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OSLO, NORWAY – Ten of thousands of dead fish have washed ashore in Norway. The reason: aliens. There were thousands and thousands of dead herring everywhere on the coast Norway for two days – and then they mysteriously disappeared. The dead fish first appeared on New Year’s Eve, leading to speculation that predators might have driven a huge school ashore or the fish could have been washed onto the beach by a powerful storm that hit Norway on Christmas Day. WWN once again turned experts at the U.N. Panel on Extraterrestrials. Dr. Susan Begley spoke to WWN last night. “This is a similar event that happened last New Year, but it seems have escalated. Last New Year, dead blackbirds dropped from the sky in Arkansas and dead herring came ashore in Norway, the pattern was repeated this year – only the numbers are far greater.” Dr. Begley said that the U.N. has concluded that the herring (and the blackbirds) were killed by aliens from Planet Gootan. “There are two alien species that have been inhabiting the earth in the last fourteen months. The Zeebans are peaceful and docile beings here to help humans, and the Gootans are here to attack us. The dead herring appear to be the work of the Gootans – they are sending another warning to citizens of earth.” Is the U.N. planning on taking an action against the Gootans? “We have be planning an international strategy to deal with all extraterrestrials living peacefully on our planet and have come up with a strong military solution to handle any attack. The planning of the defense of earth has brought world leaders together for the first time.” Back in Norway, locals were wondering how to clean up the estimated 60 tons of dead fish on the beach in Kvaenes, near Tromsoe, north of the Arctic Circle, before it decayed. But before they could start, the fish disappeared. What happened to them? “The Gootans are playing with us, that’s all I can say,” said Dr. Begley. Where will they attack next? “We have a good idea of their next target, and we are ready.” Let’s hope so…
Accounting research is important for success and fiscal health. There are several types of information available to Accounting students through the ACC libraries, in print or audiovisual form and electronically. The tabs along the top of the page provide details on the different types of resources listed below: \|Reference Works\|\|This covers encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other resources that are referred to for specific information. Go to these for definitions, shorter explanations, historical information, and biographical sketches.\| \|Books and Media \|\|You can find a good selection of accounting books (and some media) that provide detailed information on current accounting practice and techniques, as well as historical information, prominent figures in accounting and their work, and theory of accounting.\| \|Articles\|\|Articles from journals, magazines, and major newspapers are a good source for recent developments in the field of accounting. You can find technical tips, current trends, and product reviews, as well as the work of practicing accounting professionals published in major newspapers, magazines, and journals. ACC databases can help connect you to these articles.\| \|Web Sites\|\|The internet can provide a wealth of information, especially from government sources, professional organizations, and on-line accounting magazines.\| Use the tabs above to get more information. The 10 wackiest tax write-offs Riverside Campus Library 1020 Grove Blvd Austin, Tx 78741
Joe Raedle/Getty Images Antidepressants are among the most prescribed medications in the United States. See more drug pictures. Antidepressants are the first line of treatment for depression. Annual sales of antidepressants are approximately $50 billion, making this class of drugs one of the leading prescription medications. Many pharmaceutical companies engage in direct-to-consumer marketing of antidepressants through television and print media. So, patients have a large influence on the prescribing patterns of health-care providers when it comes to antidepressants. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed, but what are they, exactly? How do they work? Are they effective? In this article, we will examine depression, the types of antidepressant therapy, how antidepressants work, and their effectiveness and side effects. But to understand how antidepressants work, we first need to look at depression itself. Depression or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD, also called unipolar depression or clinical depression) occurs in about 15 million Americans in any given year. It can occur at any age (including in children as young as 5), but it most commonly affects 25- to 44-year-olds. MDD affects approximately 20 percent of women and 10 percent of men [source: HealthyPlace.com]. MDD leads to loss of productivity in the workplace and at school. Most importantly, it is a leading cause of suicide. MDD, in contrast to short periods of the "blues," is a persistent change in mood that can interfere with family, relationships and feelings of self-worth. Recurrent episodes can last for days, months or years. MDD has physical and mental symptoms, which include the following: Depressed mood (sadness)Medical DisclaimerThis article is intended for information purposes only and not as medical advice. Those seeking medical advice regarding the diagnosis and treatment of depression should consult with your primary care provider and/or pharmacist. - Loss of interest or pleasure - Disruptions of sleep patterns - Feelings of worthlessness, discouragement, hopelessness and helplessness - Changes in appetite, weight loss or gain - Loss of sexual interest - Inability to think, concentrate or make decisions For a clinical diagnosis of MDD, these symptoms must occur consistently for at least a two-week period. You might notice that these symptoms can also be symptoms of other diseases (like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and epilepsy). So, it's possible that the depressive episode is a secondary symptom of another disease. Because there is no lab test for depression, doctors may run many tests to rule out these other possible diseases. If everything else can be ruled out, what remains is MDD. On the next page, we'll learn about what causes depression.
The diet for osteoporosis is crucial for the fight against this globally relevant disease, which the WHO ranks among the 10 most important diseases. The main risk group for osteoporosis consists of women from the age of fifty. Women are affected about three times more often than men. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by a reduced density of the bone, which as a result becomes more brittle. As a result, the risk of fractures increases for the affected person. Osteoporosis can be cured, even if it is very pronounced, but adequate prevention is much easier. The two most important elements for this are nutrition and exercise. With a healthy diet and sufficient exercise, bone loss can be combated. A vegetarian or vegan diet is ideal, while a Dukan diet, which calls for a high-protein diet, is harmful to the body. Osteoporosis does not only depend on age. From the age of 40, bone density gradually and continuously decreases as a result of the natural aging process. This loss of substance due to age is about 0.2 – 0.4% per year. A person who cannot build normal bone mass in childhood and adolescence may develop juvenile osteoporosis. Improving bone health is a phenomenon that affects both men and women throughout life. You need to act on the factors that affect bone health at any age to prevent osteoporosis. What is osteoporosis? The term “osteoporosis” means “porous bone” and refers to excessive brittleness of bone due to the destruction of bone structure. One consequence that occurs in older people in the thoracic spine is the “widow’s hump”, which occurs when the vertebral bodies collapse because they can no longer support the body weight. Every year, more bone tissue is destroyed than is built. In osteoporosis, the process of destruction and reconstruction of the bone proceeds abnormally. The loss of bone substance is much greater than usual. In young people, in comparison, more bone substance is built up (positive balance), while in older people more calcium is removed from the bone than is supplied (negative balance). This negative bone balance causes osteoporosis. In women, menopause causes many hormonal and physiological changes. Without the protection of estrogens, bone loss accelerates. In the 5-10 years after menopause, women lose between 2 and 5% of their bone mass. In some women, this loss is even up to 30%. Men are protected by the sex hormone testosterone, which is produced into old age and protects against osteoporosis. In addition, men have a larger bone mass and thus a better starting position. Therefore, osteoporosis in men occurs much later. Risk factors for osteoporosis Risk factors that cannot be influenced: - Absence of female sex hormones - No pregnancy - Early menopause - Congenital diseases (cystic fibrosis, homocystinuria, etc.) - Taking cortisone medication over a longer period of time Correctable risk factors: - Improper diet (lack of vitamin D, calcium, vitamin C and K) - Misuse of harmful substances (nicotine, alcohol, caffeine) The basic rule: calcium, vitamin D and exercise Calcium is a bone component, but you also need vitamin D to absorb it from the intestines and reduce urinary excretion. Exercise stimulates calcium deposition, strengthens bone structure and muscle mass, which protects the bone from trauma. In general, the nutritional principles of osteoporosis are similar to those of treating high cholesterol and diabetes, namely: - avoid animal protein and dairy products; - avoid fried products; - do not eat processed foods, desserts, cakes, etc.; - lots of fruits, vegetables and legumes. By and large, an alkaline diet is required, which lowers the acidity of the blood, quite unlike a high-protein diet, which has the opposite effect. \|Gender or condition\|\|Age\|\|Recommended amount (mg)\| \|> 60 years\|\|1000\| \|> 50 years\|\|1500*\| What diet helps treat osteoporosis? It is important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, with the right daily amounts of vitamin D and calcium. Both calcium and vitamin D are essential for the treatment of osteoporosis. Foods that contain a lot of vitamin D: - Milk and dairy products - Some types of fish (herring, tuna, salmon, mackerel) - Cod liver oil - Soy or rice milk Most of these foods are discouraged because they are not suitable for our body. But there are other foods that contain vitamin D and are of great benefit to the body: sesame seeds, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and some cereals such as oats. Vitamin D supports the absorption of calcium in the intestine and its absorption in the kidneys, thus promoting proper mineralization of bone. You should spend at least 30 minutes a day in the sun, as the ultraviolet rays cause the formation of a precursor of vitamin D in the skin and therefore promote its formation. Foods that contain a lot of calcium: – Mineral water containing calcium Drinking water can be an important source of calcium. If a person drinks 1.5-2 l of calcium-containing water (approx>150 mg/dl), they can cover 50% of their daily needs. – Green leafy vegetables (stem cabbage, artichokes, cabbage, chicory, beet leaves, endive, green radicchio, rocket, spinach) – Legumes (beans, chickpeas, broad beans, peas, lentils and soya) – Fatty nuts (e.g. walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, almonds) However, there are negative factors related to the absorption of calcium from food: – A relative excess of PHOSPHATES increases calcium excretion via the stool. Phosphates bind the calcium and prevent it from being deposited in the bones. They are labelled under the names E450, E341 and E338 and are mainly found in soft drinks. – One should avoid eating too many high-fiber foods, i.e. no more than 35 grams per day. Fiber and some substances found in high-fiber foods (oxalic acid and phytic acid) can reduce the bioavailability of calcium because they bind to it and prevent absorption. In addition, fiber accelerates the passage through the gastrointestinal tract and thus shortens the available time for the absorption of calcium. – One should also reduce the intake of CAFFEINATED substances: a moderate consumption of no more than 3 cups of coffee per day is recommended. Caffeine increases the loss of calcium via the kidneys and intestines. – ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION should be limited: alcoholic beverages (wine, beer and spirits) should be avoided. A large amount of ethanol has negative effects on bone formation. – TOBACCO consumption should be limited or, if possible, even stopped: Cigarette smoke reduces estrogen levels and thus reduces deposition in the bone. The intake of too much calcium has the opposite effect and promotes osteoporosis. Exercise regularly for osteoporosis A healthy diet with sufficient calcium content and regular exercise are very important for bone health. Recent studies have shown that exercising before menopause and in subsequent years has a positive effect on bone density. It is important to have regular physical activity over a long period of time, such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting light weights, etc. Sports activities without the effect of gravity do not help treat osteoporosis, so swimming and cycling, for example, are not recommended. Note: The nutritional advice on this page is non-binding and adjustments may be required by the family doctor based on individual medical history. - The right nutrition for gout - Nutrition for hemorrhoids: recommended and to avoid foods - Nutrition for colitis
We live in a time where there is growing concern over antibiotic resistance – so called “super bugs” have become increasingly difficult to kill or treat – and one of the most common solutions are chemicals that can harm us and the environment. This clear and present situation creates a wide-open field for next-gen organic lighting technology, notably Violet Defense’s proprietary Surface & Air Germ Elimination (S.A.G.E.) technology. “Chemicals have become an ever-increasing health concern — cleaning chemicals, agricultural chemicals, and countless more” said Terrance Berland, Violet Defense President and CEO. Violet Defense’s progressive S.A.G.E. system utilizes germ-killing lights in combination with violet and UV light to eradicate pathogens. The patented technology in the S.A.G.E line of products produces a combination of UV-A, UV-B, UV-C, and Violet-Blue light – the same photonic energy as the sun. The S.A.G.E. technology kills up to 99.9 percent percent of germs, including “superbugs” like MRSA. “Our view is that the S.A.G.E. technology does what the sun has done for billions of years – using UV rays to destroy germs at the cellular level,” Berland said. Then there are the sustainability benefits. With the S.A.G.E. technology capable of killing up to 99.9 percent of both bacteria and viruses – compared to chemical-based cleaning products that studies have shown to leave 50 percent of surfaces still contaminated – environments will become far less toxic. Not only does this reduce the need for harmful chemicals but can also reduce waste associated with products like disinfecting wipes. The S.A.G.E. products are available in mobile versions and installed products that can run completely autonomously – either disinfecting anytime a room is unoccupied or completing a deep disinfection overnight. Think about the possibilities for this technology to help prevent the spread of illnesses, resulting in reduced employee absenteeism, fewer students or staff getting sick in a school when the flu makes the rounds every winter, and fewer infections in healthcare spaces. “Chemicals are not conducive to human interaction,” Berland said. “We provide a more sustainable, cleaner, and greener way of killing germs. One study from a Scandinavian company equated the impact to the lungs of working a cleaning job, such as a janitorial position, with smoking several packs of cigarettes a day. We want to eliminate that.” Violet Defense’s protective lighting technology is already deployed in schools, in health clinics, in the hotel/hospitality space, large scale food production facilities, and more. With the ability to also incorporate the power of ultraviolet light into the agricultural space, Violet Defense is driving the usage of a lighting system that vastly improves indoor sanitation and creates healthier working and agricultural environments.
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station is part of the Research Branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and comprises ten research laboratories in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, as well as the headquarters office in Portland, Oregon. The PNW Research Station is one of eight Forest Service research facilities throughout the United States. Forest Service Research develops and provides scientific and technical knowledge for all 1.6 billion acres of forests and rangelands in the United States including, but not limited to, the national forests. The Forest Service has the most extensive and productive program of integrated forestry research in the world. The PNW Research Station is a group of about 522 scientists, professionals, technicians, administrative staff employees, and research managers. Station expertise is in biological, physical, and social sciences. Our mission is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand and make informed choices about people, natural resources, and the environment. ·
Effects of alcohol on the body The effects of alcohol on the human body can take several forms. Alcohol, specifically ethanol, is a potent central nervous system depressant, with a range of side effects. The amount and circumstances of consumption play a large part in determining the extent of intoxication; e.g., consuming alcohol after a heavy meal is less likely to produce visible signs of intoxication than consumption on an empty stomach. Hydration also plays a role, especially in determining the extent of hangovers. The concentration of alcohol in blood is usually measured in terms of the blood alcohol content. Alcohol has a biphasic effect on the body, which is to say that its effects change over time. Initially, alcohol generally produces feelings of relaxation and cheerfulness, but further consumption can lead to blurred vision and coordination problems. Cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol, so once alcohol is in the bloodstream it can diffuse into nearly every biological tissue of the body. After excessive drinking, unconsciousness can occur and extreme levels of consumption can lead to alcohol poisoning and death (a concentration in the blood stream of 0.55% will kill half of those affected). Death can also occur through asphyxiation by vomit. An appropriate first aid response to an unconscious, drunken person is to place them in the recovery position. Intoxication frequently leads to a lowering of one's inhibitions, and intoxicated people will sometimes do things they would not do while sober, often overlooking social, moral, and legal considerations. Conversely, some studies have suggested that intoxicated people have much greater control over their behavior than is generally recognized. This article primarily covers the short-term effects of alcohol on the adult human body. For the potential long-term cumulative effects of alcohol on the adult human body, please refer to alcohol consumption and health, alcohol and cardiovascular disease, alcohol and cancer, alcohol and weight and alcoholic liver disease. The potential impact of alcohol consumption by pregnant women on their fetuses is discussed in the article fetal alcohol syndrome. Metabolism of alcohol and action on the liver The liver breaks down alcohols into acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and then into acetic acid by the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. Next, the acetate is converted into fats or carbon dioxide and water. Chronic drinkers, however, so tax this metabolic pathway that things go awry: fatty acids build up as plaques in the capillaries around liver cells and those cells begin to die, which leads to the liver disease cirrhosis. The liver is part of the body's filtration system which, if damaged, allows certain toxins to build up, leading to symptoms of jaundice. Some people's DNA code calls for a different acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, resulting in a more potent alcohol dehydrogenase. This leads to a buildup of acetaldehyde after alcohol consumption, causing the alcohol flush reaction with hangover-like symptoms such as flushing, nausea, and dizziness. These people are unable to drink much alcohol before feeling sick, and are therefore less susceptible to alcoholism. This adverse reaction can be artificially reproduced by drugs such as disulfiram, which are used to treat chronic alcoholism by inducing an acute sensitivity to alcohol. Overconsumption can therefore lead to dehydration (the loss of water). A common after-effect of ethanol intoxication is the unpleasant sensation known as hangover, which is partly due to the dehydrating effect of ethanol. Hangover symptoms include dry mouth, headache, nausea, and sensitivity to light and noise. These symptoms are partly due to the toxic acetaldehyde produced from alcohol by alcohol dehydrogenase, and partly due to general dehydration. The dehydration portion of the hangover effect can be mitigated by drinking plenty of water between and after alcoholic drinks. Other components of the hangover are thought to come from the various other chemicals in an alcoholic drink, such as the tannins in red wine, and the results of various metabolic processes of alcohol in the body, but few scientific studies have attempted to verify this. Consuming water between drinks and before bed is the best way to prevent or lessen the effects of a hangover. Beneficial effects of alcohol The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there is convincing evidence that "low to moderate alcohol intake" results in a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. However, the WHO cautions that "other cardiovascular and health risks associated with alcohol do not favour a general recommendation for its use." Moderate alcohol consumption has been found to be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, angina pectoris, bone fractures and osteoporosis, diabetes, duodenal ulcer, gallstones, hepatitis A, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, intermittent claudicating (IC), kidney stones, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, metabolic syndrome, pancreatic cancer, Parkinson's Disease, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), rheumatoid arthritis, and type B gastritis. Also it has been suggested that moderate consumption can reduce the risk of dementia, facilitate memory and learning, and even improve IQ scores. However, a study of red wine published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that alcohol-free red wine had the same health benefits as the alcoholic wine, and that the alcohol may actually shorten the benefits. Flavonoids believed to be protective against coronary heart disease and some types of cancer, are present in wine due to its fermentation from grapes. These left the blood more quickly when alcohol was consumed. Moderate drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who abstain from alcohol or are heavy drinkers, but this average difference may possibly be explained in part by the fact that a fraction of abstainers from alcohol are ex-alcoholics or those who have health problems or take drugs that preclude the use of alcohol. See Alcohol consumption and health. Effects by doses Different concentrations of alcohol in the human body have different effects on the subject. The following lists the effects of alcohol on the body, depending on the blood alcohol concentration or BAC. Also, tolerance varies considerably between individuals. - Please note: the BAC percentages provided below are just estimates and used for illustrative purposes only. They are not meant to be an exhaustive reference; please refer to a healthcare professional if more information is needed. - Euphoria (BAC = 0.03 to 0.12%) - Subject may experience an overall improvement in mood and possible euphoria. - They may become more self-confident or daring. - Their attention span shortens. They may look flushed. - Their judgment is not as good — they may express the first thought that comes to mind, rather than an appropriate comment for the given situation. - They have trouble with fine movements, such as writing or signing their name. - Lethargy (BAC = 0.09 to 0.25%) - Subject may become sleepy - They have trouble understanding or remembering things, even recent events. They do not react to situations as quickly. - Their body movements are uncoordinated; they begin to lose their balance easily, stumbling; walking is not stable. - Their vision becomes blurry. They may have trouble sensing things (hearing, tasting, feeling, etc.). - Confusion (BAC = 0.18 to 0.30%) - Profound confusion — uncertain where they are or what they are doing. Dizziness and staggering occur. - Heightened emotional state — aggressive, withdrawn, or overly affectionate. Vision, speech, and awareness are impaired. - Poor coordination and pain response. Nausea and vomiting often occur. - Stupor (BAC = 0.25 to 0.40%) - Movement severely impaired; lapses in and out of consciousness. - Subjects can slip into a coma; will become completely unaware of surroundings, time passage, and actions. - Risk of death is very high due to alcohol poisoning and/or pulmonary aspiration of vomit while unconscious. - Coma (BAC = 0.35 to 0.50%) - Unconsciousness sets in. - Reflexes are depressed (i.e., pupils do not respond appropriately to changes in light). - Breathing is slower and more shallow. Heart rate drops. Death usually occurs at levels in this range. Although alcohol is typically thought of purely as a depressant, at low concentrations it can actually stimulate certain areas of the brain. Alcohol sensitises the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) system of the brain, making it more receptive to the neurotransmitter glutamate. Stimulated areas include the cortex, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens, which are responsible for thinking and pleasure seeking. Another one of alcohol's agreeable effects is body relaxation, possibly caused by heightened alpha brain waves surging across the brain. Alpha waves are observed (with the aid of EEGs) when the body is relaxed. Heightened pulses are thought to correspond to higher levels of enjoyment. A well-known side effect of alcohol is lowering inhibitions. Areas of the brain responsible for planning and motor learning are dulled. A related effect, caused by even low levels of alcohol, is the tendency for people to become more animated in speech and movement. This is due to increased metabolism in areas of the brain associated with movement, such as the nigrostriatal pathway. This causes reward systems in the brain to become more active, and combined with reduced understanding of the consequences of their behavior, can induce people to behave in an uncharacteristically loud and cheerful manner. Behavioral changes associated with drunkenness are, to some degree, contextual. A scientific study found that people drinking in a social setting significantly and dramatically altered their behavior immediately after the first sip of alcohol, well before the chemical itself could have filtered through to the nervous system. Likewise, people consuming non-alcoholic drinks often exhibit drunk-like behavior on a par with their alcohol-drinking companions even though their own drinks contained no alcohol whatsoever. The effect alcohol has on the NMDA receptors, earlier responsible for pleasurable stimulation, turns from a blessing to a curse if too much alcohol is consumed. NMDA receptors start to become unresponsive, slowing thought in the areas of the brain they are responsible for. Contributing to this effect is the activity which alcohol induces in the gamma-aminobutyric acid system (GABA). The GABA system is known to inhibit activity in the brain. GABA could also be responsible for the memory impairment that many people experience. It has been asserted that GABA signals interfere with the registration and consolidation stages of memory formation. As the GABA system is found in the hippocampus, (among other areas in the CNS), which is thought to play a large role in memory formation, this is thought to be possible. Blurred vision is another common symptom of drunkenness. Alcohol seems to suppress the metabolism of glucose in the brain. The occipital lobe, the part of the brain responsible for receiving visual inputs, has been found to become especially impaired, consuming 29% less glucose than it should. With less glucose metabolism, it is thought that the cells aren't able to process images properly. Often, after much alcohol has been consumed, it is possible to experience vertigo, the sense that the room is spinning (sometimes referred to as 'The Spins'). This is associated with abnormal eye movements called nystagmus, specifically positional alcohol nystagmus. In this case, alcohol has affected the organs responsible for balance (vestibular system), present in the ears. Balance in the body is monitored principally by two systems: the semicircular canals, and the utricle and saccule pair. Inside both of these is a flexible blob called a cupula, which moves when the body moves. This brushes against hair cells in the ear, creating nerve impulses that travel through the vestibulocochlear nerve (Cranial nerve VIII) in to the brain. However, when alcohol gets in to the bloodstream it distorts the shape of the cupola, causing it to keep pressing on to the hairs. The abnormal nerve impulses tell the brain that the body is rotating, causing disorientation and making the eyes spin round to compensate. When this wears off (usually taking until the following morning) the brain has adjusted to the spinning, and interprets not spinning as spinning in the opposite direction causing further disorientation. This is often a common symptom of the hangover. Anterograde amnesia, colloquially referred to as "blacking out", is another symptom of heavy drinking. Another classic finding of alcohol intoxication is ataxia, in its appendicular, gait, and truncal forms. Appendicular ataxia results in jerky, uncoordinated movements of the limbs, as though each muscle were working independently from the others. Truncal ataxia results in postural instability; gait instability is manifested as a disorderly, wide-based gait with inconsistent foot positioning. Ataxia is responsible for the observation that drunk people are clumsy, sway back and forth, and often fall down. It is probably due to alcohol's effect on the cerebellum. A rare complication of acute alcohol ingestion is Wernicke encephalopathy, a disorder of thiamine metabolism. If not treated with thiamine, Wernicke encephalopathy can progress to Korsakoff psychosis, which is irreversible. Chronic alcohol ingestion over many years can produce atrophy of the vermis, which is the part of the cerebellum responsible for coordinating gait; vermian atrophy produces the classic gait findings of alcohol intoxication even when its victim is not inebriated. Severe drunkenness and hypoglycemia can be mistaken for each other on casual inspection, with potentially serious medical consequences for diabetics. Measurement of the serum glucose and ethanol concentrations in comatose individuals is routinely performed in the emergency department or by properly-equipped prehospital providers and easily distinguishes the two conditions. At low or moderate doses, alcohol primarily acts as an unselective GABAA agonist. Alcohol binds to several different subtypes of GABAA, but not to others. The main subtypes responsible for the subjective effects of alcohol are the α1β3γ2, α5β3γ2, α4β3δ and α6β3δ subtypes, although other subtypes such as α2β3γ2 and α3β3γ2 are also affected. Activation of these receptors causes most of the effects of alcohol such as relaxation and relief from anxiety, sedation, ataxia and increase in appetite and lowering of inhibitions which can cause a tendency towards violence in some people. At higher dose ranges, other targets also become important. Alcohol at high doses acts as an antagonist of the NMDA receptor, and since the NMDA receptor is involved in learning and memory, this action is thought to be responsible for the "memory blanks" that can occur at extremely high doses of alcohol. People with a family history of alcoholism may exhibit genetic differences in the response of their NMDA glutamate receptors as well as the ratios of GABA-A subtypes in their brain. Alteration of NMDA receptor numbers in chronic alcoholics is likely to be responsible for some of the symptoms seen in delerium tremens during severe alcohol withdrawal, such as delerium and hallucinations. Other targets such as sodium channels can also be affected by high doses of alcohol, and alteration in the numbers of these channels in chronic alcoholics is likely to be responsible for the convulsions that can occur in acute alcohol withdrawal, as well as other effects such as cardiac arrhythmia. Also chronic NMDA receptor blockade may produce apoptosis in neurons which is likely to one of the factors involved in producing the brain damage seen in long-term alcoholic patients. Other targets that are affected by alcohol include cannabinoid, opioid and dopamine receptors, although it is unclear whether alcohol affects these directly or if they are affected by downstream consequences of the GABA/NMDA effects. Animal and Insect Models There have been some attempts to use animal and insect models to study the effects of ethanol on humans. Other creatures are not immune to the effects of alcohol: - Many of us have noticed that bees or yellow jackets cannot fly well after having drunk the juice of overripe fruits or berries; bears have been seen to stagger and fall down after eating fermented honey; and birds often crash or fly haphazardly while intoxicated on ethanol that occurs naturally as free-floating microorganisms convert vegetable carbohydrates to alcohol. Birds may have even been killed by excessive consumption of alcohol. In Sweden, drunken moose have been observed. The theory is that they had eaten large amounts of overly ripe berries. As a result, animal and insect models are fairly attractive. Heberlein et al. conducted studies of fruit fly intoxication at the University of California, San Francisco in 2004. The brains and nervous systems of bees bear similarities to those of humans, so honey bees are used in studies of the effect of alcohol. The value of antabuse (disulfiram) as a treatment for alcoholism has been tested using a bee model. Ulrike Heberlein's group at University of California, San Francisco has used fruit flies as models of human inebriation and even identified genes that seem to be responsible for alcohol tolerance accumulation (believed to be associated with veisalgia, or hangover), and produced genetically engineered strains that do not develop alcohol tolerance University of Minnesota Biology Professor PZ Myers is using zebrafish to study ethanol teratogenesis and ethanol gametogenesis. A wide range of other animal models have been used, including primate, mouse, and rat models. - "Alcohol 'could reduce dementia risk'", BBC News, 2002-01-25. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. - "Alcohol 'improves IQ'", 2000-12-06. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. - "Alcohol-free wine 'just as healthy'", BBC News, 1999-12-30. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. - Huang Q, He X, Ma C, Liu R, Yu S, Dayer CA, Wenger GR, McKernan R, Cook JM. Pharmacophore/Receptor Models for GABAA/BzR Subtypes (α1β3γ2, α5β3γ2, and α6β3γ2) via a Comprehensive Ligand-Mapping Approach. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2000, (43):71-95. - Platt DM, Duggan A, Spealman RD, Cook JM, Li X, Yin W, Rowlett JK. Contribution of α1GABAA and α5GABAA Receptor Subtypes to the Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Ethanol in Squirrel Monkeys. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 2005, 313(2):658-667 - Duke AN, Platt DM, Cook JM, Huang S, Yin W, Mattingly BA, Rowlett JK. Enhanced sucrose pellet consumption induced by benzodiazepine-type drugs in squirrel monkeys: role of GABAA receptor subtypes. Psychopharmacology (Berlin). 2006 Aug;187(3):321-30. - Wallner M, Hanchar HJ, Olsen RW. Low-dose alcohol actions on α4β3δ GABAA receptors are reversed by the behavioral alcohol antagonist Ro15-4513. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A. 2006 May 30;103(22):8540-5. - Mehta AK, Ticku MK. Ethanol potentiation of GABAergic transmission in cultured spinal cord neurons involves gamma-aminobutyric acidA-gated chloride channels. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1988, (246):558-564. PMID 2457076 - Becker HC, Anton RF. The benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonist Ro15-4513 exacerbates, but does not precipitate, ethanol withdrawal in mice. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behaviour. 1989 Jan;32(1):163-7. PMID 2543989 - Hanchar HJ, Chutsrinopkun P, Meera P, Supavilai P, Sieghart W, Wallner M, Olsen RW. Ethanol potently and competitively inhibits binding of the alcohol antagonist Ro15-4513 to alpha4/6beta3delta GABA-A receptors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A. 2006 May 30;103(22):8546-51. - Petrakis IL, Limoncelli D, Gueorguieva R, Jatlow P, Boutros NN, Trevisan L, Gelernter J, Krystal JH. Altered NMDA Glutamate Receptor Antagonist Response in Individuals With a Family Vulnerability to Alcoholism. 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Water, the elixir of life, is an indispensable resource that sustains all living beings on our planet. With increasing environmental concerns and the growing impact of human activity on water sources, the quality of the water we consume has become a subject of paramount importance. Enter purified water, a type of water that has undergone a rigorous filtration process to remove impurities, contaminants, and particles. In this article, we will delve into the diverse array of benefits that purified water brings to our lives. 1. Improved Health and Well-Being One of the most direct and immediate advantages of consuming purified water is the positive impact it has on our health. Regular tap water can contain a range of potential contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and chemicals like chlorine. Purified water goes through advanced filtration methods that effectively remove these harmful elements, reducing the risk of waterborne illnesses and other health issues. Chlorine, commonly used to disinfect tap water, can produce byproducts that have been associated with health concerns. Purified water free of these chemicals can lead to a better taste and odor, encouraging increased water consumption. Staying properly hydrated supports bodily functions, aids digestion, maintains healthy skin, and promotes overall well-being. 2. Enhanced Taste and Odor Unpleasant tastes and odors often deter individuals from consuming sufficient water, leading to dehydration and potential health problems. Purified water, devoid of the chlorine taste and other impurities, is refreshing and inviting. This encourages individuals to drink more water, helping them stay adequately hydrated and reap the associated health benefits. 3. Protection Against Contaminants Purified water acts as a barrier against harmful contaminants that can enter our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and even skin contact. Lead, mercury, pesticides, and other pollutants can find their way into water sources, posing risks to our health over time. Purified water systems are designed to effectively remove these contaminants, providing a layer of protection for you and your family. 4. Supporting Special Health Needs Certain individuals, such as pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, are more susceptible to the adverse effects of contaminants in water. For them, consuming purified water is not just a preference, but a necessity. By ensuring the purity of the water they consume, these vulnerable populations can reduce their risk of health complications. 5. Environmental Impact Choosing purified water can also have positive implications for the environment. By reducing the consumption of bottled water, which contributes to plastic waste, you can lower your carbon footprint. Many bottled water brands source their water from natural springs, sometimes depleting local water resources. Opting for purified tap water helps conserve these valuable sources while minimizing plastic waste. 6. Versatility in Applications Purified water finds extensive use beyond drinking. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, electronics, and healthcare require high-quality water for various processes. Purified water, free from impurities, minerals, and contaminants, prevents corrosion and buildup in equipment, ensuring optimal performance and product quality. 7. Cooking and Culinary Excellence The quality of water used in cooking directly affects the taste and texture of food. Impurities in tap water can alter the flavors of dishes and even impact the appearance of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. Purified water ensures that the true flavors of your culinary creations shine through, allowing you to explore the full spectrum of taste in your recipes. 8. Extended Lifespan of Appliances Appliances such as kettles, coffee makers, and steam irons can suffer from mineral buildup due to the presence of hard water. Over time, this buildup can reduce efficiency and lead to malfunctions, necessitating costly repairs or replacements. Purified water significantly reduces the mineral content, prolonging the lifespan of your appliances and saving you money in the long run. 9. Clarity and Brilliance Using purified water for tasks like cleaning windows and washing your car can result in a streak-free finish. The absence of minerals and impurities in purified water prevents residue buildup, leaving surfaces sparkling clean and clear. 10. Peace of Mind Perhaps one of the most intangible yet significant benefits of consuming purified water is the peace of mind it brings. Knowing that the water you and your loved ones are drinking is free from harmful contaminants provides a sense of security. This peace of mind is priceless, contributing to your overall mental and emotional well-being. The myriad benefits of purified water extend far beyond quenching thirst. From safeguarding health and enhancing taste to protecting the environment and supporting various applications, the advantages of consuming purified water are both diverse and impactful. With water purification technologies advancing, access to this valuable resource has become more convenient and effective than ever. By opting for purified water, you make a conscious choice to prioritize your health, the environment, and the quality of your daily life.
Electronic cigarettes won’t help smokers quit, study claims (CBS News) – Using an electronic cigarette won’t make you any more likely to quit smoking actual cigarettes, according to a new study. In a new research letter published March 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers at the University of California San Francisco surveyed the same group of about 950 smokers in November 2011 and 2012 and asked them about their smoking habits. They found those who tried e-cigarettes were no more likely to quit than those who hadn’t. For the baseline survey, participants were asked if they had used electronic cigarettes in the past 30 days (even once); how many conventional cigarettes they smoked per day; time to first cigarette (less than or more than 30 minutes after waking each day); and whether they intended to quit smoking with the next six months, if at all. Only 88 participants said they used e-cigarettes, which are metallic tubes that allow liquid nicotine to be converted into a flavored inhalable vapor without the use of combustion. Note: The above text is excerpted directly from an article appearing at CBSNews.com. Click here to read the full story.
Resurrection in World History Resurrection is a concept that has been present in world history for centuries. The idea of resurrection can be found in various religions, mythologies, and even scientific theories. In this article, we will explore the different aspects of resurrection and its significance in world history. What is Resurrection? Resurrection refers to the act of rising from the dead. It is a term that is commonly associated with religion and spirituality. The concept of resurrection is based on the belief that death is not the end of life but rather a transition to another state of being. Resurrection can be seen as a symbol of hope, renewal, and transformation. Resurrection in Religion The concept of resurrection plays a prominent role in many religions around the world. In Christianity, for example, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is considered to be one of the most important events in Christian theology. According to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified and buried but rose from the dead three days later. This event is celebrated every year on Easter Sunday. The idea of resurrection can also be found in other religions such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In Islam, for example, it is believed that on Judgment Day all people will be resurrected and judged according to their deeds during their lifetime. The Importance of Resurrection The concept of resurrection holds great importance for believers as it offers hope for eternal life after death. It also serves as a reminder that death should not be feared but rather embraced as a natural part of life’s cycle. The idea that there is life after death can bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones. Resurrection in Mythology The idea of resurrection can also be found in various mythologies around the world. In ancient Egyptian mythology, for example, it was believed that a person’s soul would be judged after death and if deemed worthy, they would be resurrected and granted eternal life. The Greek myth of Persephone also features a resurrection story as she is brought back to life by her mother Demeter after being kidnapped by Hades, the god of the underworld. Resurrection in Literature The theme of resurrection has also been explored in literature. In Charles Dickens’ novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” the character Sydney Carton sacrifices himself to save another man’s life and is later resurrected in spirit through his selfless act. The novel explores the themes of redemption and sacrifice. Resurrection in Science The concept of resurrection has also been explored in scientific theories such as cryonics and cloning. Cryonics involves freezing a person’s body after death with the hope that they can be revived at a later time when technology has advanced enough to restore their health. Cloning, on the other hand, involves creating an identical copy of a deceased person from their DNA. The Ethics of Resurrection The idea of resurrecting the dead raises ethical questions about the nature of life and death. Some argue that it is morally wrong to interfere with natural processes such as death while others see it as an opportunity to extend human life beyond its current limitations. Resurrection is a concept that has played an important role in world history. It can be found in religion, mythology, literature, and even science. Whether viewed as a symbol of hope or an ethical dilemma, the idea of rising from the dead continues to fascinate and inspire people around the world.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fundamental part of the Christian faith. It is the belief that Jesus, who was crucified and buried, rose from the dead on the third day. This event is celebrated every year by Christians around the world on Easter Sunday. But why is it important for kids to understand and believe in this event? In this article, we will explore some reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is important for children. It Shows That Death Is Not The End One of the most significant lessons that kids can learn from the resurrection of Jesus Christ is that death is not the end. The Bible tells us that after Jesus died, He rose again on the third day. This means that death does not have power over us and that we can look forward to eternal life with God in heaven. It Gives Us Hope The resurrection of Jesus also gives us hope. When we face difficult times in life or when we lose someone we love, it can be hard to find hope and comfort. However, knowing that Jesus conquered death and rose again gives us hope that we too can overcome difficult situations and challenges. It Shows Us God’s Love The resurrection of Jesus also demonstrates God’s love for us. The Bible tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His only son to die for our sins (John 3:16). By raising Jesus from the dead, God showed His power and love for all humanity. It Helps Us Understand The Importance Of Forgiveness Another important lesson kids can learn from the resurrection of Jesus Christ is about forgiveness. The Bible teaches us that through His death and resurrection, Jesus paid the price for our sins so that we could be forgiven and reconciled with God. It Teaches Us About Faith Finally, the resurrection of Jesus teaches us about faith. Believing in the resurrection requires faith in something that we cannot see with our eyes. This is an important lesson for kids to learn early on in life. By believing in the resurrection, they can develop a strong foundation of faith that will help them throughout their lives. In conclusion, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a crucial part of the Christian faith. It provides us with hope, demonstrates God’s love for us, teaches us about forgiveness and faith, and shows us that death is not the end. By teaching children about this important event, we can help them develop a strong foundation of faith and understanding that will guide them throughout their lives.
