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Despite the official end of war, the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to be plagued by violence, with civilians falling victim to widespread killings, rape forced displacement and other crimes. ICTJ provides technical assistance to government and civil society institutions in the DRC to advance an informed national debate on transitional justice and to implement specific accountability initiatives.
Laurent Kabila’s 1996–1997 campaign to depose the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko set off a violent civil war and the extended presence in eastern Congo by Rwandan and Ugandan armies. The conflict involved to varying degrees over a dozen African countries. While the conflict officially ended with a peace agreement in 2002, human rights violations and international crimes continue at very high levels in complex conflicts in the country’s east.
The successive wars in the DRC have been described as the deadliest since World War II. An estimated 5.4 million people died from war-related causes between August 1998 and April 2007.
In addition to the country’s immense mineral wealth, the dynamics in the east include local land disputes, inter-ethnic tensions, and widespread unemployment. These factors drive continued conflicts in the region, where the state fails to protect the Congolese people amidst widespread insecurity.
Members of government forces, foreign and national armed groups and armies have all targeted civilians in flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. These include murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, forced displacement, recruitment of child soldiers, and forced labor. But for a handful of cases, perpetrators remain unpunished
Successive Congolese governments have made limited progress with transitional justice efforts. A flawed Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)—which failed to investigate atrocities or hold public hearings to establish the truth about the conflict and the mass killings—operated during the transition from July 2003 to February 2007.
In 2004, the Congolese government invited the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute war crimes that had occurred since July 2002. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Germain Katanga, and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui—whose trials have been underway in The Hague since 2009. An arrest warrant against Bosco Ntaganda was issued in 2006 and unsealed in 2008—but he remains at large in the DRC.
ICTJ works on several different transitional justice fronts in the DRC. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30617000 |
Upper Front Teeth Protrusion
The appearance and function of your teeth are impacted by this type of bite. It is characterized by the upper teeth extending too far forward or the lower teeth not extending far enough forward.
The upper front teeth extend out over the lower front teeth, sometimes causing the lower front teeth to bite into the roof of the mouth.
The upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth, which may cause tooth stratification and misaligned jaw growth.
Proper chewing is impacted by this type of bite, in which the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap. Openbite may cause a number of unwanted habits, such as tongue thrusting.
Crowding occurs when teeth have insufficient room to erupt from the gum. Crowding can often be corrected by expansion, and many times, tooth removal can be avoided.
Spacing problems may be caused by missing teeth, or they may only be a cosmetic or aesthetic issue.
Dental midlines not matched
This type of problem is caused when the back bite does not fit and match appropriately, which may negatively impact jaw and proper dental function. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30618000 |
In rural and developing areas of Africa, there is a lack of expected comforts that other areas of the world take for granted, such as light and energy. Sometimes building or receiving these necessities help to stimulate communities and raise the quality of life for families.
To help encourage these struggling areas, undergraduate students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, in South Africa, will be designing and building a solar photo-voltaic lamp that is portable and suitably priced for rural households. The lamp will have additional functions such as an AM/FM radio and the capability to charge mobile phones. With further enhancement, it would also be capable of including a miniature multi-media device.
The project will involve 4th year students at the University. The work of the students will be guided and mentored by IEEE member Edward Chikuni, along with a Senior Academic, who will insure that they learn design skills and other necessary knowledge associated with their degree program. Most importantly, students will learn to work in teams and serve their community. They will collaborate with “Family Literacy Project,” a non-profit organization with strong activities in education and literacy among rural dwellings. The university students will interact with high school students at Qalimfundo Primary School for feedback on the project.
At the beginning of 2011, data will be collected from rural areas to determine the specifications of the lamp design. During the students first semester, they will work in groups to come up with conceptual designs to compare with one another. By the end of 2011, a detailed prototype and design should be ready. The construction and deployment of these lamps will happen in 2012, when the project is evaluated and refined through government participation.
The ultimate goal of this project is to enhance the educational experience of rural families, and encourage students to serve these communities with their engineering backgrounds. With more available access to the functions of the lamp, young children can start, from a young age, to learn and increase their literacy. In turn, it will empower them to find greater opportunities for more educational endeavors. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30620000 |
Presentation: "The Aging Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities" by Susanne Bruyere and Judy Young
Workplace Considerations for Employees with Non-Visible Disabilities
People with disabilities comprise a significant percentage of our society. When we think about "disability" we often picture obvious disabilities such as someone who uses a wheelchair or who is blind. But actually a large proportion of individuals with disabilities actually have non-visible disabilities such as learning disabilities or psychiatric impairments. These individuals have a unique set of needs and issues, as well as potential challenges they may encounter in the workplace. This program will explore society's view of people with non-visible disabilities and how that can be reflected in the workplace. It will also explore issues around defining disability, disclosure, and confidentiality in the workplace. Specifically, this program will enable participants to:
• Explore issues around defining what a disability can be and increase their knowledge about different types of disabilities;
• Consider what affects the decision to disclose a disability and what the employer's obligations and options are for responding and addressing the needs of an employee who is disclosing having a non-visible disability;
• Discuss how to navigate performance management issues that involve someone with a non-visible disability; and
• Learn best practices around interacting and communicating with employees with disabilities and how to create a disability inclusive workplace.
This informational seminar provides basic information pertaining to eligibility for and claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit as well as information pertaining to the Veterans Administration benefits using lecture, PowerPoint and opportunity for question and answer. Online polling will be used to test participant knowledge. A preparatory reading assignment will be provided and is required.
Home | About EDI | Contact Us
201 Dolgen Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853-3201
Voice: 607-255-7727 | Fax: 607-255-2763 | TTY: 607-255-2891
Cornell University | ILR School | Employment and Disability Institute | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30627000 |
From 4th century B.C to fourth century A.D a number early empires emerged in the Indian subcontinent. The earliest of these was the Mauryan Empire (c-324-187BC). Then there came satvahanas(c-324-250 A.D), kushanas (c.AD-50-320), and guptas (c.AD320-570) successively. Kushanas, originally a central Asian nomadic tribe, established a huge empire with Bactrian (Balk in north Afghanistan) as its main centre. Under kanishka 1 (c.AD100-123) this empire extended over a large area by encroaching extensive areas of north India up to Champa or Bhagalpur in the east, the lower Indus valley and Gujarat in the west, Chinese Turkistan and areas lying to the north of the river oxus. The successors of kanishka 1 had little control over the areas to the east of Matura.
The economy of Kushana Empire can be best known from literature, epigraphy and numismatics, various archaeological sites explored and excavated in the later period also acts as good source for the study of the economy of the Kushana Empire.
The kushana period was remarkable as kushana monarchs issued a large number of coins. Besides, there were numerous inscriptions, most of which are donatives in nature. Some of the Indian literatures like the Jatakas, the Angavijja, and the Lalitavistara highlights on the economy of the period.
Very little is known about the land system under the kushanas. During kushana reign agriculture was given due importance. No evidence can be put forward to prove this statement; in the north western part of the Kushana Empire a survey conducted by different scholars helped them to locate remains old canals, agricultural lands on the river courses and plain areas on the terraces of hills with means to canalized rain water from top to bottom.
It is evident from, archaeological evidences that agriculture was not the principal source of income in the kushana reign. Trade was given utmost importance both internally and externally huge amount of resources were mobilized through trade. Besides crafts production mining and different kinds of taxes were imposed on the subjects carved bone and ivory products, potteries excavated from different areas within the kushana realm shows influence of ancient Matura and Taxila art. Movements of ideas and people in the form of merchants’ artists inside the Kushana Empire resulted in exchange of ideas related to culture, art and literature.
Besides internal trade, external trade both over land and maritime played a great role in the kushana economy. Roman Empire had trade links with china. There was a great demand for Chinese silk in roman market. The famous Silk Road from loyang in china reached the two Mediterranean parts of Antioch and Alexandria by passing through central Asia, west Asia and Eurasia. Chinese silk had a great demand not only in the roman but also ion the European markets besides Indian wares, crafts, gems and spices were sold in the overseas markets. Better knowledge and utilization of the monsoon wind system through the Red sea cannels gave a fresh impetus to the flourishing trade during the kushana period. To maintain overseas trade with European countries two major parts of north India known as Barbaricum at the north of the river Indus and Barygara on the mouth of the river Narmada played a vital role and it was quite evident from perilous and Ptolemy’s geography. The city of Matura was a major political center. In case of trade with central and west Asia the cities of Taxila and pushkalavati acted as gateways.
Large scale commercial prosperity during the kushana period led to extensive monetization of the whole economy. kushana gold coins found in Ethiopia proves the value of kushana gold coins in international arena. These gold coins were mainly used in the overseas trade. The kushanas themselves struck silver coins only in the lower Indus area. Large number of copper coins were also struck and used copper coins and Bartend system which were very much in practice indicate that the impact of monetization ran parallel with system of exchange of goods on the basis of needs.
With the expansion of trade proliferation of crafts also took place. Crafts in practice during the kushana period were varied in nature and form. There were different occupations like constructions (navakarmikah), actors (sailakah), carpenters (vaddhaki), perfumers(gamdhika), goldsmith (suvarnakara), clothmakers9pravarika), ironsmith (lohakara), jewelers (manikara0 etc. the mining industry was directly under the state control. the of the state was augmented through mining and marketing of precious stones. Guilds mostly called srenis acted as an early form of bank in which money was deposited and only the interest could be utilized. Cities like Taxila, Matura, Bactra were well planned and blossomed further during the kushana period. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30635000 |
Gautama was born a prince, over 2500 yeaago in Lumbini, in the northern part of India. He left the comfortable life of the palace, his young wife and infant son, to go in search of true knowledge. After a life of wander, austerities and meditation, he became Buddha ('the Enlightened one'). Buddha taught compassion, non-violence and the need for right conduct in life. His teachings spread far and wide even outside India, in China and Southeast Asia. The 'Jataka' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the stories related to the 'seekeof truth' - those who wish to follow the path of Buddha. The 550 Jatakas that form the canon, many are about both animals and humans. The stories were originally were compiled in the Pali language. Of the three Jataka tales here, the fit tells of an elephant who helped a lost traveler in a forest find his way to the city and even gave him his tusks to be sold for money. In the second the kind elephant protects a young quail. The elephant in the third story helps wood-workeby lifting and carrying logs. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30636000 |
English | Children's Literature
L390 | 15888 | Kanwit/Horrocks/Stanton/Wadewitz
L390 15888 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
10:10a-11:00a MW (150 students) 3 cr., A&H.
The field of children’s literature presents a wealth of texts that
are both linguistically satisfying and theoretically rich.
Children’s literature raises profound questions, including those
about life, death, and marriage. Indeed, our focus in this course
is not teaching literature to children, but why children’s
literature is so powerful and why, therefore, we do teach it to
children. We will study three themes in particular: conceptions of
learning and education; children and adventure; and children,
cruelty, and violence. We will examine fairy tales, picture books,
childhood poems, nursery rhymes, film adaptations of children’s
literature, and longer readings by such authors as Lewis Carroll, R.
L. Stevenson, L. Frank Baum, Madeleine L’Engle, J. M. Barrie, Lois
Lowry, and Lemony Snicket. Course requirements are careful reading,
weekly written responses to the texts, reading quizzes, two longer
essays (5-6 pages), two exams, and thoughtful participation in | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30637000 |
First Olympic Appearance: 1896 (men); 2000 (women)
by John Gettings and Mark Zurlo
It's impossible to put an exact date on the first weightlifting competition, but to give you an idea, ancient Chinese texts and Greek statues commonly depict the feat. Not much about the sport has changed since then. The winner is still the man—and finally the woman—to lift the most weight.
Women's weightlifting made its first Olympic appearance in 2000. Both men and women must complete two different lifts in this event. In a "snatch lift", the barbell is pulled from the platform to above the head in one continuous motion. In a "clean-and-jerk" the lift is done in two motions. First, the bar is pulled up to the shoulders as the lifter goes into a squat and follows that with a burst into an upright position. Once there, with the bar resting on their chest, the lifter must extend his/her arms and raise the bar above their head and wait for the referee's signal.
The maximum weights the lifter is able to successfully lift using both techniques are added together to determine the winner.
If you want to keep track of how much each competitor is lifting it's easy because the plates at either end of the bar are color coded according to their weight: Red 25 kg/55 lbs; Blue 20 kg/44 lbs; Yellow 15 kg/33 lbs; Green 10 kg/22 lbs; White 5 kg/11 lbs; Black 2.5 kg/5.5 lbs; Silver 1.25 kg/2.75 lbs; Record Disks .25 kg/.55 lbs. And don't forget the bar-the men's bar weighs 44 pounds and the women's bar weighs 33 pounds.
Men compete in eight weight classes, and the women seven. The maximum weights for each of those classes were new in 2000, therefore, each gold medallist automatically established a new Olympic record in their weight class.
The weightlifting competition at the Beijing Games will feature 170 men and 90 women and will be held at the 5,400-seat Beijing University Gymnasium.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30644000 |
Featured MP3 Podcast
"Scalp bounties were the payment of a fee for proof of death of an Indian, any Indian, on a graduated scale. At the top of the scale they would pay the highest amount for proof of death by way of the production of a scalp, or bloody red skin - origin of the term 'red skins' - of an adult male Indian. Half that fee would be payed for proof of death by the same means of a adult female, quarter to be payed for proof of death of a child, child being defined as as a human being under 10 years of age down to and including a fetus.. every single colony on the east coast, every state of the Union and territory of the United States within the confines of the 48 contiguous states, had in place, in some period of its history, a scalp bounty - removed usually when there were no longer sufficient number of Indians left to kill to warrant its continuation..that's as absolutely clinical a genocidal policy as is possible to envision, they weren't interested in any particular Indians, any Indians would do and they would pay for proof of death - they wanted all of us dead."
American Indian scholar, activist in the struggle for liberation of Indigenous Peoples in America
Genocide of Indigenous Peoples in North America, Action for Social and Ecological Justice on December 2, 2001, in Burlingotn, VT [50min / 11Mb] | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30647000 |
Peripheral Arterial Disease
What Is It?
In peripheral arterial disease (previously called peripheral vascular disease), not enough blood flows to the legs. The condition usually is caused by fatty deposits called plaques that build up along the walls of blood vessels. This buildup shrinks the size of the passageway and reduces the amount of blood that can flow through. This is a condition called atherosclerosis.
The risk factors for getting peripheral arterial disease are similar to the risk factors for coronary heart disease, and include:
- Smoking cigarettes or using other forms of tobacco (such as snuff and chew)
- An abnormally high level of cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
- An abnormally low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the good cholesterol)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Family history of cardiovascular disease
- Physical inactivity (too little regular exercise)
- Kidney disease
- Race (blacks appear to have a higher risk of developing the disease)
The most common symptom of peripheral arterial disease is intermittent claudication -- pain or cramping in the legs or buttocks that starts when you exercise and goes away when you rest. Often the pain is described as a deep ache, especially in the calf muscle. The pain may extend to the foot or up toward the thigh and buttock. Sometimes, there is just numbness in the leg or a sense that one leg gets tired when you walk. A foot or toes also may feel cold or numb.
If the arteries are severely narrowed, you could experience leg pain at rest, when you are not exercising. If blood flow stops completely (usually because a blood clot forms in the narrowed vessel), parts of the leg may become pale or turn blue, feel stone cold to the touch and eventually develop gangrene.
Your doctor will review your personal risk factors for atherosclerosis and your family history. Your doctor will ask if you or any family members have heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure or any other circulation disorder. During the physical examination, your doctor will feel the pulse in your upper leg (near the groin), on the inside of your ankle, the top of your foot and the back of your knee. Any weakness in a pulse may be a sign of narrowed arteries.
Usually the doctor can diagnose peripheral arterial disease based on your symptoms, risk factors, the examination of your legs and the strength of your pulses. Your doctor may measure the blood pressure in your legs and compare it to the blood pressure in your arm to calculate the ankle-brachial index, or ABI. The ratio the blood pressure measured at your ankle is compared to the blood pressure measured at your elbow. Normally blood pressure is the same or a little higher in the legs so the ratio is 1.0 or higher.
A ratio of less than 0.95 in either leg indicates narrowing of the arteries in that leg. People who have symptoms of peripheral arterial disease usually have a ratio of 0.8 or less.
Your doctor may order ultrasound of the legs to measure blood flow. The test is non-invasive and painless, using sound waves to create the pictures. If your doctor suspects that you need a procedure to help open a blocked blood vessel, you may need a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of your arteries or an angiogram, which is an X-ray test that uses dye in the narrowed arteries to reveal the pattern of blood flow and spot blockages.
Once you have peripheral arterial disease, your arteries usually will remain narrowed. However, even though your arteries are narrowed, your symptoms can decrease and even go away with treatment.
You can help to prevent peripheral arterial disease by modifying your risk factors:
- Don't smoke. This a major risk factor that you can control.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity, especially a concentration of body fat around the waist, has been linked to unhealthy blood levels of cholesterol and other fats, which can build up inside your arteries.
- Eat a healthy diet. Your diet should be loaded with vegetables and fruits, and it should be low in saturated fats.
- Exercise regularly. Ideally, you should exercise 45 minutes or more every day.
- Lower your blood pressure. Medications may be necessary if maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not enough.
Treatment for peripheral arterial disease includes:
- Modifying risk factors. Quitting smoking can reduce the symptoms of intermittent claudication and decrease the likelihood that the disease will get worse. It is also important to lower your cholesterol levels if they are high, keep blood pressure in the normal range, and keep your diabetes well-controlled. Talk to your doctor about the best way to do this.
- Exercise programs. Studies have shown that people who exercise can nearly double the distance they can walk before they start feeling leg pain. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes every day. You may need frequent breaks if your legs hurt. Even if you have to stop every few minutes, don't give up. Any activity is very beneficial. Most people choose walking, and find that walking on a track or a treadmill is easier than walking on pavement. You could also try bike riding (stationary or standard) and swimming.
- Medications. Even if you exercise and modify your risk factors, medications can help you to better relieve symptoms and may help to slow the progression of the disease. Your doctor probably will advise you to take aspirin every day, or to take another blood-thinning medication, such as clopidogrel (Plavix). Medications, such as cilostazol (Pletal) and pentoxifylline (Trental), also can help to decrease the symptoms of intermittent claudication.
- Revascularization procedures. The goal of revascularization is to improve circulation, either by opening narrowed arteries or by bypassing the narrowed section of the artery. These procedures include surgical and nonsurgical techniques and are used in people who have severe or progressive symptoms, or whose leg pain occurs at rest. The most common nonsurgical procedure is percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, also called balloon angioplasty. In this procedure, a catheter is inserted into the narrowed artery and a small balloon at the tip is inflated to open the narrowed vessel. Often, a metallic implant called a stent is used as a scaffold to support the wall of the artery after it is opened with the balloon. In some people, the narrowed vessel must be bypassed surgically using either a section of vein taken from the leg or a synthetic graft.
When to Call a Professional
Call your doctor if you consistently suffer from cramps, aching, numbness or disproportionate fatigue in your leg muscles or buttocks when you exercise. Call immediately if you have these symptoms at rest or when any part of your leg or foot suddenly turns numb, cold, pale or a bluish color.
In most people with peripheral arterial disease, leg symptoms remain stable. About 10% to 15% of patients improve, and about 15% to 20% get worse. The outlook is better for people who are able to remain tobacco-free, stay on a healthy diet, keep their blood cholesterol under control and exercise regularly.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105 | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30653000 |
What Is It?
The cervix is a tubelike channel that connects the uterus to the vagina. Cervical polyps are growths that usually appear on the cervix where it opens into the vagina. Polyps are usually cherry-red to reddish-purple or grayish-white. They vary in size and often look like bulbs on thin stems. Cervical polyps are usually not cancerous (benign) and can occur alone or in groups. Most polyps are small, about 1 centimeter to 2 centimeters long. Because rare types of cancerous conditions can look like polyps, all polyps should be removed and examined for signs of cancer.
The cause of cervical polyps is not well understood, but they are associated with inflammation of the cervix. They also may result from an abnormal response to the female hormone estrogen.
Cervical polyps are relatively common, especially in women older than 20 who have had at least one child. They are rare in girls who have not started menstruating. There are two types of cervical polyps:
- Ectocervical polyps can develop from the outer surface layer cells of the cervix. They are more common in postmenopausal women.
- Endocervical polyps develop from cervical glands inside the cervical canal. Most cervical polyps are endocervical polyps, and are more common in premenopausal women.
Cervical polyps may not cause any symptoms. However, you may experience:
- Discharge, which can be foul-smelling if there is an infection
- Bleeding between periods
- Heavier bleeding during periods
- Bleeding after intercourse
If you have a cervical polyp, you probably won't be able to feel it or see it. Cervical polyps are discovered during routine pelvic exams or evaluations for bleeding or while getting a Pap test.
Sometimes a polyp will come off on its own during sexual intercourse or menstruation. However, most polyps need to be removed to treat any symptoms and to evaluate the tissue for signs of cancer, which is rare.
Visit your doctor for an annual Pap test and for regular pelvic exams. A direct examination is the best way to identify cervical polyps.
Cervical polyps are removed surgically, usually in a doctor's office. The doctor will use a special instrument, called a polyp forceps, to grasp the base of the polyp stem and then gently pluck the polyp with a gentle, twisting motion. Bleeding is usually brief and limited. Nonprescription, mild pain medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others) can help to relieve discomfort or cramping during or after the procedure.
The polyp or polyps are sent to a laboratory for examination. You may receive antibiotics if the polyp shows signs of infection. If the polyp is cancerous, treatment will depend on the extent and type of cancer.
Large polyps and polyp stems that are very broad usually need to be removed in an operating room using local, regional or general anesthesia. You will not need to stay in the hospital overnight. Cervical polyps may grow in the future from different areas of the cervix, usually not from the original site. Regular pelvic examination will help to identify and treat polyps before they cause symptoms.
When to Call a Professional
If you experience vaginal discharge, bleeding after intercourse, or bleeding between periods, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible for a pelvic exam.
The outlook is excellent. The vast majority of cervical polyps are not cancerous. Once removed, polyps usually don't come back.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
P.O. Box 96920
Washington, DC 20090-6920 | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30654000 |
Genetic Testing Guide
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Genetic Testing Basics
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It was named after a famous baseball player who contracted the disease. ALS causes destruction of the nerve cells responsible for coordinating communication between the brain, spinal cord and muscles. When muscles no longer receive information from the spinal cord, they begin to shrink. People with ALS lose the ability to control their muscles. The disease does not affect a person's mental abilities. ALS is a progressive disorder because it continues to get worse over time.
People with ALS typically experience the following symptoms:
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle twitching
- Muscle wasting
- Poor coordination or clumsiness
- Muscle cramps
- Difficulty speaking or swallowing
- Increased or decreased reflexes (caused by unhealthy nerves)
- Muscles that become more rigid
Only about 5% to 10% of ALS cases are inherited. The other 90% not caused by genetics are called sporadic. The average age for someone to first see symptoms of sporadic ALS is 56. People with ALS that is genetic (it runs in the family) often see their symptoms start 10 or more years earlier. Symptoms for both causes of the disease may appear earlier or later in life.
Although ALS does not occur in distinct stages, the symptoms are progressive, meaning they get more severe over time. Symptoms depend upon which nerve groups have been damaged or destroyed.
- Early stages The first signs of ALS are often clumsiness or weakness of the hands and arms or weakness of the muscles that control speech and swallowing.
- Later stages The leg muscles become weak and poorly coordinated. Other muscles, such as those that control speech and swallowing, may become impaired.
- Long term The entire body begins to weaken and shut down. Vital muscle functions, such as breathing, become impaired. This typically leads to death.
In most cases, ALS causes death a few years after symptoms begin. With inherited ALS, the disease may progress more slowly.
How common is ALS?
Every year, between one and three people out of 100,000 are diagnosed with ALS. The disease affects men slightly more than women (about four men for every three women). In a country the size of the United States, about 3,000 to 9,000 new cases per year are reported.
Who is at risk of ALS?
In most cases of ALS, there is no way to tell if someone is at risk. About 90% of ALS cases are sporadic, meaning the affected person does not have a family history of the disease or anything else that would put him or her at increased risk. In the other 10% of ALS cases, called familial, the disease runs in the family. Researchers do not know the cause of sporadic ALS or why it has genetic and non-genetic varieties.
Is my ethnic background the key to my risk?
No. Both forms of ALS (sporadic and familial) occur among people of every ethnicity and race.
Is my family history the key to my risk?
It's not the key, but it is one factor. Almost 90% of cases occur in people who do not have a family history of the disease. Predicting who will get the sporadic form is impossible.
If you have a family history of ALS, figuring out your risk is not easy. Different families have different genes that may make different family members more or less likely to get ALS.
- Dominant inheritance. You only need to get one copy to be affected. For example, if one of your parents had ALS caused by a dominant gene, you would have a 50% chance of inheriting the changed gene from that parent.
- Recessive inheritance. You need to get one changed gene from each parent to be affected. If you only get one changed gene, you will be a carrier. Carriers do not have the disease; they have one normal copy of the gene and one altered copy. If you're a carrier, one or both of your parents must have been carriers. This also means your brothers and sisters have at least a 50% chance of having inherited the gene from one of your parents.
- X-linked inheritance. The X and Y chromosomes make a person male (XY) or female (XX). When a man inherits a change in a gene on the X chromosome, he most likely will be affected by that disease. In the same situation, a woman will be just a carrier because she has a "backup copy" of the gene on her other X chromosome.
Is there a cure?
No. However, people with ALS may benefit from technologies for example, motorized wheelchairs and electronic communication devices to compensate for their disabilities.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
The Gene For ALS
What goes wrong with this gene?
A handful of genes have been associated with ALS. The best-understood gene is called superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1). This gene provides the instructions to make a protein called superoxide dismutase. The SOD1 gene is important for the survival of nerves that send electrical signals from the brain to the muscles. Some scientists believe that the lack of SOD1 leaves cells more vulnerable to "programmed cell death," a process used throughout the body to remove cells that are not functioning properly. With this type of "self-destruct" program around, the cell needs some checkpoints to prevent programmed cell death from happening in normal cells. SOD1 could be one of those checkpoints. When you don't have SOD1, nerve cells that should stay alive might be killed off. When the nerves die, the muscles stop working.
Researchers have described more than 100 changes throughout the SOD1 gene. One change is associated with a more rapid progression of the disease, while another change is associated with a slower progression.
Most of the changes in SOD1 cause dominant ALS, meaning you only need to inherit one copy of the change to develop the disease. Changes in SOD1 account for about 20% of inherited ALS cases. Genetic testing is only available for the SOD1 gene. A small proportion of other inherited ALS cases is caused by changes in one of three genes: FUS (~5% of cases), TARDBP (2 to 6% of cases), and ANG (less than 1% of cases). Still, for most cases of inherited ALS, no specific genetic change would be found after testing these four genes.
Should You Be Tested?
What types of tests are available?
If you have ALS, you can obtain a DNA test to determine whether the disease is caused by a change in the SOD1 gene. Even if you have ALS, your chance of having a change in the SOD1 gene depends on your family history. Remember, most cases of ALS are not related to a change in the SOD1 gene. Work with your doctor to help you decide whether genetic testing makes sense for you.
If you have no symptoms of ALS, a pre-symptomatic test may tell you how likely you are to get the disease in the future. If you have a close family member, such as a parent or a sibling, who has a change in the SOD1 gene, the DNA test can identify whether you share the same change in your SOD1 gene.
Pre-symptomatic testing is controversial because the test cannot determine when you will start having symptoms of ALS or whether you will develop the disease. If you have a change in the SOD1 gene, it does not necessarily mean you will get ALS.
With few exceptions, to qualify for testing you must either have symptoms of the disease or have a close relative (parent or sibling) who has been diagnosed with the disease. Pre-symptomatic testing of children for ALS is discouraged. According to generally accepted guidelines for genetic counseling, children under 18 should not be tested for a disease that begins in adulthood unless there is specific benefit to the child.
If you are concerned about your risk for ALS, speak with a medical professional who is knowledgeable about the disease to find out if testing is appropriate for you.
Carrier testing/Prenatal testing
If you have a family history of ALS, carry a change in one of the ALS genes mentioned above and have a baby on the way, you might be curious to find out whether your child carries the same change. But even if both you and your future child have a change in one of these genes, it does not mean that either one of you will develop ALS.
Understanding Test Results and Options
How Do You Make Sense Of The Results?
The results of DNA testing for ALS are complicated and rarely provide definitive answers. That's why testing is designed only for people who already have symptoms of ALS. You should have your results reviewed by a medical professional familiar with the test. He or she can explain how the results apply to you.
What does a positive result mean for me?
If you have symptoms of ALS and test positive for one of the genes, you already know how challenging the disease can be. If you do not have symptoms and you learn that you have inherited a genetic change found in a relative who has ALS, you might start developing symptoms around the same age as they did, but it could be many years later. The type of mutation may tell you if the disease is more likely to progress quickly or not, but these predictions are not perfect.
What does a positive result mean for my family?
If you test positive, your brothers, sisters and each of your children have a 50% chance of having inherited the gene. Your brothers and sisters may want to be tested to find out whether they carry an ALS gene. According to generally accepted principles of medical ethics, children under 18 should not be tested for adult diseases such as ALS unless there is an immediate benefit to the child.
Could I get a positive test result, but not carry the disease gene (a "false positive")?
Yes. Sometimes testing uncovers a change in the gene that has not been seen before. When this happens, the laboratory may not know if this change causes the disease or not. Once a new change is seen in several people with ALS, but not seen in healthy people, the laboratory can say that the change causes the disease.
Could I get a negative test result, but actually have the disease (a "false negative")?
Yes. Because more than one gene can cause ALS, not having a change in one of the four genes mentioned earlier only tells you "there's not a change in one of those four genes." You may still get ALS after a negative test because 90% of ALS cases are sporadic.
How will I cope if the test shows I might develop ALS?
Learning that you are affected by a serious illness is difficult. No formal research has been done on the psychological effects of genetic testing for ALS. Research on people with Huntington's disease, another disorder that gets progressively worse, has shown that people receiving test results tend to accept the news after a period of adjustment.
People who receive negative test results also may need to cope with new feelings. Some report that they feel guilty that they did not get the disease, especially when one of their brothers or sisters was found to carry the gene.
Ultimately, everyone will deal with the information in his or her own way. Most importantly, people who undergo testing should have support available, including friends, family and professional counselors.
If I have the ALS gene, can I have children who don't have the gene?
Yes. If you have a change in the SOD1 gene, or one of the three other genes mentioned earlier, you have a 50% chance of passing it on to each child you have.
If I DON'T have the ALS gene, can I have children who DO have the gene?
Yes. If you and your partner do not have a change in the SOD1 gene, or one of the three genes mentioned earlier, then your child cannot inherit the change from you, but it is possible that your child could have a new genetic change that has not been in the family before. Nobody knows exactly how often this happens, but the odds are against it.
How does the test work?
The ALS test requires a blood sample. A lab obtains DNA from the blood and looks at the genes associated with ALS: SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and ANG. The test can be ordered as a "panel" that looks at all four genes, or as an "a la carte" test for any one (or more) of the four genes. If the lab notes any changes from the normal sequence, the test will be reported as "positive."
If you decide to be tested for ALS, you should do it at a medical center that has experience with presymptomatic genetic testing.
If you're thinking about being tested, you probably have a family member with ALS. The neurologist caring for your family member can refer you to a testing center. A center has neurologists, geneticists and counselors with experience in dealing with the complicated issues related to genetic testing. You will have to sign a consent form indicating that you understand and agree to the test.
What do the tests cost?
The test costs about $500 to $900 for a single gene (depending on which gene), or about $1,500 to get all four genes at once. Costs vary slightly depending upon which lab does the testing.
Does insurance pay for the test?
Most health-insurance companies pay for "diagnostic testing," which means the test is being done to confirm a diagnosis in a person who already has symptoms. However, there are many different plans, and you should check whether diagnostic genetic testing is a covered service before having the test performed.
Many insurance companies will not pay for a predictive test (a test for a person who does not have symptoms), especially if there is nothing that can be done to prevent the condition (no change in patient management). If you are considering this test, call your insurance company and ask about its coverage.
How long does it take to get results?
The results of DNA testing for inherited ALS take about six to eight weeks. The results will not be reported directly to you. Instead, the laboratory provides the results to the medical center that ordered the test. You need to return to the center for another appointment to discuss the results. This way, your family and friends can be there for support when you receive the results.
Can a health-insurance company raise my rates or drop me from coverage if I test positive?
In 2008, the U.S. government passed a law called GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act). This law prohibits discrimination by health insurers and employers on the basis of genetic information. Learn more here.
Also, this may depend on whether you have group insurance or are self-employed. Both federal and state laws usually cover people with group insurance, while state laws only cover people who are self-employed. Also, the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 prohibits health insurance discrimination based on any "health status-related factor" (including genetic information) by group health plans. Unfortunately, this act does not apply to the self-employed.
Some states have enacted legislation to cover the gaps. Most states prohibit health-insurance companies from using genetic information to deny coverage. Other states require specific justification for the use of genetic information in denying a claim. Texas bans the use of genetic information by any group health plans, and Alabama prohibits discrimination based upon predisposition to cancer.
Life insurance, long-term care and disability insurance are generally not covered by these laws. People with life and disability coverage provided by their employers are unlikely to have this insurance affected by a genetic test result.
For information about laws in individual states, click on the following links:
Learn more about life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance laws.
Learn more about health insurance laws.
Last updated June 28, 2011
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
InteliHealth Medical Content
gene,muscles,amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,dna,muscle,cell,cells,genes,nerve,brain,chromosome,long-term care,spinal cord | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30655000 |
Mental nerve is a general somatic afferent (sensory) nerve which provides sensation to the anterior aspects of the chin and lower lip as well as the buccal gingivae of the mandibular anterior teeth and the premolars. It is a branch of the posterior trunk of the inferior alveolar nerve, which is itself a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V). The nerve emerges at the mental foramen in the mandibula, and divides beneath the Depressor anguli oris muscle into three branches:
• one descends to the skin of the chin.
• two ascend to the skin and mucous membrane of the lower lip.
These branches communicate freely with the facial nerve.
The mental nerve can be blocked with local anesthesia, a procedure used in surgery of the chin, lower lip and buccal mucosa from midline to the second premolar. In this technique, local anesthetic is infiltrated in the soft tissue surrounding the mental foramen.
What is mental nerve neuralgia?
Mental nerve neuralgia is a painful disorder of the mental nerve, which may be damaged or not function properly.
Mental nerve neuralgia can have many different causes. The most common cause is a complication of dental treatment. If this is not the cause, the disorder may be the first sign of a (general/systemic) malignancy.
