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Their front legs are usually thicker and somewhat longer than their other legs. A new breed of spider has made its appearance in the United States in June 2020. And it’s said that it is a spider with wings. Can You Use Liquid Soap for Tick Removal? Place in corners, along walls and any locations where you’ve seen spiders. In 2012, an image went viral purporting to show that scientists had discovered a spider with wings. According to a blog post from the museum, in 2013 field entomologist Jim Berrian and a team of researchers found the spider while exploring the Sierra Cacachilas, a small mountain range in Baja California Sur in Mexico. Some even saw spiders parachuting in the air. Flying spiders are NOT a new breed of spiders as they belong to the Larinioides Sclopetarius species. In the New England States, zebra spiders mate in May, and eggs are laid in June and July. So, they defecate as a way of removing waste materials from their body. Spiders found in Texas include 88 unique species from confirmed sightings by contributing members of Spider ID. Spiders found in Texas include 88 unique species from confirmed sightings by contributing members of Spider ID. The body is about an inch long while the legs are about four inches across. After reporting that scientists had confirmed that a large number of flying spiders were expected to migrate to England that year to feed on a burgeoning population of their main food source, false widow spiders, the article went on to admit it was all just a hoax designed to attract traffic to the website. “But...generally, [most] new species discovered are itty-bitty things that people don’t pay attention to, so given the size of this spider, that was surprising.”. However, their night vision is very poor. Continue Is there any rumour you want Republic World to do a fact check on? These spiders need not be feared from as they have not been reported to bite humans and are considered to be less venomous than a bee. Adult zebra spiders have gray bodies with white markings on their front and abdomen. Cookie Policy They leave their egg sac behind for the next season. However, it isn't strictly strictly accurate to say that spiders never fly. These retreats are used for molting, hibernation, nighttime seclusion and laying eggs. That night, in the darkened cave, the team got their first look at what is now known as Califorctenus cacachilensis, or the Sierra Cacachilas wandering spider. Small spiders die faster than tarantula sized monsters. However, if symptoms continue to worsen for more than 24 hours, it’s crucial to seek medical attention. California Do Not Sell My Info https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/massive-spider-viral-video-texas Retreats may be built under furniture, in drapery folds, between books on bookshelves, in cracks found in wood floors, around door and window molding, etc. Outside, jumping spider retreats are found under loose bark and between leaves. There are more than 4,000 known species of jumping spiders in the world, with about 300 species found in the United States and Canada, including the zebra spider, Salticus scenicus. Fresh poop will appear as a thick and creamy white liquid with black stains. It’s thought that the older spiderlings overwinter in a retreat and become adults in spring. Fact Check: Was Dr Anthony Fauci's Ex-employee In Prison For Exposing COVID-19 Pandemic? Jumping spiders are unlikely to infest a home, as they prefer outdoor environments with plentiful vegetation and sunlight, such as grassland and prairies. They are spotted a lot during the May-August season in the city of Chicago, US. Back in 2015, the residents of the Hilton Hotel got a note from the management stating that the residents should not open the windows due to the annual migration of the spiders in the month of May. These spiders don’t have wings that will enable them to fly. On occasion, jumping spiders might gain entry indoors via clothing or plants that are brought inside. Most often, jumping spiders enter through wall cracks or poorly screened windows and doors. In 2014, a revamped version of the flying spider hoax appeared online, this time subjecting readers to a double dose of trickery. Though it is fairly plain, Berrian describes it as striking. Jumping spiders do possess fangs and produce venom, but the venom is not a medical threat. They actually spin balloon-like webs and are carried by the wind to a great distance. Its legs can grow as large as 1 foot and it also stands accused of spinning webs out of nightmares and feasting on children’s dreams. ALSO READ\| Fact Check: Can Using AC During Lockdown Increase The Chances Of Coronavirus Spread? According to the blog post, the arachnid belongs to same family as the Brazilian wandering spider—a notoriously deadly spider. In some cases, jumping spiders will bite in defense, but their bite is not poisonous. Web-building spiders commonly consume flying insects such as flies, mosquitoes, moths, butterflies, and even other spiders. 