[Updated on July 24, 2023: Added Llama 2.] Text generation and conversational technologies have been around for ages. Earlier challenges in working with these technologies were controlling both the coherence and diversity of the text through inference parameters and discriminative biases. More coherent outputs were less creative and closer to the original training data and sounded less human. Recent developments overcame these challenges, and user-friendly UIs enabled everyone to try these models out. Services like ChatGPT have recently put the spotlight on powerful models like GPT-4 and caused an explosion of open-source alternatives like Llama to go mainstream. We think these technologies will be around for a long time and become more and more integrated into everyday products. This post is divided into the following sections: - Brief background on text generation - Tools in the Hugging Face Ecosystem for LLM Serving - Parameter Efficient Fine Tuning (PEFT) Text generation models are essentially trained with the objective of completing an incomplete text or generating text from scratch as a response to a given instruction or question. Models that complete incomplete text are called Causal Language Models, and famous examples are GPT-3 by OpenAI and Llama by Meta AI. One concept you need to know before we move on is fine-tuning. This is the process of taking a very large model and transferring the knowledge contained in this base model to another use case, which we call a downstream task. These tasks can come in the form of instructions. As the model size grows, it can generalize better to instructions that do not exist in the pre-training data, but were learned during fine-tuning. Causal language models are adapted using a process called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). This optimization is mainly made over how natural and coherent the text sounds rather than the validity of the answer. Explaining how RLHF works is outside the scope of this blog post, but you can find more information about this process here. For example, GPT-3 is a causal language base model, while the models in the backend of ChatGPT (which is the UI for GPT-series models) are fine-tuned through RLHF on prompts that can consist of conversations or instructions. It’s an important distinction to make between these models. On the Hugging Face Hub, you can find both causal language models and causal language models fine-tuned on instructions (which we’ll give links to later in this blog post). Llama is one of the first open-source LLMs to have outperformed/matched closed-source ones. A research group led by Together has created a reproduction of Llama's dataset, called Red Pajama, and trained LLMs and instruction fine-tuned models on it. You can read more about it here and find the model checkpoints on Hugging Face Hub. By the time this blog post is written, three of the largest causal language models with open-source licenses are MPT-30B by MosaicML, XGen by Salesforce and Falcon by TII UAE, available completely open on Hugging Face Hub. Recently, Meta released Llama 2, an open-access model with a license that allows commercial use. As of now, Llama 2 outperforms all of the other open-source large language models on different benchmarks. Llama 2 checkpoints on Hugging Face Hub are compatible with transformers, and the largest checkpoint is available for everyone to try at HuggingChat. You can read more about how to fine-tune, deploy and prompt with Llama 2 in this blog post. The second type of text generation model is commonly referred to as the text-to-text generation model. These models are trained on text pairs, which can be questions and answers or instructions and responses. The most popular ones are T5 and BART (which, as of now, aren’t state-of-the-art). Google has recently released the FLAN-T5 series of models. FLAN is a recent technique developed for instruction fine-tuning, and FLAN-T5 is essentially T5 fine-tuned using FLAN. As of now, the FLAN-T5 series of models are state-of-the-art and open-source, available on the Hugging Face Hub. Note that these are different from instruction-tuned causal language models, although the input-output format might seem similar. Below you can see an illustration of how these models work. Having more variation of open-source text generation models enables companies to keep their data private, to adapt models to their domains faster, and to cut costs for inference instead of relying on closed paid APIs. All open-source causal language models on Hugging Face Hub can be found here, and text-to-text generation models can be found here. Hugging Face has co-led two science initiatives, BigScience and BigCode. As a result of them, two large language models were created, BLOOM 🌸 and StarCoder 🌟. BLOOM is a causal language model trained on 46 languages and 13 programming languages. It is the first open-source model to have more parameters than GPT-3. You can find all the available checkpoints in the BLOOM documentation. StarCoder is a language model trained on permissive code from GitHub (with 80+ programming languages 🤯) with a Fill-in-the-Middle objective. It’s not fine-tuned on instructions, and thus, it serves more as a coding assistant to complete a given code, e.g., translate Python to C++, explain concepts (what’s recursion), or act as a terminal. You can try all of the StarCoder checkpoints in this application. It also comes with a VSCode extension. Snippets to use all models mentioned in this blog post are given in either the model repository or the documentation page of that model type in Hugging Face. Many text generation models are either closed-source or the license limits commercial use. Fortunately, open-source alternatives are starting to appear and being embraced by the community as building blocks for further development, fine-tuning, or integration with other projects. Below you can find a list of some of the large causal language models with fully open-source licenses: There are two code generation models, StarCoder by BigCode and Codegen by Salesforce. There are model checkpoints in different sizes and open-source or open RAIL licenses for both, except for Codegen fine-tuned on instruction. The Hugging Face Hub also hosts various models fine-tuned for instruction or chat use. They come in various styles and sizes depending on your needs. - MPT-30B-Chat, by Mosaic ML, uses the CC-BY-NC-SA license, which does not allow commercial use. However, MPT-30B-Instruct uses CC-BY-SA 3.0, which can be used commercially. - Falcon-40B-Instruct and Falcon-7B-Instruct both use the Apache 2.0 license, so commercial use is also permitted. - Another popular family of models is OpenAssistant, some of which are built on Meta's Llama model using a custom instruction-tuning dataset. Since the original Llama model can only be used for research, the OpenAssistant checkpoints built on Llama don’t have full open-source licenses. However, there are OpenAssistant models built on open-source models like Falcon or pythia that use permissive licenses. - StarChat Beta is the instruction fine-tuned version of StarCoder, and has BigCode Open RAIL-M v1 license, which allows commercial use. Instruction-tuned coding model of Salesforce, XGen model, only allows research use. If you're looking to fine-tune a model on an existing instruction dataset, you need to know how a dataset was compiled. Some of the existing instruction datasets are either crowd-sourced or use outputs of existing models (e.g., the models behind ChatGPT). ALPACA dataset created by Stanford is created through the outputs of models behind ChatGPT. Moreover, there are various crowd-sourced instruction datasets with open-source licenses, like oasst1 (created by thousands of people voluntarily!) or databricks/databricks-dolly-15k. If you'd like to create a dataset yourself, you can check out the dataset card of Dolly on how to create an instruction dataset. Models fine-tuned on these datasets can be distributed. You can find a comprehensive table of some open-source/open-access models below. \|Falcon 40B\|\|Falcon RefinedWeb\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Text Generation\| \|SalesForce XGen 7B\|\|Mix of C4, RedPajama and more\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Text Generation\| \|MPT-30B\|\|Mix of C4, RedPajama and more\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Text Generation\| \|RedPajama INCITE 7B\|\|RedPajama\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Text Generation\| \|OpenAssistant Falcon 40B\|\|oasst1 and Dolly\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Text Generation\| \|StarCoder\|\|The Stack\|\|BigCode OpenRAIL-M\|\|Code Generation\| \|Salesforce CodeGen\|\|Starcoder Data\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Code Generation\| \|FLAN-T5-XXL\|\|gsm8k, lambada, and esnli\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Text-to-text Generation\| \|MPT-30B Chat\|\|ShareGPT-Vicuna, OpenAssistant Guanaco and more\|\|CC-By-NC-SA-4.0\|\|Chat\| \|MPT-30B Instruct\|\|duorc, competition_math, dolly_hhrlhf\|\|CC-By-SA-3.0\|\|Instruction\| \|Falcon 40B Instruct\|\|baize\|\|Apache-2.0\|\|Instruction\| \|Dolly v2\|\|Dolly\|\|MIT\|\|Text Generation\| \|StarChat-β\|\|OpenAssistant Guanaco\|\|BigCode OpenRAIL-M\|\|Code Instruction\| \|Llama 2\|\|Undisclosed dataset\|\|Custom Meta License (Allows commercial use)\|\|Text Generation\| Response time and latency for concurrent users are a big challenge for serving these large models. To tackle this problem, Hugging Face has released text-generation-inference (TGI), an open-source serving solution for large language models built on Rust, Python, and gRPc. TGI is integrated into inference solutions of Hugging Face, Inference Endpoints, and Inference API, so you can directly create an endpoint with optimized inference with few clicks, or simply send a request to Hugging Face's Inference API to benefit from it, instead of integrating TGI to your platform. TGI currently powers HuggingChat, Hugging Face's open-source chat UI for LLMs. This service currently uses one of OpenAssistant's models as the backend model. You can chat as much as you want with HuggingChat and enable the Web search feature for responses that use elements from current Web pages. You can also give feedback to each response for model authors to train better models. The UI of HuggingChat is also open-sourced, and we are working on more features for HuggingChat to allow more functions, like generating images inside the chat. Recently, a Docker template for HuggingChat was released for Hugging Face Spaces. This allows anyone to deploy their instance based on a large language model with only a few clicks and customize it. You can create your large language model instance here based on various LLMs, including Llama 2. Hugging Face hosts an LLM leaderboard. This leaderboard is created by evaluating community-submitted models on text generation benchmarks on Hugging Face’s clusters. If you can’t find the language or domain you’re looking for, you can filter them here. You can also check out the LLM Performance leaderboard, which aims to evaluate the latency and throughput of large language models available on Hugging Face Hub. If you’d like to fine-tune one of the existing large models on your instruction dataset, it is nearly impossible to do so on consumer hardware and later deploy them (since the instruction models are the same size as the original checkpoints that are used for fine-tuning). PEFT is a library that allows you to do parameter-efficient fine-tuning techniques. This means that rather than training the whole model, you can train a very small number of additional parameters, enabling much faster training with very little performance degradation. With PEFT, you can do low-rank adaptation (LoRA), prefix tuning, prompt tuning, and p-tuning. You can check out further resources for more information on text generation. - Together with AWS we released TGI-based LLM deployment deep learning containers called LLM Inference Containers. Read about them here. - Text Generation task page to find out more about the task itself. - PEFT announcement blog post. - Read about how Inference Endpoints use TGI here. - Read about how to fine-tune Llama 2 transformers and PEFT, and prompt here.
Information that could save your life Mahlon G. Kelly mgk at faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU Fri Jun 7 02:22:32 EST 1996 Joshua Oskwarek writes: > The importance of minerals in the diet is often overlooked. Life-sustaining minerals are necessary for 95% of the body's daily functions. > Although the body can function, however poorly, without vitamins, it will die withoud minerals. > Soil depletion, poor crop rotation, and loss of valuable topsoil due to flooding and over-irrigation has eliminated much of the natural trace > mineral content from our modern food supply. In fact, many of the fruits and vegetables we consume today contain only 8 to 12 minerals. > Dr. Linus Pauling, winner of two Nobel Prizes claimed, "You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral > For a FREE audio cassette detailing how important minerals are to our diet, how common deseases like heart desease, diabeties, arthritis and > others are caused by mineral deficiencies, and what we can do about it, send an email request with your name and address to joshua at nai.net. > There is NO obligation of any sort at all. USA and Canada only. > Joshua Oskwarek What rubbish. Is carbon a mineral? It occurs in coal. Minerals are in everything we eat. I suggest that the readers of this news group are fairly well educated. They can probably spot your scam immediately. And for that reason, I probably should not even bother to respond. But the premises are so rediculous that I could not Associate Professor (Emeritus) University of Virginia mgk at darwin.clas.virginia.edu More information about the Bioforum
UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus - Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science (Optional) ::Paper – 1:: 1. Animal Nutrition Energy sources, energy, metabolism and requirements for maintenance and production of milk, meat, eggs and wool. Evaluation of feeds as sources of energy. 1.1. Trends in protein nutrition: sources of protein metabolism and synthesis, protein quantity and quality in relation to requirements. Energy protein ratios in ration. 1.2. Minerals in animal diet : Sources, functions, requirements and their relationship of the basic minerals nutrients including trace elements. 1.3. Vitamins, Hormones and Growth Stimulating, substances : Sources, functions, requirements and inter-relationship with minerals. 1.4. Advances in Ruminant Nutrition-Dairy Cattle: Nutrients and their metabolism with reference to milk production and its composition. Nutrient requirements for calves, heifers, dry and milking cows and buffaloes. Limitations of various feeding systems. 1.5 Advances in Non-Ruminant Nutrition-Poultry-Nutrients and their metabolism with reference to poultry, meat and egg production, Nutrients requirements and feed formulation and broilers at different ages. 1.6 Advances in Non-Ruminant Nutrition-Swine-Nutrients and their metabolism with special reference to growth and quality of meat production, Nutrient requirement and feed formulation for baby-growing and finishing pigs. 1.7. Advances in Applied Animal Nutrition-A critical review and evaluation of feeding experiments, digestibility and balance studies. Feeding standards and measures of food energy. Nutrition requirements for growth, maintenance and production. Balanced rations. 2. Animal Physiology : 2.1 Growth and Animal Production : Prenatal and postnatal growth, maturation, growth curves, measures of growth, factors affecting growth, conformation, body composition, meat quality. 2.2 Milk Production and Reproduction and Digestion : Current status of hormonal control of mammary development, milk secretion and milk ejection. Male and Female reproduction organ, their components and function. Digestive organs and their functions. 2.3 Environmental Physiology : Physiological relations and their regulation; mechanisms of adaptation, environmental factors and regulatory mechanism involved in animal behaviour, methods of controlling climatic stress. 2.4 Semen quality : Preservation and Artificial Insemination-Components of semen, composition of spermatozoa, chemical and physical properties of ejaculated semen, factors affecting semen in vivo and in vitro. Factors affecting semen production and quality preservation, composition of diluents, sperm concentration, transport of diluted semen. Deep Freezing techniques in cows, sheep and goats, swine and poultry. Detection of estrus and time of insemination for better conception. 3. Livestock Production and Management : 3.1 Commercial Dairy Farming-Comparison of dairy farming in India with advanced countries. Dairying under fixed farming and as a specialised farming, economic dairy farming, Starting of a dairy farm. Capital and land requirement, organisation of the dairy farm. Procurement of goods; opportunities in dairy farming, factors determining the efficiency of dairy animal, Herd recording, budgeting, cost of milk production; pricing policy; Personnel Management. Developing Practical and Economic ration for dairy cattle; supply of greens throughout the year, field and fodder requirements of Dairy Farm, Feeding regimes for day and young stock and bulls, heifers and breeding animals, new trends in feeding young and adult stock; Feeding records. 3.2 Commercial meat, egg and wool production: Development of practical and economic rations for sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits and poultry. Supply of greens, fodder, feeding regimens for young and mature stock. New trends in enhancing production and management. Capital and land requirements and socio-economic concept. 3.3 Feeding and management of animals under drought, flood and other natural calamities. 4. Genetics and Animal Breeding : Mitosis and Meiosis; Mendelian inheritance; deviations to Mendelian genetics; Expression of genes; Linkage and crossing over; Sex determination, sex influenced and sex limited characters; Blood groups and polymorphism; Chromosome aberrations; Gene and its structure; DNA as a genetic material; Genetic code and protein synthesis; Recombinant DNA technology, Mutations, types of mutations, methods for detecting mutations and mutation rate. 4.1 Population Genetics Applied to Animal Breeding: Quantitative Vs. qualitative traits; Hardy Weinberg Law; Population Vs. individual; Gene and genotypic frequency; Forces changing gene frequency; Random drift and small populations; Theory of path coefficient; Inbreeding, methods of estimating inbreeding coefficient, systems of inbreeding; Effective population size; Breeding value, estimation of breeding value, dominance and epistatic deviation; partitioning of variation; Genotype X environment correlation and genotype X environment interaction; Role of multiple measurements; Resemblance between relatives. 4.2 Breeding Systems : Heritability, repeatability and genetic and phenotypic correlations, their methods of estimation and precision of estimates; Aids to selection and their relative merits; Individual, pedigree, family and within family selection; Progeny testing; Methods of selection; Construction of selection indices and their uses; Comparative evaluation of genetic gains through various selection methods; Indirect selection and Correlated response; Inbreeding, upgrading, cross-breeding and synthesis of brees; Crossing of inbred lines for commercial production; Selection for general and specific combining ability; Breeding for threshold character. ::Paper - 2:: 1. Health and Hygiene: 1.1. Histology and Histological Techniques : Stains-Chemical classification of stains used in biological work-principles of staining tissues-mordants-progressive & regressive stains-differential staining of cytoplasmic and connective tissue elementsMethods of preparation and processing of tissues-celloidin embedding-Freezing microtomy-Microscopy-Bright field microscope and electron microscope. Cytologystructure of cell, organells & inclusions; cell division-cell types-Tissues and their classification-embryonic and adult tissues-Comparative histology of organs:- vascular, Nervous, digestive, respiratory, musculo-skeletal and urogenital systems-Endocrine glands-Integuments-sense organs. 1.2. Embryology : Embryology of vertebrates with special reference to aves and domestic mammals-gametogenesis-fertilization-germ layers-foetal membranes & placentation-types of placenta in domestic mammals-Teratology-twin & twinningorganogenesis-germ layer derivatives-endodermal, mesodermal and ectodermal derivatives. 1.3 Bovine Anatomy-Regional Anatomy: Paranasal sinuses of OX-surface anatomy of salivary glands. Regional anatomy of infraorbital, maxillary, mandibuloalveolar, mental & coronal nerve block-Regional anatomy of para-vertebral nerves, pudental nerve, median, ulnar & radial nerves-tibial, fibular and digital nerves-Cranial nervesstructures involved in epidural anaesthesia-superficial lymph nodes-surface anatomy of visceral organs of thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities-comparative features of locomotor apparatus & their application in the biomechanics of mammalian body. 1.4 Anatomy of Fowl : Musculo-skeletal system-functional anatomy in relation to respiration and flying, digestion and egg production. 1.5 Physiology of blood and its circulation, respiration; excretion, Endocrine glands in health and disease. 1.5.1 Blood constituents : Properties and functions-blood cell formationHaemoglobin synthesis and chemistry-plasma proteins production, classification and properties; coagulation of blood; Haemorrhagic disorders-anticoagulants-blood groups-Blood volume-Plasma expanders-Buffer systems in blood. Biochemical tests and their significance in disease diagnosis. 1.5.2. Circulation: Physiology of heart, cardiac cycle-heart sounds, heartbeat, electro-cardiograms, Work and efficiency of heart-effect of ions on heart functionmetabolism of cardiac muscle, nervous and chemical regulation of heart, effect of temperature and stress on heart, blood pressure and hypertension, Osmotic regulation, arterial pulse, vasomotor regulation of circulation, shock. Coronary & pulmonary circulation, Blood-Brain barrier-Cerebrospinal fluid-circulation in birds. 1.5.3 Respiration : Mechanism of respiration, Transport and exchange of gasesneural control of respiration-chemo receptors-hypoxia-respiration in birds. 1.5.4 Excretion: Structure and function of kidney-formation of urine methods of studying renal function-renal regulation of acid-base balance; physiological constituents of urine-renal failure-passive venous congestion-Urinary recreation in chicken-Sweat glands and their function. Biochemical tests for urinary dysfunction. 1.5.5 Endocrine glands : Functional disorders, their symptoms and diagnosis. Synthesis of hormones, mechanism and control of secretion-hormonal receptors classification and function. 1.6. General knowledge of pharmacology and therapeutics of drugs : Cellular level of pharmaco-dynamics and pharmaco-kinetics-Drugs acting on fluids and electrolyte balance-drugs acting on Autonomic nervous system-Modern concepts of anaesthesia and dissociative Anaesthetics-Autocoids-Antimicrobials and principles of chemotherapy in microbial injections-use of hormones in therapeutics-chemotherapy of parasitic infections-Drug and economic persons in the Edible tissues of animalschemotherapy of Neoplastic diseases. 1.7. Veterinary Hygiene with reference to water, air and habitation : Assessment of pollution of water, air and soil-Importance of climate in animal health-effect of environment on animal function and performance-relationship between industrialization and animal agriculture-animal housing requirements for specific categories of domestic animals viz. pregnant cows & sows, milking cows, broiler birdsstress, strain & productivity in relation to animal habitation. 2. Animal Diseases : 2.1 Pathogenesis, symptoms, postmortem lesions, diagnosis, and control of infection diseases of cattle, pigs and poultry, horses, sheep and goats. 2.2 Etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment of production diseases of cattle, pig and poultry. 2.3 Deficiency diseases of domestic animals and birds. 2.4 Diagnosis and treatment of nonspecific condition like impaction, Bloat, Diarrhoea, Indigestion, dehydration, stroke, poisoning. 2.5 Diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. 2.6 Principles and methods of immunization of animals against specific diseases-hard immunity-disease free zones-'zero' disease concept-chemoprophylaxis. 2.7 Anesthesia-local, regional and general-pre-anesthetic medication, Symptoms and surgical interference in fractures and dislocation, Hernia, choking, abomassal displacement-Caesarian operations, Rumenotomy-Castrations. 2.8 Disease investigation techniques-Materials for laboratory investigationEstablishment Animal Health Centres-Disease free zone. 3. Veterinary Public Health: 3.1 Zoonoses : Classification, definition; role of animals and birds in prevalence and transmission of zoonotic diseases occupational zoonotic diseases. 3.2. Epidemiology : Principles, definition of epidemiological terms, application of epidemiological measures in the study of diseases and disease control, Epidemiological features of air, water and food borne infections. 3.3 Veterinary Jurisprudence : Rules and Regulations for improvement of animal quality and prevention of animal diseases-state and control Rules for prevention of animal and animal product borne diseases-S.P. C.A.-veterolegal cases-certificatesMaterials and Methods of collection of samples for veterolegal investigation. 4. Milk and Milk Products Technology: 4.1 Milk Technology : Organization of rural milk procurement, collection and transport of raw milk. Quality, testing and grading raw milk, Quality storage grades of whole milk, Skimmed milk and cream. Processing, packaging, storing, distributing, marketing defects and their control and nutritive properties of the following milks : Pasteurized, standardized, toned, double toned, sterilized, homogenized, reconstituted, recombined and flavoured milks. Preparation of cultured milks, cultures and their management, youghurt, Dahi, Lassi and Srikhand. Preparation of flavoured and sterlized milks. Legal standards, Sanitation requirement for clean and safe milk and for the milk plant equipment. 4.2 Milk Products Technology : Selection of raw materials, assembling, production, processing, storing, distributing and marketing milk products such as Butter, Ghee, Khoa, Channa, Cheese; Condensed, evaporated, dried milk and baby food; Ice cream and Kulfi; by products; whey products, butter milk, lactose and casein. Testing Grading, judging milk products-BIS and Agmark specifications, legal standards, quality control nutritive properties. Packaging, processing and operational control Costs. 5. Meat Hygiene and Technology: 5.1 Meat Hygiene : 5.1.1 Ante mortem care and management of food animals, stunning, slaughter and dressing operations; abattoir requirements and designs; Meat inspection procedures and judgement of carcass meat cuts-drading of carcass meat cuts-duties and functions of Veterinarians in Wholesome meat production. 5.1.2 Hygienic methods of handling production of meat-spoilage of meat and control measures-Post slaughter physicochemical changes in meat and factors that influence them-quality improvement methods-Adulteration of meat and defection-Regulatory provisions in Meat trade and Industry. 5.2. Meat Technology 5.2.1 Physical and chemical characteristics of meat-meat emulsions-methods of preservation of meat-curing, canning, irradiation, packaging of meat and meat products; meat products and formulations. 5.3. Byproducts : Slaughter house by products and their utilisation-Edible and inedible byproducts-social and economic implications of proper utilisation of slaughter house byproducts-Organ products for food and pharmaceuticals. 5.4. Poultry Products Technology: Chemical composition and nutritive value of poultry meat, pre slaughter care and management. Slaughtering techniques, inspection, preservation of poultry meat, and products. Legal and BIS standards. Structure, composition and nutritive value of eggs. Microbial spoilage. Preservation and maintenance. Marketing of poultry meat, eggs and products. 5.5. Rabbit/Fur Animal farming: Care and management of rabbit meat production. Disposal and utilization of fur and wool and recycling of waste byproducts. Grading of wool. Basic philosophy, objectives, concept and principles of extension. Different Methods adopted to educate farmers under rural conditions. Generation of technology, its transfer and feedback. Problems of constraints in transfer of technology. Animal husbandry programmes for rural development.
8000-261 Diversity in the Workplace - March 27, 2023 - Posted by: admin - Category: ILM Level 2 8000-261 Diversity in the WorkplaceILM 8000-261 Diversity in the Workplace is a training program designed to help individuals understand the value of workplace diversity and inclusion. Organizations are increasingly recognizing the benefits of a diverse workforce in today’s globalized and interconnected world. Gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and other differences can lead to increased creativity, innovation, and problem-solving ability. Managing diversity in the workplace, on the other hand, can be difficult and requires a thorough understanding of cultural differences, biases, and effective communication strategies. This program’s goal is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to create a welcoming and inclusive work environment that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. The possible outcomes are as follows: Learners will be able to achieve the following learning outcomes by the end of ILM 8000-261 Diversity in the Workplace: - Understand how to contribute to a positive workplace environment: Learners will be able to recognize the importance of creating a positive work environment and understand their role in it. They will gain an understanding of the impact their actions have on others, as well as how to effectively communicate and collaborate with colleagues. - Understand how to deal with conflicts caused by different individual and/or organizational values: Learners will gain a better understanding of the difficulties that can arise as a result of differences in individual and organizational values. They will learn how to recognize and manage their own biases, as well as how to communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. They will also develop conflict resolution strategies to deal with differences in values or perspectives. You will learn the following: Learners in ILM 8000-261 Diversity in the Workplace will gain knowledge and skills related to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. The following topics will be covered in the course: - The Advantages of Workplace Diversity - The difficulties and impediments to diversity and inclusion - Recognizing and managing personal biases - Strategies for communicating with colleagues from various backgrounds - Creating a diverse and inclusive work environment - Conflict resolution strategies based on differences in values or perspectives - Legal and ethical considerations for workplace diversity and inclusion - Practices in leadership and management that promote diversity and inclusion By the end of the course, students will have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to foster a welcoming and inclusive work environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. They will be able to identify and manage their own biases, communicate effectively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, and navigate conflicts caused by differences in values or perspectives. They will also gain an understanding of the legal and ethical issues surrounding workplace diversity and inclusion, as well as be able to apply best practices in leadership and management to support diversity and inclusion initiatives. What are the requirements for entry? ILM 8000-261 specific entry requirements Workplace Diversity may differ depending on the training provider or institution that offers the course. However, learners are generally expected to have prior experience or knowledge of the workplace environment and organizational culture. This could include: - Work experience: Some training providers may require learners to have at least one year of professional work experience in a business or nonprofit organization. - Learners may be expected to have a specific level of education, such as a high school diploma or the equivalent. - Language proficiency: Because ILM 8000-261 is likely to require reading, writing, and communication skills, students may be required to demonstrate proficiency in the language of instruction. - Learners may be expected to have basic computer skills, such as the ability to navigate a web browser and use common productivity software, because the course may include online learning modules or assessments. Before enrolling in a course, learners should check the specific entry requirements of their chosen training provider or institution. What can we do to help? ILM 8000-261 Diversity in the Workplace is a comprehensive training program designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. Learners may be required to complete assignments as part of the program to demonstrate their understanding of the course material and their ability to apply it in practical contexts. ILM assignment help can be of great assistance to students as they work on their assignments. Here are some examples of how ILM assignment help can help students: - ILM assignment help can assist students in understanding the specific requirements of their assignments, such as the format, length, and content expectations. This can assist students in ensuring that they have addressed all of the assignment’s requirements. - ILM assignment help can assist students in locating relevant research and resources to assist them in completing their assignments. This can include academic journals, case studies, and other materials demonstrating best practices in workplace diversity and inclusion. - ILM assignment assistance can review and edit student assignments for grammar, spelling, and other errors. Students can use this to ensure that their assignments are well-written and adhere to professional standards. - ILM assignment help can provide feedback on student assignments, as well as suggestions for improvement and guidance on how to address any areas of weakness. This can help students improve their workplace diversity and inclusion skills and knowledge. Overall, ILM assignment help can be of great assistance to students as they work through their ILM 8000-261 assignments. ILM assignment help can assist students in developing the skills and knowledge required to create a diverse and inclusive workplace environment by providing guidance, feedback, and resources.
Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is the result of a relatively short period of inadequate nutrition which leads to wasting. Left unchecked, moderate acute malnutrition can become severe. It therefore must be treated early. Moderate acute malnutrition is: - Moderate wasting, measured by weight-for-height 70-79% or <-2SD, or mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) 110-120mm for children 6 – 59 months
Beyond the Music: What Jazz Teaches Us An article by Dr. Darla S. Hanley and Dr. Iñaki Sandoval (JazzTimes Magazine, July 2014) Jazz music teaches us many things beyond the sounds. As jazz performers we strive to be better players and advance our art. As jazz teachers we strive to instill in our students all of the techniques and best practices we know to allow them to flourish. And as jazz students we strive to gain as much as we can from the past and present to bring music to the next level in the future. Throughout the study and performance of jazz music we develop focused habits of working, self-discipline, communication skills and fluency of professional vocabulary, teamwork, the ability to accept constructive feedback, and critical listening skills, to mention a few examples. The life of a contemporary jazz artist, teacher, composer or performer, begins as a student and continues as such throughout her career. Just as every person is unique; every music student is different learning in her own way. In order to grow as an artist, she needs to balance time learning alone with time spent working with other musicians. Once she has acquired high-level skills and knowledge as a musician, the circle begins and she is ready to become a teacher…
By Greg Priest Read the full companion article in this quarter’s Journal of the History of Ideas. A new biography of Charles Darwin is coming out. Styled as a “radical reappraisal,” the book, by A.N. Wilson, condemns Darwin, accusing him of intellectual piracy and scientific blundering. Wilson reserves some of his harshest criticisms for Darwin’s account of morality. We are told that Darwin deployed his conceptions of the “struggle for existence” and the “survival of the fittest” to defend an ethics derived from “selfish capitalist economics” that naturalized the greed and rapaciousness of Darwin’s race and class. The critique is certainly scathing, but it is far from “radical,” at least as far as its portrayal of Darwin’s account of morality is concerned. Just a few years after the publication of the Descent of Man, Friedrich Engels charged Darwin with trying to turn the “bourgeois economic theory of competition” into an “eternal law of human society.” Even Darwin’s defenders have been captured by this interpretation. Darwin’s “bulldog,” Thomas Henry Huxley, admitted that Darwin had described a natural world characterized by competition and struggle, but believed that morality obligates us to resist the dictates of nature. Some of Darwin’s other defenders agreed that nature was filled with selfishness, but pointed out that Darwin had also shown that organisms cooperate to achieve common goals, and so emphasized cooperation as a source of moral instruction. More recent discussions of Darwin’s account of morality have for the most part followed one or another of these prototypes. Darwin’s Fable of the Bees But the notion that Darwin’s account of morality is centered around competition and struggle is a misconception. In my article “Charles Darwin’s Theory of Moral Sentiments: What Darwin’s Ethics Really Owes to Adam Smith,” I show that Darwin had a clear ethical theory, and that it had no connection, one way or the other, to “selfish capitalist economics.” Darwin wrote about struggle between organisms, and he wrote about cooperation among them. But when he offered an account of morality, he built his argument on Adam Smith’s idea—expressed in The Theory of Moral Sentiments—that humans have an inborn moral sentiment by which we sympathize with the fortunes of others. Darwin argued that this was not a peculiarly human faculty, that all social animals develop social instincts regulating how they behave toward other members of their community. He suggested that any species that evolved a high degree of intelligence would begin to reflect on and to develop those social instincts, and would eventually create a code of morality that members of the species would consult in determining appropriate conduct. But because the social and physical environment of every species is different, the particular content of the moral codes of different species would evolve in different directions. So, in one of his more striking passages, Darwin performed a thought experiment: “If, for instance, to take an extreme case, men were reared under precisely the same conditions as hive-bees, there can hardly be a doubt that our unmarried females would, like the worker-bees, think it a sacred duty to kill their brothers, and mothers would strive to kill their fertile daughters; and no one would think of interfering.” Darwin in America: The Metaphysical Club Reads the Descent of Man I will leave the details of the argument to my article. What I wish to do here is recount a single episode that shines a spotlight on Darwin’s account of morality, and for that, we have to cross the Atlantic and visit Boston. In the early 1870s, a small coterie of young Cambridge intellectuals formed a discussion group that they styled—“half ironically and half defiantly,” as one of their number put it—the “Metaphysical Club.” The club comprised Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., William James, Charles Sanders Peirce, Chauncey Wright, and a handful of others. And they received and debated Darwin’s ideas with deep interest. One of the club’s lesser lights was a non-conformist Unitarian minister named Francis Ellingwood Abbot. One of Abbot’s principal projects was to put religion and morality on a scientific foundation, and one of his early efforts in that direction was an 1874 essay titled “Darwin’s Theory of Conscience: Its Relation to Scientific Ethics.” In his essay, Abbot celebrated Darwin’s naturalistic account of the source and development of moral obligations, but he could not abide Darwin’s suggestion that morality might not be the same for all moral beings. In particular, Abbot contended that Darwin was wrong in how he analyzed the thought experiment about humans raised as bees. All moral beings would converge, Abbot wrote, on the same moral principles, Moral obligations are “not accidental or fortuitous; they are not one thing here and another thing there.” Rather, “Ethics treat of rights and duties among all moral beings, as objective and universal facts.” Abbot sent a copy of the essay to Darwin asking for his views. In his letter responding to Abbot, Darwin doubled down, both on his evolutionary account of morality, and on his insistence that morals will differ from one species to another. “Lower” social animals” have instincts “not habitually to kill each other, & the mothers to protect their offspring, … as the species c’d not exist in society without it.” But instincts differ in different lineages and so are not everywhere the same: “Would you consider this an ‘objective & universal fact’? I suppose certainly not, as instinct is subjective & the obligation w’d differ to a certain extent for different species.” For Darwin, the same analysis applies to morals in species that are more intellectually developed: “Now as soon as a social animal became in some slight, incipient degree a moral creature,—that is—was capable of approving or disapproving of its own conduct,—… Would not the obligation remain, to a large extent, of the same so-called instinctive nature as before?” In any case, “I cannot see why it [the obligation] sh’d be an objective & universal fact, any more than with the instinctive obligation or bond between the lower social animals.” Despite its value for understanding Darwin’s account of morality, this exchange of correspondence has received little attention. Darwin’s sons thought it merited publication, however, so they planned to include it in an edition of his letters. But they weren’t entirely sure what to make of it, so they sent the correspondence to another member of the Metaphysical Club to get his perspective. That member was William James. James had no doubt about how to interpret the correspondence, or about whether Abbot or Darwin had the better end of the argument. “Abbot thinks,” wrote James, that moral principles are “real, objective, universal,” and so “absolute.” In contrast, “I take it your father meant to protest against this ideal of a perfection equally binding on all types of creature, no matter what their physiological differences.” Darwin believed, James thought, that there is no “objective” standard that one could use to measure “the virtue of the rabbit” against “that of the lion.” And James was sympathetic to Darwin’s view: “I may add that I think your father’s way on the whole more sound than Abbot’s.” Adam Smith, Charles Darwin, and William James: An Eternal Golden Braid? It should be obvious that I think James got Darwin right. But I mention him for another reason as well. Darwin had taken Smith’s idea of an innate human faculty of sympathy and read it through an evolutionary lens, transmuting it in the process. On Darwin’s account, all social animals have the instinct of sympathy, and any lineage may evolve sufficient intelligence that the instinct evolves into a moral code. I haven’t worked the argument out in detail, but it seems that James may have done to Darwin something very much along the same lines as what Darwin had done to Smith. James’s published discussions of morality post-date his analysis of the Darwin-Abbot correspondence. And in those later writings, he used some of the same phrases he had earlier used to characterize Darwin’s position vis-à-vis Abbot. James even alluded to Darwin’s thought experiment regarding humans raised as bees, suggesting that our mental worlds might differ substantially “were we lobsters, or bees.” But James pushed the relativity of ethical principles further than Darwin had. For Darwin, different lineages would evolve different moral codes, and there is no objective ground on which to judge which code is more “right.” James argued that, even within our human lineage, different individuals might have different understandings of right and wrong, and that there is no objective ground from which those understandings can be judged. James may, then, have taken Darwin’s account of morality and read it through a pragmatic lens, transmuting it in his turn. Greg Priest is a PhD candidate in History and a member of the Program in History & Philosophy of Science at Stanford University. Greg focuses on the history of evolutionary biology, and in particular, Charles Darwin. He has had articles published in the Journal of the History of Ideas and in Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences and is currently co-editing a special issue of Endeavour on the practice of scientific diagramming.