Mental nerve neuropathy (MNN) or “numb chin syndrome” is a clinical symptom of metastatic carcinoma to the mandible. MNN is defined as numbness or paresthesia localized to the chin or lower lip, and it is often accompanied by an abnormal sensation of “thickening” of the lip similar to the experience of dental anesthesia. Most cases that are not dental in origin are associated with diffuse metastatic disease, particularly with underlying lymphoproliferative disorders. The mandible is an uncommon site for metastatic carcinoma but when it is involved, the primary tumour commonly originates in the breast, lung, prostate, kidney, thyroid, ovaries or testicles. In 47% of cases, MNN precedes diagnosis of the primary tumour, and in patients with a history of cancer, MNN often indicates recurrence or progression of the disease. When MNN develops in patients with underlying carcinoma, survival is typically less than one year.
MNN is a symptom caused by dysfunction of the terminal sensory branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. MNN is commonly due to compression of the mental or inferior alveolar nerve from a lesion present in the mandible or skull. Initially, the altered sensation is unilateral, but this may progress and cause bilateral mandibular symptoms. Glaser and colleagues described anesthesia and pain as the main symptoms of metastatic mandibular disease, and patients generally report paresthesia or dysesthesia in the peripheral distribution of the inferior alveolar and mental nerves. This symptom is the most consistent finding when a neoplasm is located in the ramus and body of the mandible, as was the case with our patient. The pain associated with a metastatic mandibular lesion can be severe and intense, and it may mimic a toothache, temporomandibular joint discomfort, osteomyelitis or atypical trigeminal neuralgia.
MNN may also be associated with local trauma, cysts, inflammatory disorders, mandibular atrophy or iatrogenic nerve injury by dental anesthesia. Other systemic causes of MNN include neurological disorders, diabetes mellitus, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis and sickle cell anemia. The literature review by Laurencet and coworkers suggests that lymphoma and adenocarcinoma of the breast are the primary tumours most likely to metastasize to the mandible. In patients with suggestive symptoms, mandibular x-rays or panoramic films may be diagnostic. A standard mandible series includes a right and left lateral oblique, posterior-anterior (PA) view, reverse Towne’s and submental vertex radiographs. The panoramic view is a valuable screening method because it has tomographic effects and visualizes the entire mandible, both temporal-mandibular joints, and maxillary sinuses on one film, allowing for more reliable comparison of anatomic structures. In patients with a history of carcinoma, radiographic evaluation should include a CT scan of the mandible, basal skull, head and neck if possible. CT provides images of thin sections of both hard and soft tissues without superimposition.
If no traumatic etiology or systemic disease is apparent, physicians should look for dental disease. Odontogenic infections and abscesses can present as intra-oral or facial swelling, which may be firm or fluctuant, with or without discharge, erythema and heat. Patients will often complain of spontaneous and increasing pain that is aggravated by heat, cold or chewing. Clinical exam may reveal tooth decay, dental restorations or both in the affected tooth. Periodontal infections may present with similar symptoms. In such cases, the gingiva may appear erythematous and edematous with deposits of plaque (white, thin) or calculus (yellow to brown or black) around the necks of the teeth.
Patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction or myofascial pain syndromes often present with intermittent or constant dull pain that may be associated with mastication (e.g., temporalis or masseter use). In these cases, cheek, temporal and periauricular pain are common, and patients may report a history of grinding, clenching and reduced jaw excursion. Patients may also have experienced their jaw “locking” open or closed in the past.
Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by sharp, often excruciating pain that is stimulated by a trigger; the patient often identifies the specific area and action that stimulates their discomfort.
Signs and symptoms
Patients complain of numbness of their cheek and lower lip, in combination with neuropathic pain.
How is mental nerve neuralgia diagnosed?
The first thing that must be done is a neurological examination of the cheek and lips. You will always be given a thorough examination by a dentist. If necessary, and if the problems did not result from dental treatment, further examinations are done to exclude other causes.
Do I need additional examinations?
• Diagnostic examination for other non-physical factors important for your pain, have already been done by yourself trough filling out your pain questionnaires.
• If the doctor suspects other causes, he or she will refer you to an internist.
What are my treatment possibilities?
Depending on the cause of your pain, your pain specialist will decide whether or not to embark on physical treatment. Based on the results of the completed pain questionnaire, additional examinations can be carried out and, apart from physical treatment, other methods of treatment will be suggested.
If the results of your pain questionnaire are abnormal, your pain specialist will offer you one of the non-physical treatments listed below:
• Psychological Treatment
• Depression Treatment
• Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment
• Rehabilitation Treatment
• Neuropathic pain medication
Interventional Pain Treatments
• Local infiltration of the mental nerve
• PRF treatment of the mental nerve | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30656000 |
ČAḠĀNRŪD (Čaḡānīrūd in Farroḵī, the seventh and last right-bank tributary of the Oxus or Amu Darya, rising in what in medieval Islamic times were known as the Bottamān mountains and flowing southwards through the principality of Čaḡānīān into the Oxus just above the important crossing-point of Termeḏ (modern Termez). Hence it flows from what is now the Gissarski (from Ḥeṣār) Khrebet on the borders of the Tajik and Uzbek SSRs but has the greater part of its course in the Surkhandar’inskaya oblast of the easternmost part of the Uzbek SSR; its upper course is now known as the Qarataḡ Daryā and its lower one (below Denau, from Deh-e Now, the medieval Čaḡānīān town) as the Sorḵān Daryā. Of the classical Islamic geographers, Maqdesī (Moqaddasī; p. 22), calls it the anhār al-Ṣaḡānīān (the plural “rivers” presumably referring to its separate headwaters); Ebn Rosta (p. 93, tr. Wiet, p. 103) calls it the Rāmīḏ, thus confusing it with the Kāfernehān river to the east.
See also Barthold, Turkestan3, p. 72.
Farroḵī Sīstānī, Dīvān, ed. M. Dabīrsīāqī, Tehran, 1363 Š./1984, p. 189.
Ḥodūd al-ʿālam, tr. Minorsky, 6.11, p. 71, cf. comm. p. 209.
Le Strange, Lands, pp. 436, 440. J. Marquart, Wehrot und Arang, Leiden, 1938, pp. 89-94.
Bol’shaya sovetskaya èntsiklopediya3 XXV, 1976, p. 93a.
(C. Edmund Bosworth)
Originally Published: December 15, 1990
Last Updated: December 15, 1990
This article is available in print.
Vol. IV, Fasc. 6, pp. 615-616 | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30659000 |
Hitler has become an iconic figure in Asia in recent years, and his book Mein Kampf is being sold in bookstores across the continent. Israel has decided to work against that trend by inviting educators from India, Korea, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia to guide them in Holocaust studies.
For the first time a group of 20 school principals and teachers from India recently arrived in Israel to learn about the Holocaust at the International School at Yad Vashem (Israel's national Holocaust memorial and museum).
Dressed in traditional garb, the Indian guests were taught about the true horrors of the Holocaust as a background for ethics and history lessons at schools and universities in their own country. Some of the participants represented school systems that oversee the education of over two million students all the way from kindergarten to university.
The Indian delegation was invited by the Foreign Ministry's Department for Combating Anti-Semitism and by Yad Vashem, both of which hoped the visit would spark increased study of the Holocaust throughout Asia.
This month will also see the first visit by a group of 23 educators from New Zealand. Recently, a group of 20 teachers from Australia and another delegation from Singapore arrived for background lessons on the Holocaust.
"This demonstrates how the topic of the Holocaust remains of interest and is still relevant to the 21st century," said Gideon Baker, director of the Department for Combating Anti-Semitism.
"In 2013, we will expand the study of the Holocaust to countries that have not yet studied the subject in any organized manner, such as South Korea and Cyprus, as well as establish mobile training teams in India," Baker added.
There is no anti-Semitism in India. Mein Kampf sells in local bookstores and there is general admiration of Hitler as being a "strong man," but the public is mostly ignorant about who Hitler truly was and what he did to six million Jews. "Precisely for this reason it is important to teach the Holocaust in this country," said Baker.
Asia in general does not have an anti-Semitism problem. But Nazi symbols are widely used and Hitler is often idolized without true understanding of what this means to the Jews.
Israeli diplomats in Asia say that this phenomenon most often occurs as a result of ignorance and with no hostile intentions. "A lot of people in Asia are aware of what happened in Europe in general. Unfortunately, many people think that Hitler was a hero, not a monster, so it is important to strengthen the memory of the Holocaust," explained the Foreign Ministry. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30666000 |
More than three decades ago, Vietnamese refugees began to settle in Versailles, a then-isolated community in eastern New Orleans. By the early 2000s, this working-class enclave was home to 8,000 residents. But although the community had accomplished material successes, it remained divided between older immigrants and American-born youth. Many Versailles residents felt like perpetual outsiders in greater New Orleans, ignored by the local government.
A Village Called Versailles is the incredible story of this little-known, tight-knit community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. When the storm devastated New Orleans in August 2005, Versailles residents rebuilt their neighborhood faster than any other damaged neighborhood in the city, only to find themselves threatened by a new toxic landfill slated to open just two miles away. Forced out of Vietnam by the war 30 years ago, many residents felt their homes were being taken away from them once again.
By January 2006, more than half of the neighborhood has been rebuilt, financed by friends and family, with no help from FEMA. Community leaders put together an ambitious redevelopment plan for Versailles, including its own senior housing, a cultural center, and a community farm and market. But New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin exercised his emergency power to open Chef Menteur Landfill mere miles from Versailles for toxic debris disposal from Katrina — without getting an environmental impact study first.
Outraged, Versailles fought back. Residents protested at City Hall and crowded public hearings by the hundreds, making the Vietnamese community’s presence felt in New Orleans for the first time. As elders and youth fought side by side — chanting in English and Vietnamese — Versailles finally won a political voice.
- S. Leo ChiangProducer/Director | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30669000 |
Spoon-billed sandpiper “headstarting” success
04 October 2012 | News story
With only about 100 breeding pairs remaining in the wild, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus) is in crisis. To help save this species from extinction, SOS – Save Our Species, in which IUCN is a partner, is supporting an innovative conservation project to boost the numbers of juvenile Spoon-billed Sandpipers at their summer breeding grounds in Chukotka, Russia.
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) an IUCN member, working in partnership with Moscow Zoo and Birds Russia has achieved incredible success by hatching, rearing and releasing nine Spoon-billed Sandpiper chicks, a species listed as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
The nine chicks hatched from 11 eggs carefully taken from breeding grounds on the tundra of the Chukotka region in eastern Russia. Next they were carefully monitored, hatched and nourished in the nearby village of Meinypil’gyno before being released. This intense phase in the project required constant attention and coordination from the team as they worked ceaselessly to give the hatchlings every opportunity for survival. Fledglings gained strength living in a purpose-built open-air aviary designed to shelter the birds from predators with the added protection of a guard who kept vigil night and day.
From Russia the birds will begin an 8,000km migration to South East Asia to their inter-tidal wintering grounds. This pioneering work is all the more remarkable considering that in the wild just three Spoon-billed Sandpipers, out of every 20 eggs laid, survive long enough to start the migration.
“We worked around the clock to keep the chicks alive and healthy,” said Roland Digby, project manager, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. “It was wonderful to release them and watch them as they found their way into the wild, but it was definitely tinged with anxiety, knowing the terrible threats they face.”
Their journey is made more difficult by the loss of inter-tidal habitats along the route which provide important re-fuelling points. Arriving in Southeast Asia, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper faces further threats from human hunters forced by economic pressures to hunt shorebirds. WWT and partners continue to work on strategies to develop longer-term economic and environmental solutions to help people in the South East Asia region give up their reliance on such destructive forms of hunting while extending protection to the Spoon-billed Sandpiper across its range.
A further 20 eggs destined for a Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation breeding programme were brought from the breeding grounds to WWT’s facility at Slimbridge in the UK. It is hoped that these eggs will add to the stock of laid by these birds can one day be carefully relocated back to Russia for hatching in their natural habitat, boosting fledgling numbers that will make the long trek south for the winter.
Meanwhile, with nine out of 11 eggs hatching, the success of this first season of “headstarting”, demonstrates how innovative conservation and international collaboration can work to deliver measurable and meaningful results, although more funding is required to run the project again in 2013. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30670000 |
Acting beyond boundaries to address urban water challenge
“You cannot optimize water in cities without looking at the natural water basin or catchment areas which are serving them” said Dr Mark Smith, Director of the IUCN Water Programme during a recent workshop at the UN World Water Day conference in Cape Town.
From 20 to 22 March experts and scientists met in Cape Town, South Africa on the occasion of World Water Day to discuss solutions addressing the global urban water challenge. During the workshop, participants explored an integrated approach to providing access to water and sanitation in urban areas. In particular they focused on the urban connection with surrounding ecosystems, agriculture and industrial services, climate change and the role of business.
“Cities, business and agriculture need to act beyond their own boundaries, to address shared risks and opportunities to optimize urban water and invest in building more resilient basins” said Joppe Cramwinckel from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). A range of stakeholders and perspectives were brought together, including water, energy, food, land use, social equity, climate change, utility management, ecosystem services and job creation. Several examples of innovations and good practices were demonstrated.
“Basins also need investment. In terms of factors like risk reduction and investment, we have to ask: what is the best mix of natural and built infrastructure? And we need to see shifts towards building the resilience of basins”, said Dr Mark Smith. This was echoed by Jack Moss from AquaFed who commented that "the cost of ignoring the true economics of water is far greater than the costs of managing water properly" .
The real number of people without access to adequate water and sanitation is increasing rapidly, and this is causing disease, loss of economic productivity and environmental damage.
The challenge is not only an economic one. More taps and toilets are desperately needed. In addition to more infrastructure ‘hardware’, there is also a significant requirement for ‘software’ infrastructure. Ownership needs to be created among all sectors across the value chain, and effective management and financing tools are needed.
Martin Ginster from Sasol, a petrochemical company, said that “there is a growing realization that water is a core business, not just an add-on. We are moving beyond the factory fence to see how we can contribute to better management of water across the catchments within which we operate”. Marius van Aardt, from private water operator Senbcorp Silulumanzi urged that “business and water managers should innovate, but always start with community involvement”, highlighting the need for different stakeholders to collaborate.
There is scope for the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises. Kevin Wall from South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) stated that “given the need for maintenance and jobs, it’s a no-brainer that small businesses involvement- if appropriately enabled and managed- could be an ideal vehicle. Construction jobs are short-term, but maintenance jobs are for life.”
The workshop was convened by the WBCSD, AquaFed, the International Water Association (IWA) and the South African National Business Initiative (NBI)
Key messages emerging from the session include:
• The complexity is vast and the numbers related to urbanization and the urban water challenge staggering. But there are significant opportunities for business to help transform urban water, improve bio-capacity, manage ecosystems and find innovative sustainable solutions.
• Planning for providing energy, water and food should be integrated as early as possible, from top to bottom, and ‘silo’ thinking must be broken.
• All parties -government, business, academics, communities and different sectors - must learn to speak the same language and commit to sharing information.
• Leading cities are already thinking ‘out of the box’ and looking for up-stream and down-stream solutions e.g. investing in eco-system services is usually more cost-effective than built infrastructure equivalents.
• Leading businesses are thinking in innovative ways, and investing ‘outside the factory fence’ across the catchment to ensure security of supply and shared benefits of water services e.g. in agriculture, ecosystems and urban water management.
• There are great opportunities for job creation, provided that enabling environments are created e.g. the role of small and medium sized enterprises in urban infrastructure maintenance.
For more detail, a report on the workshop event will be available early April 2011.
What businesses can do:
• Conduct a ‘Water Footprint Assessment’
• Use the WBCSD’s ‘Global Water Tool’ to map water use and assess risks.
• Encourage leadership to join the UN’s CEO Water Mandate.
For more information, please contact:
Mark Smith, Director IUCN Water Programme | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30671000 |
|Scientific Name:||Porcula salvania|
|Species Authority:||Hodgson, 1847|
Sus salvanius (Hodgson, 1847)
|Taxonomic Notes:||We follow Funk et al. (2007) is removing this species from the genus Sus and placing it in the monotypic genus Porcula.|
|Red List Category & Criteria:||Critically Endangered C2a(ii) ver 3.1|
|Assessor/s:||Narayan, G., Deka, P. & Oliver, W.|
|Reviewer/s:||Leus, K. & Oliver, W. ( Pig, Peccary & Hippo Red List Authority)|
Listed as Critically Endangered because its population size is estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals, with all individuals in a single subpopulation, and it is experiencing a continuing decline.
|Range Description:||In the past, this species was confirmed from only a very few locations in northern West Bengal and north-western Assam in India, but is believed likely to have occurred in tall, wet alluvial grasslands extending in a narrow belt south of the Himalayan foothills from north-western Uttar Pradesh and southern Nepal to Assam, possibly extending at intervals into contiguous habitats in southern Bhutan (Oliver 1980). However, it is now confined to a very few locations in and around Manas National Park in north-western Assam (Narayan and Deka 2002, Narayan and Oliver, in press).|
Regionally extinct:Bangladesh; Nepal
|Range Map:||Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.|
|Population:||Today, this species is at the brink of extinction, as only a few isolated and small populations survive in the wild. In fact, the only viable population of the species, with a few hundred individuals, exists in small grassland pockets of Manas National Park (500 km²) and an adjacent reserve forest in the Manas Tiger Reserve and nowhere else in the world (Narayan and Deka 2002). Sixteen captive-bred Pygmy Hogs were released in Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary in May 2008 and similar reintroductions have been planned in Nameri and Orang National Parks of Assam. There are about 75 animals in captivity in northwestern Assam.|
|Habitat and Ecology:||The Pygmy Hog is the smallest and the rarest wild suid in the world. This species is dependent on early successional riverine communities, typically comprising dense tall grasslands, commonly referred to as 'thatchland', but which, in its pristine state, is intermixed with a wide variety of herbaceous plants and early colonizing shrubs and young trees (Oliver and Deb Roy 1993). There are many species of tall grasses, which dominate in different situations. The most important of these communities for Pygmy Hogs are those which tend to be dominated by Saccharum munja, S. spontaneum, S. bengalensis, Themeda villosa, Narenga porphyrocoma and Imperata cylindrical, which form characteristic associations of 1 to 4 m height, during secondary stages of the succession on well drained ground. These communities are not, therefore, maintained by prolonged inundation, though they may be maintained by periodic burning. However, as they also include some of the most commercially important thatching grasses, some of these areas (including many of those in protected areas) are harvested annually and virtually all of them are subject to wide-scale annual (in some areas, twice-annual) burning. Although it has been suggested by ecologists that any burning be conducted at the beginning of the dry season (in December or early January) in alternate blocks (demarcated by fire-lines) and only once in 2-3 years, most of the grasslands continue to be burnt every year in the dry season, which deleteriously affects their floral and faunal diversity. It has been recognised that some amount of ?early? burning may be required in order to preclude the possibility of later, uncontrolled 'hot' burns, which are far more destructive, and possibly to delay natural succession of the grasslands in protected areas. However, early burning also may deprive hogs and other grassland dependant species of cover and other resources for a longer period prior to the regrowth of vegetation and has the same consequences of dramatically reducing floral and faunal diversity.|
The main threats to survival of Pygmy Hog are loss and degradation of habitat due to human settlements, agricultural encroachments, dry-season burning, livestock grazing, commercial forestry and flood control schemes; the latter as a result of the disruption of natural successions and the replacements of former grasslands by later stage communities or other developments. In Assam, as elsewhere, most former habitat has been lost to settlements and agriculture following the rapid expansion of the human population (Oliver, 1980, 1981, 1989; Oliver and Deb Roy, 1993). Some management practices, such as planting of trees in the grasslands and indiscriminate use of fire to create openings and to promote fresh growth of grass, have caused extensive damage to the habitats the authorities intend to protect (Narayan and Deka 2002). A combination of these factors has almost certainly resulted in the loss of all of the small populations of these animals in the reserve forests of north-western Assam. These losses strongly reinforced the overwhelming importance of the largest and, by the early to mid-1980's, only known surviving population in the Manas (Oliver, 1981, 1989; Oliver and Deb Roy 1993).
Hunting for wild meat by tribes was not considered a major problem in the past but is now threatening the remnant populations (Narayan and Deka 2002). The survival of Pygmy Hogs is closely linked to the existence of the tall, wet grasslands of the region which, besides being a highly threatened habitat itself, is also crucial for survival of a number endangered species such as Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), tiger (Panthera tigris), swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee), hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus), Bengal florican (Eupodotis bengalensis), swamp francolin (Francolinus gularis) and some rare turtles and terrapins.
The Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) is a broad-based research and conservation programme for this highly threatened species and its equally endangered habitats (Narayan and Deka 2002, Narayan 2006). It is being conducted under the aegis of a formal International Agreement, that was originally signed at New Delhi in 1995 and later renewed as a Memorandum of Understanding in 2001, between IUCN SSC Pigs Peccaries and Hippos Specialist Group, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), the Forest Department, Government of Assam, and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. A local governing body consisting of representatives of the four signatories and some Indian experts has been constituted to provide guidance to the Programme. The implementation of this agreement, the first of its kind in India, is being undertaken by PHCP and the local partner organisation, EcoSystems-India, with funds provided by DWCT, with assistance from the European Union, Darwin Initiative (UK government), Assam Valley Wildlife Society, Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations (ZGAP), and various other sources. The primary aim of this collaborative programme is conservation of the Pygmy Hogs and other endangered species of tall grasslands of the region through field research, captive breeding and re-introduction after adequate restoration of degraded former habitats. One of the main objectives of the Programme was to establish a well structured conservation breeding project for pygmy hogs as an insurance against the possible early extinction of the species in the wild and as a source of animals for re-introduction projects. In 1996, six (2 male, 4 female) wild hogs were caught from Manas National Park and transferred to a custom-built research and breeding centre built at Basistha near Guwahati, the capital of Assam. Five more hogs were caught and released at the capture site after fitting three males and a female with radio harness for radio-telemetry studies. The hog population kept in captivity almost doubled in 1997 from 18 to 35 through planned breeding. Between 1998 and 2002, several more hogs were born in captivity and a rescued wild hog was added to the captive population, taking it to over 75 animals which constituted over 1200% increase in 6 years. Although two more enclosures and a quarantine facility were constructed at Basistha, the unanticipated and rapid increase in the captive population created accommodation problems, forcing the programme to restrict breeding in captivity. Subsequently, a much larger facility was established at Potasali near Nameri National Park in Assam. This facility includes four holding enclosures and four pre-release enclosures with near natural habitat, where hogs earmarked for reintroduction are reared. Since the animals at Basistha Centre are the only captive pygmy hogs in the world, the second centre is also an insurance against any catastrophe at the present location. Once the Potasali pre-release enclosures were ready and the habitat at one of the release sites became reasonably suitable, the hogs were allowed to breed again.
Surveys to locate possible release sites in Assam were carried out, as the rapidly increasing captive population necessitated transfer of some of these pygmy hog back to where they belonged. Two potential re-introduction sites were identified in Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary and Nameri National Park, both in Sonitpur district of Assam bordering Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. Habitat management and protection regimes at the potential release sites were assessed in consultation with authorities and recommendations for restoration and scientific management were given. The management authorities are trying to implement the recommendations with limited auccess. The habitat in a part of Orang National Park was also found suitable, but in absence of any reliable record of the species formerly occurring in this area, further evaluation is considered necessary.
The actual release of hogs was delayed initially due to security problems and later due to presence of factors that were responsible for disappearance of the hogs at the potential reintroduction sites. Once the some of the recommendations were implemented at one of the sites (Sonai Rupai), preparations for soft release were started. In 2007, 23 babies were produced at Basistha. Three social groups comprising 16 (7 male, 9 female) hogs, including 10 yearlings, were transferred from Basistha to Potasali pre-release enclosures in December 2007. They were kept in the pre-release enclosures under minimum human contact. Each of these enclosures are 2,400 to 3,200 m² in size and capable of meeting most of the food requirements of a group of 5-6 hogs. These hogs began to behave like wild animals within a few weeks and did not come close even to their keepers except in an area where they were offered a few morsels of their favourite food. They were shifted to a release enclosure in Sonai Rupai after five months, and were given access to go to the wild after about two weeks. Unfortunately, the radio telemetry studies on these hogs could not be done as the radio harness fitted on six of them while they were in pre-release caused injuries when they moved rapidly through very dense grass. The released hogs will be monitored through indirect means (droppings, nests) and by observing them at bait stations.
Community conservation initiatives and awareness campaign have been started in the fringe villages of Manas, Nameri and Sonai Rupai as it is almost impossible to save the species without the cooperation of the local population. Capacity building and training programmes are also being carried out for the frontline protection staff in the above protected areas.
This species is listed on CITES Appendix I (as Sus salvanius).
|Citation:||Narayan, G., Deka, P. & Oliver, W. 2008. Porcula salvania. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2013.|
|Feedback:||If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided| | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30672000 |
Cochin is basically a collection of islands and narrow peninsulas and can be divided into Ernakulam, Willingdon Island, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi. An international airport and seaport, connect Cochin to the rest of the world. The city also has an outstanding network of road, rail, backwater, and a modern communication system. Cochin was once an insignificant fishing village. When the backwaters of the Arabian Sea and the streams descending from the Ghats caused the separation of this village from the mainland and landlocked the harbour, it became one of the safest ports on India's southwestern coast. The port assumed a new strategic importance and began to enjoy commercial prosperity.
When the Portuguese penetrated the Indian Ocean in the late 15th century, they arrived at India's southwestern coast. Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral founded the first European settlement on Indian soil at Cochin in 1500. Vasco da Gama, discoverer of the sea route to India, established the first Portuguese factory (trading station) in Cochin in 1502, and the Portuguese viceroy Alfonso de Albuquerque built the first European fort in India in 1503.
The city remained a Portuguese possession until the Dutch conquered it in 1663. Much Portuguese architecture still exists in the city. Always a tourist favourite, this city offers visitors plenty. Forts, palaces, museums, old churches, cool backwaters, palm fringed lagoons, beaches and the practicality of a contemporary metro.
Population: Approx 16.6 lakhs
Climate: Being situated very close to the sea, Cochin has a moderate climate. Heavy showers are experienced during the months June, July and August due to the South-West Monsoon. The North-East Monsoon brings light rainfall during the months of September, October, November and December. The months from December to February are pretty cool.
Main Language(s): Malayalam, English Time Zone: GMT + 5.5
Best Time To Visit: Between November and February
The Chinese fishing nets
These huge cantilevered fishing nets along the backwaters are the legacy of the traders from the court of Kublai Khan. Built of teakwood and bamboo poles, they are fascinating to see. Adjacent to the fishing nets is the Vasco Da Gama Square, a narrow walkway with little stalls that serve fresh seafood and tender coconuts.
St. Francis Church:
This Protestant church was originally built by the Portuguese in 1510 A.D. It is considered to be India's oldest European church. Today it is governed by the Church of South India (CSI). Vasco Da Gama was buried here before his remains were taken back to Portugal 14 years later.
Located on Rose Street, Vasco House is one of the oldest Portuguese houses in Fort-Kochi and is believed to have been the residence of Vasco Da Gama. Vasco House sports the typical European glass paned windows and verandahs, characteristic of the times.
A large wooden gate with the initials VOC engraved on it, the VOC Gate is a little way off from Vasco House, facing the Parade Ground. The initials correspond to the monogram of the once powerful Dutch East India Company, which had its office here for almost 150 years.
Santa Cruz Cathedral
Built by the Portuguese in around the 16th century, this Roman Catholic church is famous for the beautiful paintings on its ceiling. It was demolished by the British when they took over Cochin in 1795. Until a new building was commissioned in 1887, there was no church on the site for almost a 100 years. The Santa Cruz church was declared a Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984.
The lovely Cherai beach, situated in Vypeen, is just a 15 minute ferry ride from Fort-Kochi. Besides the sea, sand and the sun, a typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves nearby completes the idyllic picture that the beach paints.
Also known as the Mattancherry Palace, it was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Cochin Raja in 1555 AD. A fine blend of Indo-European architecture, it acquired the present name after it was renovated by the Dutch in 1663. In the center of the building is the hall where the Cochin Rajas held their coronations. This central courtyard also enshrines the deity of the royal family. Adjacent rooms contain 17th and 18th century murals illustrating scenes from Indian epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are two temples on either side of the main palace, dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva.
Situated close to the Mattancherry boat jetty, the Synagogue and the ancient Jew town built in 1568 A.D. is of great historical importance. The most distinctive features are its white willow-pattern tiles of which no two are alike. They are believed to have been presented by a merchant in 1763 A.D. You will find great scrolls of the Old Testament and the copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers were recorded. There are also numerous finely wrought gold and silver coins, gifted to the Synagogue by various patrons. Colourful Belgian chandeliers add to the beauty of the Synagogue. Instances from Jewish history and the hardships the Jews underwent are depicted through paintings.
Ernakulum and around:
Parikshith Thampuran Museum
This museum, adjacent to the Shiva temple was the Durbar (court) of the Cochin rajas. It features collections of 19th century oil paintings, sculptures in stone and plaster-of-paris, old coins and items of the Cochin royal family.
Museum of Kerala History
This museum at Edapally, is one of the best looks into the history of Kerala. Significant historic moments of the past 2000 years are depicted through life-size figures. There is also a one-hour commentary for each scene, along with a light and sound show.
St. George Forane Church
This Roman Catholic church, considered to be one of the oldest churches in Kerala, was built on a plot of land donated by the Raja of Edapally. The new church adjacent to it was built in 1080. It is a well known 9-day feast held every year in the month of May.
Situated on the palm-fringed Bolghatty Island, amidst 15 acres of lush green lawns, this palace was built by the Dutch in 1744. It became the official residence of the British. Today, it is a hotel run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.
The sprawling Hill Palace museum displays the erstwhile wealth and affluence of the royal family of Cochin. It has an interesting collection of paintings, antique temple carvings and other royal artifacts. Outside the museum is a botanical garden with exotic tropical trees. There is also a Deer Park in the palace compounds.
Keralites are mostly fish-and-rice eating people. Kerala cuisine is very hot and spicy, but delicious. The food is fresh, aromatic and flavoured. The land and the food are rich with coconut, though one can't imagine Kerala food without chillies, curry leaf, mustard seed, tamarind and asafoetida. Seafood is big in Kerala. However, the vegetarian fare is equally tasty. For the less adventurous, there are plenty of multi-cuisine restaurants to choose from: The Frontier Shanmugham Road Leaves Woods Manor Woodlands Junction MG Road Rice Boat Taj Malabar Willingdon Island Seafood Grill The Trident Willingdon Island Cheena Vala Yuvarani Residency Jos Junction Fish Market Quality Inn Presidency North Cochin Exotica Hotel Excellency Jos Junction Ernakulam Frys Village Near Mymoon Cinema Chittoor Road Kadaloram Abad Plaza MG Road Bubble, Taj Residency Ernakulam Multicuisine Regency Abad Plaza, MG Road Waterfront Cafe The Coffee Shop Taj Malabar Willingdon Island Coq-Dor Restaurant / Mando The International Hotel Cochin The Pallava / The Palm The Metropolitan, Near South Railway Station Cochin Princess Hotel Sea Lord Shanmugham Road Roof Top Sayana Hotel Sea Lord Shanmugham Road Jade Pavilion Taj Malabar Willingdon Island Mughal Hut Barbeque Paulson Hotel Carrier Station Road
Nishagandhi Dance Festival:
Held in February each year, this festival pays tribute to Indian classical dance. Visitors are treated to some of the most fabulous dance performances.
The carnival held from December 25-31, offers a kaleidoscope of performing arts, including Kathakali, classical dance, martial arts, and boat races.
This harvest festival commemorates a mythical time of social harmony, peace, and equilibrium. In the first month of the Kerala year, Chingam, (August-September) floral carpets, made by women, grace the towns throughout the state; adorned elephants parade in Thrissur and long decorative boats race the backwaters of Alappuzha.
Also known as Dussehra or Navaratri, this festival is held between September and October. It is celebrated throughout India but takes on special significance in Kerala. Young children are taken to the temples and are introduced to the letters of the alphabet in front of Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and learning.
This is the festival of Lord Shiva. It is celebrated between February and March. All night, people chant and pray in honour of the deity.
© Jet Airways (India) Ltd. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30678000 |
(1908 - 1974)
Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist, former member of the Nazi Party and possibly the most famous "Righteous Gentile" who is credited with saving as many as 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. His story was brought to international acclaim by the 1982 novel Schindler's Ark and the 1993 film, Schindler's List.
An ethnic German, Schindler was born April 28, 1908, in Zwittau, Austria-Hungary, what is now Moravia in the Czech Republic. Schindler grew up with all the privileges money could buy. He was born Catholic, but from an early age he inhabited a world of sin. His exploits with women are the stuff of barroom legend.
He married Emilie Schindler at nineteen, but was never without a mistress or two. Hard drinking and feckless, he had the soul of a gambler, winning big and losing bigger. He had presided over the demise of his family business and become a salesman when opportunity came knocking in the guise of the war.
Never one to miss a chance to make money, he marched into Poland on the heels of the SS. He dived headfirst into the black-market and the underworld and soon made friends with the local Gestapo bigwigs, softening them up with women, money and illicit booze. His newfound connections helped him acquire a factory which he ran with the cheapest labor around: Jewish.
In December 1939, as occupied Poland was being torn apart by the savagery of the Holocaust, Schindler took his first faltering steps from the darkness of Nazism towards the light of heroism. If you saw a dog going to be crushed under a car, he said later of his wartime actions, wouldn't you help him?
Before the outbreak of war, Poland had been a relative haven for European Jews - Krakow's Jewish population numbered over 50,000. But when Germany invaded, destruction began immediately and it was merciless. Jews were herded into crowded ghettos, randomly beaten and humiliated, capriciously killed. Jewish property and businesses were summarily destroyed, or appropriated by the SS and 'sold' to Nazi 'investors', one of whom was the fast talking, womanizing, money hungry Schindler.
Not long after acquiring his Emalia factory - which produced enamel goods and munitions to supply the German front - the removal of Jews to death camps began in earnest. Schindler's Jewish accountant put him in touch with the few Jews with any remaining wealth. They invested in his factory, and in return they would be able to work there and perhaps be spared. He was persuaded to hire more Jewish workers, designating their skills as essential, paying off the Nazis so they would allow them to stay in Krakow. Schindler was making money, but everyone in his factory was fed, no-one was beaten, no-one was killed. It became an oasis of humanity in a desert of moral torpor.
As the brutality of the Holocaust escalated, Schindler's protection of his Jewish workers became increasingly active. In the summer of 1942, he witnessed a German raid on the Jewish ghetto. Watching innocent people being packed onto trains bound for certain death, something awakened in him.
Beyond this day, no thinking person could fail to see what would happen, he said later. I was now resolved to do everything in my power to defeat the system.
By the autumn of 1944, Germany's hold on Poland had weakened. As the Russian army approached, the Nazi's tried desperately to complete their program of liquidation and sent all remaining Jews to die. But Schindler remained true to the Schindlerjuden, the workers he referred to as my children.