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The importance of effective communication. I have often said that stress-free communication requires some simple things such as 1) Open-mindedness, and 2) a willingness to avoid a victimhood mindset at all costs. The truth is that, while these things are important, they are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of tools and ideas we can cultivate to communicate more efficiently and effectively! Communication. What is it? Communication is far more than exchanging bits of info from one person to another. Effective communication is a method of understanding the reasoning behind the information, the cause, effect, and potentially the emotions and “human-ness” of the information shared. Information can be dangerous, friendly, biased, neutral, or anything else under the sun. This is because information is passed through the filters of our mind in order to be stored and translated to others. Often, the filters through which this information sifts are hard to pinpoint, locate, explain, and justify. Tony Robbins famously explained a longstanding truth about human nature in one of his talks. He mentions that human efforts are constantly reinforced to do 1 (or both) of 2 things, to avoid pain, and gain pleasure. Pain and pleasure are our resulting emotional dictators. Ultimately, today I wish to effectively inform you of the ways in which we can communicate well with others. Perhaps in doing so, we can begin to build a future that is founded with understanding and not judgment. Steps to Effective Communication Here are some insights and ideas as to how you can cultivate a mindset of open and clear communication. Clear Emotional Barriers A conversation full of negative emotions often leads to saying what you may not truly mean! Highly emotional conversations can potentially break down future communications and feelings of mutual respect as well as relationships. Emotional barriers are common pitfalls to communicating with purpose. Being overly emotional and/or “pointed” with your comments may make the recipient feel attacked and targeted from the start. Often, because so much useful communication is needed due to conflicts, this point is entirely overlooked. Consider this, conflicts are usually never what they seem to be. Every war that has ever existed can usually boil down to a difference in values. Instead of “flying off the handle” when someone does something that may anger you, consider the value difference between you. This kind of thinking will often spur a curiosity rather than anger, and make you more willing to openly communicate without judgment, blame, or the like. Be willing to listen MORE than you speak. This step is doubly important if you are the instigator of communications. More than just problem resolution, the ability to listen is the most important thing you can do to consistently make people like you. Great listening ability was mentioned in Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People. Ultimately, people want to feel important in their lives. If you give them their due time by listening to them attentively, you are allowing them to feel important and worthy of your time, which greatly benefits your relationships with others. Imagine how a normal argument you may have would pan out if you took the time to really listen. Dale Carnegie wrote a short story which I will paraphrase here. A mother was once having a hard time getting her child to do her chores. After barking orders for the hundredth time, the mother was set out to do something different. That was, to understand why the child was behaving the way she was. She sat her child down and wished to listen. The child let loose her thoughts and feelings, and the mother started to notice something. The mother realized that she had only ever barked orders to her child and failed to listen. From then on, the mother listened more than she spoke to the child, the child felt heard, appreciated, and eventually did her chores. The relationship between them had improved significantly. Here is a list of ways that attentive listening can help you in your life. 1. Enhanced Productivity 2. Improves Relationships 3. Improves Negotiations 4. Mutual Appreciation 5. Better Understanding 6. Avoids Conflicts Remain Open-Minded Listening is great, but there is a difference between listening attentively and listening covertly. Covert listening is similar to formulating a thought only with the goal to respond to somebody who is speaking. Everybody is guilty of this at some point or another. Trying to form a response before somebody is done speaking is not truly listening. It is often a byproduct of being distracted or having your attention elsewhere. True listening takes into account all that a person says, the points and reasoning behind the words, and the emotions that the words convey. Being open-minded means you direct the conversation in no certain direction. It means you “go with the flow” and are willing to accept different ideas that make up the other person’s “realities”. There is no true reality, only perceptive reality. And as we know, perceptions are easily fooled. Consider this, you can never truly tell somebody they are wrong, every difference in “truth” can be based on the difference between our personal “realities”. This is the basis for open-mindedness. Aristotle says, “It is the mark of an intelligent mind to