with other publicly available, spatially registered farm and soil databases to reduce the amount of data the farmer needs to enter, and develop the irrigation scheduling recommendations. It calculates crop water use and suggests a need to irrigate based on the irrigation system and the allowable deficit set by the producer. Key data needs and calculations include weather data, crop coefficients, estimated soil runoff, and soil information.
The irrigation decision support system will be delivered to producers through an easy to use and readily accessible format. Training materials will be developed and presented to producers through on-site training and other Extension systems.
Decisions based on what neighbors do
The most commonly used method of irrigation scheduling has been based on the feel of the soil, the researchers note, which provides no quantitative measure of crop or soil water status. Studies have shown that more than 25 percent of producers base their decision on when to start irrigating on what their neighbors do.
Sensors can also be placed in the rooting zone to measure soil moisture during the growing season. As the plants grow and remove moisture from the soil, depletion below a certain level indicates that irrigation is needed.
While sensors are accurate if properly installed and maintained, they can be expensive, difficult to install and time-consuming to read and record data regularly, and so the researchers did not want to rely on them.
Wise water management requires knowledge of how much water the crop needs and when the water is needed. Irrigation scheduling is a method of managing water to better match the timing and application of irrigation with crop water use.
In high-rainfall areas, like Mississippi, the uncertainty of amount and timing of rainfall makes irrigation scheduling particularly challenging, since a high rainfall event immediately following irrigation can result in waterlogged soils that impede crop growth.
The challenge for Mississippi producers is to manage water resources appropriately and provide sufficient water for crop production during the droughty periods that occur during the growing season, the researchers note.
“Particularly critical to the continued success of agriculture in the Mississippi Delta is the development of accurate and easy to use guidelines for irrigation scheduling and application.
“From previous research, we know that farmer acceptance of new technology is often predicated on their accessibility to scientists and Extension personnel. A significant component of our research is to develop educational tools to enhance understanding and adoption of the new technologies.
“The most important indication that a tool is considered worthy by producers is that it gets used.”
To that end, they have focused on several key points in developing the irrigation tool:
—It must be easy to use, understand, install, and update.
—Data requirements should be minimal.
—Data collection should be as “invisible” as possible through automatic downloading of information such as weather data.
—It should seamlessly integrate with other programs, such as recordkeeping, conservation, etc.
—It should be acceptably accurate, given the data input.
Field and irrigation system data must be entered by the producer. Scheduling is arranged by water source to allow the coordination of fields serviced by particular wells.
The irrigation scheduling Web site would be operated by the Mississippi Extension Service and maintained at Mississippi State University.
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Obesity puts people at increased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and some forms of cancer. Obesity-related illnesses result in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year in the United States and billions of dollars in health care costs.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is currently the most common liver disease in the U.S. and worldwide, affecting an estimated 10-24% of the world’s population. In the U.S., the Center for Disease Control reports that currently, approximately one half of the U.S. adult population is overweight (BMI>25) and one quarter of the U.S. adult population is obese (BMI>30). That means, upwards of 29 million Americans possibly have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Even more alarming, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now occurring among children in the U.S.
A Catabolic state can be characterized as having a high cortisol (a catabolic stress hormone) level and a low testosterone (an anabolic hormone) level. Conversely, in the anabolic state, the body experiences muscle maintenance or growth, normal metabolic rates, and weight loss in the form of loss of fat. The anabolic state can be characterized by relatively low cortisol levels and high testosterone levels.
AMPK plays a central role in regulating healthy glucose and lipid metabolism and energy production. AMPK activation can prevent abdominal fat accumulation, blocks fatty acid synthesis, and augments fatty acid oxidation. Activation of AMPK also leads to the activation of the glucose transporter GLUT1 in all cells, increase glucose availability for energy production and promotes glycolysis.
Reduce Triglycerides and Fatty Liver
In a randomized, multi-center, placebo controlled study, 107 patients with metabolic syndrome with non alcoholic fatty liver disease were given either placebo or 650 mg of Citrus Flavanone-O-Glycosides or placebo twice a day for 120 days.
The Citrus group showed significant reduction of fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and then the increase of HDL cholesterol. Hepatorenal index was significantly reduced by 46%, accompanied by the reduction of hepatic ultrosonographic patterns of steatosis by 99%. This suggests Citrus Flavanone-Glycosides help improve both liver function and inflammation as confirmed by reduction of TNF−α and CRP.
64 subjects (32 men and 32 women) with moderate stress level were randomized to receive 200 mg/day of Eurycoma Longifolia extract or placebo for 4 weeks. At the end of treatment, Eurycoma group showed significant improvements for Tension (−11%), Anger (−12%), and Confusion (−15%) compared to placebo. Stress hormone profile (salivary cortisol and testosterone) was significantly improved by Eurycoma, with reduced cortisol (−16%) and increased testosterone (+37%). Eurycoma is effectively in restoring stress hormone profile and improving psychological mood state, shielding the body from the detrimental effects of “modern” chronic stress, which may include general day-to-day stress, as well as the stress of dieting, sleep deprivation, and exercise training.
HP Ingredients offers custom formulations and private labeling services to manufacturers. HPI’s innovation in formulations is accomplished by combining our trademarked ingredients with other clinically tested, well-researched nutraceuticals.
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I. The Unhealthy Chesapeake
- Life in the American wilderness was harsh.
- Diseases like malaria, dysentery, and typhoid killed many.
- Few people lived to 40 or 50 years.
- In the early days of colonies, women were so scarce that men fought
over all of them. The Chesapeake region had fewer
women and a 6:1 male
to female ratio is a good guide.
- Few people knew any grandparents.
- A third of all brides in one Maryland county were already pregnant before the wedding (scandalous).
- Virginia, with 59,000 people, became the most populous colony.
II. The Tobacco Economy
- The Chesapeake was very good for tobacco cultivation.
- Chesapeake Bay exported 1.5 million pounds of tobacco yearly in the
1630s, and by 1700, that number had risen to 40
million pounds a year.
- More availability led to falling prices, and farmers still grew more.
- The headright system encouraged growth of the
Chesapeake. Under this system, if an aristocrat sponsored
servant’s passage to America, the aristocrat earned the right to
purchase 50 acres land, undoubtedly
at a cheap price. This meant land
was being gobbled by the rich, and running out for the poor.
- Early on, most of the laborers were indentured servants.
- Life for them was hard, but there was hope at the end of seven years for freedom.
- Conditions were brutal, and in the later years, owners unwilling to
free their servants extended their contracts by
years for small
III. Frustrated Freemen and Bacon’s Rebellion
- By the late 1600s, there were lots of free, poor, landless, single men frustrated by the lack of money, land, work, and
- In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon led a few thousand of these men in a rebellion against the hostile conditions.
- These people wanted land and were resentful of Virginia governor William Berkeley’s friendly policies toward the
- Bacon’s men murderously attacked Indian settlements after Berkeley
refused to retaliate for a series of savage
Indian attacks on the
- Then, in the middle of his rebellion, Bacon suddenly died of disease, and Berkeley went on to crush the uprising.
- Still, Bacon’s legacy lived on, giving frustrated poor folks ideas
to rebel, and so a bit of paranoia went on
for some time afterwards.
IV. Colonial Slavery
- In the 300 years following Columbus’ discovery of America, only
about 400,000 of a total of 10 million African
slaves were brought over
to the United States.
- By 1680, though, many landowners were afraid of possibly mutinous
white servants, by the mid 1680s, for the first time,
outnumbered white servants among the plantation colonies’ new arrivals.
- After 1700, more and more slaves were imported, and in 1750, blacks accounted for nearly half of the Virginian population.
- Most of the slaves were from West Africa, from places like Senegal and Angola.
- Some of the earliest black slaves gained their freedom and some became slaveholders themselves.
- Eventually, to clear up issues on slave ownership, the slave codes
made it so that slaves and their
children would remain slaves to their
masters for life (chattels), unless they were voluntarily freed.
- Some laws made teaching slaves to read a crime, and not even conversion to Christianity might qualify a slave for freedom.
V. Africans in America
- Slave life in the Deep South was very tough, as rice growing was much harder than tobacco growing.
- Many blacks in America evolved their own languages, blending their native tongues with English.
- Blacks also contributed to music with instruments like the banjo and bongo drum.
- A few of the slaves became skilled artisans (i.e. carpenters,
bricklayers and tanners), but most were relegated to
sweaty work like
clearing swamps and grubbing out trees.
- Revolts did occur.
- In 1712, a slave revolt in New York City cost the lives of a dozen whites and 21 Blacks were executed.
- In 1739, South Carolina blacks along the Stono River revolted and tried to march to Spanish Florida,
VI. Southern Society
- A social gap appeared and began to widen.
- In Virginia, a clutch of extended clans (i.e. the Fitzhughs, the
Lees, and the Washingtons) owned tracts and tracts
of real estate and
just about dominated the House of Burgesses.
- They came to be known as the First Families of Virginia (FFV).
- In Virginia, there was often a problem with drunkenness.
- The largest social group was the farmers.
- Few cities sprouted in the South, so schools and churches were slow to develop.
VII. The New England Family
- In New England, there was clean water and cool temperatures, so disease was not as predominant as in the South.
- The first New England Puritans had an average life expectancy of 70 years.
- In contrast to the Chesapeake, the New Englanders tended to migrate as a family, instead of individually.
- Women usually married in their early twenties and gave birth every two years until menopause.
- A typical woman could expect to have ten babies and raise about eight of them.
- Death in childbirth was not uncommon.
- In the South, women usually had more power, since the Southern men
typically died young and women could inherit the
money, but in New
England, the opposite was true.
- In New England, men didn’t have absolute power over their wives (as
evidenced by the punishments of unruly husbands),
but they did have
much power over women.
- New England law was very severe and strict.
- For example, adulterous women had to wear the letter “A” on their
bosoms if they were caught (as with The
Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel
VIII. Life in the New England Towns
- Life in New England was organized.
- New towns were legally chartered by colonial authorities.
- A town usually had a meetinghouse surrounded by houses and a village green.
- Towns of more than 50 families had to provide primary education.
- Towns of more than 100 had to provide secondary education.
- In 1636, Massachusetts Puritans established Harvard College to train men to become ministers.
- (Note: in 1693, Virginia established their first college, William and Mary.)
- Puritans ran their own churches, and democracy in Congregational
church government led logically to democracy in political
IX. The Half-Way Covenant and the Salem Witch Trials
- As Puritans began to worry about their children and whether or not
they would be as loyal and faithful, and new type
of sermon came about
- In jeremiads, earnest preachers scolded parishioners for their waning piety in hope to improve faith.
- Paradoxically, troubled ministers announced a new formula for church membership in 1662, calling it the “Half-Way
- In the Half-Way Covenant, all people could come and participate in
the church, even if they fell short of the “visible-saint”
were somehow only half converted (with the exception of a few extremely
- In the early 1690s, a group of Salem girls claimed to have been bewitched by certain older women.
- What followed was a hysterical witch-hunt that led to the
executions of 20 people (19 of which were hanged, 1 pressed
and two dogs.
- Back in Europe, larger scale witch-hunts were already occurring.
- Witchcraft hysteria eventually ended in 1693.
X. The New England Way of Life
- Due to the hard New England soil (or lack thereof), New Englanders became great traders.
- New England was also less ethnically mixed than its neighbors.
- The climate of New England encouraged diversified agriculture and industry.
- Black slavery was attempted, but didn’t work. It was unnecessary
since New England was made of small farms rather
than plantations as
- Rivers were short and rapid.
- The Europeans in New England chastised the Indians for “wasting”
the land, and felt a need to clear as
much land for use as possible.
- Fishing became a very popular industry. It is said New England was built on “God and cod.”
XI. The Early Settlers’ Days and Ways
- Early farmers usually rose at dawn and went to bed at dusk.
- Few events were done during the night unless they were “worth the candle.”
- Life was humble but comfortable, at least in accordance to the surroundings.
- The people who emigrated from Europe to America were most usually
lower middle class citizens looking to have a better
future in the New
- Because of the general sameness of class in America, laws against
extravagances were sometimes passed, but as time
passed, America grew.
XII. Makers of America: From African to African-American
- Africans’ arrival into the New World brought new languages, music, and cuisines to America.
- Africans worked in the rice fields of South Carolina due to (a)
their knowledge of the crop and (b) their resistance
to disease (as
compared to Indians).
- The first slaves were men; some eventually gained freedom.
- By 1740, large groups of African slaves lived together on
plantations, where female slaves were expected to perform
labor and spin, weave, and sew.
- Most slaves became Christians, though many adopted elements from their native religions.
- Many African dances led to modern dances (i.e. the Charleston).
- Christian songs could also be code for the announcement of the arrival of a guide to freedom.
- Jazz is the most famous example of slave music entering mainstream culture.
The History Database
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Frank Hyneman Knight, 1885-1972 was an American economist and Professor at Cornwell University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Chicago, where he is considered as one of the founding fathers of the Chicago School. Knight is considered one of the greatest contributors to the economic science. In his most important work, “Risk, Uncertainty and Profit”, 1921, Knight makes the distinction between risk and uncertainty and their relation with profit.
He described risk as having an unknown outcome, but from which a reliable estimate of its possibilities can be calculated, and where a maximising expected utility can be applied for decision making.
Uncertainty is characterized by an unknown outcome and from which no reliable estimates can be made for its different possibilities, which explains why it’s usually analysed in game theory. The difference, therefore, is subject to outcome probability calculation. Knight defines uncertainty as the true explanation for profit and where the entrepreneur’s role is to foresee the future, and thus paying in advance for factors of production, in order to achieve a future profit.
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Overall Peds Ready Scores
In 2013, more than 4,100 emergency departments (ED) across the nation voluntarilyparticipated in an assessment to determine their readiness to care for a sick or injured child. It is exciting to see that so many hospitals in this country (83% of the approximately 5,000 hospitals nationwide) participated in the assessment and indicated their widespread interest in improving care for children.
The majority of hospitals that participated in the assessment were hospitals that see the lowest volume of pediatric patients per year. Low volume hospitals can see as few as two pediatric patients per day, whereas higher volume hospitals in urban settings can see as many as 200 children per day.
Each hospital that completed the assessment -- which was based on the Joint Policy Statement: Guidelines for the Care of Children in the Emergency Department (published in Pediatrics, October 2009 and Annals of Emergency Medicine, October) -- received immediate feedback in the form of a readiness score and a gap analysis report. The "Pediatric Readiness Score" is based on a scale of 0-100.
The average pediatric readiness score for all participating hospitals is 69 (n = 4,146). Hospitals with high patient volume (more than 10,000 pediatric patients per year; n = 561) have the highest readiness score: 84. Hospitals seeing between 5,000 and 9,999 pediatric patients per year (n = 708) have a 74 average pediatric readiness score, and hospitals seeing between 1,800 and 4,999 pediatric patients per year (n = 1,248) have an average pediatric readiness score of 70.
The average pediatric readiness score for low volume hospitals (less than 1,800 pediatric patients per year; n = 1,629) is 62.
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Ellen R. Wald, MD, Laurie E. Scudder, DNP, NP
Dr. Wald: It is the least common scenario and, I believe, the hardest to distinguish from an uncomplicated upper respiratory infection (URI). The key issue in differentiating an uncomplicated viral URI from an episode of acute bacterial sinusitis primarily rests with the duration and the quality of the different respiratory symptoms. In an uncomplicated cold, fever is not usually present at all. When it is present, most often it is observed at the very onset of the illness, often in concert with other constitutional symptoms such as headache and myalgia. Most commonly, the fever and other symptoms subside completely in 24-36 hours, and then the respiratory symptoms become more prominent.
Most times in an uncomplicated viral URI, the nasal discharge begins as clear and watery. After several days, it becomes thicker and more mucoid, and then, finally, it may become purulent (thick, colored, and opaque). Then the situation reverses with that purulent discharge becoming more mucoid again, and then either it becomes clear or it simply dries. That transition from clear to purulent and then back again occurs in uncomplicated colds without any antibiotic treatment at all. So what distinguishes this so-called severe presentation is that the fever comes on and stays longer than usual, and the purulent nasal discharge appears early in concert with the fever. It is the earlier appearance of the purulent discharge and the persistence of the fever and their concurrence for at least 3-4 days that should help the clinician distinguish this child from the child who has an uncomplicated cold.
Medscape: The guideline is very definitive in stating that children with a presumptive diagnosis of acute bacterial sinusitis should not undergo imaging studies. Equally, imaging should not be used to eliminate the diagnosis. Can you define the narrow circumstances under which imaging should be considered?
Dr. Wald: Let me just focus for a moment on why we try to de-emphasize the use of imaging as a diagnostic tool. It is important to recognize that, historically, images were used to confirm a diagnosis of acute bacterial sinusitis. There were particular findings on x-rays that made us think that we had confirmed the diagnosis of acute sinusitis. However, during the last 20 years, there has been increasing evidence that images of any kind, whether they're plain x-rays, CT, or MRI, obtained when children have an uncomplicated cold are also abnormal much of the time. And the abnormalities that you see in these children are exactly the same as those that in the past we attributed to acute sinusitis. That makes sense because the mucosa of the respiratory tree is a continuous membrane. So the membranes that line the nose are continuous with the membranes that line the eustachian tube, the paranasal sinuses, the throat, the airway, and the lower airway. Therefore, when there is an inflammation of the nasal membranes as part of a cold, that process often involves the sinus mucosa as well. Images cannot distinguish whether those mucosal changes found in the sinuses during an uncomplicated cold are due to viruses or bacteria or allergic inflammation.
So while it is true that images interpreted as normal obtained in a child with respiratory symptoms indicate that those symptoms are not attributable to sinusitis, it is not recommended that the images be obtained either for confirmation or denial of the diagnosis.
The only time that images are recommended is when complications of sinusitis are thought to be present. Those complications might involve either the orbit or the central nervous system. In those cases, the image will confirm the presence of the complication and will define its extent and, therefore, will be very helpful in determining the potential need for surgical intervention.
Medscape: The recommendations clearly state that children presenting with 2 of the described clinical scenarios -- a severe onset of symptoms or a clinical course that worsens after an initial improvement -- should receive antibiotic therapy. In a change from the 2001 guideline, the recommendations this time allow for continued observation for children with the third described clinical picture -- 10 days of symptoms without improvement. Can you speak to some of the evidence underlying these varying recommendations for management?
Dr. Wald: I think we should be clear on the benefits of antibiotics. Children with acute sinusitis who are treated with the antibiotics get better more quickly and more often than those who are treated with placebo. However, it is also true that some children with sinusitis get better spontaneously.
The most common clinical presentation for acute sinusitis, which we call onset with persistent symptoms, includes respiratory symptoms such as nasal discharge or cough or both, that are present and not improving at the 10-day mark. In contrast, most uncomplicated viral URIs last 5-7 days, or sometimes even fewer. Although the patients may not be free of symptoms on the tenth day, their symptoms have usually peaked in severity and are almost always improving. Those children are clearly on the mend. We therefore use 10 days as a guideline, and we strongly suspect that a patient is having an episode of sinusitis if their respiratory symptoms have not begun to improve by that 10-day mark. Now, could you wait for 11 or 12 days? Sure. There is probably no harm in waiting to see if the respiratory symptoms will turn around by themselves in the next day or 2. The parent and the clinician can make this decision together. However, my experience is that most parents will not want to wait any longer because they have been educated by the medical community over the last decade to realize that we usually wait for about 10 days before we endorse treatment for respiratory symptoms.
In the other 2 presentations, onset with worsening symptoms and onset with severe symptoms, there is a lot less likelihood that that episode of sinusitis will resolve spontaneously, and therefore treatment is recommended to begin immediately.
Treating Sinusitis: Which Antibiotic Is Best?
Medscape: First-line therapy for these children continues to be amoxicillin with or without clavulanate. In contrast to 2012 recommendations from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), which recommends amoxicillin-clavulanate as initial therapy for all patients with this condition, AAP suggests that some children may be treated with amoxicillin at either the standard dose (45 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses) or a high dose (80-90 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses). The guideline emphasizes the importance of clinicians being familiar with local resistance patterns as they make the decision regarding the most appropriate antimicrobial for a given child. With the fairly limited numbers of situations in which amoxicillin should be considered, combined with varying patterns of resistance, why the decision to recommend amoxicillin as first-line treatment?
Dr. Wald: To clarify, the key action statement in the AAP guideline says amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid. Knowing your regional resistance patterns is really the key here because there is almost no information currently. While we say you should know it, the clinician has almost no way toknow it. In fact, there is an overall paucity of data, which makes this recommendation a difficult one.
To plan therapy for acute sinusitis, clearly you need to know the bacteriology. And that has become very difficult in the last few years. The last time that a study of the pathogenesis of acute sinusitis based on results from sinus aspiration was conducted was 30 years ago in the mid-1980s. There have been no studies of sinus aspirates in the United States since then. What we have leaned on instead, because the pathogenesis of acute otitis media is very similar to that of acute sinusitis, is information derived from studies of tympanocentesis performed in a child who has acute otitis media.
But even in this situation, most centers that were doing tympanocentesis in the '90s and in the early 2000s are no longer doing them, and so there is a near absence of data.
We know that the common agents that cause acute sinusitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae,Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. As most of your readers know, some S pneumoniae may be resistant to amoxicillin as a result of an alteration of penicillin-binding protein. That particular kind of resistance can be overcome in large part by increasing the dose of amoxicillin from 45 mg/kg to 80-90 mg/kg.