After the liquidation of the Krakow ghetto and the transfer of many Jews to the Plaszow concentration camp, Schindler used his influence to set up a branch of the camp for 900 Jewish workers in his factory compound in Zablocie and made his now famous list of the workers he would need for its operation.
The factory operated in its new location a year, making defective bullets for German guns. Conditions were grim, for the Schindlers as well as the workers. But Schindler saved most of these workers when he transferred his factory to Brunnlitz (Sudetenland) in October 1944.
He died in Hildesheim in 1974. His extraordinary story might have died with him but for their gratitude.
In trying to answer the inevitable question, why did he do it, one of the survivors said: I don't know what his motives were... But I don't give a damn. What's important is that he saved our lives.
He negotiated the salvation of his 1,300 Jews by operating right at the heart of the system using all the tools of the devil - bribery, black marketeering and lies, said Thomas Keneally, whose book about this paradoxical man was the basis of the movie Schindler's List.
Perhaps the question is not why he did it, but rather how could he not. And perhaps the answer is unimportant. It is his actions that matter now, testimony that even in the worst of circumstances, the most ordinary of us can act courageously. If Oskar Schindler, flawed as he was, did it, then so might we, and that is reason enough to hope. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30679000 |
(1910-89) English philosopher. After studying with members of the Vienna circle, Ayer published Language, Truth, and Logic (1936), an excellent statement of the central views of logical positivism, including the use of verifiability as a criterion of meaning, the rejection of metaphysics and theology as meaningless, and an emotivist ethical theory. His father was Jewish; his mother, not.
Ibn Ezra (1089 - 1164) was born at Tudela, Navarre (now in Spain) in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra. He was one of the most distinguished Jewish men of letters and writers of the Middle Ages. Ibn Ezra excelled in philosophy, astronomy/astrology, mathematics, poetry, linguistics, and exegesis; he was called The Wise, The Great and The Admirable Doctor. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30680000 |
MCP Plaid Phonics Level D (Grade 4)
CP Plaid Phonics Level D is a well-stuctured program. Students continue literacy development into intermediate grades by useing Word Study, comprehension, thinking, and writing skills. Your child will become a fluent reader with activities help develop spelling (encoding), recognize words in context, and use phonics in word-building and personal writing. This bundle includes Student Worktext, Teacher Resource Guide, and Parent Guide. Used for homeschool and classroom. MCP Plaid phonics works parallel with Spelling Workout to reinforce key spelling and phonics skills. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30688000 |
The Counterfeit Constitution Mystery
Ages 7 & up. In this Carole Marsh mystery learn about the Founding Fathers and Patriots history, The American Revolution history, Bill of Rights facts, Washington Monument history,The White House history and facts, Cherry Blossom Trees and Parade history and much more!
Join Papa,Grant,Christina,and Mimi as they save the constitution! The real U.S.Constitution is in jeapordy. Is it lost, Stolen, Fake, Real? In this mystery, follow the constitution from its hostoric birth to its possible downfall. Time is running out and they are being chased! Join them for some mysterious fun.
Incorporate history, geography, and culture in this reading adventure. Educational facts, SAT words, fun, humor, built-in book club and activities are included in this mystery. Paperback, Grade Level 3-6, AR Level 4.8. AR Points 2, GRL Q | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30689000 |
Just when you thought it was safe to go into the water, the Natural Resources Defense Council has released its annual beach quality report and it's not pretty.
According to NRDC, a large number of U.S. seashores continue to suffer from storm water runoff and sewage pollution that can cause swimmers to become very ill.
The report, Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches, looks at 2011 data collected from test results taken at more than 3,000 beaches nationwide. It examines the pollution factors that affect these U.S. vacation spots and calls for public efforts to clean up.
The report found that last year the nation's beach waters continued to be affected by serious contamination and pollutants from human and animal waste. As a result, America's beaches had the third-highest number of closings or advisories in the report's history, with the second-highest number occurring just the year before. Progress, according to the report, is not being made.
"Our beaches are plagued by a sobering legacy of water pollution," said NRDC senior attorney Jon Devine. "Luckily, today more than ever, we know that much of this filth is preventable and we can turn the tide against water pollution. By establishing better beach water quality standards and putting untapped 21st century solutions in place -- we can make a day at the beach as carefree as it should be, and safeguard America's vital tourism economies."
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 10 trillion gallons of untreated storm water makes its way into surface waters each year, and hundreds of billions of gallons of wastewater - which includes sewage and storm water - are released in combined sewer overflows. This water dumps into many of America's coastal areas.
But the NRDC report is not all bleak. It includes a guide that rates the water quality and practices for testing water and administering public notifications at each beach. When a seashore exceeds the NRDC's expectations, it receives a 5-star rating.
Beaches that rated five stars with last year's data are:
-- California: Newport Beach in Orange County (2 of 3 monitored sections)
-- Newport Beach -- 38th Street | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30692000 |
|The beginning of adolescence is a time of very great change in your child. In addition to starting puberty and beginning to reach most of her adult height, her mind will also grow to understand logical and abstract thinking and she will develop the moral standards by which she will live her life. You can also expect her to begin to move away from the family as she develops her own identity and also become more influenced by her friends. Fortunately, this influence is usually limited to outward things, such as hair and clothing styles.
This is also a time when your child may become interested in dating. It usually starts as group dating, but her interest may progress to one on one dating by the time she reaches high school.
This is a time of growing independence and children at this age want to be considered more responsible. To help foster this sense of responsibility, now is a good time to begin giving your child an allowance. The amount is not very important, but is usually 50¢ to $1.00 per year in age and should be used for special things that your child wants. Managing an allowance will help to teach your child about the value of money and the importance of saving. To promote an interest in saving, you should encourage her to set aside a certain amount of her allowance for special items that she can buy later.
While it is also important that your child begin to have regular age appropriate chores (setting or clearing the table, taking out the garbage, cleaning their room, etc.) around the house, these should probably not be tied to their allowance. Positive reinforcement is important for completed chores, and failure to complete chores can be punished by loss of a privilege (TV, videogames, etc). Allowing your child to have a choice of which chore to do sometimes helps with compliance and you should rotate the assignment of undersirable chores among your children.
Encourage self esteem and a positive self image in your teenager by using positive reinforcement and frequent praise for things that he has accomplished. Encourage your child to be curious, explore and take on new challenges.
|The progression through adolescence includes your teens continuing need to become more independent, figure out who she is and learn to manage her own life. She will probably become less interested in spending time with the family and more interested in being with her friends.
It is important to continue to respect her need to be private and be available when she needs help or guidance. Some important milestones she will be facing now include dating and forming more intimate relationships, becoming more independent, the responsibilities of driving, and increasing peer pressure to experiment with smoking, alcohol, drugs and sex, and finally leaving the household for college or a formal job. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30694000 |
Be A Good Sport
Good sportsmanship is as an important part of playing sports as scoring points or winning games. How you and your team act on the field or on the court says as much about you as an athlete as how well you can shoot a basketball or kick a soccerball. Whether your team's winning big or getting its butt whooped, you should always remember these rules of good sportsmanship.
Win With Style, Lose With StyleEveryone likes to win, and no one enjoys losing. But when you're playing sports, there is always going to be a winner or a loser (unless the game ends in a tie). Whether you're playing in a Little League Championship game or a game of hoops in the playground, always try to be a good sport, no matter how the game ends.
Be A Good Teammate and a Good PlayerBeing a good sport means treating your teammates, coaches and opponents with respect:
Quotes On Sportsmanship | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30703000 |
KTM User Pages
Writing Fractions. Here’s one on Subtraction. And, here’s another. In DI, teachers use pre-designed scripts when teaching. The scripts are based on extensive research regarding student retention, and every aspect of every script is based upon results that were demonstrated through research. The great advantage of this approach is that every teacher using the script becomes the beneficiary of that research and will probably teach much more effectively than if left to her own devices. DI designers test the programs carefully before publishing them and each DI program is extensively revised based on specific student error data from the field test. Scripting the lessons allows sharing of these “polished stones” across teachers. Also scripting helps reduce the amount of teacher talk. Children learn by working through the sequence of tasks with carefully timed comments from the teacher. Children learn little from straight teacher talk. Too much teacher talk decreases pupil-motivation, draws out the lesson length unnecessarily, and often causes confusion by changing the focus of the tasks, disrupting the development of the larger generalization, of which a teacher the first time through is usually unaware. Also, without guidance, teachers may use language that students do not understand or that distracts students’ attention from examples. Scripts also allow aides, parents, and other paraprofessionals to assume teaching responsibilities, resulting in increased quality instructional time. Moreover, even though the DI programs are carefully tested and scripted, successful use of them requires training in the special techniques of delivery. Teachers must make many decisions in response to the children's performance. Some of the most important decisions involve placing each child appropriately and moving the children through the lessons at a pace that maximizes their learning potential. Lastly, the scripted presentations do not comprise the whole lesson, and the lessons do not comprise the whole school day. There are opportunities for group and independent work. A good DI teacher also creates additional activities that allow students to make use of their learning in various situations. So, there is a great deal of teacher creativity involved in the interpretation and presentation of the script, in attending to the needs and progress of all students and in designing expansion activities. -- KDeRosa - 17 Nov 2005 KtmGuest (password: guest) when prompted.
Please consider registering as a regular user.
Look here for syntax help.
3 links on scripted teaching: Carol Gambill's method of teaching algebra
Direct Instruction professional development workshop
(online videotape of a workshop on direct instruction. excellent)
direct instruction & question-asking
-- CatherineJohnson - 17 Nov 2005
EXCELLENT! -- CatherineJohnson - 17 Nov 2005
ANOTHER TOUR DE FORCE! -- CatherineJohnson - 17 Nov 2005
Moreover, even though the DI programs are carefully tested and scripted, successful use of them requires training in the special techniques of delivery. Teachers must make many decisions in response to the children's performance. Some of the most important decisions involve placing each child appropriately and moving the children through the lessons at a pace that maximizes their learning potential. To me, this sounds a lot like what a coach does in sports. Or a music teacher. -- CatherineJohnson - 17 Nov 2005
Which makes sense, because instead of focusing on the material, or on the child's innate ability, you are focused entirely on performance. Has the child mastered the material? Can he or she 'perform' it? -- CatherineJohnson - 17 Nov 2005 Back to: Main Page. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30707000 |
Sea-levels are rising unevenly around the world, with Pacific countries in particular suffering significant increases over the past two decades, according to accurate new satellite data.
On average, global sea-levels have been rising at about three millimeters (mm) a year, however, this masks large differences between regions of the world.
While some regions have seen sea-level rises of 12 mm a year, others have actually seen decreases of about 12 mm a year.
The results are based on radar readings from the European Space Agency (ESA) over an 18-year period from October 1992 to March 2010.
ESA used its satellites to send radar pulses to the sea surface below, recording the time delay in its return and creating a precise measurement of their height above the surface.
Scientists say sea-level rises are the result of the expansion of water due to rising temperatures, melting of glaciers and the melting of polar ice sheets.
The worst hit regions over the past two decades, according to the ESA data, have been the Pacific countries of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and vulnerable Pacific islands like the Solomon Islands.
The Philippines for one is already frequently subjected to flooding and landslides caused by heavy rain, with seasonal monsoon rains in August killing at least 11 people.
Scientists suggest regions that have seen high sea level rises over the past 20 years will not necessarily continue to see higher than average sea-level rises in the future.
"We suspect that the bigger the differences get, the more they will tend to level out in the future," says Robert Meisner, a spokesperson for ESA. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30714000 |
Digital Communications 2 (91023)
Students answer multiple-choice and real-number questions, and perform troubleshooting exercises to demonstrate competency as they master course objectives. With up to 12 circuit faults to troubleshoot and 20 circuit modifications to observe and measure, FACET-trained students master skills necessary for employment and advanced studies.
The Circuit Board is mounted in a sturdy polystyrene tray for easy handling and connection to the Base Unit. The active components are in sockets for easy replacement. To permit the examination and testing of several different circuits, the student uses two-post connectors to quickly configure partially wired circuits within each circuit block. The circuits contain test points for the student to measure the electrical parameters.
The FACET Base Unit provides regulated ±15-volt DC power and protection to the circuit components. The Circuit Board is a multi-layer, G-10, glass-epoxy PC board with 2-ounce copper and has a black matte coating to enhance readability of circuit diagrams that appear in white.
The photograph shows the Digital Communications 2 Circuit Board. For more details on FACET Circuit Boards and Courses, please click here. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30734000 |
The Seal of La Sierra University represents the core of our existence and our reason for being. Each element symbolizes an important part of our mission.
- The cross, the pre-eminent symbol for Christ, is placed in the position of greatest importance in the design, superimposing the world. It is in the Greek form rather than the Latin, with arms comprised of three strokes representing the Trinity. This “threeness” is repeated in the three elements of the open books; the aim To Seek, To Know, To Serve; and the braided strands of the border.
- The opened books are displayed in deep perspective, as though on a scholar's desk, their lines to converge at the center of the cross, indicating that Christ is at the heart of the University's life. The three books are titled by the three statements of the aim.
- The two intersecting circles in the right-hand border represent the mandorla, the symbol for the person of Jesus Christ linking the two realms of Heaven and Earth.
- The border and motto (“From Diversity, Community”) come together in three strands that sweep across the motif to connect one side of the globe with the other, forming a braid of unity and strength that encompasses the University—and the world. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30740000 |
Student Learning Outcomes
The Department of Music at La Sierra University is committed to helping the serious music student develop a life-long engagement with music as performer, composer, and listener. By providing the essential tools for making and responding to music, it is the aim of the following student learning outcomes to create a “whole” musician with the requisite skills, experiences, and artistic sensibilities that have the potential to continually inform and transform the musical life during and after formal study. Thus, at the completion of music studies at LSU, the student will have developed:
- A seeing ear and a hearing eye. Further defined, students should be able to recognize, identify, and create, given notation and/or sound, simple to complex patterns and structures as they relate to the musical elements of pitch, duration, amplitude, and timbre.
- A theoretical foundation of music. Analytical techniques, from simple to advanced, are presented as tools to help in understanding and internalizing musical form and content. This leads to the student’s development as “analyzer and evaluator” in becoming a qualified listener.
- The ability, given sound and/or notation, to respond to, perform and shape the elements of music. This suggests being able to manipulate these elements within the student’s role as listener (both analytical and evaluative), performer, or composer, in a stylistically coherent and informed manner.
- A working knowledge and practical understanding of the history of music and musical styles. Primarily based on the European-centered tradition, but also observed from world traditions, this study informs the student’s role as listener, performer and composer.
- An understanding and application of appropriate pedagogical techniques, methods and tools as they relate to the variety of demands placed on today’s music teacher. Depending on the student’s area of emphasis, this means gaining effectiveness in the implementation of methodologies in primary and secondary areas of musical expertise as they relate to age group and discipline.
- Refined technical and interpretive skills necessary for informed solo and collaborative performance appropriate to the degree.
- A basic competency in music technology. These elements include digital notation, sequencing, MIDI sequencing, audio recording, and web integration of multi-media objects.
- A broad base of experiences on which to build a personal philosophy of music. In light of the above outcomes, this means being able to appreciate music of worth, and distinguish between what is longlasting and what is fad, in secular and sacred styles | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30741000 |
What: Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) is a slightly yellowish or ivory colored natural vegetable fat extracted from the nut of the African tree Vitellaria paradoxa. The nut is primarily comprised of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, as well as Vitamins A, E and F, and Carotene (Wiki). Vitamins A and E soothe and hydrate skin while boosting collagen. Vitamin F contains essential fatty acids which help to protect and heal. Shea Butter makes a suitable base for moisturizing products for skin and hair, and can be used on its own for its hydrating and regenerative effects. This emollient ingredient is anti-inflammatory and is said to be effective in fading scars, and treating skin ailments like eczema, burns, rashes, acne, stretch marks, and skin discoloration. by crushing, boiling and stirring. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion (Wiki), and possesses protective properties against environmental influences.
Origin: Shea butter is obtained by crushing, boiling, and stirring the oil from the fruit kernel.
Products Found In: Shea Butter is widely used in cosmetics to moisturize and revitalize dry, irritated, or lacklustre skin and hair. Its anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties make it a popular ingredient for use in anti-aging products, as well. The ingredient is also often found in healing salves, ointments, and lip balms. Shea butter forms a breathable, water-resistant film and contains low levels of UV protection, so is sometimes used in sun protection products. The butter is commonly used in moisturizers, treatments, hand creams, lip balms, bar soap, anti-aging skincare, lipstick, body washes, cleansers, exfoliants, and facial cleaners.
Toxicity: Shea Butteris generally classified as non-toxic or harmful (EWG). Though Shea Butter does contain some sun protection properties, the level of protection against the sun's ultraviolet radiation is extremely variable, ranging from nothing to approximately SPF 6. However, studies have shown it to reduce the effects of UV damage on the skin. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30744000 |
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Tulips have emerged in Palmer, Alaska! And in ND, gardens have bloomed
that were covered with a foot of snow this spring! Visit a garden
in WI planted under an unusual mural. Study the season in maps; revisit
the question, “How does spring move across the continent?”
Then compare and contrast many years of Journey North garden maps.
And a final thank you to all the gardeners who contributed to this
Students in the northern-most regions are just now reporting spring
has sprung in their gardens. Snowbanks are melting and temperatures
are warming. Students in Palmer, AK, dug a sample from their garden
to see if the bulbs were still there. See what they found. Will the
bulbs emerge by next week? How much snow and ice is there in May in
North America? NOAA maps help you discover where it is.
This is the time of year the maps are filling up with red blooming
gardens. Students are taking the time now to analyze their experimental
plots, and summarize their work. We take a close look at tulip blossoms
and learn that they really do move. The word to learn is phototropism.
Watch a flower move as the sun changes position in the sky. And compare
last year’s map with today’s map. How are they different?
April 23, 2009
Tulip gardens are blooming all across the Northern Hemisphere this
week. Many students in colder regions welcome tulips emerging, too.
Investigate an unusual tulip and learn what you call it. Does it fit
the botany of a tulip? Learn more about the tulip family and its relatives.
What does a normal tulip look like? And share the stories and pictures
of proud tulip gardeners across the region.
Tulip gardens are emerging across the Northern Hemisphere, but spring
is fickle and snow is forecast. Mirachimi, NB, shares pictures of
tulips emerging right through the snow. A good sign for a hardy plant!
An Albany, OR, teacher shares a good plan for recording garden happenings.
Go out on a phenology hike to really see what signs of spring you
Spring is arriving across the continent in fits and starts! April
snowstorm brings some damage to tulips already up, but doesn’t
seem to squash the enthusiasm the students bring to the garden project.
Another 45 degree latitude garden emerged this week. One more to go.
Take an artistic journey inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe. Express
the beauty of a tulip flower with a few simple materials and time
to explore. And send in those questions for the tulip expert!
A cold front in the middle of the continent has slowed the reports
of blooming tulips this week. Plants in Denver hit by the snow are
showing signs of stress. But spring is in the air for reporters who
are out observing subtle signs. Polish your math skills analyzing
11 years of data from the same garden in VA. And visit a middle school
tulip garden experiment recorded in VoiceThread.
The spring equinox has arrived, and our tulip map is proof that plants
are starting to grow across the continent. Visit a tulip flower. Look
carefully. Can you see all the parts? Start seeing other flowers as
spring brings new blossoms to your hometown. And take time to use
your senses outside in the garden. Create a poem!
Learn about a new invention to help you predict the coming of spring,
Latitude Shoes. Then travel the 45th parallel wearing them. What will
you see? Over 200 gardens have emerged so far. Scientists observe
and record. Are you? There is a chart to help you. And, are some of
your tulips growing differently than you expected? Explore some of
the troubles that can occur in the tulip garden.
Huge March snowstorm on the east coast dropped record snow amounts.
How will this affect the tulips that have emerged? Try some experiments
this week with water, sugar, and plant leaves. Put them into the freezer
to help you understand what happens inside plants. Re-visit the gardens
along the 45th parallel. One of them has emerged. Use new information
to help you predict which one will be next. Photo:
Temperatures are up and down all across the map as spring is on the
way. Are you watching the garden? Tiny little tulips emerging give
great cause for excitement as they grow into big plants. No blooms
yet on the map. Study the green wave of spring. Compare new gardens
with the temperature map. Follow the lines each week. Learn about
the wonderful variety of garden locations we have along the 45th latitude
Study today’s map to answer this: Does there seem to be a pattern
to the emerging gardens? Grab a crayon and find out. What factors
influence the Italian garden at 40.8N, compared to North American
gardens? Did you notice the spring-like temperatures last week? Did
they influence your garden? And find out which California garden has
It’s not hard to see the green on this week’s tulip garden
map. Why are tulips emerging in these locations? Let’s begin
to look at weather and climate. Are they different? Who reports the
weather across North America? Explore and track weather and climate
on a grand scale and in your own backyard. And let’s look at
why tulip shoots emerge with a red color.
The tulip map is showing some green! Study this week’s map and
then compare it to last year’s map. Predict which of 3 CA gardens
will emerge first. They are all within 90 miles of each other. The
weather made national news last week. Were your temperatures higher,
lower, or normal? What will that mean for your garden? And, an interesting
experiment to think about.
Get ready to track spring's arrival in the Northern Hemisphere!
Watch for weekly TULIP GARDEN UPDATES. They will be posted here every
Thursday, from February to May. (See schedule above.) Find out how
to report your tulips emerging and blooming on real-time migration | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30753000 |
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Leckey on pluralism in the history of Canadian civil marriage
Posted by Mary L. Dudziak
Profane Matrimony is an essay by Robert Leckey, McGill University - Faculty of Law. It appeared in the Canadian Journal of Law and Society (2006). Here's the abstract: Recent debates over same-sex marriage prompt reflection more generally on the competing norms regulating marriages. Two supremacy claims emerged in the debates, one that religious traditions provide the supreme law of marriage, another that civil marriage is entirely secular and its supreme law is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This paper identifies similarities in these claims. Both wrongly ascribe an internal uniformity to cultural communities. Referring to historical amendments to marriage law, the paper argues that both claims are unfaithful to the Canadian tradition of marriage law. Amendments to the prohibited degrees of relationship and the introduction of federal divorce legislation show the federal Parliament to have developed a civil or profane marriage in conscious opposition to religious forms. Since the 1880s, marriage law has been periodically altered on the basis that it is wrong in a plural, secular society to impose religious views on nonbelievers. Parliament has not simply followed top-down norms, but also regarded social practice as a source of marriage norms. Past instances of law reform indicate a rich political tradition of argument and contestation, one in which the churches have not maintained consistently that the civil law of marriage should mirror religious rules. Civil marriage and religious marriage are not, as claimed by the standard bearers of the Charter, unrelated. They stand instead in a constantly adjusting relationship of tension and difference. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30757000 |
The St. Christopher Woodcut, 1423
The Library has fifteen block-books and a number of block-prints, including the St Christopher Woodcut, the only surviving example of the first piece of European printing bearing a date, 1423 (see illustration, right). Of the collection of incunables, 3,000 come from the Spencer Collection, 215 were bequeathed by Richard Copley Christie, and the remainder have been acquired from other sources.
Approximately 1,000 are of German origin, about 2,000 were printed in Italy and the remainder represent the presses of other European countries and of England.
Of the earliest type-printed documents to which a place or date can be assigned there are the Letters of Indulgence of Pope Nicholas V, the 36- and 42-line Bibles, the first three Mainz Psalters and in all about 50 productions of the Mainz press associated with Gutenberg, Fust and Schöffer, several being the only recorded copies.
The Library has the only complete examples in Britain of books printed by Albrecht Pfister in Bamberg. The work of over 100 German presses is represented in the Collection.
Hand-coloured woodcut of Daniel in the Lions' Den, from the Historie von Joseph, Daniel, Judith und Esther, printed in 1462 at Bamberg by Albrecht Pfister.
In Manchester there are 66 volumes printed by Sweynheym and Pannartz, the first printers in Italy working in Subiaco and Rome between 1465 and 1473.
It is the most complete collection in the country, lacking only the Aristotle and Perottus of 1473.
253 printers working in nearly 50 different Italian towns are represented on the Library's shelves. There are 349 volumes printed in Rome (329 separate editions) and these include 39 items printed by Ulrich Han.
Of particular importance is Han's 1467 edition of the Meditationes of Cardinal Turrecremata, the only copy in the country of the first Italian illustrated book. Venetian incunables total 576 volumes (485 separate editions), with 42 printed by Vindelinus de Spira and 43 by Nicholas Jenson.
Other Italian towns for which significant numbers of incunables are available include Milan (125 volumes, 111 separate editions of which 30 were printed by Zarotus), Florence (110 volumes, 93 separate editions), and Naples (100 volumes, 96 separate editions).
The 49 volumes of 44 separate editions printed in Brescia are of particular importance as ten are not available elsewhere in Britain, and five items, the work of Thomas Ferrandus, are unique.
There are some 30 examples of the first Parisian printers, Gering, Friburger and Crantz, and about 100 other examples of the work of other printers in the French capital.
French provincial printers are also well represented, particularly those of Lyon and Toulouse, a unique item from the latter town being the 1488 edition of Aesop with Spanish text, issued by Johannes Parix and Stephan Cleblat.
Some twenty Spanish incunables are in the Library, together with a significant number of items originating in the Low Countries including William Caxton's first book (and the first book ever printed in English), The Recuyell of the Histories of Troye (Brugge, ?1473).
The English incunables include over 60 Caxtons of which 36 are complete and unsophisticated, and four are unique, constituting the second largest such collection in the world.
Other English printers well represented include John Lettou, William de Machlinia, Richard Pynson, Julian Notary, the Schoolmaster printer of St Albans, and Wynkyn de Worde, the copy of whose 1498 edition of Morte Darthur is unique; the Library also has one of the only two surviving copies of the Caxton edition of Morte Darthur.
Approaching three-quarters of the incunables date from before 1480. "Ephemera" include advertisements (Strasbourg, Mentelin, c.1471; Westminster, Caxton, c.1477), and the only surviving wood block used to print a block-book, an as yet unidentified variant edition of the Apocalypse.
- Recorded in general printed-book catalogue and on the Incunabula Short Title Catalogue (ISTC) database.
- See also Bibliography above. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30766000 |
SEDAN, a town of France, the chef-lieu of an arrondissement in the department of Ardennes, lies on the right bank of the Meuse, 13 miles east-south-east of Mezieres by the railway to Thionville (Lorraine), and is surrounded by heights of about 1000 feet. Since its fortifications were declasses, a process of embellishment has been going on. Place Turenne takes its name from the statue of the illustrious marshal, who was born in the town in 1611. The public buildings include a Protestant church, a synagogue, a museum, and a college. The manufacture of fine black cloth has long been, and still continues to be, the staple industry, employing in the town and neighbourhood more than 10,000 workmen, and producing to the value of 40,000,000 francs 'annually. Several spinning-mills have been erected by Alsatian refugees since 1871. Considerable activity is also displayed in various departments of metal-working, especially in the surrounding villages. The population was 13,807 in 1872, and 19,240 in 1881 (19,556 in the commune).
Sedan was in the 13th century a dependency of the abbey of Monzon, the possession of which was disputed by the bishops of Liege and Rheims. United to the crown of France by Charles V., it was ceded by Charles VI. to Guillaume de Braquemont, who sold it to the La Marcks. For two centuries this powerful family managed to continue masters of the place in spite of the bishops of Liege and the dukes of Burgundy and Lorraine ; and in the person of Henri Robert they adopted the title "prince of Sedan." In the 16th century the town was an asylum for many Protestant refugees, who laid the basis of its industrial prosperity, and it became the seat of a Protestant seminary. The last heiress of the La Marck family brought Sedan and the duchy of Bouillon to Henri de la, Tour d'Auvergne, viscount of Turenne. When the new duke attempted to maintain his independence, Henry IV. captured Sedan in three days ; and the second duke (eldest brother of the great marshal), who had several times revolted against Louis XIII., was at last, after his share in the conspiracy of CinqMars, obliged to surrender his principality. Sedan thus became part of the royal domain in 1641. On 1st September 1870 the fortress was the centre of the most disastrous conflict of the Franco-German War. Shut in by the Germans, who had occupied the surrounding heights, the whole French army, after a terrific contest, was obliged to capitulate, - the emperor, 39 generals, 230 staff-officers, 2600 officers, and 83,000 men becoming prisoners of war. The village of Bazeilles was the scene of the heroic stand made by the marines under Martin des Pallieres. It now contains the great ossuary, and a monument to the memory of the marines ; and the house which has been rendered famous by Neuville's painting, "Les Dernieres Cartouches," is a museum of objects found on the battlefield. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30768000 |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Pregnant women who regularly have milk or yogurt with "good" bacteria may be less likely to suffer the late-pregnancy complication known as pre-eclampsia, a new study finds.
Pre-eclampsia occurs when a woman has a sudden increase in blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. Other signs include protein in the urine and swelling in the face and hands.
The disorder, which affects about five percent of all pregnant women, can be dangerous if unrecognized: it may progress to the rare condition eclampsia, which can cause the mother to have seizures or fall into a coma.
In the new study, researchers found that of more than 33,000 Norwegian women who gave birth over six years, those who consumed probiotic milk or yogurt every day during pregnancy were less likely to develop pre-eclampsia.
Of those women, 4.1 percent developed pre-eclampsia, compared with 5.6 percent of women who did not consume probiotic food.
When the researchers factored in other differences -- like the women's weight, education and smoking habits -- probiotic consumers still had a 20 percent lower risk of pre-eclampsia.
There is no proven way to prevent pre-eclampsia. And the new findings do not mean that probiotics do the trick either, according to Dr. Bo Jacobsson, a researcher at the Institute of Public Health in Oslo who worked on the study.
The results point only to a correlation between higher probiotic intake and lower pre-eclampsia risk. And that link should be tested in future studies, Jacobsson told Reuters Health in an email.
Many pregnant women consume probiotics, he noted, and there is evidence that it's safe. So clinical trials could test whether giving women probiotics reduces pre-eclampsia risk.
That, Jacobsson said, should be done with probiotic capsules -- containing a controlled amount of specific good bacteria -- rather than food.
Probiotics are friendly bacteria added to cultured dairy products; they are marketed as having health benefits such as improved digestion. In theory, probiotics might affect pre-eclampsia development through effects on the immune system and body-wide inflammation. But that remains to be proven.
The current findings, reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology, are based on 33,399 women taking part in a larger Norwegian study of mother and child health.
During pregnancy, the women filled out questionnaires on diet and lifestyle; that included questions on how often they had probiotic milk or yogurt.
Daily probiotic consumers showed a 20 percent lower risk of developing pre-eclampsia. That's a modest difference, Jacobsson said.
He added, though, that it's "important" because it points to a new area of research: the question of whether probiotics can make a difference in pre-eclampsia risk.
For now, Jacobsson said, pregnant women should not "change their food habits" and add probiotic products in the hopes of preventing pre-eclampsia.
No one knows how to prevent pre-eclampsia, but certain factors put women at a greater risk. Those include obesity, having high blood pressure before pregnancy, being pregnant with more than one baby and a history of pre-eclampsia in past pregnancies.
Catching pre-eclampsia is key, so experts urge all women to have regular pre-natal care visits. If the condition develops, the doctor can more closely monitor the pregnancy and, if necessary, deliver the baby early -- which is the only cure for pre-eclampsia.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/n6jvsc American Journal of Epidemiology, online August 5, 2011.
The #1 daily resource for health and lifestyle news!
Your daily resource for losing weight and staying fit.
We could all use some encouragement now and then - we're human!
Explore your destiny as you discover what's written in your stars.
The latest news, tips and recipes for people with diabetes.
Healthy food that tastes delicious too? No kidding.
Yoga for Back Pain
Pets HelpYour Heart
Are YouMoney Smart? | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30769000 |
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these were meant in Nuntius inani-matus. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30770000 |
On a typical cleaning day in an average home in Canada, levels of chemicals in the indoor air can be hundreds, even thousands of times higher than the outdoor air in the most polluted of cities. In fact, indoor air pollution levels would be high enough to trigger an inspection by health and safety authorities in any workplace setting, and evacuation if it were a public building. (The Nature of Things, CBC-TV 2002). Many chemicals contained in household cleaning products are the same as those used in industrial settings. Many scientists are now becoming concerned that long-term low-level exposure to these chemicals may be just as dangerous as short-term high-dose exposures. They also worry that we do not understand the impact of exposure to combinations of chemicals found in household air and dust. Testing for human health effects is normally done on single chemicals. But in the real world, we are all exposed to a variety of chemicals every single day.
The ingredients contained in conventional petrochemical-based cleaning products are often not listed on labels. Following is a list of some of the most common toxic chemicals found in household cleaning products; however there are many others.
Common Hazardous Ingredients in Cleaning Products
Acetone – A neurotoxin, acetone may cause liver and kidney damage, and damage to a developing fetus. It is a skin and eye irritant. Found in spot treatment cleaners, mark and scuff removers, and other products.
Aerosol products - Aerosol propellants may contain propane, formaldehyde, a carcinogen, neurotoxin and central nervous system depressant, methylene chloride, a carcinogen, neurotoxin and reproductive toxin, and nitrous oxide . Products applied with aerosol sprays are broken into minute particles, which can be more deeply inhaled than larger particles, which may increase their toxic effect.
Ammonia – Undiluted, ammonia is an eye and respiratory irritant that can cause severe burning pain, and corrosive damage including chemical burns, cataracts and corneal damage. It can also cause kidney and liver damage. Repeated or prolonged exposure to vapours can result in bronchitis and pneumonia. Found in a wide range of cleaning products. Ammonia will react with bleach to form poisonous chlorine gas that can cause burning and watering of eyes, as well as burning of the nose and mouth.
Bleach – see sodium hypochlorite
Diethanolamine (DEA) – Listed as a suspected carcinogen by the State of California, this chemical is a skin and respiratory toxicant and a severe eye irritant. Used in a wide range of household cleaning products.
D-limonene – This chemical is produced by cold-pressing orange peels. The extracted oil is 90% d-limonene. It is a sensitizer, a neurotoxin, a moderate eye and skin irritant, and can trigger respiratory distress when vapours are inhaled by some sensitive individuals. There is some evidence of carcinogenicity. D-limonene is the active ingredient in some insecticides. It is used as a solvent in many all-purpose cleaning products, especially ‘citrus’ and ‘orange’ cleaners. Also listed on labels as citrus oil and orange oil.
Ethoxylated nonyl phenol – Nonyl phenols are hormone disruptors and some contain traces of ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen. They are eye and skin irritants. Used in laundry detergents and other cleaning products.