consider a perspective without submitting to it their agreeance.” What Aristotle means is this, always look for new perspectives, seek them out, because they often tell us more about a person and situation than you could otherwise deduce. Any argument has two perspectives. Negotiations have two perspectives. Your perspective is no more or less “true” than any other person’s perspective. Communication Tips and Tricks Curious as to how you can immediately alter your ability to effectively communicate? Look no further! Here we will be discussing some simple but effective ways in which you can learn to be a good communicator. When listening, try to lean your right ear in. Yeah, I mean it. The truth is that the left side of the brain is the processing center for communication (verbal) and emotions. The left side of your brain controls the right side of your body and vice versa. Therefore, by leaning in your right ear, you will be allowing yourself a greater sensitivity to the emotional nuances that you can gather from the tone and verbiage of the speaker’s voice. Show Attentiveness A big part of effective communication is in making the other person feel heard. Allowing the other person to express themselves without judgment and ensuring that you hear what they are saying with an occasional nod or gesture ensures them that they are getting through. Similarly, look for these things in others as you talk to them, they may be great indicators of your ability to speak and whether or not you are being heard. Body Language You do not need to know what they are saying to know how they feel in the moment! That is the power of body language! You do not need to know what they are saying to know how they feel at the moment! That is the power of body language! Body language is a big one. Did you know that the interpretation of a message is 7% verbal, 38% tone of voice, and 55% Visual?! That is a whopping 93% non-verbal interpretation. This is why body language and tone of voice are key factors in communicating effectively. Body language includes things such as gestures, breathing, muscle tension, facial cues, eye contact, and posture, just to name a few. Ultimately, learning how to master these can mean the difference between responsive communication and miscommunication. Because so much of communication is nonverbal, if you say something but do something else, you will seem dishonest and untrustworthy. This is why “talk is cheap” and, “we are what we repeatedly do.” and not what we repeatedly say. In any organization, there are, what I call, miscommunication costs. Miscommunication Costs: The expensive costs incurred as a result of mistakes, false blame, lack of potential communication, and consequent lack of motivation that are resultant of miscommunication in any social structure. The difference between the real performance, and minimum expectations. Ultimately, miscommunication can be costly, in emotional vitality, organizational leadership, and yes, even money. Avoid a Negatively Presupposed Mindset A negatively presupposed mindset can occur due to many things. Perhaps it’s the immediate emotional overflow of an argument, the stress that occurs under a deadline, even the unmet expectations we have for our lives and the people in them. Ultimately, allowing yourself to come to a natural balance and regain emotional stability before a discussion is the best solution. Speaking with highly emotional outbursts can be like sending daggers with your words, they never help a situation. Allow yourself time to think, gather and clarify your thoughts. Only when you know what to say can you say it effectively to others. Don’t go into a discussion expecting everything to go perfectly, doing so is a recipe for disaster. Instead, go in with the willingness to learn. Taking care of emotional outbursts ensures that you are fit for making your point clearly and without question. Don’t be Afraid to be Assertive You need to value yourself, your opinions, and your feelings. You cannot allow the fear of an interview, negotiation, discussion, or potential argument to strip away your desires. Become clear as to what you wish to gain, and the future you wish to create through your communication. Doing so will constantly keep the purpose and end-goal in mind, and likely inspire you to take action. You must chase what you want in life. Decide to feel positive, and express negativity in a positive way. No person ever regretted giving love to others, even when those others may have deserved condemnation. Decide to be open to feedback. Remember, there are multiple perspectives here. Your truth is no more or less real than theirs, so compromises are not only healthy but common. Say “no” when absolutely necessary. Times when saying “no” may be necessary include but aren’t limited to… 1. When you are being taken advantage of. 2. When no agreement can be reached. 3. When the other party is not willing to compromise or simply consider your perspective. 