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This pathbreaking book explores how life can begin, taking us from cosmic clouds of stardust, to volcanoes on Earth, to the modern chemistry laboratory. Seeking to understand life's connection to the stars, David Deamer introduces astrobiology, a new scientific discipline that studies the origin and evolution of life on Earth and relates it to the birth and death of stars, planet formation, interfaces between minerals, water, and atmosphere, and the physics and chemistry of carbon compounds. Deamer argues that life began as systems of molecules that assembled into membrane-bound packages. These in turn provided an essential compartment in which more complex molecules assumed new functions required for the origin of life and the beginning of evolution. Deamer takes us from the vivid and unpromising chaos of the Earth four billion years ago up to the present and his own laboratory, where he contemplates the prospects for generating synthetic life. Engaging and accessible, First Life describes the scientific story of astrobiology while presenting a fascinating hypothesis to explain the origin of life. The book is published by University of California Press. ©2011 David Deamer (P)2012 Redwood Audiobooks "This intriguing scholarly text offers many fascinating insights into origin-of-life research.... Highly recommended." (Choice) "An authoritative voice weighs in on a sprawling debate that's been raging in the scientific community for many decades, and lays out a succinct and persuasive hypothesis for the origin of life on Earth. Deamer also provides a unique window into the evolution of astrobiology, a field in which he's viewed as both a forefather and an innovator." (Scientist) l'enfer c'est les autres The book is more of a text book than a popular science book. The author is very good at stating what he's going to tell you, than tells you, and than summarize what he just told you. I understand chemistry even less than I understand bio-chemistry and the book uses both extensively. He'll explain the terms and often I wouldn't understand any of the technical words for whole pages (minutes) at a time, but I would always understand what his point was. The book is not for the faint of heart and is by far the most difficult book I have ever listen to because of its complexity. After having listen to it, I really have an understanding of how the universe could have become self aware. The reader does an excellent job of reading the book in a dry manner as if it were a text book. I have a feeling that the book could be used in a graduate course on the origins of life in a bio-chem or biology graduate course. The book is definitely worth risking a credit on, but beware it is a difficult listen. I would recommend at least a high level high school Bio and Chem background to enjoy this book. I have listened to this book several times and purchased the paper version as well. Each time I get something new out of it. Well written, nicely organized and thought provoking. How life becomes an emergent property of chemistry is one of the great puzzles. Dr. Deamer makes some very plausible hypothesis and presents some of the difficult challenges in a very readable manner. Nice narration. Does a good job on the difficult task of describing chemical formula. Although he does not spend much of the book addressing the "Creationists". I think he does a good job on addressing their flawed point of view. Deep time explained. The favorite character, of course, is the amazing self propagating molecular force of matter which by happenstance was in the right place at the right span of deep time. This deepened my understanding of life as a particular energy state of matter. No doubt it is ubiquitous throughout our endless universe. I have not listened to him before, but even after going through this book twice I found his narrative style to be pleasing and non distractive. The author breaks away now and then from in depth explanations of biochemistry to take the listener on various journeys. For example, the scientific trek to the Kamchatka Peninsula in search of the perfect thermal spring was particularly interesting. I highly recommend this semi-technical work, which helped me to understand current research into how living matter may have self-organized over time. Report Inappropriate Content
Constructing the Capitol: The OvenPosted on June 18, 2013 By: Matt Guilfoyle Control of the office thermostat – an office debate that has probably existed since the first one was installed – becomes even more "heated" in humid Washington summers. Too hot or too cold – there is no pleasing everyone, but while today the AOC provides a climate-controlled environment to the buildings of Capitol Hill, two centuries ago this wasn't the case. Although construction of the U.S. Capitol Building began in 1793, a number of problems had required the builders to only focus on finishing the north wing in order to meet the looming deadline. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and the District of Columbia courts were all forced to occupy the cramped north wing in late 1800. In order to alleviate these overcrowded conditions, on June 1, 1801, President Thomas Jefferson approved the board of commissioners' plan to build a temporary chamber on the foundations of the south wing that had been constructed between 1793-1796. The temporary chamber within the north wing would no longer be large enough for the additional new members that would be added following the 1800 census. Congress then signed a $4,789 contract on June 20, 1801, to build a temporary chamber for the House of Representatives. Following the contract award, the building was hastily constructed as an elliptical room with poor ventilation. At times, members of Congress missed votes due to the "suffocating feeling of the air in the Hall." It earned the nickname "the Oven." According to William Allen, Architect of the Capitol historian emeritus, in The History of the United States Capitol: "The nickname was bestowed because of the structure's shape, which reminded some of a huge Dutch oven, and partly because of its notoriously stuffy interior." In March 1803, President Jefferson approved an appropriation to build a new south wing and under the direction of architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, a new chamber (today's National Statuary Hall) would eventually replace the Oven in 1807.
Addition: Addition Expressions Worksheet Here you find addition expressions worksheet, these are free math worksheet for 1st grade, to download and print any of them click on each button “Click here to print”. You can download any first-grade math book pdf from the list below and create your own ebook for students. More addition worksheets Check all of our addition worksheets from the addition of toys to addition with pics sums. What is Photomathonline? Photomathonline offers the biggest collection of math worksheets PDF for Kindergarten, online math quizzes, board games with game ideas and others. You can find any resource by looking to categories: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, and 7th Grades. All the resources are free to download.
Underground Storm Shelters Blanchard On May 3, 1999 an EF5 tornado struck Moore, OK that had record wind speeds of over 300mph. After that 1999 tornado, we realized that not everybody in Oklahoma had the room to put in a septic tank shelter. People had very, very limited choices related to protecting their families from tornadoes. At that time, underground storm shelters in Blanchard were not installed in half the houses they are now. Immediately thereafter, the first generation of the in-garage, underground storm shelters was born. This allowed for the masses to put in a shelter underground, inside their home for tornado protection. Homes throughout Blanchard were installing these underground storm shelters to protect themselves. This was a good idea for sheltering people and keeping them from the weather but it had its downfalls. It stuck up 4 to 5 inches away from the garage floor, had poor ventilation, rusted out fast, and had steep, awkward ladders for entry and exit. A number of these underground storm shelters in Blanchard weren’t installed properly and have actually floated up from the ground because of buoyancy and ground water. We took note, and made history. In 2003, the FlatSafe Tornado Shelter was invented. We engineered our underground storm shelters, to be installed in-garage to take care of the destructive forces connected with tornadoes that would offer our Blanchard customers peace of mind and provide them with the maximum probability of survival in an EF5 tornado. Through extensive research, we identified vacuum, air pressure, and debris as the most destructive forces connected with tornadoes. With possible wind speeds of 300+miles in mind, we recognized that vacuum is one of the most damaging forces which tornadoes create. It doesn’t take much vacuum pressure, with respect to psi, to cause structural damage. To counter vacuum forces, FlatSafe designed a lid system that allows for 360o of ventilation for rapid equalization of pressure inside the shelter. By promoting the pressure inside of the shield to quickly equalize with the outside pressure, the secured lid system is held firmly closed. We understood that 300+mph winds can cause enormous damage to whatever it slams against so we sought to lower our exposed surface area as far as possible. The patented FlatSafe lid system only sticks up 1/4″, therefore there’s very little surface area affected by horizontal wind speeds. Since FlatSafe Tornado Shelters are below ground, it is out of the way of horizontal winds and the debris thrown and circulated by it. So the only debris to worry about is falling debris. We knew that all debris falls at the exact same speed and only mass determines its effect. Our 1/4″ plate lid is larger than the shield opening and is reinforced to absorb and withstand some falling debris which may land squarely on it. We made it to provide more than adequate ventilation (breathing) even after effect. FlatSafe Underground Storm Shelters The FlatSafe Tornado Shelter was engineered to meet all of the regulations and criteria that were available. It was also engineered with rust protection options to ensure that the shelter would last as long as the home and the homeowner. FlatSafe supplied the original single-lid design and was the first low-profile, in-garage shelter given. The lid is 1/4″ thick steel plate with additional structural tubing to give additional strength. The single-piece lid is bigger than the frame of the saferoom opening and sits above the frame, not down inside the frame. Our lid system is a lot stronger than the normal 2-piece lid system provided by everyone else and provides more than adequate ventilation to the occupants. FlatSafe was the first to encase shelters in ready-mix concrete to counteract buoyancy and floatation. The FlatSafe shelter design does not take away from a homeowner’s usable garage floor area. FlatSafe below ground storm shelters permit easy entry and exit, provides a highly effective system for exiting with debris on the lid, and leaves Blanchard residence with the peace of mind that they have a very high probability of surviving a direct hit from an EF5 tornado. Read Real Testimonials From Tornado Survivors Since 2003, FlatSafe has established itself as the innovator in the in-garage, low profile, below ground storm shelters industry. Many FlatSafe shelters have taken a direct hit from an EF5 tornado and our clients rave about the shelter performance and their option to purchase. FlatSafe continues to push for new invention and continues to push for more stringent and thorough codes to protect the families in and around Blanchard.
Researchers at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease have identified processes that may explain how a key protein, apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4), contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings, described in the Journal of Neuroscience (March 10, 2004), include identifying where in the brain apoE4 is broken down into toxic fragments that can impair the function and survival of nerve cells. Results of their study may point the way to a new therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. ApoE4 is the best known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but, until now, the mechanism by which it increases that risk has remained a mystery. The key finding of the current study relates to apoE4’s tendency to be broken down into toxic fragments when it is produced in neurons, the brain cells responsible for cognitive functions. Proteins can be broken into small pieces by enzymes known as proteases in a process termed proteolysis. While the degradation of proteins is important for many cell processes, it can be harmful when it occurs inappropriately, not only because it destroys the protein, but also because abnormally high levels of fragments can damage cells. ## In the new study, involving the examination of genetically engineered mice, Gladstone researchers have established that: * only apoE4 produced by neurons is susceptible to fragmentation, unlike apoE4 produced by other brain cells; * fragmentation is correlated with age, occurring more frequently the older the animal, similar to the effect of age on Alzheimer disease risk in humans; * fragmentation of apoE4 occurs predominantly in the very parts of the brain that are most vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, the neocortex and hippocampus. In contrast, fragmentation does not occur in the cerebellum, which is much less vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease; and * the apoE4 fragments cause an abnormal change to the protein tau, which is also heavily affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Both apoE4 fragments and Alzheimer’s disease lead to the abnormal attachment of phosphate groups on tau that can end up contorting the shape of brain cells. The investigators suspect that the fragmentation of apoE4 is caused by a neuron-specific enzyme, which they are now trying to identify and block with drugs. “From this and our previous studies, we believe that the protease that cleaves apoE4 may serve as a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, especially in patients who are impacted by apoE4,” said the senior author of the study, Yadong Huang, MD, PhD, staff research investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) and assistant professor of pathology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). “With this work, we’re a significant step closer to solving the key riddle of apoE4, namely, what is occurring at the molecular level that makes this protein so active in causing neurodegenerative disease,” explained Dr. Robert Mahley, “Research of this kind is essential for the development of better treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.” This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health and by a MetLife Foundation award. The paper, “Neuron-Specific Apolipoprotein E4 Proteolysis Is Associated with Increased Tau Phosphorylation in Brains of Transgenic Mice,” was co-authored by Gladstone Institute of Neurological DiseaseGIND staff members Walter J. Brecht, senior research associate; Faith M. Harris, research associate; Shengjun Chang, postdoctoral fellow; Ina Tesseur, postdoctoral fellow; Gui-Qiu Yu, senior research associate; Qin Xu, postdoctoral fellow ; Jo Dee Fish, research technologist; Tony Wyss-Coray, former staff research investigator; Manuel Buttini, former research scientist; and Lennart Mucke, GIND director and senior investigator, UCSF professor of neurology, along with Mahley and Huang. The Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease is one of three research institutes of The J. David Gladstone Institutes, a private, nonprofit biomedical research institution affiliated with UCSF. For further information, visit Gladstone.
Droughts exercise a profound effect on the social and economic fabric of nations. Many nations of the world experienced droughts encompassing the full spectrum of severity, areal extent and duration. The result has been that the economic development was hampered and many countries have not yet recouped fully from the ravages of droughts. The first decade of the 21st century has also witnessed varying degrees of droughts across the globe. Therefore, we ask the following questions: (a) Do droughts affect every part of the world? (b) Are there similarities in major droughts around the world? (c) Are climate change and global warming impacting drought occurrences? (d) How much impact do droughts have on water resources? (e) What can be said about food security, energy security and water security? (f) What do different Global Climate Models (GCMs) and the IPCC report say about future drought scenarios? (g) How can our understanding of past drought episodes help with planning and managing future water resources? population, water use, water availability, conflicts, climate change, drought impacts Date of this Version
In today’s interconnected world, cybersecurity has emerged as a critical field dedicated to protecting sensitive information and digital infrastructure from cyber threats. As the frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks continue to rise, the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals has skyrocketed. This article explores cybersecurity careers’ diverse and rapidly expanding landscape, highlighting the various roles, skills, and job opportunities available in this dynamic field. From ethical hackers to risk analysts, these professionals play a crucial role in safeguarding our digital frontier. - The Growing Need for Cybersecurity Professionals The rise of cyber threats has created an urgent demand for cybersecurity professionals across industries and sectors. Understanding the factors driving this demand is essential in grasping the significance of cybersecurity careers and the job opportunities they present. Escalating Cyber Threats Cyber attacks have become increasingly sophisticated, targeting governments, organizations, and individuals. The evolving threat landscape demands highly skilled professionals to counter these attacks and protect critical systems and data. The rapid adoption of digital technologies and the digitization of critical infrastructures have expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals. As organizations embrace digital transformation, the need for cybersecurity professionals to safeguard these environments becomes paramount. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements Regulatory bodies and governments have recognized the importance of cybersecurity, resulting in the introduction of stringent data protection and privacy regulations. Compliance with these regulations necessitates the expertise of cybersecurity professionals to ensure the secure handling and protection of sensitive information. Skills Gap and Workforce Shortage There is a much greater need for cybersecurity experts than there are qualified candidates. This skills gap poses significant challenges for organizations striving to build robust cybersecurity teams. The shortage of qualified professionals creates abundant job opportunities for those entering the field. 2. Exploring Cybersecurity Career Paths The field of cybersecurity offers a wide range of career paths, each with its own distinct focus and skill set. Understanding the various roles and responsibilities within the field is crucial for individuals considering a career in cybersecurity. Ethical Hacker (White Hat): Ethical hackers, also known as white hat hackers or penetration testers, work to identify vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications. They use their skills to simulate cyber attacks, uncover weaknesses, and propose remediation measures to strengthen security. Security analysts play a vital role in monitoring, analyzing, and responding to security incidents. They leverage various tools and technologies to detect and investigate potential threats, as well as develop and implement incident response plans. Security engineers focus on designing and implementing secure systems and networks. They collaborate with other IT professionals to integrate security measures into infrastructure, conduct risk assessments, and ensure compliance with security standards. Cryptographers specialize in creating and deciphering complex algorithms and encryption methods. They work to secure sensitive information, develop cryptographic protocols, and ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data. Forensic experts investigate cybercrime incidents, collecting and analyzing digital evidence. They assist in legal proceedings, provide expert testimony, and aid in identifying and apprehending cybercriminals. Security consultants provide guidance and expertise to organizations seeking to enhance their cybersecurity posture. They assess vulnerabilities, develop security strategies, and offer recommendations to mitigate risks and improve overall security. Risk analysts assess and quantify potential cybersecurity risks to an organization. They conduct risk assessments, analyze threat landscapes, and develop risk management strategies to protect against potential threats and vulnerabilities. Incident Responder: Incident responders are responsible for promptly addressing and mitigating security incidents. They investigate breaches, coordinate response efforts, and develop strategies to prevent future incidents. 3. Skills and Qualifications for Cybersecurity Careers A successful career in cybersecurity requires a combination of technical expertise, analytical skills, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Mastering these skills and acquiring relevant qualifications is crucial for aspiring professionals in the field. Cybersecurity professionals must possess a strong foundation in various technical domains, including network security, cryptography, programming, and operating systems. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, and Java is highly valued. Knowledge of Security Frameworks and Standards: Understanding security frameworks and standards, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS, is essential for developing robust security strategies and ensuring compliance with industry-specific regulations. Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Cybersecurity professionals must possess strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. They should be able to assess complex situations, identify vulnerabilities, and develop effective solutions to address security challenges. Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication and collaboration skills are crucial for cybersecurity professionals. They must be able to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and work effectively in high-pressure situations. Continuous Learning and Adaptability: The field of cybersecurity is ever-evolving, requiring professionals to stay updated on the latest threats, technologies, and best practices. A commitment to continuous learning and adaptability is essential to thrive in this dynamic field. Obtaining industry-recognized certifications validates skills and expertise in specific cybersecurity domains. Certifications such as Rocheston Certified Cybersecurity Engineer (RCCE), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Rocheston Certified Cybercrime Investigator (RCCI), and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) enhance professional credibility and job prospects. 4. Job Opportunities and Career Advancement The job market for cybersecurity professionals is robust and offers promising career advancement opportunities. Individuals with cybersecurity expertise can explore a variety of employment options across industries and sectors. Government Agencies and Defense: Government agencies at local, national, and international levels require cybersecurity professionals to protect critical infrastructure, national security assets, and confidential information. Financial Institutions and Banking: Financial institutions face significant cybersecurity risks due to the sensitivity of financial data. Cybersecurity professionals in this sector focus on safeguarding customer data, securing online transactions, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. Healthcare and Medical Institutions: Healthcare organizations handle vast amounts of sensitive patient data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. Cybersecurity professionals in the healthcare sector work to secure electronic health records, protect medical devices, and ensure patient privacy. Technology and Software Development: Cybersecurity specialists have access to a wide range of employment prospects in the technology sector. These professionals contribute to the secure design and development of software, systems, and applications, ensuring the integrity and privacy of user data. Consulting and Professional Services: Consulting firms and professional services organizations hire cybersecurity experts to provide specialized guidance and support to clients. These professionals work on a range of projects, from security audits to risk assessments and strategy development. Academia and Research: Cybersecurity professionals can pursue academic and research careers, conduct cutting-edge research, develop new security technologies, and educate the next generation of cybersecurity experts. The field of cybersecurity offers a vast array of career opportunities for individuals passionate about protecting digital assets and combating cyber threats. With the ever-increasing demand for skilled professionals, pursuing a career in cybersecurity can lead to a fulfilling and lucrative path. By acquiring the necessary skills, staying updated on emerging threats, and continuously developing expertise, individuals can significantly safeguard our digital landscape. The diverse range of cybersecurity roles, from ethical hackers and analysts to consultants and risk assessors, ensures that individuals can find a specialization that aligns with their interests and skills. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the need for cybersecurity professionals will only intensify, making this an opportune time to embark on a cybersecurity career and contribute to building a more secure digital future.
Currie surveys the Constitution throughout the Jeffersonian periodBy Peter Schuler I have long been convinced that in focusing so heavily on judicial decisions, those who think about the Constitution from a legal perspective have paid too little attention to other sources of insights into its interpretation, Currie explained. Currie also has written The Constitution in Congress: The Federalist Period, 1789-1801, and the award-winning, two-volume history, The Constitution in the Supreme Court, both published by the University Press. In his first book, examining the Federalist Period, Currie concluded that the first 12 years of the U.S. Government, when the Federalists were in control, saw the legislative and executive branches rather than the courts take the lead in the original interpretation of the Constitution. Like the Federalist era that preceded it, the Jeffersonian years were a defining period in American constitutional history. The best minds in the country grappled with practical questions of applying the generalities of the Constitution to concrete and often unforeseen circumstances, Currie said. Curries focus has been to study congressional and executive history from a legal perspective. I disclaim any pretension to improve upon the work of historians and political scientists who have studied this period, Currie said. However, I believe that Congress and the executive branch have a great deal to tell us about what the Constitution means. Though federal judges became increasingly active during the Jeffersonian years, the groundwork for their decisions was created in extensive legislative and executive discussions of the measures under review. The Jeffersonian years witnessed great controversies like the abolition of the circuit courts, the Louisiana Purchase, the Burr conspiracy, the War of 1812, the Missouri Compromise and the Monroe Doctrine. Currie has methodically worked his way through the key documents of the period, including federal statutes, congressional debates, presidential messages and the decisions of the Supreme Court. One chief justice at a time, Currie added. This enabled me to see not only the chronological development of particular areas of law but also horizontal relationships between things happening in different fields of constitutional law in a given period. Currie noted that the development of the Constitution could be seen in the multitude of small decisions the executive and judicial branches confronted daily. The Constitution was interpreted by members of Congress and by numerous executive officers, up to and including the President. Whenever a federal official proposed to take a particular action, Currie said, he always had to ask himself, Is it Constitutional? In the early days, Currie said, there was no argument over whether the Constitution should be interpreted in accordance with the framers original intentions. Everyone agreed that it should. The only questionˇand the answer was often not obviousˇwas what the framers had intended.
Yemen Is a "Living Hell for Children" Ravaged by years of civil war, Yemen is on the brink of social collapse. UNICEF and partners have been on the ground since the conflict began in 2015, providing urgently needed medical care, nutrition, safe drinking water, child protection, education and sanitation and hygiene facilities. You can help vulnerable children in Yemen by donating today. Three years after brutal conflict began in Yemen, almost 80 percent of the population (22.2 million people) is in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Some 18.5 million people are food insecure, and an estimated 16 million people do not have safe, clean water, sanitation or hygiene facilities. More than 2 million children are out of school. The health system is in tatters. Ports and airports are blocked, obstructing delivery of essential supplies. Nearly every single child in the country needs humanitarian assistance. It is the largest and most complex humanitarian crisis in the world. And it is entirely man-made. "Yemen today is a living hell for children," says Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (pictured above). "A living hell not just for 50 to 60 percent of children. It is a living hell for every single boy and girl in Yemen." The plummeting value of the Yemeni riyal has doubled the price of food and tripled the cost of fuel since 2015. Families are desperate to feed their children. Half of Yemeni children under the age 5 are chronically malnourished and will never develop to their full intellectual potential. Some 400,000 of these young children are suffering from a life-threatening form of severe malnutrition. Without urgent humanitarian aid, they will not survive. UNICEF and partners are working around the clock in Yemen to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease. From January to September 2018, more than 170,000 children with severe acute malnutrition were admitted to therapeutic care and more than 997,000 children under the age of 5 received primary health care. With UNICEF's support, 4.2 million children have been vaccinated against polio and more than 5 million people have safe, clean water to drink. To help children who are out of school, UNICEF has set up education services for 164,000 students and distributed 42,000 school bags filled with basic learning supplies so children can continue their educations. Adults are responsible for the destruction and suffering in Yemen, but it is children who are paying the ultimate price.
Some people swear by them, while others think it’s all just a waste of time and money. We’re talking about binaural beats, a mind illusion that is no doubt fascinating, an illusion we hardly know anything about. Despite all the claims people make about it, that is. Let’s take a look at what this illusion is, what it’s used for, and if you could benefit from it! Tricking the brain Have you ever stared at an optical illusion, fascinated that the brain is perceiving something that isn’t actually there? This is what happens with binaural beats. Two different frequencies are played through the different headphones so that your ears hear two slightly different notes. The two frequencies need to be quite close to each other. What happens is that the brain notices the difference between the two frequencies and starts to hear a third note which has a frequency corresponding to the difference. If one headphone is playing 440 Hz and another 450 Hz, the brain will start hearing 10Hz as a result. Scientists still have no clue why or how this happens. Binaural beats used for meditation Imagine listening to music and becoming more relaxed and productive, getting rid of headaches, and sleeping better… Doesn’t it sound like the perfect meditation technique? Binaural beats are commonly used as a form of meditation that is supposed to make you calmer and more focused. They are becoming increasingly popular on YouTube and Spotify, and are seen as a self-help tool that anybody can benefit from. However, there is almost zero scientific research to back up all these claims. A few studies have been done, but they didn’t include enough people. Some of the results have been contradictory as well. People might reason that it must work, otherwise why use it? It’s impossible to say at this stage whether it does actually work or if it’s the placebo effect that is playing tricks on us. One way it probably does work is that it makes you take some time off to relax and do nothing. One therapist recommending using binaural beats suggests that you listen to them for 35 – 40 minutes daily over the course of a month. But it’s hard to tell if it’s actually the binaural beats that are making you less stressed, or if it’s the fact that you are relaxing for half an hour a day. If this actually works, there’s a chance it has a different effect on different people. Men and women seem to hear binaural beats differently, and it can even vary during a woman’s menstrual cycle. These waves have a frequency of 40Hz – 100Hz which makes them the highest kind of binaural beats. Gamma waves are associated with learning. Apparently, people with learning difficulties lack these waves to a certain extent. Beta waves have a frequency of 12Hz – 40Hz. They help us solve problems, write, and do many other things. They can seemingly be triggered by caffeine. Too many beta waves are associated with anxiety. Meanwhile, too few of these waves seemingly cause depression. Alpha waves have a frequency of 8Hz – 12Hz. When they are at an optimal level, we feel relaxed. Some drugs increase the amount of alpha waves, including antidepressants. Theta waves have a frequency of 4Hz – 8Hz. They are associated with sleep and dreaming. Basically, they are very helpful to the brain during the night. However, too many of them during the day causes depression. Delta waves have a frequency of about 0Hz – 4Hz. They are generated when you are in deep slumber. Children have more of them as opposed to adults. The idea that you can change your brainwaves to get better sleep, learn more, become more productive and happier is definitely fascinating. But the truth is, we don’t really know if binaural beats can achieve this. We look forward to the day when science sheds some light on this matter!
The Cambridge National in Child Development covers all aspects of child development and parental responsibility, from conception to five years. Students develop the essential theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to create the best conditions for a child’s development and well-being. The qualification comprises of three mandatory units: Health and well-being for child development. This is an examined unit set and marked by OCR which comprises of five learning outcomes: LO1 - Understand reproduction and the roles and responsibilities of parenthood LO2 - Understand ante natal care and preparation for birth LO3 - Understand post natal checks, post natal provision and conditions for development LO4 - Understand how to recognise, manage and prevent childhood illness LO5 - Know about child safety Understand the equipment and nutritional needs of children from birth to five years. In the second topic of study, students will gain knowledge of the equipment needs of babies and young children and an understanding of the factors to be considered when choosing appropriate equipment to meet all of these needs. This topic will also cover nutrition and hygiene practices and students will be given the opportunity to investigate feeding solutions, comparing these to nutritional requirements and evaluating the outcomes. Evaluation skills are developed, which would be of use in further studies in a number of areas. Understand the development norms of a child from birth to five years. In the third topic of study, students will gain an understanding of the development norms from birth to five years and the stages and benefits of play. Students will gain knowledge of, and skills in, developing activities to observe development norms in children up to the age of five. This topic will include researching, planning and carrying out activities with a child and observing and evaluating these activities, as well as comparing the child to the expected development norms. Researching, planning, observing and evaluating skills would be useful in further studies as these are transferable skills and could be applied to many subject areas. How will it be examined? There are three units: one examined and two internally assessed and externally moderated, comprising 50% for the exam and 25% for the other two units. Students can gain further insight into the subject by watching and thinking about television series such as ‘Secret Life of 4 Year Olds’, ‘Hospital’ or ‘One Born Every Minute’.
Yoga Na Love It! - Outcome D (7- 9)-6 Start the unit/lesson by introducing the history of yoga. The Internet has many resources and information that is current. Ask a yoga instructor to come in for an introductory lesson or lessons or ask the local yoga club for a video or a club presentation. As a class, students will learn some basic postures in yoga and be able to perform a set routine by the end of the unit. However, each student will set a personal challenge to complete other routines or to create their own routine. Students can pair up or form small groups if other students would like to attain the same goal/stage. Students will either perform the stages in front of the class as a presentation or prepare a yoga video to be used by other members in the class or for future Ask students to create a routine and teach it to another class as a stress management technique (e.g., go into the grade 6 class to teach a short routine of five poses). These are clues that you have reached the outcomes Students create a personal goal to perform a set number of poses.
February 21, 2018 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) isn’t your typical stress. It results in more than just pain, headaches and sleep problems. It’s a disorder that thousands of men and women struggle with every day, and for some, it lingers for months or even years. The good news is that being diagnosed with PTSD doesn’t mean the disorder must rule your life. The IAFF Center of Excellence offers treatment for PTSD for IAFF members, including aftercare, to provide you with the tools to manage your symptoms after graduating from our Center. Although there is no cure for PTSD, there are healthy ways to cope with it. Being around positive people, sights and sounds can make a world of difference for someone with a mental health condition such as PTSD. Even if the feeling is temporary, seek experiences that help you feel good, whether it’s your friends, classical music, nature sounds or even silly videos on social media. Joining a church or support group can also help access a higher power or remind you that you are not alone. Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website to locate a support group in your area. You may be fortunate enough to already have a support system of friends, family and other loved ones. While in treatment at the Center, you can also connect with other IAFF members who have been in your boots. Remember, your brothers and sisters want you to be well. They’re on your side. Especially after completing treatment, you will benefit greatly from the support of a trustworthy friend in your firehouse who understands what you have been through. Reach out to friends whenever you feel like you need someone to talk to. Exercise provides benefits to the mind and body for everyone, whether you’re suffering from PTSD or not. Cardiovascular exercise releases neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, into your system, which help improve your mood, concentration and sleep cycle. Set aside time every day, or at least a few times a week, for fitness. Strengthen your body and mind by running, swimming or another physical activity. For example, according to a study reported by Medical News Today, Tai chi has helped war veterans manage their PTSD symptoms. This form of martial arts involves slow movements, breathing and meditation, and it can benefit fire fighters in the same way it benefits veterans. Never underestimate the power of relaxation. You can simply read a book or spend time in nature, without doing anything else. If you prefer to be physically active, take a jog around a lake, a stroll through the park, or a trail bike ride. Whatever activity you choose, try to do it a few times a week for at least 20 minutes. If you didn’t enjoy helping others, you probably wouldn’t be a fire fighter or paramedic. However, finding other outlets to give back outside of emergency response work can be equally as gratifying. You can spend a few hours every month at a local food pantry, soup kitchen or animal shelter. If you don’t feel quite ready to help people just yet, help out at a national park service or environmental organization. We want to help you recover so you can learn to live a happy, fulfilled life. If you’re struggling with PTSD, and you haven’t yet received treatment, call the IAFF Center of Excellence. Phones are staffed around the clock with professionals who understand and can help.
National Park Ranger Zone Become a junior ranger and talk to a forest ranger about what he does on the park. Find the Junior Ranger program closest to you. Yellowstone National Park Puzzles, word games, coloring books, and scavenger hunts on the wildlife in Yellowstone. Above all, learn about the exotic Mooselope, native to this site. National Wildlife Federation Celebrate wildlife by exploring careers, doing fun crafts, making yummy treats, and viewing pictures of some of the coolest animals on the web. Are you ready for the big one? Learn everything you need to know about studying earthquakes, locations of recent activity, and materials and procedures you need to prepare for earthquakes. Earthquake legends, stories, and games and treats. Learn about earthquakes in fun and tasty ways. How to take care of your flowers, shrubs, herbs, and veggies. Keeping them healthy, and showing them off. See what students are doing with plants and find out everything you ever wanted to know about worms. BBC Education – The Essential Guide to Rocks The Essential Guide to Rocks - Take a virtual trip around Great Britain to see their rocky past and watch a presentation on the formation of the Earth. Rocks for Kids This is a site for all kids who love rocks -- if you collect rocks, then this is the site for you!