Formaldehyde – In lab tests, formaldehyde has caused cancer and damaged DNA. Formaldehyde is also a sensitizer, with the potential to cause asthma. Several laboratory studies have shown it to be a central nervous system depressant. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. While formaldehyde naturally occurs in the human body in minute amounts, it is estimated that 20 per cent of people exposed to it will experience an allergic reaction. Used in a wide range of products, including some furniture polishes. Formaldehyde may be released by other chemicals, eg.quaternium 15.
Fragrance – Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients, most of which are synthetic. Many compounds in fragrance are human toxins and suspected or proven carcinogens. In 1989, the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 2,983 fragrance chemicals for health effects. They identified 884 of them as toxic substances. Synthetic fragrances are known to trigger asthma attacks. The US Environmental Protection Agency found that 100% of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause liver, kidney and brain damage as well as damage to a developing fetus. Symptoms reported to the FDA from fragrance exposure have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observations by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes. Fragrance is a common skin irritant.
Methylene chloride – Methylene chloride is a carcinogen, a neurotoxin and a reproductive toxin. On inhalation, it can cause liver and brain damage, irregular heartbeat, and even heart attack. It is a severe skin and moderate eye irritant. Used in stain removers.
Monoethanolamine – This chemical may cause liver, kidney and reproductive damage, as well as depression of the central nervous system. Inhalation of high concentrations – when cleaning an oven for example – can cause dizziness or even coma. The chemical can also be absorbed through the skin. It is a moderate skin irritant, and a severe eye irritant. Found in many cleaning products, including oven cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, laundry pre-soaks, floor strippers and carpet cleaners.
Morpholine – This corrosive ingredient can severely irritate and burn skin and eyes, and can even cause blindness if splashed in eyes. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and long-term exposure can result in bronchitis. It reacts with nitrites (added as a preservative in some products, or present as a contaminant) to form carcinogenic nitrosomines. Morpholine is a moderate to severe eye, skin and mucous membrane irritant. Used as a solvent in a number of cleaning products, including some furniture polishes and abrasive cleansers.
Naphthalene – This registered pesticide is listed as a suspected carcinogen in California and is most commonly found in mothballs, and some other pest repellants, as well as in deodorizers. As a reproductive toxin, it is transported across the placenta and can cause blood damage. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and corneal damage and cataracts. Skin exposure is especially dangerous to newborns.
Parabens – Parabens are hormone disruptors. Widely used in cleaning products as preservatives, paraben is usually preceded by the prefixes methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, or propyl. Parabens may cause contact dermatitis in some individuals
Paradichlorobenzene – This highly volatile registered pesticide is in the same chemical class as DDT. It is a suspected carcinogen, and may cause lung, liver and kidney damage. It is used in mothballs and some washroom deodorizers and urinal blocks.
Phosphoric acid – Extremely corrosive, it can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes. Breathing vapours can make the lungs ache, and it may be toxic to the central nervous system. Found in some liquid dishwasher detergents, metal polishes, some disinfectants, and bathroom cleaners, especially those that remove lime and mildew.
Sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate – This corrosive chemical is a severe eye, skin and respiratory irritant. It may cause liver and gastrointestinal damage, and may be toxic to the central nervous system. It will react with bleach to form poisonous chlorine gas that can cause burning and watering of eyes, as well as burning of the nose and mouth. It is found in some toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers, as well as industrial detergents and some institutional dishwashing detergents.
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) – A corrosive chemical, sodium hypochlorite is an eye, skin and respiratory irritant, as well as a sensitizer. It is especially hazardous to people with heart conditions or asthma, and can be fatal if swallowed. It may be a neurotoxin and toxic to the liver. Found in a wide range of household cleaners.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – Used as a lathering agent. This chemical is a known skin irritant. It also enhances the allergic response to other toxins and allergens. The U.S. government has warned manufacturers of unacceptable levels of dioxin formation in some products containing this ingredient. SLS can react with other ingredients to form cancer-causing nitrosamines
Toluene – Exposure to toluene may cause liver, kidney and brain damage. It is also a reproductive toxin which can damage a developing fetus.
Turpentine – This chemical can cause allergic sensitization, and kidney, bladder and central nervous system damage. It is an eye irritant. Found in specialty solvent cleaners, furniture polish and shoe products.
Xylene – Xylene has significant neurotoxic effects, including loss of memory. High exposure can lead to loss of consciousness and even death. It may damage liver, kidneys and the developing fetus. It is a severe eye and moderate skin irritant. Used in some spot removers, floor polishes, ironing aids and other products.
The Safe Shoppers Bible, David Steinman & Samuel Epstein
Cleaners and Toxins, Labour Environmental Alliance Society, Vancouver BC
Home Safe Home, Debra Lynn Dadd, Tarcher Inc, 1997
Non-toxic, Natural and Earth Wise, Debra Lynn Dadd, Tarcher Inc, 1990
Less Toxic Alternatives, Carolyn Gorman with Marie Hyde, Optimum Publishing, 2002 | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30772000 |
Some elements of a window interface contain collections of items, for example rows of buttons, lists of filenames, and groups of menu items. Such elements are known in the CAPI as collections .
In most collections, items may be selected by the user -- for example, a row of buttons. Collections whose items can be selected are known as choices . Each button in a row of buttons is either checked or unchecked, showing something about the application's state -- perhaps that color graphics are switched on and sound is switched off. This selection state came about as the result of a choice the user made when running the application, or default choices made by the application itself.
The CAPI provides a convenient way of producing groups of items from which collections and choices can be made. The abstract class
provides a means of specifying a group of items. The subclass
provides groups of selectable items, where you may specify what initial state they are in, and what happens when the selection is changed. Subclasses of
used for producing particular kinds of grouped elements are described in the sections that follow.
All the choices described in this chapter can be given a print function via the
keyword. This allows you to control the way in which items in the element are displayed. For example, passing the argument
would capitalize the initial letters of all the words of text that an instance of a choice displays.
Some of the examples in this chapter require the functions
which were introduced in Creating Common Windows. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30776000 |
The First (and Last) Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
A half-century ago, humanity arrived somewhere no one had ever gone before the deepest place on Earth.
Before the Apollo missions landed men on the moon, the U.S. Navy dove to the bottom of the sea the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, some 35,797 feet (10,911 meters) down.
Just as no one has visited the moon since Apollo, nobody has returned to this abyss since that first voyage to the bottom of the trench in 1960. However, just as scientists are revisiting the moon with space probes, so too are researchers now deploying robots to explore this deepest depth of the ocean .
The research vessel used to reach the record-setting depth near Guam in the Pacific Ocean on Jan. 23, 1960 was named the Trieste, a Swiss-designed bathyscaphe or "deep boat" named after the Italian city where much of it was built. Its two-man crew Lt. Don Walsh of the U.S. Navy and scientist Jacques Piccard, son of the craft's designer nestled inside a roughly 6.5-foot (2-meter) wide white pressure sphere on the underside of the submersible. The rest of the nearly 60-foot (18-meter)long Trieste was filled with floats loaded with some 33,350 gallons (126,243 liters) of gasoline for buoyancy, along with nine tons of iron pellets to weigh it down.
To withstand the high pressure at the bottom of Challenger Deep roughly eight tons per square inch the sphere's walls were 5 inches (12.7 cm) thick. To see outside, the crew relied on a window made of a single cone-shaped block of Plexiglas, the only transparent compound they could find strong enough to survive the pressure at the thickness needed, along with lamps to light up the sunless abyss.
"The pressure is tremendous," said geophysicist David Sandwell at the University of California, San Diego, who helped create the first detailed global maps of the seafloor.
The descent the first and only manned voyage to the bottom of Challenger Deep took 4 hours and 48 minutes at a rate of about a yard (0.9 meters) a second. As if to highlight the dangers of the dive, after passing about 27,000 feet (9,000 meters) one of the outer window panes cracked, violently shaking the entire vessel.
The two men spent just 20 minutes at the ocean floor, eating chocolate bars for energy in the cold deep, the temperature in the cabin was only 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius). They actually managed to speak with the craft's mothership using a sonar-hydrophone system at a speed of nearly a mile per second, it still took about seven seconds for a voice message to travel from the craft upward.
While at the bottom, the explorers not only saw jellyfish and shrimp-like creatures, but actually spied a couple of small white flatfish swimming away, proving that at least some vertebrate life could withstand the extremes of the bottom of the ocean. The floor of Challenger Deep seemed to be made of diatomaceous ooze a fine white silt made of microscopic algae known as diatoms.
To ascend, they magnetically released the ballast, a trip that took 3 hours, 15 minutes. Since then, no man has ever returned to Challenger Deep.
"It's hard to build something that can survive that kind of pressure and have people inside," Sandwell noted.
In many ways, the Trieste laid the foundation for the Navy's deep-submergence program. In fact, in 1963, it was used to locate the sunken nuclear submarine USS Thresher.
In addition, in recent years, robots have made the journey back to Challenger Deep. In 1995, the Japanese craft Kaiko reached the bottom, while the Nereus hybrid remotely operated vehicle reached the bottom last year.
Perhaps as explorers one day hope to return to the moon, so too might adventurers, and not just robots, revisit the deeps in the future.
- The World's Biggest Oceans and Seas
- Infographic: Under the Ocean's Surface
- World's Deepest Undersea Vents Discovered
MORE FROM LiveScience.com | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30778000 |
Why Does Copper Turn Green?
Copper turns green because of chemical reactions with the elements.
For the same reason that iron rusts.
Just as iron that is left unprotected in open air will corrode and form a flaky orange-red outer layer, copper that is exposed to the elements undergoes a series of chemical reactions that give the shiny metal a pale green outer layer called a patina.
The patina actually protects the copper below the surface from further corrosion, making it a good water-proofing material for roofs (which is why the roofs of so many old buildings are bright green).
In fact, the weathering and oxidation of the Statue of Liberty's copper skin has amounted to just .005 of an inch over the last century, according to the Copper Development Association.
MORE FROM LiveScience.com | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30779000 |
How the Greek Agora Changed the World
The 'School of Athens' fresco by Raphael, housed in the Vatican, is meant to represent the Greek agora and all the great minds that passed through it.
CREDIT: Heather Whipps
Each Monday, this column turns a page in history to explore the discoveries, events and people that continue to affect the history being made today.
It was the heart of the city – where ordinary citizens bought and sold goods, politics were discussed and ideas were passed among great minds like Aristotle and Plato.
Who knows where we'd be without the "agoras" of ancient Greece. Lacking the concept of democracy, perhaps, or the formula for the length of the sides of a triangle (young math students, rejoice!). Modern doctors might not have anything to mutter as an oath.
What went on at the agora went beyond the simple daily transactions of the market. The conversations that happened there and the ideas that they bore continue to affect us to this day, from the way scientists carry out their work to how we pass our laws.
The heart of public life
Nearly every city of ancient Greece had an agora – meaning meeting place – by about 600 B.C., when the classical period of Greek civilization began to flourish. Usually located near the center of town, the agora was easily accessible to every citizen, with a large central square for market stalls bound by public buildings.
The agora of Athens – the hub of ancient Greek civilization – was the size of several football fields and saw heavy traffic every single day of the week. Women didn't often frequent the agora, but every other character in ancient Greece passed through its columns: politicians, criminals, philosophers and traders, aristocrats, scientists, officials and slaves.
Not only did the ancient Greeks go to the agora to pick up fresh meat and some wool for a new robe, but also to meet and greet with friends and colleagues. Akin to the modern high-powered lunch, much business got done in the casual setting.
High voter turnouts
Some of the world's most important ideas were born and perfected within the confines of the Athenian agora including, famously, the concept of democracy.
Regular Athenian citizens had the power to vote for anything and everything, and were fiercely proud of their democratic ways. No citizen was above the law – laws were posted in the agora for all to see – or was exempt from being a part of the legal process. In fact, Athenians considered it a duty and a privilege to serve on juries. Both the city law courts and senate were located in the agora to demonstrate the open, egalitarian nature of Athenian life.
The Athenian democratic process, whereby issues were discussed in a forum and then voted on, is the basis for most modern systems of governance.
Ultimate brainstorm session
Scientific theory also got its start in the agora, where the city's greatest minds regularly met informally to socialize. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle all frequented the Athenian agora, discussed philosophy and instructed pupils there.
Aristotle, in particular, is known for his contributions to science, and may have developed his important theories on the empirical method, zoology and physics, among others, while chatting in the agora's food stalls or sitting by its fountains.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine and its Hippocratic Oath, and Pythagoras, a mathematician who developed the geometric theory of a triangle's sides, were both highly public figures who taught and shared ideas in their own hometown agoras.
- Last Week: How Qin Shi Huang Changed the World
- Next Week: How the Battle of Actium Changed the World
- Gallery: The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World
- Top 10 Ancient Capitals
MORE FROM LiveScience.com | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30780000 |
Why Do Humans Dance?
Monday night's premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" has celebrities – among them Pamela Anderson, Buzz Aldrin and Kate Gosselin – showcasing their dance moves for the world and driving a point home for those sitting at home: For some people, dancing is a natural form of expression. For others with two left feet, dancing can be more of a spectacle.
The answer to why we dance – and even why some people are better dancers than others – can be found in evolution. A study published in the Public Library of Science’s genetics journal in 2006 suggested that long ago the ability to dance was actually connected to the ability to survive.
According to the study, dancing was a way for our prehistoric ancestors to bond and communicate, particularly during tough times. As a result, scientists believe that early humans who were coordinated and rhythmic could have had an evolutionary advantage.
The researchers examined the DNA of a group of dancers and non-dancers and found that the dancers shared two genes associated with a predisposition for being good social communicators. In addition, the dancers were found to have higher levels of serotonin, known to boost moods in humans and mice.
Early humans might have danced to attract a mate, as far back as 1.5 million years ago, according to Steven J. Mithen, an archaeologist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.
A more recent study suggests babies are born to dance, with the ability to bop to the beat as young as 5 months old. The scientists aren't sure why humans might have this innate ability. Of course, not everyone is born with as much ability as the best dancers. One difference: body symmetry. Dancers are more symmetrical, research has shown.
So, while dancing is no longer a factor in our everyday survival, this season's contestants on "Dancing with the Stars" will be dancing for their survival on the show. And which of the celebrities will earn bragging rights and the coveted disco ball trophy? Only time (and fan votes) will tell.
- Top 10 Things That Make Humans Special
- Why Beautiful Women Marry Less Attractive Men
- 5 Myths About the Male Body
MORE FROM LiveScience.com | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30781000 |
(BPT) - Does your child avoid eye contact, have little or no interest in making new friends or prefer solitary activities to social games? These may be signs that your child has an autism spectrum disorder.
Symptoms of autism spectrum disorders can present in many different ways, and can be confusing for parents, particularly if they aren't sure of what to look for. It is human nature for parents to overlook the early signs, saying that their child is 'just going through a phase' or 'having an off day.' Lana Cramer, mom to a 14-year-old on the spectrum, says, 'At first I did not understand why my son, Evan, hesitated to interact with others, and often seemed uninterested in what was going on around him. I figured that he would just grow out of it, but he didn't. When our psychiatrist diagnosed Evan with autism, the pieces started to fit together."
While there are certain similarities among children with autism, it is a spectrum disorder, meaning that there can be great variation in the way it affects people. According to board certified psychiatrist Dr. David Posey, every child on the autism spectrum has unique abilities, symptoms, and challenges - no two children are exactly the same. That said, many children on the spectrum often share common core symptoms. These include:
* Impaired social interactions, such as reluctance to join group activities at school, not being aware of the needs of others or inability to understand humor.
* Impaired communication, such as delay in language development, unusual repetition of words and phrases spoken by others or on television or major difficulty sustaining a conversation.
* Restricted interests, repetitive behaviors and stereotyped mannerisms, such as clapping, finger flicking, rocking, dipping and swaying, fascination with parts of an object, such as spinning the wheels of a toy car repeatedly or preoccupation with one narrow interest such as dates or numbers.
While medications are available for some common behavioral symptoms like irritability or anxiety, there are no FDA-approved drugs to treat any of the core symptoms of these conditions.
According to Dr. Posey, a clinical research program called ConnectMe is enrolling children with autism, Asperger's or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (or PDD-NOS) worldwide to evaluate the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of an investigational drug on these core symptoms.
'In my practice, I've seen how problems with social interaction and communication can have a devastating impact on families touched by these disorders, so I am encouraged by the research of the ConnectMe program, which may provide new answers into the treatment of autism spectrum disorders,' Dr. Posey says.
To learn more about ConnectMe or to take an online prescreening questionnaire to see if your child may be eligible to participate, visit www.ConnectMeTrial.com or call 877-900-8735. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30785000 |
|Officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация -Rossiyskaya Federatsiya), is a country in northern Eurasia (Europe and Asia together). It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. Russia shares borders with the following countries (from northwest to southeast): Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (via Kaliningrad Oblast), Poland (via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan (by the Sea of Okhotsk) and the United States (by the Bering Strait).
At 17,100,000 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is, in area, by far the largest country in the world, covering more than an eighth of the Earth’s land area; with 140 million people, it is the ninth largest by population. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe, spanning 11 time zones, and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources, and is considered an energy superpower. It has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's unfrozen fresh water.
The nation's history began with that of the East Slavs, which emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. Founded and ruled by a noble Viking warrior class and their descendants, the first East Slavic state, Kievan Rus', arose in the 9th century and adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire in 988, beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. Kievan Rus' ultimately disintegrated and the lands were divided into many small feudal states. The most powerful successor state to Kievan Rus' was Moscow, which served as the main force in the Russian reunification process and independence struggle against the Golden Horde. Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus'. By the 18th century, the nation had greatly expanded through conquest, annexation and exploration to become the Russian Empire, which was the third largest empire in history, stretching from Poland to Alaska.
A multi-ethnic society
The Russian Federation is a diverse, multi-ethnic society, home to as many as 160 different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples. Though Russia's population is comparatively large, its population density is low because of the country's enormous size. Population is densest in European Russia, near the Ural Mountains, and in southwest Siberia. According to preliminary estimates, the resident population of the Russian Federation on 1 January 2009 was 141,903,979 people. In 2008, the population declined by 121,400 people, or by -0.085% (in 2007 – by 212,000, or 0.15% and in 2006 – by 532,600 people, or 0.37%). In 2008 migration continued to grow by a pace of 2.7% with 281,615 migrants arriving to the Russian Federation, of which 95% came from CIS countries, the vast majority being Russians or Russian speakers. The number of Russian emigrants declined by 16% to 39,508, of which 66% went to other CIS countries. There are also an estimated 10 million illegal immigrants from the ex-Soviet states in Russia. Roughly 116 million ethnic Russians live in Russia and about 20 million more live in former republics of the Soviet Union, mostly in Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
73% of the population lives in urban areas. As of the 2002 Census, the two largest cities in Russia are Moscow (10,126,424 inhabitants) and Saint Petersburg (4,661,219). Eleven other cities have between one and two million inhabitants: Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Ufa, Volgograd, and Yekaterinburg. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30787000 |
Overview of the Nervous System
Anatomy of the Brain
Congenital and Hereditary Disorders
Neurological Disorders in the Newborn
Inflammatory and Infectious Disorders
Seizures and Epilepsy
The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates the body's basic functions and activities. It is made up of two major divisions, including the central nervous system (consisting of the brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (consisting of all other neural elements). The central nervous system controls thought, behavior, and movement. The peripheral nervous system relays information to the central nervous system for transmitting messages to muscles and glands.
In addition to the brain and spinal cord, principal organs of the nervous system include the eyes, ears, sensory organs of taste, sensory organs of smell, and sensory receptors in the skin, joints, muscles, and other parts of the body.
The nervous system is vulnerable to various disorders. Because of its complexity and the high technology used in evaluation and treatment of its disorders, the branches of medicine, physician specialists, and clinical services that manage it are as numerous and varied as the disorders and conditions.
Pediatric neurologists and neurosurgeons specialize in the management and treatment of neurological conditions that only affect children - from newborns to adolescents.
The information on this Web page is provided for educational purposes. You understand and agree that this information is not intended to be, and should not be used as, a substitute for medical treatment by a health care professional. You agree that Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital is not making a diagnosis of your condition or a recommendation about the course of treatment for your particular circumstances through the use of this Web page. You agree to be solely responsible for your use of this Web page and the information contained on this page. Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and information providers shall not be liable for any damages you may suffer or cause through your use of this page even if advised of the possibility of such damages. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30789000 |
Published in Lunar and Planetary Science XXVII, pp. 1183-1184, LPI, Houston.
Introduction: Crustal processes and reactions during hydrothermal and biogenic activity result in extreme degrees of sulfur isotopic fractionation on Earth. For example, delta 34S in terrestrial sulfides ranges from -70 to +70 on Earth . In contrast, delta 34S values for sulfides from other planetary bodies that have been sampled (Moon, asteroids) show a very limited mass fractionation. The standard deviation in the bulk isotopic composition of sulfur in meteorites of all types is less than 0.1 . However, the isotopic composition of sulfides in meteorites shows slightly more variability. Troilite in Orgueil, a carbonaceous chondrite, has a delta 34S of 2.6 . Kaplan and Hulston showed that sulfides in enstatite chondrites have delta 34S of between +1.6 to +2.5. The delta 34S in troilite from ordinary chondrites ranges from -2.7 to +2.5 . The slight fractionation of 34S into these sulfides has been attributed to nebular heterogeneity , low temperature (100°C) reactions between water and elemental sulfur , and oxidation of FeS in an aqueous environment [2,4,5]. Lunar materials exhibit a much broader variation in bulk delta 34S than has been observed in meteorites. Whereas bulk lunar rocks show variability on the order of +0.37 to +0.68, lunar soils have delta 34S as high as +9.76 . These high values in the bulk lunar soils have been attributed to preferential volatilization of 32S during sputtering caused by micrometeorite bombardment . Until now, S fractionation processes on the larger terrestrial planets such as Mercury, Venus, and Mars has been only speculative. With the discovery of a possible Martian meteorite with an imprint of a Martian hydrothermal system, we can gain insights into S fractionation on another planet.
SNC Meteorite ALH 84001: ALH 84001 is a coarse-grained, clastic orthopyroxenite meteorite related to the SNC meteorite group . A hydrothermal signature is supimposed upon the orthopyroxene-dominant igneous mineral assemblage. This hydrothermal overprint consists of carbonate assemblages occurring in spheroidal aggregates and as fine-grained carbonate and sulfide vug-filling structures [7-10]. The sulfide has been identified as pyrite . Textural interpretations of shock features in the carbonates has lead to the interpretation that the carbonate-sulfide mineralization was a result of influxes of fluids during Martian hydrothermal activity .
Isotopic Analysis of Pyrite in ALH 84001: The sulfur isotopic measurements were made using a Cameca IMS-4f ion microprobe operated by a University of New Mexico-Sandia National Laboratory consortium on the UNM campus. A Cs+ primary beam was focused to a spot of between 8 and 10 µm. 32S- and 34S- were analyzed in the secondary ion beam. A S-isotope pyrite standard was analyzed in order to measure the degree of instrument-induced fractionation, precision, accuracy, and instrument drift over the period of an analytical session. The analytical precision measured on the standards is better than ±0.2, whereas the analytical precision measured on the samples is better than ±0.5. These reported precision values far exceed those reported in the literature for ion microprobe analysis of sulfur isotopes in sulfides [5,10].
Results: delta 34S values for five pyrite grains were obtained from ALH 84001. Values for the pyrite range from +4.8 to +7. These delta 34S values are 34S enriched relative to Canon Diablo troilite. Based on the 2-sigma precision, there are real isotopic differences among pyrite grains.
Discussion: Sulfur isotopic characteristics of sulfides are constrained by a large number of variables, such as the sulfur isotopic characteristics of the hydrothermal fluid, temperature, pH, and fO2 . The stability field of pyrite also influences the range of expected delta 34S values of the pyrite . Therefore, although sulfur isotopic systematics provide some information concerning the hydrothermal system, they are best used in conjunction with other data (mineral stability, other stable isotopes). In comparison with sulfides from other meteorites, the delta 34S of the pyrite from ALH 84001 is enriched in 34S. This signature implies that the planetary body represented by ALH 84001 experienced processes capable of fractionating S isotopes that were not functional on asteroidal bodies represented by chondrite and achondrite meteorites.
As was noted previously, the terrestrial delta 34S exhibits a wide variability. In particular, the large negative values in terrestrial delta 34S has been attributed, in many cases, to the bacterial reduction of sulfate to sulfide. The positive delta 34S measured in the ALH 84001 pyrite therefore suggests that the sulfur in this hydrothermal sulfide was not processed by bacteria in a manner analogous to terrestrial processes.
The positive delta 34S measured in the ALH 84001 pyrite may be attributed to several different processes that may be functioning on the Martian surface or in the shallow Martian crust:
Model 1: Assuming that the delta 34S in the fluid was essentially 0, the pyrite may be enriched in delta 34S by pH, temperature, and fO2 conditions during precipitation. The pH and the fugacity of oxygen may be approximated using the delta 34S data presented here, delta 13C data on the carbonates , a relatively low Sigma S, a temperature of precipitation of ~100°C and the coexistence of pyrite and carbonate. Making these assumptions, precipitation occurred in a reduced and moderately alkaline environment with the dominant sulfur-bearing species in solution being HS-. At higher temperatures (~700°C) as suggested by [7,9], the delta 34S of pyrite in the stability fields of carhonate + pyrite will not have values that approach +5 to +8.
Model 2: The above interpretation makes the assumption that the delta 34S in the fluid was equal to 0. At more acidic conditions than suggested above (but at the same reducing conditions), delta 34S will not be strongly fractionated during pyrite precipitation from an aqueous solution . Therefore, under these conditions, the pyrite will approximate the delta 34S in the fluid . There are several potential processes that can generate positive delta 34S in the fluid under these pH and fO2 conditions: (2a) Previous isotopic studies of SNC meteorites indicated that the present Martian atmosphere is isotopically heavy in O, C, N, and H . Therefore, it is perhaps not surprising that other stable isotopes in the Martian atmosphere such as S should also be isotopically heavy. (2b) Alternatively, it has been documented that during lunar regolith formation and evolution, the bulk delta 34S increases . Therefore, impact-generated hydrothermal system models as suggested by may result in the preferential volatilization of 32S relative to 34S during impact. (2c) Assessments of Martian soil mineralogy based on both Viking XRF measurements and SNC documentation have suggested that phases such as clays, Fe-oxides, carbonates, and Ca- and Mg-sulfates will be stable in the oxidizing Martian environment [i.e., 15]. It is expected that under such weathering environments, particularly with the stabilization of sulfates, 34S should be enriched in water-soluble components (Ca- and Mg-sulfates) in the soil. Leaching of the 34S-enriched water-soluble minerals in Martian soil produced by processes 2a,b,c will result in a positive delta 34Sfluid. Model (2a,b,c) implies that the source for the sulfur is rather shallow and that this groundwater-hydrothermal system is in isotopic communication with processes occurring at the Martian surface. Under this second model, the temperature of precipitation cannot be constrained by the sulfur data.
Conclusions: Our data indicates that the sulfur isotopes 32S and 34S in the sulfides in meteorite ALH 84001 have been fractionated to a greater extent than what has been documented in other meteorites. This, in itself, is another piece of information that links this orthopyroxenite to a planetary body that has experienced processes not present on chondrite and achondrite parent bodies. Mineralogical data suggests that the alteration assemblages were deposited under reducing conditions and that SO42- was not a dominant species in the solution. Therefore, the extent of sulfur isotopic fractionation during pyrite precipitation from the hydrothermal solution was moderate, at alkaline conditions (delta 34Sfluid < delta 34Spyrite), to minor at low pH conditions (delta 34Sfluid = delta 34Spyrite) This suggests two different models for the generation of positive delta 34S in the pyrite. If the pyrite precipitated at low temperature (100°-150°C) reducing conditions and high pH (<9), a delta 34Sfluid equal to 0 would precipitate pyrite with delta 34Spyrite between 5 and 8. Under more acidic conditions, the delta 34Sfluid will be equal to that of the pyrite. This requires the positive delta 34Sfluid signature to be produced prior to pyrite deposition. The positive delta 34S in the fluid may be attributed to upper atmospheric processes, impact processes, or low-temperature weathering reactions enriching the soil in 34S. These components may then be leached and their delta 34S signature transported to the location of precipitation. This process requires isotopic communication between the hydrothermal system and the Martian surface. If the isotopic signature of the sulfide reflects communication with surfacial-atmospheric processes, it may constrain additional aspects of Martian atmosphere evolution.
References: Ohmoto H. and Rye R. O. (1979) in Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits (ed. Barnes H. L.), pp. 509-567. Pillinger C. T. (1984) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 48, 2739-2766. Monster J. et al. (1965) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 29, 773-779. Kaplan I. R. and Hulston J. R. (1965) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 30, 479-496. Paterson B. A. et al. (1994) Lunar and Planetary Science XXV, 1057-1058. Kerridge J. F. and Kaplan I. R. (1978) Proc. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. 9th, 1687-1709. Mittlefehldt D. W. (1994) Meteoritics, 29, 214-221. Romanek C. S. et al. (1995) Meteoritics, 30, 567-568. Harvey R. P. and McSween H. Y. (1995) Lunar and Planetary Science XXVI, 555-556. McKibben M. A. and Eldridge C. S. (1995) Economic Geology, 90, 228-245. Rye R. O. and Ohmoto H. (1974) Economic Geology, 69, 826-842. Romanek C. S. et al. (1994) Nature, 372, 655-656. Wentworth S. J. and Gooding J. L. (1995) Lunar and Planetary Science XXVI, 1489-1490. Jakosky B. M. (1993) Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, 1591-1594. Gooding J. L. et al. (1988) Meteoritics, 26, 135-143. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30790000 |
What is Lupus
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.
- Lupus is also a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening and should always be treated by a doctor. With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life.
- Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot "catch" lupus from someone or "give" lupus to someone.
- Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above.
- Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.
- Our research estimates that at least 1.5 million Americans have lupus. The actual number may be higher; however, there have been no large-scale studies to show the actual number of people in the U.S. living with lupus.
- It is believed that 5 million people throughout the world have a form of lupus.
- Lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing age (15-44). However, men, children, and teenagers develop lupus, too.
- Women of color are 2-3 times more likely to develop lupus.
- People of all races and ethnic groups can develop lupus.
- More than 16,000 new cases of lupus are reported annually across the country.
Target Awareness: What is lupus?
Watch a short six-minute video which provides an overview of lupus, its symptoms and health effects, and how the Lupus Foundation of America can help.
The National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, has a complete list of online tutorials, including lupus. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30794000 |
Functions in Lisp
|Column Tag:||Lisp Listener
"Functions in Lisp"
By Andy Cohen, Human Factors Engineering, Hughes Aircraft, MacTutor Contributing Editor
As you may recall from the first installment of the Lisp Listener, a procedure is a description of an action or computation. A primitive is a predefined or "builtin" procedure (e.g. "+"). As in Forth, Lisp can have procedures which are defined by the programmer. DEFUN, from DEfine FUNction, is used for this purpose. The syntax for DEFUN in Experlisp is as follows:
(DEFUN FunctionName (symbols)
(All sorts of computations which may or may Not use the values
represented by the symbols))
The function name is exactly that. Whenever the name is used the defined procedure associated with that function name is performed. The symbols are values which may or may not be required by the procedures within the defined function. If required, the values must follow the function name. When given, these values are assigned to the symbol. This is similar to the way values are assigned to a symbol when using SETQ. It is easier to see how DEFUN works when observed within an example:
;(DEFUN Reciprocal (n)
(/ 1 n))
The word "Reciprocal" is the function name and the numbers following are the values for which the reciprocal (1/n) are found. After the list containing DEFUN is entered and the carriage return is pressed the function and it's title are assigned a location in memory. The function name is then printed in the Listener window.
;(DEFUN Square (x)
(* x x))
;(DEFUN Cubed (y)
(* y (* y y))
;(DEFUN AVERAGE (W X Y Z)
(/ (+ W X Y Z) 4))
;(Average 2 3 4 5)
You might recognize "Average" from last month's Lisp Listener. One might imagine using defined functions inside other defined functions. If it was possible to have variables which have the same values in each procedure, then the version of Lisp used has what is called dynamic scoping. In this context the values of the variable are determined by the Lisp environment which is resident when the procedure is called. Experlisp, however, is lexically scoped. That means that variable values are local to each procedure. Two defined procedures can use the same labels for variables, but the values will not be considered as the same. Each variable is defined locally. This is in accordance to the Common Lisp standard. Lexical scoping makes it easier to debug someone elses'' programs. If you don't know what I mean yet, don't worry. This subject will come up again in more detail later.
If no values are required by the defined function then "nil" or an empty list must follow the function name.
;(DEFUN Line ()
The empty list obviously contains no atoms (I'll describe the above function, "Line" later in the section on bunnies). It is synonymous to the special term nil, which is considered by Lisp as the opposite of T or True. Nil is used in many other contexts.
;(cddr '( one two))
In the above, the first cdr returns "two". The second cdr returns nothing, hence "nil". The values of true and false are returned by procedures called predicates. While nil represents a false condition, anything other then nil, including "T", is generally considered true. Please note that I used lowercase letters in the above. ExperLisp recognizes both upper and lowercase. I've been using uppercase only to make it clear within the text when I'm referring to Lisp
EQUAL is a predicate which checks the equality of two arguments. Note the arguments can be integers or symbols. If the two arguments are equal then "T" is returned. If they are not equal then "nil" is returned.
;(EQUAL try try)
;(EQUAL 6732837 6732837)
;(EQUAL 6732837 6732833)
;(EQUAL First Second)
ATOM checks to see if it's argument is a list or an atom. Remember, the single quote is used to indicate that what follows is a not evaluated as in the case of a list. Symbols are evaluated.
;(ATOM (A B C D))
In the first of the above 'thing is an atom due to the single quote. In the second, thing is considered a symbol. A symbol is evaluated and contains a value or values as a list. In the third, (A B C D) is obviously a list.
LISTP checks if it's argument is a list.
;(LISTP '( 23 45 65 12 1))
;(SETQ babble '(wd ihc wi kw))
One interesting observation is that nil is both an atom and a list, ()=nil. Therefore ATOM and LISTP both return true for nil.
When one needs to know if a list is empty, NULL does the job.
;(NULL (X Y Z))
NUMBERP checks if the argument that follows is or represents a number rather than a string.
;(SETQ fifty-six '(56))
Now for a real slick one. MEMBER tests whether or not an argument is a part of a list. An easy demonstration follows:
;(MEMBER 'bananas (apples pears bananas))
;(apples pears bananas)
;(MEMBER 'grapes (apples pears bananas))
When the argument is a member, then the contents of the list are given. If not then nil is returned. MEMBER also checks symbols of lists.
;(SETQ fruit '(apples grapes pears))
;(MEMBER 'grapes fruit)
; (apples grapes pears)
;(MEMBER 'banana fruit)
EVENP tests to see if an integer is even and MINUSP checks if an integer is negative. ODDP and PLUSP are not needed since they are simply opposite of the first two.