Molecules and Meaning: How Do Molecules Become Biochemical Signals? ©This paper is not for reproduction, even partial, without the express permission of the first author. The objective of this paper is to reflect on how molecules can acquire macroscopic meaning (i.e., carry a message to macroscopic levels) in a context of biological evolution. First, the structure of molecules is explained in terms of form (molecular geometry), function (measurable or computable molecular properties), and fluctuation. Fluctuations in form and function create distinct molecular states, and the ensemble of all molecular states defines a molecular space (also known as a property space). The second part examines molecules in a chemical context. The interplay between a chemical compound and its environment creates a complex system in its own right, as exemplified by solutions. A solute influences the solvent by affecting its organization and some colligative properties, while the solvent often has a marked influence on the solute by constraining its property space and so selecting some of its molecular states. Solutions may display emergent properties not existing in the separate components, e.g. chemical reactivity, implying that information has been created upon formation of the complex system. The third part of the paper discusses the interaction of chemical compounds with biological media. In contrast to abiotic environments such as solvents whose degree of organization is comparatively low, biological media are characterized by a high degree of organization. Examples at the macromolecular level include functional proteins (receptors, enzymes, transporters, ...) or nucleic acids. When a molecule is recognized by such a macromolecule and interacts (binds) productively with it, a complex system is produced whose emergent property is the functional response, and which strongly constrains both of its components. The chemical is frozen into a single or a very limited number of molecular states (induced fit), whereas the macromolecule is activated by a conformational change (e.g. an allosteric effect). Here again, emergent information appears in the complex. However, there is an essential difference with abiotic systems since the emergent information can now be translated into a functional biochemical reaction that in turn will be amplified into a macroscopic biological response. In other words, information emerging in the molecule-macromolecule complex is a signal that becomes meaning as it is recognized in the higher hierarchy of nested biological contexts. 1 Preamble: signal molecules Chemical signals were the first means of long-distance communication evolved by living organisms, and they remain among the most effective and specific ones. Thus, pheromones are a major means of communication between conspecific organisms, whereas different species can interact via chemical signals that elicit attraction, repulsion, cooperation, etc. Chemical regulation within multicellular organisms is particularly well documented and involves hormones, neurotransmitters and other regulators. Drugs are another case in point, being messages sent to ailing cells and organs and aimed at correcting pathological states (Testa 1996, 1997). A list of signal molecules therefore includes: · poisons and repellents (inter-species) · attractors (inter- and intra-species) · pheromones (intra-species) · neurotransmitters, hormones, growth factors (intra-organisms) The overall molecular mechanism by which information is transmitted from organism to organism or from cell to cell is always the same, namely: · Emitted signal molecules are recognized by and fit into specific receptors (The key enters the lock). · The formation of the receptor-ligand complex alters the state of the receptor (The lock is turned). · This triggers a biochemical cascade (The opening mechanism is activated). · The ultimate outcome is a macroscopic response (The door opens). The problem we examine here is how molecules can acquire specific messenger functions. Stated differently, how could Evolution endow molecules with biological meaning? The evolutionary explanation we propose is based on the facts that a) molecules exist within their property space; b) the molecular environment (e.g. a receptor) interacts with the molecules by constraining their property space (dissolvence) and so selecting some of their molecular states; c) in turn, the molecules act on the receptor by modifying it; d) this mutual adaptation creates a molecule-receptor complex, i.e., a complex system whose functional response is an emergent property; and e) this functional response is a signal which becomes meaning in the higher levels of complexity — the biological context. 2 molecular structure and property space 2.1 The concept of molecular structure The description of molecules may be approached by considering form, function, and fluctuation (Testa and Kier 1991; Testa et al., 1997). Molecular form ("what a molecule is") can be equated with molecular geometry, namely atom connectivity (2D-structure) and more realistically the 3D-structure. Components of molecular form are called structural attributes. Molecular function ("what a molecule does") is interpretable from observations made during experiments and is expressed as measurable or computable properties. Structure and properties (i.e., form and function) influence each other and are indubitably intertwined. The third component in this approach is molecular dynamics, namely the fluctuation in form and function (Prigogine, 1978). Figure 1: A comprehensive representation of molecular structure in the broadest sense, viewing form, function and fluctuation as its three essential components. A chemical compound can exist in a number of molecular states differing in conformation, surface area and volume, H-bonding capacity, polarity, lipophilicity, etc. Form, function and fluctuation cannot be ordered causally or hierarchically. Rather, they are viewed as being of equal importance and feeding on each other, as schematized in Figure 1. Fluctuation influences form. To give an example, consider how in some compounds a labile hydrogen can jump from one position to another. This changes the atom connectivity (2D-geometry) of the molecule, which experiences a prototropic equilibrium and thus fluctuates between two or more states known as tautomers. Similarly, the 3D-geometry of a molecule can vary markedly depending on its flexibility, resulting in stereoisomers separated by low-energy barriers and well known to chemists as conformers (conformational isomers). While tautomerism is restricted to a relatively limited number of compounds and involves two (seldom three) tautomeric states, conformational isomerism is a phenomenon of very frequent occurrence that produces a great many (an infinity depending on definition) conformational states. The ensemble of these states defines the conformational space, also known as the conformational hypersurface of a compound. Form influences fluctuation. This is a rather trivial statement considering that the capacity of a molecule to oscillate between, e.g., tautomeric or conformational states is entirely pre-determined by its chemical constitution. This makes it clear that form and fluctuation are interdependent and influence each other, in complete similarity with the interdependence between form and function. Function and fluctuation also influence each other. This is a conclusion that derives logically from the above statements, and which can easily be seen in chemical examples. That tautomers display different chemical properties is again well known to chemists. Similarly, it is common chemical knowledge that electronic properties (e.g. ionization state) will influence conformational behavior. Figure 2a: The molecule of nicotine and its conformational energy when the dihedral angle between the two rings is rotated. Figure 2b: Three representative conformers M1, M2 and M3 are shown. The form (geometry) of the molecule is seen to vary with the conformational state (left panels), as is its molecular electrostatic potential (right panels) taken as a representative property. Nicotine is taken as an example here to illustrate the above principles. This compound has but one rotatable bond, and its conformational behavior is mainly described by the relative free energy associated with each value of the dihedral angle (Figure 2). Three individual conformers are shown in Figure 2, M2 being the most populated one since it corresponds to the global energy minimum, M3 corresponding to the rotation barrier, and M1 being of intermediate energy and probability. As mentioned above, the three conformers have clearly different forms (just consider the relative location of the two nitrogen atoms, but they also have different properties as exemplified by their different electrostatic potentials. The general conclusion at this stage is therefore that form, function and fluctuation are interdependent. They depend on each other in a quantitative manner, and in some cases even qualitatively. This systemic and global perception of molecules has implications that will become evident below. 2.2 Molecular states and property space Molecular fluctuation delineates the ensemble of all probabilistic changes a molecule can undergo in form and function. This generates a very large number of molecular states, which are snapshots of the molecule at a given moment in time. Each state is characterized by a unique combination of geometry (form) and associated properties (function). Reciprocally, any property exhibited by a compound will thus have a distinct value for each molecular state occupied by that compound. Figure 3: Molecular states are the expression of the mutual interdependence of form, function and fluctuation. The ensemble of all molecular states of a compound defines its property space, namely the range of values each property can span. The ensemble of all possible states will span a range of values for all properties, thus delineating a property space. The latter can also be conceived as the basin of attraction of the property states of a compound. The concept of a basin of attraction can be schematized in pictorial language as shown in Figure 3. A physically more realistic representation of a basin of attraction of all molecular states is afforded by an energy landscape, namely a hypersurface whose dimensions are the energy of the system, plus all its other variables (Testa et al 1997). Usually, and this is the convention also adopted here, the more probable states of a molecule (i.e., its states of lowest energy) are represented as valleys in the energy landscape, whereas the states of highest energy are represented by peaks and the transition states as mountain passes. There is an energy maximum beyond which the molecule breaks down and ceases to exist, explaining why an energy landscape is finite. A schematic representation of an energy landscape will be shown later (see Figure 5 below). Note that any complex system could a priori be represented by an energy landscape, but the hyperdimensionality increases incommensurably for systems of higher complexity. A molecular property of great biological relevance is lipophilicity, namely the preferential affinity of a solute for lipid-like over water-like solvents. This property is commonly measured, but it can also be reliably computed from 2D– and 3D–structures (Carrupt et al 1997). In particular, an algorithm known as the Molecular Lipophilicity Potential (MLP) calculates a virtual lipophilicity for each conformer. The results have revealed large differences between the various conformational states of a compound, up to one order of magnitude or even more (Testa et al 1996). This phenomenon, which is particularly marked for large molecules such as various drugs and biomolecules containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups (Jiang 1998), has been termed the chameleonic effect (Carrupt et al 1991). It follows from the above that one way to rank all molecular states of a compound is along an axis of polarity, as will be done below in Figure 5. 3 Molecules in a chemical context: External constraints 3.1 The molecule-medium combination as a complex system We now examine the interplay between a molecule and its molecular environment, showing that it creates a complex system in its own right. We note that a complex system results from interactions (also called transactions) between its components, and that it exhibits emergent properties non-existent in its components (Capra 1983). A third (and hitherto not explicited) feature of complex systems, that of dissolvence, will be discussed later. Figure 4: The complex system formed by a chemical compound and its environment results from two types of interactions between its components. The molecular environment selects a sub-ensemble of molecular states in the compound, whereas the latter modifies its environment. As schematized in Figure 4, the molecule and its environment influence each other. At the macroscopic level, it can be stated that a compound modifies the medium with which it is in contact, as seen for example with changes in physical properties of a solution relative to the pure solvent, a modified fluidity in a membrane, or an allosteric effect in a protein. But the medium also influences the compound. For example, a solvent will influence the electronic properties of the solute, which may exhibit changes in its color and UV spectrum. Similarly, the conformational behavior of the solute is markedly affected by the medium. In the perspective of Figure 4, the molecule and its environment co-adapt to each other within their property space, a phenomenon that can also be viewed as a reversible co-evolution. In this writing, we focus essentially on the influence of the medium on the compound it engulfs. As shown below, this influence involves selection by the environment of a fraction of the property space accessible to the molecule. Such changes in property space have been termed dissolvence, being considered as the counterpart of emergence (Testa and Kier 2000). 3.2 Solvent constraints on the property space of solutes Figure 4 not only schematizes the transactions between a molecule and its environment, it also raises the question of the intensity of their mutual adaptation. A precise answer appears impossible, but the wealth of available experimental evidence ascertains a qualitative trend. Indeed, the degree of mutual adaptation between a compound and its environment depends mostly on the degree of organization of the latter. Here, we examine the case of a solvent, i.e., a medium with a low degree of organization. Biological media, which are characterized by a relatively high (membranes) or even an extremely highly (functional proteins) degree of organization will be discussed in Section 4. Solvents have a rather high degree of macroscopic (apparent) order, but at the molecular level large random movements and fluctuations take place. The degree of mutual adaptation between solute and solvent will be comparatively low. The solute will have some influence on the solvent, e.g. by local alterations of its structure (e.g. the hydrophobic effect), and by altering slightly some colligative properties such as its freezing point, boiling point, vapor pressure and viscosity. As for the solvent, it usually has a marked influence on the properties of the solute. What is clearly revealed by experimental and computational investigations, for example, is the effect of the solvent on the conformational behavior of the solute, resulting in the selection of some among all the possible molecular states (Testa and Bojarski 2000; Testa et al 1999). As a general rule, polar (hydrophilic) solvents will favor the more polar conformations and states, whereas the less polar (lipophilic) solvent will favor less polar conformations and states. In short, "Like selects like", a statement that extends the meaning of one of the most basic rules in chemistry, "Similia similibus solvuntur" (Like dissolves like). Figure 5: This figure shows the property space of a hypothetical compound as influenced by the mo-lecular environment. Each recognizable state of the molecule is represented by a small cir-cle whose position is defined by its relative energy (ordinate axis) and its relative polarity. In this representation, the property space is condensed to an axis of polarity, as explained in subsection 2.2. The compound is taken to have two low-energy states which are of equal energy/probability in the vacuum. In a solvent, however, "like selects like". The experimental rule "Like selects like" can be depicted by Figure 5, which shows the property space of a hypothetical compound. Each recognizable molecular state is represented by a small circle whose position is defined by its relative energy (ordinate axis) and its relative polarity. In other words, the property space is reduced to and represented by an axis of polarity, as explained in subsection 2.2. The compound is seen to have two low-energy states of equal energy/probability in the vacuum. In a non-polar solvent, the solute will exist predominantly as conformers of lower polarity, whereas the opposite is true in polar solvents. 3.3 Mutual adaptation and the emergence of information As ambiguously encapsulated by Gel-Mann (1995), "Information is concerned with the selection from alternatives". This statement is also valid for the phenomenon described above, namely the recognition and selection by a solvent of some among all existing molecular states of a solute. But where does the necessary information originate from? Exclusively from the solvent, in which case all solutes would be identically constrained in a given solvent? Or exclusively from the solute, in which case the constraints experienced by a given solute would be solvent-independent? Taken alone, none of these two explanations is satisfactory. In contrast, the information present in the separate components is mutually perceived when the chemical compound and the solvent encounter each other, interact and form the solute-solvent complex (the solution). This results in the emergence of new properties, in other words in the emergence of information. The example of chemical reactivity can also serve to illustrate this phenomenon. Chemical reagents are seldom or poorly reactive as isolated molecules in the vacuum, but they need an adequate milieu to express their reactivity (i.e. to be "activated"). In fact, we are dealing here with a three-component system, since the reagent and its chemical target need an adequate milieu to enter the chemical reaction. There is also another deduction to be made from this example, that the property space of reagents is constrained toward increased reactivity. In this sense, it would be misleading to equate dissolvence with mere deprivation; rather, dissolvence implies constraints on (changes in) property space that cannot a priori be qualified as negative or positive. This however will not be discussed in the present writing. Suffice it to repeat that the information necessary for a chemical reaction to proceed readily emerges in the reagent-milieu complex from information present in the components and upon their co-adaptation, as depicted schematically in Figure 6. Figure 6: Scheme depicting the emergence of information upon formation of a solute-solvent complex system. 4 molecules in a biological context: the emergence of meaning 4.1 molecular machines In section 3, we have seen how a non-biological (abiotic) medium with a relatively low degree of organization constrains a solute. We now turn our attention to biological media with an intermediate or high degree of organization. These are the media encountered by signal molecules such as hormones, neurotransmitters and drugs before and when they reach their sites of action. Media with an intermediate degree of organization are for example biological membranes through which bioactive compounds must permeate to reach their targets. Here, we postulate an intermediate selection of molecular states and an intermediate degree of influence on the medium. Media with a high degree of organization are of great biological and pharmacological significance, being functional macromolecules such as receptors, nucleic acids, enzymes and transporters. The remainder of this text is restricted to the interaction of biomolecules with such highly organized biological media. Functional biomacromolecules have a broad property space characteristic of their chemical integrity (i.e., their primary structure = the sequence of their monomers) which does not concern us here. But they have a second, very narrow property space with a rigidly defined tertiary structure (i.e., their 3D-structure) which contains the single or the very few macromolecular state(s) compatible with functionality. Structural water (i.e., specifically bound water molecules) plays an essential role in stabilizing such specific states, not to mention a functional role in some enzymatic reactions (Kier and Testa 1996). Thus, fluctuations within the narrow property space of a functional macromolecule are compatible with its function, whereas fluctuations outside this narrow property space but inside the broader space destroy functionality while preserving chemical integrity. The reason for such a remarkably high constraint on their 3D-structure is that macromolecules do not function in isolation but as constituents of functional assemblies some scientists like to call "molecular machines". These are complex systems of higher order resulting from transactions between functional macromolecules which recognize each other based on the stereoelectronic properties of exquisitely fine-tuned complementarity sites. 4.2 The ligand-receptor complex and its functional response For the sake of simplicity, the following discussion will be restricted to receptors, bearing in mind — mutatis mutandis — that it also concerns other molecular machines. Besides specific sites for macromolecule-macromolecule recognition, other high-affinity sites exist on receptors and other functional macromolecules to recognize and bind bioactive compounds. Here however, and in contrast to the loose solute-solvent interactions discussed above, strong transactions occur between the ligand (i.e., the bioactive compound), the macromolecule and structural water molecules. Such transactions are the mechanism by which a ligand-macromolecule complex is formed. On the one hand, the ligand markedly influences the macromolecule by activating it (e.g. by an allosteric effect; Kenakin 1996) and triggering its biological response (in the case of an agonists or substrate), or by blocking its functioning (in the case of an antagonist or inhibitor). On the otehr hand, the influence of the receptor on the ligand is a remarkably strong one since a very narrow range of molecular states are selected, usually a single conformation. This is the well-known phenomenon of the induced fit (Koshland 1976). As long as the ligand-receptor complex lasts, the ligand remains practically frozen in a single conformational state, a strong constraint that allows for a tight complex and, we postulate, for an effective and selective biochemical response. Here like in solute-solvent systems, the information present in the separate components is mutually perceived as the components recognize each other, co-adapt, and form the ligand-receptor system (Figure 7). Figure 7: Scheme depicting the emergence of information upon formation of a functional ligand-receptor complex system. The activated receptor generates a biochemical response that will be amplified downstream into a macroscopic biological response. In this co-adaptation, the receptor selects a restricted number of molecular states in the ligand, whereas the latter influences (modifies) the latter. Feedback control also exists in such a system, which thus becomes a model of the flow of information in a functional ligand-receptor complex. In such a simplified model, neither the ligand nor the receptor alone can produce a complete functional response, the functional response being indeed an emergent property of the ligand-receptor complex. 4.3 Nested biological contexts and the emergence of meaning As discussed in the Preamble of this writing, a variety of bioactive compounds have a signal function. There is here an essential difference with abiotic systems since the emergent information can be translated into a functional biochemical reaction that in turn will cascade and be amplified into a macroscopic biological response. Figure 7 depicts the emergence of biochemical information, but it falls short of explaining how bioactive molecules can trigger macroscopic responses, in other words how they become endowed with macroscopic biological meaning. In an enlightening text, Cohen and Stewart (1995) have explained and exemplified that no message exists that would contain inherent information independent of the context. One of their examples is particularly inspiring: "When you transmit "Make me a pearl" to an oyster, the message takes the physical form of a tiny piece of grit but produces a wonderful, lustrous result. [.......] Meaning is a quality, not a quantity, and is highly dependent upon context." How is this relevant to our discussion? When the piece of grit enters the oyster, it triggers a biochemical reaction in some cells and forces them to produce a solid secretion known as mother-of-pearl. However, the entire biological context, namely the oyster, is needed to produce a pearl from the mother-of-pearl, in other words to "inform" the mother-of-pearl. As made clear by Cohen and Stewart, if all the information needed to make a pearl were encoded in the tiny piece of grit, the latter should contain an amazing amount of it. In fact, the piece of grit only contains the information to interact with cells. The latter have the latent capacity to secrete mother-of-pearl, but they need a stimulus. Mutual recognition and interaction between grit and cells must occur for a functional response to be produced, in this example for mother-of-pearl to be secreted. However, only the oyster can give form to the mother-of-pearl and transform it into a pearl. Stated differently, the oyster is the biological context that gives meaning to the mother-of-pearl by creating a pearl. Figure 8: Scheme depicting the emergence of meaning resulting from the interaction between bio-chemical information (the functional response of the ligand-receptor complex) and a hier-archy of nested biological contexts. Returning to bioactive compounds and their receptors, we can expand Figure 7 by stating that while biochemical information emerges in the ligand-receptor complex, it needs higher levels of biological complexity to become macroscopically meaningful. These levels of higher complexity are the biological context, or better said a hierarchy of nested biological contexts (organelles, cells, tissues, organs, systems, organisms, ...). At each level, recognition and transactions must occur for the information to become a meaningful signal recognized by the next contextual level, and so on. The resulting spiral is depicted in Figure 9 and leads to the deduction that the autoregulation of organisms is based on a genuine bootstrapping of information and meaning. Figure 9: The bootstrapping of biological information and meaning, as deduced from the actualization of information occurring in nested biological contexts. 5 conclusion: emergence and dissolvence in the evolution and autoregulation of living systems To summarize, we have seen that constraints on the property space of molecules and macromolecules (dissolvence) are inherent in biochemical recognition, which initiates the transactions between components (holons) that allow a complex system to be created (Figures 1–5). The existence of such constraints reveals an information flow between the holons and the complex system. The information present in the holons allows their mutual recognition and the creation of the complex system. (Figure 6). In the complex system, information emerges as a response, often in the form of a signal sent outward. Such signals will be recognized by and interact with the next level of biological complexity (Figures 7–8). The spiral of dissolvence and emergence thus progresses in a hierarchy of nested biological contexts (Figure 9). Levels after levels of biological meaning are thus created by bootstrapping, propelling the evolution of living systems toward levels of ever increasing complexity (Figure 10). Figure 10: The coupled processes of dissolvence and emergence are the channels by which information is exchanged between holons and complex systems. Biological meaning emerges by boot-strapping, which propels the evolution of living systems toward ever increasing levels of complexity. Capra, F. 1983. The Turning Point. Science, Society and the Rising Culture, p. 285-332. London: Fontana Paperbacks. Carrupt, P.A., Testa, B., Bechalany, A., El Tayar, N., Descas, P. and Perrissoud, D. 1991. Morphine-6-glucuronide and morphine-3-glucuronide as molecular chameleons with unexpected lipophilicity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 34: 1272-1275. Carrupt, P.A., Testa, B. and Gaillard, P. 1997. Computational approaches to lipophilicity: Methods and applications. in K.B. Lipkowitz and D.B. Boyd, eds. Reviews in Computational Chemistry, Vol. 11, pp. 241-315. New York: Wiley-VCH. Cohen, J. and Stewart, I. 1995. The Collapse of Chaos - Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World, pp. 288-293. New York: Penguin Books. Gell-Mann, M. 1995. The Quark and the Jaguar, p. 37. London: Little, Brown & Co. Jiang, X.-K. 1988. Hydrophobic-lipophilic interactions. Aggregation and self-coiling of organic molecules. Accounts in Chemical Research 21: 362-367. Kenakin, T. 1996. Receptor conformational induction versus selection: all part of the same energy landscape. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 17: 190-191. Kier, L.B. and Testa, B. 1996. Complex systems in drug research. II. The ligand-active site-water confluence as a complex system. Complexity 1(4): 37-42. Koshland Jr., D.E. 1976. Role of flexibility in the specificity, control and evolution of enzymes. FEBS Leters 62: E47-E52. Prigogine, I. 1978. Zeit, Struktur und Fluktuationen (Nobel Lecture). Angewandte Chemie 90: 704-715. Root-Bernstein, R.S. and Dillon, P.F. 1997. Molecular complementarity I: the complementarity theory of the origin and evolution of life. Journal of Theoretical Biology 188: 447-479. Testa, B. 1996. Missions and finality of drug research: A personal view. Pharmaceutical News 3: 10-12. Testa, B. 1997. Drugs as chemical messages: Molecular structure, biological context, and structure-activity relationships. Medicinal Chemistry Research 7: 340-365. Testa, B. and Bojarski, A. 2000. Molecules as complex adaptative systems. Constrained molecular properties and their biochemical significance. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 11: S3-S14. Testa, B. and Kier, L.B. 1991. The concept of molecular structure in structure-activity relationship studies and drug design. Medicinal Research Reviews 11: 35-48. Testa, B. and Kier, L.B. 2000. Emergence and dissolvence in the self-organization of complex systems. Entropy 2: 1-25. http://natsci.net/reprints/entropy/2000/e2010001.pdf or http://www.mdpi.org/entropy/papers/e2010001.pdf Testa, B., Carrupt, P.A., Gaillard, P., Billois, F. and Weber, P. 1996. Lipophilicity in molecular modeling. Pharmaceutical Research 13: 335-343. Testa, B., Kier, L.B. and Carrupt, P.A. 1997. A systems approach to molecular structure, intermolecular recognition, and emergence-dissolvence in medicinal research. Medicinal Research Reviews 17, 303-326. Testa, B., Raynaud, I. and Kier, L.B. 1999. What differenciates free amino acids and amino acyl residues ? An exploration of conformational and lipophilicity spaces. Helvetica Chimica Acta 82: 657-665.
Home health care aides provide services for individuals that are ill, disabled or impaired and are in need of assistance. Work duties may take place within health care facilities, nursing homes, institutions, hospices or within the homes of clients. Job tasks may include bathing, grooming and dressing, housekeeping and laundry, meal preparation, grocery shopping and taking clients to doctor's appointments. A college degree is not necessary to successfully enter this field. Opportunities for work within this field can be found at 1 of the many home service agencies as well as private companies that specialize in providing this type of service. Here are some helpful tips on how to become a home health care aide. 1Recognize that work as a home health care aide can be stressful as well as being physically demanding. The job may entail helping ill patients and you may be exposed to communicable diseases and must take precautions. - You may perform tasks during your work day such as emptying and cleaning bed pans and changing soiled clothing. Some patients may be disoriented and unpleasant whereas others will be cooperative and friendly. - The job duties of a home health care aide may include assisting patients in getting out of bed and helping them to stand and walk. You will need to take precautions to avoid overexertion and possible injuries to your back. - Your schedule as a home health care aide may include nights, weekends and holidays. You may work for 1 client or several during the course of any given week. 2Understand that a high school diploma may not be required to work as a home health care aide. Requirements will vary depending on the region where you live and work. Depending on the region where you will be working, you may be required to take an examination and become certified. - As an example, within the United States, individuals do not have to have a high school diploma to get a job as a home health care aide. Home care agencies can set their own screening policies for applicants, however, so be aware that some may prefer their workers to have completed high school. 3Train to become a home health care aide through preparatory coursework in high school or at a vocational college if you have a high school diploma. Material covered should include personal care skills, nutrition and home management. - Home health aide classes should also focus on meal preparation, housekeeping and social activities. Additional preparatory work includes legal, family and ethical issues. 4Consider becoming certified to be eligible for high paying positions. Certification programs will provide you with additional training in the areas of basic medical care and patient care in addition to how to administer medications and assisting with personal hygiene. 5Realize that once you become a certified home health care aide that you will have opportunities to advance by getting a college degree. Consider an Associate's Degree or a Bachelor's Degree, particularly if you eventually want to become a nurse's aide or a registered nurse. Sources and Citations
If you’ve ever wondered if Short-Sightedness Treatments can help your vision, the answer is a big, fat ‘yes. So then, how do they work? If you have tried prescription eyeglasses before or been willing to pay premium prices for laser vision correction surgery, you might be surprised that there are many other, less expensive, treatment options available. Here’s how they work: Short-Sightedness (DS) is a condition where your eyes do not function properly In simple terms, it means that your eyes aren’t able to focus light properly – in short, they experience blurred vision. Essentially, the light rays that enter your eyes don’t come to a complete stop at any one point; rather, they disperse in all directions, making it appear that light rays are coming in all directions. In addition, light rays often come in groups of two or more. Your retina is the part of the back of the eye responsible for receiving light from the world It acts like a camera lens, focusing light to form an image so that your brain can view it. The retina also contains rods and cones, which enable the light from the environment to pass through, and finally, there are the nerves, which allow the brain to receive the images. age-related degeneration or disease things get blurry When the retina does not function properly, either due to age-related degeneration or disease, things get blurry. For example, a blind spot (also known as a ‘hole’) in the retina might develop, or perhaps the nerve connections between the rods and cones become compromised. Either way, these defects cause the visual system to not work like it should, resulting in blurry vision. There are many possible causes of short-sightedness, but it’s often a combination of things that cause the vision to deteriorate over time. With today’s modern technology, however, there are many short-sightedness treatments available. LASIK eye surgery and it’s a surgical procedure that reshapes the cornea with a laser While you wait for the surgery, your glasses will be kept off your face so that your eyes stay clear. As soon as the procedure is completed, a bandage similar to a bandage around your eyes will be placed on your eye to protect the eyes while it heals. Within a month, the bandage will be removed, your eyes will be healed, and you’ll have completed one of your treatments. wearing corrective contact lenses Another option is LASIK eye surgery combined with short-sightedness treatments such as wearing corrective contact lenses. These treatments will allow you to see better, but the downside is that they won’t correct your vision for the long term. However, over time, your eyes will slowly regain their vision because your eye surgeon has worked hard to rebuild your lost vision. This type of treatment is best suited for those who need very minimal short-sightedness treatments to improve their vision, so they can go about their daily activities without a great deal of impairment. Over time, your eyes will slowly regain their previous clarity.
from W. Marsalis Wynton Marsalis’s 12 Tips for Effective Practice from Tackling the Monster – Marsalis on Practicing 1. Seek out private instruction. 2. Write out a schedule to practice fundamentals. 3. Set goals to chart development. 4. Concentrate when practicing. 5. Relax and practice slowly. 6. Practice longer on things you can’t play. 7. Play everything as if you were singing – always play musically. Try your best all the time. Participate – even when alone. 8. Don’t be too hard on yourself! Mistakes happen – it’s not the end of the world. Learn from your mistakes and keep going! 9. Don’t show off. No one likes that. 10. Think for yourself! Be a problem-solver. You may come up with a better way to practice or play something that works better for you…but don’t dismiss your teacher’s methods and suggestions. 11. Be optimistic. 12. Look for connections to other things. Everything is related.
Sharing Resources to Dissect Fish For one of our science lessons this week I took both of the sixth grade classes from my school to our next door neighbor, Andrews Academy. The biology teacher there is always willing to share his resources and introduce students to the academy. I really appreciate him for this. While I could provide a paper project for identifying fish parts, he was able to actually give students fish and tools for exploring their insides. Some students were squeamish and didn’t want to take part, but others absolutely loved it. I enjoyed hearing them answer the academy teacher’s questions about fish correctly and with so much enthusiasm. It helped me know that I am covering the material well. If you or your school doesn’t have the resources to do a dissection project, check with nearby schools to see if they can help.
The Five Filters Descripción del proyecto / Descripction of the project The Interactivos 09 workshop has ended but The Five Filters installation will be available to see and use until 22 March 2009 at Medialab Prado. There is now also a web version available at fivefilters.org. Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky described five 'filters' in their propaganda model to explain the output of the mass media: ownership, advertising, news sourcing, flak and anti-communism (recently anti-terrorism). The goal of this project is to explore these filters using web searches and physical newspaper clippings. One idea, for the initial phase of the project, is a system made up of a camera/webcam taking still images of a table. Newspaper clippings are placed on the table. The images are processed and the text extracted using something like GOCR/Tesseract (open-source character recognition). The text is then used to identify the source of the entry and related information using a variety of web searches/APIs (e.g. Google, Nexis, etc). At this point, there are many options open to us and I'd like to discuss these and hear suggestions about how we can proceed. Another idea is to use the text to find and retrieve related stories from a set of alternative news sources. We are also thinking about printing the resulting news stories in newspaper format. Areas to think about - How should we present the information we retrieve? - How should users interact with this? - How to display the process (happening in code) to the user waiting for results? Work to be done (in any order) - Project poster (I'll try and find info about this) - Capturing images with webcam and Processing - Extract text using OCR - Fix hyphenated words at line ending ("If the final word in a line ends with a hyphen, rejoin it with its remainder") - Term extraction (web service might be quickest way to get started here - not sure, see below) - Anyone with access to Nexis database? (I had access in the UK, but my Swedish university account does not offer access to this fulltext news database) - Compile list of alternative news sources - Test to see if searching (e.g. in Google) for a sentence taken from a news story results in a URL for that story online - Lots more to be added... Documentación (gráficos, fotos y vídeos) / Documentation (graphics, pictures and videos) Day 1 (2009-01-30) - Discussed project, how it would work, work to be done, etc... - Produced sketch of the process (newspaper clipping as input, printed newspaper with alternative sources as one possible output) - Created simple PHP script to get related stories from alt. news sites (uses Yahoo's term extraction and Google's Ajax search API) Day 2 (2009-01-31) - Webcam does not produce hires results when used in processing (tried both JMyron and standard cam library) - Logitech Quickcam does produce good enough results using bundled software - Set up Ubuntu system to see if command-line tools can be used to capture hires frames from webcam - Raul trying to run perl term extraction software - Alon tried RSS to newspaper services with good results (now trying to find open source tool we can use ourselves) - Fernanda and Alon working on video, poster, ... - Discussed project with Steve and Steve from Critical Art Ensemble - useful sites suggested (Bureau d'Etudes and theyrule) Day 3 (2009-02-01) - Alejandro suggested (1) using physical objects for the filters and (2) using newspaper logos on card with QR code to identify the newspaper -- that might be something to consider if the OCR recognition is not good enough, Reactivision codes might also be useful as they will tell us position of card too. - It's Sunday so we're taking a break. Day 4 (2009-02-02) - To get around the webcam problem (low-res when using video libraries within Processing), I tried booruWebCam. It works well (the old v1) and can capture frames every second to file. The file can then be read inside processing and processed using JMyron (using the hijack function). - The idea is now to detect new texts, convert the jpg to tiff (if we end up using tesseract), and run tesseract/ocropus to process the text. Day 5 (2009-02-03) - Problem with reading JPG within Processing - the file is being constantly written to so reads do not always complete. Catching the exception doesn't work either. My attempts to lock the file using Java FileLocking also failed (even a read lock would crash the capturing software). Pix suggested a script to move the jpg to a different file when writing has finished as that'd be an atomic operation, so no incomplete data will be read in. - Looking into triggering the capture software by code - that should solve the problem. Pix looking into capture programs in Linux. - Fernanda and Alon working on video - currently cutting up newspapers. - Raul finished a diagram showing the process from newspaper input to screen output. Also suggested using a wiimote as a way to let users interact with system. Day 6 (2009-02-04) - Decided to try and show process of finding alternative stories through processing - possibly using traer's particle system. - Webcam, processing and libraries now working in Ubuntu: using JMyron (linux version), uvccapture (for capturing frames to file) and uvcdynctrl (for setting webcam focus, contrast, brightness, etc. -- have to load logitech.xml file before setting focus) - OCROpus a nightmare to install on Ubuntu 8.10 (Pix will attempt later) -- relying on Tesseract for now Day 7 (2009-02-05) - OCROpus now running on Ubuntu (yay!) - Raul has camera configuration commands running from Java/Processing Day 8 (2009-02-06) - Need to detect motion to know when to capture frame (suggestions so far have been OpenCV as alternative to JMyron, and using the difference call in JMyron to check for black pixels -- black pixels indicate current and previous frame are identical) - Need to test HTTP within Java - to send POST request and receive JSON response - Alon and Fernanda finalising video - Helena to join us tomorrow as a collaborator - Raul has Processing running within Eclipse IDE and has classes that can do the capturing Day 9 (2009-02-07) - Motion detection now works correctly using JMyron's average() function. average() returns the average colour of a given area taken from the difference image. Passing this value to brightness gives us an average brightness value we can use to check if the difference image (the difference between the current and previous frame) has any movement. - Added QR Code checks to check if newspaper has been placed or not. - Helena helping Fernanda with image Day 10 (2009-02-08) - Moved everything from Processing's environment to Eclipse IDE and modified code to pass PApplet instance to the other objects - Using Apache's HttpClient to execute HTTP requests using Java threads Day 11 (2009-02-09) - Moved Eclipse project over to GNU/Linux machine and combined code - Application running very slow -- we had incorrect nvidia drivers for Ubuntu 8.10 - Raul and friend installed correct nvidia drivers after much hassle -- how? - JMyron for linux didn't work inside Eclipse until the I moved the 2 required files to the the correct Java folders (processing contains java in the processing/java/ folder, Eclipse runs java somewhere else so the files need to be copied there) - Fernanda finished images for video, but we need to send it to Alon now - Fernanda working on poster Day 12 (2009-02-10) - We need to finish.... - modify php to select only URLs of full stories (not listings) - create php to extract full story text given a full story URL - use rss to newspaper service to print PDF Day 13 (2009-02-11) - Jorge rotated webcam image in Processing using pixel-math magic - Fernanda working on poster - Helena helped with poster translation and compiled propaganda model summary in Spanish (we need to print out copies for people) - Raul tested Tabbloid and it works well. It's not free software, but it will do - and they have a developer api - Alon having problems downloading image for video (very large file) - uvcdynctrl command sometimes complains when importing logitech.xml - need to be root to get around the problem - Still to do... - Show details of news stories (title, description, full story) - look at JDIC - Produce PDF to print Day 14 (2009-02-12) - Poster complete and printed - Alon sent us very cool video - JDIC didn't work out very well (couldn't use mozilla, only IE, so not sure if it'd work on the Ubuntu machine) - will try to implement it later - PDF is now being generated by Tabbloid and printed automatically. To make it work we create an RSS file from the selected stories, use the Tabbloid api to point to the RSS file, generate the PDF, wget the PDF, turn it to .ps and send that to the printer. So far, it's working well Tecnologías y herramientas / Technologies and tools This is a list of possible technologies that we will look into. - Yahoo's term extraction web service (I don't want to rely too much on web services that we can't control, but this might be useful for quick prototyping) - Rita text library (thanks Georg) GNU/Linux commands for capturing frames and OCRing images uvcdynctrl -i logitech.xml (imports logitech config to allow focussing to be set) uvcdynctrl -s Focus 145 (set focus to 145) uvccapture -oframe.jpg -m -x640 -y480 -C150 -S1 -B150 (capture to frame.jpg at 640x480, -C contrast -S saturation -B brightness) ocroscript deskew frame.jpg output.png (deskew and fix rotation of text, saves to output.png) ocroscript recognize --output-mode=text output.png > text.txt (saves text in output.png to text file) Autor del proyecto / Project's Author My name is Keyvan Minoukadeh and I am currently studying Interaction Design in Gothenburg, Sweden. Colaboradores / Collaborators - Fernanda Reis - Alon Chitayat - Raul Dominguez - Jorge Dueñas Lerín - Helena Piñán Photo 1: Group shot (missing Alon): Raul, Jorge, Helena (holding her cute but shy son), Keyvan, Fernanda Photo 2: Alon and Fernanda Enlaces / Links - Blogs as alternative news sources -- MediaLens respond to questions about alternative new sources - Seduced by Doses of Dissent (why dissenting pieces in mainstream/corporate sources should not be encouraged)
Ask any parent. Crowded classrooms and daycare centers are the perfect incubators for viruses and other illnesses. If one gets sick, they all tend to get sick, and they’ll definitely pass it on to others while they’re at it. Young children are the primary spreaders of nasty viruses like the flu, simply because they’re bad at covering their coughs and sneezes, as well as keeping fingers out of their noses. They’re not great hand-washers, which isn’t surprising since adults are also notoriously bad at it. Study after study shows that kids are little germ factories. A bit of prevention can help save everyone a lot of time off from work/school and potential heartache. That’s why The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone above the age of six months get an annual flu shot. From the CDC: “Annual influenza vaccination is a safe and preventive health action that benefits all age groups. However, certain people have a higher risk for influenza complications, including people aged 65 years and older, children younger than 6 months of age, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions.” As noted by the CDC, those who are most susceptible to the flu virus are children, the elderly, and those with impaired immune functions due to chronic health conditions. Each of these populations are at higher risk for serious complications from the influenza virus. These potentially serious complications are things like ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle tissues, and multi-organ failure. The viral infection moving into the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme auto-immune response that can lead to sepsis – a life-threatening condition. So serious complications look like extended hospitalization and expensive medications at best, and all of the above plus death at the worst. Much of it can be prevented. Last year, more than 80,000 Americans died from influenza or complications from the flu. To put that into perspective for you – that’s just a bit less than the entire populations of the towns of Paradise Valley, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Chino Valley, Show Low, Sedona, Winslow, Safford and Snowflake combined. According to the CDC, 185 U.S. children died during the 2017-2018 flu season – a historic high. Here’s a key point: approximately 80 percent of those children did NOT have a flu shot. Even more important to know: Every year, about 20,000 kids younger than 5-years-old are hospitalized with severe complications from the flu. Here’s what you need to know: - The flu is highly contagious and can be deadly. Little ones can get very, very sick. They’ll likely be in bed for at least a week with a high fever, body aches and a painful cough. They’ll also be at risk for severe complications requiring hospitalization. - Even healthy kids can spread the virus to others. It’s possible to pass the flu virus on to someone without ever getting sick. In a classroom full of kids, it’s possible for the virus to then get carried home to expose others including babies too young for vaccines or kids and adults with chronic diseases making them more susceptible to getting sick and then experiencing complications requiring hospitalization. - The flu virus is dangerous and constantly changing. At least 6 months before the onset of flu season, scientists and researchers are working to determine which strains of the virus have mutated and are most likely to spread. That’s why there are new vaccines each year. While you and your children may have been perfectly fine during last year’s flu season, it won’t mean safety this year. Get vaccinated. - The flu shot is effective in around 60 percent of cases, so it’s possible to catch a strain of the virus that’s not covered by the latest version of the vaccine. But here’s the kicker – while the flu vaccination is not 100 percent effective, simply having it can help limit the severity and duration of illness. Having the flu shot has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of a child ending up in the hospital or dying from the flu. - Kids under the age of 2 have the highest risk of contracting the flu because they are more vulnerable to experiencing severe complications like dehydration, and will most often require hospitalization. Their immune systems are still developing, so they don’t have the same ability to fight off infection as older kids and adults, and complications can be severe. One caution – most types of flu vaccines will contain egg protein in small amounts. While most children with egg allergies can safely be vaccinated, those with a severe allergy may or may not be able to be vaccinated. If your child has an egg allergy or other chronic medical conditions, consult your pediatrician to discuss options. It’s up to parents to protect themselves and their children. While the flu vaccine is available in shot or nasal spray forms, The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to recommend flu shots as the first choice for vaccinating children against the flu. Make the appointment for your whole family today: https://www.baylesshealthcare.com/make-an-appointment/ For more information, visit http://www.preventchildhoodinfluenza.org/
The name gifted to the School by Ngāi Tūāhuriri “Te Matauru” which means “The eye to the west” Mata = face/eye Uru = west Mata is also short for “Taumata” = summit/top of hill/resting place. The area was a trail to the alps and to the hunting grounds. The school site is near Māori Reserve MR873 but was not a place of major settlement. Ko Maungatere te maunga Ko Rakahuri te awa Ko Ngāi Tūāhuriri te mana whenua Naia toku mihi Ko Te Matauru toku kura Our Vision Statement “Ekea Kā Taumata Ki Te Uru” which means “Look to the peaks of the alps and ascend to great heights” Thanks to Whaea Danni we now have a library of soundbites to help us with the pronunciation of our building and space names, along with the meaning behind the names we were gifted for these spaces. Check out the videos below!