IELTS Academic Reading Sample 152 - Literate women make better mothers? - Last Updated: Friday, 26 May 2017 19:04 - Written by IELTS Mentor - Hits: 50659 You spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 152 below. Literate women make better mothers? Children in developing countries are healthier and more likely to survive past the age of five when their mothers can read and write. Experts in public health accepted this idea decades ago, but until now no one has been able to show that a woman's ability to read in itself improves her children's chances of survival. Most literate women learnt to read in primary school, and the fact that a woman has had an education may simply indicate her family's wealth or that it values its children more highly. Now a long-term study carried out in Nicaragua has eliminated these factors by showing that teaching reading to poor adult women, who would otherwise have remained illiterate, has a direct effect on their children's health and survival. In 1979, the government of Nicaragua established a number of social programmes, including a National Literacy Crusade. By 1985, about 300,000 illiterate adults from all over the country, many of whom had never attended primary school, had learnt how to read, write and use numbers. During this period, researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Central American Institute of Health in Nicaragua, the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua and the Costa Rican Institute of Health interviewed nearly 3,000 women, some of whom had learnt to read as children, some during the literacy crusade and some who had never learnt at all. The women were asked how many children they had given birth to and how many of them had died in infancy. The research teams also examined the surviving children to find out how well-nourished they were. The investigators' findings were striking. In the late 1970s, the infant mortality rate for the children of illiterate mothers was around 110 deaths per thousand live births. At this point in their lives, Those mothers who later went on to learn to read had a similar level of child mortality(105/1000).For women educated in primary school, however, the infant mortality rate was significantly lower, at 80 per thousand. In 1985, after the National Literacy Crusade had ended, the infant mortality figures for those who remained illiterate and for those educated in primary school remained more or less unchanged. For those women who learnt to read through the campaign, the infant mortality rate was 84 per thousand, an impressive 21 points lower than for those women who were still illiterate. The children of the newly-literate mothers were also better nourished than those of women who could not read. Why are the children of literate mothers better off? According to Peter Sandiford of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, no one knows for certain. Child health was not on the curriculum during the women's lessons, so he and his colleagues are looking at other factors. They are working with the same group of 3,000 women, to try to find out whether reading mothers make better use of hospitals and clinics, opt for smaller families, exert more control at home, learn modem childcare techniques more quickly, or whether they merely have more respect for themselves and their children. The Nicaraguan study may have important implications for governments and aid agencies that need to know where to direct their resources. Sandiford says that there is increasing evidence that female education, at any age, is 'an important health intervention in its own right' .The results of the study lend support to the World Bank's recommendation that education budgets in developing countries should be increased, not just to help their economies, but also to improve child health. 'We've known for a long time that maternal education is important,' says John Cleland of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 'But we thought that even if we started educating girls today, we'd have to wait a generation for the pay-off. The Nicaraguan study suggests we may be able to bypass that.' Cleland warns that the Nicaraguan crusade was special in many ways, and similar campaigns elsewhere might not work as well. It is notoriously difficult to teach adults skills that do not have an immediate impact on their everyday lives, and many literacy campaigns in other countries have been much less successful. 'The crusade was part of a larger effort to bring a better life to the people,' says Cleland. Replicating these conditions in other countries will be a major challenge for development workers. Complete the summary using the list of words, A-J, below. Write the correct letters, A-J , in boxes 14-18 on your answer sheet. NB You may use any letter more than once. The Nicaraguan National Literacy Crusade aimed to teach large numbers of illiterate 14 .................. to read and write. Public health experts have known for many years that there is a connection between child health and 15.................. However, it has not previously been known whether these two factors were directly linked or not. This question has been investigated by 16.................... in Nicaragua. As a result, factors such as 17 ...................... and attitudes to children have been eliminated, audit has been shown that 18................ can in itself improve infant health and survival. A child literacy B men and women C an international research team D medical care E mortality F maternal literacy G adults and children H paternal literacy I a National Literacy Crusade J family wealth Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 152? In boxes 19-24 on your answer sheet, write: YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this 19 About a thousand or the women interviewed by the researchers had learnt to read they were children. 20 Before the National Literacy Crusade, illiterate women had approximately the same levels of infant mortality as those who had learnt to read in primary school. 21 Before and after the National Literacy Crusade, the child mortality rate for the illiterate women stayed at about 110 deaths for each thousand live births. 22 The women who had learnt to read through the National Literacy Crusade showed the greatest change in infant mortality levels. 23 The women who had learnt to read through the National Literacy Crusade had the lowest rates of child mortality. 24 After the National Literacy Crusade, the children of the women who remained illiterate were found to be severely malnourished. Questions 25 and 26 Choose TWO letters, A-E Write the correct letters in boxes 25 and 26 on your answer sheet Which TWO important implications drawn from the Nicaraguan study are mentioned by the writer of the passage? A. It is better to educate mature women than young girls B. Similar campaigns in other countries would be equally successful. C. The effects of maternal literacy programmes can be seen very quickly D. Improving child health can quickly affect a country's economy. E. Money spent on female education will improve child health. Click the button to Show/ Hide Answers
President Barack Obama's call to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour instantly produced the standard arguments for and against a higher minimum wage. Those for it quite rightly say that someone working full-time can't support a family on $14,500 a year; those against it say that employers will compensate by hiring fewer people, thus hurting low-income workers. Abundant study doesn't fully support either camp. More than half of minimum-wage workers are younger than 25, indicating that they are in entry-level or part-time jobs. But the record also shows that employers mostly absorb minimum wage increases and move on. Actually, most economists say that the best way to help low-income workers is to expand the earned income tax credit, but that won't happen amid the current political environment because of its cost to the federal treasury. Congress should raise the minimum wage, though, because the effect is broader. Minimum wage increases usually produce modest wage increases for low-income workers who earn more than the minimum and who are far more likely to be trying to support families. Wage stagnation has been a serious problem for working-class families for many years. Congress should enact an increase in the minimum wage to put upward pressure on all wages on the lower end of the spectrum.
Whether it’s Earth Day or not, here at Veeda we know that going green isn't just good for the environment, it's also good for us. So here are 7 of our favorite healthy, eco-friendly habits! - Super Food Swaps: Sub beans or lentils for meat in one meal a week, switch from white rice to brown, and skip the juices in favor of whole fruit. Easy and ecological, these food exchanges will not only make you feel better inside, but give a boost to the environment too. - Channel Your Inner Chef: Here's another easy swap to make—trade pre-made for a few more home-cooked meals. Restaurant meals and prepackaged foods often use more resources and are less healthy to boot. Control portion sizes, reduce food waste and be sure your meals use sustainable ingredients by making it yourself. And if dinner feels like too much of a challenge tonight, you can still come out ahead with DIY lunches and breakfasts. - Take A Hike (Or A Bike): Just because you don't bike everywhere doesn't mean you can't reduce your carbon footprint for quick trips and small errands. If it's just going to be a “short drive,” think about hopping on a bike or walking instead. Ditching the car doesn't have to be workout—unless you want it to be! - Shorten That Shower: Speaking of workouts, cleaning up after one is a good time to use all those water-saving suggestions you've heard through the years. You'll save 2 or more gallons of water for every minute you can shave off your shower—plus more if you turn off the water while you shave! Also, cooler, shorter showers are gentler on your skin. - Clean It Up Naturally: “No Chemicals, No Synthetics, No Dyes” isn't just something we say at Veeda, it's also great advice. Ditch harsh cleaning products and switch to eco-friendly natural cleansers like vinegar and essential oils. Just mix equal parts white vinegar and water for a dirt-busting, non-toxic, all-purpose spray. Your body and the planet will thank you. - Get A Little Green Friend: Another way to clean is by getting a new houseplant. Not only do plants help green your décor by bringing the outside in, they can increase oxygen and remove toxins from the air. Ferns, palms and lilies are beautiful and healthy choices to clean your air. - Ditch The Devices: Get away from the computer, unplug your devices and get outside! Our electronic gadgets are great, but they suck a lot of power. Plan some unplugged activities and you'll find yourself saving energy, relaxing your mind and maybe squeezing in some exercise too.
Secondary functions on multile layers. Another way of expanding the tonal system is illustrated by the use of secondary functions many layers deep. Walter Piston makes the point in his Harmony book that one could look at such music in two ways: As an example, we used Hugo Wolf's song Mignon. Here is an analysis of bars 4-7: Point of view a: 4 5 6 7 A flat Maj V/V \| \| \| \| e flat min V \| I \| V/IV \| IV I \| d flat min \| II V \| ( I V/V ) \| \| a flat min \| V/IV \| IV V \| I \| Point of view b: \| \| \| \| g min V/VI\| VI V/IV/IV/VI \| IV/IV/VI V/IV/VI \| IV/VI VI \|Both views are correct and each of them shows a different aspect of the piece: the first one how it modulates (and how unstable to tonality is), while the second one stresses the (tonal) unity of the piece. Mignon has the G minor key signature but there is only one G minor triad (in first inversion) in the entire piece (bar 14, fourth beat). Nevertheless, all chords, starting with the N6 opening the piece and ending with the V closing it, can be labeled in G minor according to our second point of view. A few other less unusual procedures seem to point towards the fact that this composer is testing the limits of the tonal system here. Among them, For the discussion on modes started during the same session, see September 11 [ back to Class Notes \| back to Music 104 \| to Reserve list \| to Syllabus \| back to Courses \| back to Sever Tipei's home page \| Computer Music Project \| Music Composition and Scientific Sonification Project ]
E. Cobham Brewer 18101897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898. Montjoie St. Denis. The war-cry of the French. Montjoie is a corruption of Mons Jovis, as the little mounds were called which served as direction-posts in ancient times; hence it was applied to whatever showed or indicated the way, as the banner of St. Denis, called the Oriflamme. The Burgundians had for their war-cry, Montjoie St. André; the dukes of Bourbon, Montjoie Notre Dame; and the kings of England used to have Montjoie St. George. There seems no sufficient reason to suppose that Montjoie St. Denis is a corruption of St. Denis mon joiei.e. St. Denis is my hope. Montjoie. The cry of the French heralds in the ancient tournaments; and the title of the French king-of-arms.
How to Grow Bilingual Teacher Pathways: Making the Most of U.S. Linguistic and Cultural Diversity 28 August 2023 Twenty-five years into this century, it’s clear that much of what was labeled “twenty-first-century learning”—various education technologies, a range of ill-defined academic skills, etc.—didn’t substantively shift how American public education operates. There have been movements for “flipping classrooms” and pursuing “deeper learning,” and a wide-ranging and controversial effort to raise academic standards to help students “be successful for college and careers in the 21st century.”1 But twenty-first-century public schools, by and large, still largely function as they did in the twentieth. Conor P. Williams Conor P. Williams is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, where he writes about education, immigration, early education, school choice, and work-life balance challenges for American families. He is an expert on American educational inequity, English learner students, dual immersion programs, urban education reform, and the history of progressivism. Jonathan Zabala is a senior policy associate at The Century Foundation, where he works on issues related to educational equity, English language learners, and dual language immersion programs.
People often warn about the amount of cholesterol you get from eating too many eggs. But what if there were health benefits to eggs as well — like drugs that fight cancer, hepatitis, and other diseases? Japanese researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) did just that when they successfully genetically engineered chickens to lay eggs that contain a special pharmaceutical agent. According to a report by The Japan News, the researchers at AIST genetically modified precursor cells of chicken sperm to produce a type of protein that’s related to the immune system called interferon beta. This protein has been found to be effective in treating malignant skin cancer and hepatitis. The modified cells were used to fertilize eggs that produced male chicks. A few rounds of cross-breeding the male chicks resulted in chickens that inherited the genes with interferon beta. Reagent import and sales firm Cosmo Bio Co. in Tokyo, which developed the method together with the AIST researchers and the the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization in Ibaraki Prefecture, now has three hens that lay eggs every one or two day. The egg whites from those eggs contain interferon beta. Why go through such a tedious process? The project’s goal was to potentially reduce the costs of making drugs. “This is a result that we hope leads to the development of cheap drugs,” Hironobu Hojo, professor at Osaka University, told The Japan News. “In the future, it will be necessary to closely examine the characteristics of the agents contained in the eggs and determine their safety as pharmaceutical products.” This is just one example of how gene editing methods can reshape industries, especially healthcare. Others have worked on applying gene editing such as CRISPR directly into cancer cells or to a patient. Producing cheap drugs from chicken eggs is another possibility — and a rather creative one, at that. Moving forward, the researchers plan to work on stabilizing the interferon beta contents of the eggs to produce some a dozen milligrams to 100 milligrams from a single egg.
Thousands of miles of fibre optic cables buried along the US coast are at risk from rising sea levels, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Oregon. With global sea levels rising at an average rate of 3.2mm for the last 20 years, the study warns that critical communications infrastructure could be submerged in as little as 15 years. Buried fibre optic cables are designed to be water-resistant, but they are not waterproof like the marine cables that carry data between continents under the ocean. “Most of the damage that’s going to be done in the next 100 years will be done sooner than later,” said the study’s senior author, UW-Madison professor Paul Barford. “That surprised us. The expectation was that we’d have 50 years to plan for it. We don’t have 50 years.” Some areas are already close to the sea level and just a small rise could endanger internet cables and result in outages. Sea level rise threatens internet in key US cities The study is the first to assess the risk that climate change poses to the internet. It suggests that more than 4,000 miles of cable will be underwater by 2033. More than 1,100 traffic hubs – physical infrastructure that facilitates the exchange of internet traffic – are also at risk. The cities most susceptible are Miami, Seattle and New York, with one of the world’s most important hubs located in Manhattan. Cables, hubs and data centres in these cities are part of a global network, which means any disruption on coastal areas could have a ripple effect across the world. Serious and urgent action needed Much of the internet’s infrastructure is buried and follows long-established rights of way, typically paralleling highways and coastlines, says Barford. “When it was built 20-25 years ago, no thought was given to climate change.” 3 Things That Will Change the World Today Improving sea defences, such as building additional sea walls, could buy some time, but according to Bradford “in the long run it’s just not going to be effective”. The peer-reviewed study combined data from the Internet Atlas, a comprehensive global map of the internet’s physical structure, and projections of sea level incursion from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The study only evaluated US cities and found the networks of CenturyLink, Inteliquent and AT&T to be at highest risk. Bradford urged both industry and government to take action or risk losing internet connectivity in highly populated areas. “This is a wake-up call,” he said. “We need to be thinking about how to address this issue.”
- What are fires and how do they occur? - What are the Four Classifications of Fire? - What is a fire extinguisher? - Air Pressurized Water extinguisher - Carbon Dioxide extinguisher - Dry Chemical extinguisher - How to do the PASS Technique when using a fire extinguisher? Other EMS Training Presentations Portable Fire Extinguisher Training by University of GeorgiaDate Created: 2004 Number of Slides: 20 OHSA Regulations: This presentation is compliant with 29 CFR 1910.157. Created by: University of Georgia Fire Safety and Fire Extinguisher Use by State of Nevada Risk ManagementDate Created: 2011 Number of Slides: 21 OHSA Regulations: This presentation is compliant with 29 CFR 1910.157. Created by: State of Nevada Risk Management Fire Extinguisher Inspection PPT East Tennessee State University has produced a presentation that highlights Inspection Procedures on slides #9 and #15. Fire Extinguisher Maintenance and Inspection must be done on a regular basis to ensure that the device is working properly. A general information on inspecting and maintaining a fire extinguisher is given for each individual. Topics included are: Inspection Protocols and Procedures, Inspection Schedule and Tips on Inspection and Maintenance. Fire Extinguisher Types and Application PPT A presentation produced by the Oklahoma State University emphasizes on the different type of extinguishers and their specific uses on slides #9 t #20. A knowledge on extinguisher types gives an individual awareness of it’s appropriate usage on each type of fire and their limitations. Types included are: Water (APW) Fire Extinguishers, Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers and Dry Chemical (ABC) Fire Extinguishers. Each type are discussed explaining their Purpose and Proper Usage, Identification and Composition, Application to Different Fire Types. Fire Extinguisher Signage PPT This presentation contains slides on fire extinguisher signage starting on slide #4 and ending on slide #8. It was made by Pathways to Work to inform and educate users on fire safety. Different types of Fire Extinguishers vary in composition and application. Understanding the Fire Extinguisher Signage to determine its proper usage and application during an emergency is the objective of this presentation. Topics included are: Sign Color Coding, Type of Fire Application, and Limitation of Each type of Extinguisher.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize - winning historian Barbara Tuchman explores the complex relationship of Britain to Palestine that led to the founding of the modern Jewish state - and to many of the problems that plague the Middle East today. From early times, the British people have been drawn to the Holy Land through two major influences: the translation of the Bible into English and, later, the imperial need to control the road to India and access to the oil in the Middle East. Under these influences, one cultural and the other political, countless Englishmen - pilgrims, crusaders, missionaries, merchants, explorers, and surveyors - have made their way to the land of the ancient Hebrews. With the lucidity and vividness that characterizes her work, Barbara Tuchman brings to life the development of these twin motives - the Bible and the sword - in the consciousness of the British people, until they were finally brought together at the end of World War I when Britain's conquest of Palestine from the Turks and the solemn moment of entering Jerusalem were imminent. Requiring a gesture of matching significance, that event evoked the Balfour Declaration of 1917, establishing a British-sponsored national home for the modern survivors of the people of the Old Testament. In her account, first published in 1956, Ms. Tuchman demonstrates that the seeds of today's troubles in the Middle East were planted long before the first efforts at founding a modern state of Israel. ©1984 Barbara W. Tuchman; (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc. "Barbara Tuchman is a wise and witty writer, a shrewd observer with a lively command of high drama." (Philadelphia Inquirer) "In her métier as a narrative popular historical writer, Barbara Tuchman is supreme." (Chicago Sun-Times) Once again, Barbara Tuckman has done a fine job of bringing history to life. Her review of the 1900 years of English fascination with the Holy Lands/Palestine leading up to the Balfour Mandate was very interesting. The insight on how all of that history led to the recreation of Israel as a Nation in Palestine was very informative. There is much shared in this book that many miss when considering the current situation of Arab and Jew. Again this is a great book to help you understand the history and troubles of the holy land and why the three main world religions have been fighting for 2000 years. I pray that the world could just gain the understand of each others religions could help to bring peace to all. Great book to learn why we do what we do. It's hard to say who would or even could enjoy it more. This subject was right up my alley but was incredibly dry. So dry that even a reading by McCaddon couldn't save it. It was not remotely as engaging as Guns of August Hard to say I would have cut anything so much as rearranged it or expanded them. I might give this another try. Maybe the issue is that the book doesn't lend itself to an audio version and the printed work is much easier to follow. The storytelling was lacking for an audible presentation. A very thorough examination of literature over the centuries revealing Britain's and England's peculiar relationship with the Hebrews and Zionism. Good for the amateur; essentail for the scholar. As usual, Barbara Tuchman offers up a well-written, heavily researched book that is entertaining and informative, but I found the lack of objectivity in places so strong that it made me question her grasp of the subject matter. I get it that she doesn't subscribe to the Judeo-Christian tradition as a personal faith, but it seems like she has so little respect for it that she ended up misinterpreting or just plain missing the finer points of these two religions that she doesn't stoop to understand. The conclusions she draws are weaker for it, I feel. Maybe Nadia May's sneering tone exacerbated this sense... after listening to her narrate three Tuchman books in a row now, I'm starting to dislike her voice quite a lot. Still... the book has MUCH insight to offer, all the same, and I would recommend it for a thorough chronicle of the progression of events and motives that led to the curious position we find ourselves in today. I knew the history of the Palestine, but not how woven British history was with it back thousands of years. Well researched and explained. I'm downloading my next Tuchman book now. Report Inappropriate Content
Iphone 4 ranked ‘middle in the pack’ in radiation hazard CNN most recently reported that the radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer, according to the World Health Organization. The agency now lists mobile phone use in the same “carcinogenic hazard” category as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform. A team of 31 scientists was set up for reviewing peer-reviewed studies on cell phone safety. The team found enough evidence to categorize personal exposure as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” Now how is this related to the iPhone and what are its impacts? The iPhone 4 rated 1.17 watts per kilogram, just below the 1.19W/kg of the iPhone 3GS. The older iPhone 3G has a lower radiation rate of 1.03 W/kg. The FCC’s legal limit for SAR on a mobile devices is 1.6 W/kg. The phone with the lowest rated radiation emissions was an LG Quantum with just 0.35 W/kg. The phones with the most radiation were the Motorola Bravo & Motorola Droid 2 Global, at 1.59 W/kg and 1.58 W/kg respectively. Apple advices its customers to keep the phone at least 15mm away from the body when communicating. The WHO suggests people to use headphones and recommends that you keep your mobile phone in a purse/backpack/suitcase or anything else that avoids direct body contact.
ACTION NEED(ED) NOW - 1962 L.M.”Buzz” Lein, writing as J.P. Savage From Nipigon Historical Museum Archives: “One of these years we are going to become unpleasantly aware of the fact that the fish population in our area will be on the decrease. This isn’t going to happen right away, nor in five years, but it is going to happen. Then, we will sit around and weep large round tears, watery remembrances of better days past. Why are the fish going to become less numerous? Fishing pressure and a lack of basic knowledge of fish farming. It is that easy. At present in the area people are fishing in virgin waters and there are not too many fishing on a per square mile of water basis. As the area opens up and more roads are built, more people can get into previously unfished lakes. The number of fishermen is increasing yearly whereas the area of fishing water isn’t. There is only one thing to do – increase the yield of fish per acre of water. This is easy to say, but very difficult to do because no one knows what to do. And no one is going to know what to do because no one is doing anything. What about lampreys? As viewed from here, this is another classic example of locking the door after the horse is stolen. Up until the time money income from lake trout started a spectacular decline, the lamprey was an unpleasant parasite whose presence was deplored and ignored. It is not probable that the lamprey-type threat will occur in the large inland lakes of Northwestern Ontario although it is possible that Lake Nipigon may some day be infected. But it highly probable that fishing pressure at some future date will reduce the fish population to the point where an angler will keep his fishing tackle as an interesting reminder of what used to be. It isn’t necessary to permit all this. It isn’t even necessary to let the fish population be wiped out. What is necessary is a quick start on the factors influencing the growth and yield of these delightful aquatic denizens. But, if anyone is doing any biological research along these lines it is a well-kept secret and secrets aren’t kept long in Northwestern Ontario. Therefore, it is assumed that there is no specific research. What should be done now is to have a corps of biologists out through the district working at biology and not being game wardens as well. If such a corps were out working on specific problems, on specific locations, something might be learned. It wouldn’t be learned cheaply, nor would it be learned quickly, but it would be learned. Once the biologists discovered what should be done, a practical program to carry this out could be started. The big question right now is when is something constructive going to be done, and on a scale that will be produce results?” Written for the Times Journal , June 1962.
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine which deals with the diseases of the eye and their treatment. The word ophthalmology comes from the Greek roots ophthalmos meaning eye and logos meaning word; ophthalmology literally means "The science of eyes." As a discipline it applies to animal eyes also, since the differences from human practice are surprisingly minor and are related mainly to differences in anatomy or prevalence, not differences in disease processes. By convention, the term ophthalmologist is more restricted and implies a medically trained specialist. Since ophthalmologists perform operations on eyes, they are generally categorized as surgeons. History of ophthalmologyEdit The eye, including its structure and mechanism, has fascinated scientists and the public since ancient times. The discovery of the eye went through two cycles of limiting speculation and freeing observation, which led to a dark age between Galen and Vesalius. Arab scientists are some of the earliest to have written about and drawn the anatomy of the eye—the earliest known diagram being in Hunain ibn Is-hâq's Book of the Ten Treatises on the Eye. Earlier manuscripts exist which refer to diagrams which are not known to have survived. Current knowledge of the Græco-Roman understanding of the eye is limited, as many manuscripts lacked diagrams. In fact, very few Græco-Roman diagrams of the eye are still in existence. Thus, it is not clear to which structures the texts refer, and what purpose they were thought to have. The pre-Hippocratics largely based their anatomical conceptions of the eye on speculation, rather than empiricism. They recognised the sclera and transparent cornea running flushly as the outer coating of the eye, with an inner layer with pupil, and a fluid at the centre. It was believed, by Alcamaeon and others, that this fluid was the medium of vision and flowed from the eye to the brain via a tube. Aristotle advanced such ideas with empiricism. He dissected the eyes of animals, and discovering three layers (not two), found that the fluid was of a constant consistency with the lens forming (or congealing) after death, and the surrounding layers were seen to be juxtaposed. He, and his contemporaries, further put forth the existence of three tubes leading from the eye, not one. One tube from each eye met within the skull. Alexandrian studies extensively contributed to knowledge of the eye. Aëtius tells us that Herophilus dedicated an entire study to the eye which no longer exists. In fact, no manuscripts from the region and time are known to have survived, leading us to rely on Celsius' account;which is seen as a confused account written by a man who did not know the subject matter. From Celsius it is known that the lens had been recognised, and they no longer saw a fluid flowing to the brain through some hollow tube, but likely a continuation of layers of tissue into the brain. Celsius failed to recognise the retina's role, and did not think it was the tissue that continued into the brain. Rufus recognised a more modern eye, with conjunctiva, extending as a fourth epithelial layer over the eye. Rufus was the first to recognise a two chambered eye - with one chamber from cornea to lens (filled with water), the other from lens to retina (filled with an egg-white-like substance). Galen remedied some mistakes including the curvature of the cornea and lens, the nature of the optic nerve, and the existence of a posterior chamber. Though this model was roughly a correct but simplistic modern model of the eye, it contained errors. Yet it was not advanced upon again until after Vesalius. A ciliary body was then discovered and the sclera, retina, choroid and cornea were seen to meet at the same point. The two chambers were seen to hold the same fluid as well as the lens being attached to the choroid. Galen continued the notion of a central canal, though he dissected the optic nerve, and saw it was solid, He mistakenly counted seven optical muscles, one too many. He also knew of the tear ducts. After Galen a period of speculation is again noted by Arab scientists - the lens modified Galen's model to place the lens in the middle of the eye, a notion which lasted until Versalius reversed the era of speculation. He, however, was not an ophthalmologist and taught that the eye was a more primitive notion than the notion of both Galen and the Arabian scientists - the cornea was not seen as being of greater curvature and the posterior side of the lens wasn't seen to be larger. Understanding of the eye had been so slow to develop because for a long time the lens was perceived to be the seat of vision, not a tool of vision. This mistake was corrected when Fabricius and his successors correctly placed the lens and developed the modern notion of the structure of the eye. They removed the idea of Galen's seventh muscle (the retractor bulbi) and reinstated the correct curvatures of the lens and cornea, as well as stating the ciliary body as a connective structure between the lens and the choroid. The seventeenth and eighteenth century saw the use of hand-lenses (by Malpighi), microscopes (van Leeuwenhoek), preparations for fixing the eye for study (Ruysch) and later the freezing of the eye (Petit). This allowed for detailed study of the eye and an advanced model. Some mistakes persisted such as: why the pupil changed size (seen to be vessels of the iris filling with blood), the existence of the posterior chamber, and of course the nature of the retina. In 1722 Leeuwenhoek noted the existence of rods and cones though they were not properly discovered until Treviranus in 1834 by use of a microscope. The establishment of the first dedicated ophthalmic hospital in 1805 - now called Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, England was a transforming event in modern ophthalmology. Clinical developments at Moorfields and the founding of the Institute of Ophthalmology by Sir Stewart Duke-Elder established the site as the largest eye hospital in the world and a nexus for ophthalmic research. Wikibooks contains books on many medical topics; however, no warranty whatsoever is made that any of the books are accurate. There is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in a book touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. The overwhelming majority of such books are written, in part or in whole, by nonprofessionals. Even if a statement made about medicine is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. The medical information provided on Wikibooks is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist/chemist, and so on). Wikibooks is not a doctor. None of the individual contributors, system operators, developers, sponsors of Wikibooks nor anyone else connected to Wikibooks can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site. Nothing on Wikibooks.org or included as part of any project of Wikimedia Foundation Inc., should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
\| Poodles appear in art from ancient Rome. Poodles do not shed and are popular for breeding with other dogs to produce a relatively non-allergenic hybrid. The name Poodle comes from a German word describing someone who likes the water. Poodles are widely considered to be French, but there is debate over whether they may have originated in Germany or Denmark. Chad Animal Rescue Chad is Iocated in Sub-Saharan Africa and spans across approximateIy 495,000 square miIes. Threatened species known from Chad include the Addax, African Wild Ass, Black Rhinoceros, and Dallon's Gerbil. The capital of Chad is N'Djamena.
\|English for Beginners Practical English Travel English Telephone English Banking English Accounting English Dictionary\| \|Audio English.org » Dictionary » R » Real Stuff ... Reasoning\| Dictionary entry overview: What does rear admiral mean? • REAR ADMIRAL (noun) The noun REAR ADMIRAL has 1 sense: 1. an admiral junior to a vice admiral Familiarity information: REAR ADMIRAL used as a noun is very rare. Dictionary entry details \|Sense 1\|\|rear admiral [BACK TO TOP]\| An admiral junior to a vice admiral Nouns denoting people Hypernyms ("rear admiral" is a kind of...): flag officer (a senior naval officer above the rank of captain) \|Learn English with... Proverbs of the week\|
The city of Phoenix has unveiled its new compressed natural gas (CNG) solid waste trucks, which collect trash and recyclables for nearly 400,000 Phoenix households. Currently, the Public Works Department operates six CNG solid waste trucks and within two months, 20 percent of its fleet of solid waste trucks will be CNG vehicles. John Trujillo, Acting Director of the Phoenix Public Works Department, will tell us more about the CNG trucks. Researchers at the University of Arizona are looking at how to use compressed air to store solar and wind power. Professor Pierre Deymier, director of the School of Sustainable Engineered Systems at the University of Arizona, and graduate student Krishna Muralidharan discuss the project.
Written by Samantha Wilson, May 19th, 2016 Winter in some parts of Australia can be harsh, and it is important to remember that our pets need special attention during these long, cold months. In the colder months, pets’ diets need to increase in energy intake rather than fat content. Animals shouldn’t gain weight over winter; they should just maintain body condition. As your pet is burning more energy in winter to keep warm, it is important to make sure they have plenty of water. As food intake varies for different pets and breeds, it is best to refer to your local Pet Expert for specific feeding requirements. As we all know, the last thing we want to do in winter is go out and face those cold, harsh conditions. Although it is much more comfortable to curl up under a blanket, our dogs need to be exercised regularly for their physical and mental health. So put on a nice warm coat and head outside; your dog’s wellbeing will thank you for it. One of the most important things for a pet that is kept outside in winter is to ensure they have a warm place to sleep at night. Dogs and cats that are lean, have short coats or do not have a double coat need an extra layer of protection from the elements, such as wind and rain. They need insulated kennels, blankets, and raised beds that keep them off the cold ground. An insulated kennel is best for all outside pets, and make sure the opening of the kennel is not facing the wind. COLD TIP: Attach a dog or cat door to the opening of the kennel. That way the kennel opening can be closed off so the cold isn’t constantly flowing in, but your pet can still push through the flap to get in or out. Rabbits cope well living outside in the colder months, provided they have a warm shelter to go to. The shelter must be well insulated, water proof, and raised off the ground to encourage the air to circulate and stop the bottom becoming damp. Heat mats are also a great addition to their hutch that will keep it toasty and warm. Guinea pigs should not be housed outside during the extremes of winter, as their survival rate dramatically decreases when the temperature drops below 17C. They are very susceptible to temperature changes, so a mild 22C winter’s day that drops to 7C overnight can lead to an Upper Respiratory Infection that could become fatal if not treated. It is during winter that your pet’s coat must be at its best, as this is when they need the insulation. Shorthaired breeds have short coats that do not insulate as well therefore they will need the extra protection of a coat. Long coat breeds are able to self insulate, however owners must make sure that their coat does not have any mats or debris, as this will interrupt the insulation effect. Pets still need to be washed in winter, however not as regularly. Make sure it is done on a relatively warm day, and that they are towel or blow dried thoroughly before being exposed to the elements. It is also important to check your pet’s paws after a walk, because the cold, wet ground can cause cracks or redness between the toes. During winter, animals are more susceptible to health concerns because their immune systems are lower due to exposure to stress from the cold. Regular physical examinations from a Pet Expert or Vet are advised in winter to make sure your pet is coping. Illnesses such as Frostbite and Hypothermia are common during winter months, and can be fatal if not treated. Look out for signs of these illnesses, such as firm, waxy skin and blisters. Arthritis is a very common illness that can flare up in colder months, often caused by injury, obesity, or genetics. 1 in 5 dogs suffer from the pain and disability caused by arthritis, and it is more common in outdoor dogs. This is a very debilitating disease that will dampen your dog’s quality of life if not treated, so it is important to be aware. Checking for arthritis: It is important to ask your Pet Expert to check for the signs of arthritis, such as soreness or restriction in the limbs, clicking or crunching sounds when moving the limbs, or behavioural abnormalities. If your pet is showing these signs, you will be referred to a vet where treatments will be discussed. CARS = WINTER DANGER One of the largest pet dangers in winter is actually our car. Firstly, the chemical Antifreeze which can leak from your cars radiator, tastes delicious to animals, however it is deadly if consumed. If you see your animal acting drunk or convulsing, take them to a vet immediately. Secondly, a very inviting spot for your cat to curl up and sleep in is underneath or inside of your car’s bonnet. There have been many cases where a cat is inside the car’s motor and the car is started, leading to tragedy. For this reason we suggest keeping animals away from garages at winter, and be careful of chemical spills if you take them for a walk and see them sniffing around a neighbour’s driveway. REMEMBER if it is too cold for you, it is probably too cold for your pet!
Let the Mothers Do It. By KAZ DZIAMKA. March 24 / 25, 2007 Not only does American democracy rank a miserable 17th on the list of the world's modern democracies (according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's index of democracy); it also doesn't fare well when compared with traditional Native American democracies, in particular, with the Iroquois Confederacy--the Haudenosaunee--"the oldest living participatory democracy on earth." In "Perceptions of America's Native Democracies," Donald A. Grinde Jr. and Bruce E. Johansen point out that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, among others, could benefit--and did benefit to some extent--from Native Americans' experience in designing functional democracies. Unfortunately, being racist and sexist as well as mostly contemptuous of direct democracy, our Founding Fathers failed to take full advantage of the political genius of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy: The Mohawks, the Oneidas, the Onondagas, the Cayugas, the Senecas, and the Tuscaroras. Among the Iroquois provisions absent from the U.S. Constitution is the law that allows Iroquois clan mothers to initiate impeachment against incompetent or criminal political leaders, or "sachems": (Click here to read more)
DunkinDonuts Code of Ethics Analysis Essay A code of ethics is a formal document in which is used to assist members of an organization, to know what’s ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’ in the work place and applying it to their decisions. A code of ethics is a written set of rules or guidelines to help the workers and management ‘conduct’ or direct their actions with its primary values and ethical standards. A code of ethics is important because without it, employees and management wouldn’t have guidelines and the establishment would resemble a crazy house. Consider the establishment, Dunkin Donuts. Dunkin Donuts is a food establishment well-known for their famous donuts, coffee and their slogan “America runs on Dunkin”. Without a code of ethics, the industry would most likely be extremely hard to control. Within the Code of Ethics document there are a set of rules. One important rule for the workers of Dunkin Donuts to go by is Partnering with others. How the workers of the establishment partner with each other is very crucial. If employees are constant bickering or clashing heads it could disrupt the peace the homely environment that customers enjoy. In the document it states, when management chooses employees to work for the establishment they look for the person to possess basic skills, education, personal qualities, and financial resources necessary to perform and fulfill the needs and requirements of a franchise. It states that the Dunkin’ Donuts industry does not discriminate against race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factors prohibited by law. If a person applying for a position doesn’t obtain the qualities that the employer is looking for, the person applying will not receive the job. Not b. . . when dealing with the code of ethics. When becoming an employee at a Dunkin’ Donuts establishment it is important for them to have a personal responsibility to understand and apply ethical behavior and act with the highest degree of ethics. The Code of Ethics provides managers and employees with guidelines and expectations on how to behave when working in the workplace. It is extremely important to provide workers with a Code of ethics because without it employees would be lost and wouldn’t have guidelines on how to be their best when working at the said Dunkin’ Donuts establishment. The Dunkin’ donuts industry is extremely dependent on they’re every day dealings with their co-workers. The Code of Ethics makes it easier for each worker to do the best they can when working for Dunkin’ Donuts and comply themselves to all their responsibilities the greatest they can.