;(EVENP (- 806 35))
;(MINUSP (-34 86))
In the second and fourth examples above the lists contained within are calculated prior to MEMBERP evaluation. (806-35=771 & 34-86=-52. There's a few more simple predicates such as NOT, <, >, and ZEROP. I'll discuss them along with conditionals next month. Now for something completely different.
If you've ever learned Logo, the concept of Bunny graphics should sound familiar. As mentioned last month, the Bunny is Expertelligence's version of the Turtle. All one needs to do in order to make a Bunny move is to tell it to. FORWARD X initially moves the Bunny upwards on the screen for 'X' display pixels. A negative number initially moves it down. When one enters the following in the Listener window,
the default graphics window (I'll discuss windows in more detail very soon in future installments) is then opened and the following is drawn:
RIGHT X aims the front of the line to the right by X degrees. If one then uses forward again the line moves in a different direction. For example:
;((RIGHT 50) (FORWARD 50))
or better yet
(RIGHT 50) (FORWARD 50))
After a line is moved, the end of the line remains where it was. If one made the Bunny move again the beginning of the new line would begin where the old left off. The original starting point is the graphics window default home position. This position is in the center of each graphics window when the window is first created. In order to return the Bunny to the original starting point one must use HOME.
The following produces a much neater triangle:
(DEFUN Triangle ()
(Penup) (Left 45)
(Forward 10) (Pendown)
(Right 90) (Forward 25)
(Right 90) (Forward 50)
(Right 135) (Forward 71)
(Right 135) (Forward 25))
After the above is typed into the edit buffer the "Compile All" selection should be chosen from the Menu Bar. The source code in the Edit Buffer quickly inverts to white letters on a black background as if the whole file was selected for a moment. The function name "Triangle is then printed in the Listener window. If the user enters the following in the Listener Window a different triangle is drawn in the default Graphics Window:
If you Look at the in Triangle you will see a couple more Bunny commands. LEFT does the same as RIGHT but in the opposite direction. PENUP raises the Bunny's pen so that when the Bunny moves no lines are drawn. PENDOWN returns the Bunny to the drawing orientation. The first line of code in "Triangle" puts the Bunny off the Home position so that the drawn triangle will be centered on the screen. As mentioned earlier, the orientation of the bunny remains. The last line of code in "Triangle left the Bunny aimed at about 1:00 rather than the initial position, 12:00. If we were to make "Triangle" execute ten times without eliminating the Graphics Window the following would result:
In getting "Triangle" to execute recompilation of the code in the edit buffer is not necessary. To get the above one can type the function name into a list ten times within the Listener window. The following however, is easier:
;(Dotimes (a 10) (Triangle))
DOTIMES is very similar to the FOR...NEXT looping routine in BASIC. I'll discuss it next month in a description of iteration and recursion in ExperLisp.
If we wanted to use a three dimensional bunny then the following would be added before "Triangle" in the Edit Buffer window:
(SETQ curbun (new3dbun))
(Pitch 30) (Yaw 45) (Roll 50)
Something like the following is drawn after the source code is recompiled and "(Triangle)" is entered into the Listener Window:
CURBUN is a special symbol in ExperLisp which always refers to the Bunny cursor. NEW3DBUN is a special term which always changes CURBUN. The default Bunny is 2 dimensional. If one wanted the Spherical Bunny then the following would be entered into the beginning of the first version of "Triangle":
(SETQ curbun (newspbun))
This would then produce what follows:
In order to have the above drawn in a different orientation, different Bunny direction would be required. Windows, two and three dimensional Bunny graphics and toolbox graphics use the same X,Y coordinate system. Home is 0,0. Dual negative coordinates are situated towards the upper left corner. Dual positive coordinates are situated towards the lower right corner. The range is +32767 to -32768 for each dimension. In ExperLisp one can sometimes use the third dimension, as in the 3D sample of "Triangle". Negative Z values are behind Home, while positive Z values are in front. The following illustrates the coordinate system in ExperLisp:
The ExperLisp disk contains three essential files; Compiler, LispENV and Experlisp. Compiler is not actually the entire Lisp compiler. It contains the information needed in generating all of the higher level Lisp syntactics, such as the Bunny graphics. LispENV stands for Lisp Environment and it is simply a duplication of Compile. LispENV contains information on how the Macintosh memory was organized by the programmer and ExperLisp during the previous session. It also contains information on the system configuration such as the number of disk drives, the amount of memory, etc. Sometimes LispENV can be messed up (i.e. by changing the variable table). When this happens one might not be able to start ExperLisp. In this case LispENV should be removed from the disk. Afterward, when ExperLisp is opened, Compiler generates a new LispENV. Compiler is not needed on the disk unless the LispENV is ruined. Deleting it will provide 100K more space on the disk. Before eliminating it from the disk however, be sure you have a backup as it is an essential file. The Experlisp file contains the assembly language routines which represent the lower level Lisp routines like CAR and CDR. It also allows access to the Macintosh toolbox routines and contains the Listener Window. One opens the Experlisp file in starting a programming session with ExperLisp. Another file on the disk is automatically loaded and activated when Experlisp is booted. It is labeled ªlispinit. The contents of this file can be added to so that when one boots up ExperLisp a program can be automatically executed. It can also do automatic configurations. However the contents of ªlispinit should not be changed since it configures the Macintosh memory for Exper- Lisp.
Next month I'll discuss a few more predicate procedures. I also hope to start discussing iteration, recursion and conditionals. If there is enough room left over I might also begin discussing how to access the toolbox graphics. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30796000 |
- Allergies and asthma: They often occur together Allergies and asthma? Find out how to control both conditions.
Tests and diagnosis
- Asthma: Steps in testing and diagnosis Diagnosing asthma generally includes a medical history, physical exam and lung tests.
- Nitric oxide test for asthma Nitric oxide test — Overview covers definition, risks, results of this procedure to evaluate asthma.
- Peak flow meter Peak flow meter — Overview covers how to use this simple tool to monitor asthma symptoms.
- Spirometry Spirometry — Overview covers definition, risks, results of spirometry testing to evaluate asthma and COPD.
Treatments and drugs
- Asthma treatment: 3 steps to better asthma control Follow this three-step approach to keep asthma symptoms under control and prevent asthma attacks.
- Asthma medications: Know your options Asthma medications — Which ones prevent asthma attacks, and which ones treat immediate symptoms.
- Asthma inhalers: Which one's right for you? Asthma inhalers — Here's a rundown of inhaler types and how they work.
- Treating asthma in children under 5 Asthma in children under 5: Understand symptoms, medications and treatment plans.
- Treating asthma in children ages 5 to 11 Treating asthma in children ages 5 to 11: Maintain control with an asthma action plan.
- Treating asthma in children ages 12 and older Treating asthma in children ages 12 and older: Manage treatment with an asthma action plan.
Lifestyle and home remedies
- Asthma in adults: Creating an asthma action plan Here's how to create an adult asthma action plan — a tool for managing your asthma.
- Asthma-friendly products: Do they help reduce symptoms? Asthma-friendly products: Evaluate the claims before you spend your money.
- Asthma in children: Creating an asthma action plan Managing childhood asthma can be complicated. Take control with a written action plan.
- Exercise and chronic disease: Get the facts Exercise and chronic disease — Find out what you need to know before starting an exercise routine.
- Asthma treatment: Do complementary and alternative approaches work? Alternative asthma treatment: What might work, and what to avoid.
- Asthma: Limit asthma attacks caused by colds or flu Asthma, colds and flu — Keep your sneeze from turning into a wheeze.
- Allergy-proof your house Allergy-proof your house with these simple changes and find relief for your symptoms.
- Asthma control test Asthma control test: Is your asthma under control? Find out. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30820000 |
Lifestyle and home remediesBy Mayo Clinic staff
You'll probably need to make lifestyle changes to stop cycles of behavior that worsen your bipolar disorder, and to make sure you get the support you need from people in your life. Here are some steps to take:
- Quit drinking or using illegal drugs. One of the biggest concerns with bipolar disorder is the negative consequences of risk-taking behavior and drug or alcohol abuse. Get help if you have trouble quitting on your own.
- Steer clear of unhealthy relationships. Surround yourself with people who are a positive influence and won't encourage unhealthy behavior or attitudes that can worsen your bipolar disorder.
- Get regular exercise. Moderate, regular exercise can help steady your mood. Working out releases brain chemicals that make you feel good (endorphins), can help you sleep and has a number of other benefits. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program, especially if you're taking lithium to make sure exercise won't interfere with your medication.
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping enough is an important part of managing your mood. If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor or mental health provider about what you can do.
- Bipolar disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index.shtml. Accessed Nov. 2, 2011.
- Bipolar disorders. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric_disorders/mood_disorders/bipolar_disorders.html#v1028598. Accessed Nov. 2, 2011.
- Mood disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Nov. 3, 2011.
- Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Washington, D.C.: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/member_information/practice_information/practice_parameters/practice_parameters. Accessed Nov. 2, 2011.
- Joska JA. Mood disorders. In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/pracGuide/pracGuideChapToc_8.aspx. Accessed Nov. 3, 2011.
- Martinez M, et al. Psychopharmacology. In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=320111. Accessed Nov. 3, 2011.
- Post RM. Bipolar disorder in adults: Maintenance treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 2, 2011.
- Andreescu C, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of bipolar disorder: A review of the evidence. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2008;110:16.
- Sarris J, et al. Bipolar disorder and complementary medicine: Current evidence, safety issues, and clinical considerations. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2011;17:881.
- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 8, 2011. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30821000 |
Peter S. Jensen, M.D., of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic, combines use of an ADHD rating scale and Mayo Clinic's electronic medical record (EMR) to track the progress of children diagnosed as having ADHD over time and across health care providers.
"The ADHD rating scale and side effects measures assess key aspects of the child's progress when used with consistency. The EMR pushes physicians to use the rating scale consistently and allows us to record its results, as completed by teachers and families, to track symptoms and progress over time," says Dr. Jensen.
The combination of the rating scale and the EMR creates a reliable tracking process that is also a safeguard for both patients and physicians. "Pediatric patients' needs change as they age," says Dr. Jensen. "The EMR, coupled with rating scales, allows us to note when patients are doing well—and when they are not. We can view a patient's evolving needs and modify treatment on the basis of a complete record of progress."
The system also provides information that allows health care providers to reassure the family about the need for medications. "Across the United States, families go through 11 different health care providers on average before they find one that they fully trust to advise them. If families don't trust medications—a huge issue—they don't use them. The markers and double-checks in the EMR provide information that allows physicians to help reassure the family that they're making an informed choice," says Dr. Jensen.
The rating scale in the EMR includes questions that help health care providers rule out abuse and vision problems for patients. "Research shows that we can have 95% diagnostic accuracy if we use this type of system properly," says Dr. Jensen.
The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology makes an effort to engage families fully in the health care process. "Input from the patient, family, and teachers is crucial," says Dr. Jensen. "Not just parents, but even kids can become experts at recognizing the symptoms, particularly as they grow older. The EMR tracking procedures become critical teaching and communication tools in that process."
For pediatricians, family medicine physicians, child psychiatrists, and psychologists (especially those trained long ago), incorporation of these kinds of assessment and treatment tools involves a learning process.
"In other areas of medicine, physicians learn by hands-on practice. They don't learn surgery by viewing slide shows. We are changing the way we are learning in our division and our continuing education courses," says Dr. Jensen.
Training includes role-playing, feedback from specialists, and 6 months of coaching with 8 to 10 physicians on weekly conference calls. Participants earn up to 30 hours of continuing medical education credits. More than 600 health care providers have completed the program. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30822000 |
Model I and Model II Regressions
Which Regression: Model I or Model II?
- For Excel®, MATLAB® and most other commercial programs the inherent line fitting method is the model-I regression.
- To determine whether you are using a model-I or a model-II regression,
- first find the slope of Y vs X where Y is plotted on the vertical axis and X is plotted on the horiziontal axis -- this is the "normal" way of doing things. It is also known as the regression of Y-on-X. Call this slope m(y).
- Now reverse X and Y and fit another line; call this slope m(x)'.
- Since X and Y are reversed, we need to find the inverse of m(x)' to properly compare against m(y),
so let m(x) = 1 / m(x)'.
- Now if m(x) = m(y) exactly and r is not equal to 1, then you are using a model-II regression.
- If m(x) is not equal to m(y), then you are using a model-1 regression.
- Note that for either model, r^2 = m(y) / m(x). This is known as the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. It is a measure of the linearity of the data, not the fit of the line to the data.
- To quickly calculate the model-II geometric mean regression slope, m(gm), first determine the model-I regression slope, m(y), and the correlation coefficient, r. The geometric mean slope is then calculated as: m(gm) = m(y) / r. Or, you can use the MATLAB® script file lsqfitgm.
- Also note that for datasets where r = 1, m(y) = m(x) = m(gm). In those cases, this test will not tell you which method you are using.
Questions? Comments? Please contact Edward Peltzer. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30823000 |
Natural Areas Registry
Natural Areas Registry
The Mississippi Natural Areas Registry is founded on our state's strong belief in the rights of private property owners and our pride in Mississippi's rich natural heritage. It is designed to honor and recognize the owners of outstanding natural areas for the commitment to preservation of our state's most unique remaining habitats. Since more than two thirds of Mississippi is in private ownership, our citizens hold the keys to the future health of these habitats. Remnants of prairies, longleaf pine savannahs, pitcher plant bogs, woodland ravines, streamside forests of mixed beech and magnolias are just a few of the special habitats that need to survive into the next century and longer so that our generation won't be the last to know these special places.
The registry simply encourages the voluntary preservation of
important natural lands in private ownership. It works by asking
landowners to make non-binding agreements with the Museum of
Natural Science that they will manage the land to protect what is
special about it. The landowner can cancel the agreement at any
time with notice to the Registry Program.
If the landowner wants to go farther than registry and give a binding conservation agreement, such as a tax deductible conservation easement, or a negotiated dedication to public use with ad valorem tax relief, the staff of the Natural Heritage Program can guide this process.
How Does the Mississippi Natural Areas Registry Work?
Who Operates the Registry?
The Natural Areas Registry was created by the Legislature in 1976 as part of the Mississippi Natural Heritage Program. Ours was one of the first three nationally, and was started as a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the Mississippi Park Commission (now the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks or MDWF&P). Natural heritage programs now exist in all 50 states. Our mission is to maintain an inventory of the natural communities of plants, animals, and fishes in the state, including endangered species, geological features and fossil records. Employing both printed and electronic records, it acts as a repository for Mississippi's natural history. The Heritage Program now is housed in the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science which is part of MDWF&P.
How does an area qualify for the Registry?
To qualify as a Mississippi natural area eligible for registration, a property must contain one or more of these characteristics:
- habitat for rare, threatened, or endangered plants or animals.
- plant communities characteristic of the native vegetation of Mississippi.
- outstanding natural features such as old-growth forests, caves or wetlands.
How does inclusion on the Registry protect a natural area?
Registration effectively encourages conservation of important natural lands in private or public ownership. By informing landowners of the uniqueness of particular sites, registration reduces the chance that significant natural values may be inadvertently destroyed. The same recognition will discourage others, such as government agencies and utilities from disturbing the area.
What say does the landowner have in the registration process?
The registration of a natural area is totally up to the landowner. It is a voluntary decision, and will not occur without his or her approval.
What recognition does a property owner receive for including his or her land in the Registry?
In honor of the commitment to protect the land, the owner receives a framed certificate of appreciation from the director of the Museum bearing the landowners name and the name of the area, and a subscription to Natural Newsline, the Museum's quarterly newsletter With approval from the landowner, his or her participation in the Heritage Program can be publicized in the newsletter or in Mississippi Outdoors. The directions to the area are not published.
What commitment does the owner make with a registry agreement?
- preserve and protect the area to the best of the landowner's ability.
- Notify the Museum of Natural Science Natural Heritage Program of any threats to the area such as pollution, rights of way, changes in drainage.
- Allow the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife Fisheries and Parks a first option to purchase the natural area so that if the landowner should ever decide to sell it, a purchase offer can be made if funds are available.
Is the registry commitment binding on the owner of a registered natural area?
No. The commitment is non-binding and may be cancelled by the landowner at any time, with a 30-day written notice to the Natural Heritage Program. If the landowner fails to protect an area, with the result of destruction or degradation of the important natural features meant to be protected, the area will be removed from the registry and the landowner will receive written notification. There are no penalties for removal of an area from the registry.
Does the registration of a site permit public access to private property?
No. Registration of a natural area provides no rights of public access to private property. As with any private land, visitors must receive permission from the landowner before entering the property.
Is management assistance available to the owner of a registered area?
Yes. An owner of a registered area may receive management advice from the staff of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science or from the Nature Conservancy.
What are the other options for
protection of natural areas?
There are two binding options by which a landowner can preserve natural areas found on his or her land.
1. The gift of a conservation easement is a binding legal agreement that a natural area will be spared from development in perpetuity. These are filed in the courthouse records, and will bind future purchasers or those who inherit the land. Easements are said to "run with the land." Easements are sometimes called deed restrictions, rights of way, or servitudes and are rights less than full ownership that a landowner can sell or donate. The landowner still pays property taxes on lands on which a conservation easement has been granted. The services of an attorney, and a land appraiser are needed to negotiate a conservation easement.
Income Tax Features
A donated conservation easement, know as a qualified conservation contribution, is a special kind of donation that works as an itemized deduction applied to individual or corporate income tax. Section 170 (h) of the Internal Revenue Service Code contains all the requirements for these specialized tax deductions. They must meet the "conservation purposes test", must be perpetual, and must go to a qualified holder or charity. The Nature Conservancy, a Mississippi land trust, and various state agencies all qualify as holders. A deduction of up to 30% of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is allowed. This deduction may be spread over a period of six years.
Estate Tax Features
A conservation easement under 170 (h) can also be used as an estate tax reduction and is one tool that a landowner can use in estate planning to lighten the inheritance tax load on his or her heirs. This gift can occur during the lifetime of the landowner or it can be made shortly after death by the administrator of the landowner's estate.
2. Dedication of a natural area to the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
This is a dedication to public use of some or all of the property ownership interest and exempts a landowner from paying ad valoremtaxes (county property taxes) on the part of his or her estate granted away. The assessment of taxes is reduced by the amount of the value of the interest in the property which is conveyed to the Commission. The landowner and the Commission together negotiate the portion of the landowner's rights to be transferred to the Commission for the people of Mississippi. The transfer can be a sale, or a donation and can be made during the landowner's lifetime or in a will as a devise or bequest.
This option for land preservation is best understood as comparable to the dedication of a public park by a private landowner. Except for the dedication of Clark Creek Natural Area in Wilkinson County, which was a sale, the Natural Heritage Program has not arranged one of these dedications by donation in its 26 year history. It is likely that a conservation easement could accomplish similar preservation goals as a dedication, but the tax relief features are different. For the right landowner, a dedication may be an attractive option.
If your interested in participating in the Mississippi Natural Areas Registry Program please contact the Natural Heritage Program staff at the address listed below.
Mississippi Natural Heritage Program
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
Miss. Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks
2148 Riverside Drive
Jackson, Mississippi 39202-1353
Phone (601) 576-6000 | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30829000 |
Bright Light at Night Could Up Depression Risk, Mouse Study Suggests
Latest Depression News
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- A new study suggests that when the sun goes down, you might end up happier and better able to learn new things if you turn down all the lights -- even your computer screen.
Unfortunately, the research was done just with mice. But because they share the same set of special light-activated cells in their eyes that humans have -- known as ipRGCs -- it may be that the comparisons could apply to people.
Those cells, called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, are stimulated by bright light, which affects the brain's mood, memory and learning centers, the researchers said.
"Expose yourself to bright light in the day and avoid it at night," suggested study co-author Samer Hattar, an associate professor of biology and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore. "That will keep the ipRGCs that affect mood from being activated."
The research was published online in the Nov. 14 in the journal Nature.
Hattar said the research team was initially interested in whether seasonal affective disorder (SAD) -- a form of depression people sometimes experience in the lower-light winter months -- applied to mice. They exposed mice to an alternating cycle of 3.5 hours of light and then 3.5 hours of darkness. The mice got depressed.
How do you know that a mouse is sad? They take less interest in sugar and move less in the cage, and they have trouble learning and remembering, Hattar explained. When the mice were given Prozac (fluoxetine), a commonly prescribed antidepressant, their symptoms went away.
To understand the role of the retina's neurological circuits in affecting mood, memory and learning, the researchers studied animals that didn't have the specialized ipRGC cells.
Without them, the irregular light schedule did not impair mood and cognitive (thinking) function, even though their vision and general light detection ability remained intact. This showed that light affects learning and mood directly through these special photosensitive retinal cells, Hattar said.
The researchers created light-exposure patterns for the mice that allowed the scientists to rule out the possibility that circadian rhythm and sleep disruption were responsible for the changes in mood and learning ability they observed.
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
One expert questioned whether the mice's normal circadian rhythm was indeed maintained. "Perhaps even though the overall sleep timing pattern remained intact, the quality of their sleep deteriorated," suggested Tony Tang, an adjunct professor in the department of psychology at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Ill.
Tang also found an important difference between how humans are exposed to light at night in modern life and how the reaction of mice to light was tested during the research.
"In the current study, the poor mice ended up having bright lights shining on them while they slept; but for humans in the past century, we've stayed up while we kept lights on, and then turned the lights off when we sleep," he said.
Scientists note that research with animals often fails to provide similar results in humans.
Study co-author Hattar said the study should be replicated in human subjects. "But even if it comes out not as clear as it did in mice, I think there will be some benefit for people to turn down their lights at night. I don't think there is any harm in it."
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SOURCES: Samer Hattar, Ph.D., associate professor, biology and neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; Tony Tang, Ph.D., adjunct professor, department of psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.; Nov. 14, 2012, Nature online
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Definition of Tuber
Tuber: A lump or bump. For example, the backward protrusion of the heel is called the tuber calcanei or, alternatively, the tuberosity of the calcaneus. Small tubers are a characteristic finding in tuberculosis, and tubers in the brain are seen in tuberous sclerosis.
Last Editorial Review: 3/19/2012
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Definition of Torticollis, congenital
Torticollis, congenital: A deformity of the neck that is present at birth. Congenital torticollis is due to shortening of the neck muscles. Congenital torticollis tilts the head to the side on which the neck muscles are shortened, so that the chin points to the other side. The shortened neck muscles are principally supplied by the spinal accessory nerve. Also known as wryneck.
Last Editorial Review: 3/19/2012
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Exquisite workmanship and lavish use of precious materials distinguish this sword as a princely weapon and exemplifies the opulence and refinement of Ottoman luxury arts. Almost identical to a yatagan (now in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul) made in 1526–27 by the court jeweler Ahmed Tekel, for the Ottoman sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520–66), this sword was undoubtedly made in the same imperial workshop. The gold incrustation on the blade depicts a combat between a dragon and a phoenix against a background of foliate scrolls. These figures, like the gold-inlaid cloud bands and foliate scrolls on the ivory grips, are Chinese in inspiration, and were probably introduced into Ottoman art through contacts with Persia. This sword is one of the earliest known yatagans, distinctly Turkish weapons characterized by a double-curved blade and a hilt without a guard. Yatagans were commonplace in Turkey and the Balkans in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and served as sidearms for the elite troops known as janissaries. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30841000 |
What is achiote? In english Achiote means Annato. It comes from a tropical tree that is native to the Americas and is used for industrial and culinary purposes. The name Achiote derives from the Nahuatl word for the shrub, achiotl. The Annato plant has pink flowers and ovular leafs, the seeds or fruit is a capsule covered in short, red prickly, stiff hairs or spines. The Achiote Fruit Capsuls are brown and reddish at maturity and heart shaped. The pods or capsules will split open in half when mature, revealing 50 seeds covered in red pulp.
The fruit from the Annato tree are not edible, the red orange reddish pericarp or pulp that covers the triangular-shaped seeds is used for its dying properties and to give flavor to dishes. The seeds range in colors from Yellow to orange and red to black. The yellow and orange seeds are commonly used as a dye for cheeses and other dairy products. The red seed is used to add flavor to Mexican, caribbean and Latin American Dishes most commonly used in the caribbean, and the Oaxacan, and Yucatecan regions of Mexico. The Achiote originates from Merida, Yucatan and the Annato seed was first introduced to the Americas by the indigenous people of the Maya and Aztec tribes. It was used as body paint; specifically for Lipstick giving the Annato tree the name of "Lipstick Tree", food coloring, clothing dye and for writing scriptures.
Annato has a sweet and peppery taste and scent, and has been described to have an earthy, bitter flavor. Achiote works for your needs in either one of its varieties. Traditional recipes where achiote is used include the very famous Cochinita pibil (Mexican-slow roasted pork dish) for color and flavor, chicken in achiote and caldo de olla.To give a reddish color and flavor to any recipes like tamales, meat, fish or rice (arroz rojo) dishes, substitute vegetable oil with Achiote oil. Recado Rojo or Achiote paste is a thick, earthy flavored, deep-red seasoning that is slightly bitter, made with red Annato seeds mixed with other spices and ground into a brick shaped paste. It's preferred in the Yucatan and Oaxacan cuisine because for its distinctive flavor and coloring. Achiote is a signature ingredient in every Mexican kitchen. You can either rub the Achiote paste directly on the meat, pork, fish, shrimp or seafood to which it gives a deep-red color and flavor. These can also be marinated with a sauce created with the paste by dissolving it with either orange juice, vinegar, lime juice or oil. Once the meat is marinated or the Achiote paste is rubbed on it, you can bake, broil, grill or barbecue. The Achiote paste may also be added to a corn base for red tamales or empanadas to give them color and a spicy flavor. When using Achiote in the kitchen make sure to wear an apron, because the dye properties in the Annato are very strong and therefore can stain your clothes.
Achiote is used in a variety of ways for example Achiote paste, achiote powder, achiote oil, and achiotina. Achiote is sold as crushed seeds, whole seeds and/or brick version of the paste. Examples of brands that sell Achiote (Anatto) paste are: El Mexicano, Achiote Chef, La Perla del Mayab, El Yucateco. For Achiote in its powder version, Bijol is a great brand. Achiote (Anatto) is the main ingredient in Goya's popular spice blend "Sazon." You can find Achiote in grocery stores and online wherever Mexican, Middle Eastern and Latin American products are sold. MexGrocer.com offers you all of these Achiote brands for you to choose from to prepare all your favorite dishes.
In Mexico and Latin America Anatto is commonly known as Achiote or Achote as it is pronounced, although in the Philippines it is known as Atsuwete or Acheute. Other names for the seed include Annatto, Anatta, and Annato. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30842000 |
Interactive Java Tutorials
Refractive Index Determination
Oblique illumination is sometimes utilized as an alternative to the Becke line test to determine whether the refractive index of a specimen is higher or lower than that of the surrounding medium. This interactive tutorial explores how variations in the refractive index of a specimen and its surrounding medium alter visibility in the microscope when utilizing oblique illumination techniques.
The tutorial initializes with a specimen having a refractive index of 1.15 positioned in a surrounding medium of refractive index 1.33 (representing water or lightly buffered aqueous saline solution), and being illuminated with off-axis light rays originating from the lower left-hand side of the tutorial window. In order to operate the tutorial, translate the Specimen (refractive index value) slider between values of 1.0 and 1.5. As the slider is moved from right to left, the specimen appearance is altered in the Eyepiece View window. To change the refractive index of the surrounding medium, move the Surround (refractive index value) slider to the right or left (this slider also has a range of refractive indices between 1.0 and 1.5). Translating the Surround slider will also affect specimen appearance and visibility, as discussed below. The two sliders are interactive and positioning of one slider will affect the range of motion of the other.
In situations where the specimen is mounted in a medium of lower refractive index, shading that results from the anaxial illumination will appear on the side opposite to that from which the light enters the specimen, and vice versa, as illustrated in Figure 1. For both diagrams presented in Figure 1, two equal sized oblique light rays are depicted entering the specimen through the surrounding medium at the same angle of incidence. At point A on the left-hand diagram, the light is spread over a larger area of the specimen than at point B, so that the area near point A on the specimen appears darker than the area near point B. Under these conditions, one side of the specimen will appear shaded or somewhat darker than the other side when viewed through the microscope eyepieces (represented by points A' and B' in the upper left portion of Figure 1). This is the case when the specimen refractive index is higher than that of the surrounding medium.
The opposite effect occurs when the specimen has a lower refractive index than that of the surrounding medium (see the right-hand side of Figure 1). In this case, the shaded or darker side of the specimen will be on the side that is nearest to the oblique light sector stop. When the specimen and the surrounding medium have identical refractive indices, then the specimen will be transparent (or invisible) and will have no refractive effects on the oblique illumination.
The sensitivity of this refractive index determination technique is highly dependent on the condenser focal length, the iris diaphragm position, and the geometry of sector stops (if employed). In general, the best results are obtained when the condenser is carefully focused and an even field of illumination is achieved.
Matthew J. Parry-Hill and Michael W. Davidson - National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, 1800 East Paul Dirac Dr., The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32310.
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The entire physical universe is made up of pure energy and vibration. When you have the insight to see everything as vibration, the nature of the universe is revealed to you.
Light is vibration. The entire electromagnetic wave spectrum of visible light produces different colors. Colors are simply waves vibrating at different frequencies. On one end of the spectrum you have red, on the other end you have violet. Red has the longest wavelength and the lowest frequency, violet has the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency.
There are two kinds of electrical lighting that you can find when you visit an electronic store. Warm light and cool light. Warm light contains a greater mixture of lower frequency color waves such as yellow and orange. Cool light contains a greater mixture of higher frequency color waves such as green and blue.
Light is crucial in its environmental effect upon work, play, rest and other life activities. It controls stimulation, relaxation and energy level .
Since warm light is more relaxing than cool light, you might decide to use it for the ambience it creates. Have you ever used only warm lights in a room and thought that you could make the place more relaxing or stimulating simply by increasing or decreasing the light intensity?
But it doesn’t work that way. Increasing the light intensity of warm light does not make it a lot more stimulating. Higher energy levels require higher rate of vibration. It is not the magnitude but the frequency of the vibration that determines it’s energy level. Is it any wonder that blue flame is hotter than yellow flame?
Health is vibration. Cold, damp and dark places with lack of airflow are breeding grounds for bacteria, whereas sunny places with abundance of airflow eliminate unhealthy micro organisms. The second type of environment is healthier than the first because it is high vibration while the other is low vibration. Although sunlight is biologically beneficial, too much of it causes heatstroke. The energy turns from being constructive to destructive. The key here is balance. Too much of something beyond the rightful amount causes instability.
This is what all sickness and disease does. It seeks to weaken or destabilize vibration. The more vibrant and stable a person is, the more alive and constructive he/she are. The more lackluster and unstable he/she is, the less alive and/or the more (self)destructive.
Ever wonder why you have always been told to drink warm water and not to drink cold one when you were sick? When the body is sick, there are things within that are clogging up the system and slowing down some functions. The body needs energy to move the sickness out of the body or to destroy it. That is why your doctor advices you to drink plenty of water.
It is the medium that your blood cells use to mobilize their work. More water and oxygen gives your body the much needed resources it needs in getting rid of the sickness. Your impulse of coughing out phlegm and blowing out mucus is your bodies act of expelling the bad stuff from your body, which means you are on the road to recovery. Warm water is high vibration whereas cold water is low vibration. Cold water removes the precious energy needed for recovery, whereas warm water supplies it. One supports your recovery rate while the other sabotages it.
Sound is vibration. Bassy music is low vibration and energetic music is high vibration. We enjoy listening to different types of music because we like to experience different ranges of emotion. The variety of feelings in life makes it fun and meaningful. High energy dance music appeal to younger people because they are highly energetic and expressive. Slower and emotional entrancing music is what we desire to hear when we want to be moved in a deep and sensual way. We want time to slow down and come to a standstill the experience to be like an eternal moment.
Chemical is vibration. Alcohol and earl grey tea are opposite in terms of vibration. Although stress and anxiety is a form of high vibration, it is undesirable because the vibration is incoherent and disorderly. Alcohol lowers vibration. That’s why people drink to relax and distress. But drinking consumes more than the natural amount of alcohol that the body is supposed to take. Therefore it causes instability as well. Drivers who drink have impaired judgment and reaction rate are more susceptible to accidents. People who are above the need of alcohol to relax have chosen more intelligent means of doing so. Earl grey tea acts as a stimulant that counters the effects of alcohol to a certain extent to “sober” you up.
The vibration of our “bodies” at every level, physical and non-physical, has a profound influence on our ability to attract positive experiences. The higher your vibration, the more of a “magnet” you become as a result of the thoughts you hold in your mind. By holding only thoughts of the “things” you wish to manifest into your experience, and keeping your vibrations high in the ways we discussed previously, you will find your wishes will manifest much more quickly.
When you learn to see everything as vibration different in terms of rate and stability, you will understand what you need in order to obtain the desired effect in any situation. It is all about balancing vibrations. There are lots more aspects of physical reality than those mentioned here where this principle is applied to.
Once you are aware of this principle and always think in terms of vibration, you can understand practically everything that happens in the physical world. This is one of the governing dynamics that allows you to make sense of everything.
Having this awareness is like seeing the world in code, like the Matrix.
- Persistence of Will Manifests What You Desire
- Affecting Probable Outcomes with Your Mind
- Casting Magic Spells and Intention Manifestation
- Shared Reality - Cooperative Mental Creation
- Actively Defend Your Beliefs Against Conflict
- Mentally Uniting with Your Desire by Giving Thanks for It
- Speaking Your Intention Gives it More Power
- Letting Extremes Guide You to Balance of Mind
- Purchasing the Best Things in Life for Yourself
- Everything is Formed by Vibration and Geometry | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30850000 |
The bar coding of finished products is an effective and widespread tool for managing inventory and distribution, expediting work-in-process and simplifying warranty fulfillment.
What has not been practical is the tracing and tracking of individual parts that are internal to finished goods. These are the critical components that determine, after all, whether products perform or fail.
There are several reasons why individual parts have not been marked until recently. Key among them has been the limitation inherent in traditional marking, specifically the inability to withstand common manufacturing processes such as heat treating, mechanical abrasion and chemical baths. But this didn't mean there was not a need for this technology.
Roger Schellhorn, quality coordinator at John Deere (Waterloo, Iowa), was looking for a system that would code individual internal parts. "Our first priority was to achieve individual parts traceability throughout the production line," he explains. "We wanted to put a pedigree on parts, and assign quality data to individual items. We've always been able to correlate quality data with a particular group of parts, but before recently, there had been no way to marry quality data with individual parts."
The company considered numerous systems for achieving individual part traceability, including optical character recognition (OCR). "Our biggest objection," says Mr. Schellhorn, "was the miles—literally miles—of wiring that would have been required. It looked to us like an upkeep nightmare."