4. When you decide the costs are not worth the benefits. These are only a few of the situations in which it might benefit you and your future to forgo communications. Ultimately, effective communication is about taking away as much bias as possible from your viewpoint, considering the perspectives of others, and deciding to understand before being understood (Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). Not every confrontation may go your way, and that is a fact of life. You have the power to decide what you wish your life contains and what you don’t. Allow yourself the self-love and emotional control to pursue agreements with your fellow people, to cultivate positive relationships with a basis of understanding, and a peaceful future with mutual benefits for everybody. For more blog posts click HERE! For more info on how to contact me, click HERE! For more on what I do, click HERE! For another article on effective communication, please click here! -Austin Denison Comments are closed Work With Me! 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Supplementary MaterialsAdditional file 1 List of microarray probes. RNA by the Supplementary MaterialsAdditional file 1 List of microarray probes. RNA by the selective hybridization of helper molecules. The amplification of the hybridization signal strength by chaperones is not necessarily local; we observed increased signal intensities in both local and distant regions of the target molecule. Conclusions The sensitivity of the detection of tmRNA at low temperature can be increased by chaperone oligonucleotides. Due to the complexity of RNA secondary and tertiary structures the effect of any individual chaperone is currently not predictable. Background Over the last decade microarrays have quickly found applications in microbial diagnostics, for detecting different pathogenic viruses, bacteria and other microbes [1] or for analyzing species composition in environmental and medical examples [2]. Also, many different biosensor systems predicated on nucleic acidity hybridization have already been created and suggested for quick and affordable “in-the-field” recognition and recognition of diseases, contaminants or pathogens [3,4]. The most frequent focus on molecule for diagnostic and phylogenetic research Rabbit Polyclonal to ARRB1 can be 16S rRNA (or related gene). It had been found in the 1970s [5] and is still probably the most widely-used marker for discriminating bacterial varieties [2,6]. Advantages of ribosomal little subunit RNA are its existence in all varieties in high duplicate numbers and the various evolutionary prices of different parts of 16S rRNA, producing various taxonomic research feasible [7,8]. However, alternative marker substances [9-12] need to be regarded as in the event 16S rRNA isn’t suitable for exact recognition and distinguishing between carefully related varieties [13]. One interesting novel marker which has shown great potential in molecular diagnostics may be the tmRNA transcript of bacterial em ssrA gene /em . In living cells, tmRNA exists in fairly high copy amounts (around 1000 substances per cell) [14,15] and is in charge of helping ribosomes during translation when proteins synthesis stalls. tmRNA substances contain parts of species-specific series heterogeneity and may therefore be effectively utilized as markers for bacterial diagnostics [16,17]. Nucleic acidity hybridizations in microbiology and molecular diagnostics have already been performed at different temperatures which range from 4C and RT to around 40C and even higher (50C and above). It’s advocated in previous research, how the hybridization of complicated target substances can be hindered below 42C, leading e.g. to low sign intensities and poor probe specificity [18]. Low temperatures hybridization can be of great curiosity for emerging systems, such as for example membrane biosensors, where in fact the denaturation of membranes and protein need to be prevented and “laboratory-on-chip” and inlayed solutions, where maintaining different compartments with varying temperature could be costly and complicated. Modern oligonucleotide style tools GSK2118436A cost permit the hybridization affinity and specificity of regional regions to become estimated quite exactly at different temps. Among our primary goals was to build up a hybridization technique that might be suitable for make use of below 37C. Many difficulties can occur in the recognition of bacterial RNA by hybridization. Focus on RNA degradation must be nonspecific and prevented hybridizations with incorrect focuses on prevented. The second option is challenging on highly conserved RNA substances [19] rather. Strong secondary constructions can stop the hybridization sites in the molecule and therefore prevent hybridization nearly totally or retard it considerably [20,21]. The supplementary framework of RNA is a lot more powerful than that of the related DNA [22] as well as the recognition of RNA can be more challenging [23]. It’s advocated that supplementary framework could GSK2118436A cost be the GSK2118436A cost main GSK2118436A cost reason why hybridization-based detection fails at room temperature [18,21] and it has to be disrupted, or (in the case of synthetic molecules) its formation has to be minimized, to gain access to the target regions of the RNA molecule [21,24]. The latter is especially crucial in the case of rRNA and tmRNA molecules as they both fold into complex secondary and tertiary structures. For certain applications it is also important to be able to estimate the relative or absolute abundances of different bacterial strains or species quantitatively. Quantification of hybridization poses additional challenges, if the procedure is too slow to attain equilibrium especially. Several methods to improve the effectiveness of hybridization have already been referred to. The hybridization temperatures can be improved. It is expected that while about 70% of the 70-mer cDNA molecule can be inaccessible at GSK2118436A cost 42C, only 30% of DNA and 50% of RNA remains inaccessible at 65C [20]. Some authors have suggested that a higher temperature increases hybridization specificity, but other authors have found no such effect [23]. Designing probes for. Leave a Reply