That was the origin of high-dose amoxicillin or high-dose amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate recommendations intended to cover the possibility of resistant S pneumoniae.
Some H influenzae and all M catarrhalis are also resistant to amoxicillin, though that mechanism is the result of beta lactamase production. Beta lactamase resistance can be overcome by using a drug that is inherently resistant to the actions of the beta lactamase, and that is the case with some second- and third-generation cephalosporins. The alternative way to get around the issue of resistance is to combine amoxicillin with an irreversible beta lactamase inhibitor, like potassium clavulanate.
Now the desire to continue to use amoxicillin as first-line therapy, whether it is for acute otitis media or acute sinusitis, relates to the fact that amoxicillin is a safe drug. It has a narrow spectrum, is inexpensive, and it works a lot of the time. If you think that the most likely cause of a child's acute sinusitis is S pneumoniae and that H influenzae is less likely, then recognizing that most S pneumoniaestrains are susceptible to penicillin, you can use amoxicillin. If you are concerned about resistant S pneumoniae, you would use high-dose rather than regular-dose amoxicillin.
We believe that because of the effect of the new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), there are probably fewer cases of sinusitis caused by S pneumoniae and more caused by H influenzae. On the basis of, unfortunately, very few data, we are worried that the prevalence of beta lactamase-producingH influenzae is actually increasing. If this is the situation -- and I think it is -- then amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate is really a more comprehensive drug.
Concerns about use of amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate when amoxicillin would suffice relate primarily to cost and adverse reactions. But the differences are really tiny. Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate is a little more expensive than amoxicillin, but not by much because both are available as generics. It is also a little bit more likely to cause diarrhea, though that is less of a concern with the new formulation, and the increase in incidence when compared with amoxicillin is not enormous.
So if a clinician does not have any information about the relative prevalence of S pneumoniae, H influenzae, and beta lactamase-producing strains, amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate is the most comprehensive option. It is probably safe to use it in regular doses rather than high doses.
Again, I think we have reason to think that the likelihood of resistant S pneumoniae currently is extremely low. Could this change in 2 or 3 years? Absolutely. But right now, it is likely that the prevalence of S pneumoniae is low, the prevalence of H influenzae is high, and the prevalence of beta lactamase-producing H influenzae may also be high.
I sat on the IDSA committee when we formulated those guidelines 2 or 3 years ago. That was just when PCV13 was released. At that time, there was concern about resistant H influenzae and resistant S pneumoniae. We made recommendations on that basis. Now, 2-3 years later, we have a little bit more information.
The only person still performing tympanocentesis in the United States for the purposes of determining etiologic agents is Dr. Michael Pichichero in Rochester, New York. His most recent data, published in 2013, documented the prevalence of S pneumoniae in middle ear disease -- which I am using as a surrogate for sinus infections -- to be ~15%, a low number. The prevalence of H influenzae was high, and at least 50% of those strains of H influenzae were beta lactamase producing.
If that is reflective of what is going on across the United States, then amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate is the best choice. It is really a tough question.
Medscape: The guideline notes the paucity of data regarding duration of therapy. Most clinicians prescribe for 10 days and sometimes 14 days. Is that a reasonable practice for most situations?
Dr. Wald: As you know, there has just been no study of this question. We are currently engaged in a study comparing 5 days to 15 days of amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate for acute sinusitis. There are no data in children on short courses of therapy. So until those data are available, the recommendation is a 10-day course. That practice is based on the fact that most kids start to get better after 72 hours, and then if you treat them another week you probably have given them a good course of therapy. It makes the likelihood of relapse pretty low. The other option that I have sort of popularized is the notion of treating a patient until they are free of symptoms and then for an additional 7 days. That strategy protects children who respond more sluggishly to antibiotics. Although they are somewhat better at 72 hours, their symptoms do not completely resolve until they have received 7 or 8 days of treatment. In those children, I've always been concerned that 10 days is just too short of an interval after they became symptom-free. I like to give them another few days of treatment in the hopes that it will fully eradicate the infection, and there will not be a recurrence of symptoms.
Medscape: The guideline also thoroughly discusses the issue of when to change antibiotics. This seems more straightforward in children with any worsening of symptoms. However, the guidance regarding children who fail to improve after 72 hours of antibiotics is more nuanced. Can you discuss some of the factors affecting this decision?
Dr. Wald: The guideline made this distinction between getting worse, which is an easy decision (antibiotics must be changed), vs not improving (the child hasn't gotten worse but also hasn't gotten better). In that situation, the guideline gives the practitioner and the parent the option of either giving the antibiotic another day or 2 to start working or changing the antibiotic. My personal belief is that if a patient has not improved in 3 days, the antibiotic should be changed.
The expected course for children being treated for a presumed bacterial infection is that they will get better in that timeframe. Kids don't get better instantaneously; it takes at least 24-48 hours to improve. But if a child is not improving by 72 hours and the clinician is still confident of the diagnosis, then that says to me that I have not selected the right drug.
What are the options? You are right -- it becomes a lot more complicated. The guideline did not emphasize this point, but I would feel confident in emphasizing it now. As an alternative to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, the guideline suggests use of a combination of clindamycin and cefixime. The rationale there was that clindamycin might cover a resistant S pneumoniae, and cefixime would cover a beta lactamase-producing H influenzae.
Clearly, though, 2 drugs are a clumsy choice. The other option is linezolid plus cefixime. Linezolid will cover all penicillin- or amoxicillin-resistant S pneumoniae, so it was offered as a rescue drug if a child was not responding to treatment with amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate because of an infection caused by resistant S pneumoniae. Once again, the cefixime is in that combination to cover for beta lactamase-producing H influenzae.
The guideline also suggests levofloxacin, which is a quinolone with high activity against both S pneumoniae and H influenzae. We know that we haven't been enthusiastic about using quinolones in kids, though not because we are really worried about the arthropathy. We are more worried about the fact that the organisms will become resistant to the quinolones if we use them broadly. Respiratory infections are common, and so the temptation to use quinolones broadly should be resisted. What the guideline did not emphasize, but which I would feel comfortable recommending today, are second- or third-generation cephalosporins. Cefuroxime, cefdinir, and cefpodoxime are 3 cephalosporins that could be used in a patient who failed to respond to amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate.
We did not emphasize cephalosporins as an option when this guideline was drafted because, at that time, there was still a lot of concern about a high prevalence of S pneumoniae, particularly penicillin-resistant S pneumoniae. In data from 2007 and 2008, cefuroxime, cefdinir, and cefpodoxime only covered 60%-70% of resistant S pneumoniae. So we did not want to offer them as a failsafe or rescue drug for the child who had failed amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate.
However, now I believe that the prevalence of S pneumoniae, including resistant strains, is low. Accordingly, we can use cefuroxime or cefdinir or cefpodoxime in a child who has not responded to amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate.
Medscape: There were several adjuvant therapies noted in the guideline, though none are recommended due to a lack of evidence. What do you suggest as comfort measures for children either not receiving antibiotics or for those in the initial couple of days of treatment who have not yet responded?
Dr. Wald: There are 2 comfort measures that I would endorse. No surprise, the first is ibuprofen or acetaminophen for discomfort or fever. I would not hesitate to use these agents in appropriate doses for a couple of days at the beginning of treatment before the antibiotics have had a chance to work.
The second is the use of saline nasal spray. As you mentioned, we really can't prove that this works, but if the child is comfortable using the nasal spray -- and definitely some kids are not -- nasal spray helps to loosen the mucous crust that may have dried in the nose and usually causes discomfort and adds to the child's sense of nasal obstruction and congestion. The advantage, of course, of a saline spray is that it can be used as many times as the child wants. And it is very helpful in keeping the nose clean, which theoretically would facilitate the drainage of secretions from the sinus cavity into the nose.
Humidifiers and vaporizers probably have the same impact as nasal spray. If you can keep the room humidified, then the material in the nose stays a little bit more liquid, and then it's probably easier to sneeze out or, in kids who know to blow their nose, to blow out.
Medscape: Are there other key recommendations from this guideline you would like to highlight for clinicians?
Dr. Wald: Whether antibiotics are initiated or not, there does need to be a plan for follow-up. Parents need to be carefully instructed that they should call any time if their child worsens. That is just always good advice to give to parents. Sometimes they feel so reassured by having seen the doctor that even though the child gets worse, they may hesitate to give you a call.
And there should be a check-in at 72 hours just to make sure that the child is improving. If they are not, then antibiotics really should be started if they were not started at the outset, or they should be changed.
The only other point I would make is that most children with a runny nose or cough or both don't need antibiotics. Only about 6% or 7% of all viral URIs are complicated by sinusitis.
I am hopeful that these updated guidelines will help pediatricians and other primary care providers who care for children to accurately diagnose children with a common cold (which antibiotics are surely not going to help) and those with a bacterial infection that will get better faster with antibiotics.
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Law is a system of rules that a society or government develops to deal with crime, business agreements and social relationships. It also refers to the people who work in this system, such as police officers and court staff.
There are many different forms of law, from international to local. Some legal systems are more effective at keeping peace, protecting individual rights, and promoting social justice than others.
Whether a country has a legal system that serves these purposes better depends on the politics in that country. For example, authoritarian governments may keep the peace and protect their citizens but can also oppress people. In contrast, democratic nations often promote social justice and may serve as a model for other countries to follow.
The word law is derived from the Latin verb legis, meaning “to legislate”. A nation’s laws are created and enforced by its governing body, typically a legislature or executive branch.
Legal systems are divided into civil law and common law jurisdictions. A civil law system usually relies on a legislature or other central body to codify and consolidate its laws, while common law systems rely on judge-made precedent to decide cases.
In common law systems, judges and barristers write their decisions so that other courts can use them to determine how other laws should be applied in similar situations. This process is sometimes referred to as “doctrine of precedent,” or “stare decisis” (Latin for “to stand by”).
Judicial decisions are based on facts, not a theoretical analysis of how a specific situation should be resolved, and therefore tend to be briefer than legislative statutes. This is because they are intended to be decided on a case-by-case basis rather than as part of a broader rule that will affect all future cases in the same way.
When a case goes before a trial, evidence is presented to the jury or judge in a manner that may be more or less formal than other types of testimony. This includes witnesses, statements and documents, and a transcript of the proceedings.
This is an important step in determining the guilt or innocence of a defendant. During the trial, the prosecution tries to convince the jury that the defendant committed the offense in question. The defense, on the other hand, tries to prove that the defendant did not commit the offense in question.
Criminal trials can be long, difficult and expensive. Having a degree in law will help you avoid these problems by giving you an understanding of how the system works and the procedures involved in a trial.
Having a law degree will also open up lots of career opportunities for you, because there are so many different sectors that value the knowledge and skills that you will have learned in your degree. You can choose to go into the judiciary, become an attorney or paralegal, or even start your own firm if you like.
Law is an important aspect of human life and it is a field that is constantly evolving and changing, bringing new ideas and challenges to people all over the world. It is an exciting field of study and can be rewarding and challenging, especially if you are interested in working with people and solving real problems.
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WHO WROTE SECOND SAMUEL?
As we noted in the previous chapter, 1 and 2 Samuel form one book in the Hebrew Bible. The Septuagint, the Greek version of the Bible, first divided these books into two parts. Although the book does not name a specific author, the material was compiled from documents written and collected by the prophets Nathan, Gad, and Samuel—the prophet for whom the book is named (1 Chronicles 29:29).
WHERE ARE WE?
Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC).
WHY IS SECOND SAMUEL SO IMPORTANT?
First Samuel introduces the monarchy of Israel, and 2 Samuel chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God's chosen leader. The book opens as David learned of Saul's death. His lament over the deaths of Saul and of Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:19–27), David's unlikely best friend, demonstrated David's personal grief over their demise. The Lord soon set David over the tribe of Judah (2:4) and then over all Israel as His anointed king (5:3), uniting all twelve tribes into a tight-knit nation.
The first 10 chapters show David as victorious in battle, praised by the people, compassionate to the sick and poor, and righteous in God's sight. We see David dance before the Lord in the streets of Jerusalem as his men brought the Ark of the Covenant back home (6:12–16). We also meet Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan to whom David extended grace, “for the sake of [his] father Jonathan” (9:7).
Yet biblical writers did not overlook their heroes' flaws. In the chapters that follow, we note that David's adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1–27) was followed by a series of tragedies: their child's death (12:18), David's daughter Tamar's rape by his son Amnon (13:1–39), Amnon's murder (13:28–30), David's own political overthrow by his son Absalom (15:1–37), and Absalom's subsequent death (18:1–33).
Despite the turmoil in his later years, David enjoyed the Lord's forgiveness and favour. His genuine sorrow and regret over his sins revealed his repentant heart, with which the Lord was pleased.
WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA IN 2 SAMUEL?
Key to the book and to the entire biblical record is 2 Samuel 7:16, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” This divine promise marked the beginning of an additional covenant, called the Davidic covenant, in which God promised an eternal throne to the house of David. “Because of David's faith, God did not treat [David's] descendants as He had treated Saul's. Sin would be punished, but David's line would never be completely cut off.”1
David celebrated God's faithfulness in Psalm 89, penning these words inspired by God:
“My covenant I will not violate,
Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.
Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David.
His descendants shall endure forever
And his throne as the sun before Me.
It shall be established forever like the moon,
And the witness in the sky is faithful.” (Psalm 89:34–37)
God's unconditional promise to David would be fulfilled ultimately in David's descendant Jesus Christ. The covenant also included a continuing promise that the people of Israel would have a land of their own forever.
HOW DO I APPLY THIS?
David is known as a “man after [God's] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) because, though he sinned greatly and made mistakes, he acknowledged those failures and repented before God. Repent means to turn away from sin and turn toward righteousness. Our Father knows we are not perfect. So His Son, Jesus Christ, paid the price for our sins so that we can become righteous in God's sight through faith. And although our salvation is secure, our daily sins can hinder our relationship with God. When we confess our sins, turning to the Lord in humility, He will forgive us and restore our relationship with Him.
The Apostle James has written what might be an appropriate epitaph for David. It can be yours, too: “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10).
1. Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher's Commentary (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1987), electronic ed., accessed through Libronix Digital Library System.
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CIRCULAR ECONOMY: Revision of the waste legislations and cascading use of wood
On 2 December 2015 the European Commission has published the Circular Economy package.
According to the European Commission, this new initiative will help European businesses and consumers to make the transition to a stronger and more circular economy where resources are used in a more sustainable way. The proposed actions will contribute to "closing the loop" of product lifecycles through greater recycling and re-use, and bring benefits for both the environment and the economy. The plans will extract the maximum value and use from all raw materials, products and waste, fostering energy savings and reducing Green House Gas emissions. The proposals cover the full lifecycle: from production and consumption to waste management and the market for secondary raw materials.
The Circular Economy package is composed of the following documents:
- Communication: Closing the loop - An EU action plan for the Circular Economy;
- Annex to Communication on Circular Economy;
- Proposed Directive on Waste;
- Proposed Directive on Packaging Waste;
- Proposed Directive on Landfill;
- Proposed Directive on electrical and electronic waste.
The revised legislative proposal on waste sets clear targets for reduction of waste and establishes a long-term path for waste management and recycling. Key elements of the revised waste proposal include:
- A common EU target for recycling 65% of municipal waste by 2030;
- A common EU target for recycling 75% of packaging waste by 2030;
- A binding landfill target to reduce landfill to maximum of 10% of all waste by 2030;
- A ban on landfilling of separately collected waste;
- Promotion of economic instruments to discourage landfilling ;
- Simplified and improved definitions and harmonised calculation methods for recycling rates throughout the EU;
- Concrete measures to promote re-use and stimulate industrial symbiosis –turning one industry's by-product into another industry's raw material;
- Economic incentives for producers to put greener products on the market and support recovery and recycling schemes (e.g. for packaging, batteries, electric and electronic equipment, vehicles).
Furthermore, the new European Communication on “Closing the loop - An EU action plan for the Circular Economy In a circular economy” refers to the cascading use of wood. In particular the document states that “a cascading use of renewable resources, with several reuse and recycling cycles, should be encouraged where appropriate. Biobased materials, such as for example wood, can be used in multiple ways, and reuse and recycling can take place several times. This goes together with the application of the waste hierarchy (including for food – see section 5.2) and, more generally, options that result in the best overall environmental outcome. National measures such as extended producer responsibility schemes for furniture or wood packaging, or separate collection of wood can have a positive impact. The Commission will work on identifying and sharing best practices in this sector and promote innovation; the revised legislative proposals on waste also include a mandatory EU-level target on recycling wood packaging waste. In addition, the Commission will promote synergies with the circular economy when examining the sustainability of bioenergy under the Energy Union”.
Moreover, a “guidance and dissemination of best practice on the cascading use of biomass and support to innovation -Horizon 2020 call for tender” is expected to be published in the year 2018-2019.
The Communication: Closing the loop - An EU action plan for the Circular Economy is available at the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/jobs-growth-investment/circular-economy/docs/communication-action-plan-for-circular-economy_en.pdf
Please see the informative video in our video section: http://www.eos-oes.eu/en/press_videos.php
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The Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth (Cathedral of Our Lady of Nazareth) in the Provencal town of Vaison-la-Romaine dates from the 11th and 12th centuries. Although somewhat austere, it has many details of interest, including a long mystical inscription and a lovely cloister.
History of Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral
Christianity has been practiced in Vaison-la-Romaine since at least the late 3rd century and the Christian community had a bishop by 314, when Daphnus was recorded attending the Council of Arles.
The cathedral of Vaison was built on the ruins of a Roman temple, the remains of which can be seen outside the chevet. More than one church has existed on this site; a 6th-century basilica was destroyed by Frankish invaders.
The present building dates primarily from the 11th and 12th centuries. After a dispute with the Count of Toulouse in the late 12th century, the medieval city of Vaison was mostly abandoned for the new town. Today, little remains of the extensive medieval city except for the cathedral.
What to See at Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral
The exterior is austere but nevertheless a beautiful sight, thanks to the lovely landscaped garden with Mediterranean trees that surrounds the cathedral. The gable of the west facade has some interesting architectural details, including a triangle surrounding a sun.
At the east end is a rectangular apse (though semicircular inside) flanked by two round apsidal chapels. Remains of a Roman temple have been excavated next to the apse. A stout and square bell tower rises at the northeast corner of the building.
The interior consists of a wide nave with narrow sides, all barrel-vaulted. The nave has three wide bays, supported by great pillars on which a variety of masons' marks can be seen. There is no transept, but the crossing area is covered by an octagonal cupola with sculptures of the Four Evangelists.
The apse is the most interesting aspect of the interior. Behind a simple stone altar, on a lower level than the nave, is the medieval bishop's throne and three semicircular benches for the canons. In front of the throne is an old sarcophagus containing the relics of St. Quenin (d. 578). The apse also contains several tomb niches of various styles and some reliquaries and statues.
The cloister of Vaison-la-Romaine's cathedral, dating primarily from the mid-12th century, is a peaceful space with a lush central garden. The canons' buildings, such as the refectory and dormitory, have disappeared and many of the capitals were restored in the 19th century, but the cloister retains its medieval appearance and atmosphere. Most of the capitals are carved with foliage and vines, but some have charming creatures and human faces.
From the cloister, there is an excellent view of the north side of the cathedral, which is inscribed with this mystical exhortation in Latin:
The cloister contains a small lapidary museum that displays inscriptions and artifacts dating back to the Early Christian era.
Quick Facts on Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral
|Names:||Cathedrale de Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth · Notre-Dame de Vaison-la-Romaine · Vaison-la-Romaine Cathedral|
|Dedication:||Virgin Mary (of Nazareth)|
|Visitor and Contact Information|
|Coordinates:||44.242828° N, 5.067937° E|
|Address:||Avenue Joseph Mazen|
|Hours:||Apr-May: 10am-12:30pm, 2-5:45pm|
Jun-Aug: 9am-12:30pm, 2-6:45pm
|Lodging:||View hotels near Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral|
- Personal visit (June 17, 2008).
- Paul Stirton, Blue Guide Provence and the Cote D'Azur, 2nd ed. (London: A&C Black Publishers Limited, 2003), 144.
- Informational sign at the Chapelle St-Quenin.
- Notre Dame de Nazareth - Vaison-la-Romaine.com
- Les Chemins de la Provence Romane, 66-67.
- Photos of Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral - here on Sacred Destinations
Map of Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral
Below is a location map and aerial view of Vaison-La-Romaine Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.
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Learn why leading HR professionals trust ekincare! Explore Now
When the blood pressure rises above 140/90, the person is diagnosed as having “Hypertension”. Also known as high blood pressure, this condition often has no symptoms. Without treatment, it can lead to a heart stroke.
Hypertension is also known as the “silent disease”. While most patients don’t have any signs or symptoms even with high blood pressure, some cases report symptoms like headaches, nose bleeds and shortness of breath. Some associated risk factors for hypertension are cholesterol & obesity.
The good news is that this condition can be prevented by making simple lifestyle changes. The key pillars that one can focus on while making those changes are:
It is vital to exercise and be physically active during the day to keep the body functioning at its best. Starting small and making consistent efforts helps see better results. Even if you are unable to go to a gym or run, you can carve out time to stretch, and get involved in physical activities like yoga or a brisk walk every day. Exercise helps our body muscles gain strength and regulate hormones. It is also a great antidote to reduce stress and gain balance in aspects related to work and life. In short, it's a win-win situation!