Then he found a new marking technology referred to as Bumpy Barcoding (BBC) by its supplier, Mecco Marking Systems, (Ingomar, Pennsylvania). BBC indents a high-integrity 3D mark into metal, plastic and composite materials.
Indented BBC marks are expressed by highs and lows in surface height, rather than variations in black and white. Indented BBC readers use differences in height, rather than contrast, to distinguish the bars and spaces of the code being read. This allows Bumpy Bar Codes to be read where no contrast is available, (for example, when a part is exiting a heat treating cycle and the surface is dark.)
The mark, which is permanent, can be made through indent marking, die stamping, or roll marking on virtually any material of less than Rockwell 45C. Materials do not have to be perfectly flat or smoothmachined; in fact, only highly reflective materials (such as polished stainless steel) are problematic. Marks can also be incorporated easily with most casting, forging or injection molding processes. In all cases, the mark becomes a design feature of the part. BBC marking withstands annealing, heat treating, and abrasive treatments, and is scannable after many coating processes as well. The service life of the mark equals that of the part itself.
John Deere introduced Bumpy Barcoding technology at its Waterloo Engine Works. The company's first application for Mecco's Bumpy Bar Code technology was connecting rods. Each connecting rod is split into two pieces during machining and must be reformed as a matched set. The system allows absolute verification that each rod and rod cap are a matched set.
"Now, if we would develop a problem with connecting rods, we could instantly identify the shift when it was produced, the individual machine involved, the specific quality measurement data generated, and the operator who was on duty," says Mr. Schellhorn. "We can respond quickly and appropriately to any problem, but more importantly, we can respond proactively as well.
The Mecco system purchased by John Deere includes a Mecco SP202 computer controlled marking system and fixed base reader. To accommodate Deere's requirement for a very fast cycle time, the system was engineered with three stations: two marking heads, and one fixed scanner, which was manufactured by Sensis Corp. The first station provides human-readable marking, the second indents the BBC marking; the third station scans and verifies the integrity of the marks. Fixturing, which was designed jointly by Mr. Schellhorn and Mecco engineering vice president Jim Speicher, includes automated parts handling.
The BBC is created by a chisel stylus that strikes the material surface and creates a bar about 1/8 inch in length. The reader is unique in that it reads both Bumpy Bar Codes and traditional black and white printed bar codes, an advantage for users of both technologies. The reader is also distinctive in its use of a proprietary error detection algorithm, which makes misreading a virtual mathematical impossibility.
BBC readers integrate readily with PCs, PLCs, robots and other factory data equipment. They also plug into portable data terminals, which transfer data into a computer by saving it in memory for subsequent downloading, or by transmission via RF link to a base station. In the assembly operation, the connecting rod number is directly linked to an engine serial number. This provides traceability from the machining data to the end customer.
Mr. Schellhorn's goal is to implement BBC parts traceability on key parts, facilitywide, by the end of 2000.blog comments powered by Disqus | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30858000 |
Mom's depressions alters baby's language learning skills
SRI treatment seems to accelerate a baby's attention to their own language, while unmedicated depression seems to delay that attention.
Tue, Oct 09 2012 at 9:40 AM
Photo: Getty Images
A mother's depression can extend the sensitive period in which babies learn their native tongue, while treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (antidepressants) for moms or moms-to-be seems to accelerate the process, new research finds.
However, scientists aren't yet sure how either result influences babies' ultimate language development.
"The findings highlight the importance of environmental factors on infant development and put us in a better position to support not only optimal language development in children but also maternal well-being," study researcher Janet Werker, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia, said in a statement. Werker and her colleagues encouraged moms and moms-to-be with depression to seek treatment.
"It is really important that pregnant women discuss all treatment options with their physicians or midwives," study researcher Tim Oberlander, a professor of developmental pediatrics at the University of British Columbia, said in a statement.
Babies acquire language (and other life skills) in a series of sensitive periods. Infants are born able to discriminate sounds from any language, but already preferentially process the noises of their native tongue, the result of hearing it while in utero. By about 10 months, however, the ability to discern sounds not present in the child's native tongue begins to vanish. This sensitive period helps explain why people raised bilingual from an early age can sound like a native speaker in both languages, while people who learn a foreign language later will always struggle to lose their accents. [9 Incredibly Brainy Baby Abilities]
Certain medications can influence brain development and plasticity, the ability of the brain to adapt and rewire. According to Werker and her colleagues, between 15 percent and 20 percent of women experience depression during pregnancy, and as many as 13 percent of pregnant women are treated for depression with SRIs, or serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), a mood-stabilizing medication.
To find out if depression or its treatment influence language development, the researchers tested babies on their ability to tell languages apart. They recruited 85 6-month-old babies, 21 of whom had moms with depression and 32 of whom had moms with depression who had been treated during pregnancy with SRIs.
At 6 months and 10 months, the babies heard recordings of the English syllable "da" and the Hindi syllable "da." To a native English speaker, these sounds are virtually indistinguishable, but they are subtly different: Hindi speakers make their "da" sound by touching the tongue to their top teeth, while English speakers make their "da" by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth behind the teeth.
In a second experiment, the same babies watched silent videos of people speaking either English or French. Normally, babies can tell the languages apart by mouth movements only until about 8 months of age.
In both cases, researchers determined if babies could tell the difference between the languages by playing one and then switching to the other. They then measured if the babies looked longer at the new sound or not. If they did, the researchers knew they could tell the difference. If they didn't, it was because the new stimulus seemed the same as the old, and thus didn't attract the babies' attention. [Photos: How Babies Learn]
Depression and development
The results revealed that kids of healthy, non-medication-taking moms could generally tell the languages apart at 6 months of age, but lost the ability at 10 months of age, as expected. But babies of moms with depression responded differently. When moms had received SRI treatment, the babies displayed unusual maturity in their discrimination patterns: They failed to discriminate between different languages at 6 months old.
A second experiment that involved playing vowels and consonants for fetuses of 36 weeks gestation found that the early maturation began even then. In fetuses of moms taking SRIs, recognition of native consonants was advanced. (Researchers measured recognition by tracking each fetus's heart rate.)
Likewise, babies of depressed moms showed changes from the norm. These babies seemed to have a longer-than-usual sensitive period of language development. They could still differentiate between different languages at 10 months of age.
In other words, SRI treatment seems to accelerate a baby's attention to their own language, while unmedicated depression seems to delay that attention. Researchers don't yet know whether this effect has any real-world consequences for how babies learn to speak.
"These findings once again remind us that poor mental health during pregnancy is a major public health issue for mothers and their infants," Oberlander said. "Non-treatment is never an option. While some infants might be at risk, others may benefit from mother's treatment with an antidepressant during their pregnancy. At this stage we are just not sure why some but not all infants are affected in the same way."
Depression in pregnancy has also been linked to childhood asthma and aggression, highlighting the need for treatment.
The researchers plan further studies with other types of antidepressants. They report their results on Oct. 8 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
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You might have seen photographers framing photos with their hands before taking a snap. But with the new prototype shooter dubbed Ubi-Camera, you will be able to use your hands to frame the photo as well as shoot it at the same time. The miniature camera is currently under development at the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences.
According to the video, “When you draw a picture or take a photo, you sometimes form a rectangle with your hands to decide the composition. With this camera, you can take a photo using the exact same motion. You attach this device to your index finger, and form a rectangle with your finger like this (see above). You take the photo by using the rectangle as the viewfinder….When you push hard with your thumb, the shutter is pressed”.
The Ubi-Camera comes equipped with a range sensor, and it detects the distance between the camera and the photographer’s face, and determines the framing. “When you take a photo with your face close to the camera, you get a wide-angle shot….and if you move it further away, you can take a close up shot”. Its lens has a fixed focal length, and you will be able to zoom in on something on your PC.
Although you won’t get that great feeling of holding a real camera when you are using the Ubi-Camera (will also look a bit silly), there is no need for viewfinders and displays for the new system. So we are expecting it to arrive with a low price tag.
But the system is still in the development stage and needs much work to be done on it. “Here, the camera has a wired connection to a PC, but we’d like to make a stand-alone camera that can be freely used outside. Also, the range sensor currently uses infrared, so it sometimes doesn’t detect your face properly, or it can be affected by light from the surroundings. So we’d like to use the camera to measure the distance as well, through face recognition. That would enable the system to be used more precisely”. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30862000 |
Definitions of indifference
n. - The quality or state of being indifferent, or not making a difference; want of sufficient importance to constitute a difference; absence of weight; insignificance. 2
n. - Passableness; mediocrity. 2
n. - Impartiality; freedom from prejudice, prepossession, or bias. 2
n. - Absence of anxiety or interest in respect to what is presented to the mind; unconcernedness; as, entire indifference to all that occurs. 2
The word "indifference" uses 12 letters: C D E E E F F I I N N R.
No direct anagrams for indifference found in this word list.
Words formed by adding one letter before or after indifference (in bold), or to cdeeeffiinnr in any order:
s - indifferences
All words formed from indifference by changing one letter
Browse words starting with indifference by next letter | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30872000 |
Definition of kinetoscope
n. - A machine, for the production of animated pictures, in which a film carrying successive instantaneous views of a moving scene travels uniformly through the field of a magnifying glass. The observer sees each picture, momentarily, through a slit in a revolving disk, and these glimpses, blended by persistence of vision, give the impression of continuous motion. 2
The word "kinetoscope" uses 11 letters: C E E I K N O O P S T.
No direct anagrams for kinetoscope found in this word list.
Words formed by adding one letter before or after kinetoscope (in bold), or to ceeiknoopst in any order:
s - kinetoscopes
All words formed from kinetoscope by changing one letter
Browse words starting with kinetoscope by next letter | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30873000 |
Definition of stickleback
v. t. - Any one of numerous species of small fishes of the genus Gasterosteus and allied genera. The back is armed with two or more sharp spines. They inhabit both salt and brackish water, and construct curious nests. Called also sticklebag, sharpling, and prickleback. 2
The word "stickleback" uses 11 letters: A B C C E I K K L S T.
No direct anagrams for stickleback found in this word list.
Words formed by adding one letter before or after stickleback (in bold), or to abcceikklst in any order:
s - sticklebacks
All words formed from stickleback by changing one letter
Browse words starting with stickleback by next letter | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30876000 |
Radiosurgery, also called stereotactic radiosurgery, is a very precise form of therapeutic radiology. Even though it is called surgery, radiosurgery does not involve actual surgery. Rather, very focused beams of radiation (gamma rays, X-rays, or protons) are used to treat cancerous tissues without a surgical incision or opening.
Radiosurgery is called "surgery" because it is a one-session radiation therapy treatment that creates a similar result as an actual surgical procedure.
Radiosurgery works in the same manner as other types of therapeutic radiology: it distorts or destroys the DNA of tumor cells, causing them to be unable to reproduce and grow. The tumor will shrink in size over time. For blood vessel lesions such as an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), the blood vessels eventually close off after treatment.
There are three types of radiosurgery. Each type uses different equipment and radiation sources. Radiosurgery types include:
Click Image to Enlarge
- Cobalt60 systems (Gamma Knife). Cobalt60 systems use cobalt as a source for gamma rays. This type of system is commonly referred to as the Gamma Knife. The Gamma Knife is not really a knife at all. It uses beams of highly-focused gamma rays to treat small- to medium-size lesions, usually in the brain. Many beams of gamma radiation join to focus on the lesion under treatment, providing a very intense dose of radiation in a safe manner.
The Gamma Knife is used primarily to treat small and medium lesions in and around the brain, such as brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations (abnormal connections between arteries and veins), as well as functional problems such as trigeminal neuralgia.
During Gamma Knife treatment, the equipment remains stationary (does not move).
Gamma Knife treatment generally involves these steps:
- Head frame placement. In order to keep the head from moving during treatment, a box-shaped frame is attached to the head. Pins designed specifically for this purpose fasten the head frame to the skull. The head frame also is a guide to focus the gamma ray beams to the exact location of the lesion being treated.
- Tumor location imaging. Once the head frame is in place, the exact location of the lesion to be treated will be determined using computed tomography (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Radiation dose planning. After the CT or MRI scan has been completed, the radiation therapy team will determine the treatment plan. The results of the imaging scan, along with other information, will be used by a medical physicist to determine the best treatment.
- Radiation treatment. After being positioned for the treatment, a type of helmet with many hundreds of holes in it is placed over the head frame. These holes help to focus the radiation beams on the target. Treatment will last a few minutes up to a few hours, depending on the type and location of the area being treated. Generally, only one treatment session is required for a lesion.
- Linear accelerator (LINAC) systems. Linear accelerator (LINAC) systems use high-energy X-rays to treat large tumors or other lesions outside of the brain. Some common types of LINAC systems include CyberKnife, X-Knife, Novalis, and Peacock.
In addition to not using radioactive material to produce the radiation, LINAC systems also differ from the Gamma Knife in that the machinery moves around the patient during treatment. For this reason, LINAC systems are able to treat larger tumors and larger affected areas than the Gamma Knife. Areas other than the brain can be treated with a LINAC system.
Linear accelerator systems may also be used for external beam radiation therapy.
Treatment steps with a LINAC system are generally the same or similar to the treatment steps used for the Gamma Knife.
- Proton beam therapy. Proton beam therapy is a type of particle beam radiation therapy. Rather than using rays of radiation, such as gamma rays or X-rays, particle beam therapy uses particles such as protons or neutrons. Proton beam therapy is the most widely-used type of particle beam therapy.
Proton beam therapy is useful in treating tumors or lesions that are small and/or have an irregular shape. The radiation dose can be more closely controlled with these systems, because the proton beam can be controlled to allow it to deposit its energy almost completely in the tumor or lesion being treated. Other forms of radiation lose energy as they enter body tissues on their way to the tissue under treatment.
Because the depth of the proton beam can be controlled so precisely, less damage occurs to normal tissues surrounding the area under treatment.
Proton beam therapy may be used for radiosurgery procedures or for fractionated radiotherapy (several smaller doses of radiation over a certain period of time).
There are only a few facilities in North America that provide proton beam therapy.
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Online Resources of Radiology | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30885000 |
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Status of Occurrence: Confirmed Occurrence - 1st UK recording
Distribution: Locally Abundant
Chemical Composition: Manganese silicate
Chemical Formula: Mn2SiO4
Method(s) of Verification: Benallt Mine - XRD (NHM, x2979, x3017, x3019, x3020, x3021, x13061 & x19405 & National Museum of Wales, NMW X-1487, 1497 & 1498); Nant Mine - XRD (National Museum of Wales, NMW X-1528, 1604, 1607, 1612 & 1615)
- Metamorphic: low-grade
- Metamorphic: skarn mineralization
Brown tephroite associated with metallic grey jacobsite. Nant Mine, Rhiw, Ll?n, Gwynedd. Specimen 8.8 cm long. National Museum of Wales specimen. Photo T.F. Cotterell, © National Museum of Wales.
Introduction: tephroite belongs to the broad olivine group of minerals and forms a series with the iron-rich olivine fayalite (Fe2SiO4). It is a typical mineral of iron-manganese ore deposits or their associated skarns, and in metamorphic rocks derived from manganese-rich sediments (Deer at al., 1982). It is associated with minerals such as rhodonite, bustamite, manganocalcite, hausmannite and spessartine.
Occurrence in Wales: tephroite is known from just one locality in Wales, although this represents the first recording of the mineral in the British Isles (Campbell Smith et al., 1944b).
- Benallt Mine, Llŷn, Gwynedd: tephroite was identified from Benallt Mine where it is intimately associated with alleghanyite, and forms composite, dark, narrow, blade-like crystals up to 20 mm in length and varying in thickness from 2 mm down to microscopic sizes (Campbell Smith et al., 1944b). The crystals are olive-green in thin section and are elongated parallel to the c-axis. Tephroite was found ‘on the footwall side of no.1 ore-body by no. 1 Chute, 50-60 feet west of the main shaft, and some 10-29 feet above the 130-foot level’ (Campbell Smith et al., 1944b). A second locality within the mine was also recorded by these workers, ‘near the foot-wall of no.2 ore-body, located 40 to 80 feet west of the Court Shaft’.
- Nant Mine, Nant-y-Gadwen, Rhiw, Llŷn, Gwynedd: tephroite is also a major component of massive siliceous manganese ore from the geologically similar Nant Mine (Cotterell, 2006). Typical examples are olive-green to chocolate-brown in colour and associated with jacobsite.
- Campbell Smith, W., Bannister, F.A. & Hey, M.H., 1944b. Banalsite, a new barium-feldspar from Wales. Mineralogical Magazine 27, 33-47
- Cotterell, T.F., 2006. Caryopilite and pyroxmangite from Nant Mine, Nant-y-Gadwen, Llanfaelrhys, Pen Llyn, Gwynedd, Wales UK Journal of Mines and Minerals, 27, 51-53.
- Deer, W.A., Howie, R.A. & Zussman, J., 1986. Rock-Forming Minerals, Vol. 1A, Orthosilicates, 2nd Ed. Longman Group Ltd, 918pp. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30887000 |
How do you picture climate change? Aside from the warming part, another problem lies in the future: rising sea levels, which means a higher risk of damaging floods in coastal communities.
According to Climate Central’s recent Surging Seas report, sea levels are rising fast. Since 1880, they have increased by about eight inches, and by 2030 they’re expected to increase as much as eight more inches.
Some people are already planning ahead for disaster. The president of Kiribati, a country in the South Pacific Islands, is planning to buy land in Fiji for the purpose of relocating the island’s entire population. This seems like a worst-case scenario, but it’s based on fact—flooding means displacement. Kiribati sits about two meters above sea level, and some of its flat coral reefs have already disappeared. The study estimates that 700 million people may become climate refugees by 2050. The countries most likely to be affected are Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and India, all with substantial low-lying coastal areas.
The threat of rising seas goes along with the recent findings of a panel of climate scientists, who confirmed that extreme weather disasters are imminent. In particular, parts of Mumbai in India could become uninhabitable due to floods and storms. The people most vulnerable to rising seas and extreme weather live in less developed regions of the world.
Here in the U.S., we won’t be spared. The report found that about five million people in the U.S. live in low-lying areas that are likely to be affected by 2050. Even land that sits four feet above high tide line will be vulnerable as sea levels rise. And more than people are threatened. Buildings, hospitals, military bases, agricultural lands, toxic waste dumps, and even some nuclear power plants sit in these areas that are at risk.
Florida tops the list of vulnerable states. It has the greatest population living less than four feet above high tide. Florida has already felt the effects of rising sea levels. Increased flooding has occurred in the southern tip of the state, especially the Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Freshwater aquifers serving southeastern Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties) and the Florida Keys have been contaminated by salt water.
Climate Central has compiled a list of action plans and resources that states and organizations have developed. Some suggestions for how we can adapt to rising sea levels include engineered solutions, like seawalls, levees, and dikes, for the “impossible” places that need it most. High-risk states such as California and New Jersey have created resources of their own. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30908000 |
A tree-killing invasive insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), was found for the first time in Indiana on a landscape tree in LaPorte County in mid-April.
Since its introduction to the Eastern United States in the mid-1920s, the HWA has infested about half the native range of Eastern hemlock. In certain areas of the Great Smoky Mountains, as many as 80 percent of the hemlocks have died due to infestation.
The finding of the tiny aphid-like insect, which destroys native hemlocks by feeding on the tree sap at the base of the needles, was confirmed by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The insect was identified on a single hemlock as a result of a homeowner’s report. The infested tree may have originated from a landscape planting in Michigan and been brought into Indiana about five years ago. Preliminary searches have revealed no other infested trees in the area, but an extensive survey is underway.
“Fortunately, this find occurred outside of the native range of hemlock trees in Indiana, which greatly increases our chances of preventing spread to them,” said Phil Marshall, state entomologist for the DNR.
In Indiana, forests containing hemlocks are scattered throughout the west central and southern half of the state. Evergreen hemlock trees dot the steep slopes along Big Walnut Creek in Putnam County, relics of an earlier, cooler climate. The Nature Conservancy and the DNR Division of Nature Preserves own and manage over 2,000 acres along this creek to protect the hemlock trees, as well as the rest of the forested land. “It’s hard to imagine losing this species from Indiana’s forests”, said Chad Bladow, Director of Southern Indiana Stewardship. “There are already few places in the state where visitors can see hemlocks, and HWA could eliminate all of them”. Other Indiana sites which are well-known for having eastern hemlock include Turkey Run State Park and Shades State Park in Parke County and Hemlock Cliffs in Hoosier National Forest in Crawford County. The Conservancy has acquired lands to help expand each of these sites.
HWA is easily spread by wind, movement on birds and mammals such as deer, but most rapidly as a hitchhiker on infested horticultural material. The best way to protect hemlocks in Indiana from HWA is to simply not buy or plant hemlocks.
“Purchasing plant materials from areas of known HWA infestation are very likely to provide the source of any potential infestation in Indiana,” said Tom Swinford, regional ecologist for the DNR, noting that not every tree is inspected to guarantee it is not infected. “We should do everything we can to protect our unique and beautiful eastern Hemlock trees in Indiana. A visit to the Smoky Mountains shows just how sad and devastating this scourge can be.”
"HWA will be very destructive if it reaches our native hemlocks, but the more people who become aware of the dangers of moving plant material and firewood over long distances, the better chance we have at protecting our forests,” Marshall said.
The Conservancy works to prevent invasive species from taking hold in Indiana. “Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to invasive species,” notes Ellen Jacquart, Director of Northern Indiana Stewardship and coordinator for Invasive species issues for the Conservancy in Indiana. “Don’t buy hemlock for landscaping – choose another native tree instead, and help make sure our native hemlock stands survive.”
Named for the cottony covering over its body, HWA somewhat resembles a cotton swab attached to the underside of young hemlock twigs. Within two years, its feeding causes graying and thinning of needles. Highly infested trees will stop putting on new growth, and major branches die, beginning in the lower part of the tree. Eventually the whole tree is killed.
If you suspect an HWA infestation, call the Indiana DNR Invasive Species Hotline at 1-866-NO-EXOTIC.
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30910000 |
DALLAS (NBC33)- Every hour, one American dies from skin cancer – the number one cancer in the U.S. To help people learn easy ways to combat the disease, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SunWise program has partnered with the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention to designate the Friday before Memorial Day (May 27) as “Don’t Fry Day.” EPA encourages Louisiana residents to learn about and practice sun-safe behaviors this Don’t Fry Day to reduce overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation – the main cause of skin cancer.
“This is the perfect time of year to remind people to protect themselves and their family members from too much sun by taking simple steps like putting on sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and a t-shirt,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz. "Teaching sun safety is crucial because nearly half of all new cancers diagnosed in the United States each year are skin cancers."
Each Memorial Day weekend, millions of Americans kick off the summer season and begin enjoying the great outdoors. Though skin cancer risks exist all year long, the dangers are even greater during the summer months, when the days are longer, and more people are outside for longer periods of time.
For “Don’t Fry Day,” EPA encourages Louisiana residents to practice the Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap safety tips, which include:
Slip on a shirt, preferably with sleeves;
Slop on SPF 15+ sunscreen generously;
Slap on a hat; and
Wrap on sunglasses.
SunWise also recommends that families seek shade during the sun’s peak hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Checking the UV Index to plan outdoor activities is also key for identifying times that pose the greatest risk for overexposure to the sun.
In the U.S., skin cancer affects more than two million people each year, outnumbering the cases of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. One in five Americans will develop the disease in their lifetime. Meanwhile, melanoma—the most serious form of skin cancer— is on the rise. It is the most common cancer among young adults ages 25 to 29.
For more on “Don’t Fry Day” and additional sun safety resources, including a sun safety packing list and new public service announcements created by kids in K-8, go to: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/dfd.html .
EPA’s SunWise program is a national environmental and health education program that teaches children and their caregivers how to be safe in the sun through the use of classroom, school and community-based components. To learn more about free SunWise resources, download the UV Index widget or smart phone application, or sign up to receive daily UV Index forecasts, visit www.epa.gov/sunwise .
More information on “Don’t Fry Day” and additional sun safety resources is available at http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/dfd.html
More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30912000 |
SAN FRANCISCO — A tsunami-producing fault in Lake Tahoe is overdue for another earthquake, scientists said here Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
The West Tahoe Fault is capable of producing a magnitude-7.3 earthquake and tsunamis up to 30 feet (10 meters) high in the clear blue lake, where million-dollar homes line the shore, researchers said.
Earthquakes strike every 3,000 to 4,000 years on the fault, and the most recent shaker was 4,500 years ago, indicating the fault is overdue for another earthquake, said Jillian Maloney, a graduate student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.
The West Tahoe fault defines the west shore of the lake, coming on shore at Baldwin Beach, passing through the southern third of Fallen Leaf Lake, and then descending into Christmas Valley near Echo Summit.
Science news from NBCNews.com
To trace the fault's history, Maloney and her colleagues examined data from a CHIRP seismic imaging system, which details underwater sediment layers at very high resolution. (CHIRP stands for compressed high intensity radar pulse.) The researchers correlated landslide deposits, which could be related to past earthquakes, throughout western Lake Tahoe and in small lakes immediately to the south with radiocarbon dates from the sediments.
The West Tahoe Fault has a complicated history, the analysis reveals. The fault appears to alternate between breaking all at once, in a 31-mile long (50 kilometer) fracture, and in smaller, shorter segments. The discovery has implications for the Tahoe's seismic hazard, because the size of an earthquake relates to the length of a fault rupture, Maloney said. The biggest earthquakes come from the longest fault fractures.
The correlations, while still at an early stage, indicate the last time the fault's entire length ruptured was 7,800 years ago, Maloney told OurAmazingPlanet. More recent quakes occurred on individual segments, she said.
Because the fault crosses the lake, scientists worry a future earthquake will cause a tsunami in Lake Tahoe. The monster waves could form in two ways: by the fault displacing ground under the lake, similar to Japan's Tohoku tsunami, or by causing landslides that displace the water. A combination of both could also create an even bigger wave.
Layers of sediment preserved in and around Lake Tahoe record evidence of past tsunamis, said Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory in Reno.
However, having smaller earthquakes on the West Tahoe Fault would be better for the ski town. "If it breaks up into multiple segments, it might not be as great a tsunami risk," Kent told OurAmazingPlanet.
The most recent earthquake in the Tahoe region was about 575 years ago, on the Incline Fault, which becomes active about every 10,000 to 15,000 years. Scientists estimate its earthquake size potential at magnitude 7.
At more than 1,645 feet (501 meters) deep, Lake Tahoe, which straddles the California and Nevada border in the seismically active Sierra Nevada region, is one of the world's deepest freshwater lakes.
- Waves of Destruction: History's Biggest Tsunamis
- WATCH LIVE: Latest News from the 2012 AGU Meeting
- What's the Most Earthquake-Prone State in the US?
© 2012 OurAmazingPlanet. All rights reserved. More from OurAmazingPlanet. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30915000 |
A few days before Thanksgiving in a small Virginia town called Poquoson, Frank Gornik, 14, was removing storm debris for his uncle’s company. The boy, a freshman in high school, fed branches into a wood chipper. He used a shovel to help force the branches and that shovel was grabbed by the machine and—in an instant—swallowed the boy and killed him.
Each year, 35-40 teens die similarly unimaginable deaths in workplace accidents—tractor rollovers, work-related car accidents, drownings in grain silos. Here at the National Consumers League, we try to monitor these deaths to prevent them from occurring. A decade ago, the number of working teens who died on the job was about double what it is today. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, federal and state departments of labor, nonprofit organizations and employers worked together to help bring the number of deaths down, but we must keep working to reduce that number even further.
Sadly, although it was a freak accident, Gornik’s death was preventable. The boy was much too young to work with such deadly equipment. Over the years, state and federal officials have realized that teens lack the judgment and experience to operate some hazardous machinery and require workers to be 18 to use them (although some exemptions are made for agriculture). Because of their ability to inflict massive and instantaneous damage, wood chippers are among the proscribed machines. Under the Bush administration, the U.S. Department of Labor refused to enact NIOSH-recommended changes to the “hazardous orders” regulations that would have improved teen worker safety protections. It is our understanding that under Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis’ leadership, the department is working to update those regulations and close some current exemptions that allow teens to perform dangerous work.
Although Gornik had his share of sadness— according to local newspaper reports, he lost both parents in a two-year stretch between 2005 and 2007—he was remembered by many fellow students for his ready smile and helpfulness. He was a very popular student who played sports and made the honor roll, and the Poquoson community continues to grieve his loss.
It’s hard to make any sense of an unspeakable tragedy like this, but the lessons learned from the accident that took Frank Gornik’s life might prevent similar deaths. Each year, NCL publishes a report—“The Five Worst Teen Jobs”—about dangerous job for teens, hoping that parents, employers, and young workers will carefully consider which jobs they take and what tasks they perform at work. It’s vital that employers learn state and federal child labor and safety laws, and it’s vital that young workers think about their own safety and know that they are able to say “no” to any job task that is dangerous or against the law. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30918000 |
Slavery Still A World Problem
September 8, 1999
Despite scant coverage from American journalists, slavery continues to plague the people of a number of countries. It occurs in many forms, including:
- Bonded child workers in India and Pakistan.
- Indentured servitude for children in Lesotho that differs little from outright slavery.
- Prostitution in Thailand.
- As a form of religious persecution of Christians and animists in southern Sudan.
Sudan is an especially blatant case, in which raiders from the Muslim north send raiding parties south to seize people who are later sold for $50 a piece. According to one report, they are worked harder, fed less and beaten more than were slaves in the American South.
A number of groups, notably Christian Solidarity International (CIS), have embarked on an effort to buy slaves in order to set them free. The Swiss-based organization has received donations from around the world, including from American churches and high school students. However, some have criticized the program, saying it only encourages more slave taking.
CIS has run into another problems, observers report. Because of their actions against Sudan, that government has complained to the United Nations. If Sudan's complaint is recognized, CÎS could lose its non-governmental organization status, thus its ability to speak at the U.N. Should the U.N. side with Sudan, one observer notes, it would permit a slave-taking country to stifle an organization that struggles for slave-freeing.
Source: A. M. Rosenthal, "When Is It News?" New York Times, September 3, 1999, and Todd Bensman, "Cries for Freedom," Dallas Morning News, May 27, 1999.
Browse more articles on International Issues | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30919000 |
Furches, David Moffatt
21 Apr. 1832–8 June 1908
David Moffatt Furches, lawyer, jurist, and chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, was born in Davie County, the son of Stephen Lewis Furches, a justice of the peace and farmer, and Polly Howell Furches of Rowan County. The Furches family was originally from Delaware. Young Furches attended the Union Academy in Davie County before studying law for two years under Richmond Pearson, the noted chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Admitted to the bar in 1857, Furches began his law practice as solicitor for Davie County in Mocksville, where he remained until 1866 when he moved to Statesville in Iredell County. When the Civil War broke out, Furches joined the Confederate Army for a short time, even though as a county solicitor, he was exempt from military service. However, his three brothers and four brothers-in-law served, and, as Furches put it, he "concluded to stay out."
A sturdy Whig before the war, Furches served as a Davie County delegate to the Constitutional Convention that met in Raleigh in October 1865. Following the guidelines announced by President Andrew Johnson, that convention adopted ordinances abolishing slavery, abrogating the secession act, and repudiating the Confederate debt. During Reconstruction, Furches's Whiggery and Unionism led him into the Republican party. As a Republican, he waged a number of futile campaigns for office. In 1872 he was defeated in a bid for Congress, but in 1875 he was appointed judge of the superior court in Iredell County and served for three years. In 1880 he made another unsuccessful run for Congress. When the North Carolina Republican party nominated him for associate justice of the state supreme court in 1888, he was again defeated.
Disillusioned and disheartened by an unending string of defeats since Reconstruction, the Republican party in North Carolina had become badly factionalized by the 1890s. One wing of the party, resenting Negro aspirations for local party leadership and fearing the Democratic use of the race issue, opposed a statewide ticket and leaned toward cooperation with the newly established Populist party. The Old Guard, however, continued to insist on a full slate of candidates and objected bitterly to any association with the Populists. In 1892 Furches was the Republican candidate for governor, although the lily-white faction of the party had threatened to support the Populists. When he lost the election, Furches charged that the "true theory of Republican defeat in North Carolina was fraud." According to him, the Democratic registrars had prevented many blacks from voting. Furches's claims notwithstanding, there is considerable evidence that many Republicans defected to the Populist cause.
In 1894 Furches, whom Josephus Daniels once termed a Republican of the "old order," again supported efforts for a full Republican slate and opposed cooperation, or "Fusion" as it was known, with the Populists. Demanding a straight Republican ticket, Furches argued that the Republican party could not be transferred like cattle from one field to another. But the Populists shrewdly nominated a nonpartisan judicial ticket that included Furches, the Republicans accepted the coalition ticket, and the Fusionists swept into office. As a result, Furches became an associate justice on the state supreme court.
Furches's career on the North Carolina Supreme Court was marked by the same acrimony and controversy that characterized the politics of the period. His elevation to the chief justiceship was not without its share of intrigue. In December 1900 Chief Justice William T. Faircloth died a mere two weeks before the inauguration of Democrat Charles B. Aycock as governor. Republican Governor Daniel L. Russell came under intense pressure from various interest groups to resign his office and accept appointment to the chief justiceship from the lieutenant governor who would succeed him. Corporate titans such as Alexander B. Andrews, vice-president of the Southern Railway Company, and Benjamin N. Duke, the Durham tobacco magnate, urged Russell to pursue that course. Many Democrats such as Robert Furman, editor of the Raleigh Morning Post, and Robert B. Glenn, future governor, applauded the idea because it was widely believed that Russell supported the recently adopted suffrage amendment disfranchising North Carolina blacks. Russell, however, resisted the pressures and in a surprising move appointed Furches chief justice. The governor and the supreme court justice had been feuding since the 1892 election when Russell, a leading Fusionist, had refused to support Furches's candidacy for governor.
Furches barely had assumed the chief justiceship when he was impeached by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly of 1901. Political passions had been inflamed dangerously by the Democratic white supremacy campaigns of 1898 and 1900 that overturned Fusionist rule. Eager to regain control of the state courts, zealous Democrats in the legislature, urged on by Josephus Daniels's "tocsin-sounding" Raleigh News and Observer, plotted the impeachment and conviction of Republican justices David Furches and Robert M. Douglas. Conservative Democrats like Henry G. Connor and Thomas J. Jarvis, the former governor and senator, were appalled. Jarvis wrote Connor: "It will be a great mistake in our party to put these Judges on trial. It is hard to conceive of a worse political error." Jarvis did not believe that Furches and Douglas had acted "corruptly," although they may have made legal mistakes. Some Democrats, Jarvis confided, insisted on impeachment "to save the Constitutional Amendment." Connor, agreeing with Jarvis, led the fight against impeachment in the General Assembly.