October 1930: An Article in the Angleton Times Newspaper told of a proposed Scout Camp on the Berbard River. October 11, 1954: The first 172 acres of what is now Camp Karankawa was ourchased. March 16, 1955: The first Camp Ranger, Paul V. Clegg, was hired. May 9, 1955: The official name of Karankawa was adopted for the camp, based on the Karankawa Indians from this area. June 4, 1955: The official dedication of Camp Karankawa occured on this date with 300 Scouts in attendance, and opened the first year of Summer Camp. July 14, 1969: An additional 88 acres known as the Quahadi Area (a particular tribe of the Karankawas) was purchased for the purpose of building a lake on the property. May 30, 1984: An additional 54 acres of property was purchased and construction on the Lake began. Today: Camp Karankawa is 450 acres of beautiful wilderness, complete with a horse corral, archery and BB gun ranges, a swimming pool, camping sites with fire rings, brand new restrooms and showers, a dining facility and a trading post.
The Venus Project proposes an alternative vision of what the future can be if we apply what we already know in order to achieve a sustainable new world civilization. It calls for a straightforward redesign of our culture in which the age-old inadequacies of war, poverty, hunger, debt and unnecessary human suffering are viewed not only as avoidable, but as totally unacceptable. Anything less will result in a continuation of the same catalogue of problems inherent in today’s world. Today many people believe what is needed is a higher sense of ethical standards and the enactment of international laws to assure a sustainable global society. The Venus Project is a socio-economic design that proposes a system where automation and technology would be intelligently integrated to maximize the quality of life rather than profits It also proposes using giant underwater turbines to convert the energy from deep-ocean currents into clean electric power. The Venus Project is the culmination of Jacque Fresco’s life’s work to present a sustainable redesign of our culture. In our view, The Venus Project is unlike any political, economic or social system that’s gone before it. It lays out a sustainable world civilization where technology and the methods of science are applied to redesigning our social system with the prime concern being to maximize quality of life rather than profit. All aspects of society are scrutinized – from our values, education, and urban design to how we relate to nature and to one another 2. The Venus Project proposes a Resource Based Economy that would make it possible for us to use technology to overcome some scarce resources by applying renewable sources of energy, computerizing and automating manufacturing and inventory, designing safe energy-efficient cities and advanced transportation systems, providing universal health care and more relevant education, and most of all by generating a new incentive system based on human and environmental concern 3. The project is also exploring the use of blockchain technology to create a secure and transparent system for managing hyperloop operations. This technology could help to reduce the risk of fraud and improve the efficiency of hyperloop operations. In conclusion, The Venus Project proposes a sustainable future for humanity by developing new technologies, engaging with governments around the world, and exploring the use of blockchain technology. These efforts are expected to make our world more efficient, equitable, and sustainable. Stay tuned for more updates from The Venus Project! Please note that this is a general article and not a paid promotion. It is intended to provide information about The Venus Project and its efforts to propose a sustainable future for humanity.
Twenty-three European Union states agreed Friday to set up a new treaty, giving up crucial powers over their own budgets in an attempt to overcome a crippling debt crisis. Q: Who's in it? A: All 17 countries that use the euro, plus Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. Those six states are likely to eventually adopt the common currency, so it makes sense for them to subscribe to the rules now. Q: Who's not in it? A: The U.K. and Hungary gave a clear "no," while Sweden and the Czech Republic left the door open to sign up at some point. Q: Why did Europe need a new treaty? A: For the past two years, the countries that share the euro have been rocked by a debt crisis that has recently threatened the survival of the common currency itself. Germany and France in particular argued that only tough rules enshrined in a treaty would convince markets that all countries will be able to repay their debts and a similar crisis will never happen again. Q: How will that be achieved? A: Debt brakes in national constitutions: All 23 countries commit to keep their deficits below 0.5 percent of economic output. That cap can only be broken in exceptional circumstances or to counteract a recession. The European Court of Justice will make sure all states' debt brakes are effective. — More automatic penalties for deficit sinners: It will be more difficult for countries to stop one of their partners from being punished for breaking the EU's debt and deficit rules. In the past, governments often protected their partners from being sanctioned. — All states have to tell their partners in advance how much debt they plan to take on through bond sales. Q: What else did they decide? A: The eurozone, together with other willing EU states, will give as much as euro200 billion to the International Monetary Fund, so that the IMF can help beef up the eurozone's firewalls. — The eurozone's new, permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, will take over from the current rescue fund, the European Financial Stability Facility, one year ahead of schedule, in July 2012. Unlike the EFSF, a hastily set up private company owned by all eurozone states, the ESM is a permanent organization run by governments. It also has paid-in capital, similar to a bank, and is therefore more credible on financial markets. — Decision-making in the ESM was simplified in emergency situations, giving a majority of 85 percent of capital holders the power to decide on giving a struggling country a bailout. That is meant to stop small countries from blocking or slowing down urgent rescues, as has happened in the past. — The eurozone scaled back the rules to force banks and other private investors to take losses when a country gets a bailout from the ESM. The previous push to inflict losses on bondholders has been blamed for exacerbating the crisis. Q: What did they fail to agree on? A) Eurozone leaders did not decide to boost the overall firepower of their own bailout funds, which is currently limited to euro500 billion. They promised to reconsider that cap in March, shortly before the ESM comes into force. — They did not give a clear signal that the European Central Bank will take on a bigger role in fighting the crisis by buying up bonds from struggling countries on a massive scale to keep their funding costs in check. — They did not agree to more intrusive powers for the European Commission over the fiscal policies of wayward states, as had been demanded by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and some nations. Instead, they promised to "examine swiftly" much more lenient proposals from the Commission. 4) They did not allow the bailout funds to directly recapitalize failing banks. That could have prevented countries from taking on more debt when they have to bail out lenders. Q: Will it work? A: Initial market reaction to the deal was lukewarm and many of the details of the new treaty and how the firewalls will function remain to be worked out. After many summits that claimed to have ended the crisis, investors and analysts have become cautious in their assessment of yet another grand declaration. Much will depend on whether the stricter fiscal rules can persuade the ECB to unleash massive funds to buy up eurozone bad debt.
After an update about the Black Fire in southern New Mexico and efforts to fight it, a woman attending a community meeting in Truth or Consequences on Thursday asked for information about what it is like to be evacuated, telling the officials that she’d never faced an evacuation before. Thousands of New Mexicans have been forced to leave their homes as wildfires char hundreds of thousands of acres across the state. Hundreds of structures are known to have been lost this year to wildfires in New Mexico. With fires likely to increase under climate change scenarios, new policies may be needed and researchers with Resources for the Future say these policies may need to take into account the demographics of areas with higher levels of fire hazards. The Black Fire—which is close to 200,000 acres—ignited on April 13 and has since grown to be the third largest in state history. It is burning at the same time that the largest wildfire the state has seen—the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire—continues to burn. A 2018 study found that the number of homes located in areas with high levels of fire hazards increased by more than 40 percent between 1990 and 2010. A new study published this month in the journal Environmental Research Letters that focused on the demographics of the people living in those areas with high risk of wildfires in the western United States cited the 2018 study. The new study was conducted by researchers from the group Resources for the Future. Matthew Wibbenmeyer, a fellow at Resources for the Future, was the lead author. Wibbenmeyer and his teammate, Molly Robertson, found that homes with a market value in the top 10 percent were 70 percent more likely to be located in areas with high levels of fire hazards. What that means is that areas with higher fire risk tend to also have wealthier residents. But that is not always the case. The paper also found that vulnerable populations such as very low-income families, Native Americans and the elderly are also disproportionately represented among those living in the high fire risk areas. Those populations, the paper states, may be less resilient and able to recover after a wildfire burns through their area. This is because of less household wealth, insurance coverage, less access to credit or poor health. “Though exposure to wildfire hazard falls disproportionately on higher income households with higher property values, vulnerability—susceptibility to damage or loss in the case of a wildfire event—may be distributed differently,” the study states. When it comes to the wealthier homeowners, they often live in more densely populated areas like suburbs. Areas like California, Arizona, the Salt Lake City region of Utah and the Colorado Front Range tend to have pockets of wealthy, more densely populated communities that are located in places with higher levels of fire risk. But, in many parts of the western United States, the areas are less densely populated and less likely to have wealthy homeowners living there. Many of the counties in New Mexico currently experiencing wildfires have large populations of people living in poverty, according to U.S. Census data. Wibbenmeyer said he began researching the demographics of those living in fire-prone areas a few years ago following questions from a media outlet. The study results lead to questions about what policies should be in place for people living in areas that are known to have a large amount of fire hazards. He said there are things that can be done to reduce wildfire hazards such as thinning of forests and prescribed burning. But all of those things have costs associated with them. “One of the implications of this paper is that some of these households that are in high fire hazard areas should probably be bearing some more of the cost,” he said. At the same time, he said the caveat to that is that “it’s certainly not universally the case of higher-income households living in high fire hazard areas.” That is why, he said, the paper suggests a targeted approach or, as the study states, a “more geographically targeted approach focused on reducing the burden for the most vulnerable communities.” Wibbenmeyer said he is now working on a study that looks at how wildfire hazards impact people’s decisions about where they live. He said his current study is looking at how the increasing costs related to living in fire-prone areas—such as rising insurance premiums—is changing who decides to live in places like forests and mountains. “Will you see these areas continue to be areas where high income households flocked to for the amenity value or, as the cost of living in these areas increases, will you see it start to shift to more sort of lower income households buying homes and these risky areas?” he said. Meanwhile, as fires continue to destroy property and force people from their homes, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, Democrats from New Mexico, and Alex Padilla, a Democrat from California, have introduced legislation that would allow states and local governments to use the federal Fire Management Assistance Grant program to reimburse them for the pre-deployment of assets intended to prevent fires from becoming out of control. Currently, states and local governments can only be reimbursed for costs incurred after the funding is granted. It also allows the federal government to increase its share of the costs beyond 75 percent. “As New Mexico battles the largest wildfire in state history, it’s crucial that state and local governments have the necessary tools to respond to these disasters,” Luján said in a press release. The three senators also introduced the Post Fire Flooding and Debris Flow Act, which would make it so efforts to mitigate and prevent post-wildfire flooding and debris flow are eligible for funding under the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which is under the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “New Mexicans have learned all too well over the past decade that some of the hardest work to recover from these events often begins after the fires are extinguished,” Heinrich said in a press release. “We are seeing the costly toll the climate crisis and these record-breaking fires are having on our communities, our forests, and our watersheds. That is why I’m working to better equip our federal firefighters and first responders for more destructive wildfire seasons and the flooding and erosion that come in their aftermath.”
A Natural HistoryBook - 2007 Draws on recent scientific discoveries to document new understandings about the historical contributions of dogs, covering such topics as the domestication of canines, the differences between wild and companion dogs, and the intricacies of the canine mind. Publisher: New York : Smithsonian Books/Collins, c2007 Edition: 1st ed Branch Call Number: 636.7 Pa Characteristics: xxii, 228 p. : ill. ; 24 cm
PROMPT AND DELAYED NEUTRONS Reactor Theory (Neutron Characteristics) Prompt and Delayed Neutrons Summary Prompt neutrons are released directly from fission within 10 seconds of the Delayed neutrons are released from the decay of fission products that are called delayed neutron precursors. Delayed neutron precursors are grouped according to half-life. Half-lives vary from fractions of a second to almost a minute. The fraction of neutrons born as delayed neutrons is different for different fuel materials. Following are values for some common fuel materials. Delayed neutrons are produced by a classification of fission products known as delayed neutron precursors. When a delayed neutron precursor undergoes a decay, it results in an excited daughter nucleus which immediately ejects a neutron. Therefore, these delayed neutrons appear with a half-life of the delayed The delayed neutron generation time is the total time from the birth of the fast neutron to the emission of the delayed neutron in the next generation. Delayed neutron generation times are dominated by the half-life of the delayed neutron precursor. The average delayed neutron generation time is about 12.5 seconds. A prompt neutron generation time is the sum of the amount of time it takes a fast neutron to thermalize, the amount of time the neutron exists as a thermal neutron before it is absorbed, and the amount of time between a fissionable nuclide absorbing a neutron and fission neutrons being released. Prompt neutron generation time is about 5 x 10 seconds. The average neutron generation time can be calculated from the prompt and delayed neutron generation times and the delayed neutron fraction using Delayed neutrons are responsible for the ability to control the rate at which power can rise in a reactor. If only prompt neutrons existed, reactor control would not be possible due to the rapid power changes.
The laptop motherboard, frequently referred to as the center of the machine, is a miracle of engineering that orchestrates the symphony of parts in just a portable research device. Helping whilst the main worried program, the motherboard plays a crucial role in facilitating connection involving the CPU, memory, storage, and various peripherals. Knowledge the complicated style and functionalities of a laptop motherboard is essential to comprehending the device’s overall performance and capabilities. The Link of Connection: At its essence, the notebook motherboard acts because the heart of connectivity, integrating numerous components to ensure seamless communication. It accommodates the model socket, storage slots, growth slots, and connectors for peripherals such as USB locations, audio jacks, and screen outputs. Primary Structure and Chipsets: The architectural style of a notebook motherboard is delicately linked with the decision of processors and chipsets. Modern laptops often function integrated design, audio, and system abilities on the motherboard, lowering the necessity for extra growth cards and contributing to a more compact design. Miniaturization and Compact Style: The constant pursuit of miniaturization and performance in notebooks is reflected in the design of their motherboards. Lightweight styles, surface-mounted parts, and custom fittings allow makers to generate leaner and light laptops without diminishing performance. Energy Supply and Administration: Effective power distribution and administration are critical facets of notebook motherboard design. Voltage regulators make sure that the CPU and different parts receive the appropriate power levels, optimizing performance while minimizing energy consumption. Sophisticated power management features also donate to increased battery living in lightweight devices. Incorporated Graphics and GPU Integration: Many notebooks incorporate graphics running units (GPUs) directly onto the motherboard. This integration increases design performance for everyday tasks and gentle gaming without the need for a dedicated artwork card, contributing to the laptop’s compact kind factor. Notebook motherboards determine the storage hierarchy of the machine, deciding the type and amount of RAM that can be installed. Memory slots on the motherboard directly influence the laptop’s multitasking functions and overall speed. While laptops are generally less expanding than their desktop counterparts, some motherboards function growth slots for specific components such as dedicated artwork cards, extra storage, and other peripherals. These expansion possibilities differ based on the laptop’s design and supposed usage. Diagnostic and Repair Problems: Restoring or replacing parts on a notebook motherboard 0YT5HK be quite a tough job due to the small character of the device. Surface-mounted parts, amazing connections, and limited convenience can create obstacles for individuals attempting DIY repairs. Skilled specialists designed with particular resources are often required for delicate motherboard repairs. In conclusion, the laptop motherboard stands as a testament to technical innovation, mixing intricate style, connectivity, and energy management to provide a tight however strong processing experience. As notebooks continue steadily to evolve, so also can the sophistication of these motherboards, surrounding the ongoing future of portable computing.
21 December, 2021 Getting resources to children in need Learning Differences Programme / Partner story Photo provided by DonorsChoose Too often in America, a student’s postcode determines the quality of children’s education. Across the United States, schools that serve mostly students of colour receive USD 23 billion less in funding per year than schools that serve mostly White students . Teachers can often end up footing the bill to buy what’s needed themselves – indeed, according to a 2018 federal Department of Education survey, they spend nearly USD 500 buying their own classroom materials each school year. DonorsChoose is a not-for-profit organisation that allows individuals to donate directly to classroom project requests from public school teachers. Teachers are empowered to request resources they know will help their students thrive, including books, basic supplies, technology, and professional development training, and donors can give at any level to the projects that inspire them. Since 2000, DonorsChoose has raised USD 1.3 billion, and has millions of projects serving more than 646,000 teachers. “DonorsChoose is the greatest, simplest idea,” says Stephen Colbert, DonorsChoose board member and host of well-known late-night talk show, The Late Show. “Teachers go to the website and put up materials they need for something they want to teach. You, as a donor, choose a school and a project. Every dime goes exactly to that project, and you hear directly back from those kids and that teacher.” Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the work of DonorsChoose was especially impactful for students across the US as they moved to distance and/or hybrid learning. The DonorsChoose team recognised that the varying resources available to students at home could impact learning outcomes, which could widen the existing inequities in US public education. Through its rapid response campaign Keep Kids Learning, the organisation raised nearly USD 12 million to help teachers get essential learning resources for schools where nearly all students were from low-income households. In order to address these differences and level the playing field, the organisation raised USD 138 million to provide resources to support distance learning. “There are so many barriers we face as teachers, especially this school year, and each donation teachers receive is a way to help overcome these barriers,” said Ms De La Rosa, a teacher in Tennessee. DonorsChoose also supports teachers of students with learning differences through its professional development project to help teachers navigate and support students through their independent educational programmes. “DonorsChoose has a great impact on my teaching, specifically, while thinking about my students with disabilities. Because of DonorsChoose I was able to create a project that enables my students to be able to read along and use their devices for a text to speech experience,” said Mr Holmes, a teacher in Bronx, NY. This grant falls under our Learning Differences Progamme, which works to improve education for all students, particularly those who experience further marginalisation due to racism and poverty. You can read more about the programme here and learn more about DonorsChoose through this video, and this report.
Update (12/23): Credited image (full of microscopic life) below. Regardless of whether or not you believe that the red planet is the future of humanity, one thing is probably certain–whether it takes a decade or a millennium, humanity will probably settle upon that dusty crimson world. If humanity ever does gain the necessary technology to terraform Mars into a habitable world (air pressure and temperature wise), we may discover that although the red planet makes an excellent habitat for terrestrial vegetation, it may make an extremely poor one for colonists and animals. One of the key ingredients for animal life on our planet is oxygen. Without it, most creatures would experience a short (but painful) death, leaving the insects to rule the planet. Thanks to the laws of photosynthesis, plants are able to produce a large enough volume of oxygen to enable animals, space geeks and people to thrive upon planet Earth. Most of this oxygen however does not come from land plants, such as trees, grass, etc., but rather from a single celled organism called Phytoplankton which contributes between 70% and 90% of the worlds oxygen from the ocean. Image Credit: Prof. Gordon T. Taylor, Stony Brook University, USA (via NOAA Photo Library) While land plants do contribute their fare share of oxygen for our planetary survival, they may not be as effective on Mars which receives half the amount of sunlight as Earth (which could easily translate into less oxygen for our lungs). Although Mars currently lacks large oceans like its bigger bluer brother, the red planet does contain an abundance of water that if melted could flood the planet. While this may make it an ideal candidate to host Phytoplankton within Martian waters, it may not be a realistic scenario considering that the red planet could contain an abundance of perchlorate within its soil, which is deadly to most terrestrial life forms. Image: Soil samples from “Snow White” trench, taken on July 8, 2008, were found to contain perchlorate after analysis in the Phoenix Mars Lander’s Wet Chemistry Laboratory. (Photo by NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University) If Phytoplankton were to even survive within future Martian oceans, humanity would probably have to find some way to heavily filter out perchlorate from the soil in order to prevent it from contaminating the future “red” oceans of Mars. Although these two dilemma’s may not be enough to discourage humanity from creating an eden out of this crimson world, the lack of a sizable moon may present a unique challenge for our rowdy species. Image Credit: How Stuff Works.com Without a strong gravitational pull future Martian oceans could eventually become stagnant overall, making it extremely difficult (if not impossible) for certain species to survive, which could limit which animals we could bring thanks to the circle of life. Even though these three challenges may prevent humanity from turning Mars into a second Earth, it probably would not be enough to prevent the masses from settling this planet. While large forests may be able to survive on the planet due to a (future) rich atmosphere of COs, humans may have to be content living within biospheres along with their animal friends (pets and pigs alike).
What is an Osteoporosis Screening? Osteoporosis risk is determined by measuring the bone mineral density of your heel. The heel is measured because its bone is similar to that found in the hip, where fractures occur most often. Bone mineral density is a predictor of skeletal strength and fracture risk, especially when considered along with other factors such as gender, age, and family history. The osteoporosis screening simply requires you to place your foot in a painless ultrasound device called a bone densitometer and the bone mineral density of your heel will be measured. For more information, please contact Trisha Bentley, BSN, RN, CBCN, at (302) 744-6227 or Bayhealth 's Education Department at (302) 744-7135.
Early Childhood Programs For more information about the Early Childhood program, please visit our dedicated website. Establishing the Roots Young children learn best through imitation, through their senses, and through activity. The early childhood classrooms are bright, airy and colorful; filled with the beauty and variety of nature. Large sunny rooms and adjoining sheltered play yards provide a secure atmosphere where the children learn about themselves and their world. Here their vitality and creativity are fostered through imaginative and purposeful activities. The children in the early childhood classrooms are constantly doing–building, singing, digging, cooking, gardening, painting, and sewing. In creative play, they develop social skills and mastery of their emerging physicality. Through songs, nursery rhymes, movement classes, and fairy tales, they are nourished by the beauty of language. The beauty, logic, and purpose for what they experience creates a feeling for harmony and engenders the development of memory, attention and creativity. As they grow, their imagination and natural sense of wonder will foster inquisitiveness and an intellectual curiosity.
If you are looking for a way to teach typing, choose one or more of the sites below to help your students master keyboarding. Beginning Typing (Touch Typing) Dance Mat Typing (K-5) This site is highly graphic and sound rich. It shows proper finger placement and provides leveled lessons. Big Brown Bear (3-5) This no frills site does a great job of teaching touch typing. It has lessons for students to progress through and shows finger placement. Note: These lessons are in order. Use the F1 key to show helping hands. Use the F2 key to show colors that correlate with the appropriate finger. For those who want to improve their speed, the site generates typing speed and accuracy scores. After students have mastered the basics of proper touch typing the following sites are appropriate for improving typing speed: Type Racing Game Practice and race against others online to get the highest scores. Type the correct key to burst the bubbles. Free Typing Software
Wolpa (in Belarussian - Woupa, today - a village, the center of selsovet in Volkovysk (Vaukavysk) region, is situated on the river Waupianka ( 25 km from Vaukavysk and 72 km from Grodno (Grodna)) In 1990 Woupa had 1.544 inhabitants. In the first half of XV century Woupa was a possession of Grand Lithuanian duke Kazimir IV. In 1449 he presented Woupa to the Lithuanian chancellor and Vilna voevoda (head of province) A. Galshanski. In the end of XV - the beginning of XVI centuries Woupa was known as a miastechka (Yiddish - shtetl) of Grodna povet, fifty years later - a possession of Grand Lithuanian dukes Sigizmund and Sigizmund August. The first mention about jews in Woupa is XVII century. The beginning of the jewish life in Woupa is connected with famous belarussian Sapega family. In 1624 Lithuanian chancellor Leu Sapega bought this miastechka for his son - ) Kazimir. Sapega family was interested in Wolpa`s prosperity. That is why, they invited jews to their possession (in 1766 Woupa jewish communities had 641 members). In 1643 Lithuanian duke and Polish king Wladislaw IV visited Woupa. In 1775 Woupa had about 21 houses. In 1795 this shtetl become part of Russian Empire. In 1831 Sapega family, who gave a strong suppor to the 1830-31 Polish, Lithuanian and Belarussian insurrection against Russia, lost Woupa. It become a state possession. In 1847 Woupa jewish community had 709 members. The results of the famous Russian census of 1897 for Woupa were: 1.976 inhabitants - 1.151 jews. Also, in 1897 shtetl had 2 orthodox churches, a catholic church, a synagogue, 2 prayer houses, a beer plant, about 25 shops, 5 fairs per year and so on. Woupa jewry took an active part in shtetl`s trade and fairs. Except trade, their main occupation was handicraft (tailors and shoe-makers). During the World War I Woupa was occupied by German troops. After the February and Bolshevik revolutions, Polish army occupied Woupa in 1919-1920. According to the Riga treaty of March, 1921, Woupa was in Vaukavysk povet in Bialostok voevodstvo in the squad of Poland. On the 17th of September, 1939, Soviet Army invaded Poland. Woupa become a part of Belarussian Soviet Socialist Republic (since the 12ht October of 1940 - a center of selsovet in Vaukavysk region). On the 22nd of June, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded Soviet Union. Several days later they occupied Woupa. Jewish community was destroyed.
Vaccines to prevent the spread of AIDS have yet to succeed, but it might be possible to design a vaccine that weakens the virus rather than stopping it. Courtesy Visuals Unlimited/Corbis People whose immune systems are uniquely predisposed to hunting down HIV are causing the virus to mutate into a weaker form, suggesting a new tactic for fighting AIDS. A study published yesterday in Public Library of Science Pathogens by scientists at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) found that the mutated form of HIV remained weak, even after infecting people with normal immune systems. The researchers studied 21 women infected by HIV that had evolved in people with immune systems uniquely predisposed to hunting down the virus. To survive in its earlier hosts, the virus had mutated into a less-detectable but weaker form. After infecting the women in the study, who had typical immune systems, it remained weak – not permanently, but long enough for the disease's progression to be slowed. The infections are still a death sentence, but perhaps a less brutal one. And in the mechanisms of this transfer, scientists say, may be lessons for a new type of AIDS vaccine – one that doesn't prevent infection, but reduces its virulence. The discovery doesn't offer much solace. But with AIDS claiming more than 2 million lives every year and vaccine research reeling from decades of failure, researchers are desperate for options. "Any glimmer of hope would be helpful at the moment in HIV vaccines," said University College London virologist Robin Weiss, "and this paper just might give a glimmer." Scientists already knew that HIV, when confronted with immune systems able to quickly recognize the protein signatures it leaves on infected cells, undergoes mutations that make it harder to detect but slower to self-replicate. But they didn't know whether the virus stays weak once it finds less hostile hosts. The CAPRISA studies found that even though the virus was again free to flourish, it only slowly regained its original characteristics. Over the course of a year, the amount of HIV in the women's bodies stayed relatively low. So-called low viral loads during the first stages of HIV infection are associated with better prospects of long-term survival. Scientists think these early days could determine the disease's eventual course. "Without following these individuals for the next 10 years, we can't be sure," study co-author Carolyn Williamson cautioned, "but an advantage in early infection could actually give you a long-term advantage." Williamson and her co-authors say vaccines could eventually be used to guide an individual's immune response so that it encourages the evolution of these less-virulent strains. Such an approach would depart from previous vaccine designs, which have focused on preventing HIV transmission by neutralizing the virus or by training immune cells to attack the virus. That approach has yet to succeed, and its epitaph may have been written last year by the failure of Merck's AIDS vaccine, which had been widely seen as the most promising vaccine candidate to date. Global trials were halted in September when people receiving immunizations proved more likely to contract HIV than control groups, and many researchers despaired of ever finding an AIDS vaccine. Vaccinologists may simply have to accept that they'll never be able to completely protect people from HIV, Columbia University Medical Center immunologist Mary Jane Potash said. That would be a bitter pill to swallow, but Potash called it realistic. "If vaccines don't eliminate the virus entirely, it's better that they leave us with a weakened virus," she said. "That would be a new direction – and perhaps a more practical direction."
Governments and service providers often frame citizenship by investment as an insurance policy, but generally, with a focus on the economic security it can provide. But what about political security risks? Specifically, the risk of becoming stateless? A sorry state of affairs Like the nation-state itself, statelessness is a (relatively speaking) modern phenomenon. To be stateless is to be without citizenship, and citizenship, as we know it today, was a product of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. History has countless examples of dispossession and the exiling of people from their native lands, yet the phenomenon of making an individual permanently stateless – left without any country at all to call home – is a side-effect of our modern international system. Despite international opposition to the practice of making individuals or groups stateless, it continues to occur. Stateless individuals struggle to seek the rights of a citizen in their country of origin and, without a passport, are rarely able to travel beyond its borders. Current estimates indicate 12 million people are stateless today. Although the harrowing Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s have ended, their legacy remains visible in the statelessness of the Roma people. Indigenous peoples of Thailand suffer under the same affliction. Thailand and the four countries surrounding it have redrawn their boundaries over time and people living in the border regions have fallen between two (actually, four) stools. The Roma and Thai cases demonstrate that the phenomenon of statelessness is neither an anachronism nor the product of singular confluences of events as those depicted in the 2004 film The Terminal, wherein a refugee is rendered stateless while in transit. The redrawing of borders, however, is not the only event that can trigger statelessness. Inconsistencies between nationality laws also, sometimes, render people stateless by birth, generally through a conflict of Ius Soli and Ius Sanguinis. As an example, say two parents from a country that applies Ius Soli only and not Ius Sanguinis move to a country that applies only Ius Sanguinis. They then have a child. That child cannot obtain citizenship in his country of birth, nor can he get it in his parents’ country of birth through Ius Sanguinis. The child, then, is stateless. State more, not less For a number of ethnic groups, the risk of being rendered stateless is non-negligible. In 1982, the new Myanmar Nationality Law made more than a million Rohingya stateless, virtually overnight. CIPs offer both a way out of statelessness and a prevention against it. By any measure, the starting price of CIPs – USD$100,000 – is not pocket change, and certainly beyond the reach of the vast majority of stateless people. For these, other solutions must be sought. Yet for individuals with means seeking to protect themselves against political oppression, a CIP offers a safety net and the certainty that even if their home country strips them of citizenship, they can remain a citizen elsewhere. Of the 12 million stateless today, those who could have scraped together the money for a CIP are a tiny minority, but they still number in the thousands. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimate that millions more are at risk of becoming stateless at a moment’s notice. Who’s to say Uyghurs, Indonesians of Chinese descent, or Muslim Indians won’t wake up stateless tomorrow? How many tens of thousands of these can afford a CIP? As with all insurance, protection against stateless must be bough before disaster strikes. Once stateless, you’ll find traveling to other countries (to say nothing of obtaining citizenships in them) extremely challenging. It is up to individuals themselves, and their advisors, to assess the risk of having citizenship revoked with nothing to replace it. Christian Henrik Nesheim is the founder and editor of Investment Migration Insider, the #1 magazine – online or offline – for residency and citizenship by investment. He is an internationally recognized expert, speaker, documentary producer, and writer on the subject of investment migration, whose work is cited in the Economist, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, Newsweek, and Business Insider. Norwegian by birth, Christian has spent the last 14 years in the United States, China, and Spain.