Diet is also a major factor contributing to controlling hypertension. It is essential to reduce and control the amount of sodium consumption in everyday meals, and to limit processed foods. Keeping sugary drinks, sweets, high-fat meats and dairy products at a minimum helps a great deal.
Caring for mental health is as critical as caring for physical health. Maintaining a stress-free lifestyle is a matter of conscious effort. Some of the factors that could be kept in mind are:
1. How do you define peace of mind?
2. What are your antecedents or triggers to stress?
3. What are your go-to strategies to lessen the amount of stress?
The following are some suggestions for stress management. It may help you to:
Here are some popular stress management methods:
The key is to master your mind and keep it focused and relaxed. A relaxed mind performs best and helps keep medical conditions like hypertension at bay.
When we have a positive state, we feel high-spirited, whereas when we face adversities or challenges, we feel low-spirited.
Spirit can also be called your enthusiasm and outlook towards life. Some of the ways to uplift our spirit are by:
It's crucial to explore and discover ourselves from time to time. Change is the only constant, and implementing small changes helps us navigate through life's challenges successfully.
An integrated approach is essential. When we can create and keep balance in our internal environment, we bring peace and joy to our external environment. In this competitive and fast-moving life, the key is to not rush with our food, thoughts, and life. One of the leading causes of hypertension is stress and an imbalanced lifestyle. Faulty habits like being overweight because of lack of movement, and dealing with elevated levels of stress because of the inability to manage and regulate emotions are all going to reflect on your physical and mental health.
Small and consistent efforts every day is all it takes to take charge of your life and start baby steps towards being content and happier with your own self.
Anupama Vishwakarma is an Applied Psychologist, a counsellor and an enthusiastic learner. She follows a client-centred approach. Her major clients are from the corporate sector, and she currently works at Silver Oak Health. She strongly believes that open conversations and psycho-education are the keys to building a better world. She has conducted various webinars and panel discussions in the past 7 years.
Schedule a demo to learn how your organisation can get the best employee health and well-being experience with ekincare's commitment to quality.
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Diversity is the key to the long-term resilience of a garden in our area’s erratic climate. Gardens with a variety of plants and habitat niches allow perennial plants to adjust to changing conditions year to year, emerging closer to a rock or farther out from shade each spring. Over time, plants with a range of different light and moisture requirements gradually settle into the places that most suit them.
Creating diversity in your garden will also promote a healthy diversity in the beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife that visit it. Pollinating insects help naturalize a garden by fostering generations of plants that gradually adapt to conditions there. Butterflies increasingly rely on gardens for nectar to sustain them on their migrations and for host plants to nourish their caterpillars. Flowering plants including grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees provide nectar, fruit, and seeds that benefit resident birds and prepare migratory birds for their long journeys. Gardens can provide much-needed water, shelter, and foraging opportunities to an amazing range of invertebrates, reptiles, mammals, and birds that we may never see.
General requirements for wildlife habitat are water, shade, perches, hiding places, food, and native plants. Avoid using pesticides or herbicides.
Click for tips on Organic Gardening.
Click to read Bloom Town, about the importance of local native plants in urban ecosystems.
Click to visit yardmap, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s citizen science project designed to cultivate a richer understanding of bird habitat for people concerned with their local environments. Yardmap will show you how to make beautiful landscape maps, create bird habitat in your garden, and identify and enjoy your songbirds.
Click for information about Beekeeping.
There are books in the library and lots of online references to help you create a garden that welcomes beneficial insect, birds, and other animals. Just to get you started, here are a few suggestions for…
- butterflies—adult butterflies visit many different kinds of flowers, especially native thistles, verbena, cosmos, rabbitbrush, and yarrow. They feed in full sun and are attracted from a distance to large groups of flowers in red, yellow, orange, purple, and pink. They lack mouth parts for chewing and use their proboscis to sip nectar for energy and dissolved minerals to produce pheromones. Flat stones provide space for butterflies to rest and bask in the sun. Butterflies also visit damp rocks and muddy areas to obtain minerals for producing pheromones.
- caterpillars—a developmental stage of butterflies that do have mouthparts for chewing. Many require specific native plants for nourishment including lupine, milk vetch, buckwheat, cud weed, milkweed, locust, aspen, willow, cottonwood, and many native grasses and sedges.
- moths—more numerous than butterflies but seen less often because they are nocturnal pollinators. They are attracted to white or light-colored flowers with a sweet scent such as nicotiana, sacred datura, and yellow or white evening primroses. Moth caterpillars also rely on native plants including Arizona Virginia creeper.
- bees—there are 1,300 species of native bees in Arizona. Click for the Arizona Bee Identification Guide. They are most attracted to blue, purple, white, and yellow flowers in flat clusters or with shallow blossoms such as those in the Aster and Buckwheat families. Long-tongued bees favor flowers in the Mint Family, while bumblebees are drawn to flowers with long nectar spurs such as monad, columbine, and larkspur. Bees are also drawn to flowering shrubs and trees. They pollinate more flowering plants than any other group.
- hummingbirds—are most attracted to nectar-rich, tubular red flowers although the early-blooming flowers of golden currant are very important to hummingbirds when they first arrive each spring in our area. Flowers popular with hummingbirds include various native species of penstemon, paintbrush, agave, larkspur, gilia, four o’clock, coral bells, monkey flower, honeysuckle, iris, and columbine as well as wolf berry, locust, hedgehog cactus, and agave.
- lesser goldfinches—are drawn to prolific seed-producing flowers such as native sunflowers and other asters.
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This Friday, March 4th Berwick Fields will be participating in Clean Up Australia Day. This year grade 5/6 will be helping out by cleaning at Sweeney Reserve. Every student has walking permission for the day (as per the student enrolment form) and will be using gloves and tongs. Could you please ensure your child has their hat for the day and sunscreen if required. Thank you for your support!
On Sunday, March 6th there will be more Clean Up Australia Day activities in our area. If you’re interested in doing more to care for our environment, please have a look at this link.
Participating in Clean Up Australia Day is a great chance for us to give to our community and another way Berwick Fields demonstrates care for our environment.
As a part of our maths groups, we have been learning about decimal numbers and their place value. This has included ordering and rounding them. Below is a game to help practise ordering decimal numbers. Choose the activity you want to complete from the main menu, and then order the countries in order from first to last place. Simply click on the flag then click the position number they need to be placed in. Good luck!
Over the past fortnight in class we have been looking at developing our understanding of persuasive writing. We started to explore what persuasive writing is by using Jenny Eather’s ‘Writing Fun’ website.
Our big focus this week was on backing up the arguments that we make using lots of evidence. Rather than writing whole pieces, we have been working to create plans for a lot of different topics and coming up with evidence to support the arguments we think of. The ‘Persuasion Map’ from ReadWriteThink has been very useful in supporting us to do this.
After working on quite a few plans during the week, we sat down on Friday to make a plan for the topic ‘Do we really need a school library?’. We had to come up with arguments to convince Mr Wigney whether to keep it open, or close it down to save money. Below is an example of one of our arguments, and the way we used evidence to support it.
Check out some more of our plans below! After we created our plans, we set about writing our persuasive piece. It was amazing to see the impact that our focus on planning the writing has had on the writing we produced. Everyone had really well supported arguments compared to our writing of a fortnight ago. Keep an eye out later in the week when we will publish some of our completed writing pieces.
Below is a recount ofthe team captains ‘Sailability’ excursion to Lysterfield on Wednesday, written by Britney in 56A.
Today at Sailability all of the Team Captains went to Lysterfield Lake Park in Narre Warren North. We did lots of activities and learnt lots from Captain Eric about being a fantastic leader.
My two favourite things about the day were sailing with Crystal on a purple yacht and playing the rescue game with the mats. In our yacht we went really well and we sailed quite quickly out really far. There were a few times where our boat was at a dead stop. The only not so good thing was that there were heaps of bees in the water and one came into our dingy and caused us to seriously panic. We didn’t get stuck at all which was pretty good. During the last 15 – 20 minutes Crystal and I got into the speed boat with the man everybody called ‘Bee Catcher’ because he was so good around them and whenever one flew onto people he would come and get rid of them.
Captain Eric taught us a lot about taking action as a leader and the whole day we focussed on the word ‘ASK’ standing for: A = Attitude, S = Skills, K = Knowledge. He also taught us about acting as a leader and not reacting. He had a lot of fun little games to do and some sand art.
The two funny things to me were pushing each other around on billy carts and when Crystal, Jemma and I had to go and rescue Dylan and Elijah on the speed boat because they lost control of their dinghy and it got stuck in the water reeds. They were waiting there for so long that when we finally got to them they were relaxing with their feet up on the boat.
On Friday morning we continued our Interschool Sports training with Year 9 students from Kambrya helping us out with training drills. Our sports for the winter season are kickball, soccer, football, netball and t-ball. Our first match will take place on Friday, May 13.
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MAINTAIN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT'S PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
0 have signed. Let’s get to 200!
Millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions, including children, rely on the mandate in the Affordable Care Act that bans health insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing premiums based on their health status. Insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions is vital to survival, as pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies have created a healthcare market that focuses solely on their bottom line. Without insurance coverage, many individuals would be unable to afford their life saving medication, regular doctors visits to properly manage their chronic condition, and would result in more emergency room visits, unpaid medical costs, and a higher mortality rate for those with diseases that are easily treatable.
Why is insurance so important?
Uninsured adults are at least 25 percent more likely to die prematurely than adults who have private insurance.
- The uninsured are less likely to have a usual source of care outside of the emergency room.
- Uninsured adults are five times less likely to have a regular source of care than the insured (55 percent versus 11 percent).
- More than half (51 percent) of the uninsured adults who tried to find a new primary care doctor in the past three years reported that it was “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult,” with one in five (20 percent) responding that it was “very difficult.”
- More than two in five uninsured adults (41 percent) reported that a doctor’s office or clinic from which they sought primary care would not accept them as a new patient.
- The uninsured often go without screenings and preventive care.
- Uninsured adults are nearly four times more likely than insured adults to delay or forgo getting a preventive care screening due to cost (36 percent versus 10 percent).
- Uninsured women over the age of 50 were about half as likely to have gotten a mammogram in the past two years as insured women (42 percent versus 79 percent).
- Lower-income uninsured people (those with incomes below 250 percent of the federal poverty level) aged 50 to 64 were five times less likely (10 percent versus 50 percent) than insured people in the same age group to have gotten a colon cancer screening in the past five years.
- Uninsured adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease in an advanced stage. For example, uninsured women are substantially more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer than women with private insurance,as are uninsured people with colorectal cancer.
- Uninsured adults are at least 25 percent more likely to die prematurely than adults with private health insurance.
If Insurance Companies are allowed to return to old practices prior to the legal mandate in the Affordable Care Act, these statistics for the uninsured population will become a reality once again. Do NOT allow politicians to use American lives as pawns in their political games. Every single one of these politicians either has a pre-existing condition or has someone in their family with a pre-existing condition, but their concerns are minimal with their tax payer sponsored health coverage through their elected positions.
As a mother to a child with a chronic disease, and with the price of his life saving medication being over $1,000 monthly, I would not be able to KEEP MY CHILD ALIVE without healthcare coverage. I will fight against repeal of this mandate with every breath in my body and if the US Government has not already realized through recent events related to immigration, the ability for the American people to get mad and mobilize, they will if they continue to attack the most vulnerable of populations.
Today: Sara is counting on you
Sara Green needs your help with “Marco Rubio: MAINTAIN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT'S PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS”. Join Sara and 165 supporters today.
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Amazing Facts About Wildlife
Rose petals for solar power
And yet again, nature shows the way to make the best use of sunlight, says S.Ananthanarayanan.
The solar cell takes in light energy to and turns it into electricity. Vegetation makes use of light energy too, but to drive chemical changes to build carbohydrates. While the solar cell is a recent entrant, plants have been in the business since ages
and have evolved to capture and use as much of the light that falls on them as possible.
Ruben Hünig, Adrian Mertens, Moritz Stephan, Alexander Schulz, Benjamin Richter, Michael Hetterich, Michael Powalla, Uli Lemmer, Alexander Colsmann, and Guillaume Gomard, from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, in Karlsruhe, Germany and the Centre for
Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, Stuttgart, report in the journal, Advanced Optical Materials, that they have been able to isolate and reproduce the surface structure of the petals of the garden rose to create a surface that helps solar cells reduce how
much light they lose to reflection, and hence a 13% increase in their efficiency.
The authors explain that an early instance of an anti-reflecting surface, which was studied, is that of the eye of the moth, which needs both to see in the dark as well as to stay out of sight of predators. The moth’s eye surface, or the cornea, is provided
with an array of protrusions, of the dimensions of the wavelength of light, which make for a great part of light falling on the surface to pass through, in place of being reflected and lost. While this feature of the moth is effective to admit more light
and also show no reflection, plant surfaces can go a step further, by also rearranging the light waves that they pass without so that the waves can be better used by the underlying light mechanism, the authors say.
Light, as we know, consists of a combination of electric and magnetic waves, each being the cause and also the effect of the other, as they pass through, vacuum, in space, or the air, or glass, or water, etc. We can imagine that passage of the waves,
particularly their speed, depends on how electric or magnetic fields behave in different media. And in the case of all media, the effect is that the speed of light is less than what it is in vacuum, and for most materials, less than what it is in air. This
is why a light beam bends when it enters glass or water, and it is thanks to this that we have cameras, telescopes and the magnifying glass.
Apart from affecting the speed and the direction of light, these properties of materials also affect how much of incident light would pass through or reflect off a surface. For all materials, hence, a part of the light that falls on a surface is not transmitted,
but is reflected. This is so for almost all the angles at which light strikes the surface, with more reflection when the angle is shallow. Some of the light is thus always lost to reflection by the normal cornea of the eye, the leaf surface, which needs light
to create sugars, and, what is vital now for industry, the surface of the photo cell. And hence the great interest and value in developing ‘anti-reflecting’ or AR surfaces, to capture all the light falls on them.
In taking up the study of AR capabilities in plants, the researchers first carried out a survey of different plant surfaces to see which one was the best. The result of the survey is shown in the graph in the top left in picture 1, which shows how the
proportion of reflection drops as we move from a plane glass sheet to the surface of different kinds of leaf or petal, and reflection is the least, about 8%, in the case of the rose petal.
As shown in the inset on the top right of the same picture, the surface of the rose petal has protrusions packed close together, some 19 microns high and 32 microns wide, or nearly a half wider than they are high.
The experimenters copied the micro-pattern of the petals’ surface onto a silicone polymer mould. The mould was then used to create the same pattern on the surface of a glass substrate, as in the lower half, picture 1, The reflection properties of this
surface were then compared with those of a similar glass sheet with a simple cover with no micro-pattern. As shown in the graph in picture 2, while the level of reflection is low and about equal when light fell directly on the surfaces, this changes as the
slant increases and, at glancing angles, the level of reflection is many times lower for the rose structure treated surface. The trials also showed that this was so over all colours of the spectrum, which makes the rose petal structure a very attractive template
for light collection.
The study of the micro-pattern on the surface of the moth cornea, published in the year 2006, includes a discussion of the reason why the micro-pattern reduces the extent of reflection. As stated earlier, the reflection of light waves from transparent
surfaces happens because of the difference of the speed of light in vacuum, or air, and the material whose surface it is. It is the steep change in the material properties, and hence the speed of light, when light moves from vacuum or air to other materials,
that brings about reflection rather than passage through the transparent material. This is where the microstructure comes in. As the structures are of the same dimensions as the wavelength of light, they are able to affect the speed of light, and as the waves
move from the peaks of the micro-protuberances to their base, they experience a gradual change of speed, in place of the sudden change when they strike a plane surface. For the same reason, the pattern on the rose petal, now transferred to the experimental
glass sheet, is able to ease the transition from air to glass and reduce the proportion of light that is reflected.
The study also showed that the rose petal structure, which behaved like an array of micro-lenses, had the effect of making light diverge within the underlying medium, a light focusing effect, which increased the extent of its path and the efficiency of
conversion in a solar cell. In trials that were carried out with organic solar cells, the experimenters report an efficiency rise of 13% when the rose petal structure was used. This was with light falling normally on the solar cell. At glancing angles, the
rise in efficiency was as high as 44%.
“While standard micro lens arrays show both AR and light trapping properties, the rose structure enhances these effects through auxiliary nanofoldings…” the authors of the paper say. Further, with natural structures, higher ‘width to height’ ratios are
possible, apart from the ease of fabrication by simple replication, they say. There is need to gain “further knowledge about the contribution of the nanofolding, in particular its impact on the broadening of the propagation angle distribution,” the authors
[the writer can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.org]
More help for the solar cell
The moth, which forages at night, is an evolutionary predecessor of butterflies, which are colourful and active in daylight. Butterflies appear to have lost the light capturing feature of the moth cornea. But there is a species of butterfly that has a
feature that is useful in the application of solar cells.
As the butterflies need to conserve weight, they have lightweight wings and limited muscular resources. The muscles used to take to flight hence need to warm in the sun before they can be used. The White Pieris butterfly, however, is found to get started,
even on cloudy days, before other kinds of butterfly.
The reason is the angle at which it holds its wings, but mainly a nano-pattern that covers the surface of the wings. Striations with spacing of the order of the wavelength of light, ruled on a reflecting surface, can focus light. Each wavelength, however
focuses at a different angle, and this may not be useful to collect sunlight, which has many wavelengths. And a random pattern would not be of any use at all. But a ‘quasi-random’ pattern, which can be painstakingly generated on a computer, it is found, can
focus a range of wavelengths. Now, the White Pieris butterfly has evolved to have just this kind of pattern on its wings. The wings thus focus all the use useful wavelengths of sun’s warmth on to the Pieris’ muscles and it takes to flight before others can.
The pattern on the wings have been peeled off and used with solar cells, resulting in huge increase in output, and also with addition of very little weight.
Another development is that the patterns on Blu Ray discs, which are a complicated coding of text matter or images, also have a quasi random character. These have also been found good for focusing a range of wavelengths on to solar cells, with the advantage
that they can be mass-produced.
While these are methods of getting more light to fall on the solar cell, the Karlsruhe/Stuttgart-rose petal advance is to help the solar cell make the best of the light that does.
Amazing Facts About Wildlife
Seabirds track ocean winds
Tracking the flight of birds is found to be a good way to map winds on the surface of the sea, says S.Ananthanarayanan.
The weather cock and the “single swallow that does not a summer make” represent the role that our feathered friends have traditionally played in climate science. It should not, hence, come as a surprise that following birds which fly above the sea turns
out to be more accurate than satellites or anemometers to get a picture of low altitude winds over the oceans.
Yoshinari Yonehara,, Yusuke Goto, Ken Yoda, Yutaka Watanuki, Lindsay C. Young, Henri Weimerskirch,
Charles-André Bost, and Katsufumi Sato, from the Tokyo University, Universities of Nagoya and Hokkaido in Japan, in Honolulu and the Unversité de La Rochelle, in France, report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that flight paths
of soaring seabirds can complement existing sea surface wind data by providing very fine grained and rapid information of wind velocities.
The traditional devices are the windsock, which was once a familiar sight at airports, which were called aerodromes, and then the more sophisticated anemometers. While the windsock only showed the direction of the wind, there were other devices to measure
its speed. The first was the cup anemometer, which was set spinning by the wind. The next was the vane anemometer, which was little windmill with a tail. The speed of the spin was converted to wind speed by a counter, or even a dial. And there is the hot wire
anemometer, where how much a hot wire cools in the wind is measured by the change in the electrical resistance of the wire.
The weatherman also tracked the changes in wind speed and direction by sending up a hydrogen or helium balloon with a metal plate hanging from it. The plate served to show up in a radar screen and indicate the wind speed and direction at different altitudes,
as it rose up and up. Much more sophisticated is the laser Doppler anemometer, which depends on the change in frequency of laser light that is reflected by very small particles in the air. This is the method used to survey the wind distribution around a real,
power generation wind turbine.
The PNAS authors explain that these are really methods only to sample the wind speed at a few locations that are far apart and the sampling is often not continuous. For recording the wind behaviour on the surface of the sea, which is important to understand
the climate and also in coastal areas, the only means available was anemometers mounted on buoys that were distributed over a limited area being monitored.
The modern method, which is used to study winds over the surface of the sea, is with the help of satellites and a device called a scatterometer. In this method, pulses of microwaves, which are very short wavelength radio waves, are sent down to the earth
from a satellite, and the reflected pulses are detected. Winds create ripples on the surface of water, which can grow into large waves or swell, in the open ocean. While ripples are waves on the surface only, depending on the tendency of the surface not to
be pierced by the wind, the weight of the water being displaced also comes into play, and the resulting waves are in equilibrium with the wind. The pattern of such waves on the water leads to alternately lower or higher points of reflection and this leads
to mutual interference of the reflected radio waves, which can be related to the speed and direction of the wind. As the satellite goes round, it scans the entire earth and in conjunction with data from buoys stationed all over, which helps weather forecasts
and the study of ocean dynamics.