The crux of the impeachment articles against Furches and Douglas related to the state supreme court's ruling that the holder of a public office had a property right in that office. So long as the duties of that office continued, the officeholder could not be deprived of his property during his term of office. Furches and Douglas were charged with violating the state constitution by issuing a mandamus against the state auditor and state treasurer in 1900 to compel payment of the salary of Theophilus White, a shell fish commissioner and a Fusionist, whose office had been abolished by the 1899 legislature. The duties of the office had been vested in a seven-member commission.
The precedent for office as property had been set in Hoke v. Henderson (1833). In 1897 the supreme court had upheld that precedent in the state hospital cases—notably Wood v. Bellamy and Lusk v. Sawyer —the effect of which was to continue in office Democrats and to prevent Fusionists from assuming control of state institutions. The court, though dominated by three Republicans and one Populist, had voted unanimously in those cases. In later cases arising in 1899, however, justices Walter Clark, the Progressive Democrat, and Walter Montgomery, the Populist, had rejected the Hoke v. Henderson precedent even though the Republican majority, consisting of Faircloth, Furches, and Douglas, continued to uphold it. Thus, the supreme court ruled in White v. Hill and White v. the Auditor that the office of shell fish commissioner had not been abolished by the 1899 legislature because the same duties still resided with the new commission. According to the Republican majority on the court, White was entitled to serve the last two years of his term and receive proper compensation as stipulated by the mandamus. Justice Clark lodged a vigorous protest and warned that any state officials executing the mandamus might be subject to impeachment as the court had not voted unanimously for the measure.
Despite the objections of Henry Connor, the house passed the articles of impeachment and a senate trial, lasting seventeen days, commenced. The key to the prosecution's case was whether the mandamus that ordered the payment of White's salary came within the constitution's definition of a "claim against the State." The senate, refusing to convict the justices, acquitted them of all charges. Fabius H. Busbee, a counsel for the respondents in the senate trial, declared afterwards that "the impeachment was political prosecution and instituted to prevent apprehended dangers, rather than to punish past offenses." Connor, who was elected to the supreme court in 1902, had the privilege of writing the opinion in the case of Mial v. Ellington (1903), which overruled the precedent of Hoke v. Henderson.
Furches's term expired in 1903, and he returned to Statesville to practice law in the firm of Furches, Coble, and Nicholson. Although he was married twice—to Eliza Bingham and Lula Corpening—he had no children. Furches was a member of the Episcopal church.
"Address of William P. Bynum, Jr., Presenting a Portrait of the Late Chief Justice David M. Furches to the Supreme Court of North Carolina, May 11, 1909" (North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill).
Samuel A. Ashe, ed., Biographical History of North Carolina, vol. 1 (1905).
Aubrey L. Brooks, Walter Clark: Fighting Judge (1944).
Josephus Daniels, Editor in Politics (1941).
Benjamin Newton Duke Papers (Manuscript Department, Library, Duke University, Durham).
Robert F. Durden, Reconstruction Bonds and Twentieth-Century Politics: South Dakota v. North Carolina (1962).
Helen G. Edmonds, The Negro and Fusion Politics in North Carolina, 1894–1901 (1951).
Theron P. Jones, "The Gubernatorial Election of 1892 in North Carolina" (M.A. thesis, University of North Carolina, 1949).
Joseph F. Steelman, "Republican Party Strategists and the Issue of Fusion with Populists in North Carolina, 1893–1894," North Carolina Historical Review 47 (1970), and "Vicissitudes of Republican Party Politics: The Campaign of 1892 in North Carolina," North Carolina Historical Review 43 (1966).
"TO IMPEACH SOUTHERN JUDGES; North Carolina House Votes to Oust the Chief and Associate Justice from Office." The New York Times. February 19, 1901. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9507EFD71138E733A2575AC1A9649C946097D6CF (accessed April 29, 2013).
"Answer of Respondents in Impeachment Proceedings." Public documents of the State of North Carolina [1901 v.2]. Raleigh [N.C.]: Edwards & Broughton. 1901. http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p249901coll22/id/129805 (accessed April 29, 2013).
David Furches to James McGuire, Statesville, N.C. February 10, 1869. North Carolina Memory. Davie County Public Library. http://library.digitalnc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ncmemory/id/7658 (accessed April 29, 2013).
Furches, David M. "Address By David M. Furches, Chief Justice Supreme Court Of North Carolina. Delivered at the Masonic Picnic given for the benefit of the Oxford Orphan Asylum. Mocksville, N.C., August 8th, 1901." [Mocksville, N.C.?, 1901]. http://library.digitalnc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ncmemory/id/7568 (accessed April 29, 2013).
E.G. Williams and Bro. "D.M. Furches." Biographical history of North Carolina from colonial times to the present volume 1. Greensboro, N.C. : C. L. Van Noppen. 1905.287. http://archive.org/stream/cu31924092215437#page/n399/mode/2up
1 January 1986 | Crow, Jeffrey J. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30920000 |
February 25, 1919
Oregon passes first gasoline tax
Anyone who drives a motor vehible is aware of the high price of fuel these days. Part of that price is a gasoline tax. On February 25, 1919, Oregon passed the nation's first gasoline tax to support the building and maintenance of highways. Today, there's a gasoline tax in every state. And not to be left out, the federal government has joined them. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30925000 |
The First Watch in Space
On April 12, 06:07 GMT, 1961
Juri Gagarin, at the controls of Vostok One, ushered in a new era,
one of manned space flight, and the world was forever changed. The
technology that put this man in space and brought him safely home,
was some of the newest and most modern equipment available.
Ironically, on his wrist was a technology that was already centuries
old-- watch making. It may seem odd to us now in this time of
extremely accurate quartz watches, but at the time, the mechanical
wrist watch was an important piece of gear, and itís accuracy and
reliability were of paramount concern. In light of these concerns,
the choice of watch Gagarin took with him would not have been a
decision made in haste.
The STURMANSKIE, (or ШТУРМАНСКИЕ in
Cyrillic,) which had been issued to new graduates of the prestigious
Orenberg Flight School along with their diplomas since the late 1940ís, was
a logical choice, due to the high quality of the movement and inherent
accuracy of the watch. Gagarin would have been supplied with such a 1st
Moscow Watch Factory Sturmanskie opon graduation from Orenberg as well, but
it is doubtful that he would have received the Sturmanskie he wore into
space at that time. Most likely, he would have been awarded a 15 jewel watch,
very similar to the one he wore in space but lacking some of the newer
features that were unavailable at that time.
Based on an earlier French design, the Lip R26, from which the Soviets
purchased the machinery to produce the watch. The Sovietís had updated the
design by adding a central seconds complication and a hacking feature that
allowed the watch to be precisely stopped and synchronized with a given time
signal. A critical detail on any military watch, but especially so on a
Navigatorís watch, where often location would be ascertained by correctly
estimating where the aircraft was by accurately measuring time to distance.
The Sturmanskie Gagarin wore into space
had a highly finished (including Geneva striping!) 17 jewel, shock protected
movement. The movement was housed in a chrome plated, two-piece case
measuring 33 mm across, 12 mm high, with a 16 mm lug size and had a
stainless steel screw back. Unlike the earlier watchís stainless steel snap
back, the new watch was fully gasketed providing better water resistance.
matter of fact, the Sturmanskieís movement and case, were virtually
identical to the civilian Sportivnie (Спортивные). Only the dial separated
the two watches visually from each other. After his world famous flight, the
watch Gagarin wore was donated to what was soon to become ПОЛЕТ or Poljot,
meaning flight, in honor of Gagarinís groundbreaking mission. Where it
currently resides as part of their present day collection.
In adition to the Soviets putting the first man in space, the Soviets were
also first in putting a women into space as well. On June 16, 1963,
Valentina Tereshkova, on board Vostok 6, spent three days in space orbiting
the earth 48 times before re-entering the atmosphere and parachuting safely
to earth. Tereshkova, seen here in the photo, is wearing what
appears to be a Sturmanskie.
This watch is on display in the
Museum of "Zvezdny Gorodok" (Star City), the Russian cosmonauts training
center near Moscow.
picture copyright by
Time for a Space Walk
Without question, Gagarinís flight has
left an indelible mark on the annuls of manned space flight. But Gagarin was
not alone in being first among his peers. On June 12, 1965, Cosmonaut Alexi
Leonov became the first person to leave his space capsule and perform a
space walk. He had on his wrist an equally special and well made wrist watch
as the one Gagarin sported.
The Strela, (СТРЕЛА in Cyrillic meaning arrow) was a column wheel
chronograph of an earlier Venus base design. The watch had two registers, a
45 minute elapsed time totalizer and constant seconds hand, as well as a
central chronograph hand that measured seconds. The watch had a chrome
plated, base metal construction and was fitted with a stainless steel snap
back. On early watches, the inside of the watches back are heavily
Damascened, in an engine turned manner. The watch, introduced in 1959 was
originally only available for use by the BBC, the Soviet air force.
The watch was available with various dials with both non-luminous and
luminous types, with tacymetric and telemetric chapter rings. There seems to
be some debate about which version of the Strela Leonov wore. However, most
seem to feel it was either a non-luminous Cyrillic marked watch or an early,
white-dialed luminous piece. The Strela was a central piece of flight gear
issued to cosmonauts for over 20 years, and the watch has gained the
reputation of being the Russian equivalent to the Speedmaster.
This Sekonda was worn by Aleksey
Aleksandrovich Gubarev on the Sojus 28 mission in march 1978.
Picture from the Book
Copyright OMEGA SA
The Soviets retired the Strela in 1979, three years after the introduction
of their new 3133 caliber chronograph. Recently, new versions of the watch
has been reissued by Poljot. The watches differ in that they are in larger,
all stainless steel cases, and utilize Poljot's 3133 caliber movement. They
are otherwise very faithful renditions of the original watch.
'NII' is an abreviation for
something like 'Science Technical Institute'. There was at least 2 'NII's
associated with watchmaking.
NII-Chasprom was the most elite Horological institute of the Soviet era, who
not only designed and built experimental electronic watches, but also did
the certification of marine chronometers. In the early 1960s NII-Chasprom
made some 'electronic' watches specifically for use in the space program.
The format was 24-hour with date. Whether balance-wheel or tuning-fork is
not explained anywhere, but certainly it wasn't quartz, because such
technology did not yet exist in wristwatch size. A total of 29 were made.
Belyaev allegedly wore one on the Voskhod-2 mission and Artyukhin on the
A Changing Tide
The Soviets introduced a new chronograph caliber in 1976. Called the ОКЕАН,
meaning Ocean, the watch was solely intended for use by the BMF, the naval
branch of the military. Later, other official versions, such as the
Sturmanskie, were introduced. Whether or not the 3133 was meant as a
replacement for the Strela, it soon became clear that that was precisely
what it was. Based on the Valjoux 7734 of which the soviets had purchased
the machinery from the Swiss in 1974 to begin their own production of their
new caliber. The new 31 mm movement was a less complex and more robust
movement than the jewel-like 3017. A simple cam design replaced the earlier
watches more complex, and costly to produce, column wheel activation. And
for the first time in history a Russian chronograph was equipped with shock
At 38 mm wide and 12 mm high, with 18 mm sized lugs, the watch was equipped
with unique crystal that protruded from the case a fairly steep 3 mm high.
The watch came in both chrome plated and stainless steel cases. Stainless
steel cases having stainless steel crowns and pushers and chrome cased
watches chromed crowns and pushers. All early versions of the watch had a
crown at nine that turned a bezel under that purposefully high crystal that
had a second hour chapter ring printed on it, making keeping track of a
second time zone effortless. Like the earlier Strela, many different
versions of the 3133 made there way into space on various missions. Of note
was the ill fated Soyez 23 mission, that left two cosmonauts for dead atop a
cracked, frozen lake bed overnight until rescue teams could safely reach
The 3133 was for official-use only until 1983, when it became available to a
larger public marketplace, including export varients. The 3133 is still in
A slight variation of the standard 3133 is the hacking
31659 caliber version Sturmanskie that was, like earlier Sturmanskies, an
air force-only piece. The watch is essentially a standard 3133 that has been
re-engineered with a small lever that applies pressure to the outside of the
balance when the crown is pulled out, freezing the balance and hacking the
watch. Interesting to note, in regard to this watch, is the lack of the
rotating bezel and subsequently the crown at nine.
Below to the left is a picture of Japanese journalist-cosmonaut, Toyohiro
Akiyama taken during his historical flight.
Another Soviet space first, Akiyama was the first private citizen to buy
passage on a space flight. Akiyama was a member of the Soyez TM-11 mission
that linked up with the Mir space station. The cost, a reported 28 million
dollars, was paid by TBS, the Tokyo Brodcasting System. While in space,
Akiyama sent a series of live broadcasts back to the earth. The watch
Akiyama wore was an all stainless steel, Soviet Air Force, 31659 caliber,
Of course, these few watches are not the only watches to be worn by
cosmonauts. Just about any watch that the Soviets produced could have been
worn in space. The list of the watches that were permitted for space flight
was not as strictly regulated as say, NASA does.
And it is not entirely
uncommon to see cosmonauts wearing any variety of seemingly inappropriate
types of watches. So, if the watch kept accurate time and possessed no real safety threat, it
was considered allowable gear.
Vostoks and the quartz digital watch, the
Elektronika, (like the one seen on cosmonaut V M Afanasyev in the photo
very often accompanied cosmonauts on their trips to the cosmos almost as
often as Poljotís were.
Digital Watches and the
Soviet Space Program
Based on available
footage it would appear that from about 1980 digital watches enjoyed
widespread use in the Soviet space program. This is most likely due to the
majority of missions being long duration within the confines of a space
station. Under such circumstances, a compact watch with built-in alarm and
chronograph would be highly useful. However an LCD cannot be safely used in
open space, and there have been concerns regarding the shielding of the
electronic components from the ravages of cosmic radiation. So for EVA
duties the standard was, and remains, mechanical watches only.
Pictured above, is a Belarusian-built
Elektronica 52b. The Elektronika watches had quartz digital modules, came in
chrome-plated cases made of base metal. The watches did, however, have
corrosion resistant stainless steel backs.
German Democratic Republic (GDR)
Pictured below is the Ruhla
East German Cosmonaut Sigmund Jšhn was wearing this watch in 1978 on board
of the soyuz-31 Mission.
It was the first analogue quartz wrist-watch generation from the Ruhla
Factory and was very similar to the Ruhla Cal. 24 Mechanical.
This is presumably the only
watch besides the
NII electric that was specifically designed for spaceflight and
actually used for that purpose.
History of creation:
Story by Vladimir А.
Dzhanibekov, twice the Hero of Soviet Union, pilot-cosmonaut of USSR:
September of 1985. "Salute Ė 7" station. It is midnight in Moscow.
It is also our local time. Maintenance work going on... Ice age. The
Flood at the station has already pasted. Victor Savinyh is cozily
sleeping in a sleeping-bag in front of me. The "deaf" circuits
without communication with Center are going.
- I wonder where we are flying? - I'm asking almost in sleep,
- Above clouds I assume...
Falling asleep I idly
thinking that it would be great to have a watch with globe like the
one at on the central stand. Or, with a map on the dial. But to have
it on my hand... and without need to leave the warm sleeping bag to
check... and soon getting back in again thinking that I was right
and we were actually over clouds and under clouds were waters of the
Atlantic ocean... all right,.. water is there where clouds are. Why
our planet called the Earth and not the Water?.. This was the way
the idea of "COSMONAVIGATOR" was born
That Salyut-7 rescue was a
classic bit of flying by Dzhanibekov. He had to dock the spacecraft to a
tumbling station with no beacon, just a laser rangefinder, sharp eyes and
November 2004 Yuri Shargin has tested his
private Shturmanskie based on a Poljot 31681 movement (complication variant
of the famous 3133) in space expedition.
Gallery of space related watches
Unknown watch used
during a spacewalk
for all the writing and the | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30931000 |
Playing Behind, in the Middle, and Ahead of the Beat
This book has already talked a lot about time. But what really is time? If you use a metronome (see Chapter 15) you will realize that time is a strict and rigid pulse. However, your playing should be fluid and graceful, not mechanical. So how do you play in time and yet avoid stiff playing? In order to do this, you need to create the illusion of playing loose all the while maintaining near-metronomic time. In order to do this, you will need to understand what it means to play behind, in the middle, and ahead of the beat. Moreover, you should learn how to play all three ways.
Some styles of music naturally sound like they have a lot of push or forward momentum; others naturally sound logy or relaxed. The first step in playing any style of music is to understand the nature of the music. Ballads or slow songs naturally want to sound relaxed and placid. In order to execute slower material, you should play slightly on top of the beat. If you don't, the music might start to drag or protract. There is nothing worse than a lazy tempo that runs out of steam altogether.
Up-tempo bluegrass tunes, bebop charts, or other fast pieces usually require you to play straight down the middle of the beat. If you play a little behind the beat, the music might start to drag. Conversely, if you play on top of the beat, the music might rush or speed up. If the song is already lightning fast, the last thing you'll want to do is to make it faster. This is because the faster you play the harder it is to maintain clean technique. If you rush on a fast tune, you will unwittingly sabotage your own playing.
Certain styles of rock music require you to play a little behind the beat. Select late-period Beatles tunes, funk and soul music, and nearly everything the Rolling Stones recorded uses a kind of behind-the-beat groove. Also, select blues shuffles and New Orleans swamp blues requires that you play on the back end of the beat. Playing behind the beat creates that phat, funky sound that makes these styles of music so infectious and popular. Other styles of music like punk and ska require you to play on top of the beat. When you play these styles, your playing should have an impatient, urgent feel to it. The excitement of these styles comes from the high-octane drive of the rhythm section.
How do you play behind, in the middle, or on top of the beat? Since this cannot be notated, the only way to learn how to do this is to listen to music with an ear toward feel, groove, and time extrapolation. As you listen, analyze how each style is interpreted and rendered by the bassist and drummer. Above all else, remember that playing behind or ahead of the beat doesn't mean overtly dragging or rushing. It simply means gently pushing or relaxing the time respectively. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30932000 |
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry involving treatment of the pulp (root canal) and surrounding tissues of the tooth. When you look at your tooth in the mirror, what you see is the crown. The rest of the tooth, hidden beneath the gum line. is called the root which contains a pulp of soft tissue, blood vessels and nerves. The pulp cache severely damaged due to a tooth fracture, peridontal disease or other problems.
New England Dental Group dentists are experts in every aspect of endodontics, and will be happy to discuss your treatment options with you at your convenience.
To learn more about endodontics and its treatment, please click on the link to the pdf and view the movie. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30935000 |
Surgeons in the US have performed what they claim is the most extensive full-face transplant yet performed, repairing the face of a 37-year-old man who lost his lips and nose 15 years ago in a gunshot accident. The graft could reveal better ways to stop a patient's body rejecting donated tissue.
Richard Lee Norris of Hillsville, Virginia, received almost the entire face from a donor. The donated tissue ran from the scalp and included all elements of the face down to – but not including – the collar bones. It also contained the bones of both jaws, teeth devoid of any fillings, and the third of the tongue extending to its tip.
"All these segments have been transplanted in the past and the other groups of surgeons have led the way for us, but no one has included all these components," says lead surgeon Eduardo Rodriguez of the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, where the 36-hour operation took place on 19 and 20 March.
The other major innovation is the inclusion in the jaws of the donor's bone marrow, still fed by blood vessels, which could mean that Norris will need less immunosuppressing therapy to stop his body rejecting the foreign grafts.
Experiments by Rodriguez's team in animals – published last year in the American Journal of Transplantation (DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2011.03551.x) – demonstrated that transplants suffer less rejection by the immune system if they include "vascularised" bone marrow fed by blood vessels, than if there is no bone at all in the transplant.
"We have confirmation of that in vascularised bone transplants," says Rodriguez. "So vascularised bone marrow might be better than infusions of bone marrow stem cells to create a situation where the donor and recipient cells can live in chimeric harmony."
The hope is that the same effect will be seen in Norris. "The good thing is the large vascularised bone marrow content, which has potential to assist in the long-term survival of the graft," says Rodriguez.
The breakthrough continues a trend of steadily larger facial grafts since the first, in 2005, on Isabelle Dinoire in France. That graft covered only the lower part of her face. A Spanish team in 2010 announced what they claimed was the first full-face transplant, but Rodriguez says that it didn't include the tongue.
"The reason surgeons are transplanting more and more tissue is because increasingly difficult patients with more and more deficits are being considered for transplant," says Maria Siemionow of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, the surgeon whose team carried out the first US face transplant in 2008.
But Siemionow says it doesn't necessarily mean that "more is better", as there are risks in removing perfectly functional pre-existing tissue to replace it with donated tissue. "And you have potential problems with bail-out or rescue procedures if the graft goes wrong."
For example, Siemionow's transplant patient, Connie Culp, had functional upper eyelids, so it would have been risky to sacrifice those to replace them with donated tissue.
According to Siemionow, the most important advance in face transplants over the previous practice of using skin grafts is that the transplant includes functional elements such as nerves and muscles which integrate with the patient's own to give them abilities they may have lost through an accident.
Norris, for example, couldn't chew food or speak properly, but has the promise to do so now that he has new jaws and teeth, and a complete tongue which should enable him to pronounce words properly. Meanwhile, Culp can now breathe independently, smile, eat solid food, smell, and sense full feelings in her face, none of which she could do before.
Siemionow says the biggest unsolved challenge remains the need for lifelong immunosuppression. "That's a very important goal for the future," she says.
She adds that it remains to be seen whether Rodriguez's claims for vascularised bone marrow improving acceptance will prove correct.
Another important development is coordination between transplant providers. A US and international registry of potential recipients is to be launched later this year.
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.
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MacGregor Campbell, consultant
Here's a freaky twist on a classic illusion.
Thomas Papathomas, a vision researcher at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, has created a new variation on the hollow-mask illusion - where viewers find it difficult to distinguish whether they are seeing a mask's interior or its exterior.
Papathomas's version uses both a hollow mask and a hollow torso, each inverted from the other so that when the head is concave, the torso is convex, and vice-versa. As the torso and head rotate, in the same direction, they appear to rotate oppositely to one another, resulting in the head appearing to twist unnaturally.
Papathomas calls this the "Exorcist Illusion," referring to a famous scene in the 1973 horror movie, The Exorcist, in which a girl possessed by the devil twists her head around a full 360 degrees.
This illusion requires no satanic involvement however. A constantly rotating hollow mask - or torso - appears to rotate in one direction when the exterior is facing the viewer, and the opposite direction when the interior faces the viewer. Since the brain and the torso are inverted from one another, when one appears to rotate clockwise, the other seems to rotate anticlockwise.
Papathomas created this illusion for the Neural Correlate Society's 2012 Illusion of the Year contest. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30943000 |
Source Newsroom: Smithsonian Institution
Newswise — This Smithsonian Snapshot celebrates Black History Month with the 1960 Greensboro Lunch Counter from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
On Feb. 1, 1960, four African American college students—Ezell A. Blair Jr. (now Jibreel Khazan), Franklin E. McCain, Joseph A. McNeil and David L. Richmond—sat down at this "whites only" lunch counter at the Woolworth's store in Greensboro, N.C., and politely asked for service. Their request was refused, and when asked to leave, the students remained in their seats in protest.
For the six months that followed, hundreds of students, civil rights organizations, churches and members of the community joined the protest and boycotted the store. Their commitment ultimately led to the desegregation of the F.W. Woolworth lunch counter July 25, 1960. Their peaceful sit-down was a watershed event in the struggle for civil rights and helped ignite a youth-led movement to challenge racial inequality throughout the South.
To learn more about freedom and justice in American history, visit the National Museum of American History’s “Separate is not Equal” online exhibition website.
This item is one of 137 million artifacts, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian’s collection. It is currently on display at the National Museum of American History; to learn more about it, visit the museum’s website. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30949000 |
Every year in the UK, thousands of people die or are seriously injured in accidents. Many of these deaths could be prevented if first aid is given at the scene of the accident before emergency services arrive.
What to do
If someone is injured in an accident:
- First check that you and the casualty are not in any danger. If you are, make the situation safe.
- When it's safe to do so, dial 999 or 112 for an ambulance, if necessary.
- Carry out basic first aid.
Read more information about what to do after an accident.
If someone is unconscious and breathing
If a person is unconscious but is breathing and has no other life-threatening conditions, they should be placed in the recovery position.
If someone is unconscious and not breathing
If a person is not breathing normally after an accident, call for an ambulance and then, if you can, start CPR straight away. Read more about CPR, including instructions and a video on hands-only CPR.
First aid courses
The information on these pages gives some guidance on common first aid situations. However, it is not a replacement for doing a first aid training course. Basic first aid courses are run regularly in most areas around the UK. St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross both provide a selection of first aid courses.
Common accidents and emergencies
Below, in alphabetical order, are some of the most common injuries needing emergency treatment in the UK and information on how to deal with them.
Anaphylaxis (or anaphylactic shock) is a severe allergic reaction that can occur after an insect sting or after a person eats certain foods, for example. The reaction can be very fast, happening within seconds or minutes of contact with the thing a person is allergic to.
During anaphylactic shock, a person may find it difficult to breathe and their tongue and throat may also swell, obstructing their airway.
If you suspect a person is experiencing anaphylactic shock, call 999 or 112 straight away.
Check if the person is carrying any medication. Some people who know they have severe allergies may carry epinephrine on them. This is a kind of adrenaline and usually comes in a pre-loaded syringe. You can either help the person administer their medication or, if you're trained to do so, give it to them yourself.
Make sure they are comfortable and can breathe as best they can while waiting for medical help to arrive. If they are conscious, sitting upright is normally the best position for them.
Read more about treating anaphylaxis.
Burns and scalds
In the event of a burn or scald:
- Cool the burn as quickly as possible with cold (but not ice-cold) running water for a minimum of 10 minutes or until the pain is relieved.
- Call 999 or seek medical help if necessary.
- While cooling the burn, carefully remove any clothing or jewellery, unless it is attached to the skin.
- Keep the person warm using a blanket or layers of clothing (avoiding the injured area) to prevent hypothermia. This is a risk if you are cooling a large burnt area, particularly in babies, children and elderly people.
- Cover the burn lengthways with strips of cling film or a clean plastic bag if the burn is on a hand or foot. If no plastic film is available, use a sterile dressing or non-fluffy material.
- Do not put creams, lotions or sprays on the burn.
- If appropriate, raise the limb to reduce the swelling and offer pain relief.
For chemical burns, wear protective gloves, remove any clothing affected, brush the chemical off the skin if it is a powder and rinse the burn with cold running water for a minimum of 20 minutes. If possible, determine what has caused the injury.
Be careful not to injure yourself, and wear protective clothing if necessary. Call 999 or 112 and arrange immediate medical attention.
Read more information about how to treat burns and scalds.
If someone has severe bleeding, the main aim is to prevent further loss of blood and minimise the effects of shock (see below).
First, dial 999 and ask for an ambulance as soon as possible.
If you have disposable gloves, then use them to reduce the risk of any infection being passed on.
Check that there is nothing embedded in the wound. If there is, take care not to press down on the object. Instead, press firmly on either side of the object and build up padding around it before bandaging to avoid putting pressure on the object itself. If there is nothing embedded:
- Apply and maintain pressure to the wound with your hand, using a clean pad if possible.
- Use a clean dressing to bandage the wound firmly.
- If the wound is on a limb and there are no fractures, raise the limb to decrease the flow of blood.
If a body part has been severed, such as a finger, do not put it in direct contact with ice. Wrap it in a plastic bag or cling film, then wrap it in a soft material and keep it cool. Once it is wrapped, if possible, place the severed body part in crushed ice.
Always seek medical help for the bleeding unless it is minor. If someone has a nosebleed that has not stopped after 20 minutes, go to the nearest hospital's accident and emergency department (A&E).
Read more information on:
The information below is for choking in adults and children over one year old. Read information about what to do if a baby under one year old is choking.
If the airway is only partly blocked, the person will usually be able to speak, cry, cough or breathe. In situations like this, a person will usually be able to clear the blockage themselves. If choking is mild:
- Encourage the person to continue coughing to try to clear the blockage.
- Remove any obvious obstruction from the mouth using your first two fingers and thumb.
If the obstruction is severe and the person is struggling to breathe, give up to five back blows (between the shoulder blades), using the heel of your hand. Carefully check the mouth and, if possible, remove any obstruction after every blow.
If this does not clear the obstruction, perform abdominal thrusts by following the steps below. This technique should not be used on babies under one year old, pregnant women or people who are obese:
- Stand behind the person who is choking.
- Place your arms around their waist and bend them well forward.
- Clench one first and place it just above the person's belly button and below the breastbone.
- Place your other hand on top, then pull sharply inwards and upwards.
- Repeat this up to five times until the object stuck in their throat comes out of their mouth.
The aim is to get the obstruction out with each chest thrust rather than necessarily doing all five. If the obstruction does not clear after three cycles of back blows and chest thrusts, dial 999 or 112 for an ambulance and continue until help arrives.
The person choking should always be checked over by a health professional afterwards to check for any injuries caused by abdominal thrusts or any smaller pieces of the obstruction that remain.
Read more information about what to do if someone is choking.
Once the person is on land, if they are not breathing, give five initial rescue breaths before starting CPR. If you are alone, perform CPR for one minute before calling for emergency help.
Find out how to give CPR, including rescue breaths.
If the person is unconscious but still breathing, put them in the recovery position with their head lower than their body to allow water to drain out, and call an ambulance immediately.
If someone has been electrocuted, dial 999 or 112 for an ambulance.
Switch off the electrical current at the mains to break the contact between the person and the electrical supply.
If you cannot reach the mains supply:
- Protect yourself by standing on some insulating material (such as a phone book).
- Using something dry and non-metal, such as a wooden broom handle, push the person away from the electrical source, or move the source away from the person if this is easier.
- Do not go near or touch the person until you are sure any electrical supply has been cut off.
- If the person is not breathing, carry out CPR and call an ambulance.
Always seek medical help unless the shock is very minor.
It can be difficult to tell if a person has a broken bone, or a joint or muscle injury. If you're in any doubt, treat the injury as a broken bone.
If the person is unconscious, has difficulty breathing or is bleeding severely, these should be dealt with first.
If the person is conscious, prevent any further injury by keeping them still until you get them safely to hospital. Assess the injury and decide the best way to get them to hospital. If they have a broken finger or arm, you may be able to drive them yourself without causing more harm. If they have a broken spine or leg, call for an ambulance.
- Support the limb. Do not move the person but keep them in the position you found them in. Support the injured part with anything you have handy, for example rolled up blankets or clothes.
- Get them to hospital, either by driving them yourself (if they have a minor fracture) or call for an ambulance.
- Look out for signs of shock. If the person is pale, cold and clammy, has a weak pulse and rapid shallow breathing, they are probably in shock (see below).
If you think that the person may have shock, lie them down and loosen any tight clothing. Do not raise an injured leg. Otherwise, if their injuries allow, raise their legs above the level of their heart by placing something suitable under their feet such as blankets or cushions.
Do not give the person anything to eat or drink as they may need a general anaesthetic when they reach hospital.
Read more information about specific broken bones:
A heart attacks is one of the most common life-threatening heart conditions in the UK.
If you think a person is having or has had a heart attack, make them as comfortable as possible and call 999 or 112 for an ambulance. Symptoms of a heart attack include:
- chest pain – the pain is usually located in the centre of the chest and can feel like a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing
- pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is travelling from the chest to one or both arms, jaw, neck, back or abdomen
Sit the person down, if possible in the "W" position (sitting up with the knees bent).
If they are conscious, reassure them and give them a 300mg aspirin tablet to chew slowly (unless there is any reason not to give them aspirin, for example if they are under 16 or allergic to it). If the person has any medication for angina, such as a spray or tablets, help them to take it. Monitor their vital signs, such as breathing, until help arrives.
If the person becomes unconscious, open their airway, check their breathing and, if necessary, start CPR.
Being poisoned is potentially life threatening. Most cases of poisoning in the UK occur when a person has swallowed a toxic substance such as bleach, prescription drugs or wild plants and fungi.
If you think someone has swallowed a poisonous substance, call 999 or 112 to get immediate medical help.
The effects of poisoning depend on the substance swallowed but can include vomiting, loss of consciousness, pain or a burning sensation:
- Find out what has been swallowed so you can tell the paramedic or doctor.
- Do not give the person anything to eat or drink unless a health professional advises you to.
- Never try to induce vomiting.
If the person is unconscious, while you wait for help:
- Make sure the airway is open and they are breathing. You open the airway by gently tilting the head back and lifting the chin to move the tongue away from the back of the mouth.
- If they are breathing, put them in the recovery position, preferably with their head down so any vomit can escape without being swallowed or inhaled.
- If they are not breathing, perform CPR until they start breathing or medical help arrives.
- If there are any chemicals on their mouth, use a face shield or pocket mask to protect yourself if you give rescue breaths.
Read more information about treating someone who has been poisoned.
In the case of a serious injury or illness, it is important to watch for signs of shock.
Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the circulatory system fails and, as a result, deprives the vital organs of oxygen. This is usually due to severe blood loss, but it can also happen after severe burns, severe vomiting, a heart attack, bacterial infection or severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
The type of shock described here is not the same thing as the emotional response of feeling shocked, which can also occur after an accident.
Signs of shock include:
- pale, cold, clammy skin
- rapid, shallow breathing
- weakness and dizziness
- feeling sick and possibly vomiting
If you notice any signs of shock in a casualty, seek medical help immediately:
- Dial 999 or 112 as soon as possible and ask for an ambulance.
- Treat any obvious injuries.
- Lay the person down if their injuries allow you to, and raise and support their legs.
- Use a coat or blanket to keep them warm, but not smothered.
- Do not give them anything to eat or drink.
- Give lots of comfort and reassurance.
- Monitor the person. If they stop breathing, start CPR.
FAST is the most important thing to remember when dealing with people who have had a stroke. The earlier they receive treatment, the better. Call for emergency medical help straight away.
If you suspect a person has had a stroke, use the FAST guide:
- Facial weakness: is the person unable to smile evenly, or are their eyes or mouth droopy?
- Arm weakness: is the person only able to raise one arm?
- Speech problems: is the person unable to speak clearly or understand you?
- Time to call 999 or 112 for emergency help if a person has any of these symptoms.
Read more information about the symptoms of a stroke. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30953000 |
XII. This activity involves reading a scenario and discussing the correct way for a school bus driver to handle it. Options for using the scenarios can be found on page 5.
Follow these steps to conduct the activity.
- Review the instructions (XII.A-D) with the participants.
- Read the scenario slowly.
NOTE: There are 10 scenarios, covering the various conditions addressed in the module. You will not need to use all of them. If you have presented the entire module, you can choose 5-6 of the scenarios. If you have only presented one section of the module, you can use a scenario that corresponds to that section. You may choose to develop your own scenarios using weather conditions particular to your local area.