The health impacts of climate change and variability in developing countries Online publication date: Thu, 17-Jul-2003 by Bettina Menne, Nino Kunzli, Roberto Bertollini International Journal of Global Environmental Issues (IJGENVI), Vol. 2, No. 3/4, 2002 Abstract: Health is a focus reflecting the combined impacts of climate change on the physical environment, ecosystems, the economic environment and society. Long-term changes in the world's climate may affect many requisites of good health - sufficient food, safe and adequate drinking water and secure dwelling. The current large-scale social and environmental changes mean that we must assign a much higher priority to population health in the policy debate on climate change. Climate change will affect human health and well-being through a variety of mechanisms. Climate change can adversely impact on the availability of fresh water supply and the efficiency of local sewerage systems. It is also likely to affect food security. Cereal yields are expected to increase at high and mid latitudes but decrease at lower latitudes. Changes in food production are likely to significantly affect health in Africa. In addition, the distribution and seasonal transmission of several vector-borne infectious diseases (such as malaria and dengue) may be affected by climate change. Altered distribution of some vector species may be among the early signals of climate change. A change in the world climate could increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. The impacts on health of natural disasters are considerable - the number of people killed, injured or made homeless from such causes is increasingly alarming. The vulnerability of people living in risk-prone areas is an important contributor to disaster casualties and damage. An increase in heatwaves (and possibly air pollution) will be a problem in urban areas, where excess mortality and morbidity is currently observed during hot weather episodes. We can assume that climate change will affect the most vulnerable in developing countries. These might be socio-economic deprived populations, people who lack access to a health care system, technology and communication, as well as immuno-compromised persons. The health community has, however, difficulties in clearly attributing changes in ranges of diseases or mortality to climatic changes. The main reasons are the gradual process of climate change, the multiple causes of diseases, the many factors that permit human population health to adapt and the lack of retrospective and prospective studies from developing countries. Adaptation is a key response strategy to minimise potential impacts of climate change. A primary objective of adaptation is the reduction, with the least cost, of death, disease, disability and human suffering. The ability to adapt to climate change impacts, and specifically of health, will depend on many factors including existing infrastructure, resources, technology, information and the level of equity in different countries and regions. Online publication date: Thu, 17-Jul-2003 If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Global Environmental Issues (IJGENVI): Login with your Inderscience username and password: Want to subscribe? A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe. If you still need assistance, please email firstname.lastname@example.org
Last week, a team of researchers from Dartmouth University released a widely publicized study with the somewhat provocative title "Arsenic, Organic Foods and Brown Rice Syrup." The study was yet another general reminder that words like "organic" or "natural" are not synonymous with the word "safe." But more specifically it detailed unexpected amounts of poisonous arsenic compoundsin everything from infant formula to snack bars, especially compounds containing rice or sweetened with brown organic rice syrup as a healthier alternative to high fructose corn syrup. I'll return to the question of exact amounts later; let us just note for now that all findings were in part per billions, numbers that may raise concerns about long-term exposure but do not suggest that anyone will be dropping dead after snacking on a cereal bar. The more interesting immediate question anyway, at least to me, was: why were Dartmouth chemist Brian Jackson and his colleagues looking for arsenic in these supposedly healthy products at all? I rapidly discovered though that I just hadn't been paying attention. They were simply following up on an issue well known in health science, a body of work establishing a troubling connection between rice and arsenic in the food supply. In fact, my use of the word "unexpected" probably is more accurate in describing dismayed public reaction to the results. The authors of the new study emphasized that their working hypothesis, from the start, was that brown rice syrup would introduce arsenic into these foods. So why rice in particular? As it turns out, the rice plant is uniquely engineered to pick up arsenic from the environment. This begins with the fact that the plant is designedto easily absorb the mineral silicon which helps give rice grains their elegantly smooth structure. The crystalline structure of arsenic is just close enough that rice plants readily uptake arsenic as well. In fact, a toxic metal study, also from Dartmouth, described rice as "a natural arsenic accumulator." The efficiency of this system also means that the arsenic tends to be absorbed directly in its more toxic inorganic from rather than being converted to an organic form of arsenic. Here I mean organic not in the USDA-approved farming sense but in the chemistry sense in which organic refers to carbon-based compounds. And this is important because we metabolize organic arsenic compounds pretty neatly, reducing their toxic potential. It's inorganic arsenic that's most dangerous - it tends to bond tightly into living cells where it destroys them by disrupting their metabolism. And rice, experts say, may be the largest source of inorganic arsenic in our diets. How does rice find the arsenic? Well, as I said, arsenic is a naturally occurring element, sprinkled through soil and rock across the planet. I've put a basic arsenic map of the world here to the left to show you the general distribution and hotspots. This is geologic map, of course, and there can also be human introduction of arsenic into a region. A 2007 report, titled "U.S. Rice Serves Up Arsenic" noted that rice-growing regions in the Southeast appeared also show signs of contamination from early 20th century use of arsenic-based insecticides to control for pests like the cotton boll weevil. That study found higher levels of inorganic arsenic in Louisiana rice, for instance, than that from California's Central Valley, which has a far greater natural distribution of arsenic. But that map should also remind us that although rice seems to have an affinity for arsenic, we're surrounded by and exposed to that poison on a daily basis in many different ways. A very thorough Consumer Reports write up of this latest research points out that last fall similar concerns were raised about arsenic contamination of fruit juices. The Dartmouth study, in fact, did not turn up an arsenic free food product. The researchers looked at 29 brands of cereal bars, 22 contained a rice product and seven did not. All the cereal bars contained some trace of arsenic. Those without rice ranged from 7 to 28 parts per billion. As you might now expect, the readings from the rice products were higher, ranging from 23 ppb to a high reading of 128 ppb. Infant formula sweetened with rice syrup hovered close to 60 ppb. And what does all that really mean? As the authors note, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not set a safe arsenic standard for food. (And we're not along in that. A Canadian Broadcasting Corporationstory on the Dartmouth findings also noted a lack of public health standards for arsenic food exposure in that country.) But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has establisheda 10 part-per-billion level for drinking water. In an interview with NPR, Jackson said the EPA standard should probably be considered in assessing risk for something like infant formula - also a liquid consumed on a daily basis. It works less well for cereal bars and occasional consumption only and by a generally much larger, less vulnerable human being. And it's almost important to note than the 10 ppb standard signifies EPA's effort to set standards far, far below an actual toxic effect. In other words, these are pay attention numbers rather than immediate alarm numbers. They should remind us that, as always, a varied diet is healthier than relying too much on any single source of food. But as Jackson also pointed out the growing body of work on arsenic contamination of food in general, should also serve as prompt to our government agencies to take some of these unexpected hazard issues out of our food supply, start working out those much needed official safety standards for arsenic in our diet, and provide us with some kind of realistic assessment that will allows to make our own decisions about such risks. I couldn't agree more.
Every year at this time high school seniors await news from college admissions departments. Parents are almost as worried as their children after the months, sometimes years, of college preparatory activities. Focusing on the academic demands and extracurricular activities that appeal to college admission departments may cause parents to avoid looking at their child’s readiness to navigate the college experience successfully. According to the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education, the six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2007 was 59 percent. That is, 59 percent of first-time, full-time students who began seeking a bachelor’s degree at a 4-year institution in fall 2007 completed the degree at that institution by 2013. There are a myriad of reasons for the low completion rate, but lack of readiness for college ranks high as a reason for non-completion. Assessing readiness is not an exact science but the following questions are a good guideline for discussion: - Do they wake up with their own alarm system? - Do they understand the benefits of a well-balanced life: sleeping, eating and relaxing? - Do they meet their current school obligations in a timely fashion? - Are they able to navigate stress, pain and disappointment without having events derail them? - Do they accept responsibility for their actions and not blame others for their mistakes? - Do they understand that all behavior has consequences – both good and bad? - Are they able to talk about uncomfortable feelings? - Do they have the experience and self-discipline to live within a budget? - Are they able to organize and breakdown tasks in order to complete them? - Do they have the capacity to ask for and accept advice? - Do they have a healthy perspective/history with substances such as alcohol, marijuana and other drugs? While most high school seniors have mixed responses to these questions, a no answer to all of the questions may raise red flags about a student’s readiness. Other reasons to delay admission or readmission to college include recent treatments for drug/alcohol and eating disorder issues. College campuses are rife with substances, and many programs do not have supportive sober housing, which may be a recipe for relapse. Readiness work isn’t all on the shoulders of the student. Parents also need to do some preparation. Allowing our children to fail or fall down and experience the consequences of their actions is important for their growth, and it is important for us to observe their capacity to navigate a difficult time. Some simple guidelines for parents include: - Let them wake on their own without prompting from you. - Not leaping in to fix every time your child experiences difficulty - Set realistic communication levels – if you are used to talking to your child several times a day you may want to begin carving out set times to talk so the pattern is established - Require them to live within a budget - Let them prepare a meal occasionally Read more about OPG’s Family, Advisor, and Employer Services.
\|Jesus College Coat of Arms\| Nominee. The coat of arms, in some form, belongs to Bishop Thomas Rotherham. It matches the arms in Rotherham's dining-hall portrait in neighboring Lincoln College, which he is credited with founding. The Lincoln College coat of arms includes the three stags in the sinister section of its tripartite-in-pale shield. In the absence of evidence that Rotherham founded Jesus College, Oxford, the puzzle is: What are Rotherham's three attired stags doing up there adorning Jesus College? Founder. Jesus College was in fact founded in 1571 by Elizabeth I, who issued a royal charter to that effect. It was the first Protestant college founded at Oxford, and the only one dating from Elizabeth's reign. Its full name is: "Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation." Origin of the Jesus Arms. The earliest depiction of the Jesus arms is believed to be about 1590, in a document held by the College of Arms, referring to the stags as having a blue (azure) field, but Peter Donoghue, Bluemantle Pursuivant, reports the arms were more likely added 90 years later, on John Speed’s 1605 Map of Oxfordshire, with a blue field. The green field first appeared in 1619 in an armorial quarry painted by one of the Van Linge brothers, and was generally used by 1730, although horizontal hatchings (indicating azure) were still used on college bookplates as late as 1761. Here are the theories: - It has been claimed that Jesus "stole" the three stags from Lincoln, much as a series of Trinity men from the Eldon family have feasted on deer from the Magdalen College deer park. The counter-argument is that the origins of the two Rotherham arms are distinct. Former Lincoln College Rector Paul Langford has suggested that Jesus College continued the arms adopted by a theological college founded by Rotherham in his home town – Jesus College, Rotherham – which had been suppressed in the time of Edward VI. This does not explain what Rotherham contributed to the founding of Jesus College, Oxford other than leasing out a building to the College for a fee. - Another theory is that the stags derive from the arms of Maud Green, Lady Parr, mother of Catherine Parr, last of the six wives of Henry VIII and stepmother to Elizabeth I, the Founder. - The most likely story is that the arms of the College are indeed those of Bishop Rotherham, and were assigned to Jesus College by mistake, when John Speed prepared his famed map of Oxford. Speed must have seen the arms on Lawrence Hall, Ship Street, which was given to Rotherham in 1476 and was leased to Jesus College in 1572. Speed must have taken the landlord's arms to be those of the College when drawing his map in 1605, a quarter-century after the arms of Lincoln College were confirmed by Lee, Portcullis Pursuivant.
What if you could explore and conduct research on the floor of the Grand Canyon, or examine archaeological sites underneath the Vatican, without ever leaving the Philadelphia region? By next fall, those kinds of experiences and many more will be available to students and the broader community inside a virtual-reality enclosure off the lobby of Villanova University's Falvey Library. The project is known as a CAVE, which stands for Cave Automated Virtual Environment. It's being developed under a $1.67 million grant from the National Science Foundation, awarded this year to a team led by computer scientist Frank Klassner. CAVEs have spurred a wide variety of applications since their development two decades ago. Rowan University's Virtual Reality Lab, for instance, has used the technology for projects as diverse as structural modeling, urban planning, and 3D medical visualizations. Engineers use one at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. But Klassner says Villanova won a highly competitive NSF grant because it will marry its CAVE with another cutting-edge technology - a six-lens robotic camera. With the omnidirectional video it can capture, Klassner and his colleagues believe they can extend virtual reality's value for both research and education. Klassner says video enables a CAVE to transport students anywhere a camera can go. And the camera can capture real-world details that enable the CAVE itself to become a research lab. Klassner has already used the $15,000 Ladybug camera, with its 360-degree horizontal reach, to take immersive videos at sites such as the battlefield at Gettysburg and Independence Hall, so he'll be ready when Iowa's Mechdyne Corp. delivers the CAVE itself in the spring. But the 47-year-old scientist has much broader horizons in mind. "Imagine you're teaching a class on Shakespeare, and you could take your whole class to the Globe Theatre," he says. Or say a classicist or art historian wanted students to experience Rome's Pantheon. Traveling en masse would be prohibitively costly, and using the tools of computer-generated imagery to render the site digitally would take "dozens of person-months," Klassner says. But with the Ladybug camera and CAVE, "I can show you the real thing in a fraction of the time," he says. One teacher, equipped with a robotic Ladybug, could make the trip to a site - albeit while subject to potentially tricky negotiations to gain access to restricted locations. The sky is the limit - well, that or the ground. The Ladybug's 120-degree vertical reach doesn't allow the camera to capture both simultaneously. But that makes it a good match for a CAVE that can project images onto three side walls and either the ceiling or the floor, but not both. In fact, the ground is already on Villanova researchers' minds. Klassner says geography and environmental science professors want to use the system to monitor flood plains in Valley Forge National Historical Park, to develop better models for carbon sequestration. Klassner says the camera and CAVE will enable his team to improve on Google's familiar Street View technology, in which users hop from one still-photograph perspective to the next - an experience that confuses many even as it amazes them. "We want to be able to take you down that city block in continuous motion," he says. Other departments are eager to get involved, too. Engineering professor Edmond Dougherty, a grant coauthor who is creating the camera's robot, wants to develop boots that would allow a person to walk or run through a virtual environment. Psychologists are interested in using the camera to capture ordinary street views, rich with detail. Back in the CAVE, they'll be able to study what draws subjects' attention and what they overlook. "With the camera, you can easily see whatever the world looks like as you move around," Klassner says. And by this time next year, so will anybody inside Villanova's CAVE.
Now, imagine either of these scenarios: 1) In Linux, you're at the command line and you want to specify the WPA password to a commandline program such as ifconfig. 2) In Windows, you've got a dialog box with a text box, and you want to enter the WPA password in the textbox. How will you enter this character? I tried it just now in Windows by doing (Hold Alt, press 8, release Alt), but all it did was erase the character that sat behind the cursor. I realise you can read whatever kind of binary information you want from a file but I'm curious as to how you can enter the "backspace" character using your keyboard. And just as an side: No knowledge of ASCII is necessary in order to program proficiently in C. Neither the 1989 nor the 1999 standard of C specify that the machine must use ASCII as its character encoding system, and neither standard acknowledges the existance of any "non-printable" characters. Both C standards specify a minimum of characters that must be supported by the machine (e.g. ABCD, abcd,!%^&), but they leave the door wide open as to what character encoding system can be used. IBM in fact used to use something different to ASCII.Uh, you do know things like hex and keycodes, don't you? Both are pretty much prerequisites if you're programming in C. Stop the TSA now! Boycott the airlines. you guys have to see nivida tesla powers if you have one rack of tesla super computer most difficult password not gonna takes more than 1 months and why you calculation all amean you making calculation all about we gonna found password on the end of the list. i belived once you creates 8 to 63 password list we got to be mixed well each long. than may its reduce to time and remember airolib with out airolib one tesla cpu 50 000 password /secont if you buys tesla computer its cames c1070 its came 2 cpus each 960 core amean 100 k e secont if you use airolib will be much much faster and if you have a rack of tesla not much than months i can tell you . and past 14 years computers tech grows so fast amean even one tesla gpu 250x faster than regular computer next 10 years i belived much faster computers available probably 2020 this calculations will takes less than secont you dont have to wait 722 years Since this was bumped, I will say that you left out Moor's law so every 18 months that number will be cut in half. Also isn't it something like 80% of the population uses passwords with less than 20 characters? Hell look how many millions of people still use wep. Using backtrack for the first time is like being 10 years old again with the keys to a Ferrari. Please slow down when you're writing, and use punctuation. Your English is OK, but you rush and it comes out sloppy. Take your time and everybody will understand you. one tesla cpu 50 000 password /secont if you buys tesla computer its cames c1070 its came 2 cpus each 960 core amean 100 k e secont So you're talking 100,000 keys a second, is that right? I don't have a doctorate in mathematics, so please you'll have to explain to me how it comes out as months (as opposed to billions of billions of billions of billions of years).if you have a rack of tesla not much than months i can tell you . and past 14 years computers tech grows so fast amean even one tesla gpu 250x faster than regular computer next 10 years i belived much faster computers available probably 2020 this calculations will takes less than secont you dont have to wait 722 years Ten years ago, I think we had the Pentium 1, is that right? They were around 500 MHz or so? Today we've got Quad Core's that are something like 4 GHz, that about right? That's an increase of a factor of about 32. So in the next ten years, let's be generous and say that the increase will be a factor of 100. How could a factor of 100 have anything more than a negligible effect on billions of billions of billions of billions of years. Please explain, and kindly provide me with the mathematics you use to work it out. Ask questions on the open forums, that way everybody benefits from the solution, and everybody can be corrected when they make mistakes. Don't send me private messages asking questions that should be asked on the open forums, I won't respond. I decline all "Friend Requests". Can you make some calculations for me please. From 8 to 15 characters consisting of numbers, lower and uppercase letters. How many passwords creates this combination and how much GB do i need? Also not very important but it would be also good to know the required time to brute force all these combinations. BTW some time ago i tried to create a wordlist from 8 to 15 with just numbers. At 10 chars, the dictionary became 100 GB and i run out of space
Even when a mother notices signs that lead her to find out why her child is not developing as expected, who loses skills or whose behavior changes, it is almost impossible to prepare herself for a diagnosis of autism. Many mothers puts their private inner struggles aside and ask, "What should I do to find best possible help and support for my child?" Health care staff involved with her child, who are working hard to be the best possible support for the family, need reliable resources and information, too. Through the efforts of parents and other advocates, information is now available on autism resources through links on webpages for television shows and other media. Families are often able to find reliable and effective local resources through their Regional Children's Hospital or University. Developed for Washington State families, health and educational professionals who care for children with autism spectrum disorders, the Center for Children with Special Needs newsletter, Linkages, connects families and professionals to early diagnostic and screening tools for infants and toddlers, 'red flags for atypical developent', family oriented fact sheets, best practices in eduction, advice and information for physicians, an autism 'safety toolkit' and a Puget Sound guide for dentists and hairstylists who are considerate of children with autism. Links to reports include new CDC data on ASD, and the Kennedy Kreiger study that demonstrated how autism could be diagnosed in children 14 to 36 months old. Linkages Newsletter, Volume 13, #3, has been an outstanding collection of resources for families and professionals concerned with early diagnosis and treatment for autism spectrum disorders. Linkages is available via email and at the webpage for the Center for Children with Special Needs, a program through Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center, partially funded by the Washington State Department of Health, Children with Special Health Care Needs Program. Medical professionals and family members will find up to date, reliable information on autism in children, related health care needs, educational support, and advocacy resources, through the University of Washington Autism Center in both English and Spanish language resources. My Next Steps: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Autism explores many topics of interest to parents of newly diagnosed children with autism. Recognizing Early Signs of Autism Autism Video Glossary shows parents symptoms of early symptoms of autism through video clips Browse at your local bookstore, public library or online booksellers like Amazon.com for books like Positive Behavioral Support - Including People with Difficult Behavior in the Community Spanish language resources and translations include the CDC's Los trastornos del espectro autista (TEA) - Learn the Signs, Act Early fact sheet at http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/Spanish/autism/facts.html November 2007 an alert was sent out warning families of children who use weighted blankets that some need to be checked for possible lead contamination. Twins and Autism Spectrum Disorders by BellaOnline Twins Editor Kris Bigalk Oprah, the Media and Celebrities on Autism by Bonnie Sayers, BellaOnline's Autism Spectrum Disorders Editor Autism Spectrum Disorder And Sensory Integration - A Closer Look
Research Toolkit Workshops provide students with the skills they need to perform quality academic research. Using local and national studies, our Instruction and Research Services staff identified and are addressing the major obstacles students face when performing research at the college level. Research Toolkit Workshops are free and offered throughout the year. If you are an instructor or advisor, you can request an in-person workshop for your class or group, and you can now embed the online workshops in your Pilot class. 3 Simple Steps to Reading Scholarly Articles Are you dreading reading through those 8-20 page articles you found for your paper? Do they seem like they are written in a different language? Never fear! In this workshop, you will learn strategies for making sense of those long, and let’s face it, sometimes boring, articles. Detecting CRAAP: Evaluating Information Sources How do you know if the article you found is good enough to use for your assignment? Learn strategies for evaluating sources whether you find them on the Internet, in the library, or in the library’s databases. Students practice applying the CRAAP Test criteria to information sources. Finding the “Perfect Source” Spoiler alert: There is no “perfect” source. Instead, there are appropriate and relevant sources. In this workshop, students will explore the ways scholars communicate with one another in order to develop strategies for selecting the most appropriate parts of the conversation to include in course research assignments. Google Like a Pro Do you love Google, but hate filtering through millions of results to find the type of information you need? Learn some of the tips and tricks of the information pros for how to make your use of Google more efficient for your information needs. How Do I Find This Reference? Do you feel a little confused when you are handed a reference or citation and expected to find the information source? Gain the skills that allow you to decipher a reference and then find the source. Feel like a detective who understands the code! Integrating Your Sources You’ve searched for articles and books and you have a list of sources that are on your topic. Now how are you supposed to use them in your paper? In this workshop, staff from the Writing Center and a librarian will take you through the process of integrating those sources in your paper. Learn how to quote and paraphrase while avoiding plagiarism and keeping your voice the focus of your paper. More Than Books: What the Library Can Do for You Helpful, friendly people. Convenient online articles and books. A multimedia lab. Places to study for groups and for individuals. Coffee. Games. Current print books. Where can you find all of this great stuff? In the Dunbar Library! If you still think all libraries have to offer are dusty old books then come discover all the cool things the library offers you for work and for fun! Stop Searching and Start Finding Sorting through different information sources can be stressful. You’ve heard that using the library databases give you better results, but they can be confusing and overwhelming. In this workshop, we demystify databases and offer suggestions that will help you to find better results faster and easier.
Walney Island, on the western fringes of Cumbria, lies just half a mile from the mainland town of Barrow-in-Furness and at first glance doesn't seem like anything particularly special. Island - birds, butterflies and blooming flowers\| island is just 11 miles long and a mile wide, but provides a range of great habitats for wildlife, including 250 types of birds, 450 flowering plants and 400 species of moths and butterflies. It's also home to two nature reserves situated on the north and south ends of the island. The southerly reserve is managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust whilst the one to the north is run by Natural England. South Walney Nature Reserve, visitors can witness a bird watching spectacle so spectacular that it has become known as "dive bomb alley". are also advised to wear protective head gear - we're not talking hard hats but a woolly cap will suffice! It's the biggest gullery in Europe with 17,000 pairs of Lesser Black Back and Herring Gulls, two of Britain's largest species, renowned for being scavengers. 'Dive bomb alley' refers to their behaviour during the summer nesting season, when they're highly protective of their young and swoop out of the sky to deter any potential threats. Parent gulls have a prominent red spot on the underside of their bill which becomes even redder during breeding season as the chicks peck at it to show their parents they're Glut of Gulls out for the different types of gulls on Walney. They are easy to tell apart - Herring Gulls are a silvery-grey and are more often seen at the seaside. Lesser Black Backs are smaller, darker and less frequently spotted. one third of their British population lives on Walney Island. The area also attracts large numbers of Eider Ducks who come here to breed in nurseries of up to 100 young. That's a lot of feathers - enough to fill about a dozen eiderdown young animals found on Walney Island are juvenile Natterjack Toads, with their distinctive yellow stripe down their back which sets them apart from their Common At the North Walney Nature Reserve, the landscape is dominated by sand dunes, salt marsh and wet areas known as slacks, which provides the perfect habitat for these rare creatures. They're so rare you need a licence just to hold them, but fortunately their numbers are stabilising and around a quarter of the British population live on Walney Island and in the surrounding area. look out for wading birds on the exposed sands to the north of the reserve. North Walney area is home to many rare plants including Dune Helleborine, Seaside Century, Yellow horned Poppies, Viper's Bugloss, Coralroot Orchid and Variegated Horsetail, which all thrive due to the calcium rich sandy terrain. even has its own special wildflower - the Walney Geranium. But it can be hard taking roots here - only plants which can withstand the constant battering of surf on shingle and wind-blown sand can thrive in this environment. out for quick colonising species like Sea Sandwort and Sea Campion, as well as the various wading birds which take advantage of the coastal habitat.
Cynegils was the son of King Ceol of Wessex. He inherited the throne of Wessex from his uncle, Ceolwulf, in AD 611. For much of his reign, he seems to have shared power with his eldest son, Cwichelm, who may have been given control of Upper Wessex (Northern Hampshire, Wiltshire & Berkshire). Their early reign brought glory to the kingdom through the defeat of the Dumnonian armies of the West (possibly under a King Clemen) at the Battle of Bindon in AD 614. In the 620s, however, the pair became increasingly worried about the rise of Northumbria and appear to have formed some sort of alliance with King Penda of Mercia. It was sealed by the marriage of Cynegils' son, Cenwalh, to Penda's sister. Then in AD 626, the hot-headed Cwichelm sent an assassin north to murder the mighty King Edwin of Northumbria. The attempt failed and, when Edwin, discovered the perpetrators, he marched south with a mighty army to teach them a lesson. The armies of Wessex and Northumbria clashed at the Battles of Win & Lose Hill in Derbyshire and, though the southerners were greater in number, they were outmanoeuvred and thoroughly defeated. The demoralized remnants of the Wessex army retreated back to within their own borders. Two years later, the Mercians turned on the weakened Wessex kingdom by making a move on the territories of Gloucester, Cirencester and Bath, which Ceawlin and Cuthwin had, at least nominally, seized from the Celts as early as AD 577. Wessex was again defeated, at the Battle of Cirencester, and it may have been at this time that the western section of the Wansdyke was constructed to keep the enemy from expanding further. Cynegils' kingdom did not emerge from obscurity until AD 634. In this year, the King received the Italian missionary, Birinus, at his northern palace at Cholsey in Berkshire. Birinus preached to the Royal court from a hillock nearby, known as 'Churn Knob,' but Cynegils was not immediately convinced of the truth of Christianity. The following year, however, the regime in Northumbria changed and the new ruler, King Oswald, wished to restore relations with Wessex. He travelled south and, at Easthampstead, persuaded Cynegils to accept Christianity and to give Birinus the old Roman town of Dorchester-on-Thames within which to build himself a cathedral. In return, Cynegils' daughter, Cyneburga, was taken in marriage by Oswald, after which most of the Royal family were baptised in the Thames, between Brightwell and Dorchester. Cynegils probably lived to quite an age. He died in AD 643 and was presumably buried in Dorchester (but later translated to Winchester). Cwichelm having predeceased him, he was succeeded by his younger son, Cenwalh. \|© Nash Ford Publishing 2003. All Rights Reserved.\|
Nuclear Power Plants--Double-Edged Swords - Â¼ of U.S. nuclear plants leak radiation. Etnier, Carl // Adirondack Daily Enterprise;3/26/2010, Vol. 117 Issue 73, p4 In this article the author comments on the impact of the nuclear plants leak radiation in the U.S. - Interagency radiation emergency plan. // Disasters: Preparedness & Mitigation in the Americas;Oct2010, Issue 114, p10 The article offers information on the third edition of the "Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan of the International Organization." - Radiation risks. Darby, Sarah // BMJ: British Medical Journal (International Edition);10/16/99, Vol. 319 Issue 7216, p1019 Discusses radiation risks from nuclear power plants. Public mistrust on nuclear power; Epidemiology of nuclear radiation exposures; Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear radiation. - New work on the benefits of environmental regulation: Discussion. Opaluch, James J. // American Journal of Agricultural Economics;Dec93, Vol. 75 Issue 5, p1283 Discusses the value of using comparison approach on the issue of environmental regulations on nuclear power. Basis of thought process on the benefits of two alternatives; Untenability of public perceptions to expert assessments. - Elevated Childhood Cancer Incidence Proximate to U.S. Nuclear Power Plants. Mangano, Joseph J.; Sherman, Janette; Chang, Carolyn; Dave, Amie; Feinberg, Elyssa; Frimer, Marina // Archives of Environmental Health;Feb2003, Vol. 58 Issue 2, p74 Numerous reports document elevated cancer rates among children living near nuclear facilities in various nations. Little research has examined U.S. rates near the nation's 103 operating reactors. This article presents a study which determined that cancer incidence for children less than 10 years... - Nuclear advice. // New Scientist;11/10/90, Vol. 128 Issue 1742, p19 Presents recommendations by Britain's National Radiological Protection Board that in the case of a nuclear emergency, countermeasures should include sheltering and the use of iodate tablets. - Nuclear Sites and Leukemia. Friedrich, M. J. // JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association;6/15/2011, Vol. 305 Issue 23, p2402 The article reports that a study from the British Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment has revealed that the risk of childhood leukemia does not increase if a person lives near a nuclear power plant. - Environmental Exposure Assessment for Emergency Response in a Nuclear Power Plant Using an Integrated Source Term and 3D Numerical Model. Tseng, C.; Chang, Ni-Bin // Environmental Modeling & Assessment;Dec2009, Vol. 14 Issue 6, p661 Nuclear power plants are normally assumed to be safe when their radiation impact in all operational states is kept at a reasonably low level. However, accidentally released radioactive substances and ionizing radiation may lead to a situation that cannot maintain the regulatory prescribed dose... - Upgrading the Disaster. Park, Alice // Time International (Atlantic Edition);4/25/2011, Vol. 177 Issue 16, p16 The article reports that Japanese nuclear-safety officials raised their assessment of the nuclear-incident severity level of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident, which makes it comparable to the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine.
The majority of the world’s 800 million food-insecure people live in regions where water and food security are intimately linked. Tackling the underlying causes of food insecurity therefore means addressing a set of livelihood vulnerabilities, including access to water for domestic and productive uses. The World Food Programme (WFP) has commissioned this report with a view to deepening its understanding of the underlying issues and informing programme interventions. The findings presented are based on case studies carried out in 16 project sites in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Kenya. The aim was to capture a range of interventions supported by WFP, and a variety of partnerships and implementation modalities at local and national levels. While findings presented in this report are based on research carried out on WFP-supported programmes, insights gained are expected to be relevant well beyond WFP. Natural resource conservation and water management activities are at the heart of many interventions by a broad range of development partners as they are assumed to contribute to enhancing food security and resilience – as such, the recommendations and conclusions should be relevant to other agencies engaged in livelihood support programmes in rural areas.
Hydrogen in Industrial Processes Hydrogen produced from renewable sources, besides meeting the industrial demand for natural gas and coal as a valid alternative energy source, is also used as a raw material in numerous industrial applications. Thanks to its experience along the entire Hydrogen supply chain, Kiwa can support many industrial sectors in improving the sustainability of energy-intensive processes, using Hydrogen both as an alternative energy source and as an industrial raw material. Current and potential uses of Hydrogen in the Industrial Sector Hydrogen is already used in the production of ammonia, which is needed to make fertilizers and plastics. Oil refineries also use Hydrogen to remove sulfur from crude oil (hydrotreating) and to convert heavier hydrocarbons to lighter hydrocarbons (hydrocracking) to get more gasoline from crude oil. In the chemical industry, blast furnaces and refineries, many processes require a high temperature to obtain the necessary reactions. Currently, such temperatures are achieved by the combustion of natural gas. Hydrogen also burns at high temperatures and is a viable alternative in applications requiring temperatures above 250°C. Power to Gas Systems Sustainable power generation from renewable sources does not have a constant pace, for this reason energy supply and demand are not always in balance. Power to Gas (P2G) systems allow excess energy to be stored. This solution is particularly appropriate for seasonal storage, where energy storage is more useful than battery storage (more suitable for short-term storage). Then, the Hydrogen produced in a P2G system could be used in a controllable gas plant to generate power as needed. Kiwa services for Industrial Processes Kiwa, thanks to the experience gained in the sector and the wide knowledge gained in recent years at national and international level, can support the industrial sector with the following services: - Pressure Equipment Certification (PED) - Transportable Pressure Equipment Certification and inspections (tPED) - Non-destructive testing - Testing and Certification to ensure quality, safety and performance of high-pressure components, e.g. process and storage tanks - Independent verification of safety regulations for industrial Hydrogen handling and storage
In January 2006, wildfires began in four parts of Victoria and destroyed bushland over the following month. The challenge was to provide good quality information to carers in isolated areas when most of these carers had never previously cared for burned victims. Dealing with burnt wildlife involves interaction with a variety of government and community-based agencies, whose priorities are to save human life and property. The goal with burnt animals should be accurately assess, promptly treat those able to be rehabilitated and provide compassionate euthanasia to those suffering from extensive burns. Animals may present from these large-scale fires, or from local small-scale back-burning operations that occur during the cooler months of the year. Assessment of Burns The first thing to understand is the role of skin – from this we can appreciate what happens when it is damaged or lost. Skin is the largest organ in the body. It is responsible for keeping fluid in the body. It acts as a barrier to invasion by external organisms – such as bacteria and fungi. It provides a surface that allows us to feel our environment, without being damaged by it. The body is continually replacing the skin – it takes 12 weeks to grow from the deepest level to being shed as dead cells. Without skin, fluid and electrolytes are lost from the body. The body requires more energy to replace the skin, so metabolic requirements increase. Susceptibility to infection occurs. Movement becomes painful and further loss of blood and tissues is likely as the underlying tissues are unable to cope with trauma.There are a few things to consider when assessing burns: - Depth of the burn - Extent of the burn - Location of the burn Depth of the burn This was described as first, second and third degree burns. However, the terminology below is descriptive and able to be understood by people without training in burns. - Superficial burns: involves the outermost layer of the skin. This is very painful. The skin is red, but not blistered. This was a first degree burn. The best example is of this burn is when you burn yourself on a hotplate. It is uncommon that this burn is seen in wildlife. Bird skin does not blister as prominently as mammalian skin as it lacks collagen. - Partial thickness burns: involve the deeper levels of the skin. It is painful and was known as second degree burns. There are two levels of partial thickness burns: Superficial partial thickness: The skin begins to blister but will heal within 2 weeks without scarring. Deep partial thickness: The skin is blotchy with red or white areas. Blisters may be present. Nerves have been destroyed as so it is not painful. This burn will take 2 – 4 weeks to heal with possible scarring. - Full thickness burn: destroys the full depth of skin, including tissues below. This will take at least 2 – 4 weeks to heal – dependent on the size of the burn. Escharotomy which involves cutting away the dead skin and suturing fresh edges together may be required for areas with full thickness burns. Extent of the Burns The amount of skin that has been burned needs to be considered. As carers and vets, we are unable to induce month-long comas, do extensive skin grafting and repetitive surgeries on these animals. The welfare of the animal must remain our prime concern. It is not fair for the animal to suffer with no chance for rehabilitation. So an assessment of the severity of the burns is needed. - Burns to less than 15% of the body have a reasonable prognosis - Burns to 15 – 50 % of the body have a poor prognosis - Burns to over 50% of the body have no prognosis and prompt euthanasia is required. We describe the area burned using the sketches below to calculate the area burned. This is taken from the Lund and Browder Charts for humans and is based on a koala body. Areas are based on surface areas for adults. Please excuse the sketches – I failed Art! The tail on possums could be included in the buttocks area. However, it would rate higher for an animal such as a macropod in terms of surface area. Location of the Burns For wildlife, whose release is dependent on a functional body, some locations of burns may impact on rehabilitation. Damage near joints where scar tissue restricts the movement of limbs or digits has a great effect on our tree-dwelling marsupials. This is also pertinent around face structures such as eyelids and mouth. Nail bed damage is significant. Nails are used to climb trees to eat and escape predation, to groom, to fight, to care for young. An animal may cope with one nail lost on a hand, but more than one nail lost may affect its survival. Burns may be hidden by feathers and the true extent of the burn is not appreciated.