Modern technology gives us many things. Our Want For Water Is Tapping Historical Underground Wells. How Lengthy Can They Final? Communities that depend on the Colorado River are going through a water disaster. Lake Mead, the river’s largest reservoir, has fallen to ranges not seen because it was created by the development of the Hoover Dam roughly a century in the past. Arizona and Nevada are going through their first-ever mandated water cuts, whereas water is being launched from different reservoirs to maintain the Colorado River’s hydropower crops working. If even the mighty Colorado and its reservoirs usually are not resistant to the warmth and drought worsened by local weather change, the place will the West get its water? There’s one hidden reply: underground. As rising temperatures and drought dry up rivers and soften mountain glaciers, persons are more and more depending on the water underneath their toes. Groundwater assets presently provide consuming water to almost half the world’s inhabitants and roughly 40 p.c of water used for irrigation globally. What many individuals do not understand is how outdated – and the way weak – a lot of that water is. Most water saved underground has been there for many years, and far of it has sat for lots of, hundreds, and even thousands and thousands of years. Older groundwater tends to reside deep underground, the place it’s much less simply affected by floor situations resembling drought and air pollution. As shallower wells dry out underneath the stress of city growth, inhabitants progress, and local weather change, outdated groundwater is turning into more and more essential. Consuming historical groundwater If you happen to bit into a bit of bread that was 1,000 years outdated, you’d most likely discover. Water that has been underground for a thousand years can style totally different, too. It leaches pure chemical compounds from the encompassing rock, altering its mineral content material. Some pure contaminants linked to groundwater agelike mood-boosting lithium – can have constructive results. Different contaminants, like iron and manganese, could be troublesome. Older groundwater can also be typically too salty to drink with out costly remedy. This downside could be worse close to the coasts: Overpumping creates area that may draw seawater into aquifers and contaminate consuming provides. Historical groundwater can take hundreds of years to replenish naturally. And, as California noticed throughout its 2011-2017 drought, pure underground storage areas compress as they empty, so that they cannot refill to their earlier capability. This compaction in flip causes the land above to crack, buckle and sink. But individuals immediately are drilling deeper wells within the West as droughts deplete floor water and farms rely extra closely on groundwater. What does it imply for water to be ‘outdated’? We could say a rainstorm over central California 15,000 years in the past. Because the storm rolls over what’s now San Francisco, many of the rain falls into the Pacific Ocean, the place it’s going to finally evaporate again into the ambiance. Nonetheless, some rain additionally falls into rivers and lakes and over dry land. As that rain seeps by way of layers of soil, it enters slowly trickling “flowpaths” of underground water. A few of these paths lead deeper and deeper, the place water collects in crevices inside the bedrock lots of of meters underground. The water gathered in these underground reserves is in a way reduce off from the lively water cycle – at the very least on timescales related to human life. In California’s arid Central Valley, a lot of the accessible historical water has been pumped out of the earth, principally for agriculture. The place the pure replenishment timescale can be on the order of millennia, agricultural seepage has partially refilled some aquifers with newer – too typically polluted – water. The truth is, locations like Fresno now actively refill aquifers with clear water (resembling handled wastewater or stormwater) in a course of generally known as “managed aquifer recharge.” In 2014, halfway by way of their worst drought in fashionable reminiscence, California grew to become the final western state to cross a legislation requiring native groundwater sustainability plans. Groundwater could also be resilient to warmth waves and local weather change, however in case you use all of it, you are in hassle. One response to water demand? Drill deeper. But that