Steeple stories: The architecture of faith Cast your eye on almost any city landscape in northern New Jersey and chances are you'll see a church steeple pointing skyward. Often they are the tallest, oldest and most beautiful structures in any given town and a focal point of a community's pride and faith. While faith endures, buildings sometimes do not. Nor do congregations always last. People grow older, the next generation moves away and buildings get left behind. At times, however, there are people who do what they can to try to save these houses of worship, some of which date to before the American Revolution. Sometimes that effort fails, as it did last week in Edgewater where demolition work began on the century-old Lord's Grace Church, formerly the First Presbyterian Church. As we approach Easter Sunday, here are the stories behind four historic churches - all of which have faced some adversity through fires, natural disasters or simply the passage of time. They are churches of various denominations, but with one common denominator - a strong will and desire to preserve what earlier generations created out of their own faith. You can find them in a small congregation and band of preservationists in Belleville who helped raise funds to fix a steeple left twisted and damaged by Superstorm Sandy. You can see it in the work being done to preserve a treasured cathedral that is one of the landmark buildings of downtown Paterson. They are members of a historic congregation in Englewood determined to rebuild from the ruins of a church hollowed out by fire. They are evident in one of the oldest churches in Bergen County, where a Korean-American congregation has moved in. Here then are four steeple stories - tales of faith and architecture. After Superstorm Sandy battered New Jersey, the steeple at La Senda Antigua became a symbol of the sheer force of that storm and the damage it left behind. Sandy twisted the cross which had sat atop the steeple of the historic Belleville Dutch Reformed Church since 1853. "It was just devastating," said Michael Perrone, president of the Belleville Historical Society, which has helped care for the church and the adjacent cemetery that holds the remains of several Revolutionary War soldiers. Making progress:Belleville steeple damaged in Sandy almost whole again Initial report:Sandy leaves church steeple hanging The congregation of La Senda Antigua (Spanish for "the ancient path") however, rallied and obtained a $250,000 grant to repair the steeple, which is conspicuous along Route 21 on the Essex County side of the Passaic River. However, Perrone said the grant was not enough to repair all the storm damage. The church has done some additional fundraising. The Historical Society also set up a gofundme.com account to raise additional funds. Perrone credits Pastor Michael Ortiz and the congregation for doing the necessary work inside the building, which dates back to 1697 and has been rebuilt three times. The congregation started in Ortiz's home, then moved to a store front and finally to the old First Reformed Church. There are about 90 members. "The amount of work that needs to be done inside the church was just phenomenal, but the congregation was young enough and strong enough and energetic enough to roll up their sleeves and do a massive amount of work themselves," Perrone said. Ortiz said the work on the steeple is about 85 percent done. Meanwhile, when it rains, water comes pouring down, and mostly captured in a 55-gallon drum that members of the congregation later spill outside. "They have done a lot of work …we've been doing a lot of remodeling inside," Ortiz said. "We've been pretty strong working together." The steeple at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Paterson was not hit as hard by Sandy as La Senda Antigua. But in September 2010, ceiling tiles and plaster fell on the nave of the Cathedral, located on Grand Street in Paterson. Engineering inspections deemed that the structure was dangerous and the Cathedral - a fixture in the Paterson skyline since its completion in 1890 - was closed. According to the Archdiocese website, a three-phase restoration project is under way. It includes exterior renovations to prevent water and moisture from getting in. Mechanical, electrical, alarm and lighting systems are being upgraded. Archdiocese spokesman Richard Sokerka declined comment on the renovations until they are completed. The current church is the third building to house the St. John's congregation. The first was built in 1821 on the corner of Market and Mill streets on property purchased from the Society of Useful Manufactures, an organization initiated by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. The second site was built in 1836 on Oliver Street on property donated by Roswell Colt, a shipping magnate and one of the governors of the Society. The current church was built on 16 lots purchased for $410,000, according to the archdiocese website. The corner stone was laid on Sept. 1, 1865. "In the manner of medieval cathedrals, St. John's was built primarily by 'day's work' volunteer labor by members of the parish," the website states. The oldest church in Bergen County — the Church on the Green in Hackensack — quietly changed congregations last spring. But the church endures. The First Reformed Church, which traces its roots to 1686 and the Dutch farming families who settled in Bergen County, held a "closing ceremony" to mark the end of one congregation that had shrunk to about six members. It also marked a transition for The River, a ministry to tend to Bergen County's homeless, with the church as its center. The River has moved on to the Second Reformed Church of Hackensack on Union Street. So now the church where George Washington attended the funeral of one of his generals, the church with a bell that tolled when word arrived of Washington's death, is home to the Glory Christian Church of New Jersey, a mostly Korean-American congregation that had rented space there for several years. Rev. Benjamin K. Jung, the senior pastor at Glory Christian, said he is very mindful of the church's long history. "Our congregation remembers that George Washington attended this church to worship," Jung said. Ridgefield Park Mayor George Fosdick, a church elder with the previous congregation, said the time had come to make the transition. "It came down in the end for 5-6-7 people, my wife, my daughter, myself and a few others. We just simply could not sustain the operation." "The last thing we wanted to have happen was to have the church go bankrupt," Fosdick added, noting that the Korean congregation already had been part of the church for more than 10 years. The changeover also spurred The River mission to find new quarters. Pastor Don McCracken, who oversaw the homeless mission, said both he and the homeless he ministered to miss the old building. "I'm sad but it's tempered with a lot of gladness at our new place," McCraken said. "Being a person of faith and seeing what I perceive to be the hand of God, taking a potentially bad situation and making it better." Sometime next spring, officials hope to break ground on a renovation of the First Presbyterian Church of Englewood, which was gutted by fire on March 22, 2016. The fire destroyed 19th century stained glass windows and melted in place the 4,114-pipe organ, the largest in Bergen County. The bell in the tower came crashing down during the blaze, said Senior Pastor Richard Hong. While the steeple survived, it will have to be removed and repaired at some point during the renovation, Hong said. While the fire gutted the church sanctuary, it did not destroy the spirit of the congregation, Hong said. He said members of the church are looking forward to celebrating Easter. "Easter marks one year since the fire and it actually has been a wonderful year for our congregation," Hong said recently. "We have had such a tremendous outpouring of support from the community." The congregation has worshiped at several locations, including Temple Sinai, The Dwight Englewood School and the Bergen Performing Arts Center, where they celebrated Easter last year. Strength from tragedy: Congregation stronger a year after Englewood church fire Holiday season 2016: Englewood church bouncing back after fire "Our congregation has grown since last year and we've also grown closer to one another," Hong added. "There's been a wonderful spirit from all of the things we've had to do to adjust to the aftermath of the fire." "Easter's a celebration of resurrection, it's a celebration of hope," Hong said. "…And those symbols of hope and resurrection and possibility where we might not have seen possibility before means so much to us now. They aren't just theological understandings any more. They are real to us because it's what we're living through now."
Since the founding of our great nation and the development of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, Americans have been protected by due process. The purpose of due process is to ensure fairness in all legal matters, both civil and criminal, and to prevent prejudicial or unequal treatment in the justice system. Essentially, due process acts as a safeguard from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, and property by the government outside the sanction of law. But in the last few years, due process rights for the individual accused of criminal and civil actions have drastically eroded, especially so in the court of public opinion. We need look no further than the Senate Hearings regarding the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court, which provoked a prominent debate over due process. Outside of the Kavanaugh nomination we can look to other examples where other public officials and private citizens were denied their due process rights. Police officers are often tried in the court of public opinion through social media, causing prosecutors to respond with charges driven by public outrage rather than the elements of a criminal statute, furthering the public’s outrage when an acquittal occurs. For private citizens, the continued practice of civil asset forfeiture allows government authorities to seize property without due process rights for the owner in many cases. The constitutional guarantee of due process provides, “No person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” American jurisprudence is no longer the arbiter of criminal or civil due process. Instead, due process is decided in the court of public opinion, government regulations, and by salacious allegations.
People with disabilities are at least as vulnerable to HIV as others, and people with HIV often live with conditions (including HIV) that can result in periods of episodic disability. On Friday December 2nd 2016 Realize (formerly the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation) hosted a webinar to celebrate both World AIDS Day (December 1st) and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd) in order to recognize this intersection of both HIV and disability. Entitled “HIV and Disability: Intersections of Access”, the webinar was presented by Kate Welsh, Realize’s Project Assistant for Episodic Disabilities Initiatives, in order to raise awareness of the interconnections and gaps between the disability and HIV communities. While working at Realize this past summer, Kate undertook an environmental scan of websites belonging to disability and HIV community organizations in the Greater Toronto area to assess whether or not disability organizations offered any HIV programs and if HIV organizations offered any programs for people with disabilities. Her findings were definitely a wake-up call. Out of 16 disability organization website’s reviewed only 1 mentioned offering any HIV programming (in this case, it was HIV testing). And out of 13 HIV community organization websites’ reviewed only 1 offered any programming that mentioned people with disabilities. Considering that people with disabilities can also live with HIV and people living with HIV might also experience disabilities, this seems like a pretty big gap. I should mention though that this was a preliminary scan, and the results are limited in that any of these organizations might offer more in the way of programming, but not necessarily list it on their website. However, within a UN policy context of UNAIDS’ 90-90-90 Goals as well as and the Sustainable Development Goals that call for the eradication of HIV by 2030 (SDG 3.3) the gap between disability and HIV service organizations is a bit of a worry. It’s hard to see how, for example, the 90-90-90 goals might be met without offering HIV services that actively include people with disabilities. Realize will continue to explore this work in the coming year, but in the meantime here is a tip. If you are part of an HIV community organization, advocate for putting information up on your website that says whether your office location is accessible or not. This could even be pretty short but should ideally include if there is a ramp to get into the building, door opening buttons and an accessible bathroom. And if you don’t have an accessible space, it is still really helpful to state this up front on your organizations’ website so that someone with a disability doesn’t get all the way to your door and then find that they can’t get in. We hope to be conducting even more research in this area in the future and aim to develop resources that will encourage more collaboration and partnership between the HIV and disability sectors. By Wendy Porch, M. Ed Manager, Episodic Disabilities Initiatives at Realize For more information about this work, or if you have any questions please feel free to contact Wendy at email@example.com
Arteries are tunnels that blood travels through to get from the heart to various parts of the body. An aneurysm is a bulge in an artery, similar to the bulge that appears at a weak spot of a hose, where the water pressure pushes out to create a bubble. Like the hose bubble, the area of an artery where an aneurysm appears is weak and has the potential to burst. Aneurysms most frequently occur in the arteries that bring blood to the brain. Brain aneurysms are also known as intracranial aneurysms or berry aneurysms (because most of the time they look like little round berries). They occur in up to 6% of people. In general, most brain aneurysms are small, rarely cause symptoms and have a very low risk of rupture. Women are more likely than men to develop brain aneurysms. A family history of aneurysm increases your risk of having one, as does being older than 50, currently smoking cigarettes, having high blood pressure, and using cocaine. About 20% of people with one brain aneurysm will have at least one more. A number of inherited conditions also increase the chance of having an aneurysm, including: Polycystic kidney disease Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia Coarctation of the aorta If a brain aneurysm does rupture, the consequences can be life threatening. The risk of rupture is higher with larger aneurysms. Those that are one-fourth of an inch (10 mm) or smaller are generally at low risk of rupture.
Fossil floras from the late Cenozoic lacustrine and inner bay sediments in Kyushu were recognized as Nakayama (late Miocene), Hirakuni and Kuroki (early Pliocene), Shigehira and Otagawa (early Pliocene), Nagano, Daiwa, Hitoyoshi, Tsunematsu and Amari (late Pliocene), Yamanokuchi, Aira, Hosenji (early Pleistocene), Yoshida, Tsuetate and Oyama (early to middle Pleistocene), Tsumori, Yoshino, Nogami and Asono (middle Pleistocene), Ebino, Uchitachi, Shinkai and Aso-3/-4 sediments (middle to late Pleistocene), Iino-Kakuto (late Pleistocene), Shimabarakaiwan and Uchinomaki (late Pleistocene to Holocene) and Ariake clay (Holocene). The compositions of the fossil floras suggest that the climate changed several times from cool temperate to warm temperate conditions and the vegetations were coniferous, mixed broad-leaved and coniferous, deciduous broad-leaved, and evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests. It is assumed that the annual temperature based on the percentages of trees with entire-margined leaves (Wolfe, 1978) and warm elements (Hase, 1988) oscillated between about 5^ﾟ and 20 ^ﾟ during late Miocene to Holocene in Kyushu. The Toriyamahama Formation deposited under the condition of transgression in late Pleistocene in the east coast of Kyushu. The four molluscan assemblages were recognized as Corbicula, Crassostrea-Cerithidea, Protothaca, and Haustator-Dosinia in the area. The biostratigraphy of the Miyazaki Group in late Pliocene was clarified by the analysis of planktonic foraminiferan from the formations distributed in the northern part of Miyazaki Plain.
Others have answered 'how' and quoted specifications. Here is the real story of 'why', after many hours digging into bug reports and mailing lists. HTML 4 is based on SGML. SGML has some shorttags, such as XML takes the first form and defines the ending as '>' instead (allowed by SGML), so that it is written as However, you cannot redefine tokens in HTML, so <SCRIPT/> should mean (Yes, the '>' should be part of content, and the tag is still not closed.) Obviously, this is incompatible with XHTML and will break many sites (by the time browsers were mature enough to care about this), so nobody implemented shorttags and the specification advises against them. Effectively, all 'working' self-ended tags are tags with optional end tag on technically non-conformant parsers and are in fact invalid. It was the W3C which came up with this hack to help transitioning to XHTML by making them HTML-compatible. <script>'s end tag is not optional. 'Self-ending' tags are a hack in HTML 4 and are meaningless. HTML5 has five types of tags and only 'void' and 'foreign' tags are allowed to be self-closing. <script> is not void (it may have content) and is not foreign (like MathML or SVG), <script> cannot be self-closed, regardless of how you use it. But why? Can't they specify a special case or something? HTML 5 aims to be backward-compatible with implementations of HTML 4 and XHTML 1. It is not based on SGML or XML; in term of syntax it is mainly concerned with documenting and uniting the implementations. (This is also why <hr/> etc. are valid HTML 5 despite being invalid HTML4.) <script> is one of the tags where implementations used to differ. It used to work in Chrome and Safari (and Opera, I heard); to my knowledge it never worked in Internet Explorer or Firefox. This was discussed when HTML 5 was being drafted and got rejected because it breaks browser compatibility. There were other proposals, but they didn't solve the compatibility problem either. After the draft was released, WebKit updated the parser to not self-close <script> and similar tags. <script> does not happen in HTML 5 because of backward compatibility to HTML 4 and XHTML 1. XHTML 1 / XHTML 5 When really served as XHTML, <script/> is really closed, as other answers have stated. Except that the spec says it should have worked when served as HTML: XHTML Documents ... may be labeled with the Internet Media Type "text/html" [RFC2854], as they are compatible with most HTML browsers. So, what happened? People asked Mozilla to let Firefox parse conforming documents as XHTML regardless of the specified content header (known as content sniffing). Content sniffing was necessary because web hosters were not mature enough to serve the correct header and IE was good at it. If the first browser war didn't stop with IE 6, XHTML may have been added to the list, too, but it did end. And IE 6 has a problem with XHTML. In fact IE did not support the correct MIME type at all, forcing everyone to use text/html for XHTML because IE had major market share for a whole decade. And also content sniffing can be really bad and people are saying it should be stopped. Finally, it turns out that the W3C didn't mean XHTML to be sniffable: the document is both, HTML and XHTML, and One can say they were standing firm on 'just follow our spec' and ignoring what was practical. A mistake that continued into later XHTML versions. Anyway, this decision settled the matter for Firefox. It was 7 years before Chrome was born; there was no other significant browser. Thus it was decided. Specifying the doctype alone does not trigger XML parsing because of following specifications.
Bipolar Disorder: What Is Bipolar Disorder? – Part 1 by David Mintz, MD, team leader and staff psychiatrist at the Austen Riggs Center Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is a serious mood disorder characterized by wide swings in mood, energy and activity levels. Though most patients with bipolar disorder experience depressions as a part of their illness, a manic, hypomanic, or mixed-manic episode is required to make the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. A manic episode is characterized by an uncharacteristically elevated or irritable mood accompanied by disturbances of behavior including: - Rapid and uninterruptible speech (pressured speech) - Racing thoughts - Decreased need for sleep - Elevated self-esteem and unrealistic assessment of one’s capacities - Increased goal-directed behaviors (e.g., new projects) - Excessive engagement in pleasurable activities that are likely to have negative consequences (spending, gambling, substance use, sexual promiscuity) In mania, the disturbances in mood or behavior can be so damaging, or the loss of sense of reality so extensive that patients must be hospitalized for their own protection. In a manic state, patients frequently do considerable damage to themselves through impulsive and risky behaviors and by damaging important relationships. Hypomanic episodes are also characterized by elevated mood and energy levels and increased goal directed activities. The main difference between mania and hypomania is the degree of impairment (impulsivity, loss of reality). Patients with hypomania may also be quite high functioning, though hypomanic behaviors also frequently exact a toll on relationships Mixed manic episodes may be particularly destructive and dangerous, as the energy and impulsivity of mania are combined with intense dysphoria and/or depression rather than euphoria or grandiosity. The depressions associated with bipolar disorder may resemble typical major depressive states, with disturbances of sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration, physical slowing (or agitation), loss of interest, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts. Sometimes, there are subtle differences between regular (unipolar) depression and bipolar depression (e.g., bipolar may more frequently present with excessive sleep and weight gain while unipolar depression tends more to present with sleeplessness and weight loss). How common is bipolar disorder? What are its causes? Bipolar disorder affects about 1 in every 100 people. There is a tendency for bipolar disorder to run in families. Children with a parent or sibling who has bipolar disorder are four to six times more likely to develop the illness, compared with children who do not have a family history of bipolar disorder. However, most children with a family history of bipolar disorder will not develop the illness. Painful life experiences play a similarly powerful role in the development of bipolar disorder. Early loss and/or trauma, in particular, predispose children to the development of bipolar disorder. Children who have lost their mother before the age of 5 are particularly vulnerable, with a fourfold increase in bipolar diagnosis. From a psychodynamic perspective, patients with bipolar disorder are frequently seen as struggling with issues of grief and loss.
Is there an inherent conflict in managing wildfire for people and conservation? Bentley, PD, & Penman, TD, 2017, International Journal of Wildland Fire, vol. 26, pp.455-468. Wildfire poses threats to both biodiversity and humans. Management of fire faces the dilemma of whether to prioritise focus on humans or wildlife. The current study developed a fire simulation model to investigate how both objectives can be achieved, and found that increased burning treatment area helps reduced fire extent and burn probability, though with increased monetary cost. Fire is an essential process in the ecosystem, as it helps maintain population viability of many fire-dependent species across the landscape. Changes in fire regime can have a significant influence on communities. Unfortunately, fire can also threaten human lives and properties, resulting in a central focus from a majority of fire management plans to reduce the risk of fire to humans rather than risk to wildlife or to preserve fire-dependent biodiversity. In this study, the authors simulated twelve different fire management scenarios developed by land management agencies to investigate which treatment strategies best meet the dual objectives of reducing risk to humans and fire-sensitive species, the koalas in Bega, New South Wales. Four indicators were considered in this study including wildfire size, relative burn probability, impact from wildfire, and cost of treatments. Of the twelve scenarios, three were effective in reducing future fire extent and burn probability by increasing area of fuel load treatment blocks (where fuel is minimised or eliminated by planned burning), thus reducing threats from fire to both humans and koalas. The simulation also highlights the importance of the spatial arrangement of fuel treatment blocks in the landscape as it can influence the ability of the treatment blocks to reduce the rate of spread and fire intensity. For instance, ignition probabilities are lower if treatment blocks are located near roadways and human settlement or are away from lightning ridgelines. Similarly, if treatment blocks are located in the path of severe fire weather, the rate of spread of wildlife may be lowered. Although increasing the area of treatment can help reduce burn probability and fire extent, simulations show that the impact of fire to humans and koalas are still high, and such strategy induces a significant financial cost. Therefore, the authors suggest management agencies adopt additional complementary approaches on top of planned burning and fuel reduction alone, such as mechanical fuel management (removal or thinning of fuel), ignition management (reduce number of ignition) and encourage an initial attack by the community through community engagement. Multiple approaches will not only help reduce the cost of management but also increase its effectiveness. Summarised by Cherie Chan Disclaimer: The summary of this report is provided for reference purposes only and does not represent the findings or opinions contained in the original report. Although every effort has been made to bring forward the main elements of the report, this review is no substitute for the full the report itself. Should you have any concerns or perceive any errors please contact us and we shall endeavour to rectify and improve the review.
Welcome to biology-online.org! Please login to access all site features. Create account. Log me on automatically each visit \| Page history \| Printable version (Science: zoology) A south American freah-water fish (Myleies pacu), of the family Characinidae. It is highly esteemed as food. Please contribute to this project, if you have more information about this term feel free to edit this page This page was last modified 21:16, 3 October 2005. This page has been accessed 1,627 times. What links here \| Related changes \| Permanent link © Biology-Online.org. All Rights Reserved. Register \| Login \| About Us \| Contact Us \| Link to Us \| Disclaimer & Privacy \| Powered by CASPION
A Brief History of Telephone It’s not easy to believe the basic change, a single invention brought to the world, that invention which brought the change is the telephone, talking to dear ones or business colleagues at any distances without any hard effort from the comfort of one’s home. Due to the modern invention of mobile phones and internet facility, the primary shift to the society that was caused because of the invention of the telephone is less considered. In schools, children are taught an experiment of attaching two tins together with a string and holding them tightly apart from each other making the sound pass from one end to another, it can become a elementary telephone if this system is attached to a bell which is also seen in Flintstones cartoons but real telephones need electricity and other components that can only be made with the right mechanism and gears. As the basic tin can telephone experiment is concerned, the sound carried through the string is because of the sound vibrations along the string that echoes in the tin can. The telephone system used in ships is completely different where long hollow pipes in its bridge could be carried down to the engine room, galley or other rooms from simply confining the sound vibrations inside the long hollow pipes. The electric telegraph was invented in the early 1800s which was reliably carrying all types of messages where ever a telegraph office could be established. It was Alexander Graham Bell’s desire to improve the telegraph and the knowledge of sound waves and teaching voice production to deaf students gave him the idea to invent the telephone. For Bell, history was kind in crediting him of being a gentleman as well as the founder and inventor of the telephone; he nearly lost his honor when another inventor Elisha Gray applied for patent on the same day on 14th February 1876. Elisha Gray’s caution to the US Patent Office described a water transmitter to be used in his own telephone. It was sad that Bell’s lawyer and the clerk of the patent office who was a habitual drunk had served together in the civil war and they conspired to have Bell’s patent registered first by adding additional notes to his application and then delaying Gray’s caveat until Bell’s application could be presented. During the process the patent examiner realized that both of the applications were similar and he called a halt to them until they could be demonstrated. Bell demonstrated the technique which was devised by Gray and was granted the patent, this was consequently upheld by the court of law. Historians believe that Gray could have been considered the inventor of the telephone if Bell had not demonstrated the technology first. The first words ever uttered through a telephone occurred in Bell’s lab with his assistant Thomas Watson who reported to have heard Bell saying “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you”. The techniques which were developed by Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson had directly led to the first commercial telephone services only a year after the registration of Bell’s patent. Besides this, other praiseworthy scientists preceding Bell, like Antonio Meucci of Italy and Johann Reis of Germany had also demonstrated telephone prototypes, though their techniques weren’t quite as advanced and Thomas Edison adopted some of Reis’s ideas for the creation of carbon microphone. The citizens of Boston city were the first to benefit in 1877 with the first telephones being installed. Initially the subscribers could only speak to one another because they were paired but telephone switchboards were quickly invented and this allowed subscribers to talk to any phone connected to the same set of telephone lines. The first entered service in 1878 in New Haven. The United States boasted nearly 50,000 telephones within the first three years of commercial telephone service being available. The invention of telephone switchboard helped the subscribers to effectively connect with each other without speaking to an operator, which was the only way at the time of allowing different telephone lines to be connected and using a series of short cables that would be plugged into a board to which the subscriber’s line was attached. These original telephones would also have their own power source consisting typically of a built-in battery that needed periodic replacement. In the beginning, the telephone exchanges were locally based which allowed a subscriber to only talk to another subscriber on their own exchange by asking an operator to connect the call and if calls to other local exchanges were required the operator would link with the next operator in a sequence to connect the call. This would also not allow long distance calls to be placed from home; the subscribers were required to make an appointment with the central telephone office to use a specially built booth that contained a shielded telephone with greater electrical capacity that could transmit over longer wire distances. In the early 1900s, Electromechanical exchanges were invented by major telephone companies along with the rotary dial telephone that would send a series of pulses to the exchange, then with no human intervention would allow a call to be placed. The US was quick in adopting this technology; after all in 1904 over three million subscribers were connected using manual exchanges requiring the employment of thousands of operators. The actual telephone device used in homes underwent major developments in the 1920s when the Western Electric developed a phone that incorporated a handset including both the earpiece and microphone, for the first time it allowed subscribers to move, sit or stand up during a call rather than remaining in a fixed single position with their ear pressed against the earpiece which was itself part of the base unit. The Bell Model 102 was the first development of this type of telephone and it’s a style that remains popular today with many telephone handset manufacturers making modern replicas of the Model 102. After the 1930s, telephones didn’t change a lot until the introduction of digital telephones and exchanges in the 1960s, this was an improvement that is still being rolled out globally but it didn’t really impact many subscribers other than their telephone which were using tones instead of pulses to make a call. Digital telephone however did guide in the era of mobile telephones that used radio waves to transmit wirelessly. This was first demonstrated by an engineer working for Motorola in 1973. Large scale consumer uptake of mobile phones didn’t start until the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although by 2005, mobile phone connections in developed nations had outstripped the number of fixed line connections.
Learn something new every day More Info... by email The calorie content of turkey meat can vary depending on the part of the bird. Breast meat is one of the least calorific sources of meat on the turkey, especially without the skin. Protein is the major source of energy in the meat, but fat also contributes some. In addition, turkey provides certain vitamins and minerals that are necessary for good health. Protein is essential for a healthy body, and meat is one of the richest sources. One potential issue with meat as a major part of nutrition is that some meats or meat products can be high in fat and calories. The calories in a turkey breast are relatively low, compared to some meats, such as bacon or sausage. A serving of of turkey meat is about 3.5 ounces (about 100g). A piece of breast with the skin removed contains about 161 calories. This represents energy from 4 grams of fat and 30 grams of protein. If the skin also forms part of the meal, then the number of calories in a turkey breast jump to about 194 calories. The extra calories come from 4 extra grams of fat from the skin, and a slightly lower percentage of protein. Dark meat from a turkey, in the legs and wings, generally has more calories than the white breast meat. A drumstick with the skin on can provide 11 grams of fat and 28 grams of protein per 3.5 ounce serving (about 100 g) for a total of 213 calories. Wings are fattier, at about 238 calories for the same size serving. The skin represents a significant proportion of the calories, however, for these parts of the bird. A 3.5 ounce (about 100 g) weight of skin contains almost 500 calories. Turkeys vary in size and weight when they get to the table. Breasts, therefore, can range from about 6 lbs. (about 2.7 kg) to 14 lbs. (about 6.4 kg). A single breast could potentially supply almost 13,000 calories of energy. Compared to the calories in a turkey breast, processed meats tend to be higher in energy, as do meats like lamb and pork that typically contain a significant percentage of fat. Fillet steak, on the other hand, contains about the same calories per weight as turkey breast with the skin on. Certain processed foods like ham have low calorie counts, at almost half the calories in a turkey breast with skin. There are some people who seem to prefer turkey breast to the wings and legs, especially if they're trying to go on a diet. Overall, one plausible reason is because it doesn't contain much fat, and has a relatively bland taste. On the other hand, there are also those who don't prefer it that much, because it's not very fattening. Overall, it all comes down to personal preference. However, for those who don't like turkey breast that much, it's always a good idea to use some barbecue sauce. One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!
On this day in 1919, Woodrow Wilson, the nation’s 28th president, suffered a debilitating, near fatal stroke. While Wilson continued to live until 1924, he never fully recovered his faculties before his death in Washington at age 67. Edith Wilson, the first lady, found her husband sprawled on the bathroom floor. When Rear Adm. Cary Grayson, the president’s personal physician, saw him, he exclaimed, “My God, the president is dead!” The stroke left Wilson paralyzed on his left side, unable to speak, blind in his left eye and with only partial vision in his right eye. Story Continued Below He was confined to bed for the next few weeks and kept away from everyone save Edith and Grayson. For some months thereafter, Wilson, having partially recovered, remained confined to a wheelchair; later, he began to walk again with the use of a cane. Until Wilson left office in March 1921, his condition remained hidden from the public and much of official Washington. (The probable cause of Wilson’s incapacity was the physical strain he suffered during a cross-country public speaking tour that he undertook in support of ratification of the Treaty of Versailles. After he had collapsed in Pueblo, Colo., on Sept. 25, his special train raced back to Washington.) For a time, it was one of greatest cover-ups in the annals of the American presidency. (Many more years would pass before ratification of the 25th Amendment in 1967, which specifies the procedures to be followed in the event of a presidential disability.) Edith would regularly review pending legislation and executive documents — becoming, according to some historians, the de facto acting president. Edith and Wilson’s aide, Joe Tumulty, helped a journalist, Louis Seibold of the New York World, write a false account of a purported interview with the president. (Seibold won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting for his fabricated account of the interview.) She selected important matters — such as strikes, unemployment, inflation and the threat of communism — that she thought deserved her husband’s attention and fobbed off all the others onto members of his Cabinet. Wilson temporarily resumed a perfunctory attendance at Cabinet meetings. Despite her efforts at masking the president’s health, by February 1920, his condition had become the subject of widespread gossip. After her husband’s death, Edith stayed in their home for 37 years, dying there at age 89 on Dec. 28, 1961, which was Woodrow's birthday and the day she was to be the guest of honor at the opening of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge across the Potomac River. She left the home and much of the contents to the National Trust for Historic Preservation to be made into a museum honoring her husband. The Woodrow Wilson House opened to the public in 1963, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. SOURCE: “THIS DAY IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY,” BY PAUL BRANDUS
Technology has promoted global health. Yet advancing technology has also allowed physicians and trainees to cheat, and inappropriate experimentation with medical technology has resulted in study patient deaths. Further, journal editors have not made significant inroads in employing technology to identify dishonesty. Unfortunately, this continues to be strongly within the culture of the profession. Due to corruption of medicine, global health promotion will be severely retarded by falsified and suspect data that lower-and-middle income countries cannot afford to reproducethemselves and must rely upon for clinical decisionmaking. Further, clinical environments that facilitate dishonesty will result in poorer patient care. In addition, emerging markets rely on research to produce advanced therapeutics such as biosimilars that will be used by developed and developing economies, compounding the potential risks of dishonesty globally. By employing relevant antiplagiarism technology and accessing funding sources for all parties including authors, reviewers, and journal editors; “honesty” accreditation that includes mandated participation by journals; and external audits and whistleblowing of dishonesty, medical culture globally can move toward honesty and take advantage of technological evolution to promote global health. Home Biotechnology Industry News Technology and Medicine: Academic Dishonesty and Risks to Global Health
of a treaty, made and concluded at the Potawattimie mills, in the State of Indiana, on the sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, between William Marshall Commissioner on the part of the United States and the Chiefs, headmen, and warriors of the Potawattamis Indians. The chiefs, head men and warriors aforesaid agree to cede to the United States their title and interest to a reservation made to them at the treaty on the Tippecanoe river on the 27th day of October 1832 of two sections of land to include their mills on said river. In consideration of the cession aforesaid the United States agree to pay the Potawattimie Indians, at the payment of their annuities in 1835, the sum of seven hundred dollars in cash, and pay their just debts agreeably to a schedule hereunto annexed, amounting to nine hundred dollars. The miller provided for by the 3rd article of the treaty with the Potawattimie tribe of Indians on the sixteenth day of October, in the year eighteen hundred and twenty-six, is not to be supported by the United States, and to cease from and after the signing of this treaty. This treaty shall be binding upon both parties, from the date of its ratification by the President and Senate of the United States. In testimony whereof, the said William Marshall, commissioner on the part of the United States, and the chiefs, head men, and warriors of the Potawatamie tribe of Indians, have hereunto subscribed their names, the day and year above written. Ash-kum, his x mark, Ku-waw-nay, his x mark, Pash-po-ho, his x mark, Che-quawm-a-kaw-ko, his x mark, Nas-waw-kay, his mark, Quaush-quaw, his x mark, Meno-quet, his x mark, Kin-koash, his x mark, No-law-kah, his x mark, Me-no-mi-nee, his x mark, Mas-kah-tah-mo-ah, his x mark, Pee-pis-kah, his x mark, Pam-bo-go, his x mark, Kaw-kawk-kay, his x mark, Wi-aw-koos-say, his x mark, Te-kam-a-say, his x mark, Sea-Coas, his x mark, Waw-paw-kue, his x mark, Mi-shaw-bo, his x mark, Te-quaw-kit, his x mark, Waw-pe-no-quah, his x mark, We-wus-sah, his x mark, O-kah-maul, his x mark, I-you-way, his x mark, Mat-chis-saw, his mark. J. B. Duret, secretary, J. B. Boure, interpreter, Joseph Barron, principal interpreter. It is agreed that the United States will satisfy the claims mentioned in the following schedule as provided for in the second article of the foregoing To J. B. Duret, four hundred dollars. To Cyrus Taber, one hundred dollars. To Ewing Walker & Co., three hundred dollars. To Cyrus Vigus, one hundred dollars.
Black patients have a significantly higher risk of advanced vision loss after a new diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) compared to white patients, according to a new study from New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) . The book, published on July 25 in Translational vision Science and technology, shows that being of African descent is an independent risk factor for this drastic decline in vision, and should encourage more eye screening in this population for the early detection of glaucoma. This is the first study to use an artificial intelligence algorithm to break down visual field loss in incident glaucoma cases among US-based population groups. The work is important because glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States, and primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common type. POAG is the main cause of optic nerve degeneration related to the level of pressure inside the eye, but other factors also contribute to this condition. Patients typically show few or no symptoms until the disease progresses and they experience irreversible vision loss, highlighting the need for early screening and detection of glaucoma in patient groups high risk. “This study has huge implications for screening for glaucoma in black people, who we already knew were a population at increased risk for glaucoma,” says lead author Louis R. Pasquale, MD, FARVO, vice-president. chair of ophthalmology research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and director of the NYEE Eye and Vision Research Institute. “Screening earlier in life could significantly increase the chances of detecting glaucoma and slowing its progression before it reaches one of the advanced patterns shown in our research.” A team of researchers analyzed nearly 210,000 participants from three population-based databases of nurses and healthcare professionals from the Nurses’ Health Study (enrolled between 1980-2018, and 1989-2019) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (enrolled between 1986 and 2018). The participants were over the age of 40 and their data was collected during comprehensive eye exams – none had glaucoma at baseline. They were followed every two years and provided updated information on their lifestyle, diet and health status, including the diagnosis of glaucoma. In the study group, 1,946 patients developed glaucoma. The researchers analyzed their first visual field loss recording using archetype analysis, a form of artificial intelligence. The algorithm identified 14 archetypes: four representing advanced loss patterns, nine early loss and one without visual field loss. Black patients made up 1.3% of the study, but had nearly twice the risk of early visual field loss archetypes and six times the risk of advanced field loss archetypes, compared to black patients. white patients. Asian participants, who made up 1.2% of participants, had nearly twice the risk of early visual field loss compared to white patients, but did not have a significantly higher rate of advanced patterns of field loss. visual. Hispanic patients represented 1.1% of the study population and had no increased risk of archetypes compared to white patients; however, the study showed that they were at risk of having an archetype showing initial loss near the center of their visual field. The results were controlled for a number of variables, including socioeconomics, frequency of eye exams, heart disease, diabetes and exercise. “This study began decades ago in three cohorts of health professionals who were not as diverse as the current numbers – and if we collected more representation of people of color, the results would likely be even deeper” , adds Dr. Pasquale. “African ancestry is a risk factor for glaucoma-related blindness, and this work provides insight into why this might be the case. We suspect that why black people exhibited more advanced patterns of loss than whites is that the disease begins one to two decades earlier in the former group compared to the latter group.This underscores the importance of early detection strategies in blacks to identify glaucoma early in order to avoid visual impairment in this population. According to Dr. Pasquale, the next step in this work is to determine the specific risk factors for the different patterns of vision loss observed in glaucoma patients, including genetic and environmental factors, in order to fully unravel the pathogenesis of glaucoma. open-angle primary. This study was performed with collaborators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear. This work was supported by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Figure: Ethnicity as a risk factor for early and advanced vision loss archetypes The description: The figure shows that blacks had twice the risk of early loss archetypes compared to non-Hispanic whites. Blacks had a 5x higher risk of advanced loss archetypes. The difference in increased risk for Blacks between advanced loss archetypes and early loss archetypes was also statistically significant. The insets show examples of an early loss archetype on the left and an advanced loss archetype on the right. About Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metropolitan area, with more than 43,000 employees working in eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, nearly 300 laboratories, a nursing school and a leading medical and medical school. Higher Education. Mount Sinai advances health for everyone, everywhere, by addressing the most complex health challenges of our time – discovering and applying new knowledge and scientific knowledge; developing safer and more effective treatments; train the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by providing high quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, laboratories and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive healthcare solutions from birth to geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and IT while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatments. The health system includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint venture day surgery centers in the five boroughs of New York, Westchester, Long Island and Florida; and over 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by US News & World Report’s Top Hospitals, receiving a high “Honor Roll” status, and are highly ranked: #1 in Geriatrics and Top 20 in Cardiology/Cardiac Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology /gastrointestinal surgery, neurology /Neurosurgery, orthopaedics, pulmonology/lung surgery, rehabilitation and urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked #12 in ophthalmology. US News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals for Children” ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital among the best in the nation in 4 out of 10 pediatric specialties. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is one of three medical schools that has stood out on several metrics: it is consistently ranked in the top 20 by US News & World Report’s “Best Medical Schools”, aligned with a U.S. News & World Report Hospital “Honor Roll”, and among the top 20 nationwide for National Institutes of Health funding and among the top 5 nationwide for many areas of basic and clinical research. Newsweek’s “World’s Best Smart Hospitals” ranks Mount Sinai Hospital number one in New York and among the top five in the world, and Mount Sinai Morningside in the top 20 globally. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 67,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at 0.1 mm (0.004 in), to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span of up to 3.8 m (12.5 ft) and a mass of 20 kg (44 lb). Like other arthropods, crustaceans have an exoskeleton, which they moult to grow. They are distinguished from other groups of arthropods, such as insects, myriapods and chelicerates, by the possession of biramous (two-parted) limbs, and by their larval forms, such as the nauplius stage of branchiopods and copepods. Most crustaceans are free-living aquatic animals, but some are terrestrial (e.g. woodlice), some are parasitic (e.g. Rhizocephala, fish lice, tongue worms) and some are sessile (e.g. barnacles). The group has an extensive fossil record, reaching back to the Cambrian, and includes living fossils such as Triops cancriformis, which has existed apparently unchanged since the Triassic period. More than 10 million tons of crustaceans are produced by fishery or farming for human consumption, the majority of it being shrimp and prawns. Krill and copepods are not as widely fished, but may be the animals with the greatest biomass on the planet, and form a vital part of the food chain. The scientific study of crustaceans is known as carcinology (alternatively, malacostracology, crustaceology or crustalogy), and a scientist who works in carcinology is a carcinologist. The body of a crustacean is composed of segments, which are grouped into three regions: the cephalon or head, the thorax, and the pleon or abdomen. The head and thorax may be fused together to form a cephalothorax, which may be covered by a single large carapace. The crustacean body is protected by the hard exoskeleton, which must be moulted for the animal to grow. The shell around each somite can be divided into a dorsal tergum, ventral sternum and a lateral pleuron. Various parts of the exoskeleton may be fused together. Each somite, or body segment can bear a pair of appendages: on the segments of the head, these include two pairs of antennae, the mandibles and maxillae; the thoracic segments bear legs, which may be specialized as pereiopods (walking legs) and maxillipeds (feeding legs). The abdomen bears pleopods, and ends in a telson, which bears the anus, and is often flanked by uropods to form a tail fan. The number and variety of appendages in different crustaceans may be partly responsible for the group's success. Crustacean appendages are typically biramous, meaning they are divided into two parts; this includes the second pair of antennae, but not the first, which is usually uniramous, the exception being in the Class Malacostraca where the antennules may be generally biramous or even triramous. It is unclear whether the biramous condition is a derived state which evolved in crustaceans, or whether the second branch of the limb has been lost in all other groups. Trilobites, for instance, also possessed biramous appendages. The main body cavity is an open circulatory system, where blood is pumped into the haemocoel by a heart located near the dorsum. Malacostraca have haemocyanin as the oxygen-carrying pigment, while copepods, ostracods, barnacles and branchiopods have haemoglobins. The alimentary canal consists of a straight tube that often has a gizzard-like "gastric mill" for grinding food and a pair of digestive glands that absorb food; this structure goes in a spiral format. Structures that function as kidneys are located near the antennae. A brain exists in the form of ganglia close to the antennae, and a collection of major ganglia is found below the gut. In many decapods, the first (and sometimes the second) pair of pleopods are specialised in the male for sperm transfer. Many terrestrial crustaceans (such as the Christmas Island red crab) mate seasonally and return to the sea to release the eggs. Others, such as woodlice, lay their eggs on land, albeit in damp conditions. In most decapods, the females retain the eggs until they hatch into free-swimming larvae. Branchiopoda - Includes orders Anostraca, †Lipostraca, Notostraca, Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata, Cyclestherida and Cladocera. Remipedia - Includes orders Godzilliidae, Micropacteridae and Speleonectidae. Cephalocarida - Includes order Brachypoda. Maxillopoda - Includes sub-classes Thecostraca, Tantulocarida, Branchiura, Pentastomida, Mystacocarida and Copepoda. Ostracoda - Includes orders Myodocopida, Halocyprida, Cytherellidae and Podocopida. Malacoastraca - Includes subclasses Eumalacostraca, Hoplocarida and Phyllocarida.