But the PNAS authors point out that a satellite observes each area only twice a day and the buoys are also far apart. The picture created is thus not fine grained and details of changes in winds could be missed. Another difficulty, they point out, is that
in coastal areas, where the wind and circulation features are significant, the topography affects the reliability of satellite data.
Animal borne data logging
The use of animals that carry miniaturized instrumentation has proved to be a way out in many challenging situations. “The extensive movement range and locomotion ability of marine mammals and seabirds enable observations to be obtained in places and scales
unresolved by conventional observations,” Yonehara and other say in the paper. “For example, instrumented seals have been providing temperature and salinity profiles in the Antarctic Ocean for more than 10 years, especially under sea ice coverage that was
difficult to measure by conventional methods,” they say.
Coming to wind data over the sea, the authors have studied how effective and useful the movement of soaring seabirds can be. Lightweight Global Positioning System (GPS) units were strapped onto the backs of three species, the streaked shearwater (0.6 kg),
the Laysan albatross (3.1 kg), and the wandering albatross (9.7 kg). Their flight path was then plotted by recording their position every second. We can see that this is sixty points for every minute of flight and would provide a fine grained picture of the
flight trajectory. As GPS visualizes the actual movement with respect to the ground, the speed of the wind that is affecting the birds’ flight would be extracted from changes in direction and speed.
The shearwater and the albatross are suitable because they carry out soaring flight which is largely wind dependent. The estimation of the wind speed is based on the fact that the ground speed is the highest with a tail wind and the least with a head wind,
and in between when the wind is in other directions. The various levels of ground speed, in different directions, over a span of soaring, would thus be distributed in an ‘up and down’ way, as is shown in the picture. And from the shape of the variation of
ground speed in terms of direction, the wind speed and the direction of the wind can be worked out.
The paper details how the wind speeds derived from the bird sensors was verified with reliable instances of data from. The data had been collected at the Funakoshi–Ohshima Island breeding colony in Japan, Ka’ena Point, Oahu Island breeding colony in Hawaii
and at Possession Island, Crozet archipelago in the South Indian Ocean and the areas matched some of the ‘swathes’ covered by the satellite. In the area in the open sea, where the satellite gave good results, there was close agreement with the two sets of
results, the paper says.
While wind data from bird carried sensors could thus supplement that derived from the satellite and buoy mounted sensors, the paper says, and birds could be deployed to collect data in areas where satellite data is not possible, as near the coast. The
attaching of instruments to birds could also be a powerful instrument to study the wind environments that birds encounter during migratory flights, the paper says. Obtaining atmospheric and oceanographic data variables measured by seabird borne sensors is
a unique platform to study conditions far out at sea, “by using seabirds as a fast-moving, living ocean buoy,” the paper says.
[the writer can be contacted at email@example.com]
Sailana : The last hope for the Endangered Lesser Florican in Madhya Pradesh.
The Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus) known as Kharmor or Likh is an endemic bird species found in the Indian subcontinent.
The Lesser Florican is also a threatened bird species and is classified as endangered (EN) in the Asian Red Data Book and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) of India. In Madhya Pradesh special protected areas are set aside
to conserve the Lesser Florican, like the Sardarpur Wildlife Sanctuary in the Dhar district and the Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary in Ratlam district.
It’s a bird of grasslands and visits at different areas of Western M.P. with the onset of southwest monsoon for breeding. Little is known about its whereabouts during the non-breeding period as the bird is usually spotted only during the breeding season.
It is best known for its aerial courtship display when the male makes a series of spectacular jumps to a height of 1.5 to 2 m. around 500 times in a day.
The Lesser Florican is omnivorous and eats invertebrates like grasshoppers, dung beetles, caterpillars, centipedes, worms and plant parts like crop shoots, leaves, herbs and berries.
The M.P. forest department with the help of Scientists from WII and BNHS is trying their best to conserve this bird habitat and save the bird from the clutches of extinction.
Lesser Florican displaying
1. The Lesser Florican is primarily threatened by hunting and poaching. Its population also get affected adversely by drought in its breeding areas.
2. Today a major threat to the Lesser Florican is uncontrolled cattle grazing in the grassland habitat between July to October which is also its breeding time. A large number of local livestock graze in the areas creating problem for the conservation of
3. As insects and crop parts form a major part of the florican’s diet, excessive use of pesticides indirectly kills the bird it or affects its breeding.
4. The increase in the population of Bluebull in this area has always been a point of concern for the breeding females, many herds of bluebulls roam in this area which accidentally damages the eggs of lesser floricans.
5. Disturbance from unethical photography, because of revolution in digital photography and social media many people found engaged in unethical photography.
6. Illegal mining near the protected area of the sanctuary unsettles the bird coming to breed in the area.
7. Stray dog’s population has also increased considerably in all breeding areas of florican which also causes threat to this bird.
8. Inadequate knowledge of current distribution, population status, demography, movement-dispersal and habitat use.
9. New Wind Mill installation near the sanctuary areas is also causing an indirect threat to the bird.
Lesser florican habitat
The initiatives taken by the forest department are to give prize money to any field farmer who spots a lesser florican in his fields and safeguard the bird. Also a compensation is provided to any farmer if a lesser florican lays eggs in his field.
Last year the forest department has started providing seeds of many indigenous crops free of cost to the farmers, so that the farmers in the area should divert from growing soya bean as the monsoon crop and shift to some indigenous crops cultivation.
Creation of a cattle camp near Sailana Sanctuary by the Forest Department, wherein more than 600 head of cattle were stall-fed, resulted in a decreased grazing pressure on the grassland habitat and also helped in a significant rejuvenation of vegetation
in florican habitat.
A large scale public movement was undertaken by the locals and NGO to save the sanctuary from the illegal mining and construction activities since last three years and legal case were filed in Green Tribunal court against the construction company.
The forest office in Sailana
A new Conservation strategy: The use of organic farming.
Habitat degradation due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture owing to depleting soils is one of the major threats to the existence of Lesser floricans as well as other creatures existing on the grass land ecosystem. These
chemicals are killing a variety of insects and worms that constitute the food of the birds.
It is therefore necessary to educate, encourage and support local people to shift to organic farming, or the least minimize the use of chemical insecticides in preferred breeding grounds of floricans.
A lot of villages in the area have now taken up organic farming which is a good sign.
The lesser florican sanctuary
The common and main reason for depleting number of lesser floricans can be summed up as the loss of their habitat, i.e. grasslands, grasslands getting converted to cultivated fields due to the ever increasing demand for food grains.
The change in the crops that’s being cultivated and the cultivation of Urad and other cereals replaced by cultivation of Soya beans over the years has also emerged as a grave threat for the floricans in all the areas.
Sailana Sanctuary in Ratlam district today still holds a very good chance to provide a safe and secure place for the visiting floricans in coming years. Floricans arriving here for breeding must be provided safe and secure environment to breed, as this
is a very important and among the last few breeding grounds left for this bird.
The Ratamba forest patch in the petlavad range of Jhabua has come up as a second ideal habitat for the endangered lesser florican in Madhya Pradesh. Lesser Floricans sightings are recorded here regularly here since last 5-6 years.
As the Sardarpur sanctuary has been devoid of lesser floricans since last three years this area should be given more weightage to ensure that the population of lesser floricans should not dwindle further in Madhya Pradesh.
(Text and photographs by Ajay Gadikar. Ajay Gadikar is an Ornithologist from Indore.)
Upcoming events in August, 2016
A Walk in the Rain
Sunday, August 14 at 7 AM - 9:30 AM
Conservation Education Centre - ABWLS, Delhi
Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Near Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi, India 110044
Join on a walk through the forest of Asola on 14 August. Nature walk is the best way to make the most of the pleasant weather during the monsoon. Getting out in the wet world is a great way to experience the nature. Going on
a nature walk on a rainy day allows you to see many things you would not normally see. Birds and animals do different things in the rain as well. During your rainy day nature walk in Asola, try to find wild animals taking shelter from the rain. It is also
fun to photograph nature in the rain. Everything looks so lovely with drops of rain on it when photographed. In Asola, small rivulets and streams become active during the monsoon. Bring a waterproof camera and enjoy easy, guided walk in the Asola forest. Dress
the weather and don’t forget your water bottle.
Date: 14th August, Time: 7.00 a. m.-9.30 a. m.
Fees: Rs 500/ per head (The fees include refreshment)
For details contact: Education Officer on 011-26042010 or 8800741864, 9868441983
Email: firstname.lastname@example.org, Last date for registration: 13th August 2016
Sunday, August 21 at 7 AM - 9:30 AM
Conservation Education Centre - ABWLS, Delhi
Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Near Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi, India 110044
Join on a walk looking for butterflies in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary houses more than 90 species of butterflies. Some of the butterfly species found here are: Common Mormon, Common Emigrant, Mottled Emigrant, Red Pierrot, Common Pierrot,
Stripped Tiger, Plain Tiger and Blue Pansy etc. Watching butterflies is a delightful pursuit, as is bird watching and can be easily taken up while walking in the sunshine. Usually an hour after sunrise is the ideal time to watch these flying jewels. The best
time of the year for watching butterflies is from just after the rains to early November. During this season, host plants grow abundantly in Asola. Come and spend the morning exploring the forest and searching for as many different butterfly species as you
can find. Also, find out what particular tree or shrubs butterfly enjoy in Asola. You will also learn why butterflies are so important to the environment.
Date: 21st August, Time: 7.00 a.m.-9.30 a. m.
Fees: Rs 350/ per head
For details contact: Education Officer on 011-26042010 or 8800741864, 9868441983
Email: email@example.com, Last date for registration: 20th August 2016.
The Mysterious World of Bats
August 26 organized by Delhi Birds
Friday, August 26 at 6 PM - 7:30 PM
172 B, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, India 110003
delhibird talk series presents Rohit Chakravarty:
Delhibirder Rohit Chakravarty is a wildlife researcher whose work focuses on bats. Having grown up in Nagpur his interested in wildlife was sparked in the most typical Central India way – with a tiger sighting. But his loyalty shifted to bats when he rescued
a fruit bat at the age of sixteen. He has worked on bats in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and more recently in the Himalayas of Uttarakhand. He is an alumnus of Wildlife Biology and Conservation at National Centre for Biological
Bats – amazingly diverse, extraordinarily adapted, truly enigmatic, but much maligned; this talk serves to introduce people to the ways of life of the most diverse group of mammals in our country, and why we they deserve more of our attention. The talk
is also about journey and adventure from vastly different regions of the country in the pursuit of bats.
Horseshoe Bat in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
Mothing at Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary
August 27 – August 28
Aug 27 at 6 AM to Aug 28 at 12 PM
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary
Tembhode, Maharashtra 402202, Raigad, India 402202
You might have visited Phansad earlier to study and photograph amphibians, reptiles and birds but imagine walking through the lush green forests and observing the tiny wonders of the insect world and studying moths under the dark night sky – an experience
that you would perhaps want to remember again and again. We will study moths on light trap, provided the clouds don't play spoil sport and learn how to do Moth Photography with Dr V Shubhalaxmi. Come join us and rediscover Phansad like you have never before
Date: 27-28 August 2016
Time: 6.00 am (Day 1) - 12.00 pm (Day 2)
Meeting point: Dadar Chandu Halwai.
Group Leader: Dr. V.Shubhalaxmi, Founder & Managing Trustee INaturewatch Foundation
Study Theme: Moths, other insects and plant-insect associations
Group size: 15 persons
Camp Fee: Rs 4500/- per head (inclusive of accommodation, food, travel and resource person charges.)
Accommodation: Home Stay on multiple sharing basis in non AC rooms.
Things to carry:
Please carry notebook, pen, magnifying lens, torch light, rainy wear, mosquito repellent, proper rainy shoes, dry snacks, sufficient pairs of field clothes, water bottle, light warm clothes, sufficient spare clothes and personal medicines.
**Note that there is a strenuous walk involved. Please wear footwear that will help in strenuous walk. Wear full-sleeved shirts and full-length trousers.
REGISTRATION: Fill in the registration form available online at http://inaturewatch.org/registerforevent.php
• This is a strenuous camp which involves walking
• The weather could be chilly., misty and rainy throughout
• Mobile connectivity may not be available
• Power outages are frequent so carry your mobile power hubs
• The camp is only possible if we get 15 participants or else the camp will be cancelled and the booking amount will be refunded..
Contact: at 9987013144 or email at firstname.lastname@example.org
Forest and trees
"CAMPA Funds are like Blood Money"-J Krishnaswamy
The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Bill has been passed by both Houses of the Indian Parliament a few days back and is awaiting Presidential assent. The Bill is meant to promote afforestation and regeneration
activities as a way of compensating for forest land diverted to non-forest uses. Central Government while according prior approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diversion of forest land for non-forest purpose stipulated conditions to the effect
that the State Government shall realize funds from the user agency for compensatory afforestation to mitigate impact of diversion of forest land. The Net Present Value (NPV) of the diverted forest is to be calculated for a period of 50 years, and recovered
from the “user agency” that is “diverting” the forests. CAMPA Bill provides for establishment of a permanent institutional framework at the Centre and at each State/UT to ensure utilization of these funds in an expeditious and transparent manner The Bill also
seeks to provide for constitution of a multi-disciplinary Monitoring Group to monitor activities undertaken from these funds, and also provides for annual audit of the accounts by the Comptroller& Auditor General.
On paper, India is taking all the right steps towards balancing its developmental objectives and fulfilling its international environmental commitments. The Indian government's recently presented Intended Nationally Determined Contribution to UNFCCC vows
to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level ,and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.In March 2015,India consciously decided
for the first time ever, to include forest cover in tax allocation formula, by prescribing state government’s portion of tax revenue as partially dependent on how much forestland it has maintained. India has earmarked $6 billion, more than any other nation
in the world. The government is committed to enhance forest cover from 24 percent to 33 percent of the total geographical area.
It is a matter of satisfaction that United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its Emission Gap Report 2014, has recognized India, as one of the countries, on course to achieving its voluntary goal of reducing the emissions intensity and lists India
as one of the few countries where forest and tree cover has increased in recent years from 23.4% in 2005 to 24% of the geographical area in 2013.India also has reported improving carbon stock in its forests by about 5%. Initiatives like Green India Mission
(GIM) and policies like National Agro-forestry Policy (NAP), REDD-Plus policy, Joint Forest Management; National Afforestation Programme all strive towards achieving the said objectives.
The latest fillip given to afforestation by the Indian Government is, however,a matter of worry for environmentalists, given that Compensatory afforestation predominantly consists of raising artificial plantations of non-native species of trees, with
zero biodiversity value. Even where plantations of mixed species of native trees have been raised, they do not come anywhere close to replicating the natural habitat that was destroyed. Commercial afforestation is a cause of major environmental degradation
and social problems. The drawbacks of afforestation have been detailed in several of my earlier articles on the subject. The net increase in forest cover does not indicate anything on the actual health of the natural grown forests. A high level committee
on environment laws had observed that the quality of forest cover has declined between 1951 and 2014, with poor quality of compensatory afforestation plantations being the key reason behind the situation.
N. H. Ravindranath opines that India could be potentially over-reporting the area under forests by including many non-forest tree categories such as commercial plantations of coconut, cashew, coffee and rubber, and fruit orchards. India may also be under-reporting
deforestation by reporting only gross forest area at the state and national levels. His analysis shows that the current mode of monitoring and reporting of forest area is inadequate to meet the national and international requirements. There is need to categorize
monitoring and reporting of forest cover, deforestation and afforestation rates under (i) natural/ primary forest, (ii) secondary/degraded forests, (iii) forest plantations, (iv) commercial plantations, (v) fruit orchards and (vi) scattered trees.
Souparna Lahiri observes that the annual loss of forests from diversion in India is estimated to be a staggering 35,000 ha and more. To claim that India is one of the lowest deforestation countries, as claimed in the INDC, is to hide the stark reality.
'India’s commitment to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tones of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030 is nothing but a veil to hide India’s continuing deforestation and privatization of India’s forests'.
The Centre for Science and Environment has termed the existing ad-hoc CAMPA regime as 'compromised compensation'. They have extensively quoted from the CAG Report titled ‘Compensatory Afforestation in India ( 2013)’ which listed many shortcomings .Thus,
Compensatory afforestation was carried out on only in 49 per cent of identified degraded forestlands. Seven states, carried out no compensatory afforestation. Numerous instances of unauthorized renewal of leases, illegal mining, continuance of mining leases
despite adverse comments in the monitoring reports, projects operating without environment clearances, unauthorized change of status of forestland and arbitrariness in decisions of forestry clearances were observed. In six states, encroachment of forestland
was noticed but no time-bound action was taken to evict encroachers, despite Supreme Court directions. Only 61% of the compensatory afforestation funds released by Ad hoc CAMPA from 2009-12 was utilized.
Gaurav Madan cites the Chinese model of compensatory afforestation where Communities manage forests more sustainably than governments or private entities. China has implemented one of Asia’s most successful forest reforms: more than 400 million people
have been given direct rights over approx.100m hectares. In India, the Indian Forest Rights Act(2006), empowers individual and community rights and if effectively implemented, at least 150 million people in 170,000 villages will exercise rights over 40m
hectares of forested land. This represents at least half of India’s forests. A concerted effort to implement the Act would usher in the largest land reform in India’s history. However, the CAMPA Bill is silent on the participation of Gram Sabhas and tribal
communities in the process of compensatory afforestation and does not give them any share in the funds. CAMPA funds may remain under the tight control of State Governments, and environmentalists doubt whether distantly seated bureaucracies can effectively
monitor the end use of CAMPA funds.
The INDIAN EXPRESS on 25/5/2016 commented on some of the difficulties on the ground."While the principle of compensatory afforestation, and the need for payment of NPV, is fairly straightforward, the implementation is plagued with complications. The
main difficulty has been the availability of non-forest land for afforestation. The law says the land selected should preferably be contiguous to the forest being diverted, so that it is easier for forest officials to manage it. But in case that is not possible,
land in any other part of the state can be used for the purpose. If no suitable non-forest land is found, degraded forests can be chosen for afforestation, but in that case, twice the area of diverted forest has to be afforested. Still, there is difficulty
in finding land, especially in smaller states, and in heavily forested ones like Chhattisgarh. The other point of contention has been the purposes for which the money can be used. The fund was envisaged to be used only for “compensatory” afforestation, but
the Bill before Parliament has expanded the list of works that this money can be utilised for, and includes the general afforestation programme run through the Green India Mission. Forest protection, forest management, forest and wildlife related infrastructure
development, wildlife conservation, facilitating relocation of people from protected wildlife areas, are proposed to be made valid expenditure from this account.' Critics say this will take the focus away from the prime objective of compensating for the forest
It is imperative that CAMPA funds are judiciously allocated and utilised towards sustainable forest growth. But are we likely to miss the woods for the trees?
(Usha Nair is a nature lover who can be contacted at email@example.com)
Gardening for wildlife
Bee- friendly gardens
20th August, World Honey Bee Day, was just another day for us Indians, we hardly cared. World Honey Bee Day, is an idea put together by beekeepers in the USA, who petitioned the USDA in 2009 for an official day to honour honey bees and beekeeping. A few years
down the line, people across the globe are holding a date of observation every year on August 20th. The observation of World Honey Bee Day signifies the growing awareness of the challenges brought about by declining bee populations across the world. Bees
are of great importance in sustaining bio diversity and food security.
Honey Bee on Bottle gourd flower
A honey bee is primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests from wax. Solitary bees are important pollinators, and pollen is gathered for provisioning the nest with food for their brood.
Often it is mixed with nectar to form a paste-like consistency. Some solitary bees have very advanced types of pollen-carrying structures on their bodies. A very few species of solitary bees are being increasingly cultured for commercial pollination.
In June 2015, President Obama of the USA, issued a Presidential Memorandum directing an interagency Task Force to create a Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators.
According to the 2015 White House (USA)notification announcing steps to promote pollinator health,
"Pollinators are critical to the Nation’s economy, food security, and environmental health. Honey bee pollination alone adds more than $15 billion in value to agricultural crops each year, and helps ensure that our diets include ample fruits, nuts, and
vegetables. This tremendously valuable service is provided to society by honey bees, native bees and other insect pollinators, birds, and bats.
But pollinators are struggling. Last year, beekeepers reported losing about 40% of honey bee colonies, threatening the viability of their livelihoods and the essential pollination services their bees provide to agriculture. Monarch butterflies, too, are
in jeopardy. The number of overwintering Monarchs in Mexico’s forests has declined by 90% or more over the past two decades, placing the iconic annual North American Monarch migration at risk.
The President has emphasized the need for an “all hands on deck” approach to promoting pollinator health, including engagement of citizens and communities and the forging of public-private partnerships. To foster collaboration, the interagency Pollinator
Health Task Force will work toward developing a Partnership Action Plan that guides coordination with the many state, local, industry, and citizen groups with interests in and capacities to help tackle the challenge facing pollinators.
People of all ages and communities across the country can play a role in responding to the President’s call to action. YOU can share some land with pollinators—bees, butterflies, other insects, birds, bats—by planting a pollinator garden or setting aside
some natural habitat. YOU can think carefully before applying any pesticides and always follow the label instructions. YOU can find out more about the pollinator species that live near you."
Honey bees on 'Methi' flowers
In India, our gardens can support many different objectives. They can support healthy lives for nature’s pollinators, primarily bees and butterflies. The development of fruits and vegetables, which are essentially seed cases, often depends on bees, and
butterflies are important pollinators of wild and cultivated flowers.