Fermi telescope may change to dark matter hunting - 18 January 2013 - From the section Science & Environment The Universe's highest-energy light could finally yield clues to the nature of the "dark matter" that makes up some 85% of the Universe's mass. The Fermi space telescope, designed to catch gamma rays, has seen hints of evidence for dark matter in high-energy gamma rays seen at the galaxy's centre. The Fermi team is now opening a call for ideas on changing how it observes. That may focus efforts on those early hints, opening the possibility to solve one of physics' greatest mysteries. We only know of the existence of dark matter because of its gravitational effects; true to its name, it cannot be seen because it interacts only very weakly with light or normal matter. Proving its existence, and learning something about what it is, has been a holy grail for astrophysicists since the 1930s. Julie McEnery, project scientist for the Fermi mission, said a deepening dark matter mystery has sparked the call for proposals to change the telescope's mission. "Some of the motivation to explore different observation strategies is from this tentative signal at the centre of the galaxy, but I think even if that wasn't there we would want to go to our community of scientists and ask them, 'based on what you've seen in the data, should we do something different?'," she told the BBC World Service programme Science in Action. Fermi has been a tremendous success at examining some of the most high-energy processes in the cosmos, publishing a catalogue filled with details of the spinning neutron stars known as pulsars, and a wide array of "active galactic nuclei" - probably supermassive black holes. The most popular theory holds that dark matter is made up of relatively heavy particles which, when they encounter one another, "annihilate" with a flash of light that the Fermi telescope can see. "The nice fact which distinguishes this situation from other similar situations with dark matter candidates is that there are no viable astrophysical alternatives," said Lars Bergstrom, who first proposed this idea in a paper in Physical Review D in 1988. "It is a so-called 'smoking gun' signal of dark matter annihilation," Prof Bergstrom told the BBC. But the dark matter "line" that those initial papers suggested - and the more than 100 papers that have appeared on Arxiv since on the same topic - is still far from a certainty. As is so often the case in science, more data are needed. "If we really are seeing evidence for dark matter at the centre of our galaxy, it will be the result of the Fermi mission," Dr McEnery said. "We'll have found something that physicists and astronomers have been looking for for decades - understanding not just where dark matter is but something more fundamental about its nature, so this is something that we in the Fermi project are keen to pursue." Astrophysicist Doug Finkbeiner of Harvard University said he was initially sceptical about the early papers. "I didn't really think there was anything there - to a good approximation, these sorts of 'bump-hunting' adventures are always wrong, so I wasn't expecting to get anything out of this," he told the BBC. But he went on to publish twopapers on the signals and even an attempt to disprove them, and he was among the first to raise the idea of changing the way the Fermi telescope observes to a stronger focus on the origin of the purported signal. In the intervening time, some papers have suggested that the signal might not be as strong as first thought. Dr Finkbeiner wants to be careful that the bid to chase the dark matter mystery isn't at the cost of less speculative science. "You know, it's a half-billion dollar mission and the data's used by hundreds of people, so you have to take everybody's interests into account here," he said. "I try to be as sceptical as possible, especially about the things I want to be true - so I'm hesitant to be the guy who says 'hey let's drop everything and go look at this', and then have it turn out to be nothing." That may yet happen. Or it may simply be that other attempts to pin down dark matter get there first. A range of experiments back on Earth, deep beneath the surface, are aiming to detect dark matter more directly by catching its rare interactions with normal matter. Prof Bergstrom said that the addition of a fifth telescope to the Hess telescope array in Namibia, due to be completed later this year, could make it able to put this dark matter question to bed in just 50 hours of observation. "We have a very interesting couple of years ahead of us," he said.
This PSEB 7th Class Science Notes Chapter 18 Wastewater Story will help you in revision during exams. PSEB 7th Class Science Notes Chapter 18 Wastewater Story → Sewage is liquid waste, most of it is water that has dissolved and suspended impurities. These impurities are called contaminants. → An underground network of pipes that carry wastewater from a home to a point of disposal is called Sewerage. → Sewage is transported through the closed pipes to the wastewater treatment plants where pollutants are separated and reformed and then flow into rivers and oceans. → During wastewater treatment pollutants are separated by physical, chemical, and biological methods. → Sludge is a solid that settles to the bottom during water purification. → Wastewater treatment co-products are sludge and biogas. → A manhole is a lid-covered open space through which a person can enter and can check the sewerage system. → Open defecation is a breeding ground for flies, mosquitoes, and other insects that cause many diseases. → Do not throw oil, ghee, grease, etc. in a drain or in the open. Doing so will make drain chock. → Throw trash only in the bin (dustbin). → Pollutants: Dissolved and suspended impurities in dirty water are called pollutants. → Sewerage: A network of small and large pipes that carry wastewater to the drainage area. → Manhole: Large open mouth holes are made at every 50-60 meters of the sewerage system. → Individual who enters the sewage can check and remove sewage problem if any. → Water Treatment Plant: A place where impurities are separated from wastewater. → Water Treatment: The process of separating impurities from wastewater is called water treatment. → Sludge is the solid that settles in the sewage water purification tank. → Septic tank: This is a small system of sewage treatment containing monoaerobic bacteria that remove waste products. It has connections with main sewage pipes.
\|Online Judge\|\|Problem Set\|\|Authors\|\|Online Contests\|\|User\| How far can you make a stack of cards overhang a table? If you have one card, you can create a maximum overhang of half a card length. (We're assuming that the cards must be perpendicular to the table.) With two cards you can make the top card overhang the bottom one by half a card length, and the bottom one overhang the table by a third of a card length, for a total maximum overhang of 1/2 + 1/3 = 5/6 card lengths. In general you can make n cards overhang by 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 + ... + 1/(n + 1) card lengths, where the top card overhangs the second by 1/2, the second overhangs tha third by 1/3, the third overhangs the fourth by 1/4, etc., and the bottom card overhangs the table by 1/(n + 1). This is illustrated in the figure below. The input consists of one or more test cases, followed by a line containing the number 0.00 that signals the end of the input. Each test case is a single line containing a positive floating-point number c whose value is at least 0.01 and at most 5.20; c will contain exactly three digits. For each test case, output the minimum number of cards necessary to achieve an overhang of at least c card lengths. Use the exact output format shown in the examples. 1.00 3.71 0.04 5.19 0.00 3 card(s) 61 card(s) 1 card(s) 273 card(s) [Submit] [Go Back] [Status] [Discuss] Home Page Go Back To top All Rights Reserved 2003-2013 Ying Fuchen,Xu Pengcheng,Xie Di Any problem, Please Contact Administrator
Design of a microphone array technique for a wind tunnel application Examensarbete för masterexamen Until now most improvements in noise reduction in passenger cars involves tyres and wheel suspension, improved materials and designs in the engine compartment. These are the dominating sources experienced in the passenger compartment at low speeds, but for higher speeds the exterior flow is the dominating source. Therefore it is important to be able to predict and reduce this source early in the car design. One method to measure and evaluate car geometries in favour of wind noise in an ordinary wind tunnel, is the use of a microphone array combined with signal processing. The objective of this work is to design a microphone array technique for measuring and localizing sound sources in a wind tunnel. Particularly, the situation with a side mirror model placed in the wind tunnel at Chalmers University of Technology, and to sort out if the technique is appropriate for that situation. The sound propagation in a wind tunnel is influenced by the wind flow. To describe the sound propagation in windy conditions the Fast Field Program (FFP) method is chosen, and modified for a wind tunnel application. Standard array techniques for localizing sources are studied for conditions without wind. The selected techniques are verified by simulations and experiments. The standard technique is adapted to a wind tunnel application, including a wind correction calculated with the modified FFP method. Finally the microphone array technique is tested with simulations. Simulations with the microphone array technique show that sources are localized at the correct positions, even at high wind speeds. The simulations also show that various wind profiles have different influence on the source localization. Sources with different frequency content can be separated by the use of filtering, while sources with the same frequency content are hard to separate. The microphone array technique is not completely appropriate for the side mirror model placed in the Chalmers' wind tunnel, because of limited performance in the interesting frequency range, due to the small dimensions. The microphone array technique needs to be further developled and tested with experiments, before implementing it in the wind tunnel. Samhällsbyggnadsteknik , Civil Engineering
The existence of a link between the gut microbiome and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is well established in mice, but in human populations, efforts to identify microbial biomarkers have been limited due to a lack of appropriately matched controls, stratification of participants within the autism spectrum, and sample size. To overcome these limitations, we crowdsourced the recruitment of families with age-matched sibling pairs between 2 and 7 years old (within 2 years of each other), where one child had a diagnosis of ASD and the other did not. Parents collected stool samples, provided a home video of their ASD child's natural social behavior, and responded online to diet and behavioral questionnaires. 16S rRNA V4 amplicon sequencing of 117 samples (60 ASD and 57 controls) identified 21 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) that differed significantly between the two cohorts: 11 were found to be enriched in neurotypical children (six ASVs belonging to the Lachnospiraceae family), while 10 were enriched in children with ASD (including Ruminococcaceae and Bacteroidaceae families). Summarizing the expected KEGG orthologs of each predicted genome, the taxonomic biomarkers associated with children with ASD can use amino acids as precursors for butyragenic pathways, potentially altering the availability of neurotransmitters like glutamate and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA).IMPORTANCE Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which now affects 1 in 54 children in the United States, is known to have comorbidity with gut disorders of a variety of types; however, the link to the microbiome remains poorly characterized. Recent work has provided compelling evidence to link the gut microbiome to the autism phenotype in mouse models, but identification of specific taxa associated with autism has suffered replicability issues in humans. This has been due in part to sample size that sufficiently covers the spectrum of phenotypes known to autism (which range from subtle to severe) and a lack of appropriately matched controls. Our original study proposes to overcome these limitations by collecting stool-associated microbiome on 60 sibling pairs of children, one with autism and one neurotypically developing, both 2 to 7 years old and no more than 2 years apart in age. We use exact sequence variant analysis and both permutation and differential abundance procedures to identify 21 taxa with significant enrichment or depletion in the autism cohort compared to their matched sibling controls. Several of these 21 biomarkers have been identified in previous smaller studies; however, some are new to autism and known to be important in gut-brain interactions and/or are associated with specific fatty acid biosynthesis pathways. Keywords: 16S V4 sequencing; 16S rRNA gene sequencing; Clostridiales; Lachnospiraceae; autism spectrum disorder; butyrate; crowdsource; microbiome.
Chapter 20 Geological Resources Although Canada’s diamond mining industry didn’t get started until 1998, diamonds are currently the seventh most valuable product mined in the country (Figure 20.4.1), and Canada ranks third in the world in diamond production. Diamonds form deep in the mantle (approximately 200 km to 250 km depth) under very specific pressure and temperature conditions, from carbon that is naturally present in mantle rock (not from coal!). The diamond-bearing rock is brought to the surface coincidentally via a type of volcanism that is extremely rare (the most recent kimberlite eruption is thought to have taken place 10,000 years ago and prior to that at around 30 Ma). There is more on the volcanology of kimberlites in section 4.3. All of the world’s kimberlite diamond deposits are situated within ancient shield areas () in Africa, Australia, Russia, South America, and North America. It has long been known that diamonds could exist within the Canadian Shield, but up until 1991, exploration efforts had been unsuccessful. In 1980 two geologists, Chuck Fipke and Stu Blusson, started searching in the Northwest Territories by sampling glacial sediments looking for some of the minerals that are normally quite abundant within : chromium-bearing garnet, chromium-bearing pyroxene, chromite (FeCr2O4), and ilmenite (FeTiO3). These distinctive minerals are used for this type of exploration because they are many times more abundant in kimberlite than diamond is. After more than a decade of exploration, Fipke and Blusson finally focused their search on an area 250 km northeast of Yellowknife, and, in 1991, they announced the discovery of a diamond-bearing kimberlite body at Lac de Gras. That discovery is now the Diavik Mine. The Ekati mine is situated 25 km to the northwest (Figure 20.4.1). There are two separate mines at Diavik accessing three different kimberlite bodies, and there are five at Ekati. See Figure 4.3.16 for a close-up view of the Ekati Mine. As of 2019 there are seven operating diamond mines in Canada, four in the Northwest Territories (including Diavik and Ekati), and one each in Nunavut, Ontario and Quebec. - Figure 20.4.1: “Diamonds in the Sub-Arctic Rough” by Robert Simmon and NASA. Public domain. a region of ancient (typically Precambrian) crystalline rock (equivalent to a shield) an ultramafic volcanic rock that originates at significant depth (> 200 metres) in the mantle (some kimberlites include diamonds)
Introduction to Philosophy/Logic/Paradoxes - The simplest way to think about the paradox is as something that can not exist without itself. Generally, it is an event perpetrated in such a way as to remove or render impossible the perpetration of said event. There are many forms of paradoxes. Three such are the predestination paradox, the ontological paradox, and the grandfather paradox. Several Types of Paradoxes Predestination Paradox (Causal Loops) A predestination paradox, or causal loop, is a paradox of time travel. It exists when a time traveller is caught in a loop of events that "predestines" him to travel back in time. This paradox is in some ways the opposite of the grandfather paradox. The following are two examples of a predestination paradox: As an example, say there is James, a time travelling android. He was created by Mark, who found the plans to make James on his dresser one day and worked from those. The issue at hand is that the plans were written and placed there by James after he was made. The obvious difficulty is the fact that, at some point, the cycle has to have an outside factor as a beginning. Say that Irwin was born as a result of Nick dying in an assassination. Irwin has always believed that Nick's death was a terrible loss to humanity, and he goes back in time to prevent it. In a universe of diverging realities, this may make sense, as Irwin is actually travelling from reality A to reality B, where he can prevent the assassination and maintain his existence. Likewise, there may be a universal principle that prevents such paradoxes from occurring that holds him back from doing anything, however, in the constraints and for the purposes of this discussion, we will assume there is no such principle. Irwin warns Nick (or pushes him down, or shoots the sniper, or removes Nick from the situation), thereby erasing his birth from existence. The question raised is, how was Irwin born to go back in time in the first place, as he was not born at all supposing that the cause of his birth (Nick's death) has been removed? As such, he couldn't have protected Nick from assassination, else he would not be born. This, in turn, would lead to him being born, which would mean that he went back in time and saved Nick, and the same process would be repeated ad nauseam. An ontological paradox is similar to a predestination paradox in that it is nested in causation, but raises the ontological questions of where, when and by whom the schematics were created. Time loop logic operates on similar principles, sending the solutions to computation problems back in time to be checked for correctness without ever being computed "originally." One example is seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In Star Trek II, Captain Kirk receives antique eyeglasses from Dr. McCoy. In Star Trek IV, Captain Kirk pawns the glasses (nearly three hundred years in the past, in the late 20th century) given to him by Dr. McCoy, who will, again, buy the glasses for Kirk in the 23rd century. The grandfather paradox is a paradox of time travel, supposedly first conceived by the science fiction writer René Barjavel in his book "Future times three" ("Le voyageur imprudent", 1943). Suppose you travelled back in time and killed your biological grandfather before he met your grandmother. Then you would never have been conceived, so you could not have travelled back in time after all. Now did you travel back or not? The grandfather paradox has been used to argue that backwards time travel must be impossible. However, other resolutions have also been advanced.
Studies Show Americans Are Driving Less and the Reasons Vary A new study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute concluded that Americans are driving less. According to The Car Connection, the University of Michigan study backs up a similar study conducted by the U.S. Public Research Group in May. Michael Sivak, author of the Michigan study also concluded that the number of miles traveled per licensed driver, per vehicle and per household in the U.S. has fallen sharply since 2004. Sivak told CNBC, "This is an important change. This is the first time we've ever seen a drop like this." Sivak added, "When you look at the distance-driven rate, we are where we were back in the mid-90s." More importantly, according to the PIRG study cited by The Car Connection, it's unlikely that driving rates will ever fully recover. As CNBC noted, the fact that miles driven peaked in 2004, four years before the recession began, also makes it clear that people began changing their driving habits for reasons other than the economy alone. The University of Michigan study identified four major reasons for the change: - Telecommuting – More people than ever work from home or teleconference instead of engaging in business travel. - Public Transportation – The use of trains, buses and other forms of public conveyance has increased and continues to grow. - Urbanization - A growing number of people – especially younger workers – are moving into or near large cities with well-developed public transit. - Boomer Aging – As baby boomers age and retire, they drive less. Forbes pointed to three additional reasons for the trend away from driving on the part of Americans. They include the fact that cars are expensive and that alternate forms of transportation are more economical. Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR) owned Zipcar, for example, said the car sharing service could save the average city dweller more than $500 a month. Forbes also noted a shift in social attitudes about the necessity of owning a car, citing increased debt loads of young college graduates, as well as older workers retiring and needing to cut costs as factors. Finally, Forbes suggested that environmental concerns are growing, thanks to films such as An Inconvenient Truth. Forbes also pointed to the growing popularity of more fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Toyota (NYSE: TM) Prius and Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model S as an indication that even those who wish to “keep on truckin’” increasingly want to do so in an environmentally friendly way. At the time of this writing, Jim Probasco had no position in any mentioned securities. © 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Data from Russia’s census show that the number of Ukrainians living in Russia dropped by half between 2010 and 2021. Emigration and the way people self-identify are not the only causes for the unprecedented decline. Under Putin's rule Ukrainian organisations, language and culture have been systematically suppressed, say Ukrainians in Russia in a piece by iStories, summarized and translated by Meduza. A bullet hole in the bust of the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in occupied Borodianka. Photo Wikimedia by Sonya Savina Ukrainians have historically been one of the most highly represented nationalities in Russia: just a decade ago, they were the third largest group (about two million people), after ethnic Russians and Tatars, according to census data. By 2021, however, they’d fallen to the eighth spot (about 884,000 people). While Russia’s Ukrainian population has been gradually shrinking for decades, this sudden decline of more than half was unprecedented. Other data sources show the same pattern: according to the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey conducted by Moscow’s Higher School of Economics, while Ukrainians made up almost 2 percent of Russia’s population in the 2000s, they made up less than 1 percent in 2021. In ten years time the number of Ukrainians declined from 2 million to less than 1 million Demographer Alexey Raksha believes the most likely reason for the apparent decline in Russia’s Ukrainian population is that Ukrainians, especially young ones, tend to start self-identifying as Russians sooner after moving to Russia than people of other ethnicities do. It may also be the case that Ukrainians are leaving Russia faster than they’re immigrating there, Raksha said, though reliable data here are scarce. According to members of Russia’s Ukrainian diaspora, the shift hasn’t been a natural process, regardless of whether the decrease is due to emigration or a change in how people self-identify. They say the Russian authorities have been working to reduce the country’s Ukrainian population for years, namely by discouraging expressions of Ukrainian identity and shutting down organizations that represent Ukrainians’ interests in Russia. Purge of all things Ukrainian 'It’s become uncomfortable to be an ethnic Ukrainian in Russia,' said Viktor Girzhov, the former deputy chairman of the Association of Ukrainians in Russia. Though Girzhov lived in Russia for more than 20 years, in 2015, the Russian FSB banned him from entering the country for five years. The official reason was that he violated border-crossing procedures, but Girzhov believes the real reason was that he told the truth about Russia’s actions in Ukraine on Russian television. In Girzhov’s view, the rapid decrease in Russia’s Ukrainian population is largely a result of Russian state policies intended to purge all things Ukrainian. He says this began in 2004, when Ukrainians launched the Orange Revolution in opposition to Putin-backed presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych, and some Ukrainian organizations in Russia openly supported the uprising. 'After the collapse of the [Soviet] Union, Ukrainian organizations started popping up like mushrooms after a rainstorm. There was this euphoria, this feeling that under Gorbachev, under Yeltsin, we would have some freedoms,' Girzhov told iStories. 'And then a switch flipped, and it all started to fall apart. That was under Putin.' In 2010 and 2012, Girzhov recalls, two Ukrainian diaspora organizations that aimed to preserve and share Ukrainian culture in Russia were shut down. Then, in 2018, the Russian authorities closed the Moscow Library of Ukrainian Literature, claiming the director had 'distributed extremist materials.' The following year, the largest association of Ukrainians outside of Ukraine, the Ukrainian World Congress, was banned as an 'undesirable organization' in Russia. In Russia, there wasn’t a single school, not even a single Ukrainian class, for the two-million-person Ukrainian diaspora By the mid-2000s, says Girzhov, it was effectively impossible to study the Ukrainian language in Russia: In Ukraine [at that time], there were very many schools where Russian was taught. But in Russia, there wasn’t a single school, not even a single Ukrainian class, for the two-million-person Ukrainian diaspora. In Russia, there are no places where you can speak Ukrainian; there are neither schools nor libraries [of Ukrainian literature]. Girzhov and some other diaspora members tried to open Moscow’s first Ukrainian school, but the Russian authorities 'continually made unrealistic demands, and [the project] petered out.' Today, according to Russia’s 2021 census, only 33 percent of ethnic Ukrainians living in Russia speak Ukrainian. And while, on paper, there are still some organizations that support Ukrainian culture in Russia, Girzhov said they exist solely to promote what he calls 'Ukrainian fakelore': 'They’re funded by the [Russian] state and by presidential grants. […] These organizations participate in city events and festivals, people dance and sing, but there’s no politics, no social activism, no rights for Ukrainians. The Russian government creates these caricatures of Ukrainians. But as soon as you start to support Ukraine — not even the Maidan [Revolution], just independence, culture, language — it’s over.' According to Girzhov, the official decline in Russia’s Ukrainian population might be the result of ethnic Ukrainians in Russia self-identifying as Russians in official surveys: People are afraid because it’s not safe to admit that you’re Ukrainian right now. For example, the [Federal Security Service] has questioned people who appeared on the Library of Ukrainian Literature’s list of readers. Older people are worried about their children and grandchildren. Younger people are worried about losing their jobs. Everybody who could leave left before the war. Now it’s difficult, because until the war ends, everybody who’s left is trying not to emphasize their 'Ukrainianness.' ‘Why don’t you sing in Russian?’ Valery Semenenko moved from Ukraine to Moscow for graduate school in 1978, and he ended up settling down there. He’s one of the founders of the Association of Ukrainians in Russia, and he served as the organization’s co-chair until 2012, when the authorities shut it down: At first, in the late 2000s and the 2010s, we would write letters, appeals to Putin: we called for mutual understanding [between Russia and Ukrainian]. […] They shut us down for that: after the Orange Revolution, the Russian authorities got nervous. And two months after closing us, they created a puppet federal organization of Ukrainians whose representatives now say on TV that [Ukrainians] are Russians. Semenenko has since gone 'underground': he now leads an unregistered organization for Russia’s Ukrainian diaspora. 'We know Russia’s laws: we can only write about the pain and suffering of Ukrainians. As far as military activities, let alone discussing the [Russian] army, that’s off the table.' 'After the war the number of Ukrainians in Russia will fall to zero' And politics isn’t the only realm that scares the Russian authorities: We can’t even sing. In the fall of 2022, there was an annual concert in St. Petersburg. Each group — Kalmyks, Chuvash, [etc.] — performs one song. They invited Ukrainians as well. Then they thought better of it: 'Actually, how about you sing in Russian?' But [the Ukrainians] insisted: 'Either we sing in Ukrainian, or we don’t sing at all.' Semenenko said he has little confidence in the 2021 census data, especially since he never received a survey. Still, he has no doubt Russia’s Ukrainian population is indeed shrinking. 'If the Russian state is still in one piece [after the war], and if all of these patterns continue, the number of Ukrainians here will fall to zero,' he said. Even he wants to leave, he adds: 'But I have ties here: my home, my family. My wife is a native Muscovite. Where is she supposed to go? We should have left sooner. At least my children can go.' The Ukrainian diaspora is in a sorry state Anna (whose name iStories changed at her request) is from the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv but has been living in Russia for more than two decades. She currently leads an organization for Ukrainian women living in Russia. Every time air raid sirens sound in Chernihiv, she told iStories, she 'hears' it from her home outside Moscow. She says she keeps the notifications activated on her cell phone because her daughter still lives in the city. When the February 2022 invasion began, Anna tried to convince her daughter to move to Russia. 'I told her, ‘Come here.’ And she responded, ‘No, Mom, I’m not going to fascist Russia,’' she said. Anti-war protest in Moscow at the monument to the Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka. 'Ukraine is not our enemy, but our brother'. Photo from twitter. According to Anna, things were 'booming' for the Ukrainian community when she first moved to Russia in 2000; she and other diaspora leaders even met with government officials to discuss opening a Ukrainian school: It seemed to us that Russia was so big, there was so much to be done, so much to create; our countries could communicate, there could be student exchanges, artist exchanges. We thought that’s how the future would be, but things turned out completely differently. The Ukrainian diaspora is in such a sorry state now. If you say what local authorities tell you to say, then of course they’ll support you. But I don’t know how you can say things that aren’t true. 'What can I do here alone?' Since the war began, some of Anna’s acquaintances in Ukraine have cut off contact with her simply because she lives in Russia. 'But what can I do here alone?' she said. 'Recently, some caring people left flowers at the monument to [Ukrainian writer] Lesya Ukrainka [in Moscow], and all of them were arrested. Now, there will probably be police stationed at all of the Ukrainian monuments.
Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia The submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia (the Committee) in relation to its inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia was prepared by the Law Council of Australia. The incident at the Juukan Gorge is one example of the wide structural disconnect existing across the current legislative framework. Cultural heritage laws at the Commonwealth, state and territory levels have failed to incorporate recognition of the rights of First Nations peoples to land and waters. These regimes have not kept pace with the paradigmatic change precipitated by the High Court’s decision in Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1. In particular, Commonwealth, state and territory laws have failed to conceptualise that the importance of land and waters lies in their connection to the diverse cultures of First Nations peoples, which are living cultures. Most of the existing cultural heritage protection regimes have severe limitations in their ability to identify relevant Aboriginal parties or include these parties in the decision-making process. This includes the lack of a systemic process by which to ensure appropriate First Nations representation or meaningful consultation, which would include the ability to seek review of a decision. You can read the full submission below.
Microwaves have some significant effects on foods -- they can denature proteins, decrease vitamin content and destroy enzymes. However, none of these effects are unique to microwave ovens. Conventional cooking has identical effects, notes Dr. D. Zhang and colleagues in a 2004 study in "Food Chemistry," as these are all effects of heating, rather than effects unique to microwave radiation. A microwave oven cooks food by causing the molecules that make up the food -- specifically water molecules -- to vibrate rapidly. As they vibrate, these molecules rub against each other, which generates heat through friction. If you rub your hands together rapidly, you'll feel your palms get warm -- this is similar to the way in which a microwave generates heat through friction. Given enough vibration, the food generates enough heat to cook it. You may have heard that the radiation a microwave depends on damages your food or has a negative effect upon it. This is not true. Despite the fact that the words sound similar, "radiation" and "radioactive" are not the same thing. Microwave radiation is much more similar to heat wave radiation than it is to nuclear radiation; it can't "kill" your food or make it dangerous or radioactive. In fact, the only effects that a microwave can have on food are those that stem from heating -- just as conventional cooking can affect food through heating it. Effects of Heating When you heat food, you affect the proteins in it. Heat makes proteins change shape, which is called "denaturing" the proteins. While this causes them to lose function, it doesn't affect the nutrient value. In fact, you don't use any of the proteins in your food for their function. When you consume protein, your stomach acid denatures the protein -- just as heat does -- and you break the protein down into its constituent parts, explain Drs. Mary Campbell and Shawn Farrell in their book "Biochemistry." Enzymes are proteins, and you don't use the enzymes in your food. As such, though microwaving, like conventional cooking, destroys enzymes, this is of no concern, because the enzymes your body depends on are produced by the cells of the digestive tract. Another effect of microwaving on food is that it slightly reduces the vitamin content. Again, however, this is an effect of heat, and is true in the case of conventional cooking as well. Dr. D. Zhang and colleagues note that any cooking method decreases vitamin content, with more destruction occurring the longer food is cooked. Since microwaves cook food more quickly, they actually result in less destruction of vitamins than conventional cooking methods.
It was built sometime between 1597 and 1610 as a private mansion for Jean Curtius, industrialist and munitions supplier to the Spanish army. With its alternating layers of red brick and natural stone, and its cross-mullioned windows, the building typifies the regional style known as the Mosan (or Meuse) Renaissance. After a 50 million euro redevelopment, the museum reopened as the Grand Curtius (Le Grand Curtius) in March 2009, now housing the merged collections of four former museums: the museum of archeology, the museum of weaponry, the museum of decorative arts, and the museum of religious art and Mosan art. Highlights in the collections include treasures of Mosan art such as a twelfth-century gilded reliquary tryptich, formerly in the church of Sainte-Croix, the Evangelarium of Notger, sculptures by Jean Del Cour, and a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte painted by Ingres in 1804: Bonaparte, First Consul. - (French) (Dutch) (English) (German) Official website of the Grand Curtius Museum \|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grand Curtius.\| \|This article about a museum in Belgium is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.\|
Historically, as an industry, growers have tried to use crop rotation, chemical rotation, and combine multiple modes of action and different groups of chemistry together to manage resistance, and extend the useful life of the chemicals to make them more effective for a longer period of time. A lot of that has been extremely successful, and many growers are able to avoid it. The biggest problem you can run into is when you have narrow crop rotation and very narrow chemical use — that’s when you’ll run into the most accelerated problems with resistance. Unfortunately there are some weeds out there that have no chemical controls. That’s a different scenario altogether. You can include mechanical tools, but In this extreme scenario, your options become very limited. But in the less extreme cases — (i.e. if the resistance is just starting to show up, or it’s not the entire field at risk) — then you have more tools at your advantage to try to keep things under control. Crop rotation is the practice of planting different crops, one after the other, on the same plot of land in order to improve soil health, optimize nutrients in the soil, and combat pest and weed pressure. A simple crop rotation might involve two or three different crops, whereas a more complex rotation might involve more than a dozen different crops. Since different crops have different needs and are vulnerable to different pests, if a grower plants the exact same crop in the same place every year, they continually host the same sets of insects and disease. Pests and other diseases know what they will be getting and they set up a permanent home there. Decreased diversity also selects for specific species of weeds. Qualities of crop types, including competitiveness, planting and harvest timing, herbicide options, days to maturity, along with many other factors will naturally select for specific weed species. When this happens, increasing levels of chemical fertilizers and pesticides become necessary to keep yields high while keeping bugs and disease to a minimum. Crop rotation works by increasing biodiversity, and interrupting the lifecycle of pests, weeds, and other diseases. Seed Control Unit Mechanical tools, like Redekop’s seed control unit, provide another way to fight off resistance. The seed control unit is a flexible and cost-effective solution that has kill rates of greater than 98 percent. The unit works on any seed that can be physically harvested by killing the seed, and in turn reducing the weed bank and weed pressure in that field. The unit can also be easily turned on and off for growers who have low weed pressure or are dealing with a non-harvestable weed. Remember that the current crop becomes a weed next year! Some our the worst ‘weeds’ are glyph tolerant crops / rotations that are harder to control (eg. barley on wheat). “We’re not going to cure a hundred percent of the resistant weed issues. But if we can do our job to reduce the weed pressure, we think that means the competitiveness of the crop is going to be higher, herbicides are exposed to a reduced weed population, resulting in an increased effectiveness of the chemistries that we’re using,” says Trevor Thiessen, president of Redekop Manufacturing. “It’s no different than someone trying to weed their lawn. The more weeds you have, the more challenging it is to get a good look at the lawn. So if you can pick out 80 percent of the weeds, the lawn can compete pretty well.” The ultimate goal when it comes to managing crop chemical resistance is to combine and utilize multiple strategies. By combining crop rotation, multiple different chemistries, and mechanical tools like the seed control unit, you will have the best shot at reducing weed pressure and managing resistance. “There are resistant weeds popping up all over the place in western Canada and the US and Europe and Australia. The key is staying ahead of it by using all these tools in our toolbox and being creative enough to not get in a spot where a resistant weed has taken over so completely that the fields are now unmanageable,” says Thiessen. “Now with harvest control tools, we’ve added another piece of the puzzle to help the grower increase his options.” Preventing Crop Chemical Resistance Total prevention is difficult — if you are using herbicides, you are applying a selection pressure for resistance. Using the strategies above for management can help delay the evolution of resistance, and if enough other strategies are used it could be a long-term delay. That means using multiple strategies. ”The reality is that we’re always going to have weeds in our fields. They aren’t going to go away,” says Thiessen. “I think the things that we’re doing — crop rotation, using chemistries, and mixing it up and making sure we’re not cutting rates, and then the third piece is adding new tools like mechanical tools, like harvest control tools. Those are all things to help us with the prevention process as well.” However, the best way to prevent crop chemical resistance is simply to not ignore the problem. “If you have resistant weeds popping up, no matter how you want to deal with them, you have to deal with them,” says Thiessen. “In different parts of the world the resistant weeds are starting to grow. Very rapidly. The number of incidents that we saw five or 10 years ago is a fraction in some parts, where now 70 or 80 percent of the field will show some sign of it. So that’s lesson number one — don’t pretend like it’s not going to happen, because it’s probably going to happen. We just need to be aware of it and be proactive.” Common Resistant Weeds Palmer amaranth has the ability to very quickly develop resistance to herbicides. According to Chemical & Engineering News, “Weed scientists and agriculture chemical company experts describe the many ways that biology and growth habits make this king of weeds uniquely difficult to kill or contain. It will likely require brand-new technology—technology that does not yet exist—to regain the upper hand.” When Palmer amaranth survives herbicide application, it becomes a major roadblock to growers’ yields. More than other weeds, it outcompetes crops for nutrients, water, and even sun. When uncontrolled, the weed can cause crop yields to drop 50 percent or more. This is likely why the Weed Science Society of America voted it the United State’s most troublesome weed in 2017. Annual ryegrass is a serious and costly weed, found commonly in places like southern Australia, as well as North America. Annual ryegrass is highly adaptable and competitive, and can compete with crops very early in the growing stages. It also acts as a host for certain types of bacteria. According to the Government of Western Austraila, “many populations of annual ryegrass have developed resistance to both selective and non-selective herbicides. Repeated use of herbicides from the same mode-of-action group (particularly the high-risk Groups A and B) have lead to herbicide-resistant individuals.” Kochia has been identified as one of the most dangerous weeds in the West. This drought-loving weed can be difficult to manage, mostly because of its ability to spread and quickly establish itself as a major weed. According to The Western Producer, “Kochia, like humans, is a serial out-crosser, meaning that each of a mature plant’s 25,000 seeds are individuals with unique characteristics, accommodating multiple mutations and future natural selection to a variety of perils.” Kochia’s ability to resist Group 2 herbicides means it has become hard to control in pulse crops. “Just 21 plants per sq. metre reduce wheat yields by one-third. The plant can be devastating in flax and pulse crops, choking out broadleaf crops for sun and moisture.” One challenge that Dr. Breanne Tidemann, a research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, foresees is more resistance being selected. “As we continue to rely on herbicides for our weed management we will continue to see more cases of resistance evolve,” she says. “Introduction of new weeds with already established resistance – there are weeds in the US that, particularly with climate change, may make their way north, many of which have multiple herbicide resistance (resistant to multiple herbicide groups) and will be very difficult to manage. Evolution of more multiple resistance in already resistant weeds in Canada.” Do environmental changes have an impact? “To some degree, yes,” says Thiessen. “I think the environment and the climate from year to year will change and have some impact on how these crops react. But I don’t think it really changes the trajectory long term of the resistance issue. I think it just changes the fact that a resistant crop in any given year might be more or less dominant.” A weed’s secret weapon is seed longevity. According to Successful Farming, most annual weedy grass seeds die after two-to-three years, but some broadleaf weed seeds can remain viable for decades. Why the difference? Weed seed coats play an important role. “Weed seeds that have a hard seed coat are more likely to survive the trials and tribulations that occur when they fall into the soil,” according to Successful Farming. A number of other factors can determine how likely a weed seed is to survive. These include disease, environmental factors, insects, soil, and light. A bigger issue, according to Thiessen, are social and political impacts. “As a global trend, we’re not excited about chemical use. So we could see growers in different parts of the world losing options to manage weed resistance because of political or social pressure. By reducing and eliminating chemical use, we could find other problems in our cropping, which will ultimately affect yield and affect the growers ability to grow crops and produce food.” The rate of innovation in the chemistry market has slowed. So as we look to the future, we can’t rely on some miracle chemical coming onto the market to take care of this issue. It’s not going to get better on its own. Growers need to actively manage it by being proactive and using all the tools at their disposal.