reply is not sustainable. First, it is costly: Giant agricultural firms and lithium mining companies are typically the type of traders who can afford to drill deep sufficient, whereas small rural communities cannot. Second, when you pump historical groundwater, aquifers want time to refill. Flowpaths could also be disrupted, choking off a pure water provide to springs, wetlands and rivers. In the meantime, the change in stress underground can destabilize the earth, inflicting land to sink and even resulting in earthquakes. Third is contamination: Whereas deep, mineral-rich historical groundwater is usually cleaner and safer to drink than youthful, shallower groundwater, overpumping can change that. As water-strapped areas rely extra closely on deep groundwater, overpumping lowers the water desk and attracts down polluted fashionable water that may combine with the older water. This mixing causes the water high quality to deteriorate, resulting in demand for ever-deeper wells. Studying local weather historical past in historical groundwater There are different causes to care about historical groundwater. Like precise fossils, extraordinarily outdated “fossil groundwater” can educate us concerning the previous. Envision our prehistoric rainstorm once more: 15,000 years in the past, the local weather was fairly totally different from immediately. Chemical compounds that dissolved in historical groundwater are detectable immediately, opening home windows right into a previous world. Sure dissolved chemical compounds act as clocks, telling scientists the groundwater’s age. For instance, we all know how briskly dissolved carbon-14 and krypton-18 decay, so we are able to measure them to calculate when the water final interacted with air. Youthful groundwater that disappeared underground after the Nineteen Fifties has a novel, man-made chemical signature: excessive ranges of tritium from atomic bomb testing. Different dissolved chemical compounds behave like tiny thermometers. Noble gases like argon and xenon, as an illustration, dissolve extra in chilly water than in heat water, alongside a exactly identified temperature curve. As soon as groundwater is remoted from air, dissolved noble gases do not do a lot. Consequently, they protect details about environmental situations on the time the water first seeped into the subsurface. The concentrations of noble gases in fossil groundwater have offered a few of our most dependable estimates of temperature on land over the past ice age. Such findings present perception into fashionable climates, together with how delicate Earth’s common temperature is to carbon dioxide within the ambiance. These strategies help a current examine that discovered 3.4 levels Celsius of warming with every doubling of carbon dioxide. Groundwater’s previous and future Individuals in some areas, like New England, have been consuming historical groundwater for years with little hazard of exhausting usable provides. Common rainfall and different water sources – together with floor water in lakes, rivers, and snowpack – present options to groundwater and in addition refill aquifers with new water. If aquifers can sustain with the demand, the water can be utilized sustainably. Out West, although, over a century of unmanaged and exorbitant water use implies that among the locations most depending on groundwater – arid areas weak to drought – have squandered the traditional water assets that after existed underground. A well-known precedent for this downside is within the Nice Plains. There, the traditional water of the Ogallala Aquifer provides consuming water and irrigation for thousands and thousands of individuals and farms from South Dakota to Texas. If individuals have been to pump this aquifer dry, it might take hundreds of years to refill naturally. It’s a very important buffer towards drought, but irrigation and water-intensive farming are reducing its water ranges at unsustainable charges. Because the planet warms, historical groundwater is turning into more and more essential – whether or not flowing out of your kitchen faucet, irrigating meals crops, or providing warnings about Earth’s previous that may assist us put together for an unsure future. Marissa Grunes, Environmental Fellow, Harvard College; Alan Seltzer, Assistant Scientist in Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Gap Oceanographic Establishment; and Kevin M. Befus, Assistant Professor of Hydrogeology, College of Arkansas. This text is republished from The Dialog underneath a Artistic Commons license. Learn the authentic article. Leave A Reply Your email address will not be published.