Our pollinators are threatened by civilization, notably habitat loss and agricultural chemicals. A pollinator-friendly garden has direct benefits for the bees and butterflies, and serves the gardener with the pleasure of beautiful surroundings and the
satisfaction of ecologically sound practices. Also, an enjoyable and educational counterpart to bird-watching is the emerging activity of bee-watching. There is much to learn from the bees!
Here are the names of some plants and their pollinators
Plant name Pollinators
Okra (Bhindi) Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Onion Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Mustard Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Coriander Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Broccoli Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Cauliflower Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Cabbage Honey bees, Solitary Bees
Carrot Honey bees, Solitary Bees, Flies
Eggplant Bumblebees, Honey bees
Tomato Bumblebees, Solitary bees
Chillies Honey bees, Solitary Bees, Hover flies, stingless bees
Papaya Honey bees, Moths, Butterflies
Lemon Honey bees
Lime Honey bees
Mango Honey bees, Stingless bees, Flies, Ants, Wasps
Guava Honey bees, Stingless bees, Solitary Bees, Bumble bees
Pomegranate Honey bees, Solitary Bees, Beetles
BottleGourd Honey bees, Solitary Bees, Beetles
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Refugees are survivors. On the occasion of World Refugee Day, which was celebrated this past Saturday, we think that instead of seeing refugees only as victims and objects of aid and charity, we should see them as heroes. It takes courage to abandon one’s home and community to search for safety elsewhere.
Making the decision to leave is always agonizing and the trip to safety is almost always dangerous. Many do not survive the journey. We hear about some of the deaths of those crossing the Mediterranean in small boats, but we don’t hear about those whose deaths are unrecorded—those who die from snipers and mines, from disease and untreated injuries. Many more flee their homes but don’t make it to the safety of a neighboring country. By remaining displaced within their own countries, they are closer to conflict and further from international assistance. Many are unable to leave their homes at all. Today, 60 million people are displaced by conflict, which is more than we have seen since World War II. Each of these 60 million people has faced choices—always painful, sometimes unbearable. They choose to flee, wait, or stay.
During our trip to Turkey last week, we spoke with Safa, a young Syrian refugee from Aleppo who came to Turkey with her mother about a year ago. She is one of the over 11.5 million Syrians forced from her home. As we chatted with this poised young Syrian woman with near-perfect English, we realized that the things she told us about her family said a lot about the different choices Syrians are making, even within the same family.
Safa completed her studies in English at the University of Aleppo, in preparation for becoming an English teacher. However, she and her mother decided to leave because it had become too dangerous and the war seemed likely to continue for the foreseeable future. They took a taxi to the Turkish border, she explained, noting that it was expensive, that she had to wear the full hijab, and that the car was stopped many times by different groups, but that they were always allowed to pass.
She was now looking for work in Turkey, but without knowledge of Turkish her opportunities were limited. “I had a job with an NGO teaching Syrians in one of the informal schools, but the NGO ha[d] to close the program and so I ha[d] to find another job. My mother and I rent a one-room apartment for 600 Turkish lira [about $220] a month,” she said, “but the only job I’ve looked into pays 500 Turkish lira a month.” We suggested: “What about giving private English lessons, perhaps to Turkish students studying for exams?” “I don’t speak Turkish,” she replied, “and I don’t know any Turkish people. I don’t know how I would find people to give lessons to.”
She explained that her mother is elderly and not able to work—she never worked outside the home back in Syria. Safa needs to find a job soon to take care of her. She didn’t mention her father, and we didn’t ask. We wonder if he is still alive, perhaps fighting.
Safa told us about the different choices her two brothers and sister have made to survive the carnage in Aleppo. Her oldest brother was kidnapped by an armed group (the family drained nearly all its savings to secure his release) and was detained by government forces for a year. When he was released, he realized that there was no future for him in Syria, so he made the dangerous journey to Europe. “Now he’s in Denmark,” Safa said, “working illegally undercover, hoping that someday he’ll get papers.”
Her other brother initially fled to Gaziantep, but couldn’t find a job. He traveled to Greece, where he too is living illegally, and hopes to join his brother in Denmark someday. Safa’s sister, who has five children, still lives in Aleppo amid the bombings. “But they can’t come to Turkey—how would they survive?” Safa asked. “How could they rent a place for the family? They can’t leave because they don’t have money, so they stay in Aleppo.” Safa doesn’t mention her sister’s husband and we don’t ask.
We heard similar stories from other refugees—about those who have made it to Europe, those who are eking out an existence in Turkey, and those who simply do not have the means for the journey. Somehow we think Safa will make it, she just needs a chance to work. She is a survivor.
Access to jobs, not handouts
What does this mean for host countries and for the international community? We need to stop seeing all refugees as vulnerable people needing long-term or indefinite support. Host governments need to give refugees the chance to work legally in their countries and offer them access to education, health care, and other public services. There will always be some refugees, of course, who need extra support—just like some citizens. But if you give refugees the chance to work and access public services, they can become an inspiration, not a burden. Giving refugees legal authorization to work has to be a priority. Safa deserves a chance to work.
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The Dinosaur Warslike
Willis O'Brien, Herbert M. Dawley, and the Articulated Effigy
Willis O’Brien, Herbert M. Dawley, and the Articulated Effigy
By Jeff Stafford
In the annals of film history, Willis O’Brien is considered a visionary in the field of stop-motion animation, most famous for his state-of-the-art monsters in 1933’s King Kong. His experimentation with models of prehistoric creatures can be traced back to his first film short in 1915 and the subsequent "Stone Age" one-reelers he made for the Edison Company. However, his collaboration with film producer Herbert M. Dawley on the more ambitious The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (1918) ended badly, with Dawley removing O’Brien’s credit from the film. Dawley later attempted to block the release of The Lost World claiming patent infringement over a dinosaur model Dawley named his “Articulated Effigy.” For years Dawley has been portrayed as the villain to O’Brien’s wronged artist, but research by late sculptor and special-effects artist Stephen Czerkas (Planet of Dinosaurs), the first to gain access to the papers of Dawley (and other producers), tells a more complete story.
From 1907 to 1916, Herbert M. Dawley works for Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company in the nascent years of the automobile industry. He becomes one of its most important designers, bringing a high level of artistry to the look of its model line.
Willis O’Brien leaves home at an early age, working as a ranch hand, animal trapper, wilderness guide, bartender, professional boxer, draftsman, cartoonist, and brakeman before settling down in San Francisco in 1914 as a sculptor.
Dawley leaves Pierce-Arrow to set up a motion picture company with his wife Verne in Chatham, New Jersey, in 1917. His interest in dinosaurs leads him to construct a brontosaurus model that he photographs with a Kodak camera, assembling the stills as a flip-book. He begins to further explore stop-motion animation.
O’Brien, an avid fan of movies, begins to experiment with photography and special effects using miniature clay figurines. A one-minute test film of a brontosaurus moving against a prehistoric backdrop convinces movie exhibitor Herman Wobber to help fund O’Brien’s first short, The Dinosaur and the Missing Link (1915). The Edison Company purchases the short for distribution and hires O’Brien to create a series of Stone Age shorts (1916–1917).
Dawley sees O’Brien’s work for the Edison Company and approaches him in 1918 about working together on a film. O’Brien agrees, as he has been laid off by Edison during a downsizing phase.
O’Brien and Dawley make The Ghost of Slumber Mountain for which Dawley serves as producer, director, and special-effects supervisor with O’Brien as his assistant to receive screen credit for photography and mechanical effects.
The November 1918 premiere of the film at the Strand Theatre in New York is a financial and critical success, but Dawley, away on emergency duty with the New Jersey Militia in the final phase of postproduction, is shocked to discover that O’Brien has distributed programs claiming total credit for the completed film. He also learns that O’Brien is now under contract to Watterson R. Rothacker, a prominent film industrialist who hired O’Brien during production of Slumber Mountain without Dawley’s knowledge.
Stung by O’Brien’s disloyalty, Dawley removes O’Brien’s name from the film and closes a deal in May 1919 to distribute The Ghost of Slumber Mountain through the Inter-Ocean Film Company. Rothacker tries unsuccessfully to block its distribution and counters with industry ads in June 1919 dismissing Dawley’s claims while promoting O’Brien as the true producer-director of the movie.
Dawley embarks on Along the Moonbeam Trail (1920), a two-reeler in which two brothers are transported to the moon and encounter prehistoric creatures. Dawley creates all the dinosaur puppets and animates them in a stop-motion process, receiving an official patent in 1920 for the Articulated Effigy.
Rothacker purchases the rights to Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1912 novel The Lost World and works with O’Brien under a cloak of secrecy to adapt it for the screen. Looking for investors, he signs independent producer Cathrine Curtis in July 1920 with the understanding that O’Brien’s involvement is crucial to the film’s success.
In January 1921, Curtis views a copy of The Ghost of Slumber Mountain and is puzzled by the omission of O’Brien’s screen credit. Her investigation into the matter convinces her that Dawley’s claims are justified and she tries to negotiate a solution to allow The Lost World to proceed without lawsuits but is unsuccessful. (She later produced King Vidor’s 1921 film The Sky Pilot and, during the 1930s, was a radio commentator for the American Broadcasting System.)
Dawley teams up with renowned puppeteer Tony Sarg on a series of “Shadowgraph” shorts entitled Tony Sarg’s Almanac (1921–1923).
At a meeting of the Society of American Magicians on June 3, 1922, Conan Doyle amazes the gathering with realistic film footage of dinosaurs, which was ostensibly taken from O’Brien’s work-in-progress The Lost World. Dawley learns about the publicity stunt and threatens to Sue Rothacker for $100,000 in damages and seeks an injunction against the film’s completion, claiming that he had invented the basic design for the animated models they are using in The Lost World.
After months of legal sparring, the case is finally settled out of court and The Lost World is completed and released to great acclaim in 1925. By this time, Dawley was deeply immersed in a theatrical career, having cofounded the Chatham Community Players in New Jersey in 1922 and he spent the next fifty-two years directing plays.
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Every home in America has some distinguishing artifact in the yard that showcases the personality of the occupant. Some people have garden gnomes hidden away in the brush of their manicured front lawns; many have magnificent floral arrangements; others water fountains for birds to enjoy; and few have decorate doormats inviting guests into their home with a pithy comment.
The garish pink flamingo might litter the lawn of your prole neighbor, driving down property value but providing enjoyment for the yokel displaying such an idiotic creation.
Still, precious few dare exhibit that antiquated item from the past that conjures apocryphal tales of daring exploits provided by Black people at times of great historic distress: the Lawn Jockey.
Yes, a common sight to behold in Pre-Obama America, the lawn jockey has fallen out of favor recently despite its historical importance as a symbol of Black people and their vital contributions to the United States of America. Speculations has long centered on the origins of this miniature homage to Black people, with one hypothesis placing its birth at the dawn of this nations birth, while others place the beginnings of the forerunner to the lawn jockey as a statue denoting proper and safe passage on the underground railroad:
The African-American lawn jockeys often had exaggerated features, such as big eyes with the whites painted in, large red lips, large, flat nose and curly hair. These pieces were typically painted in gaudy colors for the uniform, with the flesh of the statue a gloss black. These statues are widely considered offensive and racially insensitive and many remaining samples have now been repainted using pink paint for the skin while the original sculpture's exaggerated features remain.Like the exaggerated English Butler (or man's man) that is proudly displayed in the parlors of upper-class Americans homes, the lawn jockey is an item that once found prominence in the gardens and front yards of the domiciles of white people in the whitopia that once was America. Now, this relic of a bygone era with suspect lineage (all of the above stories lack sufficient proof to justify their selection as the true derivation of the 'lawn jockey' statue) is rarely seen at all.
However, some accounts of the figure's origin cause some to see the statue as representing a hero of African American history and culture. According to the River Road African American Museum the figure originated in commemoration of heroic dedication to duty: "It is said that the 'lawn jockey' actually has its roots in the tale of one Jocko Graves, an African-American youth who served with General George Washington at the time that he crossed the Delaware to carry out his surprise attack on British forces at Trenton, NJ. The General thought him too young to take along on such a dangerous attack, so left him on the Pennsylvania side to tend to the horses and to keep a light on the bank for their return. So the story goes, the boy, faithful to his post and his orders, froze to death on the river bank during the night, the lantern still in his hand. The General was so much moved by the boy's devotion to his duty that he had a statue sculpted and cast of him, holding the lantern, and had it installed at his Mount Vernon estate. He called the sculpture 'The Faithful Groomsman'." The most frequently-cited source for the story is Kenneth W. Goings in "Mammy and Uncle Mose" (Indiana University Press), though he regards it as apocryphal. The story was told as well in a 32 page children's book by Earl Kroger Sr., "Jocko: A Legend of the American Revolution." Moreover, there is a 13-page typescript titled "A Horse for the General: The Story of Jocko Graves" by Thomas William Halligan in the archives of the Alaska Pacific University/ University of Alaska-Anchorage consortium library
Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia, claims that the figures were used in the days of the Underground Railroad to guide escaping slaves to freedom: "Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going ... People who don’t know the history of the jockey have feelings of humiliation and anger when they see the statue..." Blockson has installed an example of the statue at the entrance to the University's Sullivan Hall.Neither the Revolutionary War nor the Civil War legends are corroborated by historical records. Mount Vernon's librarian Ellen McCallister Clark wrote in a letter to Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library: "No record of anybody by the name of Jocko Graves, nor any account of somebody freezing to death holding Washington's horses, exists in the extensive historical record of the time." Nor do any of the many historical inventories and descriptions of Washington's estate mention any such statue. Moreover, stories about the Underground Railroad using lawn jockeys as signals are rendered suspect by the fact that red and green as signal colors meaning "stop" and "go" (or "danger" and "safe") were standardized by railway signals during the World War I era.
Curiously, no one postulates the theory that 'lawn jockeys' were created to celebrate the contributions of Black jockeys in the sport of equine racing, as it is a well-known fact that Black people once excelled in the racing of horses until racist horse owners decided midget-white people guiding their prized horses would be a more palatable sporting decision:
Owners won large enough purses to reward their jockeys with high wages, much as players who earn stratospheric salaries from owners who realize astronomical revenue from gate receipts, memorabilia, and broadcast contracts. And it produced the first black sports superstars.
From 1823 until the start of the Civil War, horse racing was the most popular sport in America with black jockeys reaping bigger purses for their owners. Earnings from racing provided jockeys lifestyle options other blacks, free or slave, didn’t enjoy. They were allowed to travel off the plantation, sometimes without a white escort. They were treated better than the average black person.
A slave jockey could earn enough money to purchase his and his family’s freedom. He could even earn enough money to purchase his own slaves. Of course, this was not always the case. Many times, money may have bought a certain amount of independence.
The Civil War temporarily disrupted horse racing when the horses were needed for war efforts. During Reconstruction, African American jockeys experienced some of their most notable achievements, particularly in the Kentucky Derby. The first winner of the Kentucky Derby was an African American, Oliver Lewis. In fact, there were 13 African American jockeys in that first race, five of whom also had black trainers. Fifteen of the first twenty-eight Kentucky Derby winners were African American. The youngest person to win the Derby was a 15-year old African American named Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton. Isaac Murphy was perhaps the most successful of these Black jockeys at this time, winning the Derby three times – a record which stood for close to forty years. Arguably, Murphy is the greatest jockey of all time, as his 44 percent winning rate remains the highest in history. Willie Simms is the only African American to have won all of the Triple Crown races.
Eventually, segregated competition took over interracial sporting competition for close to sixty years beginning in 1890. In his book, Forty Million Dollar Slaves, author William Rhoden attributes this demise to the “Jockey Syndrome.” Rhoden describes the Jockey Syndrome as a changing of the rules of the game when competition begins to gain ground. It usually involves a series of maneuvers to facilitate racist outcomes, including the taking away of previously gained rights and the diluting of access through coercive power and force, a phenomenon that was common outside of sports as well, of course. Black Americans would see that clearly when the Civil Rights Act they celebrated in 1875 was almost completely overturned by the Plessy v. Ferguson case of 1890. [Thus] the Jockey Syndrome has been the primary mechanism in American sports for tilting the ostensible level playing field of sport away from equal opportunity and toward white supremacy.
Horse racing once was dominated by Black jockeys, thus the 'lawn jockey' is a symbol of deference to this forgotten period of Black dominance in sport, a reminder that Black people are not capable of jokes at their expense and instead must constantly be provided with positive reinforcement.
That might not be it actually. The 'lawn jockey' might have sinister roots in the inherently racist genes of white people who secretly yearn for the days of segregation or even the physical enslavement of an entire people:
At the risk of being polemic, are the families that have black-faced lawn jockeys honoring the slaves who fled for their lives or the families that aided them? I doubt it. The contemporary families who own and display lawn jockeys have most likely not heard of Jocko Graves or the stories about lawn jockeys and the Underground Railroad.The authenticity and true origins of the lawn jockey might remain a curious enigma - like the question of who finds Tracey Morgan funny? - but one thing is for sure: Stuff Black People Don't Like will include lawn jockeys, for no positivity can come from a minute Black figure, harboring over-exaggerated features that elicit laughter from those who view this bastardized creation.
Let us be honest, some people find lawn jockeys nostalgic, reminiscent of the "good old days" of Jim Crow segregation. The black-faced servant with the stooped back is a reminder of the decades when Blacks occupied the bottom rung on America's racial hierarchy -- a time when Blacks "knew their place." After World War II, White residents of new housing developments, "perhaps to give themselves more of a sense of being a member of the privileged master class, began placing 'Jocko' on their lawns in great numbers," wrote Kenneth W. Goings in his book Mammy and Uncle Mose. I can tell you that more than a half-century later lawn jockeys are still seen by African Americans as markers of "White space," objects that send this message to Blacks: "You are not welcome here."
Disingenuous white liberals might shriek in horror at the sight of such a boorish figurine, but Black people know that deep down a hearty laughter is ready to bellow out once they leave the room and ear shot of this person, for they recall what former President Bill Clinton said of Mein Obama before his election:
"A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee," the former president told the liberal lion from Massachusetts, according to the gossipy new campaign book, "Game Change."
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In the old West, the Comanche ruled. Settlers, soldiers and sheriffs fought them for territorial rights for over 4o years. They were the most adept horsemen and fierce fighters. They often took as captives, young white women and children; marrying them and raising them as part of their tribe.
Cynthia Ann Parker was a classic example of a white woman who spent most of her life with the Comanche until the day that she was "rescued" against her will, by some Texas Rangers. Her half-breed son, Quanah Parker, went on to be the last of the great tribal chiefs. A life defined by never having lost a battle.
Gwynne has a firm handle on his research and this work speaks volumns supporting the long history of governmental abuse of the American Indian and their struggle to conform to a society whose morals are alien to their own.
Not as profound as Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, but very insightful.
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Pigeon Key has been abandoned twice: first when a devastating hurricane on Labor Day 1935 killed the vast majority of its inhabitants, and again in 1982 when a new Seven Mile Bridge was opened, passing a few hundred meters away from the isle which had previously served as a rest stop between Miami and Key West.
At the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries, Florida tycoon Henry Flagler had a vision to build a railroad extension running from Homestead,a town in the southernmost tip of mainland Florida, along the Keys to its final destination in Key West. It was to be called the Key West Extension, or the Overseas Railroad. Ever the entrepreneur, Flagler sought to corner the trade market via Key West, as it was the closest deep sea port to the new Panama Canal and trade with Cuba was booming at the time.
When Flagler started building the rail extension in 1905, most observers saw it as an old man’s folly: materials shipped from all over the world would, theoretically, be combined to form 128 miles of rail line, spanning 60 miles of unobstructed water, touching occasionally at rocky, mangrove-filled, generally inhospitable islands. Even drinking water would have to be imported.
Despite the odds, by 1908 half of the rails had been laid, but the seven-mile span of open water between Marathon and Bahia Honda Keys was left to navigate. (Incidentally, it was the Overseas Railroad workers who christened Marathon Key, thanks to the seemingly endless and torturous task of building the aforementioned seven-mile-long bridge.) The tiny isle of Pigeon Key served as the midpoint construction base for the project, housing over 400 men.
At the time of its completion in 1912, Henry Flagler rode the train into Key West and received a hero’s welcome. Onlookers deemed the Key West Extension of the Overseas Railroad an engineering marvel and was called the Eighth Wonder of the World. One year later, Flagler died at the age of 82, never to know the way in which his railroad fundamentally changed the Florida Keys.
Conversely, Flagler was spared the knowledge that the Key West Extension built as a result of sheer determination, would be destroyed after only 23 years of service. As part of the Great Depression’s New Deal, hundreds of unemployed men - mostly World War I veterans - were hired to build the bridges for the Overseas Highway with supplies delivered to three bases, including Pigeon Key, via Flagler’s rails.
During the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, a belated attempt to usher the men at Pigeon Key to safety went horribly awry when the raging storm derailed their transport train at Islamorada, sending it tumbling into the ocean. The death toll was 432. Famed author Ernest Hemingway published a letter to the editor in which he called such gross negligence nothing less than murder, and correctly predicted that the 30-plus miles of rail destroyed in the storm would never be repaired.