- Ask participants to say how that scenario should be handled by the school bus driver. In each scenario the school bus is a medium-sized conventional bus equipped with a two-way radio and carrying middle school students.
NOTE: One alternative would be to first have each participant write down how he or she would handle the situation. Then discuss the scenario as a group. This process ensures that each school bus driver will have had to think about the scenario.
- Record the responses on a flip chart.
- After all the responses are listed, ask if certain actions need to happen before others. Starting with #1, indicate the order in which the actions should happen.
NOTE: With each scenario, the correct actions are listed in the order in which they should occur. If the order isnít important, the actions are preceded by a bullet instead of a number. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30954000 |
One of the most important information sources for stock assessments are living marine resource surveys. GIS is used for planning these surveys and for interpreting results. Surveys and biological studies provide data on species distribution, life history, migration patterns, diet and behavior that are fundamental to responding to all of NOAA Fisheries' mandates.
|W. pollock habitat||2004 Gulf Sturgeon Relocation|
|3-D Mako Shark Track||Fishery Mapper Tool|
|Southeast Alaska Shallow Nearshore Waters Fish Atlas||Phytoplankton| | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30960000 |
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1969
Derek Barton, Odd Hassel
Derek Harold Richard Barton was
born on 8 September 1918, son of William Thomas and Maude
Henrietta Barton. In 1938 he entered Imperial College, University of London,
where he obtained his B.Sc.Hons. (1st Class) in 1940 and Ph.D.
(Organic Chemistry) in 1942. From 1942 to 1944 he was a research
chemist on a government project, from1944-1945 he was with
Messrs. Albright and Wilson, Birmingham. In 1945 he became
assistant lecturer in the Department of Chemistry of Imperial College, from
1946-1949 he was I.C.I. Research Fellow. In 1949 he obtained his
D.Sc. from the same University. During 1949-1950 he was Visiting
Lecturer in the Chemistry of Natural Products, at the Department of
Chemistry, Harvard University (U.S.A.). In 1950 he was
appointed Reader in Organic Chemistry and in 1953 Professor at
College. In 1955 he became Regius Professor of Chemistry at
the University of
Glasgow, in 1957 he was appointed Professor of Organic
Chemistry at Imperial College, which position he still
In 1950, in a brief paper in Experientia entitled "The Conformation of the Steroid Nucleus", Professor Barton showed that organic molecules in general and steroid molecules in particular could be assigned a preferred conformation based upon results accumulated by chemical physicists, in particular by Odd Hassel. Having chosen a preferred conformation, it was demonstrated that the chemical and physical properties of a molecule could be interpreted in terms of that preferred conformation. In molecules containing fixed rings, such as the steroids, there resulted a simple relationship between configuration and conformation, such that configurations could be predicted once the possible conformations for the products of a reaction could be analysed. Thus the subject "conformational analysis" had begun. Barton later determined the geometry of many other natural product molecules using this method. Conformational analysis is useful in the elucidation of configuration, in the planning of organic synthesis, and in the analysis of reaction mechanisms. It will be fundamental to a complete understanding of enzymatic processes.
Prof. Barton was invited to deliver the following special lectures: 1956, Max Tischler Lecturer at Harvard University; 1958, First Simonsen Memorial
Lecturer of the Chemical Society; 1961, Falk-Plaut Lecturer, Columbia University; 1962, Aub Lecturer at Harvard Medical School; Renaud Lecturer at Michigan State University; Inaugural 3 M's Lecturer, University of Western Ontario; 1963, Hugo Müller Lecturer of the Chemical Society; 3 M's Lecturer at the University of Minnesota; 1967, Pedler Lecturer of the Chemical Society; 1969, Sandin Lecturer at the University of Alberta; 1970, Graham Young Lectureship, Glasgow.
In 1958 Prof. Barton was Arthur D. Little Visiting Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.; in 1959 Karl Folkers Visiting Professor at the Universities of Illinois and Wisconsin.
In 1954 Derek Barton was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society, in 1956 he became Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh; in 1965 he was appointed member of the Council for Scientific Policy of the U. K.; in 1969 he became President of Section B, British Association for the Advancement of Science, and President of the Organic Chemistry Division of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
Professor Barton holds the following honours and awards: 1951, First Corday-Morgan Medal of the Chemical Society; 1956, Fritzsche Medal of the American Chemical Society; 1959, First Roger Adams Medal of the American Chemical Society; 1960, Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; 1961, Davy Medal of the Royal Society; 1962, D. Sc.h.c. Montpellier; 1964, D. Sc.h.c. Dublin; 1967, Honorary Fellow of the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher "Leopoldina"; 1969, Honorary Member of Sociedad Quimica de Mexico; 1970, D.Sc.h.c. St. Andrews: Fellow of Birkbeck College; Honorary Member of the Belgian Chemical Society; Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences; Honorary Member of the Chilean Chemical Society; D.Sc.h.c., Columbia University, New York; 1971, First award in Natural Product Chemistry, Chemical Society (London); D.Sc.h.c., Coimbra (Portugal); Elected Foreign Member of the Academia das Ciencias de Lisboa; 1972, D. Sc.h.c. University of Oxford; Longstaff Medal of the Chemical Society.
Derek Barton was first married to Jeanne Kate Wilkins but this marriage was later dissolved. He is now married to Christiane Cognet, a Professor of the Lycée français de Londres. He has one son, W.G.L. Barton, by his first marriage.
From Nobel Lectures, Chemistry 1963-1970, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1972
This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.
For more updated biographical information, see:
Barton, Derek H.R., Some Recollections of Gap Jumping. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998.
Sir Derek Barton died on March 16, 1998.
Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 1969
MLA style: "Derek Barton - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 24 May 2013 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1969/barton-bio.html | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30961000 |
Learn how to write text quickly and efficiently with your phone’s keyboard.
Use the on-screen keyboard
Writing with the on-screen keyboard is easy and fun. You can use the keyboard when holding your phone in portrait or landscape mode.
Tap a text box.
1 — Character keys
2 — Shift key
3 — Numbers and symbols key
4 — Language key
5 — Smiley key
6 — Space key
7 — Enter key
8 — Backspace key
The keyboard layout can vary in different apps and languages. The language key is only shown when more than one language is selected. The example shows the English keyboard.
Tap the shift key. To switch caps lock mode on, double-tap the key. To return to normal mode, tap the shift key again.
Tap the numbers and symbols key. To see more special character keys, tap the shift key. Some special character keys bring up more symbols. To see more symbols, tap and hold a symbol or special character.
To put a full stop at the end of a sentence, and to start a new sentence, tap the space key twice.
To quickly type in a number or special character, while holding the numbers and symbol key, slide your finger to the character, and lift your finger.
Tap a word, drag the circles before and after the word to highlight the section you want to copy, and tap . To paste the text, tap .
Tap and hold the character, and tap the accented character.
Tap the backspace key.
Tap the language key repeatedly until the language you want is shown. The language key is only shown when more than one language is selected.
Tap and hold the text until you see the cursor. Without lifting your finger, drag the cursor to the place you want.
Use keyboard word suggestions
Your phone suggests words as you write, to help you write quickly and more accurately. Word suggestions are available in several languages.
When you start writing a word, your phone suggests possible words. When the word you want is shown in the suggestion bar, select the word. To see more suggestions, swipe left.
If the suggested word is marked in bold, your phone automatically uses it to replace the word you wrote. If the word is wrong, tap it, and you see the original word and a few other suggestions.
If you notice that you have misspelled a word, tap it, and you see suggestions for correcting the word.
If the word you want isn't in the dictionary, write the word, tap it, and tap the plus sign (+) in the suggestion bar. Your phone also learns new words when you have written them a few times.
On the start screen, swipe left, and tap Settings > keyboard . Tap your language keyboard, and clear the Suggest text check box.
Add writing languages
You can add several writing languages to your keyboard and switch between the languages when writing.
Tap Settings > keyboard > add keyboards .
Select the languages you want to write in.
To remove a pre-installed keyboard, tap and hold the language you don't want to use, and tap remove .
Tap the language key repeatedly until the language you want is shown. The keyboard layout and word suggestions change according to the language selected. The language key is only shown when more than one writing language has been selected. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30962000 |
Ridgewood High School teacher lauded by NJ Inventors Hall of Fame
A few years ago, using blackberry juice and titanium dioxide, a non-toxic ingredient found in powdered sugar, Ridgewood "High School (RHS) science teacher Lillian Labowsky and her students began making dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells with enough "juice" to power a calculator.
Three years after Labowsky began the project, which was funded through a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that paired graduate students and grade school teachers to promote science education, it is clear Labowsky did not just help her students make power - she also empowered them to invent.
For her involvement in the innovative two-year project, Labowsky has received accolades from both the state and the "district.
The physics and chemistry teacher was recently recognized by the Board of Education (BOE) for the 2012 "Advancement of Invention" Award she received from the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame (NJIHoF) in "October.
She was one of only 25 scientists in the state, including three Nobel Prize laureates, to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Labowsky was nominated for the award by a Stevens Institute of Technology graduate who helped her with the NSF program project. She was chosen because, according to the NJIHoF, her teaching is "inspiring the next generation of scientists."
In a press release, her passion for science was deemed of "special note" and called "inspiring" by NJIHoF President Les Avery.
It was a high honor worthy of a teacher whose students, when contacted, spoke of her obvious passion and enthusiasm. It was also not the first time Nobel Prize winners have been closely associated with Labowsky, who said she was inspired to teach by her Yale University thesis adviser John Fenn, winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
"It is my goal to try to inspire young scientists just as [Professor] Fenn inspired me," said Labowsky, who attended Fenn's Nobel Prize ceremony.
While Labowsky is no longer participating in the NSF program because of a two-year limitation, the solar cell project "is still going strong," she said. It has been integrated into her curriculum and expanded into a larger nanotechnology project.
"I hope this project will serve as an enriching real world connection for my students," she said. "We will continue to make blackberry juice solar cells to run small electronics as we did for the past three years, but we will also explore other advanced technology areas such as nano-medicine, nano-fibers, and nano-glues." | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30966000 |
Early 1900s in N. America
Life in the 1900's was depressing and was an era filled with extremely hard and strenous work that didn't offer any future for the average canadian in doing better. If you were an average wage earner you would be virtually stuck in the same job for the rest of your life, while rich maintained their wealth mainly caused by the low taxes. Living conditions were poor for average canadians and even worse for the arriving immigrants. At this time some of the modern convienences were just being invented and even if it were for sale only the extremely rich had the option of purchasing the items. Sports being very new, in the aspect of it being organized was small time compared to present day. Travelling required time and was uncomfortable. Only the rich could have the luxurious accomadations for those long journeys. Many jobs were available to most people but you were under constant scrutiny while working and would have to be willing to do any thing the boss wanted. I believe my friends and I would most likely resent and despise it if we had to live in the 1900's. During the 1900's horses played a significant role in the everyday life. A horse drawn carriage would bring a docter to the house of where a baby would be born. A hearse was pulled by horses to the cemetery when somebody died. Farmers used them to pull their ploughs while town dwellers kept them for transportation around town. Horses puled delivery wagons for businesses such as bakery, dairy, and coal company. Horses pulled fire engines through the streets in a fire emergency. The bicycle was widely accepted by canadians because of its easy maintence compared to a horse. The bike allowed an option of transportation. The bicycle also gave a sense of freedom to virtually anybody willing to learn. Henry Ford revolutionized the world we live in by inventing the "horseless carriage", if it had not been for him, instead of taking the GO bus in the morning we'd be riding a horse named Wanda. Not only did his invention offer a method of transportation to the public, but it helped with our emergency services such as fire engines, police cars, and ambulances. Now we have a large variety of cars to choose from varying in size and price. He also brought a large profitable industry to North America...The car industry. Back then there weren't many problems that they created. Today, we have our deteriorating ozone layer, poisonous chemicals that come from exhaust fumes (CO2)(Carbon Monoxide). Not to mention the traffic accidents, parking problems and traffic jams in downtown Toronto. 11 years previous to WW I Orville and Wilbur Wright made a successful flight in the first airplane at the beach of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Although the flight only lasted 12 seconds it would change the way we see the world. The telephone allowed the houseneeds to be satisfied without leaving they're homes. Women received an oppurtunity to work as a a switch board operator. I don't know if I can stress the importance of Marconi's invention enough. But I can say, that without it not only would there be no T.V. or radio there would be a lot of unemployed people right now(even more unemployed than now!!!). The reason for that is radio provides people with jobs such as DJ's, musical programmers etc. Also, radio is a major form of advertising, without it there would not be as many advertising agencies or as many positions in this field. Without T.V., advertising agencies would also face the same consequences. T.V. provides millions of people with employment in commercials, T.V. shows, and movies. Baseball was the most popular sport in
where the World Series began in 1903. Tom Longboat was born in Brantford, Ontario and was known for outrunning a horse over a 19 km coarse. He set a record of 2 hours, 24 min and 24 seconds when he ran the Boston Marathon. Jan 22/1901 Queen Victoria died at the age of 63 years. The Queens reign stretched across the globe. With her death came modernization. In the early 1900's horses were being used extensivley for all transportating duties and some manual labor jobs. A few years later the bicycle hit Canada and presented the Canadians with a better option of transportation mainly because of the simplicity of maintence. During these other discoveries the automobile was being perfected for use by the general public. By the 1920's the automobile was no longer a rich man's toy and was being used by many people. 1903 saw the first succesful flight fo the airplane bh Orville and Wilbur Wright at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. At about the same time Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in Nova Scotia. By the turn of the century telephones had uses increased from ordering household goods to supplying jobs for women and men. 1901, Signal Hill in St.John's Newfoundland Guglielmo Marcone received the first radio signal sent across the Atlantic Ocean. 20 years would elasped before radio broadcasting becomes mass entertainment. First movies were seen in the 19th century. 20 years will pass till speaking films arrive. 1903 the United States had their first World Series. In Canada, Tom Longboat was a famous runner who was famous for running faster than a horse on a 19 km course. Later to be proclaimed the worlds best marathoner. In the early 1900's modern covienences were just being available like bathrooms, electric washing machines, sewing machines, electric hearing aids, vacuum cleaners. The very fortuanate who could afford these items would order them from the Eaton's Catologue. All types of goods could be ordered in the Eaton's Catologue from fence posts to fashionable hats. The time period between 1901 and 1911 almost 2 million people immigrated to Canada from Europe, Britain and the United States. Due to the population growth, in 1905 Alberta and Saskatchewan became apart of the Confederation. The railway boom in 1903-1904 helped elevate the employment. Materials needed to build the railways and the transporting of the materials started the industrialization. Urbanization led to a serious problem of overcrowding. The three economic classes were the rich, average, and the immigrants. With low taxes this allowed the rich to spend on frivalous items such as . In contrast the average would only use their money for the neccessities in survival. At the bottom were the immigrants that were forced to live in unsanitary conditions and dank, damp basements. Not only were there differences of wealth or lack of but there was a difference in women and men's treatment. For example women did not have the freedom to enter pool room's, taverns and even bowling allies. Choices for women were working in stores and factories. Even if you came from a rich family your choices would have been nursing or teaching. Coming from a poor family women tended to just become a domestic servent. Women didn't have the right to vote like the men. In 1876 Dr Emily Stowe formed Toronto Women's Literary Club(TWLC). The purpose of this club was to inform women of their rights and to help secure women's rights. This group persuaded U of T to admit women in 1866. Also improved wages and working conditions. Womens Christian Temperence Union(WCTU) their goal was to combat problems created by alcohol in the society. A great social speaker Nellie Mclung received her start in WCTU to lead in the fight for equal freedom and for womens rights. Conclusion After discovering information about the 1900's I have come to the conclusion that in the 1900's was both good and bad. It was good because of the rising industries thus raising the economy. The main industries working for Canada were the railways, and road building. These industries provided needed jobs and the materials needed to complete these projects helped Canada grow even more. Low taxes meant you could pay for more important expenditures than paying to the government. The bad part of the 1900's was the three living standards in how most people were the poor and very little were rich. The modern convienences were not available to everyone in the early 1900's because these devices would have been very expensive caused by the newness of the products. Even though were guys I can see how women would have despised the fact that you were not able to vote or enter any buildings without checking it if it's not a tavern, pool room, and a bowling alley. Due to these outsanding points that stuck first in my mind I have changed my mind and believe it was both good and bad. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30970000 |
Heart Attacks "Linked to Stress" - New Study Shows
We all know of people who have chest pains when under stress, and this alarming symptom is often written off as "indigestion". However, now it seems it could be true that the heart is affected by stress and is not just folklore.
Doctors at University College Hospital, London, a leading teaching hospital, have proved in trials that people susceptible to stress, are also likely to have silent coronary artery disease.
The study involved 514 men and women, with an average age of 62. None of the participants had signs of heart disease at the time of the test.
Each underwent stress tests and then the levels of the hormone cortisol in their systems were measured.
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone and is produced by the body when it comes under mental or physical strain. When it is released, it causes the arteries to narrow.
The participants' arteries were also scanned for any signs of an accumulation of fatty materials on the inner linings of arteries, or furring.
Those people who were stressed by the tests were twice as likely to have furred arteries as those who remained calm, the study in the European Heart Journal found. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30971000 |
Aquatic Invasive Species
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK AIMS TO PROTECT INTERIOR LAKES FROM EXOTIC SPECIES AND FISH DISEASES
Exotic species such as the spiny water flea and rusty crayfish and fish diseases are threats to the aquatic ecosystems of regional lakes including those in Voyageurs National Park. Spiny water fleas have recently invaded multiple lakes in the region, including the large lakes within Voyageurs National Park. Rusty crayfish have invaded at least one lake in Voyageurs National Park and many lakes in the region. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a fish disease, has not yet been introduced into any lakes in Minnesota, but has caused fish kills in most of the Great Lakes and in some inland lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Spiny water fleas (PDF) are tiny (1/4-5/8") crustacean zooplankton. They are native to Eurasia and were introduced into the Great Lakes from the ballast water of ships. They threaten the park's aquatic ecosystems and fishing by competing with native fish for food and fouling fishing gear. Research has shown that the spiny water flea can cause the following impacts:
· change the community composition of zooplankton
· compete directly with juvenile yellow perch and other small fish and minnows for food which could lead to a decrease in the abundance of these fish
These impacts could alter the food web; for instance, yellow perch are an important part of the diet of walleye, so a decrease in yellow perch abundance could hurt walleye growth.
Rusty crayfish are native to the Ohio River drainage but have invaded lakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota in recent years. They were found in Sand Point Lake in 2006. Rusty crayfish are more aggressive than native crayfish and can eliminate native crayfish and aquatic plants, causing great change to the aquatic ecosystem of invaded lakes. Please do not move live crayfish from one lake to another, and remember that it is illegal to use live crayfish for bait in any lake in Voyageurs National Park.
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a viral fish disease that has been found in all of the Great Lakes except Lake Superior. It can kill many species of game fish including walleye and muskellunge. It could easily be spread to Minnesota lakes since many people travel between areas with infected lakes and Minnesota, and the virus that causes the disease can be spread by moving infected bait or water to uninfected lakes. Although VHS causes mortality in fish, it is not a threat to human health.
Spiny water fleas are spread when either live adult water fleas or viable resting eggs are transferred to a new body of water. Spiny water fleas and viruses that cause fish diseases can be transported on bait buckets, anchor ropes, fishing line, boats, waders, and nets. Any gear that enters infested water and is transferred to another lake or river without being thoroughly dried (for at least 5 days) or washed with hot water (>140° F for at least one minute) could transfer exotic species and fish diseases.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has designated the following water bodies as infested: Rainy Lake, Rainy River, Namakan Lake, Kabetogama Lake, Sand Point Lake, Crane Lake, and Little Vermilion Lake. The infested waters designation triggers specific Invasive Species Laws that are listed on page 61 of the DNR's 2008 Fishing Regulations handbook.
The National Park Service and DNR are working in concert to prevent the spread of the spiny water flea, other exotic species, and fish diseases by:
· implementing Best Management Practices for visitors, partners, and staff
· conducting public education at boat launch areas about exotic species, invasive species laws, and Voyageurs National Park interim measures to prevent the spread of exotic species
· providing information about spiny water flea, other invasive species, and fish diseases at park visitor centers, in park and DNR publications, and on the park website (www.nps.gov/voya) and the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us)
The National Park Service has adopted the following three interim measures to protect the interior lakes in Voyageurs National Park from the spiny water flea, other exotic species, and fish diseases:
· artificial bait only (on all interior lakes only)
· no privately-owned watercraft allowed in interior lakes (the park will continue to provide canoes and row boats for rent through the Boats on Interior Lakes program and Commercial Use Authorizations on Mukooda Lake)
· no float plane landings on interior lakes
If you plan to recreate on the interior lakes in Voyageurs National Park, please follow these Best Management Practices (PDF):
· Bring a separate set of gear that is likely to contact lake water (including fishing gear) to use on the interior lakes, or before using any gear on an interior lake, make sure that all gear has been thoroughly dried for at least 5 days or washed with hot water (>140 degrees F) for at least one minute
· When leaving any lake, remove aquatic plans and animals, including gelatinous or cotton batting-like material from equipment, including fishing line
Spiny water fleas are readily spread to uninfested lakes due to their small size, hardiness, and a tendency to cling to equipment. When spiny water fleas or other exotic species stick to equipment within infested waters and are transported to uninfested waters on this equipment without being desiccated or killed with hot water, they may start a new infestation. The interim regulations and Best Management Practices have been developed to eliminate the following likely means of transmitting fish disease and exotic species to the interior lakes of the park: using infested gear in the interior lakes, landing aircraft on the interior lakes during the open-water season, portaging private watercraft to interior lakes, and the use of any bait other than artificial bait in the interior lakes. Additional note: Although non-aquatic baits will not spread aquatic exotic species or fish diseases, some of the most common non-aquatic baits are exotic species, for example, earthworms (including nightcrawlers). Since exotics such as earthworms have negative effects on the terrestrial ecosystem (in addition to the negative effects that aquatic exotic species and fish diseases have on aquatic ecosystems), park management has chosen to allow only artificial bait on the interior lakes.
The park will conduct a program about exotic species and VHS for any interested party or organization.
To schedule a program call Tawnya Schoewe at 218-283-6670 or e-mail us.
With your help and careful actions, we can try to prevent the spread of the spiny water flea, other invasive species, and fish diseases. Stop aquatic hitchhikers!
Did You Know?
There are food lockers, picnic tables, tent pad sites, fire rings and a privy at many of the sites. Pick up a Campsite, Houseboat, and Day Use Site map at a visitor center. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30978000 |
Emotions and Heart Health
Since ancient times, the heart has been a symbol of our emotions. But in recent years, scientists have uncovered a clear physical link between emotions and heart health.
What the research shows
Current research has found a possible connection between stress or depression and heart disease. One recent study, for instance, found that having either depression or anxiety may make it more likely that you will have a heart attack or heart failure in the future. Having both depression and anxiety increased the risk. The same study linked anxiety and depression in people with heart disease to an increased risk for a hospital stay.
Although most research suggests a link among depression, anxiety, and heart disease, the results differ. Researchers are continuing to look at this issue to more clearly define how these factors are related.
A current review of medical research on anxiety, heart disease, and high blood pressure did confirm a relationship among the three. In particular, researchers know that anxiety can increase the level of stress hormones in the body. These hormones play a role in high blood pressure. People with chronic anxiety are more likely to develop high blood pressure. And people with high blood pressure are more likely to be anxious. How this link plays out in the long term is not clear.
Stress and your heart
Emotional stress causes a negative chain reaction within your body. If you're angry, anxious, tense, frustrated, frightened, or depressed, your body's natural response is to release stress hormones. These hormones are called cortisol and adrenaline. They prepare your body to deal with stress. They cause your heart to beat more rapidly and your blood vessels to narrow to help push blood to the center of the body. The hormones also increase your blood pressure. This “fight or flight” response is thought to date back to prehistoric times, when we needed an extra burst of adrenaline to escape predators.
After your stress subsides, your blood pressure and heart rate should return to normal. If you're continually stressed out, though, your body doesn't have a chance to recover. This may lead to damage of your artery walls.
Stress’s link to high blood pressure and inflammation is dangerous because both are known risk factors for heart disease and other heart problems. Although studies haven’t proved that stress alone causes heart disease, it clearly poses an indirect risk and also has a negative effect on your general wellness.
Stress and your reactions
You can manage stress in both healthy and unhealthy ways. Unfortunately, many of us deal with stress by smoking, drinking too much, and overeating. All of these unhealthy habits can contribute to heart disease. But using healthy ways to keep your stress under control allows you to better protect yourself against heart disease. Try these ideas:
Exercise. When you are anxious and tense, exercise is a great way to burn off all that excess energy and stress. Go for a walk, a bike ride, or a swim, or go to the gym for your favorite class.
Breathe deeply. Yoga is not only good for your body, but for your mind, too. The meditative, deep breathing done in yoga is calming and relieves stress, especially if you do it regularly.
Take a break. When your stress level rises, take a few minutes to escape your surroundings. Spend a few quiet moments alone, read a short story, or listen to your favorite music. Cultivate gratitude. Make a list of what you're grateful for in your life to focus on the positives.
Get together with friends. Sure, Facebook is fun, but it’s no substitute for being with people you love. Create some weekly rituals with your friends. If they live far away, try volunteering or joining a local group of people with similar interests to yours. Research suggests that people with frequent social connections enjoy better protection against high blood pressure.
Scientists need to do more research to look more closely at the link between emotional health and heart health. But the existing evidence is consistent enough to prove that you should take its potential effects on your heart seriously. Exercise regularly and keep your emotional health in check, and you’ll build a stronger buffer against heart disease. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30995000 |
Last Modified: April 18, 2002
This information was provided by an unrestricted educational grant from Integral PET Associates, LLC.
Clinically, a PET Scan can locate metabolic defects in the human body often before they have caused structural damage. It can do this with high sensitivity and reliability. This is a great advantage in deciding treatment courses and in diagnosing various conditions.
Since PET accurately and sensitively measures function or physiology in the human body it can detect problems before they cause irreversible damage to tissues. It may also detect response to treatment earlier than many other techniques, such as CT or MRI scans. The areas in which PET is making critical contributions are cancer, heart disease, and neurology.
PET can detect active tumors in the body with very high sensitivity. Active tumors have a high metabolism and therefore high demand for glucose. In this way malignant tumors may be distinguished from benign tumors and hidden tumors may be found. Also the response of tumors to treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or gene-therapy) may be seen and measured earlier by PET than many other techniques. Successfully treated tumors are destroyed physiologically often long before there is significant shrinkage of tumor volume. In this way stressful treatments can be assessed and completed earlier than might otherwise be possible.
Blood flow and glucose metabolism in the muscles of the heart may be accurately measured by PET. These measurements are made by imaging the distribution of intravenously injected radiolabeled ammonia (blood flow) and glucose (metabolism). Areas of low blood flow but normal metabolism in the heart muscle indicate heart muscle that may be repaired by restoring blood flow (repairing the appropriate coronary artery), while areas of matched low blood flow and metabolism may already be irreversibly damaged and so require other treatments. In addition blood flow in the heart may be measured at rest and after exercise to detect partly obstructed arteries in the heart responsible for angina.
Seizures or epilepsy often start from a single focus of abnormal tissue in the brain. When the frequency and intensity of seizures do not respond well to medication, surgery may provide permanent relief. In any event, injection of a tiny amount of radiolabeled glucose is used to image the metabolism of the brain by PET. If you were to have a seizure around the time of glucose injection the seizure focus would be an area of intense metabolism (and uptake). Between seizures the focus shows up as an area of decreased metabolism in the brain.
Brain trauma often results in subtle changes in brain anatomy and physiology, which may have marked effects on cognition and emotion. The physiological changes underlying these longer term effects of closed head or brain injury can frequently be demonstrated with PET scans of the brain. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-30997000 |
Mining Programs at Ontario Colleges
What to expect from a Mining Career
The mining industry is always looking for skilled professionals. Whether it’s filling specialized roles in geological management or heading into the mines, there are plenty of career opportunities available. Mining programs at Ontario colleges prepare students with both mining techniques and widespread knowledge of geology and earth resources, so they can enter the mining career of their choice.
If you’re interested in starting an in-demand career in the mining and geology industry, here’s what you need to know. More
There are a few types of mining programs available, each with different focuses or different levels of training. These include:
- Mining Techniques. Mining techniques programs are introductory one-year certificate programs that prepare students for entry-level work in the mining industry or for continued mining education. Students learn basic geology, surveying and drafting skills along with a variety of mining methods that will prepare them for both underground and office work in core sampling, mapping, prospecting and more.
- Mining Engineering Technician / Technology. Mining engineering technician and technology programs are more advanced than the techniques programs. Both technician and technologist programs give students a broader and deeper understanding of geology and resources and may offer training on a larger variety of mining equipment. Mining-related skills, such as drilling and blasting, may also be introduced. Technician programs are typically two-year diploma programs while technology programs (offering the most comprehensive training) are generally three-year advanced diploma programs.
Some mining-related programs have specific focuses, like earth sciences and natural resources. These programs have a geotechnical focus and are made up of courses including (but not limited to) mineral studies, geophysics, soil studies and other earth science topics. Students learn to operate geological equipment that can be used in some mining and geological industry practices, such as geotechnical and environmental assessment.
General Mining Program Requirements
Ontario college mining programs typically require an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent. Academic requirements will vary depending on the program, but generally include senior math and chemistry or physics courses. A grade 12 English credit is often required for technician and technology programs.
Mining Jobs and Salaries
Depending on your chosen program, jobs in the mining industry range from entry-level to more advanced positions, and will include roles such as:
- Mine Manager or Production Supervisor
- Underground Mining Worker
- Surveyor, Project Manager / Engineer
- Geologist Assistant
- Mining Administration
The average starting salary for graduates of mining programs at Ontario colleges is $36,000 a year, with the potential to earn much more. Experienced mine managers and mine workers typically have salaries between $60,000 and $90,000 a year, or even higher depending on the location and type of mining.
Ontario Colleges Offering Mining Programs
Use the left-column navigation to refine your search by College, Program Availability, Program Start Date and more, or see the table below for a complete list of mining programs at Ontario colleges. Less
|Program Title||College||Campus||Availability||Program Length||Start Date||Website| | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-31002000 |
On this fourth of July let us never forget that the rights we have secured were won by the hard fought efforts of generations of tireless activists and that the Constitution of the United States is a living document, shaped and formed by the collective participation of millions of people in a constant dialogue.
Our country is not perfect. Far from it, our history is one of terrible oppression and thoughtless, inconsiderate discrimination. Too many a man has been sent unnecessarily to die in war. Too many died without freedom, without rights. The stain of our neglect and terror scars the Constitution and the legers of history.
In spite of this truth, the human spirit has prevailed more often than not in this country and people have continued to believe in the fundamental goodness of the national project we call our Constitution. That belief in the security and equality of the individual and the guarantee of rights is perhaps the greatest contributor to the slow victory of justice in America.
That guarantee of our rights ensures that no man or woman, no matter how powerful and influential, is permitted to permanently or decisively interfere with the fundamental rights and freedoms of any other. These are the rights we celebrate on Independence Day and the freedoms that have been won in the generations since our nation's birth.
These victories include the extension of the right to vote and the rights of citizenship to all members of our society. The articulation of individual rights and freedoms is the fruit of their efforts. These freedoms offer proof that our Constitution is a living document and that the will of the people can be expressed in the language of the nation, articulated as law and common practice.
These freedoms, which we hold so dear, were brought to realization through the spirit of individual liberty and collective responsibility. Through an acknowledgement of the humanity of each person, the fundamental value of humankind is acknowledged. By recognizing this value in the individual we have crafted a body of law to protect the rights of everyone.
The threats to the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and our fundamental rights and liberties is always present, both from without and from within. On this day of celebration of collective freedom, let us never hand over our rights and responsibilities to any executive or any legislator who will seek to compromise those rights in the name of security.
The generations before us have worked too hard and labored too long to hand over the right to privacy and the responsibility of the national defense to rogue administrators and legislators who would betray our trust as a country. We must ensure that the freedoms and rights that have been secured for us remain so for future generations.
So on this Independence Day let us remember that the articulation of rights does not secure those rights. Only a vigilant citizenry can ensure the security of those rights guaranteed on paper. Our Constitution is a living document, which is given meaning through our participation. Through our direct engagement in the experiment of democracy we truly give meaning to the freedoms we celebrate. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-31005000 |
Function - Create a new semaphore.
kern_return_t semaphore_create (task_t task, semaphore_t *semaphore, int policy, int value);
The semaphore_create function creates a new semaphore, associates the created semaphore with the specified task, and returns a send right naming the new semaphore. In order to support a robust producer/consumer communication service, Interrupt Service Routines (ISR) must be able to signal semaphores. The semaphore synchronizer service is designed to allow user-level device drivers to perform signal operations, eliminating the need for event counters. Device drivers which utilize semaphores are responsible for creating (via semaphore_create) and exporting (via device_get_status) semaphores for user level access. Device driver semaphore creation is done at device initialization time. Device drivers may support multiple semaphores.
Functions: semaphore_destroy, semaphore_signal, semaphore_signal_all, semaphore_wait, device_get_status. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-31011000 |
The Missing Key To Physics, ESP, Intelligence, Aging...
As you know the discoveries of Nikola Tesla have been purposefully minimized in the media, college curriculums, and in the history books. Well, there was another absolutely brilliant scientist whose discoveries are on a par with Tesla's, but his work was very diligently minimized before it ever received widespread attention, and that scientist's name was Albert Roy Davis. It may seem presumptuous to compare any scientist to Tesla, but if there is one that you can compare to him, in my opinion, it's Albert Roy Davis.
In 1936 Davis discovered that the North and South poles of magnetism are two separate energies with exact opposite effects on all matter. The North pole energy spins counterclockwise and causes matter to contract, and the South pole energy spins clockwise and causes matter to expand. Davis and his associate, Walter C. Rawls, Jr., found that this discovery had incredible implications in many areas of research.
It is the key to understanding the "new physics", the physics of UFO's. Modern physics considers the two poles to be a singular form of energy, not two separate energies. Magnetism is the foundation of physics. If you've ever heard Richard C. Hoagland talk about the "Russian physics", let me tell you this: the Russians knew nothing of this "new physics" until they adopted Davis' discovery.
It is the key to tapping into the true potential of the human mind. Davis and Rawls discovered that North pole magnetism can be used to dramatically increase our intelligence and our psychic abilities.
It is the key to understanding the legends of giants in ancient history, and the 2-3 foot beings as well. Davis and Rawls discovered that North pole exposed animals grew into much smaller, physically weaker adults. South pole exposed animals grew into much larger, physically stronger adults.
It is the key to aging. Davis and Rawls discovered that both North pole and South pole exposed animals lived much longer than animals with no magnetic exposure. | fwe2-CC-MAIN-2013-20-31012000 |
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