Fluoride is a common constituent of ground water and is classified as a contaminant by International Ground Water Resources. Fluoride concentration below 1 ppm prevents dental cavities whereas higher concentration causes dental and skeletal fluorosis . Many parts of the world, as well as many communities in New Jersey have high fluoride concentration in drinking water and defluoridation is an important technology. The objective of this project is to develop a biocomposite for drinking water defluoridation. We propose to use algae as a host to immobilize nano and micro zirconium oxides on its surface. To provide high chemical and mechanical strength, the immobilized algal biomass will be coated with porous polysulfone. Zirconium oxides are known to be effective defluoridation agents and the Zr coated biocomposite will be synthesized for fluoride removal. The biocomposite will be characterized based on surface area, porosity and zirconium loading. This research will lead to the development of a green sorbent for defluoridation, and also serve as a platform for the removal of other pollutants. \|Effective start/end date\|\|3/1/14 → 2/28/15\| - U.S. Geological Survey: $5,000.00 Explore the research topics touched on by this project. These labels are generated based on the underlying awards/grants. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
\|Home \| About \| Journals \| Submit \| Contact Us \| Français\| To quantify contributions of individual sociodemographic factors, neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) and unmeasured factors to racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors for Non-Hispanic (NH) Whites, NH Blacks, and Mexican-Americans. We used linear regression and Oaxaca decomposition analyses. Although individual characteristics and NSES contributed to racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors, differences in responses individual characteristics and NSES also played a significant role. There are racial/ethnic differences in the way that individual-level determinants and NSES affect health behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms for differential responses could inform community interventions and public health campaigns that targeted to particular groups. Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, are the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., accounting for 70% of deaths each year.1 Moreover, there are stark differences in chronic disease incidence, prevalence, and mortality by race/ethnicity.2 For example, African-American, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native adults are twice as likely as Non-Hispanic (NH) White adults to have diabetes.3 Age-adjusted death rates for heart disease are also 32% higher among African-Americans than among Whites,3 and the incidence of coronary heart disease among American Indians and Alaska Natives is nearly double that observed in the general U.S. population.3 Healthy behaviors, including a nutritious diet, physical activity, and avoiding tobacco use and excessive drinking, can prevent or control chronic disease,1 and racial/ethnic differences in these behaviors contribute to the gaps in chronic disease burden.4,5 Substantial work has shown that individual characteristics, such as education and income, and neighborhood factors influence health behaviors. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) individuals may experience more negative life events (stressors) than higher-SES individuals and may perceive greater negative impact from any given event. Stress is one important and plausible mediator linking SES to health behaviors.6 Neighborhoods differ in economic conditions and the quality and quantity of resources,7,8 including availability of recreational facilities;9,10 healthy, affordable food;11–13 and adequate health care. These factors can influence diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake and other health behaviors as well.8,14,15 Notably, the available evidence suggests that racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors persist even after adjusting for individual and neighborhood factors.8,15,16 However, one feature of most of the research to date is the implicit assumption that individual and neighborhood factors influence all racial/ethnic groups in the same way. In fact, the effect of both individual and neighborhood characteristics may vary by race/ethnicity, possibly because of unmeasured attributes. For example, educational quality may differ between Blacks and Whites17 even when they have the same number of years of schooling, leading to differences in the estimated effects of education. Perceived discrimination and degree of acculturation may affect how Hispanics, compared with Whites, use neighborhood resources to maintain health.18 If the effects of individual and neighborhood factors on health behaviors differ by race and ethnicity, the analyses in many previous studies may be misspecified. Further, the results may be misleading and may not provide as much insight as they could. Understanding how associations between individual and neighborhood factors and health behaviors vary across racial/ethnic groups, and the contribution of such variations to disparities, could suggest ways to improve studies of health behaviors and interventions to improve them. Our study addresses this gap in the literature by using Oaxaca decomposition to examine differences in diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and alcohol consumption among Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Hispanic Blacks, and Mexican-Americans. Oaxaca decomposition analysis, widely used in sociology and labor economics, is a statistical method for decomposing overall group differences in an outcome of interest and quantifying the contributions from different components. In this study, we used the method to decompose racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors to quantify the contribution of individual-level variables, NSES and differential response. Our decomposition provides insights that are likely to be useful in the design of interventions and policies to reduce the health impact of harmful health behaviors in different racial/ethnic groups. We base our research on a social ecological framework, which considers a multileveled set of influences on health behaviors on the individual and neighborhood levels. Specifically, a social ecological framework recognizes that the likelihood that people will engage in healthful behaviors is greatest when they are inclined to do so, have the ability to do so, and when their sociocultural, physical, and socio-economic environments offer the opportunities for doing so. With such an approach, health behaviors of an individual are guided by layers of influences including the family, proximal social influences such as social networks or neighborhoods, organizational influences such as worksite or community systems or healthcare systems, and larger social influences such as government, policy, or large economic structures. Two important emphases are (1) that the behavior of the individual reflects the influence of all the layers; and (2) that the layers interact in their influence so that, e.g., communities may influence families but families may also influence communities.19 In our own analyses, we focus on 2 main levels: the neighborhood and the individual. As described below, we capture neighborhood-level influences by neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES), and include multiple individual-level predictors of health behaviors including age, marital status, nativity, income – all shown in prior research to be important predictors of health behaviors. We used geocoded data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a nationally representative, cross-sectional study of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the United States conducted from 1988 through 1994. The sampling design oversampled Blacks and Mexican-Americans. NHANES III obtained information on study subjects through surveys, physical examinations, and laboratory studies. The data on diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and sedentary lifestyle are from the surveys. We used census tracts as proxies for neighborhoods and merged the NHANES III with tract-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau using geocoded residential addresses. Approximately 86% of the sample was geocoded to a census tract through a match to an exact address or to a street intersection. The remaining 14% of the sample could be matched only to a zip-code or county centroid; we excluded these subjects from our analyses because of concerns about the validity of merging tract-level data based on such matches. Most excluded subjects lived in sparsely populated areas; consequently, our results may not be generalizable to rural residents. We restricted the study samples to adults age 20 and over. We excluded pregnant women, whose health behaviors are likely to differ from their usual patterns; subjects who categorized themselves as “other” race/ethnicity; and subjects who were missing key variables for the analyses (see below). Our final study samples ranged from 12,648 persons for binge drinking to 13,187 for sedentary lifestyle, and comprised 83% to 87% of the geocoded sample. RAND Corporation’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the study, and the National Center for Health Statistics’ (NCHS’s) IRB approved the NHANES III survey. Analyses were performed at the NCHS’s secure Research Data Center in Hyattsville, Maryland, and conducted using SAS Version 9.2. Study outcomes included dichotomous measures of smoking, binge drinking, and sedentary lifestyle. Smoking was divided into current smokers or nonsmokers and former smokers. A current smoker was considered to be anyone who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their life and who smoked cigarettes in the last 30 days. Subjects were considered to have an episode of binge drinking in the past year if they reported consuming 5 or more drinks in a single day. Because of different distributions by gender, for men, we dichotomized the frequency of binge drinking into ≥1 binge drinking episodes per week or <1 binge drinking episode per week. For women, we dichotomized binge drinking into ≥1 binge drinking episodes during the year or none. Sedentary lifestyle was based upon self-report of participation in any activity in the past month including running, aerobics, yard work, dancing, weightlifting, bicycling, swimming, calisthenics, or any other sport or exercise. Respondents who did not report any activity in the past month were categorized as sedentary. Study outcomes also included 2 continuous measures of dietary intake derived from the NHANES III 24-hour dietary recall interview: number of servings per day of fruits and vegetables and percent of total kilocalories from fat. The individual characteristics used as independent variables in the study included age; gender; race/ethnicity, categorized as Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, and Mexican-American; nativity, categorized as U.S.-born or foreign-born; educational attainment, categorized as grade school only, some high school, high school graduate, or post high school; family income relative to the federal poverty level (FPL), categorized as poor (< 1 times FPL), low income (1–2 times FPL), middle income (2–4 times FPL), or high income (> 4 times FPL); and marital status, categorized as married (includes “living as married”), never married, and other (widowed, divorced, or separated). On the neighborhood level, we employed NSES, measured using an index of 6 variables measured at the census-tract level: (1) percent of adults older than 25 with less than a high school education; (2) percent male unemployment; (3) percent of households with income below the poverty line; (4) percent of households receiving public assistance; (5) percent of households with children headed only by a female; and (6) median household income. The NSES index is the standardized sum and has a mean of zero and a standard deviation of one; a score greater than zero denotes a tract with NSES above the sample average. The variables in the NSES index were identified using factor analysis and the index has been used in several previous studies.11,20,21 We conducted a regression-based Oaxaca decomposition analysis,22 which was introduced into the labor economics literature to study discrimination in the labor market. The goal of this method is to decompose differences between 2 groups in an outcome of interest into a component due to differences between the groups in their characteristics, and a component due to differences between the groups in the effects of these characteristics on the outcome. In the original application, economists used the method to assess how much of the difference in wages between Whites and Blacks was due to racial differences in relevant attributes, such as educational attainment and work experience, and how much was due to racial differences in the effects of those attributes on wages. Empirical implementation of the method is based on a straightforward algebraic decomposition of the outcome differences, as explained below. In this study, we used Oaxaca decomposition analysis to decompose racial/ethnic differences in health behaviors into 3 components: (1) a component due to racial/ethnic differences in measured individual characteristics, (2) a component due to racial/ethnic differences in NSES, and (3) a component due to racial/ethnic differences in the effects of individual characteristics and NSES on health behaviors. We implemented the method as follows. First, separately for each racial/ethnic group, we estimated a linear regression model for each study outcome. Thus, for dichotomous dependent variables, we estimated linear probability models. We adopted this approach because the traditional Oaxaca decomposition cannot be used with nonlinear models (e.g., logistic or probit regressions). Linear probability models have been used in other decomposition studies and allow for ease of interpretation.23 With linear models, the mean value of each health behavior for each racial/ethnic group is a simple function of the estimated regression coefficients and the mean values of the individual- and neighborhood-level independent variables. For example, we obtain: where Y represents the health behavior; X is a vector of individual characteristics; N is the NSES index; the subscripts b and w refer to Blacks and Whites respectively; the horizontal bars over Y, X, and N represent mean values; and and are vectors of estimated coefficients. Therefore, the mean difference between Whites and Blacks in the health behavior indicator is: Adding and subtracting from the right-hand side of the equation and rearranging, we obtain: The first component is the difference in the health behavior attributable to Black/White differences in individual characteristics. The second component is the difference in health behaviors attributable to Black/White differences in NSES. These first 2 components constitute the “explained” portion of differences in health behaviors, since they can be attributed to observed differences in variables associated with these behaviors. Of note, the first 2 components in this equation are “weighted” by the regression coefficients from the White sample. Thus, the sum of these 2 components yields the Black/White difference in the health behavior we would expect, given the differences in observed characteristics, if the effect of these characteristics on the behavior of Blacks was the same as for Whites, and both groups retained the observed values of their characteristics. The equation can also be constructed such that the regression coefficients from the Black sample are used as weights, so the decomposition is not unique. Finally, the third component is attributable to differences between Blacks and Whites in regression coefficients, evaluated at the average values of individual characteristics and NSES for Blacks; this component would vanish if the coefficients in the Black and White regressions were the same. Coefficient differences indicate varying behavioral effects of individual and neighborhood characteristics across racial/ethnic groups, which may be a result of differences in unmeasured attributes, as discussed in the Introduction. This unexplained component would persist even if racial/ethnic differences in observed individual characteristics and NSES were eliminated. We weighted all analyses using the NHANES examination weights, which account for the sampling design and for survey nonresponse. Further, we corrected standard errors for clustering at the level of census tracts and counties using hierarchical models. Mexican-Americans and Blacks were, on average, younger than Whites (Table 1). Mexican-Americans were much more likely than Blacks or Whites to be foreign-born, and they had much lower educational attainment. Additionally, Mexican-Americans and Blacks had lower family income than Whites. Most (62.8%) Mexican-Americans lived in the West, whereas half of the Blacks lived in the South; Whites were more equally distributed regionally. Mexican-Americans and Blacks were much more likely than Whites to live in low socioeconomic status neighborhoods. Whites reported the highest daily intake of fruit and vegetables and Blacks reported the lowest, whereas Mexican-Americans had the lowest percentage of caloric intake from fat and Blacks the highest (Table 2). Mexican-Americans had the lowest smoking prevalence, while Blacks had the highest. Mexican-Americans had the highest prevalence of sedentary behavior, followed by Blacks and then Whites. The prevalence of male binge drinking was highest among Mexican-Americans and lowest among Whites. In contrast, female binge drinking was highest among Whites and lowest among Blacks. Table 3 reports regression results for selected independent variables of particular interest, including gender, income, nativity, educational attainment, and NSES. For each behavior, regression coefficients varied, often considerably, across racial/ethnic groups. This variation in coefficients underscores the value of a decomposition analysis. Being female was associated with lower daily fruit and vegetable intake among Blacks and Whites, but not among Mexican Americans. Higher NSES was associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake in all groups. The association between educational attainment and fruit and vegetable intake was most pronounced in Blacks. The U.S.-born had lower fruit and vegetable intake than the foreign-born in all 3 racial/ethnic groups. Additionally, higher NSES was associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake in all 3 groups. Among Whites, being female was associated with consuming a lower percentage of calories from fat. Higher family income was associated with a lower percentage of kilocalories from fat among Mexican-Americans and Blacks, but not among Whites. The U.S.-born had higher fat intake than the foreign-born in all 3 racial/ethnic groups. However, higher NSES was associated with consuming a lower percentage of calories from fat only among Mexican-Americans. Among Whites and Mexican-Americans, being female was associated with a lower probability of being a current smoker. Higher educational attainment was associated with a lower probability of smoking in all racial/ethnic groups. Among Mexican-Americans and Blacks, the U.S.-born were more likely to be current smokers than the foreign-born. Higher NSES was associated with a lower probability of smoking among Blacks and Whites, but not Mexican Americans. Among Blacks and Whites, women had a higher probability of being sedentary than men. Lower family income was associated with a higher probability of being sedentary among Mexican Americans and Blacks, whereas lower educational attainment was associated with a higher probability of being sedentary in all 3 racial/ethnic groups. Higher NSES was associated with a lower probability of being sedentary among Mexican Americans and Whites, but not Blacks. For both men and women, the probability of being a binge drinker was generally higher among the U.S.-born and the less educated. Among Mexican-American and Black men, lower family income was associated with a higher probability of binge drinking; however, among White women, lower family income was associated with a lower probability of binge drinking. NSES was not associated with binge drinking for women, White men, or Mexican-American men. For Black men, however, higher NSES was associated with a lower probability of binge drinking. For each behavior, we summarize the findings of our decomposition analyses in Table 4, which has 2 sections. The top section reports findings for the decomposition of differences in health behaviors between Whites and Mexican-Americans, whereas the bottom section reports the findings for Whites and Blacks. The table shows the overall gap in the left column, and the next 3 columns report the contributions from differences in individual characteristics, differences in NSES, and differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES, respectively. Whites consumed an average of 0.41 more servings/day of fruit and vegetables than Mexican-Americans. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, Whites would have been predicted to consume 0.74 (0.45 [Table 4, Column 1] + 0.29 [Table 4, Column 2]) more servings than Mexican-Americans. However, group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake among Blacks relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics. This narrowed the gap between the 2 groups by 0.33 servings/day (Table 4, Column 3). Whites also consumed a higher percentage of kilocalories from fat than Mexican Americans, by 1.38 percentage points. A substantial portion of this gap, 0.56 percentage points, was explained by differences in the groups’ individual characteristics, whereas the difference in NSES contributed 0.04 percentage points. Thus, based on their individual characteristics and NSES, the gap between Whites and Mexican Americans would have been predicted to be 0.60 percentage points (0.56+0.04). However, the sizable differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES led the gap to widen by 0.78 percentage points. Findings for smoking prevalence were striking. Whites had a higher prevalence of smoking than Mexican Americans, by 6.5 percentage points. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, however, whites would have been predicted to have a lower—not higher—smoking prevalence than Mexican Americans, by 12.4 percentage points (−8.9 + −3.5). Thus group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated with much lower rates of smoking among Mexican Americans relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics, which led the gap to swing by 19.0 percentage points in the opposite direction. Whites were less likely than Mexican-Americans to lead sedentary lifestyles, by 12.6 percentage points. A large part of this gap (10.6 percentage points) was explained by differences between Whites and Mexican-Americans in individual characteristics (7.5 percentage points) and NSES (3.1 percentage points). Thus, for sedentary lifestyle, the contribution from differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES was the smallest of the 3 components. White men had lower prevalence of binge-drinking than Mexican-American men, by 7.9 percentage points. Interestingly, almost all this gap (7.0 percentage points) was explained by differences between the groups in their responses to individual characteristics and NSES. Specifically, group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated with much higher rates of binge drinking among Mexican American men relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics. White women had a higher prevalence of binge drinking than Mexican-American women by 5.9 percentage points. As for men, this gap was primarily explained by differences between the groups in their responses to measured individual characteristics and NSES. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, Mexican American women would have been predicted to have a higher rate of binge drinking than White women, by 2.2 percentage points (−1.9 + −0.3). However, and in contrast to the men, group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated much lower rates of binge drinking among Mexican American women relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics. This resulted in a swing of the gap by 8.1 percentage points in the opposite direction. Whites consumed an average 0.98 more servings/day of fruits and vegetables than Blacks. Most of this difference, 0.88 servings, was explained by group differences in individual characteristics (0.46 servings) and NSES (0.42 servings). Differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES contributed an additional 0.10 servings to the gap in fruit and vegetable intake between Whites and Blacks. Blacks consumed a higher percentage of kilocalories from fat than Whites, by 0.48 percentage points. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, the gap between Blacks and Whites would have been predicted to be 0.16 percentage points (−0.22 + 0.06), with Blacks consuming more fat. However, the sizable differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES led the gap to widen by 0.32 percentage points. Whites had a lower prevalence of smoking than Blacks, by 5.5 percentage points. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, the smoking rate among Whites would have been predicted to be lower than among Blacks by 11.8 percentage points (−6.7 + −5.1). However, group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated with lower rates of smoking among Blacks relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics, which narrowed the gap by 6.3 percentage points. Whites were less likely than Blacks to have sedentary lifestyles, by 9.2 percentage points. Nearly this entire gap was explained by differences between Whites and Blacks in individual characteristics (4.3 percentage points) and NSES (4.4 percentage points). The contribution from differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES was small, amounting to 0.6 percentage points. White men had lower prevalence of binge drinking than Black men, by 4.2 percentage points. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, the rate of binge drinking among Whites would be predicted to be lower than among Blacks by 6.6 percentage points (−4.2 + −2.4). However, group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated with a lower rate of binge drinking among Blacks relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics. This narrowed the gap by 2.5 percentage points. Findings for binge drinking in women were striking. Whites women had a higher prevalence of binge drinking than Black women, by 8.2 percentage points. Based on their individual characteristics and NSES, however, white women would have been predicted to have a lower—not higher—binge drinking prevalence, by 4.0 percentage points (−3.6 + −0.4). Thus group differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were associated with much lower rates of binge drinking among Black women relative to Whites than would have been predicted based on these characteristics. The result was a swing in the gap of 12.2 percentage points in the opposite direction. This study examined the contributions of individual characteristics and NSES to racial/ethnic differences in 5 health behaviors—fruit and vegetable intake, sedentary lifestyle, percentage of calories from fat, tobacco use, and binge drinking—among Whites, Mexican-Americans and Blacks in the United States. Our analyses build on prior studies that have found associations of age, gender, educational attainment, and income with health behaviors,2,5,24,25 as well as on recent research published in this journal (American Journal of Health Behavior) showing that neighborhood deprivation increases the risk of smoking, sedentary behavior, fat intake, and binge drinking.8 However, our study advances the research on disparities in health behaviors by conducting a Oaxaca decomposition analysis, which enables us to assess the degree to which racial/ethnic differences may result from differential group responses to measured characteristics. To our knowledge, decomposition analysis has not previously been applied to study disparities in health behaviors. Consistent with earlier research, we found that individual demographic and socioeconomic factors and NSES had strong independent associations with health behaviors. For each behavior, however, effect sizes varied by race/ethnicity, often substantially, suggesting the potential utility of a decomposition analysis. Indeed, our decomposition analyses found that the contribution to disparities of racial/ethnic differences in the effects of measured characteristics was sometimes larger than the contribution of group differences in these characteristics. Our analysis of smoking prevalence in Whites and Mexican Americans provides a particularly striking example of the importance of group differences in the effects of measured characteristics. Thus we found that, whereas Whites’ and Mexican Americans’ individual characteristics and NSES would predict a lower smoking prevalence among whites, in fact Mexican Americans had lower a lower prevalence of smoking. Differential effects of individual characteristics and NSES may result from omitted dimensions of variables that we otherwise included in our analyses. For example, our measures of individual socioeconomic status did not capture educational quality or wealth. Differential effects may also be due to individual factors that we were forced to omit from our analyses altogether, due of lack of data, such as attitudes and preferences, culture and degree of acculturation, and experience of discrimination. In a related vein, our measure of NSES is a proxy measure that stands in for differences across neighborhoods in access to facilities for recreation and exercise, crime, availability of different types of food, quality of public services, and other factors. The range of possible explanations for differential responses makes it difficult to identify with certainty a specific cause for any particular health behavior. Nonetheless, with this caveat in mind, several observations regarding our findings merit discussion. In comparing Whites’ and Mexican Americans’ health behaviors, we found that differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES made the dominant contribution to the gap in 4 behaviors: calories from fat, tobacco use, and binge drinking in both genders. These findings are consistent with a major role of cultural differences in the differential responses. Previous studies have documented the importance of differences in dietary practices between Whites and recent Mexican immigrants,26,27 with the latter generally having healthier diets that are lower in fat.26,27 Studies have also shown that acculturation to U.S. culture is associated with unfavorable dietary changes among Mexican-Americans.26–28 Our findings suggest that, in the case of dietary fat, the effects of culture may dominate other factors. Tobacco use and alcohol consumption are also culturally embedded behaviors. Our findings for tobacco use are especially noteworthy, since the large contribution of differential responses reversed the direction of the gap between Whites and Mexican Americans that would have been predicted based only on their individual characteristics and NSES. In fact, prior studies have found that Mexican immigrants have low rates of smoking rates, and that smoking rates increase with acculturation.29,30 Notably, people who self-identity as Mexican American are more likely to smoke than those who self-identify as Mexican.29 Other studies have demonstrated higher smoking rates in second generation and/or those who are U.S. born compared with immigrants.31,32 Our findings for binge drinking are even more striking, as we found that the sizeable contributions from differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES were opposite in direction for men and women. Thus Mexican-American men engaged in binge drinking much more frequently than would have been predicted based on their individual characteristics and NSES, whereas Mexican-American women engaged in binge drinking much less often than would have been predicted. This finding is consistent with previous research suggesting that Hispanics (although not a homogeneous population) demonstrate more conservative views of alcohol use than Whites;33,34 these conservative attitudes are especially likely to influence the drinking behavior of women.34 Our findings suggest that, as with dietary fat, the effects of culture on tobacco and alcohol use may be the main reason for differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES between Whites and Mexican Americans. In comparing Whites’ and Blacks’ health behaviors, differential responses to individual factors and NSES made the dominant contribution to the gaps in only 2 behaviors: calories from fat and binge drinking among women. Specifically, Blacks consumed a higher percentage of calories from fat in their diets than would have been predicted based on their individual characteristics and NSES. Blacks have different dietary traditions than Whites,35,36 and these traditions include several foods that are high in fat.37–40 Conversely, Black women engaged in binge drinking much less often than would be predicted. Studies also suggest that, as in the case of Mexican Americans, Blacks have more conservative views toward alcohol than do Whites.41 These conservative views may disproportionally affect women. Gender roles tend to vary by ethnicity and culture and these variations can affect the health status of Blacks in the U.S.42,43 Research has pointed to the role of religiosity in decreasing risk of binge drinking, and thus compiled with research that has shown women to be consistently more religious than men,44 this could be one explanation of lower binge drinking than one may have predicted given individual-level characteristics and NSES alone. Among men, we observed higher binge drinking from African American men compared with White men. Other45 research has shown that Black neighborhoods have more outdoor advertising space than White neighborhoods, and these spaces disproportionately market alcohol and tobacco advertisements.46,47 This may impact African American men differently than African American women, given literature which has shown differential responses by gender. Jackson48 notes an inverse association between income and hypertension for African-American women and contrasts this with African-American men.49 Further, Diez-Roux et al49 reported that African-American men in Harlem with a college degree had higher levels of hypertension when compared to those with only a high school education. Still, other studies have shown that substance use may be an unhealthy coping response to perceived unfair treatment for some individuals.50,51 Naturally, additional unmeasured factors, mentioned earlier, are also likely to influence the differential responses to individual characteristics and NSES across racial and ethnic groups, and quantifying the role of each unmeasured factor is not possible. Consequently, our discussion in the preceding paragraphs must remain speculative. Nonetheless, the observation that, on the whole, differential responses made larger contributions to the gaps in health behaviors between Mexican Americans and Whites than to the gaps between Blacks and Whites offers additional indirect support for the notion that culture may be the major driver of the differential responses between Mexican Americans and Whites. Despite their different histories and traditions, Whites and Blacks in the U.S. share a common culture to a much greater degree than Whites and either Mexican immigrants or less acculturated Mexican Americans do. Several limitations of our study deserve mention. First, because the NHANES III data are cross-sectional, we were unable to examine the temporal associations among individual characteristics, NSES, and health behaviors. Second, because of the high degree of racial residential segregation in the U.S., Blacks and Hispanics are far more likely than Whites to be poor and to live in poor communities.52 Thus it may be difficult to eliminate completely the confounding between individual socioeconomic status and NSES in the decomposition analyses. Nonetheless, in our data we found sufficient variation to obtain relatively precise estimates of both individual and neighborhood effects. Third, although NHANES III collects data on a large and representative national sample, rural populations are underrepresented in our study and, consequently, our findings are not generalizable to rural populations. Next, all data is based on self-report and we do not know whether there were differences in reporting bias either by behavior, or related to other characteristics. In a review of the literature, we found very limited evidence to suggest that social desirability response bias was likely to have had a major effect on our findings, though we cannot be sure.53–55 Last, NSES is a very useful, though non-specific, measure of neighborhood resources.20 Ideally, we would have detailed data on resources such as parks, recreational facilities, different types of food outlets, crime, and public services, but these data were unavailable. These limitations notwithstanding, our study underscores the fact that solutions to health disparities are complex, and that policymakers must account for a wide range of factors in designing policies. More specifically, our findings imply that even if social policy were able to equalize socioeconomic characteristics across racial/ethnic groups, we would probably continue to observe differences in health behaviors. Readily measurable characteristics are often the focus of policy recommendations in studies of health disparities (e.g., income transfers, educational interventions, or neighborhood improvements), but little if any attention has been given to the fact that reducing socioeconomic inequality may not eliminate disparities if there are differential responses to key individual and neighborhoods factors. Understanding the mechanisms for differential responses could inform community interventions and public health campaigns that aim to target particular groups, although dealing with this source of disparities is likely to remain a challenge. Our findings also suggest a need for more qualitative research that examines the underlying mechanisms for racial/ethnic differences in responses to individual sociodemographic characteristics and NSES. Understanding these mechanisms and the unmeasured factors that might matter is critical for developing successful approaches to reducing disparities in health behaviors. Our study also supports the notion that our current measures that capture socioeconomic influences on health are inadequate. Braveman and colleagues56,57 have stressed the multidimensional nature of socioeconomic status, and the fact that it can change over the life course. The need for additional work on measure development applies to both the individual and neighborhood levels. This work was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grant #1P50ES012383-01). The views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health and Human Services or the National Center for Health Statistics. Tamara Dubowitz, Associate Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213, Phone: (412) 683-2300 x4400, Fax: (412) 802-4962. Melonie Heron, Statistician/Demographer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 7328, Hyattsville, MD 20782, Phone: (301) 458-4726, Fax: (301) 458-4034. Ricardo Basurto-Davila, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90405, Phone: (310) 393-0411, Fax: (412) 802-4962. Chloe E. Bird, Senior Sociologist, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90405, Phone: (310) 393-0411 x6260, Fax: (310) 260-8159. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave, Washington, DC 20001, Phone: (202) 205-2882, Fax: (412) 802-4962. José J. Escarce, Professor of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Senior Natural Scientist, RAND, 911 Broxton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024, Phone: (310) 794-3842, Fax: (310) 260-4705.
Water for life decade – 2005 - 2015 In 2003, United Nations General Assembly declared 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'. The primary goal of the decade is to promote efforts to fulfil international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015. Among the central themes are: scarcity, access to sanitation and health, water and gender, capacity-building, financing, valuation, Integrated Water Resources Management, trans-boundary water issues, environment and biodiversity, disaster prevention, food and agriculture, pollution and energy. The website includes information about the decade, factsheets, a booklet, reference material outlines and information about the issues connected with water. There are also two downloadable videos; ‘Water, Drop of Life' and ‘Splish and Splash’-aimed at children, which provide an introduction to the issues.
Subhas Chandra Pattanayak “Rathastham Bamanam drustwa punarjanma na lavyate”. By finding the Bamana on His chariot, one shall have no reason for rebirth, this is what the above much quoted stanza says. But due to decadence in cultural research, the original meaning of the stanza has been lost. The sociological aspect that gave birth to this conception has been buried under spiritual jargons. To understand the real meaning of the quoted stanza we ought to have a critical look at it. Bamana is one of the ten incarnations of God according to world famous poet of Orissa, Sri Jayadev. If so, why only Bamana is revered in this particular stanza that goes on to say that seeing Him on the chariot there shall be no reason for rebirth? Let us first see what does the word ‘rebirth’ mean. The learned persons are known as twice born in India. The first birth is coming out of the womb of the mother in a state of knowledgelessness. When one acquires knowledge he gets recognition as ‘twice born'(Dwija). This is the state of ‘rebirth’. So, when one acquires the complete knowledge, for him, there remains no reason for rebirth. Now let us come to the word Bamana. It means the small shape of a big sort, particularly human. The stanza has depicted Sri Jagannath as Bamana. Why so? And why finding Him as the Bamana on the chariot one’s knowledge is considered to be complete? The answer lies in the name of Sri Jagannatha. Literally the name means ‘Lord of the Universe’. But, in the system of Sri Mandira, the abode of the Lord, Sri Jagannatha is four in one. Integrated in Him, the other three are ‘Sudarshana’, ‘Subhadra’ and ‘Balabhadra’. These three are His three other inseparable facets. To understand the significance of these facets one is to watch the colour they bear. When Sri Jagannath is black in colour, Sudarshan is slightly red, Subhadra is yellow and Balabhadra is white. If we look at the world, the entire human race is distributed within these four colours. And, in the body of Jagannath all the four colours are placed. Hence, not only He carries with Him all the facets of human world, but also He personifies all the four facets. In a nutshell, He is symbolic of the entire human race. Therefore He is considered to be the small shape of the entire humankind, the Bamana. On the second day of the bright phase of Asadha, He comes into the fold of the people of the world of all colour, creed and culture. This is His world famous chariot journey or Ratha Yatra. Anybody belonging to any region or religion of the world, and in any physical condition, can mingle with Him during this unique Yatra. It is no less symbolic. Agricultural activities in this part of the globe are heightened during the month of Asadha. Amongst all the activities the human race pursues, agriculture is the most fundamental, because this provides the food on which the human race lives. So, His car festival carries universal significance of the human activities and emphasizes on the common cause of human society. If one understands this much, what more knowledge he needs to know about how to act for building up of an integrated world on the basis of universal love and brotherhood? It is commonly believed that man takes a rebirth to live in a better world. If we follow the ethics Sri Jagannatha stands for, and the common cause His car festival cultivates, our blind ally with religions, the root cause of disintegration of human race, shall stop and a new world of universal brotherhood based on understanding and tolerance will emerge. When, thus, the Jagannath culture succeeds, the world where we live in would be the best place to live in and there shall be no reason for rebirth to live in a better world. This would be emancipation as contemplated in the quoted stanza. Welcome to the Ratha Yatra of Puri and Glory to this unique universal truth that manifests in Orissa so enchantingly and always.