By S. D. Wells Sodium benzoate is a preservative that promotes cancer and kills healthy cells Organic consumers and nutritionists may already know, but the rest of the general population does not know about sodium benzoate. It has the ability to deprive the cells of oxygen, break down the immune system and cause cancer. This killer is flying under consumer radar with its user friendly tag line, “as a preservative.” This silent cell choker has found its way into thousands of products, even foods that are labeled as all natural. But don’t be fooled. While benzoic acid is found naturally in low levels in many fruits, the sodium benzoate listed on a product’s label is synthesized in a lab. Derived from a reaction of benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide, sodium benzoate is actually the sodium salt of benzoic acid. Sodium benzoate is a known carcinogenic additive which, when eaten or applied to the skin, gets transported to the liver, where it is supposed to be filtered, and expelled in urine, but the damage gets done before that process is completed. Sodium benzoate chokes out your body’s nutrients at the DNA cellular level by depriving mitochondria cells of oxygen, sometimes completely shutting them down. Just as humans need oxygen to breathe, cells need oxygen to function properly and to fight off infection, including cancer. The FDA says it’s safe because the amount used to preserve foods is very low, but don’t ever combine it with vitamin C or E, as this causes benzene to be formed. This is dangerous. Benzene is a known carcinogen, which means it causes cancer. Okay, so this should be easy. Never, ever mix vitamin C with pickles, peppers, salad dressings, jams, most condiments, vinegar, fruit juices, salsa, dips, shredded cheese, ketchup, or diet or regular soda. Don’t forget about mouthwash, toothpaste, cough syrup, cream, lotion, and hundreds of cosmetic products. Cancer is all about the cumulative effect. When the human body is exposed repeatedly to any level of this carcinogen, which rears its ugly head in thousands of products, the immune system, over time, is depleted to the point that one acquires an immune deficiency. Then the body does not have enough essential nutrients to detoxify, and this occurs at the cellular level. Parkinson’s, neuro-degenerative diseases, and premature aging have all been attributed to this infamous preservative.
By Peter Hannam Southern Australia is in the midst of a climate tug-of-war that's giving Melbourne weather previously experienced in NSW Riverina towns such as Deniliquin, according to new CSIRO research. Warming global temperatures tend to push westerly winds south while El Nino weather patterns tend to push them north. The atmospheric tussle of the past 50 years is becoming one-sided as global warming wins out, as inland dry zones shift about 250 kilometres south, said Wenju Cai, a principal research scientist and climate modeller at the CSIRO. ''The greenhouse-gas induced climate change is so strong that it overcomes the pulling towards the equator caused by El Nino,'' Dr Cai said, referring to the weather pattern involving cooler sea-surface temperatures in the western Pacific often associated with dry spells over eastern Australia. The dominance of the effect from warming temperatures is notable on an international scale, Dr Cai and co-author Guojian Wang argue in a report published by Nature's Scientific Reports. ''This is a really rare situation where the climate change signal is able to work against variability and come out so strongly,'' Dr Cai said. The observed poleward shift in weather patterns is particularly strong during autumn meaning farmers can no longer rely on the so-called ''autumn break'' that can wet fields for sowing. Catchments are drier when winter rain fronts arrive so there is less run-off for reservoirs in southern Australia. A ''vast warming'' in the Tasman Sea is also producing sea-level rises three times the global average over the past four decades in eastern Tasmania, he said. The depletion of ozone in the stratosphere over the last half century, leading to an ''ozone hole'', is a key reason why the climate shift is so pronounced in the southern hemisphere, Dr Cai said. ''If we can cut carbon dioxide emissions, we can more or less stabilise climate change with the help of the ozone recovery,'' Dr Cai said. ''That's if we grab the opportunity.''
Webster's Spanish-English English-Spanish Dictionary$15.95 Paperback: 720 pages. Publisher: Random House. From the publisher: Now in a revised and updated second edition, Random House's best-selling bilingual dictionary is ideal for students, business people and travelers. Pronunciations are shown for Spanish and English, with detailed guides to the pronunciation of both languages. It provides International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pronunciations for Spanish and English, through coverage of general and specialized vocabulary, and many new words and meanings, such as movil/celular (cellular phone), buscapersonas/bip (pager), biodiversidad (biodiversity), ciberspacio (cyberspace) and hoja doe calculo (spreadsheet). This comprehensive and easy-to-use reference includes: Over 145,000 definitions of words and phrases European and Western Hemisphere Spanish Guides to pronunciation of Spanish and English American English spelling and vocabulary The most current Spanish spellings, reflecting the alphabetization rules of the Spanish language academics Written by David L. Gold
Great video from the Conservation foundation located in Naperville Illinois. They sell recycled rain barrels for around $100. www.theconservationsfoundation.org There are several ways that heat is transferred into your home. One of them is by thermal radiation. Infrared energy from the sun travels until it strikes a surface before giving up its energy as heat to that surface. If you have ever been outside on a very cold windless day and felt the warmth of the sun, you have experienced thermal radiation. In the summer thermal radiation strikes the surfaces of your attic increasing temperatures to as much as 150 degrees, this heat energy radiates downward into living areas, creating upper floors that are hot and uncomfortable. This also creates a strain on air conditioning systems as they try to keep up with the heat gain, creating an unnecessary energy expense. One solution to this problem is to install a foil thermal barrier. The foil can be placed on the underside of your roof structure within the attic space. A foil barrier of this type can reflect up to 90% of the thermal radiation from the sun, and reduce attic temperatures by up to 40 degrees. Cooling energy savings can be quite dramatic, usually around 20% to 30%. The reflective barrier can also be spray applied, or in the case of new construction, plywood sheathing is now available with a foil membrane applied to the interior attic side. If you are looking for a great do it yourself project that can pay for itself in the first year and create a more comfortable environment, we recommend installing a radiant foil barrier. image credit: coofoil.com Every wonder what is keeping the rain out. Your roof, that’s what. Ever wonder what type of roof you have? Probably not, but it is one of the most important parts of your home. There are many types of roofing systems ranging from typical asphalt shingles to zinc clad metals and everything in between. One of the most environmentally friendly roofing material is metal. Metal roofing first and foremost is 100% recyclable. That is an extremely significant number. There are very few materials used for the construction of your home that can boast that type of recyclability. Another nice aspect of the metal roof is that the coatings out there offer a “cooling effect” in that much of the heat is reflected away from your home resulting in lower energy costs. By reducing energy consumption from heating and cooling your home you will reduce your over all footprint on the environment. Over the years you will be surprised by the savings both environmentally and financially. If you install a new metal roof you will be installing most likely the last roof you will ever need. They help protect from fire, they are very durable and can be very aesthetically beautiful. The next time you thing about a roof think again and investigate.
Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 5th Edition A A document published and updated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. It describes the Biosafety levels (1-4) recommended for research involving various biohazardous agents. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Bloodborne Pathogen Standard 1910.1030 A federal standard which sets forth practices to be employed when handling blood, tissues, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials. This standard is often cited as “Universal Precautions.” American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) This is a national Biosafety Association for Biosafety professionals, support personnel and others to share field expertise. ABSA provides numerous references. ABSA Risk Group Classifications ABSA Provides reference material for the risk groups of various bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Canadian SDSs for Infectious Agents The Public Health Agency of Canada has created SDS sheets for biological materials.
How we think and feel is directly affected by what we take into our bodies. Eating the right food has been proven to boost IQ, improve mood and emotional stability, sharpen the memory, and keep the mind young. Similarly, the harmful things we take into our bodies, or anti-nutrients - including oxidants, alcohol, sugar, and stimulants - negatively impact mental health. These are the main issues world-renowned author Patrick Holford discusses in his New Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. The book is broken into eight parts. Part 1 provides ''food for thought'' - what are the best foods to eat and which nutrients are most beneficial? Part 2 discusses how to protect the brain from becoming polluted and how to identify and avoid ''brain allergies.'' Part 3 teaches readers how to boost their intelligence, enhance their memory, beat the blues, solve sleep problems, and more. Part 4 turns to mental illness, Part 5 to depression and schizophrenia, and Parts 6 and 7 to mental health in the young and old, respectively. These parts include information on identifying and understanding specific problems and how to treat them naturally and effectively. Part 8 provides a complete action plan for regaining and maintaining good mental health. The book closes with a helpful resources section that provides readers with useful addresses and a comprehensive product and supplement directory. From boosting one's memory, solving depression, and beating addictions to overcoming eating disorders, preventing age-related memory decline, and balancing out mood swings, New Optimum Nutrition for the Mind covers a wide range of important topics and should be of interest to anyone who wants to think and feel great.
Have we grossly underestimated the pace of evolution? That was a question that we sought to answer with our 2014 study on dynamic adaptation in fruit flies. The premise was that if adaptive tracking did occur in populations experiencing rapid environmental change, it would alter our understanding of the importance of evolutionary change for ecological outcomes. Thus began a large-scale research initiative spread over eight years by evolutionary biologists across three universities — Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania and Ahmedabad University. The results of the study — direct observation of adaptive tracking on ecological timescales — in Drosophila was published in the journal Science. The study has vastly changed our understanding of evolution and questioned the old notion of evolution being a slow process occurring over a longer period of time. We now have evidence that the change is actually happening faster than we ever thought and that not all evolution happens due to habitat destruction, invasion or pollution. It establishes that evolutionary changes happen quickly and researchers can track these in real time — within a single seasonal turn in a year. It’s that rapid. Experiment on fruit flies Taking fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as the sample, we began a large-scale controlled field experiment in Pennsylvania for four months from July-November 2014. What we did was directly measure phenotypic and genomic evolution in response to natural seasonal change across 10 independent replicate field populations (mesocosms), each comprising up to 1,00,000 fruit flies. This study was vastly different from the ones done earlier to track adaptive changes in shorter time spans. The population size and replication in our study were the distinguishing factors. We conducted a large-scale research to ensure accuracy of results. Replication was also of utmost importance to establish our premise. Which is why not only was our sample size large but we also had 10 replicate cages (mesocosms), each of which gave comparable results. In these mesocosm cages, the fruit flies experienced the same seasonal changes — heat, rain, cold, they had the same food, and were exposed to the same predatory conditions. Changes were then observed in six phenotypes related to reproductive output or stress tolerance. We sampled individuals from the original population, and 2,500 eggs from each cage at the first four time points of observation. The genomes were sequenced to measure genomic change over time. Population dynamics were largely consistent among the replicates — population size increased sharply during summer, peaked in early fall and then declined steadily as minimum daily temperatures reduced in late fall. Egg production showed a similar pattern while overall egg to adult growth was low. Comparable outcomes were seen in fruit flies kept in the replicate cages too. Eminent evolutionary biologists Professor Ary A. Hoffmann from Melbourne University, Australia, and Professor Thomas Flatt from University of Fribourg, Switzerland, wrote a perspective piece in the same issue of Science about this study. They appreciated the large study and gave a historical perspective around this long-standing problem in evolutionary biology. A study as large as this has manifold outcomes. Firstly, in understanding the field life of fruit flies a little more which will have a large impact on our basic understanding of evolution. We hope to see parallel reports in other taxa over the years (that is, observable evolutionary changes in ecological time scales). Also, biologists could better predict the future of species experiencing rapid changes in climatic variables. More work needs to be done on these lines. Finally, this study raises several interesting questions around species conservation efforts. Do populations with large standing genetic variation turn out to be more successful in handling changing climate and others not? (Subhash Rajpurohit is Associate Professor, Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University.)
A High Speed Flow Visualization Study of Fuel Spray Pattern Effect on Mixture Formation in a Low Pressure Direct Injection Gasoline Engine In developing a direct injection gasoline engine, the in-cylinder fuel air mixing is key to good performance and emissions. High speed visualization in an optically accessible single cylinder engine for direct injection gasoline engine applications is an effective tool to reveal the fuel spray pattern effect on mixture formation The fuel injectors in this study employ the unique multi-hole turbulence nozzles in a PFI-like (Port Fuel Injection) fuel system architecture specifically developed as a Low Pressure Direct Injection (LPDI) fuel injection system. In this study, three injector sprays with a narrow 40° spray angle, a 60°spray angle with 5°offset angle, and a wide 80° spray angle with 10° offset angle were evaluated. Image processing algorithms were developed to analyze the nature of in-cylinder fuel-air mixing and the extent of fuel spray impingement on the cylinder wall.
General George C. Marshall: Strategic Leadership and the Challenges of Reconstituting the Army, 1939-41 Authored by COL John T Nelson II. \| February 1993 George C. Marshall formally assumed the duties of Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, on September 1, 1939. Earlier that same day, Germany had invaded Poland, triggering war in Europe. Marshall subsequently served over 6 grueling years as Chief of Staff, becoming a popular American hero for his role in the war effort. Winston Churchill's praise of him as "the true organizer of victory" for the Allies has found an enduring resonance over the years. Intuitively, he remains regarded as one of the greatest strategic leaders of this century. In this connection, his performance during the war years, 1942 to 1945 in particular, gets by far the bulk of historical attention for obvious reasons. Yet, his actions during the prewar years, 1939 to 1941, offer equally valuable insights into the exercise of strategic leadership in a democratic society. The challenges Marshall faced in 1939 seemed monumental. In later years, Marshall himself admitted that the prewar years were his toughest. As he assumed his new duties, he felt an urgent need for massive improvement in the Army's preparedness to conduct modern, mobile warfare. He could easily imagine that America might eventually be drawn into a European war, as it had been in 1917. The U.S. Army in 1939 ranked 17th in the world in size, consisting of slightly more than 200,000 Regular Army soldiers and slightly less than 200,000 National Guardsmen--all organized in woefully understrength and undertrained formations. The Army possessed only 329 crude light tanks and only a handful of truly modern combat aircraft within a total inventory of just over 1800 planes. It was a force equipped with the leftover weapons, materiel, and doctrine of the last war. It had a grossly overage officer corps, in which advancement was largely a function of seniority. Captains, for example, were usually in their late thirties or early forties. War-related industries were infinitesimal. Congress and the public were united in their staunch opposition to any increased military expenditures or involvements abroad. The mood of the country was distinctly isolationist. Extremely sensitive to this mood, President Roosevelt was very reluctant to sponsor sizable military increases. The potential political costs were too great. Against this political backdrop, Marshall was a relatively unknown and uninfluential figure in Washington. As Deputy Chief of Staff (October 1938-June 1939) and as Acting Chief of Staff (July-August 1939), he had appeared before Congress several times and had interacted with the President from a distance. But he had acquired no real personal leverage to shape the larger issues which confronted him. Roosevelt had appointed him on the recommendations of others; thus, Marshall had to start almost from scratch to build a working relationship with the President.1 The situation inside the War Department painted an equally unpleasant picture. The Secretary of War, Harry Woodring, was in a continual feud with his primary civilian assistant, Louis Johnson, who coveted his boss' job. With strong political influence of his own, Johnson felt his position completely secure; at the same time, he thought he had already secured assurances of being Woodring's eventual successor. The two seldom agreed on anything, and Marshall was caught squarely in the middle of this dysfunctional situation. The War Department had great difficulty speaking with a single voice on any issue. Marshall walked a tightrope to keep from alienating either man. At the same time, the War Department was locked into an antiquated organizational setup by long-standing congressional legislation. With multiple, semi-independent power centers and no clear coordinating authority below that of the Chief of Staff personally, the Department's structure was fundamentally inefficient, unresponsive, and ponderous in decision making and in following up on matters. By the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army's overall situation had changed dramatically for the better. By then, over 1.4 million men were serving in the Army, organized into 36 divisions and 64 air groups. War industries were in high gear, making America the "arsenal of democracy." The Army as a whole was experienced in army and corps-level maneuvers, well along the way in preparing for mobile warfare. The officer corps had been invigorated. A selective service system was in place. America's leaders had made great strides in laying the foundation for wartime strategy, and the War Department had been reorganized to run more efficiently and effectively. Marshall cannot be credited solely for these accomplishments; however, his role was pivotal at the highest levels of government, in the halls of the War Department, and in the field. He emerged with enormous influence in Congress, in the government bureaucracy, and in the White House. He had become a respected and trusted public figure who had placed his personal stamp on America's preparation for war. Thanks to his efforts, America entered the war with a running start and was able to launch a large-scale offensive less than one year later. In short, Marshall's accomplishments were gigantic. The depth and breadth of his leadership were awe-inspiring. That leadership will serve as the focus for this study, with Marshall's actions from 1939 through early 1942 being analyzed from the perspective of strategic leadership. The intuitive notion of strategic leadership long pre-dates World War II; however, as a formal concept, it is relatively new. Examining Marshall through this prism will provide useful illustrative insights and shed light on what has been for most an unglamorous period overshadowed by the more dramatic events of the war. Interestingly enough, Marshall's situation during the prewar years has much in common with that of any strategic-level leader in peacetime attempting to achieve what he considers to be an adequate military force in the face of significant public opposition. Many of the insights are timeless. Apart from this, Marshall's leadership serves as an inspiring example in itself. During his prewar years as Chief of Staff, George Marshall was concerned primarily with the challenge of preparing the Army for war. Events in Europe made the eventual commitment there of American ground forces very imaginable for him, although the specific conditions and situations of such a commitment were ambiguous. Driven by his own poignant experiences from World War I, Marshall determined that the Army must be ready to fight coherently in large formations as polished, combined-arms teams when the war began. This meant as well that all modern supplies and equipment, in addition to a warm, functioning industrial base to support sustainment and expansion, had to be on hand from the onset. His strategic vision thus revolved around the efforts comprehensively to expand and upgrade the Army during this period. With the Army's small size, its inadequate level of training, its obsolescent equipment, its virtually nonexistent military industrial base, its underdeveloped Air Corps, and its anachronistic War Department organization, the tasks associated with implementing this vision seemed staggering. They consumed the great bulk of his time and energies from 1939 through 1941.Given the generally unsympathetic attitude in Washington and around the country in 1939 toward any steps which smacked of involvement in another European ground war, Marshall's achievements over the next 2 1/2 years were truly remarkable. Without question, Marshall's actions addressed in a particularly impressive way all aspects of strategic leadership which were abstractly postulated at the beginning of this report. He developed, articulated, and followed a vision which served as the enduring road map for himself and the Army. In the process of implementing his vision, he demonstrated extremely adept interpersonal talents. In this regard, his ability to persuade diverse groups, to develop networks of influential contacts, and to make timely compromises was critically important. In connection with, and in support of, his vision, he strongly promoted certain crucial values across the Army as an institution--namely, efficiency, responsiveness, teamwork, initiative, and morale. In addition, he consistently revealed an indepth understanding of the derivative effects of actions, as well as of a related keen awareness of the timing associated with execution. His means of gaining feedback from the Army at large were effective--ranging from his many, frequent inspection trips, to the broad use of his Inspector General, to his copious, direct correspondence with subordinate commanders. Marshall definitely kept his fingers on the pulse of the Army as it expanded. While so doing, he rapidly advanced a whole new leadership generation into the general officer ranks, based on demonstrated skills, adherence to institutional values, and potential for increased responsibility. By and large, these young leaders covered themselves with distinction during the ensuing war years, and well beyond. Marshall's strategic leadership was also manifested by the fashion in which he progressively evolved the War Department's organizational structure to reflect both his vision and his desired institutional values. This evolution itself comprised an insightful lesson in the art of the possible and the timing of related actions. In the realm of strategy formulation, he played a central role in shaping the acceptance of the "Germany-first" approach as the linchpin of American wartime strategy. He went on to play the central role in formulating the highly successful Anglo-American wartime structure at a very formative point in the Alliance. The employment of theater supreme commanders reporting back through the Combined Chiefs of Staff to the President and the Prime Minister was clearly a creature of his making; it was adopted only because he doggedly persisted without much encouragement in pursuing the concept. Some authors have gone so far as to characterize the acceptance of this setup as the single most important strategic contribution of the war--a necessary prerequisite for the unprecedented unity of command which undergirded subsequent Allied success. George Marshall clearly made a difference. He started out in 1939 as a relative unknown in Washington circles and emerged 2 1/2 years later as one of this nation's better known and influential figures. He had to face squarely many unpopular issues which politicians of all types just didn't want to handle. Yet, he persisted in focusing attention on them, articulating the Army's needs relative to them, and forcing politicians over and over again to view the issues in a different light--the nonpolitical perspective of national security. To be sure, Marshall was helped repeatedly by developments abroad. But all his fights still remained uphill ones against the odds. In this connection, it is hard to imagine America being as ready for World War II as it was without the yeoman efforts of its Army Chief of Staff. Marshall and Marshall alone made the federalization of the National Guard and the Selective Service Act realities in 1940. Again, he alone engineered the term of service extensions for the National Guardsmen, Reserve officers, and inductees in 1941, an act which kept a coherent force from disintegrating completely. Marshall made the autonomy of the Army Air Forces a reality while ensuring that air and ground forces formed a better combined-arms team. He pushed hard for a firm organizational structure to reflect Anglo-American adherence to an unprecedented degree of Allied unity of command. All these results had an important and lasting impact on this country's later performance in the war. These achievements appear impressive in retrospect. They appear truly monumental looking forward from the perspective of 1939. Unquestionably, they alone place George Marshall among the great American strategic leaders of this century. 1. Forrest C. Pogue, George C. Marshall: Ordeal and Hope, 1939-1942, New York: Viking Press, 1966, pp. xiv, (hereafter cited as Ordeal and Hope); Ed Cray, General of the Army George C. Marshall, Soldier and Statesman, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990, p. 143; Richard M. Leighton and Robert W. Coakley, Global Logistics and Strategy, 1940-1943, U.S. Army in World War II Series by the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office (hereafter cited as GPO), 1955; reprint ed., 1984.
The village of Simonstown was given its name in 1687, when Governor Simon van der Stel visited the area. However it probably remained a small, informal settlement until 1743 when it was established as the official winter anchorage for ships of the Dutch East Indian Company. That same year it was chosen as the site for a magazine, hospital and barracks, and by the time a stone pier was built in the harbour in 1768, the shore facilities included a bakery, a butchery, a carpenter's shop and a smithy, as well as a residence for the Governor. Two small forts were built in 1794, although these proved ineffective when British troops landed in the bay the following year. A whaling station was established in the bay in 1810, and although by that stage the village boasted some 40 houses, most were the summer residences of wealthy Capetonians. In 1827 the South African Missionary Society established a mission on the site. In 1814 Simonstown became a naval base and in 1875 it was ceded to the British Admiralty as a naval station. The local economy received an enormous boost in 1899 as the result of the South African War, and by 1902 Simonstown had about 450 dwellings. Many local residents were employed either by the military or in the town's dockyard. In about 1900 construction was begun on a new naval dock for the port, and on 1 December 1890 the railway line from Kalk Bay reached Simonstown.
A man puts trash in this receptacle. A can used to put trash in is an example of a trash receptacle. - anything used to contain or hold something else; container; vessel - an electrical wall outlet designed for use with a plug Origin of receptacleModL receptaculumBot. - the enlarged upper end of the stalk of a flowering plant, on which the flower parts grow - any of a number of cuplike or disklike structures supporting spores, sex organs, etc. Origin of receptacleMiddle English ; from Classical Latin receptaculum ; from receptare, frequentative of recipere: see receive - A container that holds items or matter. - Botany The expanded tip of a flower stalk or axis that bears the floral parts or the florets of the flower head. - Electronics A fitting connected to a power supply and equipped to receive a plug. Origin of receptacleMiddle English, from Old French, from Latin receptaculum, from receptare, to receive again, frequentative of recipere, to receive; see receive. - A container. - (botany) The part of the flower stalk (peduncle or pedicel) to which the floral parts are attached; also torus. - In the Asteraceae, the end of the peduncle to which all of the florets of the flower head are attached. - (electricity, US) A contact device installed at an outlet for the connection of an attachment plug and flexible cord to supply portable equipment or appliances. From Latin receptÄculum (“reservoir, receptacle"), from receptÅ (“I receive back or again, recover"), frequentative of recipiÅ (“I receive; hold back, reserve"), from re- (“back, again") + capiÅ (“I hold").
Yesterday's explosive front page LA Times story exposed that water in irrigation ditches in California's Central Valley—one of the nation’s biggest and most significant agricultural regions—has tested positive for toxic chemicals found in oil waste. Catskill Mountainkeeper's partner organization, Water Defense, led this investigation, conducting tests that found the presence of the industrial solvents methylene chloride and acetone, as well as oil, in waste water sold by Chevron to farmers in California as safe. The practice of using wastewater from oil wells to irrigate agricultural crops has been going on for many years. But until now, government authorities in California have only required limited testing of recycled irrigation water using decades-old monitoring standards. You can’t find what you’re not looking for In New York an analogous situation exists. Some gas and oil companies are selling the wastewater ‘brine’ from drilling operations to local communities as a deicer. It too has been declared ‘safe’ but it is not being tested for many of the chemicals and elements that are now known to pollute it. We know that it is made up of chloride (a salt), radioactive elements such as radium and barium, as well as significant concentrations of ammonium iodide and bromide—all chemicals that can be extremely toxic to humans and animals. The events in California and New York are only the latest examples of the highly dangerous risks posed by the unintended consequences of extraction of fossil fuels. While the proposed ban on fracking declared by the Cuomo Administration in New York State is a huge achievement, it is only the beginning of the battle to protect our air, water, land, and health from these consequences. It is also why we at Catskill Mountainkeeper are mapping out a clean energy future based on renewables and efficiency through our RenewableNY campaign. This is the only sane path forward to protect precious resources—like clean water and clean air—that are essential to human health, while helping build a robust and sustainable green energy economy here in New York and across the country. Please join us in this ongoing fight by becoming or staying informed and active. With thanks for all you do to help advance the important work of the Catskill Mountainkeeper team,
At its border is a fair village with a strong bridge guarded by knights who must be defeated if a person would gain admittance. Vulgate III amplifies this description. Surluse was bordered on one side by the sea and on the other, toward Arthur's realm, by the Assurne River. It was a delightful and fertile country with many rivers and splendid woods. In earlier days it had had many passages, but King Gloeir, Duke Galeholt's predecessor, had limited the passages to two bridges, they were the Pont Norgalois and the Pont Irois. Galeholt, who conquered Gloier and won Surluse, seemingly maintained these two passages. Phyllis Ann Karr: "I cannot find any Assurne River; perhaps it is too small for my maps. The name of the Pont Norgalois suggests Norgales. In Volume V, the Vulgate says that Sorestan (Eastland) borders Norgales "par devers" Surluse. There is a longish, squarish peninsula in Cheshire, between the inlets of the rivers Dee and Mersey, which is far and away my personal favorite for Surluse."
SAMH is a strong and well-informed voice on behalf of those of us who have experienced poor mental health, making sure your rights are protected. Very few people will ever be treated for mental health problems against their will. However, if you are very ill, the law says you can be treated against your will if this is necessary to protect you or to protect other people. The main law about this is the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. You have particular rights when you are waiting for or receiving health treatment or social care support. Some are set out in the Patient Rights Act and Equality Act, while others come from targets that the Scottish Government has set. People are often anxious about disclosing their mental health problems to an employer. Buy you may have rights which protect you and you should not be treated unfairly. Rights for Life People with disabilities, including mental health problems, are legally protected from hate crimes. Hate crimes can include a physical attack on a person or their family, verbal abuse or threats, written abuse or an attack on a person’s property. Rights for Life is a statement of the rights that people affected by mental health issues in Scotland are calling for.
“We lost our Cali, a 3 year old Calico. She is wearing a red collar. She left home 3 weeks ago. Please call. We love her and the kids miss her.” The posters scattered throughout my neighborhood were heartbreaking. I knew Cali. She used to greet me with head butts and purrs when I walked passed her house. Despite the dangers, her people let her out in the mornings when the weather was nice so that she could enjoy the sun. When Cali didn’t come home, they told their children that she had run away and was found by someone who now loved her. I wish that had happened. (More on what did happen later.) The great outdoors is sometimes not that great. Cats who spend time outside face life-threatening dangers, have more vet bills, and live much shorter lives than their indoor cousins. The majority of veterinarians in the United States agree. In 2001, The Humane Society of the United States surveyed 600 veterinarians (HSUS veterinarian study conducted in June 2001 by Jacobs, Jenner & Kent). The study found that 2/3 of the respondents recommended that cats be kept indoors all the time. The two most common reasons they cited were dangers from vehicles and disease. Cats cannot outrun cars. They also do not fare well when facing predators such as dogs, cats, raccoons, and coyotes. Some kitties are lucky to emerge with only a few minor wounds from these encounters. Others sustain serious injuries. Free-roamers are also vulnerable to diseases and parasites. Although many kitties who go outside are vaccinated, they are not protected from all diseases. Worms, fleas, and other parasites often hitch a ride on cats. Poisons and pesticides are other very real concerns. Cats will eat poisoned rodents, becoming the unintended victims in the poison food chain. Although indoor cats are also vulnerable to diseases, injuries, and parasites, the risks to outdoor kitties are far greater. Despite these realities and the data to back it up, many people still let their cats outdoors. Some mistakenly believe that it is cruel to keep them indoors. Others justify it by saying that their cats are allowed outside only when they are home or during the day when predators are not around. Cali’s mom said that. Many predators do operate mainly at night, but others cruise around neighborhoods during the day. Cars and poisons do not follow schedules. Below are several more reasons to keep your cats indoors and how you can transition an outdoor cat to one who stays inside. Free-roaming cats can cause serious problems for indoor kitties and their people. Outsiders often cruise through backyards and hang out around homes, agitating the occupants. Resident kitties sometimes react by spraying, eliminating outside litter boxes, or by becoming aggressive when they learn of the trespassers. Many people do not know they have feline interlopers until their little companions blatantly inform them by urinating or spraying next to the doors and windows where they can see and smell the outsiders. It is not the resident cats’ fault — they are understandably responding to the intruders by marking their home territory. Inside cats sometimes react to the unwanted guests through aggression. The response can be so extreme that it shatters sweet relationships between cats who have been bonded for a lifetime. Concerned cat parents can also be recipients of the aggression as well. This behavior is called redirected aggression and it occurs when animals, unable to respond directly to threats, vent their frustrations onto another animal who happens to be nearby. That other animal may be a companion cat or dog or the feline’s favorite person. It is hard to imagine that there are people who do not appreciate cats hanging out around their homes. Cats do not win popularity contests when they dig up their gardens or use them as litter boxes. Some people enjoy feeding birds in their backyards and do not want cats scaring them away. Whatever their reasons, their wishes should be respected, especially because it can end badly for the cats. Although it takes time and patience, many kitties who are used to the outdoors can be successfully converted into living indoors. The easiest times to transition them into homebodies is during the rainy and cold season when most would rather nap in warmth than shiver in the rain. Whatever the season, the secret to encouraging the neighborhood globetrotters to choose indoors over the outdoors is to make the inside more interesting and appealing then the outside. Food is a great motivator. Meals and sumptuous treats should only be available indoors. In addition to stimulating activities, such as play, treasure hunts, and shared nap times, things such as high places to climb, warm places to sleep, interactive toys, and scratchers will help persuade felines to make a permanent lifestyle change. There is hope for felines who are vehemently opposed to indoor living. You know whom I am talking about! These are the little protestors who howl incessantly at the windows, demanding their outside time. They are the opportunists — always on the alert for open doors and windows to dash through. They may have spent part of their lives outside or they got used to outdoor expeditions and find it hard to adjust to living indoors 24/7. Enclosures, cat-fences, and catios are perfect for restless felines — keeping them safe while they get their outdoor fix. They come in many shapes, sizes, styles, and prices. A little imagination morphs them into kitty Disneylands. Tree stumps and limbs, nontoxic plants, platforms, and water features transform enclosures and backyards into stimulating cat paradises. There are many models. Some non-shocking cat fences install on existing fences while others are free standing. They keep the resident kitties in backyards while simultaneously stopping visits from unwanted guests. When cat fences are not practical, enclosures can be the solution. Some are free standing, others attach to windows. They can be bought or they can be made at home. If you are handy with a hammer you can design and build your own — customized for the special feline. Catios are perfect for apartment-dwelling felines as well as for homes where it is impractical to install cat fencing or build enclosures. These attach to windows or convert balconies into safe cat zones. Remember little Calico Cali? Unfortunately, because of a dog, there was no happy homecoming for her. Her sad story inspired me to write this article with the hope that her short life will encourage people to keep their cats indoors where they are safe. For more articles and feline facts, follow Marilyn on Facebook! Got a cat behavior question for Marilyn? Ask our behaviorist in the comments below and you might be featured in an upcoming column. If you suspect a behavioral problem, always rule out any possible medical issues that may be causing the behavior by first having your cat examined by a veterinarian. Marilyn can also help you resolve cat behavior challenges through a consultation. Marilyn, a certified cat behavior consultant, owner of The Cat Coach, LLC, solves cat behavior problems nationally and internationally through on site, Skype and phone consultations. She uses force free methods that include environmental changes, management, clicker training and other behavior modification techniques. She is also an award winning author. Her book Naughty No More! focuses on solving cat behavior problems through clicker training and other force-free methods. Marilyn is big on education — she feels it is important for cat parents to know the reasons behind their cat’s behaviors. She is a frequent guest on television and radio, answering cat behavior questions and helping people understand their cats. Learn more about your cat with Catster:
Academic research means assessing whether the website you are using is scholarly and authoritative or whether the website is one to which your lecturer or tutor has referred. Many government departments have websites, many government reports or conference proceedings are available as websites and sometimes even your lecturer publishes on a website. The library has a separate online tutorial which will guide you to distinguish scholarly from non-scholarly sources. Some websites are listed in the catalogue. Enter the name in the keyword search box, or just type the web address into your browser. Try looking for this website under title in the library catalogue: Bringing them home:National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families. Human Rights Commission and Equal Opportunity c1997. http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/bringing-them-home-stolen-children-report-1997
Regular exercise is an essential component of optimal physical and mental health. Countless studies have found that exercise helps regulate mood, improve focus and concentration, enhance sleep quality, increase bone density, strengthen muscles, improve circulation, manage weight, and enhance overall well-being. In fact, there aren’t many conditions that regular exercise won’t improve dramatically. So how can exercise addiction be a bad thing? Exercise Addiction Risks Exercise addiction is one of several addictive behaviors. Other behavioral addictions include compulsive gambling, compulsive shopping, video game addiction and sex addiction. Compulsive exercise can lead to serious risks to mental and physical health. Moreover, the very nature of the addiction disorder can trigger dysfunction in relationships and work performance. An addiction to exercise is when daily workouts cease being physically and mentally beneficial and start being disruptive and unhealthy, yet the person is unable to alter the harmful behaviors. The inability to adjust positively to negative circumstances is called maladaptive behavior. Exercise addiction can result in severe physical and emotional damage, such as when the unrelenting physical strain leads to serious injury and illness. It can also contribute to disordered sleep and exacerbate co-occurring disorders. People who struggle with certain co-occurring disorders tend to have an increased risk of exercise addiction. These disorders include: - Narcissistic personality disorder - Borderline personality disorder - Obsessive-compulsive disorder - Eating disorders - Anxiety disorders A person with an exercise addiction might recognize that their impulse to exercise has become destructive but will continue to engage in the behavior in secret because failing to exercise will lead to severe anxiety or other symptoms of mental distress. Emotional and physical consequences of compulsive exercise include: - Bone density loss - Chronic fatigue - Chronic pain in bones - Chronically sore joints - Chronically sore muscles - Increased susceptibility to illness - Irregular menstrual cycle - Repeated injuries, strains, and fractures - Repeated respiratory infections The physical risks of exercise addiction can become more urgent when combined with eating disorders. Complications might include: - Heart arrhythmia - Obstructed intestinal tract - Esophageal ruptures How Can Exercise Be Addictive? Exercise addiction often co-exists with other mental disorders, though it can be difficult, if not impossible, to determine if one disorder was the causal factor. However, standalone exercise addiction does exist. Exercise is known to trigger a reward response in the brain. People who exercise with a supportive community also experience additional pleasure responses. Though the social aspect might not be causal, it does pose recovery challenges. Symptoms of exercise addiction are somewhat rare in the general global population – it is estimated to occur in approximately 0.5% of people worldwide. However, certain populations experience exercise addiction in greater numbers. Among people who go to the gym regularly, an estimated 8% experience exercise addiction symptoms. People with eating disorders are nearly 4 times more likely to have an exercise addiction than people without eating disorders. People struggling with exercise addiction often experience symptoms that correspond with other types of addiction. These include the following: - Continually intensifying exercise to achieve the desired reward response - Anxiety when unable to exercise - Exercising secretly - Exercising even when doing so exacerbates physical illness or injuries - Abandoning personal or professional obligations to make time for exercise - Using exercise to control or suppress emotions Exercise Addiction Treatment While substance misuse and addiction disorder treatments strive to eliminate the damaging behaviors entirely, exercise addiction is different. It is possible to live a healthy, fulfilling, and happy life without ever consuming alcohol or illicit drugs. However, it is not possible to live a healthy and happy life without ever exercising. In fact, exercise is among the most effective treatment modalities for substance use disorder and certain behavioral addictions. So, what can be done? Research suggests that psychological interventions yield the most effective outcomes when addressing exercise addiction. The objective of any exercise addiction intervention is exercise reduction, not elimination. Moreover, effective therapeutics will lower injury risk from excessive training. Because every individual case differs significantly, every treatment plan will be unique. However, the overwhelming majority of people struggling with exercise addiction will respond favorably to cognitive-behavioral therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy addresses patterns of thought and behavior that lead to compulsive actions. With intensive therapeutic intervention, clients are empowered with the tools they need to recognize the internal and environmental triggers that make them vulnerable to addictive behaviors. Working collaboratively with their recovery team, people with exercise addiction and co-occurring disorders will develop effective management strategies designed to restore rational perception. By having the techniques necessary to recognize negative thought patterns, clients can effectively respond to destructive impulses healthily and productively. If you struggle with exercise addiction, please contact the team at The Raleigh House to begin your journey to physical and emotional recovery.