Upon the opening of an updated US Route 1 bridge in 1982, which bypassed Pigeon Key by a few hundred meters, the abandoned buildings were left to fall into disrepair in the scorching sun, pummeling storms and soporific breezes.
Today, the Pigeon Key Foundation has restored the historical buildings, and installed a museum detailing the history behind the Overseas Railroad and the island. Visitors interested in a tour should meet at the old rail car serving as the Pigeon Key Gift Shop on Vaca Key. The price of admission includes a full day’s access to the museum, grounds, free snorkel equipment, and a ferry ride to/from Pigeon Key. Otherwise, the 2.2-mile-long section of the Old Seven Mile Bridge is open to pedestrian, cycling, and golf cart traffic (though please be prepared for the scorching sun, as nary a speck of shade can be found). Fishing from the old bridge is permitted.
Know Before You Go
It's located 2.2 miles west of Marathon, in the central Florida Keys. Because of Hurricane Irma, this is no longer accessible by bike or foot (though they are trying to fix that.) You must take a ferry now. The ferry departs from the parking lot of the Pigeon Key Gift Shop (housed in an old Overseas railroad car) immediately prior to the beginning of Seven Mile Bridge.
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Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Head of state Girma Wolde-Giorgis
Head of government Hailemariam Desalegn (replaced Meles Zenawi)
The state stifled freedom of expression, severely restricting the activities of the independent media, political opposition parties and human rights organizations. Dissent was not tolerated in any sphere. The authorities imprisoned actual and perceived opponents of the government. Peaceful protests were suppressed. Arbitrary arrests and detention were common, and torture and other ill-treatment in detention centres were rife. Forced evictions were reported on a vast scale around the country.
In August, the authorities announced the death of Prime Minister Zenawi, who had ruled Ethiopia for 21 years. Hailemariam Desalegn was appointed as his successor, and three deputy prime ministers were appointed to include representation of all ethnic-based parties in the ruling coalition.
The government continued to offer large tracts of land for lease to foreign investors. Often this coincided with the “villagization” programme of resettling hundreds of thousands of people. Both actions were frequently accompanied by numerous allegations of large-scale forced evictions.
Skirmishes continued to take place between the Ethiopian army and armed rebel groups in several parts of the country – including the Somali, Oromia and Afar regions.
Ethiopian forces continued to conduct military operations in Somalia. There were reports of extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detention, and torture and other ill-treatment carried out by Ethiopian troops and militias allied to the Somali government.
In March, Ethiopian forces made two incursions into Eritrea, later reporting that they had attacked camps where they claimed Ethiopian rebel groups trained (see Eritrea entry). Ethiopia blamed Eritrea for backing a rebel group that attacked European tourists in the Afar region in January.
Freedom of expression
A number of journalists and political opposition members were sentenced to lengthy prison terms on terrorism charges for calling for reform, criticizing the government, or for links with peaceful protest movements. Much of the evidence used against these individuals consisted of examples of them exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association.
The trials were marred by serious irregularities, including a failure to investigate allegations of torture; denial of, or restrictions on, access to legal counsel; and use of confessions extracted under coercion as admissible evidence.
- In January, journalists Reyot Alemu, Woubshet Taye and Elias Kifle, opposition party leader Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher, and former opposition supporter Hirut Kifle, were convicted of terrorism offences.
- In June, journalist Eskinder Nega, opposition leader Andualem Arage, and other dissidents, were given prison sentences ranging from eight years to life in prison on terrorism charges.
- In December, opposition leaders Bekele Gerba and Olbana Lelisa were sentenced to eight and 13 years’ imprisonment respectively, for “provocation of crimes against the state”.
Between July and November, hundreds of Muslims were arrested during a series of protests against alleged government restrictions on freedom of religion, across the country. While many of those arrested were subsequently released, large numbers remained in detention at the end of the year, including key figures of the protest movement. The government made significant efforts to quash the movement and stifle reporting on the protests.
- In October, 29 leading figures of the protest movement, including members of a committee appointed by the community to represent their grievances to the government, and at least one journalist, were charged under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation.
- In both May and October, Voice of America correspondents were temporarily detained and interrogated over interviews they had conducted with protesters.
The few remaining vestiges of the independent media were subjected to even further restrictions.
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In the modern world, everyone is viewed equally. All men and women are given the same rights and privileges, as they should be. These beliefs, however, have not always been active. Mark Twain, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, used “nigger” to describe African-American slaves, and used situations to show the property-like traits these slaves had. This may be considered extremely lewd and unreasonable now, but in 1885, when this book was written, it was the
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learn how to read and write, or any other privileges that so many of us now take for granted. Jim should not be a reason to ban this book from schools, or any other truth-filled book like it. Jim should be considered a reason to learn more about our beginnings. People should read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and come out more educated about how drastically situations and thought processes have changed since the 1800’s.
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**The Dangers of High-Speed Rail for Black Americans**
As the government pushes for the development of high-speed rail across the country, it is important to consider the potential dangers and risks that may come with this technology. While it may seem like a convenient way to travel, particularly for Black Americans who have historically faced barriers to affordable and reliable transportation options, there are several concerns that must be addressed.
First and foremost, high-speed rail is incredibly expensive to build and maintain. This cost is often passed on to taxpayers, who may not see significant benefits from the project in their own communities. In addition, the construction and operation of high-speed rail often requires the acquisition of large amounts of land, which can displace communities and harm the environment. Black neighborhoods, which have historically been neglected by infrastructure projects, may be particularly vulnerable to these negative impacts.
Moreover, there are safety concerns associated with high-speed rail, particularly when it comes to the impact it may have on Black Americans. According to a 2019 report from the Federal Railroad Administration, Black Americans are more likely to die in railway accidents than any other racial group. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including the fact that Black neighborhoods are often located near railroads and other transportation infrastructure. High-speed rail, which travels at significantly faster speeds than traditional trains and is equipped with powerful engines and heavy cars, may pose a particularly significant danger to Black communities.
It is also important to consider the potential environmental impact of high-speed rail. While it is often marketed as a more sustainable transportation option, the construction and operation of high-speed rail can have significant negative effects on the environment. As one example, the California high-speed rail project has faced criticism for its potential impact on endangered species such as the San Joaquin kit fox and the blunt-nosed leopard lizard. The disruption of fragile ecosystems can have particularly significant consequences for Black communities, who are often more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
Overall, while high-speed rail may seem like an attractive option for Black Americans seeking affordable and reliable transportation, there are significant concerns that must be addressed. From the high cost to the potential safety risks and environmental impact, it is important to take a critical look at the potential dangers of this technology before moving forward with development.
**The Growing Importance of Telemedicine for Black Americans**
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare providers have turned to telemedicine as a way to provide care while minimizing the risk of exposure to the virus. For Black Americans, who have historically faced significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare, telemedicine has the potential to be a game-changer.
One of the major benefits of telemedicine is that it can help to address the issue of healthcare deserts – areas where there are few, if any, healthcare providers available. These deserts are often found in Black communities, which have historically been underserved by the healthcare system. By enabling patients to connect with healthcare providers remotely, telemedicine can help to bridge this gap and increase access to care for Black Americans.
Moreover, telemedicine can help to address disparities in health outcomes. Black Americans are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and are also more likely to experience complications from these conditions. By providing remote access to healthcare providers, telemedicine can help to manage these conditions and prevent them from becoming more serious. Additionally, telemedicine can enable healthcare providers to identify potential health issues early on, before they become more difficult and expensive to treat.
There are also financial benefits to telemedicine for Black Americans. Because telemedicine often involves lower overhead costs for providers, it can be a more affordable option for patients. Additionally, telemedicine can help to minimize the financial burden of healthcare by reducing the need for costly emergency room visits and hospital stays.
Overall, telemedicine has enormous potential to improve the health and wellbeing of Black Americans. By increasing access to care, addressing health disparities, and providing more affordable options for patients, telemedicine can help to create a more equitable and just healthcare system for all.
**The Importance of Addressing Mental Health in the Black Community**
While it is important to address physical health issues in the Black community, it is equally crucial to address mental health concerns. Black Americans face significant barriers to mental healthcare, including stigma, lack of access to affordable care, and distrust of healthcare providers. As a result, many Black Americans are not receiving the mental healthcare they need, which can have significant negative consequences for their overall health and wellbeing.
One of the most pressing mental health concerns facing Black Americans is the impact of systemic racism and trauma. Black Americans experience higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and incarceration than other racial groups, which can lead to increased stress and trauma. Moreover, the prevalence of police brutality and other forms of violence targeting Black Americans can have significant mental health consequences. It is essential that mental healthcare providers understand the unique challenges facing Black Americans and are equipped to address the impact of racism and trauma in their treatment.
Another key concern is the lack of diversity among mental healthcare providers. Because Black Americans are significantly underrepresented in the mental healthcare profession, many may find it difficult to connect with providers who understand their experiences and can provide culturally competent care. It is essential that efforts are made to increase diversity in the mental healthcare profession, and to provide training and support for providers who may not have direct experience working with Black patients.
Moreover, it is important to address the stigma associated with mental illness in the Black community. Many Black Americans may feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help for mental health concerns, and may not receive the support and understanding they need from family and friends. Mental healthcare providers must work to combat this stigma and create safe, supportive spaces for Black Americans seeking care.
In conclusion, addressing mental health concerns in the Black community is essential to creating a more equitable and just society. By promoting access to affordable, culturally competent care and combatting stigma and systemic racism, we can ensure that all Black Americans have the support and resources they need to achieve optimal mental health and wellbeing.
|“From the high cost to the potential safety risks and environmental impact, it is important to take a critical look at the potential dangers of this technology before moving forward with development.”|
|“Mental healthcare providers must work to combat this stigma and create safe, supportive spaces for Black Americans seeking care.”|
To learn more about mental health resources for Black Americans, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s website.
To download the telemedicine app, click here.
High-speed rail is incredibly expensive to build and maintain. This cost is often passed on to taxpayers, who may not see significant benefits from the project in their own communities.
Telemedicine can help to address disparities in health outcomes. Black Americans are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Many Black Americans may feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help for mental health concerns, and may not receive the support and understanding they need from family and friends.
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CC-MAIN-2023-23
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https://chicagoforrahm.com/why-high-speed-rail-is-bad-or-good/
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How Can I Check My Usage
To determine your average daily use or to check your appliance usage, you can read your meter on an hourly, daily or weekly basis.
Simply record your meter reading at the beginning of a measurement period and again at the end of a period. The difference between these
Your water meter reads in cubic feet and can easily be converted to gallons by multiplying the reading by 7.48 gallons per cubic foot.
Many residents ask the question, how much water does the average person use each day? The following chart shows estimates of personal water use: Other items may affect per daily
Daily Average /per person (
Converted to Cubic ft (CF)
| DAILY TOTALS
For more information, visit Water sense-EPA.
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CC-MAIN-2020-29
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https://www.geneva.il.us/509/Usage-Tips
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Meditation is the core of Zen practice. Zen literally means meditation. It comes from sanskrit and pali in India to the Chinese (Chan) to the Japanese. (see the word history in the Free Dictionary)
Zazen is the formal practice of Zen and it means sitting meditation.
Of course the question remains, "what is meditation?" or "what is Zen?" That questioning is part of the practice of Zen.
The posture of zazen. There are many different ways to do Zen meditation. During meditation our body and mind should be still. Depending on the individual, you may like to do sitting cross legged on the floor, kneeling on the floor, sitting in a chair, or even laying down. It is important to find a posture that is comfortable for you but also encourages you to empty your mind. If you are too comfortable it is too easy to sleep or day dream. If you are too uncomfortable the pain becomes distracting. Here are some good websites about how to do zazen:
Zen Center of Los Angeles
Zen Mountain Monastery
Santa Cruz Zen Center--Postures for People with chronic pain
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CC-MAIN-2015-48
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http://www.swzc.org/pages/zen_meditation.html
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Submitted to: Soil Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2007
Publication Date: 3/1/2008
Citation: Adeli, A., Bolster, C.H., Rowe, D.E., McLaughlin, M.R., Brink, G.E. 2008. Effects of long-term swine effluent application on selected soil properties. Soil Science. 173:223-235. Interpretive Summary: Improving swine effluent management practices requires an understanding of the fate of nutrients derived from swine effluent and their effects on soil quality parameters. In the southeastern U.S., swine effluent is generally applied to surrounding crop lands and not only provides a method of manure disposal but also provides nutrients for crop growth. The effectiveness of soil-plant systems to assimilate swine effluent derived nutrients depends on the chemical, physical, and biological attributes of the soil. Application of swine effluent to the soil improves soil fertility by increasing plant availability of macro and micro nutrients in the zone of application. Although the effects of solid and liquid animal manures on soil properties have been well documented, swine effluent is very low in suspended solids and organic C. Therefore, long-term application of swine effluent may affect soil chemical properties differently than solid or liquid animal manures. Measurements of soil property indicators from long-term swine effluent application is needed to evaluate the capacity of soils in receiving animal waste without adverse impact on the environment and soil quality as well.
Technical Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effects of long-term swine lagoon effluent application on nutrient distribution in an alkaline Okolona silty clay, an acidic Vaiden silty clay, and a Brooksville silty clay loam. Swine effluent has been applied using a center-pivot irrigation system at a total rate ranging from 4 to 6 inches of effluent per year since 1990. In October 2005, soil samples were taken from the irrigated and non-irrigated sites at the following depths: 0-5, 5-15, 15-30, 30-60, and 60-90 cm. Soils were air-dried, ground to pass 2 mm sieve, and analyzed for selected chemical properties. Sorption isotherms were also performed on the soil samples to determine P sorption capacity and strength. Long-term application of swine effluent resulted in decrease in soil pH and increase in soil electrical conductivity (EC) in all three soils. Total soil carbon (TC) and microbial biomass C increased in irrigated sites for all soils. Soil ammonium (NH4-N), nitrate (NO3-N), Mehlich 3 extractable P, water soluble P, and zinc (Zn) concentrations were elevated at the 0-5 cm and 5-15 cm depths and their values were extremely lower in the alkaline Okolona soil than in the Brooksville and Vaiden soils. No clear effect was observed for P sorption strength and capacity. Low N and P accumulation in alkaline Okolona soil may prolong the capacity of this soil in receiving swine effluent particularly if threshold soil test P level is used as part of swine effluent management program.
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CC-MAIN-2017-13
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https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=213077
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“… I carried to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had let soften a bit of madeleine. But at the very instant when the mouthful of tea mixed with cake crumbs touched my palate, I quivered, attentive to the extraordinary thing that was happening inside me.”
It’s a seminal passage in literature, so famous in fact, that it has its own name: the Proustian moment — a sensory experience that triggers a rush of memories often long past, or even seemingly forgotten. For French author Marcel Proust, who penned the legendary lines in his 1913 novel, “À la recherche du temps perdu,” it was the soupçon of cake in tea that sent his mind reeling.
But according to a biologist and an olfactory branding specialist Wednesday, it was the nose that was really at work.
This should not be surprising, as neuroscience makes clear. Smell and memory seem to be so closely linked because of the brain’s anatomy, said Harvard’s Venkatesh Murthy, Raymond Leo Erikson Life Sciences Professor and chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Murthy walked the audience through the science early in the panel discussion “Olfaction in Science and Society,” sponsored by the Harvard Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the Harvard Brain Science Initiative.
Smells are handled by the olfactory bulb, the structure in the front of the brain that sends information to the other areas of the body’s central command for further processing. Odors take a direct route to the limbic system, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, the regions related to emotion and memory. “The olfactory signals very quickly get to the limbic system,” Murthy said.
But, as with Proust, taste plays a role, too, said Murthy, whose lab explores the neural and algorithmic basis of odor-guided behaviors in terrestrial animals.
When you chew, molecules in the food, he said, “make their way back retro-nasally to your nasal epithelium,” meaning that essentially, “all of what you consider flavor is smell. When you are eating all the beautiful, complicated flavors … they are all smell.” Murthy said you can test that theory by pinching your nose when eating something such as vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Instead of tasting the flavor, he said, “all you can taste is sweet.”
For decades individuals and businesses have explored ways to harness the evocative power of smell. Think of the cologne or perfume worn by a former flame. And then there was AromaRama or Smell-O-Vision, brainchildren of the film industry of the 1950s that infused movie theaters with appropriate odors in an attempt pull viewers deeper into a story — and the most recent update, the decade-old 4DX system, which incorporates special effects into movie theaters, such as shaking seats, wind, rain, as well as smells. Several years ago, Harvard scientist David Edwards worked on a new technology that would allow iPhones to share scents as well as photos and texts.
Today, the aroma of a home or office is big business. Scent branding is in vogue across a range of industries, including hotels that often pump their signature scents into rooms and lobbies, noted the authors of 2018 Harvard Business Review article.
“In an age where it’s becoming more and more difficult to stand out in a crowded market, you must differentiate your brand emotionally and memorably,” they wrote. “Think about your brand in a new way by considering how scent can play a role in making a more powerful impression on your customers.”
Someone who knows that lesson well is Dawn Goldworm, co-founder and nose, or scent, director of what she calls her “olfactive branding company,” 12.29, which uses the “visceral language of scent to transform brand-building” in the actual buildings where clients reside (mostly through ventilation systems or standalone units).
Among Goldworm’s high-profile customers is the sportswear giant Nike. Its signature scent, she explains in a video on her company’s website, was inspired by, among other things, the smell of a rubber basketball sneaker as it scrapes across the court and a soccer cleat in grass and dirt. Her goal, she said, is to create “immediate and memorable connections between brands and consumers.”
Goldworm, who designed signature fragrances for celebrities for more than a decade before starting her own company, knows the science, too. She spent five years in perfumery school followed by a master’s degree at New York University where her thesis focused on olfactory branding.
During the talk she explained that smell is the only fully developed sense a fetus has in the womb, and it’s the one that is the most developed in a child through the age of around 10 when sight takes over. And because “smell and emotion are stored as one memory,” said Goldworm, childhood tends to be the period in which you create “the basis for smells you will like and hate for the rest of your life.”
She also explained that people tend to smell in color, demonstrating the connection with pieces of paper dipped in scents that she handed to the audience. Like most people, her listeners associated citrus-flavored mandarin with the colors orange, yellow, and green. When smelling vetiver, a grassy scent, audience members envisioned green and brown.
Be careful of your snout, both speakers cautioned the audience. The bony plate in the nose that connects to the olfactory bulb, which in turn sends signals to the brain, is particularly sensitive to injury, meaning head trauma can “shear that plate off” and cause people to lose their sense of smell entirely, making them anosmic, said Murthy. (Feb. 27 is anosmic awareness day.)
“Wear a helmet if you ride a bike or are doing extreme sports,” said Goldworm.
People do tend to lose their sense of smell as they age, she added. But not to worry. Your nose is like a muscle in the body that can be strengthened, she said, by giving it a daily workout, not with weights, but with sniffs.
“Just pay attention,” with your nose, said Goldworm. “When you are walking down the street, consciously indicate what you are smelling … the more you use [your nose], the stronger it gets.”
The Daily Gazette
Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvard news.
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Vomiting is not that of serious condition as it is the body’s response to a temporary health problem.
Some of the common causes associated with vomiting are as follows.
- drinking too much alcohol
- food poisoning
- stomach flu
- emotional stress
- motion sickness
In order to overcome vomiting, we present a few home remedies to prevent omitting.
When the vomiting is influenced by gastritis, the effective remedy to treat it is the use of Rice Water. For making rice water, brown rice should be sued instead of using the white rice, as it is enriched with starch and is easy for the stomach to digest.
- Boil 1 cup of brown rice in only half a cup of water.
- Strain the liquid after boiling.
- Drink the rice water 2 times a day.
Cinnamon is effective in calming many stomach disorders as well as vomiting and nausea aggravated by it.
- Boil some water and add in it 1 tsp of cinnamon powder.
- Let this liquid steep for a bit and strain it afterward.
- For taste, you can also add 1 tsp of honey.
- Sip on this drink slowly.
ACV has been known to ease the feeling queasiness caused by the acid detoxification in the stomach. It is also effective in treating food poisoning, all thanks to its antimicrobial properties.
- Add 1 tbsp of ACV in 1 tbsp of honey in 1 glass of water. Mix it thoroughly before drinking it.
- The smell of vomiting can induce further vomiting. It is best to rinse your mouth after vomiting with 1 tbsp of ACV. It will also prevent further vomiting.
Onion has natural antibiotic properties that help in fighting against not only nausea but also vomiting.
- Add 1 tbsp of onion juice in 1 tsp of freshly grated ginger to make a thick paste. During intervals of vomiting, it is best to consume this paste.
- An alternate method is to add 2 tsps of honey in half a cup of onion juice. Mix them well and consume half a tsp of this mixture.
Amongst the best and effective remedies for preventing vomiting, cumin is the best. It causes the pancreas to have a stimulation which helps it secrete pancreatic enzymes. These enzymes then help to prevent the queasy feeling caused by stomach disorders.
- Ground half a tsp of cumin seeds and add it in 1 cup of warm water. Mix it well and drink 2 times a day.
- An alternate remedy is to mix some amount of cardamom powder as well as cumin powder in 1 tsp of honey. Consume this paste slowly.
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The sharing economy is a socio-economic model based on sharing “underutilized” assets, which can vary from spaces, to goods, to skills, for monetary or non-monetary benefits. Essentially, the sharing economy model is based on the collaboration between “who has” and “who wants” an asset, in order to improve the efficiency of its utilization.