Ghana Health Service \|Ghana Health Service\| \|Jurisdiction\|\|Republic of Ghana\| \|Parent agency\|\|Ministry of Health (Ghana)\| The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is a Ghanaian government body established in 1996 as part of the Health Sector Reform of Ghana. The Health Service is under the Ministry of Health. The Health service primarily administrates the health services provided by the government and in implementing government policies on healthcare. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is a Public Service body established under Act 525 of 1996 as required by the 1992 constitution. It is an autonomous Executive Agency responsible for implementation of national policies under the control of the Ghana Minister for Health through its governing Council - the Ghana Health Service Council. The GHS continue to receive public funds and thus remain within the public sector. However, its employees are no longer part of the civil service, and GHS managers are no longer required to follow all civil service rules and procedures. The independence of the GHS is designed primarily to ensure that staffs have a greater degree of managerial flexibility to carry out their responsibilities, than would be possible if they remained wholly within the civil service. Ghana Health Service does not include Teaching Hospitals, Private and Mission Hospitals. The establishment of the Ghana Health Service was an essential part of the key strategies identified in the Ghana Health Sector Reform process, as outlined in the Medium Term Health Strategy (MTHS), which were necessary steps in establishing a more equitable, efficient, accessible and responsive health care system. The reforms build on the reorganization of the MOH that began in 1993, was explicitly designed to set the scene for the establishment of the Ghana Health Service. The reforms also provide a sound organizational framework for the growing degree of managerial responsibility that has already been delegated to districts and hospitals. Themes that were central to the reorganization of 1993 remain important today for the Ghana Health Service: careful stewardship of resources, clear lines of responsibility and control, decentralization, and accountability for performance rather than inputs. GHS mandate and objectivity GHS to provide and prudently manage comprehensive and accessible health service with special emphasis on primary health care at Ghana regional, district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved national policies. The objects of the Service are to: - Implement approved national policies for health delivery in Ghana. - Increase access to good quality health services, and - Manage prudently resources available for the provision of the health services. For the purposes of achieving its objectives the GHS performs the following functions amongst others: Provide comprehensive health services at all levels in Ghana directly and by contracting out to other Ghana agencies. As part of this function, the GHS is: - Develop appropriate strategies and set technical guidelines to achieve Ghana national policy goals/objectives. - Undertake management and administration of the overall Ghana health resources within the service. - Promote healthy mode of living and good health habits by people in Ghana. - Establish effective mechanism for disease surveillance, prevention and control in Ghana. - Determine charges for Ghana health services with the approval of the Ghana Minister of Health. - Provide in-service training and continuing education in Ghana. - Perform any other functions relevant to the promotion, protection and restoration of health in Ghana. - "About Us". Ghana Health Service webpage. Ghana Health Service. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
means the pressure in your eye, or your intraocular pressure (IOP), is higher than normal levels. Elevated IOP is also associated with glaucoma, which is a more serious condition that causes vision loss and optic nerve damage. By itself, however, ocular hypertension doesn't damage your vision or eyes. Studies suggest that 2% to 3% of the general population may have ocular hypertension. Signs and symptoms of ocular hypertension You can't tell by yourself that you have ocular hypertension, because there are no outward signs or symptoms such as pain or redness. At each eye exam, your eyecare practitioner will measure your IOP and compare it to normal levels. During routine eye exams, a tonometer is used to measure your IOP. Your eye typically is numbed with eye drops, and a small probe gently rests against your eye's surface. Other tonometers direct a puff of air onto your eye's surface to indirectly measure IOP. What causes ocular hypertension? Anyone can develop ocular hypertension, but it's most common in African-Americans, people over 40, those with family history of ocular hypertension or glaucoma, and those with diabetes or high amounts of nearsightedness. IOP may become elevated due to excessive aqueous fluid production or inadequate drainage. Certain medications, such as steroids, and trauma can cause higher-than-normal IOP measurements as well. Ocular hypertension treatment People with ocular hypertension are at increased risk for developing glaucoma, so some eye doctors prescribe medicated eye drops to lower IOP in cases of ocular hypertension. Because these medications can be expensive and may have side effects, other eye doctors choose to monitor your IOP and only take action if you show signs of developing glaucoma. Because of the increased risk for glaucoma, you should have your IOP measured at the intervals your doctor recommends if you have ocular hypertension. For more information on ocular hypertension or , visit All About Vision®. Article ©2008 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited. \|Computer Vision Syndrome\| \|Lasik and Vision Surgery\| \|Problems and Diseases\| \|Vision Over 40\| \|Vision Over 60\| \|Are Contact Lenses a Good Choice for Kids\| \|Controlling Nearsightedness in Children\| \|Children's Vision FAQ's\| \|Learning-Related Vision Problems\| \|Vision Therapy for Children\| \|Your Infant's Visual Development\| \|Children and Computer Vision Syndrome\| \|Computer Eyestrain: 10 Steps for Relief\| \|Computer Vision Syndrome Q & A\| \|FAQ: Computer Vision Syndrome and Computer Glasses\| \|Worker Productivity and Computer Vision Syndrome\| \|Bifocal and Multifocal Contact Lenses\| \|Contacts Lenses for the "Hard-to-Fit" Patient\| \|Eye Exams for Contact Lenses\| \|Gas Permeable (GP) Contact Lenses\| \|Orthokeratology: Reshaping the Eye with Contact Lenses\| \|Toric Contact Lenses for Astigmatism\| \|Eye Exams For Children\| \|Preparing for an Eye Exam\| \|Why Are Eye Exams Important?\| \|Your Comprehensive Eye Exam\| \|Eyeglass Frames Materials\| \|Lens Options for Eyeglasses\| \|Men's Eyeglass Frames\| \|The Basics of Eyeglasses\| \|Women's Eyeglass Frames\| \|Corneal Inlays and Onlays\| \|Corrective Eye Surgery Basics\| \|LASIK Criteria for Success\| \|LASIK Risks and Complications\| \|Surgery for Presbyopia\| \|How To Cope With Low Vision\| \|Low Vision Aids for Computer Users\| \|Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)\| \|Dry Eye Syndrome\| \|Floaters and Spots\| \|Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)\| \|Contacts and Glasses That Enhance Performance\| \|Protective Sports Eyewear\| \|Scuba Diving Masks and Swim Goggles\| \|Shooting Glasses and Hunting Eyewear\| \|What Sports Vision Doctors Can Do for You?\| \|Performance and Sport Sunglasses\| \|Sunglasses for Kids\| \|What Is Vision Insurance?\| \|Dry Eye After Menopause\| \|How Progressive Lenses Work?\| \|Multifocal Contact Lenses\| \|Multifocal Eyeglass Lenses\| \|Occupational Bifocals and Trifocals\| \|Eight Ways To Protect Your Eyesight\| \|How Your Vision Changes as You Age?\| \|Tips for Coping With Vision Loss\|
The California Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies used to flutter about San Francisco aplenty, but their populations declined in the 20th century as more areas were developed. Now in the early 21st century, they’re incredibly rare in the city, so one resident decided to do something. California Academy of Sciences aquatic biologist Tim Wong built a butterfly home in his own backyard, and around three years later is seeing the colorful blue butterflies slowly return. Described as “the butterfly whisperer,” Wong spends his free time working to bring back the butterflies. He discovered when the California Pipevine Swallowtail is a caterpillar, it only eats the California pipevine plant. But those plants were also rare in San Francisco. Wong finally found the plant at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens, and they let him take some clippings home. From there, Wong built a “large screen enclosure” that would allow the butterflies to mate in natural conditions and allow him to observe precisely what they needed in an “ideal host plant.” Wong started out with 20 caterpillars. Now around three years later, his butterfly home is thriving. He raises the caterpillars and then takes them to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens, and last year brought “thousands” to the botanical gardens. He’s now grown over 200 California pipevine plants. Wong told Vox, “We’ve seen more butterflies surviving in the garden, flying around, laying eggs, successfully pupating, and emerge the following year. That’s a good sign that our efforts are working!” While you may not be able to build a butterfly home in your backyard, there are still actions you can take to help butterflies. Wong said, “Improving habitat for native fauna is something anyone can do. Conservation and stewardship can start in your very own backyard.” You can plant native plants and weed to allow butterflies to obtain food easier, and you can also stop using pesticides.
Source: (2005) Crime and Justice. 32: 221-320. Neutralization theory, though a popular framework for understanding deviant behavior, remains badly underdeveloped. Few attempts have been made to connect it to narrative and sociocognitive research in psychology and related fields. From this wider perspective, one reason neutralization theory has received only mixed empirical support is that it has been understood as a theory of criminal etiology. This makes little sense (how can one neutralize something before they have done it?) and makes the theory difficult to test. Neutralization should instead be seen as playing a role in persistence in or desistance from criminal behavior. The theory’s central premises need to be substantially complicated. The notions that all excuses or justifications are “bad” and that reform involves “accepting complete responsibility” for one’s actions are not tenable. Author’s abstract. Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.Donate Now
Journaling is an effective way to tap into your creative energy and get ideas flowing. Whether you’re looking for a new project, trying to work through a problem, or just need some writing inspiration, these 101 creative journal prompts can help. Dive in and see where the words take you! What is Creative Journaling? Creative journaling is the practice of putting your thoughts and ideas down on paper in an imaginative way. Creative journaling can help you work through difficult emotions, express yourself more honestly, and explore new ideas that may not come to mind otherwise. Whether it’s free-flowing writing or structured prompts, creative journaling can open up a whole new world of exploration and insight. 101 Creative Journal Prompts 1. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with creativity. 2. Write a letter to yourself in the future. 3. Describe your dream creative workspace. 4. Create a poem about something you’ve learned in life so far. 5. What is the most difficult thing you’ve ever created? 6. Make a list of ideas for an upcoming project. 7. Brainstorm ideas for a new business. 8. Describe the best creative moment you’ve experienced. 9. Imagine yourself in five years and what you would like to have accomplished by then. 10. Make a list of all your creative achievements so far. 11. What are some of your goals as a creative person? 12. Create an alternate ending for your short story. 13. Write about an artist or creative whose work you admire. 14. Make a list of potential themes for your next creative project. 15. Brainstorm ideas for a unique photo series. 16. Describe the feeling of creating something from nothing. 17. Create a short poem about the act of being creative. 18. What are some of the biggest creative challenges you face? 19. Make a list of people who have inspired your creativity. 20. What do you think is the key to unlocking your creative potential? 21. Imagine an alternate universe and what it would be like to live there. 22. Create a character profile for someone in your story ideas. 23. Make a list of creative resources that have been helpful to you. 24. Describe the process of taking an idea from concept to reality. 25. Brainstorm different ways to market your work. 26. Write about a memorable moment from your creative journey. 27. What would you do if you had all the time and resources necessary to create something special? 28. Make a list of techniques and tools that have helped improve your creativity. 29. Imagine an ideal creative environment and what it would be like to work in it. 30. Describe the feeling of finishing a creative project you’re proud of. 31. How can creativity help solve problems in society? 32. Make a list of potential mentors or partners who could help with your next project. 33. What are some common mistakes creatives make, and how can they be avoided? 34. Create a character sketch for someone in your story. 35. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with the writing ideas you came up with. 36. Make a list of ways to stay motivated and inspired when working on creative projects. 37. Brainstorm different angles that could be explored in an upcoming project. 38. Describe the feeling of starting something new and exciting. 39. Create a poem or story about what creativity means to you. 40. What do you think is the key to unlocking your potential as a creative? 41. Imagine living in an alternate reality and how it would be different from our own world today. 42. List out any challenges or obstacles standing in the way of your next project. 43. Think about a time when your creativity was stifled and how you overcame it. 44. Describe the process of turning an idea into something tangible. 45. Brainstorm ideas for a product or service that could make life easier for people. 46. Write about the most rewarding moment in your creative journey so far. 47. Imagine yourself five years from now and what kind of work you would like to be doing then. 48. Make a list of different techniques or tools you can use to improve your creative skillset. 49. What is the importance of collaboration in creativity? 50. Describe the feeling of coming up with something completely original. 51. Brainstorm ideas for a unique art project. 52. Write about the most influential person in your creative life. 53. Make a list of potential markets or outlets for your work. 54. Describe the feeling of being completely immersed in a creative process. 55. What do you think is the key to staying inspired and motivated when working on projects? 56. Create an alternate version of yourself in another reality and write about what it would be like to live there. 57. Make a list of different resources you can use to stay up-to-date with industry trends and news related to your craft or profession. 58. Describe what creativity means to you in one sentence. 59. Write a poem or journal entry inspired your best friend. 60. Brainstorm ideas for a new invention or product that could make life easier for people. 61. Describe the feeling of achieving something creative and unique. 62. Make a list of potential partners or mentors who could help with your next project. 63. Write about how creativity can be used to solve problems in society. 64. Imagine what it would be like to have unlimited resources and time to create something special. 65. What do you think is the key to unlocking your creative potential? 66. Make a list of techniques or tools that have been helpful in improving your creative writing skills. 67. Describe the process of taking an idea from concept to reality. 68. Brainstorm different ways to market your work and reach a wider audience. 69. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with the ideas that came up during your creative process. 70. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a creative person? 71. Create a character sketch for someone in your story or project idea. 72. Make a list of books, podcasts, or other resources that have been helpful in inspiring and motivating you in your work. 73. Describe how collaboration can be used to create something unique and special. 74. Brainstorm ideas for a unique photo series or art project. 75. Imagine yourself in five years and what you would like to have accomplished by then. 76. Make a list of any creative achievements from your past that you’re proud of. 77. What are some of your goals as a creative person? 78. Describe how creativity has changed the way you look at the world. 79. Create an alternate ending for a story you know well. 80. Write about an artist or creative whose work you admire and why 81. What do I need to do today to make it a successful day? 82. How can I be kinder to myself and others? 83. What are three things that I’m grateful for right now? 84. If I could have one wish, what would it be? 85. What part of myself am I most proud of? 86. What healthy habits can I start practicing today? 87. How can I best show up for those in need around me? 88. Who are the people that have had a positive influence on my life? 89. What experiences do I want to have in the next year? 90. What is something I can do today that will bring me joy? 91. What am I afraid to admit to myself? 92. What are the qualities that make up my personal identity? 93. Who are the people most important to me and why? 94. What new skills would I like to learn this year? 95. What are some of my greatest accomplishments? 96. How can I make a positive difference in the world? 97. What lights up my soul and why? 98. What do I want to explore more deeply in life? 99. How have I been holding myself back from growth and learning? 100. What small action can I take today to move towards my goals? 101. Who are some potential mentors or partners who could help with my next project? Tips for Using Creative Journal Prompts Successfully Take time for yourself Make sure to take some quiet time for yourself so you can focus on the creative writing prompts and allow your thoughts and ideas to flow freely. Don’t let preconceived notions, fears, or judgments limit your creativity. Stay open-minded when considering different possibilities and ideas while writing in your creative journal. Before writing out your response, take a few moments to brainstorm all the possible answers that come to mind. Consider different scenarios, perspectives, and ideas before settling on one answer or approach. Get inspired by others If you’re feeling stuck while working through creative journal writing prompts, find inspiration from other creative people or different sources outside your own field. This can help spark new ideas and perspectives that you hadn’t previously considered. Talk it out If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break and talk to someone else about it. This will give you a fresh perspective on the problem at hand as well as a chance to explore different solutions with another person. While working through creative writing prompts ideas, make note of any interesting ideas or connections that come up during your thought process so that you don’t forget them later on. Set aside time for reflection Dedicate some time each day or week to reflect on what you’ve written in your creative journal entry, this will help you identify patterns and connections that you may have missed while writing. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone while exploring creative journal prompts. Trying new things can open up entirely new possibilities for creative expression and inspiration. Celebrate small victories Remember to celebrate the small successes along the way towards reaching your goals, this will help keep you motivated and inspired to continue working through challenging tasks or projects. Be patient with yourself Creative work takes time, so don’t be discouraged if progress isn’t as rapid as you would like it to be. Take breaks when needed, but stay focused on moving forward and keeping up the momentum in your work. What are good creative writing prompts? When seeking creative writing prompts, it’s crucial to explore various sources of inspiration. Start by contemplating your everyday life experiences, as they often conceal hidden gems for storytelling. Everyday routines can morph into unique short story ideas or compelling journal entry inspirations. Writer’s block, a common challenge, can be overcome by diving into writing prompt ideas that break the monotony. Don’t shy away from the power of acrostic poems, which can spark creativity and take your writing style to new heights. Whether it’s about your dream house, a dear diary, or just a blog post, creative writing prompts can transform mundane moments into captivating stories. What are 5 minute writing prompts for adults? For busy adults, engaging in 5-minute journal writing prompts can be a game-changer. Start by jotting down a brief journal entry inspired by an aspect of your everyday life, focusing on a specific detail or experience. These quick exercises are excellent for combating writer’s block and sparking writing ideas. Consider penning a snippet of a short story, exploring a single moment in time. Keep it concise and to the point, crafting writing prompt ideas that fit into your daily routine. This approach ensures that you can consistently nurture your writing process without overwhelming your schedule. How do I make my journal unique? To make your journal stand out, infuse it with your personal touch. Reflect on the same story from different angles, offering fresh perspectives and insights. Try incorporating creative writing prompts into your journal entries, as they can transform your writing style and keep it engaging. Blend various elements such as acrostic poems or short stories to add depth. Documenting everyday life is essential, but it’s your unique voice and approach that will set your journal apart. Explore different writing styles, experiment, and embrace your individuality. What prompts are in the 5 minute journal? The 5-minute journal prompts are designed to be quick yet meaningful. They often revolve around aspects of daily life that promote positivity and self-reflection. You might find questions about what would make today great, encouraging you to consider small goals and joys. These journal ideas prompt you to list daily affirmations and reflections on the day, fostering a mindful journaling practice. By using such prompts, you can manifest a daily habit of gratitude and self-improvement. What should I write in my mini journal? Your mini journal is your creative canvas. Consider employing prompts that inquire about what makes today great or what you’re grateful for. These journal ideas can guide your daily entries, nurturing a habit of positivity. Utilize writing prompts tailored to mental health, allowing you to document your emotions and thoughts. Write about your experiences, daily challenges, and strategies for self-improvement. Remember, it’s your space to be genuine and reflect on your journey, making it an essential tool for personal growth. What would make today great journal ideas? What would make today great” journal ideas offer a structured approach to daily reflection. Consider setting specific goals, listing moments of gratitude, or envisioning the positive aspects of your day. These prompts encourage a focus on everyday life’s silver linings, fostering a positive mindset. Include affirmations to boost your morale and manifest a great day. Experiment with different manifestations, as the better every day journal is a versatile tool for self-improvement and maintaining a positive outlook. What makes a good junk journal? Crafting a good junk journal is an art that combines creativity and personalization. Start with selecting materials and mementos that resonate with your story, allowing you to blend creative writing with visual elements. Integrate writing prompts and short stories inspired by your chosen items. The journal’s charm lies in its eclectic mix of everyday life fragments, turning them into a unique narrative. The key is to create a journal that feels like a piece of you, weaving memories and writing ideas together into a beautiful tapestry. What is the better everyday journal? The “better every day journal” is a powerful tool for personal growth. It typically consists of prompts that encourage daily reflection and self-improvement. Writing in this journal nurtures a positive mindset, as you engage with writing prompts related to gratitude, goals, and affirmations. By consistently documenting your journey, you’ll manifest a better version of yourself. This practice helps you stay motivated, focused on your dreams, and attuned to the positive aspects of everyday life, making it a valuable addition to your daily routine. How do you manifest a journal daily? Manifesting a journaling habit involves setting a routine and sticking to it. Start by selecting a specific time and place for your journal entries, making it a part of your everyday life. Utilize writing prompts that inspire you, such as the 3-6-9 method of manifestation, which involves focusing on intentions, actions, and gratitude. By using these prompts consistently, you’ll ensure that journaling becomes a daily practice that promotes personal growth and self-reflection. What is the 3-6-9 method of manifestation? The 3-6-9 method of manifestation is a structured approach to manifesting your desires. It involves three key steps: setting clear intentions (3), taking consistent actions (6), and practicing gratitude (9). This method is a powerful way to harness the law of attraction in your journaling routine. By aligning your writing with these principles, you can bring your goals and dreams to life. It’s a valuable tool for personal growth and achieving what you desire in everyday life. How do you journal daily for mental health? Journaling for mental health can be a transformative practice. Begin with writing prompts that encourage self-expression, helping you process emotions and thoughts related to your everyday life challenges. Incorporate affirmations to boost your self-esteem and resilience. Embrace a mindful journaling approach, focusing on the present moment and practicing gratitude. Regular journal entries will enable you to identify patterns, manage stress, and nurture your mental well-being. It’s a vital tool for self-care and personal growth. How do you journal and do affirmations? Combining journaling and affirmations is a powerful way to boost self-confidence and positivity. Start by writing daily affirmations that reflect your goals and intentions. Then, in your journal entries, reflect on how these affirmations relate to your everyday life. Document your progress and experiences as you work toward your aspirations. This synergy between affirmations and journaling reinforces a positive mindset and encourages self-improvement, making it an effective tool for personal growth. How do you do a mindful journal? Creating a mindful journal involves focusing on the present moment and cultivating self-awareness. Start by setting aside time to write in your journal, paying full attention to your thoughts and feelings. Incorporate writing prompts that encourage self-reflection and gratitude, grounding you in the here and now. Engage in deep introspection, exploring your everyday life experiences from a mindful perspective. This practice can reduce stress, enhance emotional well-being, and promote personal growth, as it encourages you to live in the moment. How do you change your mindset in a journal? Your journal is a potent tool for reshaping your mindset. Begin by using writing prompts that challenge negative thought patterns and encourage positivity. Document your everyday life experiences and reactions, then analyze and reframe them to foster a more positive outlook. Consistently incorporating affirmations can also reinforce this shift in mindset. Journaling enables you to identify and address self-limiting beliefs, ultimately promoting personal growth and a healthier perspective on your life’s journey. How do you write a manifestation sentence? Writing a manifestation sentence involves clearly stating your desires and intentions. Start by identifying what you want to manifest in your everyday life. Then, craft a concise, positive statement that reflects your goals. Utilize the power of the 3-6-9 method, combining intentions, actions, and gratitude. By consistently writing these sentences in your journal, you are harnessing the law of attraction and actively working towards manifesting your desires, making it an effective practice for personal growth and self-improvement. Creative journaling can be a great way to explore your thoughts and feelings, unlock new ideas, get your creative juices flowing, and gain clarity on difficult tasks or projects. Don’t forget to take the time to reflect on your journey as it can help you stay focused on reaching your goals. Implement these tips to help ensure that you make the most of creative journal prompts
Unesp/UFSCarTin oxide nanoparticles (scattered fragments) congregate in a cohesive circle, taking on the appearance of a volcano. The Functional Materials Development Center directed by chemist Elson Longo has developed a sensor for gaseous pollutants based on this compound. “Tin oxide is much more sensitive and selective than the available alternatives,” he says. The photograph, entitled Água da morte, is part of the Nanoart series, currently on display at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro. Image captured on a high-resolution scanning electron microscope by Rorivaldo Camargo, colored by Enio Longo and submitted by Elson Longo, professor on the Araraquara campus of UnespRepublish
Arthritis and Pomegranate (OSTEOARTHRITIS) In a study conducted in 2005 at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and later published in the Journal of Medicine, it was reported that Pomegranate slowed the progression of osteoarthritis. In particular, this clinical study of Pomegranate focused on the role of Pomegranate as against Interleukin-1b-(IL-1b), which is a pro-inflammatory protein molecule that plays a major role in cartilage degradation, a key component of osteoarthritis. The IL-1b protein molecules cause an overproduction of inflammatory molecules that includes matrix metalloproteases (MMP), which are enzymes essential to tissue remodeling. When these inflammatory molecules are manufactured in the presence of osteoarthritis, they further degrade the cartilage matrix which causes joint damage and destruction. This was the first study of its kind directly studying the use of Pomegranate and its role in osteoarthritis. The conclusion is that consumption of Pomegranate fruit extract may assist in protecting cartilage from the adverse effect of IL-1b and the suppression of cartilage degradation.THE SCIENCE BACKING THE USE OF POMEGRANATE During the period from 2000 through 2007, there has been an enormous number of scientific studies investigating the use of Pomegranate for a wide variety of diseases. There are certainly more clinical studies of Pomegranate to date than there have been for Acai. The flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables have been the focus for their beneficial effects on many health issues. In particular, Pomegranate has been found to have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The above-mentioned study was the first of its kind to demonstrate that Pomegranate fruit extracts slow the deterioration and destruction of human cartilage.OTHER BENEFITS OF POMEGRANATE: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES In clinical tests, Pomegranate has demonstrated very powerful anti-inflammatory properties which, in and of itself, is important for those suffering from chronic pain and disease, such as osteoarthritis. Less inflammation in your body equals less pain and, as mentioned in the Acai section, it is a factor in premature aging. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) has a long and rich history that dates back for centuries. Today, it enjoys the distinction of being called a superfruit. NUTRIENTS AND POMEGRANATE Although Pomegranate is not known as a significant source of nutrients per se, it does have some distinct health benefits that have been found in clinical studies. Pomegranate provides average adult user 16% of the daily Vitamin C requirements (per 100 ml serving) and Vitamin B-5 (panthothenic acid), potassium, and antioxidant polyphenols. CLINICAL STUDIES - POMEGRANATE Clearly, there have been some major health benefits associated with the consumption of Pomegranate. Those benefits cannot be disputed. However, as the growing body of research through official, peer-reviewed studies continues, so will the health benefits. For your convenience, we have attached a very lengthy review of clinical studies that have been conducted on both Acai and Pomegranate. To summarize some of the clinical studies of Acai and Pomegranate, the following summarizes some of the clinical studies that have been conducted to date. As with most other clinical studies of efficacy, some studies involved humans and other involved animals. It should be noted that this list is not all inclusive as clinical studies of both Acai and Pomegranate continue.
Several studies have linked behavioral problems among young people to marijuana use. But what comes first—the chicken or the egg? According to new research published in the journal Addiction, cannabis consumption doesn’t cause adolescents to act out. “Cannabis use in adolescence does not appear to lead to greater conduct problems or association with cannabis‐using peers apart from pre‐existing conduct problems,” the study concluded. The inverse does seem to be true, though. Conduct problems like school truancy or shoplifting can predict whether a young person uses marijuana. To investigate the trend, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Oregon and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia created a series of hypothetical models based on self-reports from 364 young people who enrolled in the Philadelphia Trajectory Study in 2004. Does cannabis use lead to conduct problems? Do conduct problems make it more likely that a person uses marijuana? Or does associating with peers who use cannabis perhaps lead to cannabis consumption? The results were pretty clear: “The present findings showed that… conduct problems predicted cannabis use but not vice versa, particularly during mid–late adolescence,” the researchers wrote. “Thus… we were able to demonstrate for the first time that increases in conduct problems precede increases in cannabis use within individuals.” “Specifically, youth whose conduct problems change at one time‐point are likely to engage in a corresponding change in cannabis use at follow‐up, regardless of the level of those problem behaviors at the prior time‐point,” the paper, published online this week, concluded. The team also wanted to learn about how cannabis use disorders (CUD) emerged in youth. For that, they looked at the criterion for CUD as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fifth Edition, and compared them to participants’ responses to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Increases in conduct problems in later adolescence were associated with higher rates of CUD, they found. Associating with peers who consume marijuana also led to increased cannabis use, which in turn seems to lead to more cases of CUD. But the researchers stressed that young people with increasing conduct problems “are susceptible to more cannabis use and CUD regardless of whether or not their friends are increasingly using it.” “As cannabis use becomes more normative, access to the drug will inevitably increase,” they wrote. “Our results suggest that this will increase risks for CUD, especially for youth with conduct problems who are at higher risk for cannabis use and affiliation with cannabis‐using peers. If youth with conduct problems use unprescribed cannabis to cope with their condition, then healthier alternative coping strategies and support should be made available.” Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso.
\|Builder:\|\|Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne\| \|Laid down:\|\|9 November 1916\| \|Fate:\|\|Sold, 14 December 1921\| \|Class & type:\|\|E class submarine\| \|Displacement:\|\|662 long tons (673 t) surfaced 807 long tons (820 t) submerged \|Length:\|\|181 ft (55 m)\| \|Beam:\|\|15 ft (4.6 m)\| \|Propulsion:\|\|2 × 1,600 hp (1,193 kW) diesel 2 × 840 hp (626 kW) electric \|Speed:\|\|15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged \|Range:\|\|3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 65 nmi (120 km) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced \|Armament:\|\|• 5 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern) • 1 × 12-pounder gun HMS E40 was a British E class submarine launched by Palmer, Jarrow in 1916 and was completed by Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne. She was laid down on 9 November 1916 and was commissioned in May 1917. \|This section does not cite any references or sources. (May 2014)\| During her World War I service while patrolling Scandinavian waters E40 encountered a U-boat. As the submarine dived the captain was hit with shrapnel and had to be dragged in; the hatch stuck and the vessel took on water, going straight to the bottom. After an hour the air was poor; with the captain unconscious, the first lieutenant asked the crew if he could use the remaining oxygen to try to raise the submarine. This succeeded and the E40 managed to get back to Middlesbrough where it had been posted missing, presumed sunk. The captain survived. HMS E40 was sold on 14 December 1921. - Hutchinson, Robert (2001). Jane's Submarines: War Beneath the Waves from 1776 to the Present Day. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-00-710558-8. OCLC 53783010. \|This article about a specific naval submarine of the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.\|
BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING Part 4 Clash detection has long since been the buzz word in BIM. This is because it is possible to put a value on the savings made from eliminating problems found during a clash detection review. According to the report by the contractor “use of the 3D digital model, prevented 1200 collision of steel elements and sped up steel erection”. On the Benjamin D. Hall, Washington University, they estimated 1500 potential clashes were eliminated. While CURT indicated clash detection was one of the most promising aspects of BIM, particularly in pharmaceutical and manufacturing plants with heavy mechanical and electrical elements. The Homan High speed railway project found clash detection invaluable. Whilst the Birds Nest (National Stadium Beijing 2008 Olympics) assessed over 2400 nodes. As a teaching tool it has proved invaluable in allowing students see where mistakes are being made without having to spend wasteful time trawling through countless 2D drawings instead of productively learning. Clash detection can be broken into three categories or three types of clashes. 1) Hard clash. 2) Soft Clash/Clearance Clash. 3) 4D/Workflow Clash. A hard clash is simply when two objects occupy the same space. For example, a pipe cannot go through a wall without there first being and opening. Rule based algorithms can be used to allow automatic solutions too many hard clashes. Clash detections can be run against sub-sets of the model. One could run mechanical ducting against just ceilings or just electrical sets or walls against steel structure etc. Soft clashes refer to allowable tolerances or space. Buffer zones between components. These spatial allowances may be to provide space for ongoing maintenance, future expansion, safety codes or expansion and contraction among other reasons. 4D/Workflow clashes refer clashes in scheduling work crews, equipment/material fabrication delivery clashes and other timeline issues. BIM has the ability to produce full and accurate quantities for any components built in the 3D model. Each component is made up of a specific ingredient. This intelligent model allows a clear breakdown of very specific quantities to be produced. (Tulke, Nour and Beucke 2008) indicated that 4D software at the time could not handle much of this data. They were simply a basic link to the component but could not use quantity, cost or geometric data etc. Also, software was very expensive at the time. However, even accurate quantities gave considerable help in producing budgets and time estimates based on productivity rates. If the model changed, so to would the quantities. This eliminated the need for time consuming remeasure. Unfortunately, a change in the model did not create an automatic link to change the measures in the chosen quantity surveying software or the scheduling software. These still had to be extracted from the 3D software and inputted manually. The confidence in the quantities allowed far more certainty in budget estimates and less concern about the requirement of adding contingency. It also allowed for far more confidence in procurement. “The spirit of BIM is collaborative and integrated by definition and goes unrealised when a design team creates a BIM without planning, scheduling and cost professionals contributing to the model in 4D and 5D”(McCuen 2008). How far one goes with BIM is often down to the maturity level of the team and its respective parts. To use fully integrated 3D, 4D and 5D are still very uncommon. This is down to software costs and educational restrictions. This applies to the US as well as the UK and Ireland. The certainty of quantities allow several different models to be assessed for the most cost effective solutions prior to construction. Change in the construction industry has always been slow due to its conservative nature. Olatunji et al (2010) also identified the potential conflict of interest professionals might have with the use of BIM. This is particularly evident when it comes to the quantity surveying practice. Using accurate 3D BIM models produced by architects, engineers etc, means that a schedule of quantities can be produced at the push of a button. Previously a quantity surveyor could spend very long periods of time physically measuring and taking of quantities from 2D drawings. The construction industry has not historically embraced IT or technological advancements nearly as quickly as most other sectors in the economy. In Ireland we have long since listened to the mantra of how productive our construction industry is, but this is only in relation or comparison to construction sectors in other jurisdictions. In fact, construction productivity declined since the 1960’s in the US and most other developed countries whilst other sectors showed dramatic growth in productivity. Many analysts place these results squarely at the construction industries lack of integration, inability to embrace IT advancements, low off site fabrication, fragmentation on professional services and protectionist stances from vested interests. Quantity surveyors are aware that BIM could reduce their workload significantly. However, they need to emphasis and concentrate on the other services they provide. They are not simply a profession that does basic take off measurements but rather give other services such as contractual advice, financial advice, budgeting and project management among other areas of expertise. Despite BIM’s accurate quantity measurement ability, there remains the issue of differing standard methods of measurement. In Ireland we generally use a version of ARM (Agreed Rules of Measurement) whilst in the UK they use SSM (standard Rules of Measurement) or for civil works they use CESSM. In the US and Australia they use other methods of measurement. As noted by Olatunji et al (2010), it is likely that software companies will only develop measurement software to suit the extraction of BIM quantities in the method of measurements in the largest markets. This would almost certainly not include Ireland which has ARM as its own isolated method. It would therefore be advisable for the construction industry to liaise with their international counterparts to produce a common means of measurement which will allow us utilise the BIM software’s. Finally, as already discussed, taking off quantities is generally a long, tedious and laboursome process. Whilst it is an analytical and methodical task, it does not require highly intellectual skills. During education, it is a process which requires long periods of time when this may be better served on more complex value adding training and education. However, previously progress tracking and earned value analysis was a manual task which was difficult to do accurately in the construction industry. It required someone to do an assessment of the percentage work complete on each activity. Without physically measuring each task, it was impossible to do this accurately and even if estimating roughly the progress of each task, it still required someone to visit site and make this assessment of each of these tasks. On a large site, this would take a considerable length of time and potentially not be accurate enough to flag poor performances in schedule or budget. Thankfully, although not widely available yet, much work has been done in automating progress tracking. Turkan et al (2012) carried out studies on integrating many current technologies. They carried out the tests on the technology in the Engineering V building in the University of Waterloo which showed that automated tracking met or exceeded the current methods for accuracy. There are currently several technologies which can help in carrying out automated tracking; these include LADAR (laser detection and ranging), GPS, Ultra wide band tags and photogrammetry. Many sensing technologies do not naturally produce project oriented data. However, with the correct mix of technologies it is possible to create 3d data stored as dense cloud points. This makes it possible to scan rooms, and update the 3D and 4D models. Laser scanning also offers the ability to quickly validate construction work carried out in relation to what was expected or designed. This can obviously greatly increase quality as this validation will force contractors to ensure the construction is carried out as per the drawings as it will be noted in progress reports. It has also become apparent that the critical path method of scheduling is becoming less utilised in relation to 4D scheduling. Whilst most BIM oriented 4D scheduling packages still offer CPM Gantt style software, most now also include the location based scheduling software Line of balance/Flowline scheduling method. The argument has been that CPM focuses too much on the duration of the project and does not take into consideration enough the flow of resources. Location based scheduling (LBS) is a combination of CPM and linear scheduling methods. This method is perhaps becoming more prevalent in other countries rather than Ireland due to the high rise construction which takes place in them. Location based scheduling is particularly useful for repetitive tasks in different locations. Like floor levels.