Search Term and Examples: A Comprehensive Guide Search terms are the foundation of any search engine query. They are the words or phrases that users enter into a search engine to find information. Search terms are essential in helping search engines understand what the user is looking for and delivering relevant results. Without search terms, search engines would not be able to provide accurate results. For instance, if a user searches for “best restaurants,” the search engine would not know whether the user is looking for the best restaurants in their city, the best restaurants in the world, or the best restaurants for a particular cuisine. However, if the user searches for “best Italian restaurants in New York,” the search engine can deliver more accurate results. To create effective search terms, it is essential to understand how users search for information. Users often use multiple words to describe what they are looking for, and these words can be combined to form a search phrase. For example, a user searching for “how to tie a tie” is looking for instructions on how to tie a tie. Understanding how users search for information is crucial in creating effective search terms that deliver accurate results. Search Term Basics What is a Search Term? A search term, also known as a search query or keyword, is a word or phrase that a user enters into a search engine to find information on the internet. Search terms can be as simple as a single word or as complex as a full sentence. They are used to help search engines understand what information the user is looking for and to retrieve relevant results. Examples of Search Terms Here are some examples of search terms: - “best pizza near me” - “how to tie a tie” - “iPhone 13 release date” - “climate change effects on oceans” - “top 10 movies of all time” As you can see, search terms can be specific or general, and they can be used to find information on a wide range of topics. When choosing search terms, it’s important to be as specific as possible to get the most relevant results. Using Search Terms Effectively To use search terms effectively, it’s important to understand how search engines work. Search engines use complex algorithms to analyze web pages and determine their relevance to a given search term. They take into account factors such as the keywords used on the page, the quality of the content, and the number of other websites that link to the page. To increase the chances of finding the information you need, it’s important to choose the right search terms. Here are some tips: - Be specific: Use specific words or phrases that accurately describe what you’re looking for. - Use quotation marks: If you’re looking for an exact phrase, put it in quotation marks to tell the search engine to look for that exact phrase. - Use Boolean operators: Use “AND” to search for pages that contain all of your search terms, “OR” to search for pages that contain at least one of your search terms, and “NOT” to exclude certain terms from your search. - Use synonyms: If you’re not getting the results you need, try using synonyms for your search terms. - Use advanced search: Most search engines offer advanced search options that allow you to refine your search by date, language, file type, and other criteria. Search Engine Optimization What is SEO? SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of optimizing websites to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This involves making changes to a website’s content and structure to make it more attractive to search engines like Google. Why is SEO Important? SEO is important because it helps businesses reach their target audience online. By optimizing a website for search engines, businesses can increase their visibility and attract more traffic to their site. This can lead to more leads, sales, and revenue. There are many factors that go into SEO, but some of the basics include: - On-page SEO: This involves optimizing individual pages on a website to make them more search engine friendly. This can include things like optimizing page titles, meta descriptions, and header tags. - Keyword research: This involves researching the keywords and phrases that people are searching for in order to optimize content around those terms. - Optimizing for user intent: This involves creating content that meets the needs of the user and provides value. - Subheadings and body content: This involves using subheadings and body content to make it easier for search engines to understand the content on a page. On-page SEO refers to the practice of optimizing individual pages on a website to make them more search engine friendly. This can include things like optimizing page titles, meta descriptions, and header tags. By optimizing these elements, businesses can make it easier for search engines to understand what a page is about and rank it accordingly. Keyword research is the process of researching the keywords and phrases that people are searching for in order to optimize content around those terms. By targeting the right keywords, businesses can attract more targeted traffic to their site and increase their chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages. Optimizing for User Intent Optimizing for user intent involves creating content that meets the needs of the user and provides value. This can include things like creating how-to guides, answering frequently asked questions, and providing in-depth analysis of a topic. Subheadings and Body Content Subheadings and body content are important for SEO because they make it easier for search engines to understand the content on a page. By using subheadings to break up content and providing valuable information in the body of a page, businesses can make it easier for search engines to understand what a page is about and rank it accordingly. Search Engine Marketing What is SEM? Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a form of digital marketing that involves promoting websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) through paid advertising or optimization of website content. SEM is a broad term that encompasses various strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO) and paid advertising. Organic vs. Paid Results Organic results are the listings on a search engine results page that appear because of their relevance to the search terms, as opposed to being paid advertising. Paid results, on the other hand, are the listings that appear at the top or bottom of the search engine results page and are marked as ads. Google Ads is one of the most popular advertising platforms for SEM. It allows businesses to create and display ads on Google’s search engine results pages, as well as on other Google-owned properties such as YouTube and Gmail. Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, which means that businesses only pay when someone clicks on their ad. Paid Search Advertising Paid search advertising is a form of online advertising that involves placing ads on search engine results pages. These ads are typically displayed at the top or bottom of the results page and are marked as ads. Paid search advertising is a highly effective way for businesses to reach their target audience and drive traffic to their website. Bidding and Advertising Platforms Bidding is an essential component of paid search advertising. It involves businesses bidding on specific keywords that are relevant to their products or services. The higher the bid, the more likely the ad is to be displayed when someone searches for that keyword. Some of the most popular advertising platforms for SEM include Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Yahoo Gemini. In conclusion, SEM is a powerful digital marketing strategy that can help businesses increase their visibility in search engine results pages and drive traffic to their website. By understanding the difference between organic and paid results, utilizing advertising platforms such as Google Ads, and effectively bidding on relevant keywords, businesses can create successful SEM campaigns that generate results. Search Engine Advertising Search Engine Advertising (SEA) is a type of paid advertising that allows businesses to appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific search terms. SEA is a highly effective way to reach potential customers who are actively searching for products or services like yours. What is SEA? SEA is a form of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, where advertisers bid on specific keywords that are relevant to their business. When a user searches for a keyword, an automated auction takes place, and the highest bidder wins the top spot on the SERP. The automated auction is a complex algorithm that takes into account various factors, including the advertiser’s bid, the quality of their ad, and the relevance of their landing page. This ensures that the user is presented with the most relevant and high-quality ads. First Page Bids To appear on the first page of SERPs, advertisers must bid high enough to meet the First Page Bid. The First Page Bid is the minimum bid required to appear on the first page of SERPs for a specific keyword. Advertisers who bid below the First Page Bid will not appear on the first page of SERPs. In conclusion, SEA is a highly effective way to reach potential customers who are actively searching for products or services like yours. By understanding how the automated auction and First Page Bids work, advertisers can create effective campaigns that reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals. Google Search is a powerful tool that helps users find information on the internet. It uses a complex algorithm to deliver relevant and useful search results to users. In this section, we will explore how Google Search works and how it can be used effectively. How Does Google Search Work? Google Search works by using a process called indexing. It uses special software called spiders or crawlers to scan the internet and collect information about websites. This information is then stored in a massive database called an index. When a user enters a search query, Google uses its algorithm to search the index and retrieve relevant results. Indexing is the process of collecting and storing information about websites. Google uses special software called spiders or crawlers to scan the internet and collect information about websites. This information is then stored in a massive database called an index. The index is used to retrieve relevant results when a user enters a search query. Title and URL The title and URL are important factors in Google Search. The title is the name of the webpage and the URL is the web address. Google uses these factors to determine the relevance of a webpage to a user’s search query. It is important to have descriptive and accurate titles and URLs to ensure that your webpage is easily found by users. People Also Ask People Also Ask is a feature in Google Search that provides users with additional information related to their search query. It is a great way to discover new information and expand your knowledge on a topic. The feature provides users with a list of related questions and answers that are relevant to their search query. Google Trends and Search Volume Google Trends is a tool that allows users to see the popularity of search terms over time. It provides users with valuable insights into what people are searching for and what topics are currently trending. Search volume is the number of times a search term is entered into Google Search. It is important to know the search volume of a term to determine its popularity and relevance. Google User and Search Intent Google User and Search Intent are important factors in Google Search. Search intent is the reason behind a user’s search query. Google uses this information to deliver relevant and useful search results to users. Understanding the user’s intent is important to ensure that your webpage is easily found by users. Overall, Google Search is a powerful tool that can be used to find information on the internet. Understanding how it works and how to use it effectively can help you find the information you need quickly and easily. Variations and Synonyms What are Variations and Synonyms? Variations and synonyms are words or phrases that have similar meanings to a primary search term. For example, if a user searches for “running shoes,” variations and synonyms could include “jogging shoes,” “athletic footwear,” or “sneakers.” Variations and synonyms are important because they help search engines understand the intent behind a search query. By including variations and synonyms in your content, you can increase the chances of your page appearing in search results for related queries. How to Optimize for Variations and Synonyms To optimize for variations and synonyms, start by identifying the primary search term for which you want to rank. Then, research related terms and phrases that users might search for when looking for content related to your primary term. Once you have a list of variations and synonyms, incorporate them into your content in a natural way. This could include using them in headings, subheadings, and body copy. However, avoid overusing variations and synonyms, as this can make your content sound forced and unnatural. Another way to optimize for variations and synonyms is to include them in your meta tags, such as your page title and meta description. This can help search engines understand the content of your page and improve your chances of ranking for related queries. In summary, variations and synonyms are important for optimizing your content for search engines. By including them in your content and meta tags, you can increase your chances of appearing in search results for related queries. Location-based search is a type of search that takes into account the user’s location to provide more relevant results. It is a popular search method for mobile users who are looking for nearby businesses or services. How Does Location-Based Search Work? Location-based search works by using the user’s device location or IP address to determine their physical location. This information is then used to provide search results that are relevant to the user’s location. For example, if a user searches for “coffee shops,” location-based search will provide results for coffee shops that are nearby the user’s location. Optimizing for Location-Based Search Optimizing for location-based search requires businesses to provide accurate and up-to-date information about their location. This includes their address, phone number, and website URL. Businesses can also optimize their website for location-based search by including location-specific keywords in their content and meta descriptions. Here are some tips for optimizing for location-based search: - Claim your business listings on popular search engines and directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places for Business. - Ensure that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online listings. - Include location-specific keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, and title tags. - Use schema markup to provide search engines with structured data about your business, including your location, hours of operation, and contact information. - Encourage customers to leave reviews on your business listings, as positive reviews can help improve your search rankings. By optimizing for location-based search, businesses can improve their visibility in search results and attract more customers who are searching for businesses in their area. Social Media and Search Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. It is a platform where we can interact with our friends, family, and even strangers from all over the world. Social media has also become a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their customers. However, social media is not just about connecting with people. It is also about search. Social Media and SEO Social media can have a significant impact on a website’s search engine optimization (SEO). When people share content from a website on social media, it can increase the website’s visibility and traffic. Social media can also help build backlinks to a website, which can improve its search engine rankings. Twitter and GB Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms, and it has its own search engine called Twitter Search. Twitter Search allows users to search for tweets based on keywords, hashtags, and even location. Twitter also has a feature called “Great Britain Trends” (GB), which shows the most popular topics being discussed on Twitter in the UK. Subject Terms and Related Terms Subject terms and related terms are commonly used in search engines. Subject terms are specific words or phrases that describe the content of a website, while related terms are words or phrases that are related to the subject terms. Using subject terms and related terms can help improve a website’s search engine rankings. In conclusion, social media and search are closely intertwined. Social media can have a significant impact on a website’s search engine optimization, and Twitter has its own search engine called Twitter Search. Subject terms and related terms are also important for improving a website’s search engine rankings. By understanding the relationship between social media and search, businesses can improve their online presence and connect with their customers more effectively. If you’re looking to improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, there are a number of resources available to help you. Here are a few of the top resources to consider: There are many SEO blogs out there that offer valuable insights and tips on how to improve your website’s search engine rankings. Some of the most popular SEO blogs include: These blogs cover a wide range of topics related to SEO, including keyword research, link building, on-page optimization, and more. By following these blogs, you can stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in SEO. Google Ads Keyword Planner The Google Ads Keyword Planner is a powerful tool that can help you identify the best keywords to target for your website. With this tool, you can enter a keyword or phrase related to your business, and the tool will generate a list of related keywords along with their search volume and competition level. By using the Keyword Planner, you can identify high-volume, low-competition keywords that you can target to improve your website’s search engine rankings. Autocomplete is a feature in Google search that suggests search terms as you type. By paying attention to these suggestions, you can get a sense of the most popular search terms related to your business. For example, if you type “best running shoes” into Google, the autocomplete suggestions might include “best running shoes for women” or “best running shoes for flat feet.” By incorporating these keywords into your website’s content, you can improve your chances of ranking for these popular search terms. At the bottom of each Google search results page, you’ll find a list of related searches. These are other search terms that are related to the one you just searched for. By incorporating these related search terms into your website’s content, you can improve your chances of ranking for a wider range of search terms. Plus, by targeting these related search terms, you can attract more visitors to your website who are interested in the same topics. Overall, by using these SEO resources, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings and attract more visitors to your site. In conclusion, search terms play a crucial role in the process of retrieving information from search engines. They are the words or phrases that users type into the search box to find relevant content. The choice of search terms can significantly impact the accuracy and relevance of the search results. When selecting search terms, it is essential to consider the context and intent of the search. Users should choose words that accurately reflect what they are looking for and avoid using vague or ambiguous terms. For example, instead of searching for “cars,” users can be more specific by searching for “electric cars” or “sports cars.” Furthermore, search terms should be optimized for search engine algorithms. This involves using relevant keywords and phrases that match the content of the website or page being searched. By using search terms that are relevant and optimized, users can increase the chances of finding the information they need quickly and easily. In summary, search terms are a critical component of the search process. By choosing relevant and optimized search terms, users can improve the accuracy and relevance of their search results, making it easier to find the information they need.
Safe, systematic collection of human waste in low-resource countries could yield valuable fuels, invaluable health and environmental benefits Biogas from human waste, safely obtained under controlled circumstances using innovative technologies, is a potential fuel source great enough in theory to generate electricity for up to 138 million households – the number of households in Indonesia, Brazil, and Ethiopia combined. A report today from UN University’s Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health estimates that biogas potentially available from human waste worldwide would have a value of up to US$ 9.5 billion in natural gas equivalent. And the residue, dried and charred, could produce 2 million tonnes of charcoal-equivalent fuel, curbing the destruction of trees. Finally, experts say, the large energy value would prove small relative to that of the global health and environmental benefits that would accrue from the proper universal treatment of human waste. “Rather than treating our waste as a major liability, with proper controls in place we can use it in several circumstances to build innovative and sustained financing for development while protecting health and improving our environment in the process,” according to the report, “Valuing Human Waste as an Energy Resource.” The report uses average waste volume statistics, high and low assumptions for the percentage of concentrated combustable solids contained (25 – 45%), its conversion into biogas and charcoal-like fuel and their thermal equivalents (natural gas and charcoal), to calculate the potential energy value of human waste. Biogas, approximately 60% methane by volume, is generated through the bacterial breakdown of faecal matter, and any other organic matter, in an oxygen free (anaerobic) system. Dried and charred faecal sludge, meanwhile, has energy content similar to coal and charcoal. UN figures show that 2.4 billion people lack access to improved sanitation facilities and almost 1 billion people (about 60% of them in India) don’t use toilets at all, defecating instead in the open. If the waste of only those practicing open defecation was targeted, the financial value of biogas potentially generated exceeds US$ 200 million per year and could reach as high as $376 million. The energy value would equal that of the fuel needed to generate electricity for 10 million to 18 million local households. Processing the residual faecal sludge, meanwhile, would yield the equivalent of 4.8 million to 8.5 million tonnes of charcoal to help power industrial furnaces, for example. World already reuses the water and nutrients in wastewater Says lead author Corinne Schuster-Wallace: “Increasingly, water-scarce regions are being driven to separate and reuse the water in wastewater, particularly to expand marginal agricultural lands. There is a technological opportunity, particularly in rural growth areas and small towns, to derive energy as well from this resource.” UNU-INWEH Senior Research Fellow Chris Metcalfe of Trent University notes that human waste, as with animal waste, is already used to improve food production in many places around the world, governed by guidelines to ensure its safe use. A study in Sweden established that human urine contains over 300 g of phosphorous, 900 g of potassium and 300 g of sulphur per cubic meter. According to the World Health Organization, an individual’s body excretes an estimated 4.5 kg of nitrogen and 548 g of phosphorus per year. “We recycle the nutrients in human waste effectively via agriculture in many places, yet the potential energy value of human waste has been given much less attention to date,” says Dr. Metcalfe, a report co-author along with UNU consultant Chris Wild. “Challenges are many but clearly there is a compelling, multi-dimensional financial case to be made for deriving energy from waste.” Says UNU-INWEH Director Zafar Adeel: “When it comes to creating misery and poverty, human waste mismanagement has few rivals. If we can demonstrate a simple, cost effective new approach in low-resource settings, if we can successfully make a business case and change the economic paradigm of human waste management, we can advance development, protect the environment and help reduce sanitation problems causing one-tenth of all world illnesses.” “World Toilet Day, upcoming November 19, offers the opportunity to promote new thinking and to continue puncturing the taboos in many places that inhibit discussion and perpetuate the disgrace and tragedy of inadequate human waste management in many developing world areas. This report contributes to that goal.” Waste to wealth With initial seed funds from federally-funded Grand Challenges Canada, UNU-INWEH in partnership with the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment, its agencies, and other NGO and academic institutions, established the Waste to Wealth national framework. Waste to Wealth utilises modern anaerobic digestion technologies linked to sanitation systems. With a focus on rural growth centers and small towns, as well as high population density institutions such as schools and prisons, the biogas and residual material left from energy conversion is a valuable economic resource to provide a return on investment in bioenergy technologies. The ultimate goal of Waste to Wealth is decentralised (on site) faecal waste management and to help bridge the finance gap for sanitation in Uganda. By identifying value in waste (energy and /or fertilizer), Waste to Wealth provides an incentive to use toilets and a mechanism to finance both upfront capital costs as well as facility operation, maintenance, and expansion. In addition to the economic opportunities, sanitation interventions have known benefits to individual, household and community health and wellbeing. Phase two of the project involves proof of concept of a series of proposed initiatives, including equipping a Ugandan prison with a` $100,000 system requiring approximately $5,000 in annual operating costs, expected to pay for itself through fuel cost savings within 2 years. Waste to Wealth is one of several pilot projects in Africa to have received seed grants from Grand Challenges Canada for the systematic collection of waste for processing into a variety of energy or agricultural products. Related projects in Africa include: - Collecting and converting human waste into solid fuel for use by cement plants and other industries - Franchising toilets; profitably, safely collecting and removing the waste daily, converting it into fuel and fertilizer, and - Collecting human waste and converting it into high quality, emission free bio-charcoal cooking fuel - Production of biogas and organic fertilizer from street waste Download the report here.
Laura Gomez has a funny, and yet terribly perceptive, term to describe the sort of racial holding pattern in which America's largest minority finds itself. “Latinos have been in this limbo between white and nonwhite – or what I call 'off-white' – for more than 165 years,” Gomez told me. Off-white works for me. Gomez, a professor of law and American studies at the University of New Mexico, might be onto something here. Latinos are neither black nor white, and yet there are black Latinos and white Latinos. There is no Latino race, yet what many Latinos were subjected to in the 20th century – including being barred from hotels, restaurants and public swimming pools – and continue to be subjected to today in subtler forms would have to be called racism. Still, in America's great racial debate, Latinos have been consigned to the sidelines. There is a lot that Gomez, who holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Stanford, could teach U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. The AG isn't a sociologist, but he played one during Black History Month. Spelling out how far we still have to go to achieve racial nirvana, Holder called the United States “a nation of cowards” who are reluctant to talk about race. President Barack Obama recently critiqued the nation's top law enforcement officer for his choice of words. “I think it's fair to say that if I had been advising my attorney general, we would have used different language,” Obama told a reporter. “I think the point that he was making is that we're oftentimes uncomfortable with talking about race until there's some sort of racial flare-up or conflict.” As an Obama supporter, Gomez didn't have any problem with the main thrust of Holder's comments. What bothered her was that his narrative was so incomplete as to be irrelevant. “Holder's speech is very much in black-and-white terms,” she said. “Almost everywhere he mentions specifics, he's talking about blacks and whites.” Like when Holder said: “The study of black history is important to everyone – black or white,” or when he rattled off a list of African-American civil rights figures as “people to whom all of us, black and white, owe such a debt of gratitude.” It wasn't exactly the inclusive and multiracial tone that Obama struck in his poetic speech on race in Philadelphia during the presidential campaign. Gomez understands the context of Holder's remarks. “Granted, this (was) Black History Month,” she said, “and there's an important reason to talk in those terms . . . but I think it does raise a question: Where are Latinos in this?” For Gomez, it's a familiar story. “We're presumed invisible from the racial past of the United States,” she said. Gomez mined that past in her book, “Manifest Destinies: The Making of the Mexican American Race,” which traces the origins of Mexican-Americans as a racial group in this country. Today, stuck somewhere in between whites and nonwhites, Latinos are often ignored – in entertainment, politics, media, business, etc. Television networks will do a series on race or ethnicity in America, and still sketch out the storyboard in black and white. When Latinos are noticed, they're usually a footnote, an afterthought, or an accessory – as when a well-meaning politician is talking about race relations, equal opportunity or civil rights, and mentions “blacks and whites . . . and browns.” Another concern for Gomez is that, even when other Americans do see Latinos, a lot of people aren't always sure what they're seeing. Consider the immigration debate. “There's this almost hyper-visibility of Latinos,” she said. “But it's a narrow and often wrong kind of hyper-visibility because it is the 'illegal alien.' Every Latino is presumed to be an immigrant and secondly to be an undocumented Mexican.” Ah yes. There is nothing like people whose ancestors have been here for six generations being told to “go back to Mexico” by those whose ancestors are relative newcomers. Granted, it's not easy to turn a blind eye to an ethnic group that, according to census estimates, could represent one in four Americans by 2030. But some people – like our attorney general – manage to pull it off. And in doing so, they describe America as it used to be, not what it is, let alone what it is becoming. Navarrette can be reached via
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a United-Nations sponsored consortium of climate scientists working to analyze and summarize the extent and effects of climate change on our planet. IPCC reports are summaries that bring together thousands of disparate studies, but they are too long and complex for the layperson, even one with a strong interest in climate change. Here is a brief overview of the IPCC Assessment Report 5, which came out in the fall of 2014. The The full report contains data and projections judged on a scale from very low to very high confidence, but this summary discusses only findings with high or very high confidence. Since the fourth report, in 2007, the number of climate-related publications has doubled, with a growing consensus that widespread, consequential changes are coming and that human activity is exacerbating natural climate change. The report lays out a list of changes we have already seen, such as coastal flooding and increased storm surges caused by sea-level rise, drought and floods exacerbated by increasingly variable precipitation and rising temperatures, disasters occurring in new areas, and loss of sea ice and ocean acidification linked to rising ocean temperatures. Climate change is not yet the largest killer of species, but as the Earth warms and ecological zones shift polewards, terrestrial and aquatic plants and animals follow. Polar ecosystems are disappearing, and the arctic species must either adapt to warmer conditions or die. Glaciers and permafrost are retreating on every continent. Glacier-fed rivers are swollen while those dependent on precipitation are drying up. Forests bloom earlier in the spring, but dry out and feed more fires each year. The coral and seaflora in the Pacific and Caribbean are declining. These changes are beyond what can be attributed to pollution, over-use by humans, or annual fluctuations. Knowing for certain what the future holds is impossible, but the IPCC report uses the best data and models available today to estimate the likelihood of future climate-related changes. The effects are multifaceted and depend greatly on one’s location and socioeconomic status: the more marginal one’s status, the more vulnerable he or she is. Although economic and social factors affect one’s life more than climate change today, the indirect effects on our health, security, and livelihoods are growing. Most of us depend on industrial agriculture, and while increased temperatures and climate variability decrease crop yields, increased levels of CO2 stimulate growth; to survive, we must create resilient agricultural systems. Food insecurity, coastal and inland flooding, drought, loss of marine and terrestrial biodiversity, and the compounding of interrelated problems are highly likely to occur. The two primary models used in this report estimate an additional 1-4°C rise in global temperatures by 2100, which is a narrower range than the last report. The IPCC projects that North America will suffer from climate-induced drought exacerbated by irrigation and urban overuse. Although northern farms will see increased yields, overall agricultural output will decline because of the increased heat stifling southern crops. The IPCC lists North America’s water-resources, transportation infrastructure, and coastal areas as the most vulnerable to current changes. Rural and urban adaptations are necessary to mitigate both the certain and potential effects of climate change. Specifically, improved infrastructure, effective warning systems, sustainable cooling, urban planning, and a more resilient healthcare infrastructure are needed. Governments across the world are responding to climate change, but most are focused on risk management instead of addressing the root cause. The report states with very high confidence that damage from climate change is unavoidable, but the extent of that risk could be mitigated by a reduction of greenhouse emissions. It does not define a single “tipping point” after which we would suffer systemic collapse but notes that reducing greenhouse emissions would reduce the likelihood that we would reach that point. It is difficult to stay positive in the face of overwhelming data and predictions. We are each responsible for our own actions, and while it seems difficult to single-handedly change systemic problems, we can make a difference. Speak out in social situations when somebody mischaracterizes climate science. Lead by example and discuss changes you have made in your own life to reduce your carbon footprint. If you are in a leadership position, use facts to help make proactive decisions for the future. Get familiar with the section of the report that pertains to you. Note: I was only able to scratch the surface of the report, which is over 2500 pages long. If you are interested in reading more, the IPCC has written a 44-page “Summary for Policymakers” in plain, although dry, English.
Each chapter in this book corresponds to a lab in the CHEM 3753: Introduction to Biochemical Methods course at the University of Oklahoma. All of the materials you will need for each lab can be found within its respective chapter. Each chapter will contain a brief introduction; a set of learning objectives; a slide presentation, screencast, or lab demonstration video; the protocol to be followed during your time in the lab; and a set of interactive quiz questions to help you check you understanding as you go. Other interactive features include photos from the lab, links to safety data sheets (SDS), and 3D chemical structures. Components of the book are elaborated upon below. We hope you find this book to be an all-in-one, fun, and engaging learning tool for the biochemical methods course. Each chapter has a brief introduction to help orient you with the material to be covered in the coming lab. This introduction is found in itallics on the title page for each chapter. After opening a chapter, you will see a list of Learning Objectives in a column to the left of your screen. These objectives are there to help you focus on what you will need to learn in each chapter. Consider these your road map to navigating the chapter material. Each chapter in this book contains a review in the form of a slide presentation or screencast video. These reviews are a lot like lectures, and they are intended to help you brush up on the theory that will be applied in the lab. Reviews appear at the beginning of each chapter. Start by clicking through the slides or viewing the screencasts to get a better grasp on the concepts you will encounter in the lab. Lab Demonstration Videos Some chapters contain videos that demonstrate specific techniques to be performed in the lab. These include techniques like pipetting and pouring an agarose gel, which involve a series of steps that need to be performed repeatedly and with accuracy. We have filmed the videos in the biochemical methods teaching labs at the University of Oklahoma such that what you see in the video is what you will find in the lab – no surprises! We encourage you to watch the relevant video(s) prior to coming to the lab and to return to them whenever you need a refresher. Each chapter contains its corresponding laboratory protocol, including a list of the materials you will need to perform the experiment at hand. Read the protocol carefully before coming to the lab to understand what you will be doing and how you will be doing it. Bring this digital book or its printed version to the lab to review the protocol, tables, and figures while you work. Near the end of each chapter, you will find interactive quizzes that ask you to apply what you have learned in lecture and in the lab. These quizzes are there to help you gauge you understanding of the material that has been covered. Simply read the questions and select an answer, and you will be told whether your answer is correct or incorrect. Note that there are no points attached to these quizzes and that no one will be told how you perform on them. They are there for you own benefit, so take them as many times as you need. Other Fun Things We have included in this digital book, pictures from the biochemical methods teaching labs, 2 and 3-D chemical structures, interactive structures, interactive graphics, as well as hyperlinks to safety data sheets (SDS) and supplementary materials that may be of use to you as you learn. Please make use of these features and let us know your ideas about how we can make this book even more beneficial to future students.
There are obviously quite a few social media resources available to school leaders on the Web, but finding high-quality information can be difficult. Here are some books that I consider vital for school leaders seeking to learn as much as they can about its potential to enhance leadership and education. Each of these books are excellent sources of information for the school leader trying to learn about social media and potential in educational leadership. Why Social Media Matters: School Communication in the Digital Age by Kitty Porterfield and Meg Carnes Porterfield and Carnes' book is one of my personal favorites. As the title suggests, it focuses on providing school leaders with the "know-how" of using social media as a communications tool. School leaders, however, are not encouraged to use Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools as a 21st century announcement system. Porterfield and Carnes encourage school leaders to use social media's most powerful feature, the ability to engage stakeholders in a multi-way conversation. This book equips school leaders with the tools necessary to communicate effectively using social media in the 21st century. The School Leader's Guide to Social Media by Ron Williamson and J. Howard Johnston Williamson and Johnston's book offers school leaders a complete panoramic view of social media. They give one of the most comprehensive views of both the potentials and the pitfalls of engaging in social media use. Williamson and Johnston provide such timely information as: Concerns and Benefits of Social Media Use, Encouraging Responsible Use of Social Media, Creating Acceptable Use Policies Governing Social Media Use, Overview of the Social Media Tools, and Social Media Skills to Be Taught. The School Leader's Guide to Social Media is one of the most comprehensive resources available on social media. The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in the Digital Age by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach and Lani Ritter Hall This book provides school leaders with a complete review of what it means to engage in the use of social media as a "connected learner." Nussbaum-Beach and Hall take readers through the whole idea of engaging in social media as a means to learn 21st century style. Using the tools of social media allows school leaders to expand their connections to a world beyond the classroom. This book provides a complete model to make global learning and connecting happen. What School Leaders Need to Know about Digital Technologies and Social Media edited by Scott McLeod and Chris Lehmann In this collection of essays, edited by educational technology experts Scott McLeod and Chris Lehmann, school leaders get one of the most complete descriptions of the tools of the social media toolbox. This book takes readers through a complete survey of all the tools---from blogs to social bookmarking to even gaming. Readers will find this comprehensive overview of social media tools extremely useful and they plan and development social media strategy. Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education by Will Richardson and Rob Mancabelli Richardson and Mancabelli’s book is one of the most comprehensive and engaging reads yet on the potential of “Personal Learning Networks” as a transformative force in education. This book focuses less on the social media tools and more on the strategies educators can use to foster, not only the development of their own personal learning networks, but also the personal learning networks of the students they teach. As a part of the school leader’s library, this book is an excellent strategy guide for engaging in social media as a means to foster personal learning. Radically Transparent: Monitoring and Managing Reputations Online by Andy Beal and Judy Strauss While this is the only book on the list not written specifically for educators, Radically Transparent: Monitoring and Managing Reputations Online is the best guide for school leaders who want to move beyond just using social media as personal learning network tool or as a communication tool. This book provides strategy on how to proactively engage in social media use to foster a positive online reputation. In the 21st century, school leaders can ill-afford to ignore their school or school district’s online reputation. This book provides school leaders with the tools in which to engage social media as public-relations tool and become completely transparent, which is an expectation for 21st century organizations. Social Media for School Leaders by Brian Dixon Dixon’s book is another excellent resource on social media for the 21st century school leader. This book gives another comprehensive overview of the social media tools, including some not found in the other books. It also provides readers with a comprehensive framework for understanding how to use social media effectively. Dixon’s books is excellent combination of introduction of the social media tools and the strategies to use to engage in their use effectively. These seven resources provide school leaders with the most comprehensive view of social media possible. By reading these and referring back to them often, as well as engaging in the use of the tools and the strategies, school leaders can effectively become social media leaders in their schools or districts.
June 13th, 2014 12:01 AM ET Here's a roundup of five medical studies published this week that might give you new insights into your health, mind and body. Remember, correlation is not causation – so if a study finds a connection between two things, it doesn't mean that one causes the other. Keep your phone out of your pocket – your sperm will thank you Since guys don’t usually carry handbags, they tend to keep mobile phones in their pants pockets. A recent study from the University of Exeter suggests this may not be a great idea. That cell phone could actually have a negative effect on your sperm quality. The review looked at findings from 10 studies, that included almost 1,500 samples of semen. To evaluate the mens’ sperm quality, the scientists measured viability (the ratio of sperm that were alive), motility (the ability of sperm to move) and concentration (the number of sperm per unit of semen). Compared to a control group, the percentage of sperm showing normal movement dropped by 8% among men who pocketed mobile phones. This group's sperm's ability to survive also decreased in about 9% of the samples. The scientists write that the individual risk for sperm damage depends on how long a man keeps his phone in his pants and how much electromagnetic radiation the phone emits. Read more from TIME Eating too many hamburgers may increase your breast cancer risk Past research has shown that eating a lot of red meat increases the risk of bowel cancer. Now Harvard researchers say eating red meat in early adulthood also increases a woman's risk of breast cancer. The scientists analyzed data from 88,803 premenopausal women. During 20 years of follow-up, the team looked at the diets of those who developed breast cancer. The result: higher consumption of red meat was associated with a 22% increased risk of breast cancer overall. Women who ate more poultry, fish, eggs, legumes and nuts had a lower risk for breast cancer. Read more from BBC The 'trust and cuddle-hormone' has another important purpose Oxytocin is often referred to as the “trust and cuddle hormone” because of its role in maternal nurturing and friendship. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, now say that oxytocin is also essential for healthy muscle maintenance and repair. Their recent study showed that injecting oxytocin under the skin helped animals' muscles heal better. Oxytocin is the first “anti-aging” molecule approved by the Food and Drug Administration for clinical use. That’s why the study presents oxytocin as a future treatment target for age-related muscle wasting. Read more from UC Berkeley Bad-breath bacteria does more than turn off your date Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania have found the bacteria that cause gum disease also create an imbalance in your immune system. Their recent study revealed that the periodontal bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis disarms the immune system, leading to periodontitis, with inflammation and bone loss. The gum germs block the immune cells' killing ability and cause inflammation. The dead cells become nutrients that the bacteria feed off of. “The result is a vicious cycle that exacerbates periodontitis," the researchers write. The team’s discoveries open up new targets for periodontitis treatment. Read more from University of Pennsylvania Heart disease can hurt your mental health A healthy mind needs a healthy body. According to a new study, keeping the heart healthy is also a great way to keep your brain fit. The research examined 17,761 individuals with normal mental function and then re-evaluated them after four years. The scientists found that the risk for cognitive impairment is greater for people with poor cardiovascular health. A deficit in learning, memory and verbal skills developed in 4.6% of people with the worst heart health and in only 2.6% of those with the most healthy hearts. The study doesn’t explain the mechanisms that may have led to the findings. However, the study’s author, Evan L. Thacker, said “undetected subclinical strokes could not be ruled out.” To learn more visit Health.com About this blog Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
By Periklis Deligiannis A Late Roman helmet rather of Persian distant origin (design), decorated with semi-gemstones. The Romano-Britons inherited this type together with the rest of the Roman weaponry and military organization. In the 5th-6th centuries AD, the Anglo-Saxons brought to Britain many elements of the eastern Scandinavian Proto-Vendel and Vendel cultures, several of which are obvious on their arms and armor, e.g. on their helmets (Sutton Hoo burial, etc.). (reconstruction of an Anglo-Saxon warlord wearing a Sutton Hoo-type helmet, by the Historical Association Wulfheodenas ). In 407 AD the Romans withdrew their last regular troops from the British provinces. The independent Romano-Britons had to fight hard against the Pict, Irish and Anglo-Saxon barbarians who were besieging their territory. Former Roman Britain was gradually divided into autonomous ‘principalities’ led by warlords. However they tried to keep united their “British kingdom” as they considered their common territory, and… View original post 1,922 more words
Atlas of Three-Dimensional Echocardiography offers the greatest visual impact of any book currently available in a field based entirely on the visual acquisition of information. It also provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art review of the relatively new techniques of three-dimensional echocardiography, with more thorough coverage of a wider range of issues. Nearly 700 carefully chosen and well-described illustrations are presented, including the highest quality colour reproductions of relevant acquisition and imaging techniques. the atlas format is uniquely suited to instruct the reader in the interpretation of normal and pathologic cardiac findings, diagnosed through three- and four-dimensional transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography. Current issues and practices, as well as ongoing developments and possible future applications of this technology, are also discussed.
M4A files are a type of audio file developed and popularised by Apple. Since 2007, music purchased through the iTunes store has been in m4a format, therefore accounting for over 15 billions files worldwide. MP4 and M4A files are often confused, and the two are quite similar, being both based on the MPEG-4 codec. However, M4A is a file comprising solely of audio, whereas MP4 may also contain video. M4A files are superior to MP3 in terms of the scale of compression and audio quality. The M4A file uses Apple's codec and resides within the MPEG-4 container. The main benefit of M4A is that files are compressed but are lossless. This means they can be decoded back to the original quality they were at the point of compression. Another benefit of M4A files are that do not carry any Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection associated with other files meaning they are less restricted. Apple QuickTime Player Apple iTunes Microsoft Windows Media Player Developed by the Signal Processing Group at Microsoft, the WMA file format is part of the Windows Media framework and was first released commercially in 1999, with support for playback of WMA encoded files as part of Windows Media Player. Creation of WMA files did not come until Windows Media Player version 7. The original codec was targeted as a direct competitor to the MP3 and RealAudio formats, and has achieved a broad level of adoption thanks to support for playback on numerous DVD players, Nokia mobile handsets and Playstation portable devices. In almost all circumstances WMA files are part of the Advanced Systems Format (ASF) container, a proprietary container format developed by Microsoft for both digital video and digital audio. Every WMA file contains an audio track encoded in one of four mutually distinct codecs - WMA, WMA Voice, WMA Lossless or WMA Pro - WMA is the most commonly found of the four, but is a lossy codec, with the ability to encode audio signals sampled at up to 48 kHz. WMA Pro is an improved version, allowing sampling up to 96 kHz, but has achieved little hardware and software support. WMA Lossless is designed to compress audio signals with no loss of quality from the original source (up to 96 kHz) and is used in some Windows Mobile devices as well as the Logitech Squeezebox Touch. Finally, WMA Voice is a lossy codec optimized for low-bandwith voice playback applications, with mono sampling support up to 22.05 kHz - it is perhaps most well known for being used by the BBC World service for streaming Internet radio. MPlayer Realplayer VLC Media Player Windows Media Player Windows Movie Maker
Listen to this post Your ears pop when you dive deep underwater because the (water) pressure at greater depths is higher than the pressure at the surface. Since your ears are used to the atmospheric pressure at sea level (i.e. 14.7 PSI), the eardrum bends inwards due to the pressure difference between the inner ear and the surrounding water. Since the eardrum consists of scores of nerves that communicate to the brain, you perceive this inward bending of the eardrum as pain. I had heard and read about this ear-aching phenomenon countless times, but never got a chance to experience it first-hand. However, I did experience it a few months ago when I first started to learn swimming. I went into the deep end of the pool and, sure enough, I felt the discomfort in both my ears. A lot of others report the same symptoms; some even observe that their ears “pop” when they go into the deep end of the pool. So, why does that happen? Why do the depths of a pool (or any deep water body) do that to our ears? If you’ve ever stuck your finger inside your ear, you know what the ear canal is. Also known as the external acoustic meatus, it is a passage comprised of skin and bone that leads to the eardrum. You also probably know about the eardrum; it’s a thin sheet of tissue that separates the middle ear from the external ear. Technically known as the tympanic membrane, it is actually a cone-shaped membrane that vibrates when a sound wave reaches it. Its primary function is to transmit sound from the air to the inside of the middle ear, and then to the fluid-filled cochlea. The importance of equal pressure on both sides of the eardrum As you can see in the image above, on one side of the eardrum is the ear canal, and on the other side is a hollow space filled with air. You want to keep the pressure on both sides of the eardrum equal, because when that happens, the eardrum remains ‘normal’ and everything works as usual. In fact, in order to make sure that the pressure on both sides of the eardrum remains equalized, there’s a tube called the Eustachian tube that connects the throat to the middle ear’s air pocket. Air flows back and forth through this tube, thus ensuring that the pressures on the inside and outside of the eardrum remain equalized. What happens when you go deep underwater? As you go deep underwater, the water pressure increases, because there is the weight of more and more water pushing down on you (note: water pressure always increases with depth, a phenomenon that has a number of practical applications). As water pressure increases at greater depths, the Eustachian tube becomes clogged. As a result, the middle ear shuts off and becomes a closed chamber. Now, it is holding air at the pressure of 14.7 PSI (pressure at sea level), whereas the water that presses on the ear canal has a higher pressure than 14.7 PSI. Due to this inequality in pressure at either side of the eardrum, it bows inwards, causing mild to moderate discomfort in the ears. A simple way to get around this is to equalize the pressure on either side of the eardrum. A simple and popular way to do that is to hold your nose shut with your fingers and try to exhale through your nose. You will hear your ears pop and the pain will quickly subside.