Principles of the Sharing Economy Model
One of the main principles of the sharing economy model states that “an unused value is waste”, which highlights how goods are wasted during their idle time. This is because these assets, if made “accessible” to others, can be used to unlock and generate new social, economic, and environmental values. A practical example of this is the car, which on average remains unused more than 20 hours a day. Indeed, renting it to others can have many benefits, such as supplemental income for the owner and savings for the borrower. Thanks to the “access not ownership” principle, this economic system can succeed in the optimization of the underutilized assets.
In addition, the sharing model principles assert that what we think of as waste, because we don’t need or want it anymore, can have a value. This is similar to a “recycling principle”, but it can mean more as it implies the need for a study on product design in order to increase the products’ utilization cycles, and to reduce the use of natural resources.
Other main principles of the sharing economy model are “trust” and “transparent and open data”. Indeed, the first is fundamental to enhance collaboration between people, and the latter has a key role in the innovation process.
Drivers of Sharing Economy
Today this model is in the spotlight as many applications have been recently implemented. These cover many kinds of services and are used by millions of people every day.
This has been possible thanks to the opportunities provided by IT developments, social media, and mobile devices. The adoption of technology significantly reduced system transaction costs, increased the level of trust between people and, helped improve transparency and the sharing of information.
Today the sharing economy is growing rapidly and, according to Forbes, in 2013 it generated a revenue flow of $ 3.5 billion, with an impressive growth rate of 25% annually. According to Rachel Botsman, author of the book What’s Mine is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption, the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $26 billion, but this value can vary if broader definitions are taken into account.
This rapid growth is also visible in new, emerging companies. An example of this is AirBnb, a $10 billion service which allows users to rent their unused rooms. It has become so popular that in 2012 it doubled its bookings from 5 to 10 million in only six months. Technology innovation played a central role in the sector’s success, yet it isn’t the only driving force of the rapid growth of the sharing economy. Other driving forces have been the global economic crisis, rising income inequality, and a shift in values and purchasing decisions. In fact, the great wave of sharing economy services born after a year of changes in 2008, not only coincided with the financial crisis, but also with the mass adoption of smartphones (the launch of the iPhone) and social media outlets such as Facebook which reached more than 150 million users.
Another important related driver of the adoption of the sharing economy is population growth, which is a central factor in cities where “sharing services” take place. In the near future, 70% of world’s population will live in cities which is where sharing models are growing due to the high concentration of people providing the opportunity to scale these businesses.
Last but not least, the increased volatility in costs of natural resources and growing environmental pressures are other important sharing economy drivers and opportunities.
Sharing Economy & Sustainability
Over and above the social and economic advantages generated by the sharing economy, such as the strengthening of communities and increased financial returns, it can also provide environmental benefits. The sharing economy improves the sustainability of individual consumption patterns, meaning lowered carbon emissions, waste, and natural resource utilization. This occurs because by sharing goods, we reduce the quantity of manufactured products and increase the demand of higher quality products.
A clear example of this is the car-share sector and the resultant environmental benefits. As people continue to share their cars, there will be fewer cars and related infrastructure projects required, and consequently there will be less natural resource consumption. Fewer cars means an increase in urban livability and a reduction in GHG emissions, with even larger impacts when individuals choose to share trips. Furthermore, the demand for higher-end cars increases the product life cycle of vehicles, shifting its product design from obsolescence, toward sustainability and circular economic models.
According to the recent IDDRI study, Sharing Economy: make it Sustainable, the shareable goods in advanced economies account for 25% of household expenditures and 33% of household waste. That means that, if sharing models works under favorable conditions, they can save up to 7% of the household budget and reduce 20% of household waste.
Despite the positive aspects of sharing underutilized goods, it’s important to note that this model alone is not sufficient to solve our ecological challenges, as this problem requires a systemic change. Universal forms of sharing, such as public transport, driven by the public sector can have a larger impact. Policy makers play a key role, as they can promote and match the different forms of sharing, both public and private, using the legislative framework and policies like green procurements and incentives.
Therefore, in order to leverage the sharing economy to improve sustainable consumption, it’s important that every group involved is aware and committed to pursuing the opportunities provided by the sharing economy model.
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<urn:uuid:29d120e6-0c01-4452-95ae-be9f4838d44e>
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CC-MAIN-2019-35
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http://www.powerhousegrowers.com/benefits-of-the-sharing-economy-model/
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|
Health Care Personnel and Flu Vaccination, Internet Panel Survey, United States, November 2015
Influenza (flu) among health care personnel (HCP) can result in lost work days for HCP and has the potential to spread flu to other HCP and to patients (1-5), including pregnant women, young children, older people, and those with medical conditions who are at higher risk of serious flu complications.
- Flu vaccination of HCP has been shown to reduce the risk of flu and absenteeism in vaccinated HCP and reduce the risk of respiratory illness and deaths in nursing home residents (2–5).
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all HCP receive an annual flu vaccination (1).
- Flu vaccination coverage among HCP has improved, but remains below the national Healthy People 2020 target of 90% (6).
- In the 2007–08 flu season, HCP vaccination coverage was 48% based on data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the data source used to monitor the Healthy People 2020 objective (7).
- By the 2013–14 flu season, vaccination coverage among HCP measured in the NHIS had increased to 65% (CDC, unpublished data).
- Flu vaccination coverage among HCP measured using Internet panel surveys* was 67% during the 2011–12 season, 72% during the 2012–13 season, 75% during the 2013–14 season, and 77% during the 2014-15 season (7, 8). In the most recent two flu seasons, coverage among HCP working in hospitals and coverage among doctors, nurses, and pharmacists has approached and sometimes exceeded 90% (8).
CDC analyzed data from an Internet panel survey conducted among HCP from October 29–November 13, 2015. The results of this survey provide information for use in vaccination campaigns during National Influenza Vaccination Week 2015 (December 6–12, 2015). This report provides early flu season (early November) estimates of vaccination coverage among HCP. Final 2015–16 flu season HCP vaccination coverage estimates will be available after the end of the season.
- Early season 2015–16 flu vaccination coverage among HCP was 66.7%, similar to early season coverage during the 2014–15 season (64.3%).
- During the previous two seasons, flu vaccination coverage increased by 12–13 percentage points from early season to the end of the season.
- By occupation, early season flu vaccination coverage was highest among physicians (87.5%), nurse practitioners/physician assistants (81.8%), nurses (77.1%), pharmacists (76.8%), and other clinical professionals (72.6%).
- Flu vaccination coverage was lowest among administrative and non-clinical support staff (62.8%) and assistants and aides (55.4%).
- By work setting, early season flu vaccination coverage was highest among HCP working in hospitals (83.9%).
- Flu vaccination coverage was lowest among HCP working in long-term care (LTC) settings (52.4%).
- Early season flu vaccination coverage was higher among HCP whose employers required (87.2%) or recommended (61.9%) that they be vaccinated compared with those HCP whose employer did not have a requirement or a recommendation regarding flu vaccination (39.4%).
- Among unvaccinated HCP who did not intend to get the flu vaccination during this flu season, the most common reason reported for not getting vaccinated was that they don’t think that flu vaccines work. The second most common reason was fear of experiencing side effects or getting sick from the vaccine.
- Vaccination continues to be low among assistants, aides, non-clinical support staff, and HCP working in LTC settings.
- While overall end-of-season HCP flu vaccination has steadily improved over the last five years, most of these increases have occurred in hospital settings.
- Increased efforts are needed to improve coverage among these HCP groups with lower coverage, especially those working in LTC settings where residents are often at higher risk of severe complications from flu.
- The highest vaccination coverage was reported among HCP with an employer requirement for vaccination.
- In the absence of vaccination requirements, evidence-based measures associated with increased flu vaccination coverage of HCP include ensuring convenient access to flu vaccine at the workplace at no cost.
- Early season flu vaccination coverage was higher among physicians (87.5%), nurse practitioners and physician assistants (81.8%), nurses (77.1%), pharmacists (76.8%), and other clinical personnel (72.6%) compared with administrative/non-clinical support staff (62.8%) and assistants or aides (55.4%).
- Flu vaccination coverage increased from early season 2014–15 to early season 2015–16 by 8.8 percentage points among assistants and aides and by 5.3 percentage points among physicians. Flu vaccination coverage decreased from early season 2014–15 to early season 2015–16 by 9.9 percentage points among pharmacists. Coverage for other occupational groups was similar in early season 2014–15 and early season 2015–16.
- Early season flu vaccination coverage varied by work setting and was highest among HCP working in hospitals (83.9%) and lowest among HCP working in long-term care settings (52.4%).
- Coverage among HCP working in hospitals increased by 5.2 percentage points from early season 2014–15 to early season 2015–16. Coverage in all other work settings was similar in early season 2014–15 and early season 2015–16.
- Early season flu vaccination coverage among HCP varied by age, ranging from 64.7% among HCP 18–49 years to 71.5% in HCP ≥65 years.
- In all age groups, vaccination coverage among HCP was similar in early season 2014–15 and early season 2015–16.
- Early season flu vaccination coverage was highest among HCP with an employer requirement for vaccination (87.2%). Vaccination coverage was higher among HCP with an employer recommendation for vaccination but no requirement (61.9%) compared to those whose employers had neither a requirement nor a recommendation for vaccination (39.4%).
- HCP working in hospitals were more likely to report an employer requirement for vaccination than HCP working in ambulatory care, long-term care settings, and other settings (Table 1).
Percentage vaccinated among HCP with and without an employer requirement for vaccination
Percentage of HCP with an employer requirement for vaccination
|Ambulatory care / Physician office||
|Long-term care facility||
- Similar to the past five seasons, most vaccinated HCP (74.3%) received the flu vaccination at their workplace.
- Protecting themselves from flu was the most common main reason reported by vaccinated HCP for receiving the flu vaccination.
- An employer requirement for flu vaccination was the second most commonly reported main reason why HCP were vaccinated.
- Among unvaccinated HCP who reported that they do not intend to get flu vaccination during this flu season, the most commonly reported main reason¶ was that they do not think that flu vaccines work.
- This was also the most commonly reported reason for non-vaccination in early season 2014-15.
- Other reasons commonly reported for not receiving flu vaccination included fear of side effects or getting sick from the vaccine and thinking that they do not need the vaccine.
Overall, the early season estimate of flu vaccination coverage among HCP in 2015–16 (66.7%) was similar to early season coverage in 2014–15 (64.3%). Flu vaccination coverage among HCP working in hospital settings, and among physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists and other clinical personnel across all work settings was substantially higher than coverage among HCP working in long-term care and other work settings and among HCP working in other occupations. The success of onsite vaccination and other vaccine promotion in raising coverage in hospital settings could be implemented in other work settings with lower coverage.
Additional efforts are needed to improve vaccination coverage among HCP in work settings other than hospitals, especially in long-term care settings, and among assistants and aides and administrative and non-clinical support staff in all work settings. Continued efforts are needed to ensure all HCP are vaccinated as soon as possible during every flu season. Interventions to promote flu vaccination among HCP each season include:
- Employers should offer flu vaccination to HCP:
- Onsite over multiple days and shifts,
- Free of charge, and with
- Active promotion.
- Employers and health care administrators should make use of the Guide to Community Preventive Servicesexternal icon, which provides guidance on effective interventions to increase the uptake of flu vaccination among HCP (9).
- Long-term care (LTC) employers can also use the LTC web-based toolkit developed by CDC and the National Vaccine Program Office, which provides access to resources, strategies, and educational materials for increasing flu vaccination among HCP in LTC settings (10).
- Measurement and feedback of vaccination coverage is recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force to increase uptake of recommended vaccinations (9). Measures such as recent requirements by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and outpatient dialysis facilities to report their facilities’ HCP influenza vaccine coverage rates may be useful for this purpose (11-14).
The November internet panel survey of HCP is designed to provide estimates of national flu vaccination coverage among HCP and to assess the effectiveness of current vaccination efforts. The follow-up survey will be conducted in April 2016 to provide end-of-season flu vaccination coverage estimates.
CDC collected data from two pre-existing web-based panels from October 28–November 13, 2015. Professional clinical personnel (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, allied health professionals, technicians, technologists, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics) were recruited from the membership of Medscape, a professional health website managed by WebMD Professional Services. HCP in other occupations (assistants, aides, administrative support staff and managers, and non-clinical support staff employed in health care work settings) were recruited from a general population Internet panel operated by Survey Sampling International. The sample was weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the target population of U.S. HCP. Survey items included vaccination during the current flu season, vaccination history, and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs concerning flu and flu vaccination. There were 2,033 eligible HCP who started the survey, and 1,982 (97.5%) of those completed the survey. Weighted estimates were calculated based on each occupational group by age, gender, race/ethnicity, health care work setting, and Census region to be generalizable to the U.S. population of HCP.
Weighted analyses were conducted using SAS v9.2 survey procedures. Because the opt-in Internet panel sample is based on those who self-selected for participation in the panels rather than a random probability sample, statistical measures such as calculation of confidence intervals and tests of differences cannot be performed (15). A change was noted as an increase or decrease when there was a difference in estimates of at least five percentage points.
- A total of 1,982 HCP were included in the survey.
- By age††, 1,297 (65.5%) were 18–49 years, 609 (30.7%) were 50–64 years, and 75 (3.8%) were 65 years and older.
- For additional occupational characteristics, please see the attached table. hcp-occupation-2015.xlsx excel icon[XLSX – 17 KB]
- For additional work setting characteristics, please see the attached table. hcp-worksetting-2015.xlsx excel icon[XLSX – 17 KB]
These results are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution. The follow-up survey in April 2016 will assess flu vaccination coverage at the end of the flu season.
The findings in the report are subject to several limitations.
- The sample was not necessarily representative of the approximately 18 million HCP in the United States. The survey was conducted among a group of volunteer HCP (a non-probability sample) who had already enrolled in Medscape or the Survey Sampling International panel, rather than among a randomly selected sample.
- Some bias might remain in estimates after weighting the sample to improve representativeness, given the exclusion of individuals with no Internet access and the self-selection processes for entry into the panels and participation in the survey. Estimates might be biased if the selection processes for entry into the Internet panels and the decision to participate in this particular survey were related to receipt of vaccination.
- All vaccination results are based on self-report and are not verified by employment or medical records.
- The definition of HCP used in this Internet panel survey (persons who worked in a health care setting) might vary from definitions used in other surveys of vaccination coverage.
- Occupational categories could not always be separated because of small sample sizes, questionnaire design, or other limitations.
- The 2015–16 estimates from this survey might not be directly comparable to estimates from population-based surveys.
- The estimates of flu vaccination coverage among HCP from the Internet panel surveys and the NHIS differed for the 2009-10 (63.4% versus 57.5%), 2010–11 (63.5% versus 55.8%), 2011-12 (66.9% versus 62.4%), 2012-13 (72.0% versus 66.9%), and 2013-14 (75.2% versus 64.9%) seasons (7; CDC, unpublished data).
Despite these limitations, Internet panel surveys are a useful surveillance tool for timely early season and post-season evaluation of flu vaccination coverage and vaccination-related knowledge, attitude, practice, and barrier data among HCP. Top of Page Authors: Carla L. Black, PhD1; Xin Yue, MPS, MS2; Sara M.A. Donahue, DrPH, MPH3; Sarah W. Ball, ScD, MPH3; David Izrael, MS3; Peng-Jun Lu, MD, PhD1; Walter W. Williams, MD, MPH1; Samuel B. Graitcer, MD1; Carolyn B. Bridges, MD1; Megan C. Lindley, MPH1; Marie A. de Perio, MD4 1Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC; 2Leidos, Atlanta, GA; 3Abt Associates Inc., Cambridge, MA; 4Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC
- FluVaxView Influenza Vaccination Coverage
- 2014-15 end-of-season MMWR
- 2014-15 early season online report
- 2013–14 end-of-season MMWR
- 2013-14 early season online report
- 2012–13 end-of-season MMWR
- 2012–13 early season online report
- 2011–12 end-of-season MMWR
- 2011–12 early season online report
- 2010–2011 end-of-season MMWR
- 2010–2011 early season online report pdf icon[326 KB, 5 pages]
- ACIP flu vaccination recommendations for health care personnel
- Flu.gov for Health Professionalsexternal icon
- Influenza Vaccination Information for Health Care Workers
- NIVW Resources for Health Professionals and Partners
- CDC toolkit for increasing influenza vaccination among health care personnel in long-term care settings
- SSI Data Solutions and Technologyexternal icon
- SurveySpotexternal icon
- Follow CDC Flu on Twitter: @CDCFlu
- CDC. Immunization of health-care personnel: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 2011;60(No. RR-7).
- Saxen H, Virtanen M. Randomized, placebo-controlled double blind study on the efficacy of influenza immunization on absenteeism of healthcare workers. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1999; 18:779-83.
- Oshitani H, Saito R, Seki N, et al. Influenza vaccination levels and influenza-like illness in long-term care facilities for elderly people in Niigata, Japan, during an Influenza A (H3N2) epidemic. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21:728-30.
- Hayward AC, Harling R, Wetten S, et al. Effectiveness of an influenza vaccine programme for care home staff to prevent death, morbidity, and health service use among residents: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2006;333:1241.
- Lemaitre M, Meret T, Rothan-Tondeur M, et al. Effect of influenza vaccination of nursing home staff on mortality of residents: a cluster-randomized trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009; 57:1580-1586
- HealthyPeople.gov. Immunization and Infectious Diseases. Available at https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/immunization-and-infectious-diseases/objectivesexternal icon. Accessed November 9, 2015.
- CDC. Surveillance of influenza vaccination coverage – United States, 2007-08 through 2011-12 influenza seasons. MMWR Surveill Summ 2013;62(No. SS-04):1-29.
- Black CL, Yue X, Ball SW, et al. Influenza vaccination coverage among health care personnel—United States, 2014-15 influenza season. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64:993-9.
- Community Preventive Services Task Force. Interventions to promote seasonal influenza vaccination among healthcare workers. Available at http://www.thecommunityguide.org/worksite/flu-hcw.htmlexternal icon. Accessed November 9, 2015.
- CDC. A toolkit for long-term care employers: increasing influenza vaccination among health care personnel in long-term care settings. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/toolkit/long-term-care/index.htm. Accessed November 9, 2015.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare program; hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for acute care hospitals and the long-term care hospital prospective payment system and FY2012 rates; hospitals’ FTE resident caps for graduate medical education payment; final rules. Fed Regist 2011;76:1631-3.
- Lindley MC, Bridges CB, Strikas RA, et al. Influenza vaccination performance measurement among acute care hospital-based health care personnel—United States, 2013-14 influenza season. MMWR 2014;63:812-5.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare and Medicaid programs; hospital outpatient prospective payment; ambulatory surgical center payment; hospital value-based purchasing program; physician self-referral; and patient notification requirements in provider agreements; final rules. Fed Regist 2011;76:74470-2.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare Program; end–stage renal disease prospective payment system quality incentive program and durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies; final rule. Fed Regist 2014;79:66206-8.
- American Association for Public Opinion Research. Report of the AAPOR Task Force on non-probability sampling. Available at http://www.aapor.org/AAPORKentico/AAPOR_Main/media/MainSiteFiles/NPS_TF_Report_Final_7_revised_FNL_6_22_13.pdf pdf icon[950 KB, 128 pages]external icon. Accessed November 9, 2015.
* The methods used in the Internet panel survey differ from those of the NHIS; thus, results from the Internet panel survey should not be directly compared to the Healthy People 2020 target.
† Includes allied health professionals, dentists, technicians, technologists, emergency technicians, EMTs, and paramedics.
‡ Respondents could specify working in more than one setting.
§ Includes dental offices, pharmacies, emergency medical services locations, and other health care settings.
|| Single main reason.
¶ Among respondents, 30.8% initially selected “I just don’t want the vaccine” as their main reason for not being vaccinated. When these persons were asked in a follow-up question to identify a more specific reason for not wanting the vaccine, 33.6% replied “I don’t need it,” 29.9% said “I don’t think the ingredients in the vaccine are good for you,” 21.8% said “I don’t think that flu vaccines work,” and 14.7% said “I might get sick from the vaccine.”
** Includes respondents who have not received the flu vaccine since July 2015 and who reported that they probably or definitely do not intend to be vaccinated in the 2015–16 flu season. †† One respondent was missing information for age.
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The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah:
Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
And their kindred according to their clans: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven.
These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz;
Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief in their clan;
and they lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon to their limits.
All of these were enrolled by genealogies in the days of King Jotham of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam of Israel.
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant warriors, who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty, ready for service.
They made war on the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab;
and when they received help against them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and he granted their entreaty because they trusted in him.
They captured their livestock: fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand captives.
Many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they lived in their territory until the exile.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New Revised Standard Bible Version Online)
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Experiences from the Department of Gastric Surgery at St. Olav’s Hospital led surgeons Ystgaard, Storli and Rekstad to develop a new instrument that makes it easier to extract knives, forks and other large objects patients have swallowed.
Text: Anne-Lise Aakervik/Mediekompaniet Photo: Erik Børseth/Synlig
Removing large objects from the stomach is no easy feat. Instruments available today are not well-suited, and it can take a long time to get the foreign body out. In some cases, the object may damage or even puncture the stomach or oesophagus when it is pulled out. The alternative is to put the patient under general anaesthesia and have the object surgically removed, which is very demanding in terms of both time and resources.