Most employees in the UK work less than 48 hours a week and do not consider themselves...read more Women who work in very male-dominated environments face higher stress levels, according to a US study. The research by Indiana University Bloomington researchers Bianca Manago, a doctoral student in sociology, and Cate Taylor, an assistant professor of sociology and gender studies, builds on previous research which has shown that women working in male-dominated occupations face particular challenges. These include social isolation, performance pressures, sexual harassment, obstacles to mobility, moments of both high visibility and invisibility, co-workers’ doubts about their competence, and low levels of workplace social support. Manago and Taylor measured cortisol levels in women working in occupations that were made up of 85 percent or more men. Normally cortisol levels fluctuate during the day, but the research found women in male-dominated professions had higher levels throughout the day regardless of their personal profile or the job they were doing. “We find that women in male-dominated occupations have less healthy, or ‘dysregulated,’ patterns of cortisol throughout the day,” Manago said. The research is the first to demonstrate that negative workplace climates can be expressed in these women’s bodies and can, in fact, dysregulate their stress response, potentially for years after the exposure to the stressful workplace climate. “Our findings are especially important because dysregulated cortisol profiles are associated with negative health outcomes,” Taylor said. “Thus, our project provides evidence that the negative workplace social climates encountered by women in male-dominated occupations may be linked to later negative health outcomes for these women.”
It is often called the Red Planet, because it is reddish in color. There is a large amount of iron oxide (rust) in the soil and rocks. In the night sky Mars appears as a reddish-orange dot. Mars has two tiny moons which orbit very close to the planet. The first spacecraft to visit Mars was Mariner 4 in 1965. When Mariner 9 orbited Mars it found what looked like gullies and dried up river beds. Mars has no water now. There are mountains, volcanoes, canyons, valleys and plains. Much of the surface of Mars is very old. There are many craters. Ice caps at the north and south poles are composed mostly of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice). Mars orbits the Sun every 687 Earth days and rotates on its axis once every 24 hours and 37 minutes. A year on Mars is almost two Earth years in length. Mars has four seasons, but the seasons are longer than on Earth. This is because of the orbit that Mars takes around the Sun. It is a cold planet with lows that reach -140 degrees C (-220 F). In the summer the temperature can be as high as 20 degrees C (68 F). The atmosphere is quite different from that of Earth. On July 4th, 1997, the spacecraft Mars Pathfinder In 2003 NASA sent two rovers to explore the surface and geology of Mars. SPACE INDEX It consists mainly of carbon dioxide with traces of water. During daylight wispy clouds form high above the surface. After sunset the clouds thicken and are closer to the surface. Pathfinder mission - the surface of Mars - Twin Peaks ( Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) on Mars and collected data and images for almost three months. This mission is called the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. As of January 2009, both rovers are still sending back images. The European Space Agency (ESA) mission called the Mars Express was launched in 2003. Photo - a large canyon Valles Marineris continues to collect data. Photo - ancient lava flow on Mars It has a robotic arm to dig up soil and collect samples to analyze. There is also a weather station on the lander. image courtesy of - NASA/JPL-Calech/University of Arizona Mars - games, activities, images On July 4th, 1997, the spacecraft Mars Pathfinder In 2003 NASA sent two rovers to explore the surface and geology of Mars.
Fighting leukemia may soon become as easy as getting a shot. Cancer researchers at the University of Texas are testing a vaccine that can put one form of the disease into remission. The vaccine fights myelogenous leukemia, which strikes 16,000 people a year, many of them senior citizens. So far tests have been promising. The vaccine slowed the cancer to a crawl in 20 of 33 cases—with few side effects. “We treated people who wouldn’t be expected to live three months,” says Jeffrey Molldrem, an immunologist with the university’s M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “So the fact that some lived four years is quite surprising. That some actually went into remission is equally astounding.” In both acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia, immature white blood cells in the bone marrow multiply out of control. They fail to fight off infections as they are meant to and collect dangerously in organs, blocking their functions. The vaccine sets off an immune response using a piece of a protein, called PR1 peptide, found on the surface of leukemia cells. The body recognizes the peptides as foreign invaders and, as a result, attacks the leukemia cells. Other cancer vaccines have been created, Molldrem says, but this is the first one for leukemia that seems to work. The drug must now go through another round of clinical trials. If they are all successful, it would be three to four years before the vaccine is available.
The Benefits of Coenzyme Q10 \| by Yuliya Klopouh, Pharm. D. \| Nutrition Consultations in Baltimore, MD: The nutrient Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant that is essential to cellular energy production and is found in every cell of the body. Because our body must have energy available to perform even the simplest operation, CoQ10 is essential for the body’s cells, tissues and organs. CoQ10 levels are reported to decrease with age and to be low in patients with some chronic diseases such as heart conditions, muscular dystrophies, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. Some prescription drugs may also lower CoQ10 levels. What are the benefits of CoQ10? Who needs to take this nutritional supplement? Every adult needs CoQ10! There is so much we need to know about heart disease, how to prevent and treat it effectively. But first, we should discuss the role of one important nutrient that is beneficial to the heart in so many ways- coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is also called ubiquinone, a name that signifies its ubiquitous (widespread) distribution in the human body. CoQ10 is used by the body to transform food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy on which the body runs. Aging is the major reason for a deficiency, since the liver loses its ability to synthesize CoQ10 as a person grows older. Poor eating habits and unhealthy life styles, stress and infection also affect the body’s ability to produce adequate amounts of CoQ10. The benefits of using CoQ10 can translate into increased energy, improvement of heart function, inhibition of gum and dental disorders, a balanced immune system and possible life The greatest need for this enzyme is in the heart and liver, which accounts for its positive effects on cardiovascular disorders. Below are the list of some disease states in which CoQ10 has been studied and showed to be beneficial. Heart failure: Several studies demonstrated benefits of coenzyme Q10 in people who have been diagnosed with chronic heart failure (with or without cardiomyopathy), including transplant recipients. Although the results are promising, further research is needed. High blood pressure (Hypertension): Several studies suggested that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 may lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with hypertension. It has been hypothesized that coenzyme Q10 deficiency is a cause of high blood pressure. Alzheimer’s disease: Recent studies suggest that coenzyme Q10 may slow the progression of dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Disease of gums (Periodontal disease): Coenzyme Q10 has been successfully used in the treatment of gum disease. Early evidence suggests that coenzyme Q10 may decrease pus formation, redness, bleeding, pain and swelling of the gums. Chronic kidney disease: Coenzyme Q10 has been proposed as a possible therapy for treating chronic kidney failure. Preliminary evidence suggests that coenzyme Q10 may improve kidney function and reduce the need for chronic dialysis. High cholesterol: Levels of CoQ10 tend to be lower in people with high cholesterol compared to healthy individuals of the same age. In addition, certain cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins (such as atorvastatin, cerivastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin) appear to deplete natural levels of CoQ10 in the body. Pharmaceutical companies that market statin drugs should consider including the described CoQ10 potential depletion in their drug information materials provided to physicians and pharmacists, and they should encourage patients to consult their physician and pharmacist for appropriate supplementation. Taking CoQ10 supplements can correct the deficiency caused by statin medications without affecting the medication’s positive effects on cholesterol levels. Diabetes: CoQ10 supplements may improve heart health and blood sugar and help manage high cholesterol and high blood pressure in individuals with diabetes. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease are all common problems associated with diabetes. Despite some concern that CoQ10 may cause a sudden and dramatic drop in blood sugar (called hypoglycemia), two recent clinical studies of people with diabetes given CoQ10, 200 mg 2 times daily, showed no hypoglycemic response. Available Supplements: Coenzyme Q10 is available as a supplement in several forms, including soft gel capsules, liposome tincture, hardshell capsules, and tablets. CoQ10 is also added to various cosmetics. How to take it: For adults 19 years and older, the recommended dose range for CoQ10 supplementation is 30 – 200 mg daily. You should consult your health provider for specific dosing recommendations. They will depend on the medical condition being addressed and current medications or supplements you are taking. Coenzyme Q10 is fat soluble ; therefore it should be taken with a meal containing fat for optimal absorption. Also, taking coenzyme Q10 at night may help with the body’s ability to use it. A powerful antioxidant, CoQ10 can protect proteins, LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol), and mitochondrial DNA from oxidative damage. Due to its major role in the production of cellular energy, and as an antioxidant, CoQ10 can aid in the body’s response to a host of health diseases including heart disease, cancer, gum diseases, aging, neuro-degenerative diseases, and muscular dystrophy. Yuliya Klopouh, Pharm.D. The Orpheus Clinic 2722 Lightfoot Drive Baltimore, MD 21209 Phone: (443) 854-4673 Questions regarding your health should be directed to your primary care doctor. Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Oral health is crucial for maintaining a beautiful smile and overall well-being. One common dental issue that often goes unnoticed until it becomes a serious concern is receding gums. Receding gums, medically known as gingival recession, is a condition where the gum tissue surrounding the teeth wears away or pulls back, exposing more of the tooth or even the tooth’s root. Riverwood Dental is committed to educating patients about the signs, causes, and implications of receding gums, emphasizing the importance of seeking timely dental care. Understanding the Signs of Receding Gums Receding gums can occur gradually over time, making it easy to miss the early signs. Being aware of these indicators is essential to detect the issue before it progresses further. Here are some common signs of receding gums: - Tooth Sensitivity: If you experience heightened sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages, it could be due to exposed tooth roots resulting from gum recession. - Longer Teeth: If you notice that your teeth appear longer than before, it might be an indication of gum recession. As the gums recede, more of the tooth’s surface becomes visible. - Notch at the Gumline: A small notch or groove at the gumline, particularly on one or more teeth, may indicate receding gums. - Gum Inflammation: Swollen, red, or tender gums may be an early sign of gum recession. - Tooth Mobility: Receding gums can lead to tooth mobility and movement, as the supporting structures weaken. Common Causes of Receding Gums Understanding the underlying causes of receding gums can help individuals take preventive measures and seek timely treatment. Some common factors contributing to gum recession include: - Periodontal Disease: Gum disease, or periodontitis, is a leading cause of receding gums. Plaque and tartar buildup can irritate and infect the gums, leading to tissue recession. - Aggressive Brushing: Brushing your teeth too hard or using a toothbrush with hard bristles can damage the delicate gum tissue, causing it to recede. - Poor Oral Hygiene: Inadequate oral care practices, such as irregular brushing and flossing, can lead to gum disease and, subsequently, gum recession. - Tobacco Use: Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect gum health and contribute to gum recession. - Bruxism: Teeth grinding or clenching can exert excessive pressure on the gums, leading to recession over time. The Importance of Seeking Timely Dental Care Ignoring receding gums can have serious consequences for your oral health. The exposed tooth roots are more susceptible to decay, leading to cavities and potential tooth loss. Moreover, untreated gum recession can progress to severe periodontal disease, causing bone loss and compromising the stability of the teeth. - Early Intervention is Key: Detecting receding gums early allows for prompt intervention, preventing further gum loss and potential tooth damage. - Professional Treatment Options: Riverwood Dental offers various treatments, such as scaling and root planing, gum grafting, and dental bonding, to address receding gums effectively. - Preventive Measures: Our dental professionals can guide patients on proper oral hygiene practices, lifestyle changes, and regular dental check-ups to prevent gum recession and maintain healthy gums. - Boosting Confidence: Timely treatment not only preserves your oral health but also restores confidence in your smile, as gum recession can affect the aesthetics of your teeth. Schedule Gum Recession Treatment in Atlanta Gum recession is a common dental problem that should not be taken lightly. Being vigilant about the signs of receding gums and understanding its causes can help individuals seek timely dental care, preventing further complications and preserving their oral health. Riverwood Dental is committed to providing comprehensive dental services, addressing gum recession, and guiding patients toward a lifetime of healthy smiles. Remember, a healthy smile is a beautiful smile!
I went to the local library this week and took out a book about the origins of British surnames. (Oxford English Surnames) I found ‘Dinnis’ was listed in there in the same origins as Denis, Denniss, Denness, Dennes, Dennis, and all the other names I’ve battled with while searching the England Census and various local directories. The main meaning seems to come from the ancient Latin ‘Dionysius’. The name rang a bell, but no more than that, so I looked it up online and found the website: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Dinnis Under the heading ‘Dinnis’ is the following information: ‘This name, with variant spellings Denis, Denniss, Denness and Dinnis, derives from the Medieval given name Den(n)is, itself coming from the Greek Dionysios meaning “the divine one of Nysa”. Better known as Bacchus, this god was protector of the vine. Nysa was a mountain in the modern Afghanistan where celebrations were held in the god’s honour by the Greek army. The name was recorded as Dionisius in documents relating to the Danelaw, circa 1100. One, Denis de Sixlea appears in the 1176 “Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire”. The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century, St. Dionysius or Denis of Paris, martyred on Montmartre circa 255, was largely responsible for the popularity of the name in France from whence it spread to England. Sir Thomas Dennis (1480 – 1561) was Chancellor of Anne of Cleves and Keeper of the Rolls of Devon. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Denys, witness, which was dated 1272, in the “The Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire”, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as “The Frenchman”, 1216 – 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to “develop” often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.’
The National Tropical Botanical Garden (originally the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden) was created by Congressional Charter as a not‐for‐profit institution, dedicated to tropical plant research, conservation and education. The area is also a summer home for a former Hawaiʻi Queen, Queen Emma, now known as the historic Allerton Estate located near Poʻipū just past Spouting Horn. A naturally stunning loca?on, the Lāwaʻi Valley’s tropical splendor was nurtured by its famous owners. Queen Emma added her personal touch with the purple bougainvillea along the cliff walls. In 1937, the Allerton’s purchased the property and continued the vision of a stately garden paradise. The NTBG is headquartered here at Lāwaʻi Kai. NTBG’s gardens and preserves are safe havens for at‐risk plant species that might otherwise disappear forever. There are two gardens at Lāwaʻi Kai, McBryde and Allerton Gardens. NTBG has the largest collection of endangered plant species in the world. McBryde Garden has become a veritable botanical ark of tropical flora. It is home to the largest ex situ collection of native Hawaiian flora in existence, extensive plantings of palms, flowering trees, rubiaceae, heliconias, orchids and many other plants that have been wild‐collected from the tropical regions of the world. NTBG’s Conservation Program is based at this site and the Garden contains a state‐of‐the‐art horticulture and micro‐propagation facility. Allerton Garden (Lāwa`i Kai) lies between the Pacific Ocean and the McBryde Garden in the Lāwa`i Valley. A series of garden rooms unfold between the Lāwa`i Stream and the cliffs of the Valley. The sound of water is in abundance in pools, miniature waterfalls, and fountains. Statues grace this former estate and resonate with a European influence. Research and education programs have been expanded over time; NTBG’s Breadfruit Institute was formed. In more recent years the institution has strengthened its commitment to native plant conservation and habitat restoration. While NTBG had long been conducting ethno‐botanical research, new emphasis was placed on perpetuating traditional knowledge. National Tropical Botanical Garden is in the area of the former home of Queen Emma. She, was married to Alexander Liholiho, King Kamehameha IV. Inspired by watching her father’s work, a well know doctor, Emma encouraged her husband to help establish a public hospital; as a result, Queen’s Hospital opened in 1860 on Oʻahu. Queen Emma’s love for Kauaʻi’s natural beauty is exemplified in one of her favorite places, a beloved summer cottage on the south shore of the island. The beautiful and historic Allerton Estate located near Poʻipū just past Spouting Horn. A naturally stunning location, the Lāwaʻi Valley’s tropical splendor was nurtured by its famous owners. Queen Emma added her personal touch with the purple bougainvillea along the cliff walls.
Dante’s Purgatorio has always seemed to me to fly under the radar. Inferno draws most people’s attention, and Paradiso, while much less well known in its details, is generally understood to be the final objective of the work. But what is the point of purgatory, after all? Just a way station between the horrible beginning and the heavenly end? But Purgatorio contains much of what is “political” in Dante’s thought. Purgatory is in some ways a Christian metaphor for this world. While Inferno houses the souls of those who have done unspeakable things, Purgatorio is the place for those with evil in their hearts, impure motives, sinful dispositions that still separate them from paradise. Each of the seven “terraces” concerns a different vice, with virtuous counterexamples. One of the most memorable scenes in the Terrace of Pride is the building of the Tower of Babel, a central metaphor for political pride throughout the ages from Dante to today (see, for example, the magnificent final essay by Michael Oakeshott in this volume). Here is a new book that focuses on Dante’s political thought in the Purgatorio, with a special emphasis on the role of law: Dante’s Philosophical Life: Politics and Wisdom in “Purgatorio” (Pennsylvania Press) by Paul Stern. When political theorists teach the history of political philosophy, they typically skip from the ancient Greeks and Cicero to Augustine in the fifth century and Thomas Aquinas in the thirteenth, and then on to the origins of modernity with Machiavelli and beyond. Paul Stern aims to change this settled narrative and makes a powerful case for treating Dante Alighieri, arguably the greatest poet of medieval Christendom, as a political philosopher of the first rank. In Dante’s Philosophical Life, Stern argues that Purgatorio’s depiction of the ascent to Earthly Paradise, that is, the summit of Mount Purgatory, was intended to give instruction on how to live the philosophic life, understood in its classical form as “love of wisdom.” As an object of love, however, wisdom must be sought by the human soul, rather than possessed. But before the search can be undertaken, the soul needs to consider from where it begins: its nature and its good. In Stern’s interpretation of Purgatorio, Dante’s intense concern for political life follows from this need, for it is law that supplies the notions of good that shape the soul’s understanding and it is law, especially its limits, that provides the most evident display of the soul’s enduring hopes. According to Stern, Dante places inquiry regarding human nature and its good at the heart of philosophic investigation, thereby rehabilitating the highest form of reasoned judgment or prudence. Philosophy thus understood is neither a body of doctrines easily situated in a Christian framework nor a set of intellectual tools best used for predetermined theological ends, but a way of life. Stern’s claim that Dante was arguing for prudence against dogmatisms of every kind addresses a question of contemporary concern: whether reason can guide a life.
Young children learn new words rapidly and with little effort. One way researchers study this so called "vocabulary explosion" is to present children with two objects, one of which has a known name (e.g., a cup) and one that doesn’t (e.g., the object pictured on the right). When asked, “Which one is a zimbidy?”, children will choose the latter (i.e., the one they don't know the name for). Research into children’s word learning suggests that this tendency to assume novel labels refer to novel objects may be one explanation for the rapid growth in young children’s vocabulary. Our research often involves teaching children made-up names (e.g., zimbidy) for novel objects (like the one shown above). Using this paradigm, we can examine underlying processes involved in word learning, metacognition, and categorization.
The City of Markham’s Municipal Energy Plan (MEP) – Getting to Zero is a comprehensive long-term city-wide energy plan with the objective of net zero emissions by 2050. The goal of the Municipal Energy Plan is to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to achieve net zero as outlined in the Greenprint, Markham’s Community Sustainability Plan. The MEP was developed using energy and population data from 2011 as a baseline to determine how much energy is being consumed by sector and fuel type. Milestone targets are identified from 2016 to 2050 to ensure that the City stays on target to reach net zero emissions. Through the development of the Municipal Energy Plan, a definition was created to define net zero emissions by 2050. The definition is as follows: "A net zero energy emissions Markham is one that has greatly reduced energy needs through efficiency gains and conservation. Annual energy needs for vehicles, thermal, and electricity are met by sustainable and non-fossil fuel sources, carbon offsets and/or carbon sequestration (where feasible within Markham), resulting in an annual net zero balance of greenhouse gas emissions." The target of net zero is different from “absolute zero” because it allows for some GHG emissions, as long as the emissions are offset, resulting in a balance of zero. For more information, check out the Municipal Energy Plan or contact email@example.com.
Leadership and dogs look very different worlds with few common points. Well, they are certainly different things. Leadership is a very serious thing and training a dog has little to do with leading a person but, is there anything that dogs can teach us about leadership? Do dogs behave at a certain point like humans? The answer is YES. So, what lessons can we learn from dogs about leadership? 1. Give immediate feedback: Dogs can only associate an action and its consequence if one comes immediately after the other (no more than 5 seconds delay). This is the way they learn, through a mechanism called operant conditioning. Operant conditioning also works for humans. It is true that humans can associate more distant cause and effect relationships, but only at a certain point. The more immediate the feedback, the higher effect you’ll get. - Tip for humans: Dogs don’t mind if they are corrected in public, but people prefer receiving negative feedback in private. 2. Be consistent: You can drive a dog crazy if the same action triggers a very different consequence: “chewing” on their toys is great but “chewing” on your shoes is wrong. It is difficult for them to understand why the same thing (“chewing”) drives such a different behaviors on us. We must help them perceive the small differences that make each situation unique. Humans are more intelligent and capable of seeing “these little things” that can completely change the circumstances, but we need anyway a consistent response to our actions. If receiving feedback is welcome today and makes you mad tomorrow, nobody will know how to work with you. 3. Don’t punish, reward: Dogs can learn using punishment, but learning is more fun, lasts longer and creates less frustration if you use rewards. Punishment must be the very last resource and is acceptable only if the life of the dog is at risk. The same applies to humans. 4. Teaching takes time and patience: A teaching session with a dog needs preparation (environment, tricks), time (patience, calm), a clear definition of success and persistence (repetition with progressive difficulty). People needs pretty much the same things: - have a clear training goal: define the purpose - prepare the session: what do you need? - patience and time: things generally don’t work the first time - frequent repetition setting the bar higher each time This is a compilation of the most popular posts in 2016. Enjoy! - Myths about PDCA: Learn why people don’t use correctly this powerful tool: link - Effective vs. Efficient: Is there really a difference? Why does it matter?: link - Book summary, “Hoshin Kanri for the Lean Enterprise”: How can you use Hoshin Kanri to do an effective policy deployment? Learn from the experts! link - Hoshin Kanri and policy deployment: Learn the basics of Hoshin Kanri: link - 3 signs that people are not on board: Engagement is key for the success of Lean. Do you know how to read people reaction to change? link - Lean, common sense and apparent contradictions: Why are Lean principles difficult to understand? link If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter. The philosopher John Locke, the statesman Benjamin Franklin, the transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, and the President Woodrow Wilson all presented statements matching this theme (learn more here). All of them knew that simplicity is a final state that requires hard work and clear ideas. Work executed without proper reflexion tends to be erratic, messy, partial. Only time and work can develop a concept and present it pure and clear. It is no surprise that one of the most important Lean ideas is looking for simplicity: simple solutions, simple management rules, simple visuals. And, ironically, simplicity is not simple. It takes time, practice and patience. The first solution / panel / management system you put in place is rarely good. It typically needs time for testing and for development based on customer feedback. Give time to simplicity. Lean principles are based on common sense and experience, but at the same time might be counter-intuitive and in contradiction to normal practices. A Lean mental journey takes time, hands-on experience and the help of experts to be successful and understand Lean concepts in-depth. A superficial analysis of Lean can create false myths, some of which are really popular today. Let’s discuss some: - Middle managers hate Lean: Experience has taught some people that middle managers are always against Lean transitions. Therefore they must be fired upfront: FALSE. Learn more here - Lean means abdication: Some think that Lean means letting people do whatever they want without ony type of management: FALSE. Learn more here - Lean principles are not consistent: Some Lean principle are apparently inconsistent or in contradiction to experience after a superficial analysis. THEY ARE NOT. Learn more here - Lean equals “Just-in-Time”: It’s a popular belief that Lean and “Just-in-TIme” are equivalent terms. FALSE. Learn more here - Lean hates functions: Lean puts focus on the process, which is a sign for some people that Lean does not care about functions or functional knowledge. FALSE. Learn more here - Lean kills creativity: Lean gives extraordinary importance to standards. Some people assume that standardization implies creating robot workers without ideas. FALSE. Learn more here - PDCA myths: There several myths about PDCA out there, like “PDCA is only for engineering” or “PDCA is just do-things-and-see-what-happens”. FALSE. Learn more here - Lean is a set of tools: Very popular, it is easy to think that Lean is just the sequential application of some tools like VSM, 5s, kanban,… FALSE. Learn more here - Lean hates automation: Lean loves simplicity and easy to change solutions. Some may misunderstand this love for simplicity and believe that Lean hates automation. FALSE. Learn more here Some days ago I was at a meeting where we were discussing how to improve a process. The process team members and the team leader said that they felt ultimately responsible [sic] of the process performance and requested more authority to test their ideas and do changes. This proposal is very well aligned with Lean principles like: - Involve front line in improving their work - Promote learning through repeated practice in solving problems So we scheduled a meeting to present the idea to the area director and define how to give the team more freedom to try things and learn. To our surprise (well, not really), the area director refused to do so. Her arguments were “I want to keep control because I’m ok with delegating, but not with abdicating”. Off with their heads! This situation is easy to find. Not every manager is ready to move from the classic thinking trio: “command and control” + “experts own improvement” + “compliance at any cost” to Lean management principles. The presence of these ideas is a very good predictor of problems during a Lean transformation, so please beware if you hear things like “control”, “this is too risky”, “do whatever it takes” or anything similar. However, the area director was right in some way. How? Managers have to delegate and stop telling people what to do. Telling people what to do takes away responsibility from the person. But managers still have a job in Lean: - Ask questions that provoke the right thinking - Understand problems by observing the process (at the gemba) - Challenge, enable and remove obstacles for workers while they are solving problems In other words, “abdicating” in the sense of disappearing from the gemba, asking nothing, hiring Lean experts and asking them to do the improvement work for you, ignoring the process, avoiding coaching, etc… IS NOT AN OPTION. If we use the classic RACI matrix, managers must move from Responsible (do everything, take all decisions) to Accountable (make sure things happen, help those doing the job). Follow this Wikipedia link to the RACI matrix for more information (link here). And now, a very important final warning: Middle managers are a common source of problems during Lean transformations. They are typically hard to convince and, when they try Lean, it is not unusual to see them go back to classic thinking after some days / weeks / months. Why? It’s a “delegation” problem. Lean transformations usually start at the gemba: operators, analysts, technicians… those people whose boss is a middle manager. Middle managers learn how to empower their people and give them freedom to try and learn. But the boss of a middle manager is a director, who has never been exposed to Lean and still uses the classic “command and control” style. Long story short: the middle manager feels he has lost power/influence/capacity because decisions are taken either by his people or his boss. He might think he is not useful anymore and might be fired. This situation is extremely dangerous for the Lean transformation. That’s why education and communication are so important in Lean. Directors must be trained in Lean and know what to expect. Managers must have the opportunity to explain the Lean transformation at their area to their bosses and the new way a great manager looks like with Lean. This is REALLY critical for Lean success. Lean is based on common sense, clear principles and simple rules. And, at the same time, its conclusions are counter-intuitive to many. In fact almost everybody exposed to Lean has experienced that “when has this become so complicated!” moment when the pieces simply don’t fit together in your head. I see this very often when helping people with Lean. Some questions and apparent contradictions are very common. These are some of the most popular: Popular contradiction #1: Splitting a process in parts and improving each part must necessarily improve the process. Our common sense shouts out loud that this must be true. Well, it is WRONG, let’s see why. Imagine we are the owners of a pizzeria. This is our process: Our process has a bottleneck (oven), which determines the process capacity. There are also different constraints (oven, dough, ingredients) which vary depending on the demand. Any improvement action that does not improve the bottleneck speed will not improve the process capacity. If we split the process in parts (e.g. 1. Dough, 2. Ingredients, 3. Oven, 4. Waiter) and improve each part separately, we will be wasting time and money in useless improvement actions, as far as they not improve the oven performance (the bottleneck). For example, we might be working hard making the waiter service more effective, but the effect on the overall process capacity will be zero. Please note that this example assumes “speed = improvement”, it is a simplification to make it easy to understand. Of course there are other improvement factors like health, quality or cost that could drive meaningful improvement too. Conclusion #1: Partial process analysis can promote useless improvement actions. ALWAYS understand the bottleneck and analyze the process globally. After this example you may think: “Ok, I can waste time and money but at least we can’t do any harm”. WRONG again. Let’s see this example: imagine a kayak (the process) with different people (the functions) working together to make the kayak move forward. Improving a function can’t do any harm, right? CREDIT: Image created by the Lean Enterprise Institute. This example shows that improving a function without considering the full process can make things worse! This situation happens all the time in real life. Conclusion #2: Improving a function without considering the effect in the full process can worsen the global performance. Balancing the process is key. The combination of a global process analysis (understand the bottleneck and constraints) and balancing the process is a winning strategy. Popular Contradiction #2: Metrics always drive improvement. Yes, we have always heard that what is not measured is not improved. Let’s measure everything! How can this be wrong? Well, it is. If you measure the wrong thing you can foster an incorrect behaviour. Let’s see the previous kayak example. Improving one part of the process makes the global process work worse. Why does this happen? Why does only a part of the process improve? This happens in most cases because organizations use functional metrics (vs. global metrics) to define success. If the success of each paddler is measured by the number of strokes (functional metric), no matter the impact on the kayak speed (process metric), they will focus in their individual performance and work hard to make it bigger. Metrics are sadly promoting the wrong behaviour. Conclusion #3: Metrics can foster wrong behaviours. Think carefully what metrics you’d like to use. Metrics must be meaningful from the customer point of view and measure global performance. Using functional metrics to understand global performance is like trying to know a pizza temperature measuring just the temperature of the tomato sauce. Popular Contradiction #3: Splitting in functions increases improvement. This is a variation of contradiction #1 and, again, it is WRONG. Splitting a process in functions typically creates the wrong idea that improving each function performance must necessarily improve the process performance. It looks right but it is not true. Let’s see an example. Sport teams have different functions working together. In soccer you have the goalkeeper (function #1: save goals), defenders (function #2: defend own goal), midfielders (function #3: connect defense and attack) and strikers (function #4: score goals). - A functional approach would take all functionally similar players from all teams and make them train together. They will learn from each other and grow faster. When all players come back from the functional training to their teams to play a match, the team will benefit from the functional improvement. - A process approach would make all functionally different players from the same team train together. The will have a common coach to synchronize functions and make the process (soccer) flow. What works best in reality? The process approach. There are thousands of teams with great “functional” players who, for different reasons, can’t play as a team. They rarely end up as champions. Conclusion #4: Focusing in functions creates “functional sub optimization”, this is, using time and money in actions or projects that improve a function of the process and, at the same time, worsens the process globally (e.g. kayak example). Please note: Functions are very important because they take care of the knowledge (TRUE) but the process must go first and functions second. If the example above has made you think that Lean hates functions, forget it. This is also WRONG (learn more here) Popular Contradiction #4: Splitting a process in functions improves process ownership. This is a very popular idea, but it is WRONG. Different functions owning their area of expertise looks like a good idea, but it does not work as expected in most cases. One process owner with enough cross-functional resources improves ownership and fosters improvement almost always. Let’s see an example: think in a park and then think in your home. The park has its ownership / responsibility shared among multiple users with different expectations. Your home has one /two owners who are responsible of everything related with maintenance and “performance”. What is typically best used / maintained: a park or your home? There are also many business examples. Let’s think in a hospital, what is best? Conclusion #5: One process owner with cross-functional resources improves ownership because the grey zones of responsibility are eliminated. Final conclusion: Lean rules and principles are based on common sense. Its apparent contradictions come typically from our brain trying to think the way is has always thought. Give Lean a chance!