\|Name: _________________________\|\|Period: ___________________\| This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Act 1, Scene 2. Multiple Choice Questions 1. Who says, "What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave"? (a) Antipholus of Syracuse. (b) Antipholus of Ephesus. (c) Dromio of Syracuse. (d) Dromio of Ephesus. 2. What does Antipholus of Syracuse tell the First Merchant he is going to do to pass his time at the end of their conversation in Act 1, Scene 2? (a) Wander the city. (b) Find some food. (c) Sell some jewelry. (d) Visit a friend. 3. What does Antipholus of Syracuse give to Dromio of Syracuse to take to an inn? (b) A chain. (c) A ring. (d) Some papers. 4. In what setting does Act 1, Scene 1 take place? (a) A palace hall. (b) Antipholus of Syracuse's house. (c) Antipholus of Ephesus' house. (d) A market. 5. When does Egeon have to pay his ransom by to avoid execution? (a) By sunset. (b) In two days. (c) One month. (d) In a week. Short Answer Questions 1. What sum of money does Antipholus of Syracuse mention in Act 1, Scene 2? 2. What does the Duke offer Egeon at the end of Act 1, Scene 1? 3. What does Dromio of Ephesus claim his master is late for when he approaches Antipholus of Syracuse in Act 1, Scene 2? 4. Who says, "Many a man would take you at your word, and go indeed, having so good a mean"? 5. Finish the sentence: "We being strangers here, how darest thou trust so great a charge from thine own ______." This section contains 290 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page)
This article was originally published by the German institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in August 2016. In June 2016, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presented his latest annual report on the situation of refugees and displaced persons around the world. Once again, this account documents new record levels in refugee numbers, both in industrialised and in developing countries. For governments and aid organisations, these statistics constitute an important basis for addressing displacement-related challenges in a more effective manner. However, the data provided by UNHCR is often incomplete and marked by a number of shortcomings. Increasingly high expectations are being placed on development cooperation in terms of tackling the root causes of forced displacement. Meeting these expectations requires reliable data. Refugee crises can only be adequately addressed on the basis of comprehensive and reliable data. Displaced persons must be able to register as refugees in order to receive access to international protection and the related legal rights and aid. Host countries and communities depend on data pertaining to current displacement situations in order to plan the required services and provide the necessary administrative, personnel and material resources. The credibility of international aid organisations’ appeals for donations also rely on substantiated information about displacement situations.
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Climate change scientists have just a 5 percent slice of hope that human industrial flatulence is not warming the planet. A leaked draft of an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report obtained by Reuters states global climate scientists are 95 to 100 percent certain climate change is caused by human activity. The draft cites fossil fuel combustion as the primary factor of global warming since the 1950s, with a level of certainty higher than the 90 percent projection from the 2007 report, and 66 percent in 2001. While the leak strongly ties anthropogenic activity to increased global temperatures, Reuters reports the IPCC will likely de-emphasize the correlation between human activity and increased droughts — a tentative finding from 2007. The IPCC’s final report will be published in three installments over the next year, the first of which will be presented in Stockholm on Sept. 26, and “is likely to change in response to comments from governments received in recent weeks and will also be considered by governments and scientists at a four-day approval session at the end of September,” the panel’s spokesman, Jonathan Lynn, said in a press statement Monday. “It is therefore premature and could be misleading to attempt to draw conclusions from it.” — Zak Weinberg Bureau of Land Management to auction public land for solar energy zones The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host the first competitive auction for 3,705 acres of public land designated as solar energy zones in Conejos and Saguache counties on Oct. 24. “This process will facilitate the Department’s priority approach to making appropriate public lands available for renewable energy development in the Solar Energy Zones and ensure a fair return to taxpayers for the commercial use of these lands,” said Helen Hankins, BLM Colorado state director, in a BLM press release. The De Tilla Gulch and Los Mogotes East solar energy zones are part of the Western Solar Plan, a two-year effort spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy and approved last October. The plan provides incentives for development within 19 solar energy zones with access to existing or planned transmission zones, as well as creating a process for considering additional zones. — Zak Weinberg One of Matt Groening’s personal favorite scenes from The Simpsons is “Night of the Dolphin,” based roughly on the 1973 American science-fiction thriller film directed by Mike Nichols, The Day of the Dolphin. In the episode, dolphins surpass human intelligence and violently relocate the town of Springfield into the ocean. While lawmakers wait idly for what could become our cartoonish and hyperbolic future, crowdfunding group FundaGeek and the Dolphin Communication Project have teamed up to support the continuous study of bottlenose dolphins and how they value their social relationships. “In 2000, when the Dolphins IMAX film premiered, I founded the Dolphin Communication Project,” Kathleen Dudzinski, director of the project, says on the website. “By comparing dolphins of different species living in different environments, we are able to determine how their social structures are affected by the many differences we see in their unique situations, as well as ascertain which social behaviors might be universal or shared by all dolphin species.” — Zak Weinberg
This page provides up-to-date information on some significant instructional resources (and means of accessing additional resources) for the successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards. As a Common Core state, the Colorado Academic Standards in Mathematics and Reading, Writing, and Communicating fully include the Common Core standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts. The Standards and Instructional website also provides information on the history/timeline of the Colorado Academic Standards and the state’s involvement in the Common Core State Standards initiative. This instructional resource page is organized by the following topics related to Common Core State Standards: - English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects - The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. - Defining the Core, created by Broward County Schools, supports both English Language Arts and Mathematics instruction. The site offers explanations of instructional shifts, resources to support teachers and students in meeting those shifts, and a variety of professional development videos and webinars to support teachers. The site also includes resources for parents and community members to deepen their understanding of the Common Core. - Student Achievement Partners was founded by David Coleman, Susan Pimentel and Jason Zimba, lead writers of the Common Core State Standards. The work is aimed at ensuring that teachers across the country are able to put the standards to work, quickly and effectively, to help their students and colleagues aspire to a higher standard and reach it. The site offers hundreds of math and literacy resources for teachers. - The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) provides a Toolkit for Evaluating Alignment of Instructional and Assessment Materials to the Common Core State Standards (PDF). The Toolkit is a set of interrelated, freely available instruments for evaluating instructional and assessment materials for alignment to the CCSS. Each tool in the Toolkit supports the expectations in the CCSS and derives from the Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The Toolkit was developed for use by educators and administrators responsible for developing or evaluating curriculum, or for making purchasing decisions for instructional and assessment materials. - You can "Take the Common Core Challenge" by viewing the practical workshop demonstrations in English, Math, Science and Social Studies from the Common Core Teacher Institute, which include lesson plans, alignment tools, and student handouts for your use and adaptation. - Internet searches allow you to type in the CCSS coding to find resources for specific standards. See examples below: To find information on using similar triangles to explain equal slopes, type "8.EE.6" in the internet search bar. The search would yield results similar to this: English Language Arts Standards Example To find information on argument writing in 6th grade, type "W.6.1a" in the internet search bar. The search would yield a results similar to this: The Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) in Mathematics are grounded in the Common Core State Standards. Teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators may find the following resources helpful as we continue our transition to full implementation of the CAS. - Illustrative Mathematics illustrates the range and types of mathematical work students experience in a faithful implementation of the Common Core State Standards. They also publish other tools to support implementation of the standards. - TurnOnCCMath - The GISMO research team at North Carolina State University has developed 18 learning trajectories that unpack the K-8 Common Core State Standards for Mathematics from the standpoint of student learning, and elaborate the underlying scientific research in mathematics education. TurnOnCCMath is a comprehensive resource to support teachers, teacher educators, professional development providers, and district and state-level curriculum experts in interpreting the CCSS-M for instructional implementation. - The Council of the Great City Schools' Parent Roadmaps in mathematics provide guidance to parents about what their children will be learning and how they can support that learning in grades K-8. These parent roadmaps for each grade level also provide three-year snapshots showing how selected standards progress from year to year so that students will be college and career ready upon their graduation from high school. For additional resources please visit the CDE Mathematics webpage. The Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) in Reading, Writing, and Communicating are grounded in the Common Core State Standards. Teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators may find the following resources helpful as we continue our transition to full implementation of the CAS. - International Reading Association (IRA) provides information on text complexity, guidance for literacy standards implementation, and other literacy resources. - National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) offers support for the key instructional shifts while keeping students at the center of instruction. - Edutopia.org includes information on implementation, lesson planning, and assessment as well as articles and research exploring the Common Core. For additional resources please visit the CDE Reading, Writing, and Communicating webpage.
Here’s a fantastic video exploring the mania that surrounds English teaching and learning. There’s no doubt that English is the official global language of the world now. But when did it become a phenomenon? And when did this phenomenon become a mania? Don’t just watch the video,get the most out of ted-ed – develop your listening skills, note down some useful vocabulary, and answer the questions along with the video. Jay Walker talks about the ways in which learning the English language has become a feverish enterprise across the globe. What are the advantages and disadvantages of English as lingua franca? Share your ideas in the comments below.
There is an old French expression, “Plus ca change, plus c’est le meme chose,” which in English translates into “the more things change, the more they are the same.” Archeologists excavating in the Bursa area of Turkey discovered evidence of the existence of torture chambers and dungeons from 2,300 years ago. Pick up a newspaper today or survey the Internet and one encounters images and stories of human brutality that bring back memories of World War II and Adolf Hitler or Japanese soldiers going wild in the streets of Chinese cities. Of course, the Allies also enjoyed opportunities to kill and torture, although, on a much lower scheme of things. So, what did these 2,300 year old dungeons reveal? There were hangman who cut off heads of people, and then threw their heads into a well while selling off body parts to relatives of dead people. There were instruments of torture –just like we have instruments of torture in the 21st century. So, what has changed in terms of human brutality? Just the numbers involved, just the numbers. We have always been part of the human race. Question: Did our Cro-magnon or Neanderthal ancestors also torture??
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) represented one of the most accomplished feminist and successful literary writers in women's history. She became known as one of the most brilliant writers from the early 1900s. Born in West End, New Jersey, and attaining her success from New York, she became one of the most brilliant writers that revolutionized American thinking then and after. Dorothy Parker lived a full and prosperous life, even though she did not have a happy childhood. Growing up, having bad relationships with her father and stepmother, she never had the privilege of growing up with a mother. Her mother died on July 20, 1897, when Dorothy was only four years of age, and her father died shortly after on December 28, 1913. Right before the death of her father was the passing away of her "brother Henry, who died on the passage home from a vacation with his wife Lissie aboard a first class steamship the Titanic, which sank in 1912." As a sad woman, stung with depression and alcoholism her entire adult life, she had a successful and productive life. In 1916, at the age of 23, she joined the editorial staff of Vogue. Then in 1917 she started working as a theater critic for Vanity Fair, which had published her first poem entitled "Any Porch," (1914). Visit http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/parker to learn more....
Date: Sept. 12, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Himalayan Glaciers Retreating at Accelerated Rate in Some Regions but Not Others; Consequences for Water Supply Remain Unclear, Says New Report WASHINGTON -- Glaciers in the eastern and central regions of the Himalayas appear to be retreating at accelerating rates, similar to those in other areas of the world, while glaciers in the western Himalayas are more stable and could be growing, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report examines how changes to glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region, which covers eight countries across Asia, could affect the area's river systems, water supplies, and the South Asian population. The mountains in the region form the headwaters of several major river systems -- including the Ganges, Mekong, Yangtze, and Yellow rivers -- which serve as sources of drinking water and irrigation supplies for roughly 1.5 billion people. The entire Himalayan climate is changing, but how climate change will impact specific places remains unclear, said the committee that wrote the report. The eastern Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau are warming, and the trend is more pronounced at higher elevations. Models suggest that desert dust and black carbon, a component of soot, could contribute to the rapid atmospheric warming, accelerated snowpack melting, and glacier retreat. While glacier melt contributes water to the region's rivers and streams, retreating glaciers over the next several decades are unlikely to cause significant change in water availability at lower elevations, which depend primarily on monsoon precipitation and snowmelt, the committee said. Variations in water supplies in those areas are more likely to come from extensive extraction of groundwater resources, population growth, and shifts in water-use patterns. However, if the current rate of retreat continues, high elevation areas could have altered seasonal and temporal water flow in some river basins. The effects of glacier retreat would become evident during the dry season, particularly in the west where glacial melt is more important to the river systems. Nevertheless, shifts in the location, intensity, and variability of both rain and snow will likely have a greater impact on regional water supplies than glacier retreat will. Melting of glacial ice could play an important role in maintaining water security during times of drought or similar climate extremes, the committee noted. During the 2003 European drought, glacial melt contributions to the Danube River in August were about three times greater than the 100-year average. Water stored as glacial ice could serve as the Himalayan region's hydrologic "insurance," adding to streams and rivers when it is most needed. Although retreating glaciers would provide more meltwater in the short term, the loss of glacier "insurance" could become problematic over the long term. Water resources management and provision of clean water and sanitation are already a challenge in the region, and the changes in climate and water availability warrant small-scale adaptations with effective, flexible management that can adjust to the conditions, the committee concluded. Current efforts that focus on natural hazard and disaster reduction in the region could offer useful lessons when considering and addressing the potential for impacts resulting from glacial retreat and changes in snowmelt processes in the region. Many basins in the region are "water-stressed" due to both social changes and environmental factors, and this stress is projected to intensify with large forecasted population growth, the committee concluded. Climate change could exacerbate this stress in the future. Although the history of international river disputes suggests that cooperation is a more likely outcome than violent conflict in this region, social conditions could change. Therefore, modifications in water supplies could play an increasing role in political tensions, especially if existing water management institutions do not evolve to take better account of the region's social, economic, and ecological complexities, the committee said. The National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, is an independent, nonprofit institution that provides science and technology advice under a congressional charter granted to the NAS in 1863. A committee roster follows. Report in Brief Jennifer Walsh, Media Relations Officer Luwam Yeibio, Media Relations Assistant Office of News and Public Information 202-334-2138; e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org Pre-publication copies of Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security are available from the National Academies Press; tel. 202-334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at http://www.nap.edu. Reporters may obtain a copy from the Office of News and Public Information (contacts listed above). # # # NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Water Science and Technology Board Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Committee on Population Committee on Himalayan Glaciers, Climate Change, and Implications for Downstream Populations Henry J. Vaux Jr. (chair) Professor Emeritus of Resource Economics University of California at Berkeley and Riverside El Cerrito, Calif. Acting Associate Director Institute for Demographic Research, and Baruch School of Public Affairs City University of New York New York City Edward R. Cook Associate Research Scientist Tree Ring Research Laboratory Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory William K. Lau Laboratory for Atmospheres NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Center for International Earth Sciences Information Network Elizabeth L. Malone Staff Scientist IV Joint Global Change Research Institute College Park, Md. The Nature Conservancy NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies New York City Lonnie G. Thompson* Distinguished University Professor Byrd Polar Research Center Ohio State University James L. Wescoat Jr. Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture School of Architecture and Planning Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mark W. Williams University of Colorado RESEARCH COUNCIL STAFF * Member, National Academy of Sciences
Taking X-rays Digitally Despite numerous technological advances in the health care industry, x-ray imaging (employing photographic silver halide film) from almost forty years ago still remains in widespread use. At present, x-ray imaging is about 70 percent film based, and extremely inefficient and costly. Digital radiology offers enormous cost savings and other benefits, and with calls for both more efficient health care management and preventive measures such as routine mammographic scanning of women, there is an enormous need to upgrade the technology. Reduced cost will ensure that radiography is available outside of large, urban hospitals and clinics. Digital radiography will also introduce more flexibility into the system; instead of having to view original films, doctors will be able to process digital images with computers, adding to improved diagnosis. Dr. Safa Kasap is one of the world's leading researchers on photoconductors. His work on chalcogenide alloy photoconductor materials has contributed to the use of these materials in the new generation of direct conversion flat-panel x-ray image detectors that are poised to revolutionize medical imaging by enabling digital radiology to become affordable and convenient. His research as Canada Research Chair in Electronic and Optoelectronic Materials and Devices will focus on the properties of various new selenium alloy-based photoconductor films and look toward developing alloys that are even more efficient detectors. Much of the work will be forward looking because commercialization of flat-panel x-ray sensors for applications like mammography has outstripped the science required to ensure that the best technology is being used.
Amazing Phenomenon: Hexagonal Shape Surrounds Saturn's North Pole An unusual structure with a hexagonal shape surrounding Saturn's north pole was spotted on the planet for the first time 30 years ago. Nothing similar with such a regular geometry had ever been seen on any planet in the Solar System. The Planetary Sciences Group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has been able to study and measure the phenomenon and, among other achievements, establish its rotation period. What is more, this period could be the same as that of the planet itself. Saturn is the only planet in the Solar System whose rotation time remains unknown. The research is illustrated on the front cover of the journal Geophysical Research Letters and has been highlighted by the publication’s editor. In 1980 and 1981, NASA's Voyager 1 and 2 space probes passed over the planet Saturn for the first time, located 1,500 million km from the Sun. Among their numerous discoveries, they observed a strange, hexagon-shaped structure in the planet’s uppermost clouds surrounding its north pole. The hexagon remained virtually static, without moving, vis-à-vis the planet’s overall rotation that was not accurately known. What is more, the images captured by the Voyager probes found that the clouds were moving rapidly inside the hexagon in an enclosed jet stream and were being dragged by winds travelling at over 400 km/h. Thirty years later — the equivalent of one Saturn year, the time the planet takes to go all the way around the Sun — and over more than six consecutive years, researchers in the Planetary Sciences Group, in collaboration with astronomers from various countries, were able to observe Saturn's northern polar region in detail once again and confirmed that the hexagon continued in place. After measuring the positions of the hexagon vertices with great precision, they determined that its movement remains extremely stable and, on the basis of the cloud movements, that the jet stream inside it remains unchanged. For this study, the researchers used images taken from the Earth between 2008 and 2014; they used, among others, the astronomical cameras PlanetCam (developed by the Planetary Sciences Group itself) and Astralux, fitted to the telescopes of the Calar Alto Observatory in Almería (Spain); in addition, they used the very high resolution images obtained by the Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting Saturn since 2004. Due to the planet Saturn’s tilt of approximately 27 degrees, its polar atmosphere undergoes intense seasonable variations with long polar nights lasting over seven years, followed by a long period of 23 years of variable illumination. However, the seasonal variations do not affect the hexagon and its jet stream at all, so both are part of an extensive wave, deeply rooted in Saturn's atmosphere. The UPV/EHU researchers suggest that the hexagon and its stream are the manifestation of a “Rossby wave” similar to those that form in the mid-latitudes of the earth. On our planet, the jet stream meanders from west to east and brings, associated with it, the system of areas of low pressure and anticyclones which we have been seeing regularly on weather maps. On Saturn, a hydrogen gas planet 10 times the size of the Earth, cold in its upper clouds, without a solid surface, and with an atmosphere as deep as that of an ocean, "the hexagonal wavy motion of the jet stream is expected to be propagated vertically and reveal to us aspects of the planet’s hidden atmosphere,” pointed out Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, Head of the Planetary Sciences research group. “The movement of the hexagon could, therefore, be linked to the depths of Saturn, and the rotation period of this structure which, as we have been able to ascertain, is 10 hours, 39 minutes and 23 seconds, could be that of the planet itself,” he added. Citation: A. Sánchez-Lavega, T. del Río-Gaztelurrutia, R. Hueso, S. Pérez-Hoyos, E. García-Melendo, A. Antuñano, I. Mendikoa, J. F. Rojas, J. Lillo, D. Barrado-Navascués, J. M. Gomez-Forrellad, C. Go, D. Peach, T. Barry, D. P. Milika, P. Nicholas, and A. Wesley. “The long-term steady motion of Saturn’s hexagon and the stability of its enclosed jet stream under seasonal changes,” Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 41, 1425-1431 (2014).
WritePlacer. assesses the writing skills of new college students. Test scores help colleges determine whether a student is ready for college-level coursework or would. benefit from developmental instruction before taking credit-bearing courses. Students taking WritePlacer are presented with a prompt and asked to write an essay of 300 to 600 words. DOC OUTLINE TEMPLATE - King's College That is, if you are writing a Contrast essay, mention some similarities. Conversely, if you are writing a Comparison essay, mention some of the differences. * TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE * (2) In a Contrast essay, mention other differences that did not "make the cut;" in a Comparison essay, mention other similarities that you will NOT discuss in ... PDF English 102 Sample Student Essays - latech.edu Eng 101 Essay example - 1099 Words \| Cram Top 147 Successful College Essays. Get into the college of your dreams! We hope these essays inspire you as you write your own personal statement. Just remember to be original and creative as you share your story. Share Tweet Post Message. SOLUTION: Eng 101 Final paper, English homework help - Studypool lock_outline 100% private. lightbulb_outline Personalized Support. ENG 101 College English Writing Shanghai International Studies University ENG 101 College English Writing SCP International Summer School at Shanghai International Studies University Basic Information: Instructor Name Dr. Marianne Cotugno Home Institution Miami University Instructor Title Associate Professor of English E- Mail... Class Syllabus: Essay Writing 101 - More Information \| UniversalClass Essay 2 Outline ENG 101 Professor Sanchez. Loading... Unsubscribe from Professor Sanchez? ... How to Write an Essay Outline - Essay Writing Tips For Exams - Duration: 4:23. ENG 101‐XX Short Essay Dear Reader, My name is XXXXXX, and I am a college freshman here at Prairie State College. I am 1 9 years old and a recent graduate of [a local] High School, where I was an honor student. I took several Advanced Placement 120 College Essay Examples for 14 Schools + Expert Analysis Essay 2 Outline ENG 101 - YouTube Essay 2 Outline ENG 101 Professor Sanchez. Loading... Unsubscribe from Professor Sanchez? ... How to Write an Essay Outline - Essay Writing Tips For Exams - Duration: 4:23. How to Write an English 101 Essay \| Synonym In 1924, Howard returned to Brownwood to take a stenography course at Howard Payne College, this time boarding with his friend Lindsey Tyson instead of his mother. Writing A Perfect Essay For English 102 - iWriteEssays English 101 Research Paper Writing Guide How To Write A Good Research Paper For English 101. Your first college English class and you've been assigned to write a research paper. It's a good opportunity to make a good impression on your teacher. While some students don't take this first assignment very seriously, others know that a good paper will get them started out on the ... PDF CAP ENG 101 ENGLISH COMPOSITION - Clinton Community College by the CCC English Department to assess the writer's preparedness to move on to other college-level writing courses. COURSE PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of ENG 094, placement into ENG 101 based on the results of the Placement Test, or exemption from the Placement Test on the basis of a standardized test such as SAT or ACT, or teacher Student Sample: Narrative Essay \| English Composition I entered college intending to earn a degree in engineering. I always liked the way mathematics had right and wrong answers. I understood the logic and was very good at it. So when I received my first philosophy assignment that asked me to write my interpretation of the Camus essay, I was instantly confused.
Many schools in the UK could gain from donation of funds collected by mobile phone recycling. Millions of new cell phones are manufactured and sold every year, with around 80 per cent end up in landfills. The phones contain metals inside which are becoming rarer for many countries including Japan, which is a leader in production of world’s electronics. That is precisely why companies pay to people to engage in mobile phone recycling. After you have recycled your mobile phone, you could donate the proceeds to any of the schools, if you have school kids yourself you may wish your donation to benefit them. Schools can use these additional funds for not only bringing in new and modern technology, but also to upgrade their buildings in order to enhance the student experience. You could also donate the funds earned through phone recycling to the numerous charities available. Mobile phone recycling is important for a number of reasons. Not only is the individual paid in cash for recycling, but it also is a great deed. Even if the funds are required to pay for the new cell phone or in case one is struggling financially, your efforts in saving the environment are still appreciated. Precious metals contained in these phones, for instance, nickel, can be reused. Even the plastic used to make the phone can be melted again and reused for cell phones or other electronics. The schools focusing on recycling of phones are also teaching students how important recycling is.
Our recent report, Teens and Mobile Phones, found that more teens report contacting their friends on a daily basis using texting (54%) than interacting with them face-to-face outside of school (33%). Some recent commentary suggests that this is evidence that teens are becoming less social. There are several points to be made. First, as noted above, the question on face-to-face interaction with friends was limited to only asking about this type of interaction outside of school. If school-time face-to-face interaction were to be included in the data the picture would be somewhat different. Second, Pew Internet data shows that face-to-face interaction is holding relatively steady. In 2006, 31% reported daily face-to-face interaction with their friends. In 2007 this rose to 39%, in 2008 it fell to 29%, and in the 2009 survey, it was 33%. While there have been fluctuations, there is not a clear upward or downward tendency in the percent of teens reporting daily face-to-face contact with their friends. Finally, other material in the report indicates that texting is happening in addition to other forms of social interaction. Thus, another interpretation is that teens actually have more access and more informal, casual contact because of texting. This is because texting is woven into the flow of other activities. In essence their friends are always there and always available for a texting "chat." This interpretation follows from the material on texting in class, texting at night, and in a variety of other situations. Rather than becoming monks sitting in their cells, the material may actually point in the direction of more social interaction, not less.
Types of Beetles The earth contains about 800,000 insect species and the widest insect group (by far!) is the beetle. The different types of beetles are classified into the following groups: coleoptera type of beetle is further divided into suborders, These suborders will have further extending groupings, and when considering the overall count of different types of beetle species, they range up to 30,000 well-known types of beetles in Canada and the Different types of beetles - characteristic features and behaviors for identification – They come under the family name Carabidae and they are one among the largest of beetle types, with a count of about 40,000 species. This beetle will measure up to 1 inch long and they are usually brown or black in color. Most beetles of this type will complete a single generation, whereas a few others might complete around 2 or 3 generations. Adult ground beetles will feed on fungi, decayed plants and pollen, although some ground beetles stick with seeds and other agricultural crops. The video above discusses some of the benefits of lady beetles. Rove Beetles – This beetle type belong to the Staphylinidae family. They come from huge and diversifying group of about 29,000 species. The Rove beetles are slender, small, and they are usually black in color. As the elytra are short, the abdominal region is The video above shows a Rove beetle exhibiting defensive behavior. Fireflies – In the Lampyridae family, this group will involve 2,000 species with dark color and medium size. With soft and flexible elytra, these fireflies stay in the foliage during the day hours and they fly during night. They stick with snails and slugs for food and they also eat cutworms, soft bodied insects, leaf beetle larvae, and earworms. Adult beetles will fly with flashing colorful lights, particularly during the time of mating Soldier Beetles – This type of beetle belongs to the family Cantharidae and they come with an approximate count of about 4,500 species. This type of soldier beetle is typically soft and has elongated bodies. They are often found in colorful, smelling flowers. They stick with insects that are soft bodied and the larvae will even feed on eggs or maggots, caterpillars and - Leaf Beetles – These types of beetles come with wide coverage, ranging up to 35,000 species. They have an elongated body and they are oval in shape. The color patterns will vary, and the shape is not regular. The larvae and adults feed on fresh plants, and the adult leaf beetles feed on flowers and Scarab Beetles – With a count of more than 16,500 species, the scarab beetles come under the family Scarabaeidae. These types of beetles are found across the globe, and include dung beetles, chafers and more. With convex shaped and elongated oval bodies, they look bright. They feed on plants and are usually found in gardens. The video above discusses both Scarab and Stag beetles. Click Beetles – They come under the family group named Elateridae and these beetles are identified with their slender and shiny, with a hard body. The click beetles are found usually on leaves and flowers, where the larvae are known to be wireworms that live in the decayed vegetables, under bark, and in the soil. Some species in this variety will stick on seeds and roots, whereas some other species will stick on insects or either invertebrates. That’s our start on the types of beetles for now. Be sure to check back with us as we add to our discussion and identification of different types of beetles!
India has always been a melting pot of stupendous paradoxes, extremes, diverse-cultures, religions, languages and the ways of living. These colossal diversities and varieties run through the entire fabric of the nation, which present a vision of eternity. Its extra ordinary oneness and unity amidst adversity and hero genet strike people with awe and wonder. One is left breathless and gasping at its sheer vastness, complexity and seemingly paradoxical unity in diversity. About 900 million human beings, the one sixths of mankind, and speaking various languages and following different religions, live here, a fortieth of the earth’s surface. It is also the world’s largest democracy. This ancient land called Bharat or India is so fantastic in colours, dresses, diets, deities, religions, sects, climates, backgrounds, languages, races, faces and what not, that presents an inexhaustible experience of unity amidst diversity and variety. It has been a meeting point of various cultures, civilizations and religions, for more than five millennia. As a country and a nation it has out!! /end the test of time and attacks of invaders. It is here mat modernity and tradition, urban and rural, religious and secular, peaks and valleys, variety and unity embrace each other in counter balance. There is no other such example of unity and cohesion in diversity. Culturally, India has always been one since ancient times. Politically also it has been a united country with certain exceptions, its underlying cultural strength, political unity and ethos baffles and defies analysis. India’s ancient, unique and great culture and civilization has been a great unifying factor. The variety of life here makes a complex but wonderful and a whole pattern. The Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Parses etc., live here in harmony and trust. India is secular and yet profoundly religious. The Indian constitution guarantees all its citizens freedom of faith, worship, expression, profession etc. One can follow and preach any religion or faith as long as it does not interfere in the religious freedom and practice of the others. It is this diversity, flexibility and dynamism which have enabled India as one nation and one country to survive all odds and attacks since the hoary past. This similarity of outlook and cultural unity runs like a golden thread through its whole colorful fabric. India’s great cultural and historical heritage is common to all the people and citizens of the country. They are very proud of it. Differences in opinion, way of living, in faith and religions, are its real strength, and not weakness. They reflect broad horizon of outlook, the depth of tolerance and dynamism. Here people can have different, even opposite views about life, religion, social structure, economic growth, political system, ways of spiritual development and salvation, and yet belong to one country, one nation, that is Bharat. To envisage a complete unity and regimentation without allowing differences of opinion would be really counterproductive and self-defeating. Unity in diversity of thoughts, life styles and faiths has been the main driving force of Indian nationalism. The one greatest virtue of Indian culture has been its abiding tolerance and respect for others. The tolerance shown by the people of India all these centuries in the face of many challenges, invasions and various provocations has been really tremendous. People of many faiths and cultures came here as invaders, tourists, refugees, seekers of spiritual peace and wisdom, but ultimately they got assimilated into its vast cultural unity and heritage. St. Thomas, one of the first 12 disciples of Christ, was the first preacher of Christianity in India. He was contemporary of St. Peter in Rome. The Parses came in 8th century, seeking refugee from religious persecution in Iran and brought Zoroastrianism. The Jews came quite early about 2000 years ago. Muslims in India form the largest religious population after the Hindus. Thus, India is one of the largest Islamic nations. However, the recent communal flare-ups and clashes are political in nature. They are exceptions than the rule. They should be taken as an aberration or temporary lapse. The Indian masses are basically tolerant, harmonious and peace loving. They feel proud to be Indians. In spite of the two-nation theory propounded by Mr. Jonah and India’s division into Bharat and Pakistan in 1947, the fundamental cultural unity of India is a living thing, a long established fact and a historical truth. The moral and spiritual values of India have always been the same in spite of many political and social changes. They have further strengthened the fundamental unity of India. Throughout its long history, Indian people have been deeply religious and spiritual. They have always accorded the highest place and value to spiritual development and evolution of the soul. For them the ultimate and only aim of life is liberation, Nirvana or Moesha. The great saints, rashes, preachers and philosophers have always been an integral part of composite and common Indian heritage and culture. The Vedas, the Gita, the Ramayana, the Koran, the Guru Grantham Sahib, the Bible etc., are held in great respect by the people of all sections and classes of the country. They participate in one another’s festivals with great enthusiasm. Different cultures, thoughts, faiths and styles of living got so well assimilated into the Indian culture as to strengthen its unity and integrity. Kings, princes, rulers, dynasties, religions and faiths have come and gone, but India has remained one and united. They all have been very well assimilated into its vibrant culture and heritage. Assimilation, absorption accommodation and incorporation have been the hall-mark of Indian culture and unity. When one ponders a little over all these diversities, seeming paradoxes and varieties, they fade away into its basic cultural unity and oneness.
- Web sites External Web sites - NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Michael Collins - National Aviation Hall of Fame - Biography of Michael Collins - New Mexico Museum of Space History - International Space Hall of Fame - Biography of Michael Collins - Novaspace - Michael Collins Visit, 2004 - The National Aviation Hall of Fame - Biography of Michael Collins - Window To The Universe - Biography of Michael Collins Britannica Web sites Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. - Michael Collins - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) (born 1930). The U.S. astronaut Michael Collins was the command module pilot of Apollo 11, the first manned Moon-landing mission. He orbited above the Moon while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on its surface.
- About Us - Contact Us Environmental Working Group January 24, 2017 Childhood disease is on the rise and environmental causes are under consideration. Children’s exposure to toxic air pollutants, and drinking water contamination show to have extremely adverse health effects. Over past 20 years, we’ve seen increased rates of childhood diabetes, childhood asthma, obesity, autism, and ADHD. Federal investment protecting children’s environmental health provides significant and lasting change. Click here to view full article.