“The removal of foreign bodies from the stomach can be extremely technically challenging as well as costly and time-consuming. We want to improve on today’s standard procedure to make it both easier and less intrusive for the patient,” says Lars Cato Rekstad. “We run into this problem a lot, and we want to make it easier on ourselves, and not least on the patient.”
Gastric surgeons often have patients come in with foreign bodies in their stomach.
“They could be anyone, from children who accidentally swallow batteries, Lego bricks, coins or other small objects, to those who accidentally swallow various objects and psychiatric patients who swallow large objects, such as forks, knives, nails or pins deliberately as a form of self-harm,” says Brynjulf Ystgaard.
“It was this last group of patients we primarily had in mind when we developed the new instrument,” says Per Even Storli.
“Patients in this category can sometimes come in several times in the same day to have foreign bodies removed from their stomach. These patients may periodically be very ill, and self-harm is common. They deserve better than what we are currently able to do for them,” says Lars Cato Rekstad. “Both knives and forks can get stuck in the stomach or oesophagus, and can cause major damage when we try to get them up.”
Current instruments use small clamps, pincers, tongs or a type of sling that goes over the object and is pulled tight, to try to pull the object up through the oesophagus. These instruments are designed to remove small objects or collect tissue samples, not to remove large objects. Their grip is limited, and it’s hard to grasp the object that needs to be removed. Trying to get the object out using these instruments can take a very long time, and if doctors are not successful, the patient needs surgery. By developing better instruments, surgeons can save time and patients are spared hours of discomfort.
Quick and efficient
The three inventors have developed a prototype that has already been tested on pigs. The instrument is used in combination with a gastroscope, where a tube with a camera on the end is inserted through the oesophagus. The new instrument is attached to the end of this tube and consists of a clamp with two round discs, designed to get a good grip on the object it is grabbing on to. Cutlery is often made of smooth metal, and combined with the juices of the stomach it can be difficult to get a good grip.
“We needed a gripping mechanism that was strong enough to hold on to a knife or fork while pulling it out. We can’t have it slip away half-way,” says Ystgaard.
Another key feature is that the discs are moveable. This makes it easier for the surgeon to manoeuvre into the right position to extract the object, which will trail behind the instrument as it pulls out. The discs also protect the mucous membranes from sharp edges as the object is pulled out. This reduces the risk of damaging the stomach or oesophagus on the way out.
Tests performed indicate that the instrument can remove large objects, such as knives and forks, from the stomach in less than 2 minutes. In comparison, these interventions often take 1–2 hours with the instruments commonly available today. Sometimes, the patient still ends up needing surgery to get the object out.
Word of mouth
The prototype has already generated quite a buzz in medical circles. “Paediatric surgeons have already reached out, as they are eager to find new and better tools to extract foreign bodies from the stomach. Children swallow a lot of strange objects, as they don’t know any better,” Rekstad says.
The team also caught the interest of an unexpected group of medical professionals; it turns out there is considerable demand from veterinarians for this type of instrument. The instruments available to vets today is expensive, single-use equipment, and they often have to use several before they succeed, as the clamps tend to break.
“Dogs eat the most incredible things. Mobile phones are common, we’ve been told, and you need some serious equipment to get that out,” says Ystgaard.
“We were able to make this happen because of the amazing community we’re a part of. The technological community at NTNU is only a stone’s throw away, and they’re more than happy to work with doctors on the development. This gives us opportunities few others can match,” Ystgaard elaborates.
With the grant from NTNU Discovery, the researchers now plan to complete the design and optimize the controls for the clamp and handle. This work is carried out in collaboration with the design company Inventas. “In addition, we are in the process of applying to test this out on a larger scale,” says Tonje Steigedal, who is the project manager from the NTNU Technology Transfer Office. “We have to document that this instrument has a clinical utility in both human and veterinary medicine—so-called clinical verification. In humans, this equipment will be single-use, whereas in veterinary medicine the instrument can be used more than once. This also needs testing.
Ingestion of foreign bodies is relatively common, with approx. 14 million cases worldwide every year. In approximately 3 million of these cases, the patient needs medical intervention to have the object removed, preferably through gastroscopy, where the object is removed the same way it came in. Large objects can be especially challenging to extract. At St. Olav’s Hospital, doctors remove various metallic and solid foreign bodies (various food items not included) 30 times a year.
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The majority of adolescent stutters have a long history of dysfluency and as they approach the final years of their schooling they may become apprehensive about their future, particulary in relation to further education, career options, job interviews etc. The treatment of this age group is further complicated by the experience of adolescence itself, and the problems presented by this group are very different to those posed by young children or adults who stutter. <p> This book presents a Communication Skills Approach to the treatment of adolescent stuttering which has been developed over many years of clinical experience.
Chapter 1 - Introduction.
The therapeutic relationship.
The nature of stuttering: an overview.
The nature of adolescence.
The adolescence who stutters.
Chapter 2 - The assessment of the adolescent who stutters.
The interview procedure.
The diagnostic interview.
The parental interview.
Chapter 3 - Planning interventions.
Four case study presentations.
Chapter 4 - Communication skills approach.
Self-concepts and relationships.
Components of the communication skills therapy.
Chapter 5 - Intensive group management of adolescents who stutter.
Intensive course procedure.
Criteria for acceptance on the course.
Organisation of the course.
Principles of group management.
Structure of the course.
Chapter 6 - Environemntal influences.
The role of the speech and language therapist.
Strategies for intervention.
Intervention within the school setting.
Chapter 7 - Language impairment and the adolescent who stutters - Claire Toppintg.
Assessment of language skills.
Appendix I Initial assessment form.
Appendix II Adolscent interview.
Appendix III Facts about stuttering.
Appendix IV Assessment booklet.
Appendix V Checklist of social skills.
Appendix VI Social communication skills.
Appendix VII Measurement of change and outcome.
Appendix VIII Measurement of change.
Appendix IX The communication skills workbook.
Appendix X Examples of self-characterisation.
Appendix XI Examples of brainstorm exercises.
Appendix XII Communication, observation, listening, praise and reinforcement.
Appendix XIII Fear of stuttering; ring of confidence.
Appendix XIV Adolescents' view of adolescence.
Appendix XV How adolescents thing parents' view adolescence.
Appendix XVI Parents' view of adolescent.
Appendix XVII Family session.
Appendix XVIII Review of communication skills course.
Series: Exc Business And Economy (Whurr)
Number Of Pages: 212
Published: 6th October 2006
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 230.27 x 154.23 x 15.07
Weight (kg): 0.34
Edition Number: 1
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- Join over 1.2 million students every month
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Give an account of the biological significance of polysaccharides
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Question 8 January 1999
Give an account of the biological significance of polysaccharides (10marks)
Polysaccharides are polymers formed from large amounts of monosaccharide monomers, covalently bonded together by condensation polymerisation. There are three polysaccharides that commonly effect living organisms: they are Starch, Glycogen and Cellulose. These polysaccharides play a very significant role in the way plants and animals function.
Starches are polymers of glucose. There are two common types : (1) amylose, which consists of linear, unbranched chains of several hundred glucose units - the glucose units are linked between their 1 and 4 carbon atoms; (2) amylopectin, which differs from amylose in being highly, branched - ever so often along the chain, a short side chain is attached to the 6 carbon atoms.
Starches are biologically significant because they are insoluble in water and can therefore serve as storage areas for glucose. Plants convert excess glucose into starch for storage. As starch is a common storage compound in plants, it is the main carbohydrate in human diet.
Animals store excess glucose by polymerising it to form glycogen. The structure of glycogen is similar to that of amylopectin, although the branches in
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""Joanne Barratt. Nursing. University Student.
""John Plowright. Teacher. Repton School. Derbyshire.
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If you’re a fan of indoor plants, you’ve likely come across the Manjula Pothos. This beautiful plant, Epipremnum Aureum ‘Manjula’, is known for its striking variegated leaves. However, if you’re considering adding a Manjula Pothos to your collection, you may wonder about its light requirements.
Like most houseplants, the Manjula Pothos requires a certain amount of light to thrive. However, the exact amount can vary depending on a few factors. In this article, we’ll look at Manjula Pothos light requirements and what you need to know to keep your plant healthy and happy.
Understanding Manjula Pothos
To grow a Manjula Pothos, you must understand its light requirements. This Devil’s Ivy is a popular choice for indoor gardening due to its low maintenance needs and attractive variegated foliage.
With this beautiful foliage comes the need for high, bright light. This pothos is known to revert and start growing green leaves again. So it is essential to give it high light.
Manjula Pothos Light Requirements
If you want your Manjula Pothos to thrive, you must provide it with the right amount of light. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Your Manjula Pothos needs bright, indirect light to grow properly.
- Avoid direct sunlight, as it can burn the leaves.
- If your plant is not getting enough light, the leaves will turn yellow and drop off.
- On the other hand, too much light can cause the leaves to become pale and lose their variegation.
So, what does “bright, indirect light” mean? It means placing your Manjula Pothos in a spot where it can receive bright light, not direct sunlight. A south or west-facing window is a good option, as it provides a high amount of light.
If you don’t have a south or west-facing window, you can also place your plant near an east-facing window. Protect it from direct sunlight by using a sheer curtain or placing it a few feet away from the window.
Find the Best Lighting In Your Home
Proper lighting is crucial for Manjula Pothos care. Here are some tips to help you find the best lighting in your home:
Direction of Your Windows
The direction of your windows plays a significant role in the light your plants receive. East-facing windows provide bright, indirect light in the morning, while west-facing windows offer strong light in the afternoon. South-facing windows provide the most intense light and are ideal for Manjula Pothos. North-facing windows offer the least light, making them unsuitable for this plant.
Use Grow Lights
You can use artificial lighting if you don’t have access to natural light or your home doesn’t have suitable windows. LED grow lights are a popular choice because they are energy-efficient and provide the right spectrum of light for plant growth. Place the lights 6-12 inches above your plants and keep them on for 12-14 hours a day.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
Direct sunlight can cause the leaves to burn or scorch. If you place your plant near a window, use a sheer curtain or shade to filter the light.
Monitor the Light Levels
It’s essential to monitor the light levels your plant receives regularly. If you see leaves turning brown or yellow, it could be a sign that Manjula is getting too much or too little sunlight. Adjust the placement of your plant or lighting accordingly.
Rotate Your Plant
To ensure your Manjula Pothos receives even light, rotate it every few weeks. This will help prevent one side of the plant from receiving more light than the other.
Measure the Lighting In Your Home
To determine the light requirements of your Manjula Pothos, you need to measure the lighting in your home. Here are the steps to follow:
- Identify the location where you want to keep your Manjula Pothos.
- Place a light meter in the exact location where you want to keep your plant.
- Take a reading of the light intensity in the location where you want to keep your plant. Aim for 200-400 foot candles.
- Repeat the process in different locations in your home to find the brightest spot.
Once you have measured the lighting in your home, you can determine if the location you have chosen for your Manjula Pothos is suitable. Remember, Manjula Pothos requires bright, indirect light to thrive, so choose a location that provides the right amount of light.
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We’re used to thinking of neglect as a lack of appropriate care, but to a neuroscientist, it has a very different meaning. “Spatial neglect” is a neurological condition caused by damage to one half of the brain (usually the right), where patients find it difficult to pay attention to one half of their visual space (usually the left).
This bias can affect their mental images too. If neglect patients are asked to draw clocks, many only include the numbers from 12 to 6, while some shunt all the numbers to the right side. When two famous neglect patients were asked to describe a familiar square in Milan, the city they grew up in, the landmarks they reported shifted depending on where they pictured themselves standing in the square. They would only report buildings to the right of their imagined position – swap the location and new buildings would suddenly come into mental view.
Patients tend to be particularly unaware of things on the left if other objects on the right are vying for their attention – this phenomenon, where only one of two simultaneously presented objects is seen, is called “visual extinction“.
Neglect is clearly a fascinating condition but also a debilitating and underappreciated one. It affects up to 60% of patients who suffer strokes on the right side of their brain, and it can hamper recovery and deny patients their independence. As such, there are plenty of researchers interested in finding ways of improving its symptoms. David Soto from Imperial College London is one of them, and he has discovered a deceptively simple way of helping neglect patients to regain their lost awareness – listen to their favourite music.
Soto was encouraged by a recent study, which found that stroke victims showed greater improvements in both memory and attention when they tuned into music than when they listened to audiobooks or worked in silence. And other studies have suggested that emotional faces are less likely to fall prey to visual extinction than less compelling images. But Soto wanted to see if the patient’s own emotional state had anything to do with their awareness. Would it be possible to reduce the symptoms of neglect simply by making patients feel happier through the medium of pleasant melodies?
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- Studies in the coastal waters of Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, around India’s first indigenously built nuclear power station, aim to create baseline data and assess the operational impact of the nuclear facilities on environmental variables.
- The results of recent thermal pollution studies reveal that a very small area in the discharge location is highly impacted but the situation may change with the expansion of nuclear infrastructure, experts warn.
- The coastal monitoring programme should be continued at Kalpakkam without any breaks to keep tabs on possible adverse effects, experts said.
Age-old adversaries to ships, barnacles and green mussels have been thriving comfortably in the coastal waters of Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, in the vicinity of India’s first indigenously built nuclear power station, overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
These master clingers park themselves inside the facility’s cooling system, often impacting the station’s operations. They make up about 60 to 70 percent of the biofoulers at Kalpakkam coast in the vicinity of the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), about 70 km south of Chennai.
Accompanying them is a rich assemblage of marine life: 300 species of marine fish, 219 species of phytoplankton, 33 species of crabs and more, powering the food chain in the coast harbouring the nuclear hub, as documented in a book chapter on ecological studies in coastal waters of Kalpakkam.
The book chapter is authored by K.K. Satpathy of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Chennai and his colleagues from the University of Calcutta, Kolkata and Berhampur University.
With two units each generating 220 MW of electricity, the nuclear power station has been in operation for over 30 years. At the same site, a much-delayed Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), another type of nuclear power generator, is poised to start functioning sometime this year.
The existing MAPS facility uses seawater for cooling purposes drawn in through a nearly half a kilometre-long (468 metres) and 3.8-metre-wide tunnel built 53 metres below the seabed. The heated seawater is released into the coastal waters after the heat is extracted.
Authors of the book chapter said despite being in action for more than three decades, the coastal ecosystem around the nuclear hub is so far “healthy” and “stable” in the face of thermal pollution (heated water discharge), chemical pollution and human-associated activities.
However, the authors also mentioned the tides may turn with the addition of more nuclear power generating units to the facility (and resulting thermal pollution) in the near future and with the growing human activity-associated changes in the coastal belt.
“For now we can say the coastal ecology is healthy and the effect of the thermal discharge of the nuclear power plant is negligible on the coastal waters in Kalpakkam. It is benign and comparable to any other healthy coastal ecosystem in India,” said Satpathy.
Their assertions and cautions are based on decade-long scientific monitoring studies of the coastal ecology and related observations on Kalpakkam, documented in the book chapter. The studies have helped create baseline data for future investigations, in addition to offering a clearer picture of the environmental impacts of heated water discharge from the nuclear facility on marine ecology.
“We have data on the assemblages of zooplanktons, phytoplanktons, biofoulers such as barnacles and mussels, crustaceans and marine fishes and more. It will help us compare the changes in the future,” explained Satpathy.
Elaborating further on the potential environmental impacts of additional power units, Satpathy said: “A possible impact of the PFBR could be due to thermal water discharge as well as the adoption of chemical approaches (biocide) for biofouling control.”
“At present, we are using low dose chlorination to mitigate biofouling but at one time in the late 1980s they severely impacted the facility’s operations,” the scientist said.
Setting up more desalination plants in and around the site may marginally increase the salinity in a localised manner, but the synergistic effect of the total the nuclear infrastructural growth could affect the ecology of the area.
“To take care of any potential adverse impacts, coastal monitoring programme should be continued at Kalpakkam without any break,” said Satpathy.
“Additionally, we must also take into account the anthropogenic changes that are already taking place,” he told Mongabay-India.
The township that has sprung up around the nuclear facility supports over 50,000 people. It is surrounded by two fishing villages. During the last two decades, the population in Kalpakkam has gone up substantially and pulling up with it the number of vehicles, adding to air and water pollution.
“Small scale workshop units such as fabricating units of different kinds have come up along the coast and the residue ends up in the sea, as the sea is the ultimate sink for everything. The number of fishing boats associated with the growing number of fisherfolk has also gone up. So the load of plastics, heavy and toxic metals, biocides and other harmful products would also be a contributing factor,” Satpathy said.
The good and the bad
A sign of the “unpolluted characteristics of the coastal waters” is the unusual abundance of reef-associated fish in these waters: of the total marine fish species recorded, 45 percent are reef-associated.
“Although coral reefs are absent in Kalpakkam, rocky patches north of the area could be the reason for the presence of reef fish. It is an indication of the unpolluted characteristics of these coastal waters despite the presence of the nuclear facility,” Satpathy emphasised.
The results of recent thermal pollution studies reveal that a very small area in the discharge location is highly impacted, the book chapter states.
“This area spans around 80 to 100 metres along the coast on either side of the discharge point, depending upon the direction of the coastal current. When the current direction is north, the impacted zone is on the northern side, when the current is towards the south the impacted zone is along the southern side,” he said.
The documentation of a high diversity of marine crabs (33 species brachyuran crabs) offers another clue to coastal health.
“Crab is a bottom-dweller, accumulates all pollutants continuously and is a good indicator of pollution at a specific site, unlike fish which move from place to place. Crab population (qualitative and quantitative) indicates coastal health,” he said.
But Satpathy, who has been studying the ecology of the Kalpakkam coast for over 30 years, flagged emerging concerns.
For example, a recent survey of the Bay of Bengal area revealed the presence of a minimum oxygen zone at shallow depth (less than 30 metres), a new finding implying a possible increase in organic content due to anthropogenic activity.
The coastal waters are fed by monsoonal rainfall as well as by the adjoining backwater discharge from Edaiyur and Sadras backwater systems, which receive anthropogenic inputs from various sources.
The frequency of the appearance of algal blooms at this coast has increased due to eutrophication, hitting the coastal water quality and the marine biological community. This rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system can kill off fish in large numbers.
“Algal bloom leads to the presence of one or two species of plankton or cyanobacteria in significant numbers (80 to 90 percent) in the water, unlike the mixed bag of 50 to 60 species which generally occur in normal condition,” Satpathy explained.
“When this algal bloom dies, the decay process consumes oxygen in the water triggering mass fish deaths. Also, some of the bloom-forming species are toxic in nature resulting in the death of organisms including fish,” he said.
Some documented algal blooms in Kalpakkam involve blue-green alga Trichodesmium erythraeum in 2007 and 2008 and a monospecies bloom of diatom Asterionellopsis glacialis in 2015. The 2004 tsunami that devastated Kalpakkam has also left its imprint.
“Possibly, due to the deposition of silt in the coastal region from the off-shore region, leading to decrease in coastal depth, the turbulence in the coastal region appears to have gone up, triggering a rise in suspended-solid content,” informed Satpathy.
Banner: Kalpakkam seashore. Photo by Apm.ceg/Wikimedia Commons.
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Nursery Class News Letter
Welcome back everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the Easter break. We have started our Summer term by welcoming our newest member to the group; Megan, and hope she will be very happy at St Gregory’s Nursery.
Outdoor play is a core part of our daily Nursery curriculum. Your children’s safety is our priority and we kindly ask you to provide a sun hat for your child each day. We are unable to apply sun creams to the children once in nursery and strongly advise that you apply sun cream each morning before the session. Remember, even on cloudy days the weather can improve! Please ensure all items of clothing including hats are clearly labelled!
We are now moving into our second week, and Summer term is well underway! We are currently continuing our ‘Traditional Tales’ theme with growing and planting. This will be followed by ‘Mini-beasts’ and ‘Holidays’ alongside mini themes and topics relating to the children’s interests. As always we will talk to the children about what they already know, draw on prior learning and find out what they would like to explore.
We are continuing to encourage the children to explore a range of mark making/writing tools and are supporting them in giving meaning to the marks they make. To support your child at home;
- Take opportunities for your child to see you writing for example writing a shopping list, a card, a letter.
- Encourage your child to hold a pencil and make marks such as simple lines and circles and support them in attempting to write their name.
- If your child is already confident in this move on to encouraging your child to add further marks to represent simple words and support them in giving meaning to those marks.
- Take opportunities to talk to your child about the weather encouraging them to share their experiences when out and about!
- Continue to share and talk about stories with your child. This is such an important part of your child’s development which will continue to support their early reading and writing!
We are continuing to reinforce numeral recognition between 0 and 10 and develop awareness of numerals and shapes in the environment.
- This can be supported at home by;
- Encouraging your child to count everyday items such as toys, fruit, cups and plates,
- Introducing simple number problems and drawing attention to numbers when out and about; bus numbers, car registration plates etc.
- Drawing attention to shape; car wheels, windows, road signs.
We would love to see and celebrate anything your child has done at home in the way of pictures, letter and number work, including examples of drawings, writing and photographs!
Dates for your diary
This half term will finish on Friday 22nd May and will begin again on Tuesday 3rd June 2015.
Thank you for your continued support
Miss Yallop and Mrs Gee
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