Volume 16, Number 4—April 2010 Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Infection in Swine Herds, Manitoba, Canada In Manitoba, Canada, several swine herds were infected by pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus in the summer of 2009. Results of several investigations concluded that outbreaks of infection with this virus are similar in duration to outbreaks of infections with swine influenza viruses A (H1N1) and A (H3N2). On April 21, 2009, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the finding of a novel strain of influenza virus A (H1N1), now known as pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, in 2 children in southern California (1). By June 11, this virus had spread so quickly and extensively among humans that the World Health Organization declared a phase 6 pandemic (2). The disease in humans is a self-limiting, uncomplicated respiratory illness with fever; however, severe disease and deaths have occurred (3). Clinical signs in humans are generally mild and include fever, slight cough, sneezing, and nasal discharge. Vomiting and diarrhea also have been reported in up to 38% of cases (3). Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus also has affected swine. On May 2, 2009, the virus was isolated from a swine herd in Alberta, Canada (4). The disease in swine has been reported as mild in field and experimental conditions. Clinical signs in pigs include fever, slight cough, sneezing, and nasal discharge. Diarrhea was also reported in experimentally infected pigs; however, this symptom may have been secondary to the influenza infection (5). In experimental infection of pigs, clinical signs peaked on days 4–5 postinfection (5). In Manitoba, Canada, pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus was first detected in a swine herd on June 30, 2009. During the following months, more outbreaks in Manitoba were reported in farrowing, nursery, and finishing herds. Our study aimed to determine the length of time that virus was shed in swine herds after a field outbreak of pandemic (H1N1) 2009. We studied 5 herds in which pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was diagnosed. We collected information about the production type and number of animals housed in the barn, influenza vaccination status of the herd, date of influenza-like illness in any barn employees before the outbreak, date of the outbreak as determined by onset of clinical signs, and sampling date and number of positive swabs. In each herd, 32 nasal swabs were taken from randomly selected pigs as soon as possible after diagnosis. The procedure was repeated every 7 days until all the samples tested showed negative results. Nasal swabbing was performed by using a polyester swab with a plastic handle that was placed in a viral transport medium (Starswab Multitrans Collection & Transport System; Starplex Scientific Inc, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada). The swabs were refrigerated and submitted to the Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory at Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). Samples were tested by using a generic real-time PCR specific for the genomic RNA segment 7 (matrix gene) of the influenza A virus provided by the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) (3) and an H1 differential PCR (6) provided by the National Microbiology Laboratory (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). We tested 5 herds (herds A–E) in which pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus was diagnosed (Table). Herds A, B, and D were finishing herds, herd C was a nursery herd, and herd E was a farrowing herd. Herd sizes ranged from 850 to 4,100 pigs. For herds C and D, human illness 16–92 days before the outbreak was reported. The owners of herds A and B reported that they received pigs from a previously infected herd. For persons in contact with herd E, no ill persons were reported, and no pigs from previously affected herds were received before the outbreak. Pigs in herd E were vaccinated for swine influenza A (H1N1) and (H3N2) viruses with an autogenous vaccine. Clinical signs in pigs were reported to be mild, with no deaths. However, herd D, co-infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and porcine circovirus, reported a 1% outbreak-associated death rate. No vomiting or diarrhea was reported in any pigs infected with the virus. Nasal swabbing of the pigs demonstrated that pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus was no longer detected in swine 10–20 days after clinical signs appeared. When tested again the week before slaughter (day 67), herd B showed no evidence of virus shedding. We demonstrated that field infections of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in swine are similar in duration to infections with other swine influenza viruses. In the herds studied, the virus caused mild illness identical to the clinical signs typical of swine influenza (7). Sampling by nasal swab indicated that pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus sheds for up to 20 days after clinical signs appear. Our findings support the laboratory work of Lange et al., who established that pigs experimentally infected with this strain intermittently shed the virus 6–11 days postinfection and ceased excretion by day 11 (5). Shedding of the circulating strains of swine influenza in nasal secretions stops by 5–7 days postinfection (7–9). Our study also indicates that autogenous vaccine prepared with circulating H1N1 subtype may not protect pigs from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection. Our study has several limitations. Other swine viruses, such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, may interfere with the detection of swine influenza viruses from nasal swabs (8), and we did not test for other viruses. In addition, the virus can be difficult to diagnose in nursery pigs because of maternal antibodies and low levels of exposure (8), which may have affected the samples from the nursery herd. The small sample size and the unknown sensitivity of the PCR in this specific application also limit the findings of our study. The swine herds we studied quickly cleared the virus after infection. This study supports the recommendations developed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (10) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (11). These guidelines state that pigs infected with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus should be managed similarly to herds infected with any swine influenza virus. On the basis of our study findings, restrictions of trade or slaughter of pigs as a public health intervention are irrational actions. Only 10 countries have reported pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection in commercial swine to the OIE (12). Whether pandemic (H1N1) 2009 will become established in swine populations worldwide remains to be seen. All countries should implement vigilant surveillance for, and monitor for changes in the structure and behavior of, the virus. Dr Pasma is a veterinarian with Animal Health and Welfare, Chief Veterinary Office/Food Safety Knowledge Centre, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His research interest is in the epidemiology of swine influenza. Dr Joseph is a virologist with Veterinary Diagnostic Services Laboratory, Livestock Knowledge Centre, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Winnipeg. His research interests include diagnostic virology and the molecular basis of pathogenesis of avian and swine influenza viruses. We thank Linda Duffy, Cherry McCormick, Cheryl Sachvie, Cherie Scammell-Chandler, and Tracy Scammell-LaFleur for their assistance in processing samples. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Swine influenza A (H1N1) infection in two children—southern California, March–April 2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009;58:400–2. - World Health Organization. Global alert and response. Current WHO phase of pandemic alert [cited 29 Jan 2010]. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en - Novel Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Investigation Team, Dawood FS, Jain S, Finelli L, Shaw MW, Lindstrom S, et al. Emergence of a novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus in humans. N Engl J Med. 2009;360:2605–15. - Howden KJ, Brockhoff EJ, Caya FD, McLeod LJ, Lavoie M, Ing JD, An investigation into human pandemic influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 on an Alberta swine farm. Can Vet J. 2009;50:1153–61. - Lange E, Kalthoff D, Blohm U, Teifke JP, Breithaupt A, Maresch C, Pathogenesis and transmission of the novel swine-origin influenza virus A/H1N1 after experimental infection of pigs. J Gen Virol. 2009;90:2119–23. - Leblanc JJ, Li Y, Bastien N, Forward KR, Davidson RJ, Hatchette TF. Switching gears for an influenza pandemic: validation of a duplex RT-PCR for simultaneous detection and confirmation of pandemic (H1N1) 2009. J Clin Microbiol. 2009;47:3805–13. - Olsen CW, Brown IH, Easterday BC, Van Reeth K. Swine influenza. In: Straw BE, Zimmerman JJ, D’Allaire S, Taylor DJ, editors. Diseases of swine. 9th ed. Ames (IA): Blackwell Publishing; 2006. p. 469–82. - Gillespie TG. Diagnosing endemic swine influenza virus in nursery pigs using cross-sectional serologic profiling. Swine Health and Production. 1999;7:81–3. - Janke BH. Diagnosis of swine influenza. Swine Health and Production. 2000;8:79–84. - Canadian Food Inspection Agency. News release. Management of pandemic H1N1 in swine herds [cited 2009 Oct 5]. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/newcom/2009/20090724e.shtml - World Organisation for Animal Health. Press releases. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009: the OIE reiterates its recommendations to animal health authorities worldwide [cited 2009 Oct 5]. http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_090713.htm - World Organisation for Animal Health. WAHID interface. Weekly disease information [cited 2009 Dec 3]. http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=weekly_report_index&admin=0 - Table. Findings from study of 5 tested swine herds in which pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was diagnosed, Manitoba, Canada, 2009 Suggested citation for this article: Pasma T, Joseph T. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection in swine herds, Manitoba, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2010 Apr [date cited]. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/16/4/09-1636 Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address: Tim Pasma, Chief Veterinary Office/Food Safety Knowledge Centre, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, 545 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5S6, Canada Comment submitted successfully, thank you for your feedback. The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above. - Page created: December 28, 2010 - Page last updated: December 28, 2010 - Page last reviewed: December 28, 2010 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) Office of the Director (OD)
\|Eucyclogobius kristinae \| Swift, Spies, Ellingson & Jacobs, 2016 Southern Tidewater Goby \| DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158543 A geographically isolated set of southern localities of the formerly monotypic goby genus Eucyclogobius is known to be reciprocally monophyletic and substantially divergent in mitochondrial sequence and nuclear microsatellite-based phylogenies relative to populations to the north along the California coast. To clarify taxonomic and conservation status, we conducted a suite of analyses on a comprehensive set of morphological counts and measures from across the range of Eucyclogobius and describe the southern populations as a new species, the Southern Tidewater Goby, Eucyclogobius kristinae, now separate from the Northern Tidewater Goby Eucyclogobius newberryi (Girard 1856). In addition to molecular distinction, adults of E. kristinae are diagnosed by: 1) loss of the anterior supratemporal lateral-line canals resulting in higher neuromast counts, 2) lower pectoral and branched caudal ray counts, and 3) sets of measurements identified via discriminant analysis. These differences suggest ecological distinction of the two species. Previous studies estimated lineage separation at 2–4 million years ago, and mitochondrial sequence divergence exceeds that of other recognized fish species. Fish from Santa Monica Artesian Springs (Los Angeles County) northward belong to E. newberryi; those from Aliso Creek (Orange County) southward constitute E. kristinae. The lagoonal habitat of Eucyclogobius has been diminished or degraded, leading to special conservation status at state and federal levels beginning in 1980. Habitat of the newly described species has been impacted by a range of anthropogenic activities, including the conversion of closing lagoons to open tidal systems in the name of restoration. In the last 30 years, E. kristinae has only been observed in nine intermittently occupied lagoonal systems in northern San Diego County; it currently persists in only three sites. Thus, the new species is in imminent danger of extinction and will require ongoing active management. \|Eucyclogobius kristinae Southern Tidewater Goby has been found in only a few lagoons in San Diego County, making the newly described species critically endangered.\| photo: Brenton Spies DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158543 Eucyclogobius kristinae new species, Swift, Spies, Ellingson and Jacobs Southern Tidewater Goby. Eucyclogobius kristinae, Swift, Spies, Ellingson, and Jacobs, new species Gillichthys mirabilis, Metz 1912:41, misidentification, record from Aliso Creek, Laguna Beach, Orange County. Eucyclogobius newberryi, Miller 1939, 1943, records from San Juan Creek, Orange County; Swift et al. 1989: 1–19, in part, biology, distribution, illustration; Earl et al. 2010: 103–114, phylogeography, distinctness of southern population; Ruber and Agoretta 2011: 31–41, in part, reanalysis of gobiid molecular phylogeny; Van Tassell 2011: 143, in part, list of Gobiiformes of the Americas. Eucyclogobius (S), Ellingson et al. 2014: 472, convergence with western Pacific species. Holotype: LACM 57334–2, female, 29.3 mm SL (Fig 5), California, San Diego County, coastal lagoon at mouth of Las Flores Canyon (Las Pulgas Canyon on some maps), about 15 km northwest of Oceanside Diagnosis: Eucyclogobius kristinae is distinguished morphologically from the only other species in the genus, E. newberryi, by reduction (in fish over about 25 mm SL) of the anterior supraorbital canal and concomitant increase in number of exposed neuromasts (see analyses above), 8–12 in adult E. kristinae vs. 5–8 in E. newberryi (Fig 4B). The Southern Tidewater Goby averages about one fewer pectoral fin ray (18–19 vs. 19–21) and branched caudal rays 10–11 (9–12) vs. 12–13 (11–14) due to reduction in this count on the lower half of the caudal fin (Fig 3B). Morphologic measures proved efficiently diagnostic in combination (Fig 1B–1F). These include a longer anal spine and measures that contribute to greater girth, more anterior placement of pelvic fins and a more upturned mouth in E. kristinae, while E. newberryi has a more elongate snout with a more terminal mouth, longer pectoral fins and somewhat more elongate dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Numerous fixed molecular characters have been identified between the two species, both in mitochondrial sequence, as well as in dramatic length difference and amplification of microsatellite loci. Thus, there are many means of efficient molecular diagnosis via PCR amplification assay. Etymology: The species name is feminine in honor of Kristina D. Y. Louie whose untimely death in 2004 cut short a promising career dedicated to conservation genetics. Her Ph.D. dissertation and associated work contributed greatly to our studies of eastern Pacific phylogeography, as well as to a novel re-interpretation of the placement of Wallace’s Line across the islands of Indonesia. The Southern Tidewater Goby, Eucyclogobius kristinae, has a history of genetic isolation (≥ 1 million years) from its sister, E. newberryi, from which it is separated by a geographic break across the Los Angeles Basin. It can be reliably diagnosed on the basis of meristics —e.g. exposed anterior supraorbital neuromasts on adults (Fig 4, neuromast row no. 1) and higher pectoral fin-ray counts in E. newberryi —as well as morphometric characters as identified by discriminant function analyses. Sequencing of mitochondrial control region or cytochrome b or amplification of any of the suite of microsatellite markers can also provide easy diagnosis, and simple PCR assays for species determination can be easily devised. Morphological distinctions suggest adaptations to a more benthic mode of life in E. kristinae. Sexual dimorphism associated with an enlarged jaw in adult males is presumptively used in mating burrow construction. Further work to better establish ecological distinction, sexual dimorphism, and/or behavioral differences between the two species is merited. E. kristinae is critically endangered as it appears to persist in only three sites based on the most recent surveys. Thus, immediate action is needed to prevent extinction of the species during California’s current and persistent drought. All management units of E. newberryi and E. kristinae should maintain state and federal endangered status until recovery has been demonstrated. Camm C. Swift, Brenton Spies, Ryan A. Ellingson and David K. Jacobs. 2016. A New Species of the Bay Goby Genus Eucyclogobius, Endemic to Southern California: Evolution, Conservation, and Decline. PLoS ONE. 11(7); e0158543. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158543 New species of tiny endangered fish found only at Camp Pendleton http://fw.to/8CwctFc
The Wide, Wide World, by Susan Warner, was one of the most successful American novels of the nineteenth century. Published in 1850, just two years before Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Wide, Wide World is the story of little Ellen Montgomery who must come to terms with her life's trials and learn submission to God's will. The first and most painful tragedy is that she must be separated from her mother, first by the Atlantic Ocean, then by death. Much of the drama of the early part of the book is generated by the impending separation, introduced in the first chapter. There are two types of separation which surface as themes: those brought about by God (usually death) and those brought about by man. The first requires from mothers and children alike complete submission to God's will. For Ellen in TW,WW, separating her from her mother was God's way of bringing her into his fold. In UTC, Eliza's resistance to this sort of separation from her first two children brought "gentle remonstrance from her mistress, who sought, with maternal anxiety, to direct her naturally passionate feelings within the bounds of reason and religion."(p.57) The second kind of separation - those brought about by man's sin - constitute the type of cruelty to which the generally timid and mild Mrs. Bird reacts with "a passion." (p.143) Resistance to this man-made injustice is sanctioned by God's law. When Eliza escapes this second, man-imposed, separation, her mistress exclaims, "The Lord be thanked!" (p.92)
Guild of One-Name Studies One-name studies, Genealogy Variants: Childerhess, Childerhose, Childerhowes, Childerhus, Childerows Category: 3 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way on a global basis. Contact: Mr Barry Walker I have been researching the Childerhouse family for many years on behalf of my wife Susan, who is descended from William Childerhouse b1674 and his wife Jane who were married in Besthorpe, Norfolk around 1690. Childerhouse is an unusual name and so I thought it would be easy to trace her ancesters. Little did I know! After hitting several brick walls I thought that it might be useful to keep a database of all Births, Marriages and Deaths and also parish and census records for all Childerhouses so that maybe I could link them together. Over the years and with the help of distant relatives I've managed to accumulate over 9000 records of the Childerhouse's and their families around the world. Early variants of Childerhouse tend to be written as heard so some names that appear in parish records include Childerhowes, Childerhowse, Childerhows, Childhows, Childerhus, Childerhous, Childerhus, Childrehus, Childris, Childress, Childerose, Childerows, Childrows, Childress and Childers. Childerhose is a variant of the Childerhouse family name, prevalent in Canada and the United States. Although early ancestors appear to be from Norwich, many settled in the Attleborough and Besthorpe area of Norfolk, others settled nearby in Wymondham, Rockland All Saints, Rickinghall Superior, Saham Toney and surrounding areas. Most were agricultural labourers, working the rich soil on Norfolk's farmland and didn't move far from where they were born. Occasionally they met a girl in a nearby village, married and started a new family, although not always in that order! Later, some travelled to London and settled in St Pancras then to Feltham and Hatton in Middlesex, where they established a market garden. Others emigrated to Ontario, Canada and started a whole new branch of the family over there. Some emigrated to Australia and New Zealand. The Childerhouse name dates back to around the 12th century and has its origins in Norfolk, in the region of East Anglia, England. The name is derived from cildra, plural for cild meaning child plus hus meaning house, hence cildrahus. There are many derivatives: Childerhose, Childrehus, Childerhous, Childerhouse, Childerhowse, Childress and Childers. It is likely that the name related to a school or orphanage attached to a church or monastery. In 1230, the first recorded spelling of the family name was Hemericus de Chiderhus in The Close Rolls of Norfolk, during the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272). In 1272, William de Childerhous was recorded as a witness in the 'Fine Court Rolls of Norfolk'. In 1273, The Vicar of Lakenham, County Norfolk was Bartholomew at Childerhouse and Alex del Childrehus was listed in the 1273 Hundred Rolls for Norfolk William Childhus of Yorkshire was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 Guy Childerhouse was rector of Stiffkey, Norfolk, in 1413 William Childerhouse b1841 was the famous Town Cryer of Norfolk. he died in 1905. Robert Erskine Childers (1870-1922) was a leading Irish Republican and author of the famous espionage thriller The Riddle of the Sands. His son Erskine Hamilton Childers (1905-1974) became the 4th President of Ireland. I have indexed all of the Childerhouse Births, Marriages and Deaths from 1837 to 2012 and the census returns for England and Wales from 1841 to 1911 plus the 1939 Register. Other entries are from Parish Registers, the IGI, wills, electoral rolls and census records from Canada and the United States from 1790 to 1940. You may find our other Guild websites of interest:
In this study, two successive generations of queens belonging to a native Bombus terrestris population in the Central Black Sea Region of Türkiye were reared under controlled laboratory conditions to examine its developmental characteristics and suitability for mass production. The first generation was formed by a hundred Bombus terrestris queens which were caught from native fauna in Ordu Province, Türkiye. Young queens and males produced at the end of the life cycle in different colonies of first generation were mated in laboratory conditions. Mated queens were placed in a refrigerated incubator for their two months diapause period. After the diapause period, all queens were raised under the same conditions, and second generation colonies were reared. Some characters such as first egg-laying time, the timing of switch point, the timing of competition point, and total numbers of individuals produced in colonies of the first and second generation were determined. In these characteristics, the total numbers of workers and queens were found to be statistically significant between generations (p < 0.05). According to the findings of this study, some of the features such as first egglaying time, the timing of switch point, and the number of young queens produced may be unsatisfactory for mass production. Bombus terrestris, life cycle, native population, diapause, mass production AKTÜRK, SALİM; GÖSTERİT, AYHAN; AKDENİZ, GÖKHAN; OKUYAN, SAMET; and ŞAHİN, AHMET EMİR "Determination of colony characteristics and suitability for mass production of native Bombus terrestris L. population in the Central Black Sea coast region," Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences: Vol. 46: 6, Article 7. Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/veterinary/vol46/iss6/7
SMARTEC DURABLE WATER REPELLENT IS PFOA AND PFOS FREE What is PFOA / PFOS? PFOA is perfluorooctanoic acid, commonly used in processing aids for the production of high-performance fluoropolymers such as Teflon, etc., and fluorine-containing poly (methylacrylamide) may also contain PFOA. PFOS is perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, which is used in surface treatment. It is widely used in water repellent and oil-repellent additives in textile, carpet, shoe material and other fields due to its oil-repellent and water-repellent properties. Why is PFOS / PFOA limited? Per EPA testing has found that perfluorooctanoic acid remains in the human body for up to four years and animal studies have shown that such compounds can cause tumors and small amounts of PFOA residues. The compounds contained in PFOS exist in the surrounding environment and easily accumulate in living creature which causing respiratory problems in the human body.
By Christina Sue Cherel Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have uncovered important clues about a biochemical pathway in the brain that may one day expand treatment options for cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. The study, published online in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, was led by faculty members David H. Farb, PhD, Terrell T. Gibbs, PhD, and Shelley J. Russek, PhD in thedepartment of pharmacology & experimental therapeutics at BUSM. Patients with schizophrenia suffer from a life-long condition that can produce cognitive deficits, delusions, disordered thinking, and breaks with reality. A number of treatments are available for the treatment of schizophrenia, but many patients do not respond to these therapies or experience side effects that limit their use. There is no current treatment for the cognitive deficits experienced in schizophrenia. The healthy brain is made up of billions of cells including the primary signaling cells called neurons, that are responsible for managing everything the body does: including movement, eating behavior, and memory formation. These neurons acts like a miniature computer and are controlled by substances called neurotransmitters that, like bits in a computer chip, may be “turned on” or “turned off” depending on the specific signals being integrated. Neurotransmitters latch onto a cell via a specific receptor, like a key fits into a lock. In schizophrenia, it is thought that certain neurons don’t “turn on” as well when exposed to a certain neurotransmitter, the amino acid glutamate, may not be sensed by one of its key receptors (the NMDA receptor) whose diminished function may be the possible culprit for these sluggish cells. It is thought that this deficit can at least partially be responsible for symptoms seen in schizophrenics. Currently the therapeutic means for making these cells more “sensitive” to glutamate can be toxic to the brain. In this study, researchers discovered that another, naturally occurring steroid within the brain, known as PregS, may be able to bypass this toxic effect, and “turn on” neuron communication safely through a novel mechanism. The implication is that a deficit in the amount of this novel steroid may underlie deficits in signaling and that stimulation using therapeutics that elevate its levels in the brain may decrease or eradicate some of the debilitating symptoms seen in schizophrenia. Although still in the early stages, further research in this area may be instrumental in the identification and development of treatments not only for schizophrenia, but also for other neurological conditions, such as age-related decreases in memory and learning ability. Earl Gillespie, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral Researcher at Boston University School of Medicine and an alumni of the Biomolecular Pharmacology Program, will join Avalere Health in Washington, DC as an FDA Policy Fellow this summer. According to the Avalere Health website, the highly selective FDA Policy Fellowship Program allows participants to, “spend 6 months immersed in health and life science regulatory policy and strategy issues to help support the efforts of Avalere clients that include some aspect of FDA related issues. Fellows will collaborate within [the] existing FDA team to increase Avalere’s presence and visibility as experts and thought leaders in the FDA space.” Dr. Earl Gillespie completed his dissertation work under the mentorship of Dr. Susan E. Leeman, Professor of Pharmacology, and Dr. Arthur F. Stucchi, Research Associate Professor of Surgery, and graduated in January 2013. The title of his dissertation was “Colonic Epithelial Genes in the Transition From Chronic Inflammation to Carcinoma in Colitis-Associated Cancer: Focus on the Truncated Neurokinin-1 Receptor.” We are so very proud of Earl and wish him the best in this new phase of his career! Hui Feng spends a lot of time staring through zebra fish. Through because these vertebrates, which have a great deal of genetics in common with humans, are transparent. In fact, one particular breed, called Casper—after the Friendly Ghost—is so phantasmal that Feng says that “you can read newspapers through this fish.” Feng doesn’t read the news through them, though. The School of Medicine assistant professor of pharmacology and medicine is more interested in tracking the pathways of dyed tumor cells as they metastasize through the zebra fish’s vasculature, which is tinted a contrasting color. In the less than two years since her tank-filled lab opened, she has identified genes that, when blocked with targeted treatments, could prevent the metastasis of certain types of cancer, like the most stubborn forms of leukemia. In recognition of her groundbreaking work, Feng was awarded the Ralph Edwards Career Development Professorship, which recognizes MED researchers. The award was made possible this year by the estate of obstetrician and gynecologist Ralph Edwards (MED’52). Feng, director of the Laboratory of Zebrafish Genetics & Cancer Therapeutics, says the honor reminds her that University officials appreciate faculty research and they want to support it. “It’s not just about the money,” she says. “The spiritual or mental support really means so much to us.” Karen Antman, MED dean and Medical Campus provost, recalls the researcher’s discoveries early in her career, which found their way to top-tier research journals, including Nature, Cell Biology, Cancer Cell, the Journal of Experimental Medicine, and PNAS. A graduate of Beijing Medical University, Feng completed a master’s in cardiovascular pharmacology at Peking Union Medical College and a doctorate in cellular biology at the University of Georgia. “Since joining the School of Medicine faculty,” Antman says, “Dr. Feng has demonstrated an exceptional level of scholarship, mentorship, teaching, and collegiality and quickly established herself as an independent research scientist, effectively and efficiently setting up a robust research program.” Feng is one of three assistant professors who were given career development awards, which recognize junior faculty who have been at the University for less than two years and have held no prior professorships. Cornel Ban, a College of Arts & Sciences assistant professor of international relations, received the inaugural Stuart and Elizabeth Pratt Career Development Professorship, dedicated to CAS scholars. And Nachiketa Sahoo, a School of Management assistant professor of information systems, was awarded the Reidy Family Career Development Professorship, which has recognized faculty members in SMG and the College of Engineering in alternating years since 2010. Contributions from BU trustee Stuart W. Pratt (CAS’69) and his wife, Elizabeth, and trustee Richard D. Reidy (SMG’82) and his wife, Minda G. Reidy (SMG’82, GSM’84) made the professorships possible. Each award comes with a three-year nonrenewable stipend used to support scholarly or creative work and to cover a portion of the faculty member’s salary. Deans of the respective schools or colleges nominate faculty for these honors, and the Office of the Provost makes the final selections. “We are extremely grateful to Stuart and Elizabeth Pratt, Richard and Minda Reidy, and posthumously, Ralph Edwards for their generosity and for the vision they’ve shown in supporting the future of these very important fields,” says Jean Morrison, University provost and chief academic officer. These three professors were recognized for “their extraordinary accomplishments in areas of study, passion for the creation and transmission of knowledge, and their efforts to enhance the student experience.” Ban’s research has focused on economic issues in Brazil, Spain, and Romania, and spans three principal topics: international finance, international economic organizations, and the diffusion of international economic ideas. He describes his first book, Governing Crises: The International Politics of Crisis Economics from Bretton Woods to the Great Recession, not yet published, as “a cautionary tale about how much we don’t know about how the financial markets work.” He is an expert on the failure of economic models used by governments or international banks to predict the financial crisis that swept the world within the past decade. Ban earned a bachelor’s from Babes-Bolyai University, in Romania, a master’s degree from the University of Delaware, and a doctorate in political science from the University of Maryland. He says the award will give him the time and funding to launch his next book project, which will focus on the dynamics of international finance over the past couple of decades. “Without this kind of support,” he says, “I could not get it done.” Andrew Bacevich, a CAS professor of history and international relations and acting chair of international relations, calls Ban an “emerging superstar” in the department. “Since his arrival a year ago, he has become a valued asset,” he says. “His performance as a teacher and scholar has demonstrated that he is precisely the sort of young faculty member for whom the Stuart and Elizabeth Pratt Career Development Professorship is designed.” Sahoo holds a master’s degree in knowledge discovery and data mining and a doctorate in information systems and management, both from Carnegie Mellon University. His current research focus is on improving personalized information filtering techniques, such as that used by Netflix and Amazon, to help customers find products that best match their past interests. Recognizing that people are dynamic and that their preferences change over time, he has adjusted these filtering techniques so that they show more accurate recommendations across a variety of platforms. In a separate branch of research, Sahoo is analyzing the messages exchanged between individuals on corporate social media, such as blogs, to identify expertise that exists inside a company. “New technologies to help people connect to each other are exacerbating the problem of information overload at a personal level,” says Sahoo. “There is too much information to sift through and there is limited time. It’s important to develop tools and techniques that help us find the bits of relevant information faster.” Sahoo says he will use the award to hire a research assistant to help with data collection and analysis. “Dr. Sahoo is a wonderful addition to our faculty: a productive researcher, a great colleague, and a committed teacher,” says Kenneth Freeman, SMG’s Allen Questrom Professor and Dean. At the Student Award Ceremony on Match Day, March 21, 2014, Rebecca Burke was awarded the Joseph Cochin Award in Pharmacology and Medical Ethics. This award honors the memory of Joseph Cochin, MD, PhD, who served as Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at BUSM for many years. Dr. Cochin was an internationally recognized expert on opioid analgesia, pain control and medical ethics. Becky, a student in the Biomolecular Pharmacology Training Program from 2008-2012, received this award in recognition of her high achievement in pharmacology and accomplishments in research under the mentorship of Jan K. Blusztajn, PhD. Becky will receive her MD and PhD degrees at the BUSM May Graduation Ceremony and will continue her professional training with a residency at the University of Virginia in Neurological Surgery. Congratulations to Becky! Maya Woodbury was recently awarded the Predoctoral Fellowship in Pharmacology/Toxicology through the PhRMA Foundation. The title of her approved proposal is “miR-155/STAT3 signaling: a novel pharmacological target for Down syndrome.” For this project, she will receive financial support for her research in the amount of $20,000 per year for two years. The Foundation only awards about 10 such grants nationally each year. According to the PhRMA Foundation’s 2012 Annual Report, “the mission of the PhRMA Foundation is to support young scientists in disciplines important to the pharmaceutical industry by awarding them competitive research fellowships and grants at a critical point at the outset of their careers. The aim is to encourage young scientists who will be the leaders of tomorrow to pursue careers in research and education related to drug discovery.” Maya is currently a student in the Graduate Program for Neuroscience and the Biomolecular Pharmacology Program through the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine. She works in the Laboratory of Molecular NeuroTherapeutics under the mentorship of Dr. Tsuneya Ikezu. The Peter F. McManus Charitable Trust Foundation recently honored Dr. Valentina Sabino for the second time with a grant to research the causes of alcohol addiction. The title of her approved project is “Neurobiological Bases of Alcohol Addiction.” According to Dr. Sabino, “alcoholism constitutes one of the most serious public health problems worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that about 2 billion people worldwide consume alcoholic beverages, of which 76.3 million have alcohol use disorders. Alcohol is estimated to cause 20%–30% of esophageal cancer, liver cancer and cirrhosis, homicide, seizures, and motor vehicle accidents, causing 3.2% of the total deaths. This project will systematically explore the role of an understudied receptor system, the Sigma receptors, in genetic and chronic ethanol-induced animal models of alcoholism. The focus will be the Nucleus Accumbens, an important brain region for alcohol and drug addiction, proposed as being the specific region where Sigma receptors mediated neuroplasticity in addicted brains. These experiments will provide insights into this novel receptor system as a key mechanism involved in excessive drinking and alcohol-seeking behavior and propose a novel therapeutic target for alcohol addiction.” Dr. Sabino received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology in 2006. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Psychiatry, and Co-Director of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorders at Boston University School of Medicine. Congratulations, Dr. Sabino! Dr. Camron Bryant has been selected as the recipient of the 2014 IBANGS Young Scientist Award. The Young Scientist Award honors a scientist who is 7 or fewer years post first faculty or faculty-equivalent appointment, and whose area of research is in behavioural and neural genetics. Key considerations are the scientific importance of research discoveries, record of achievement and future scientific plans and projected impact on the field. Congratulations, Dr. Bryant! I am pleased to share that Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD, Professor, Pharmacology and Neurology, was awarded the Alzheimer’s Association Zenith Fellows Award. Initiated in 1991, the award provides support for cutting edge basic science or biomedical research that addresses fundamental problems related to early detection, etiology pathogenesis, treatment and/or prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The award is valued at $450,000, which will be dispersed over three years. The Wolozin Lab won the award with its proposal “It Takes TIA to Tangle: The Role of RNA Binding Proteins in AD.” The laboratory already has discovered a RNA binding protein that induces tau misfolding, one of the essential steps that leads to cognitive loss in AD. This award will allow the Wolozin Lab to experimentally induce the misfolding, investigate the factors that regulate the misfolding and in the future, potentially design therapeutics to prevent the misfolding. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Wolozin on this award.Karen Antman, MD Provost, Boston University Medical Campus Dean, School of Medicine Professor of Medicine Kenneth J. Rhodes, Ph.D., Vice President of Neurology Discovery at Biogen Idec and an alumni of the Boston University Pharmacology Training Program, led the team of researchers that developed Tecfidera, an oral medication that defends against relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The Food and Drug Administration recently approved Tecfidera, also known as dimethyl fumarate, for treating relapsing multiple sclerosis. This new drug delays progression of physical disability and slows the development of brain lesions associated with MS. It also reduces the inflammation caused when the immune system attacks myelin, which ultimately results in less damage to myelin in the body. In a Biogen Idec press release, Dr. Kenneth Rhodes stated that, “these exciting results support further research, as the data suggest that neublastin may have the potential to promote sensory neuronal regeneration and functional recovery following injury. The neublastin program is part of Biogen Idec’s commitment to innovative neurological science and discovery.” According to the Boston Business Journal, Tecfidera “tops the list of the biggest potential revenue-generating drugs launched so far this year in the U.S., with expected sales of $2.9 billion by 2018.” Dr. Kenneth Rhodes joined Biogen Idec in May 2007 after spending ten years in the Neuroscience Department at Wyeth, where he also led neurodegeneration drug discovery teams researching MS among epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. He served as a postdoctoral trainee under the mentorship of Dr. David H. Farb, Professor and Chair of Pharmacology at Boston University School of Medicine, from 1992-1993. Dr. Rhodes has published over 50 research papers in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature, Neuron, and the Journal of Neuroscience and most recently was the Keynote Speaker for the 2013 BU-Pfizer Symposium on “Therapeutic Innovation: Oxidative Stress and the Next Generation of Discovery” held November 5, 2013. 2013 Pfizer Symposium – “Therapeutic Innovation: Oxidative Stress and the Next Generation of Discovery Please click here for the 2013 BU-Pfizer Symposium program book PDF file. Boston University Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics – Pfizer Symposium Tuesday, November 5, 2013 8am to 7pm Boston University Trustee Ballroom, 1 Silber Way, 9th Floor, Boston, MA For more information, please contact Ms. Sara Johnson at email@example.com or 617-638-4302.
The cosmetics industry has always focused on offering natural free of preservative products that cause allergies to its customers. In this sense, companies have used dropper bottles made with violet glass because this glass can block the harmful rays of light, which makes preservatives in the products unnecessary. A natural product does not cause allergies and can be sold to anyone. Companies take advantage of cosmetic bottles wholesale to buy bottles in different sizes and at better prices that allow them to create affordable products for their customers. In short, violet glass facilitates the production of natural, low-cost, and high-quality products. Another advantage of glass is that it is reusable, so companies can use it as part of their marketing strategy to showcase themselves to their customers as eco-friendly companies. Advantages of glass over plastic Glass is chemically inactive and straightforward (it is essentially sand, soda ash, and limestone). Plastic can contain harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, PVC, or polycarbonate. Some plastics release chemicals when heated, and those substances can get into your food and then into your body. The only risk you run when heating glass is that, if you cool it too quickly, it could break or, worse, explode. Besides this, plastic deforms with heat while glass needs large amounts of heat to deform. The heat needed to deform glass is so high that companies require specialized furnaces. Finally, glass can have many more uses than plastic, allowing you to reuse containers in different ways. Glass is much easier to recycle and its production does not pollute the environment. It only requires sand, limestone, and sodium carbonate which are heated to melt and do not produce toxic gases like plastic. Governments want to reduce the use of plastic Countries such as the United Kingdom created a plan in 2018 to reduce the use of plastic packaging manufacture by 2042. The 25-year strategy calls for a series of steps in which companies commit to using glass in their product packaging. These will not only help the world get rid of the carbon dioxide generated by plastic production and recycling but also rid the oceans of hundreds of tons of plastic. They are also creating programs to educate the population about recycling and reusing glass. You can support this initiative today by reducing plastic bags at the supermarket and bringing your reusable cloth bags. In short, glass is the best material people have to take care of their health. No harmful chemicals, heat resistant and reusable in many ways.
Dinosaurs spent 170 million years on Earth before they suddenly died out about 65 million years ago. After dinosaurs disappeared, mammals took over. It turns out that small mammals lived during the reign of dinosaurs, too. And over the last few years, a flurry of new discoveries has revealed what these creatures were like. They were not the pathetic, little creatures that scientists had previously imagined. In fact, these mammals were well-adapted to their habitats, and they survived alongside dinosaurs quite well. Last year, for example, researchers looked at the remains of a chipmunk-like creature that lived 150 million years ago. Fossils included a lower jaw, skull fragments, and 40 percent of a skeleton. This ancient mammal, called Fruitafossor, could dig and feasted on termites and other insects. \|Illustration courtesy of Mark A. Klingler/Carnegie Museum of Natural History\| Based on their size, shape, and arrangement, the animal’s foot and limb bones indicate that it did a lot of digging. It’s the first animal of that era shown to have this type of behavior. Also last year, paleontologists analyzed two skeletons of a type of predator that belonged to the genus Repenomamus. These mammals lived in China about 130 million years ago. One species of Repenomamus is the largest mammal yet discovered from the dinosaur age. It measured 1 meter (3.3 feet long) and weighed up to 14 kilograms (31 pounds). It looked like a badger. Another species of Repenomamus was about the size of an opossum. One specimen was found with the remains of a baby dinosaur in its stomach (see “Dino Takeout for Mammals”). “These are spectacular discoveries,” says Jason A. Lillegraven, a paleontologist at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. “They show a degree of diversification [of early mammals] that we hadn’t recognized before.” The most recent addition to the growing list of ancient mammals is called Castorocauda lutrasimilis, which means “beaver-tailed creature that looks like an otter.” It lived about 164 million years ago in northeastern China. At 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) long, Castorocauda was about the size of a platypus. It probably weighed some 800 grams (1.8 pounds). That’s more than 10 times heavier than other mammals living at that time. Castorocauda‘s remains include the oldest fossilized fur yet found. Its body was covered by a thick layer of fur underneath an outer coat of long, stiff guard hairs. Like modern beavers, leathery scales and guard hairs covered the creature’s tail, which probably helped it swim. \|Photo: Luo/Carnegie Museum of Natural History\| The animal’s back teeth were shaped like the teeth of modern seals and were useful for both biting and grinding food. Like seals, it probably ate fish and invertebrates that lived in the water. Until recently, most evidence that scientists had of these unique mammals came from fossilized teeth. While plentiful and well-preserved, teeth can reveal only so much. Future finds should help scientists piece together the history of mammalian evolution, both during the time of dinosaurs and beyond.—E. Sohn Perkins, Sid. 2006. Out of the shadows. Science News 169(March 18):173. Available at http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060318/bob11.asp . You can learn more about ancient swimming mammals at www.carnegiemnh.org/news/06-jan-mar/022306caud.htm (Carnegie Museum of Natural History). Sohn, Emily. 2005. Dino takeout for mammals. Science News for Kids (Jan. 19). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20050119/Note2.asp .
This PowerPoint is part of a course titled, “Science Skepticism & Weird Behavior.” SCIENCE, THEORY, AND PARADIGM SHIFTS There are three lectures in this series, they are intended to educate students about the nature of science and the power of natural explanations. This is accomplished through the concept of the Paradigm Shift. The discussion begins with non-scientific views of nature and then follows the development of scientific views and how/why they changed over many hundreds of years. This post concerns the third lecture in the series. Examples of paradigm shifts covered in the lecture series include: - the shift from supernatural to nature interpretations of comets. - the shift from astrology (Ptolemaic) to astronomy (Copernican revolution). - the development of Copernican cosmology to a synthesis called Newtonian physics. - the shift from Newtonian physics into Relativity Theory. Lecture 3 – PARADIGM SHIFT 3 This lecture is a continuation of the previous lecture where the paradigm shift from Newtonian physics to the theory of relativity is discussed. The lecture ends with a discussion of the cosmic microwave background and what the various differences in temperature could mean. Lecture 1 – PARADIGM SHIFT 1 You can find the first lecture in the series here. Lecture 2 – PARADIGM SHIFT 2 You can find the second lecture in the series here.
The marketing literature and packaging for many skin care products and treatments state that their formulas contain liposomes and list the presence of liposomes as being among their benefits. This leads many consumers to believe that liposomes are a particular type of active ingredient that improves the look and feel of the skin; however, this is a misconception. Liposomes are not active ingredients at all, but rather, function as a delivery method for the ingredients in a particular product. A liposome is a vesicle or small bubble composed of phospholipids, fatty acids that contain phosphorous. Two layers of these phospholipids are found in a liposome, and a tiny amount of space exists between them. Sometimes called a membrane, this phospholipid bilayer does not dissolve in water and can be used to enclose any type of liquid materials. The principle that led to the creation of liposomes comes from that of the cells in the human body. Each cell is covered with a cellular membrane, which keeps all of the organelles (the components that perform tasks inside of cells) protected and in place. The cellular membrane selectively allows materials to enter and exit the cells, allowing them to import nutrients and export the proteins, sugars and other molecules that they produce. Similarly to the cellular membrane, the liposome allows the materials inside of it to pass through gradually. Liposomes were discovered in 1961 by Dr. Alec D. Bangham, a British doctor who specialized in the treatment of conditions that affect the blood. The discovery occurred when Bangham was testing a new electron microscope at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, England. When he was preparing samples for testing, he added a special dye, intending to make them more readily visible under the microscope. To Bangham's surprise, the sample resembled human body cells when he examined them under intense magnification. His curiosity piqued, Bangham began to study the materials in the sample, and by 1964, had published the first study on liposomes. The science for creating liposomes has evolved since Dr. Bangham's initial writings on the subject. Over the decades that followed, researchers and scientists have found ways to manufacture liposomes to deliver a multitude of ingredients throughout the body and to the skin. Work has also been done to reduce the size of the liposomes found in products. With the advent of nanotechnology (creating molecules of exceptionally small size) liposomes are now made so small that they are between 10,000 and 2,500 nanometers in diameter. These microscopic liposomes allow for greater absorption in the skin tissue, enhancing the effectiveness of the products that contain them. In skin care products, liposomes can perform a number of important functions. A formulation that contains liposomes is excellent for delivering ingredients that must stay in contact with the skin tissue for prolonged periods of time, as the membranous vesicle holds its contents safely in place once the product is applied. This is beneficial in products used to lighten skin hyperpigmentation, protect the skin from oxidative damage and reduce signs of aging. Liposomes are also useful for delivering medications for treating fungal and bacterial skin infections. Because liposomes do not dissolve in water, they are often used to protect the ingredients in skin care products from water. Sunscreens that contain liposomes are resistant to water, making them ideal for use for swimming and on humid days. Some types of waterproof mascaras, eye liners and eye shadows deliver their pigments with liposomes, so that they do not streak, smear or fade, even if the eyes water. Studies have found that many skin conditions, such as extreme dryness or dehydration, respond better to prolonged exposure to low doses of active ingredients as opposed to one massive dose. To capitalize on the benefits of dispensing ingredients over time, many skin care companies offer time-release products, which give off small doses of their active ingredients typically over a 12 or 24-hour period. These products generally use liposomes to achieve these effects; the liposome allows only tiny amounts of the ingredients to leave the phospholipid bilayer at a time. As the liposomes release the ingredients, they slowly break down over the 12 or 24-hour time frame, allowing the skin to benefit from products without the need to continuously reapply.
We know from several midrashim (see first chapter of Midrash Tanchuma to Bereshit) that Torah had already existed before the world was created. It should have contained all the positive and negative commandments, and the latter assumes the knowledge of the evil. Sifrei (p. 4 left column in this edition) mentions that Adam was to study and keep commandments, while Bereshit Rabbah (p. 130/178 in the translation) writes that he was to offer sacrifices. This means that he was obliged to study at least about certain positive commandments. But what was the purpose of Hashem with Adam and Eve regarding Torah study of the negative commandments if they were not allowed to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Besides the introduction of the evil inclination, Rashi also comments on 2:25 that before eating from the fruit they were simply unable to tell the good and the bad apart. However, Sanhedrin 56b and Bereshit Rabbah (p. 131/179) explicitly tell us that they were forbidden to do idolatry and blasphemy, curse judges, shed blood, do sexual immorality, steal and eat limbs of living animals (i.e. the Noachide laws). How did they know the meaning of these concepts? How could they know that these things were bad?
In the fall of 2012 ZSR Library will offer a new class called History of the Book, 1500-2000 (LIB260). Taught by Special Collections Librarian Megan Mulder, the 1.5 credit class will introduce students to the exciting interdisciplinary field of Book History. Book History (sometimes called History of Print Culture) combines history, literary studies, and bibliography. Its purpose, as set out by Robert Darnton in his seminal 1982 essay “What Is the History of Books?,” is “to understand how ideas were transmitted by print and how exposure to the printed word affected the thought and behavior of mankind during the last five hundred years.” While it is impossible to cover the whole scope of book history in one semester, this course will give students an introduction to the field and provide them with the theoretical and practical tools to pursue further study in the History of the Book and its many related disciplines. The course will begin with the premise that we can approach printed texts as objects of study in three major ways: 1) as material objects with artifactual value, 2) as vehicles for text, and 3) as social constructs and agents of social change. Beginning with the first approach, students will learn to examine books as physical objects and to understand the processes by which they were created. In the process students will gain a basic vocabulary of descriptive bibliography, a necessary starting point for further study in the history of print culture. Our studies will also incorporate the other two approaches to the study of print culture, considering the role of books in the societies that produced them and the ways in which print conveys and shapes texts. The class will meet in the ZSR Library Special Collections reading room. In each class meeting students will examine materials from the Rare Books Collection that illustrate concepts under discussion. They will learn how books were made during the hand-press period and will construct a small book of their own in the library’s Preservation Lab. As a final project each student will select one book from the Rare Books Collection and write its “biography”. This will provide practical experience with bibliographic description and with other techniques of book history research, including provenance research and reader analysis. This class will meet weekly on Wednesdays 3:30 – 4:45 p.m. for the entire fall semester. It is open to anyone with an interest in books and their histories. For more information, contact Megan Mulder at email@example.com or 758-5091.