A Review Of Asbestos survey What are the asbestos danger elements? Mesothelioma cancer cells statistics suggest that specific atmospheres, industries, and work have a greater mesothelioma risk. The risk of getting cancer cells from asbestos is extremely actual. A danger aspect is anything that boosts your chance of getting the medical diagnosis: malignant mesothelioma cancer. But having a risk factor, or even a number of asbestos illness danger variables, does not suggest that you will certainly establish mesothelioma lung cancer cells. Direct exposure to asbestos is the major danger factor for developing mesothelioma injury. This injury might turn into full-fledged mesothelioma cancer lung cancer. So, what are the threat asbestos aspects? And exactly how do we handle the risk of asbestos direct exposure? Mesothelioma cancer Statistics Mesothelioma cancer stats expose that 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma situations each year receive the diagnosis: deadly mesothelioma. Roughly 70 to 80 percent of all situations of mesothelioma cancer are discovered to be the straight outcome of asbestos exposure. According to the UNITED STATE Epa (EPA), as numerous as three quarter million schools as well as public buildings in the nation today contain asbestos insulation. These were constructed prior to new asbestos mesothelioma law began to constrain the use of asbestos early in the 1970s. Asbestos insulation may be discovered in as several as 10% to 15% of schools in the United States. Industrial Danger What is the commercial asbestos risk of your workplace? The mesothelioma cancer risk affixed to numerous sectors can be plotted on a continuum: from high commercial risk – to the least risk. To start with, you must determine asbestos web content intrinsic to your structure, equipment, raw materials or products. After that contrast this information with mesothelioma stats for your market. Ecological Risk What is the asbestos danger of your setting? Asbestos minerals are widespread in the worldwide atmosphere. The asbestos threat might occur in large natural deposits, or as impurities in various other minerals and also items. If you are subjected to asbestos, numerous aspects identify asbestos direct exposure risk as well as potential asbestos-related diseases. These elements consist of how much, how much time, the mineral form and also dimension distribution, and also how you come in contact with it. Studies have revealed that cigarette smokers are a lot more vulnerable to asbestos illness than non-smokers. Does the Silent Killer track your work environment? The Control of Asbestos at the workplace Rules (CAWR) places the duty on employers to identify and also examine job-related asbestos danger. Asbestos Condition Threat Asbestos condition threat is the threat of serious disease after breathing in asbestos dust. In industry, they divide as well as process asbestos fibers into new substances and structures, creating tiny dirt. If inhaled, it can collect in the lungs, belly or various other body organs and also at some point cause the growth of major, serious asbestos conditions. A mesothelioma cancer prognosis is nearly never ever positive. Asbestos Products Danger Asbestos products run the risk of? The Silent Killer Tracking? The danger of mesothelioma cancer lung cancer from asbestos insulation, asbestos siding, asbestos floor tile, asbestos floor covering, as well as a host of various other products exist almost everywhere around us. Asbestos was not just inexpensive to buy, however it is also pliable as well as occasionally, soft like cotton. Some forms of asbestos fibers have cloth-like high qualities. Asbestos fibers can, for that reason, be easily woven into fire-resistant protection garments for rescue officials and firemens. Items for various other specialists as well as workers, that are subjected to high warmth, are also manufactured, developing asbestos items danger. Its commercial residential or commercial properties remained in solid demand during the commercial transformation. An estimated 4,000 products made throughout the 1900s contained asbestos fibers. know more about Asbestos survey here.
ⓘ Mandolin ⓘ Mandolin A mandolin is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is usually plucked with a plectrum. It commonly has four courses of doubled metal strings tuned in unison, although five and six course versions also exist. The courses are typically tuned in a succession of perfect fifths, with the same tuning as a violin. It is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass. There are many styles of mandolin, but three are common, the Neapolitan or round-backed mandolin, the carved-top mandolin and the flat-backed mandolin. The round-back has a deep bottom, constructed of strips of wood, glued together into a bowl. The carved-top or arch-top mandolin has a much shallower, arched back, and an arched top - both carved out of wood. The flat-backed mandolin uses thin sheets of wood for the body, braced on the inside for strength in a similar manner to a guitar. Each style of instrument has its own sound quality and is associated with particular forms of music. Neapolitan mandolins feature prominently in European classical music and traditional music. Carved-top instruments are common in American folk music and bluegrass music. Flat-backed instruments are commonly used in Irish, British and Brazilian folk music. Some modern Brazilian instruments feature an extra fifth course tuned a fifth lower than the standard fourth course. Other mandolin varieties differ primarily in the number of strings and include four-string models tuned in fifths such as the Brescian and Cremonese, six-string types tuned in fourths such as the Milanese, Lombard and the Sicilian and 6 course instruments of 12 strings two strings per course such as the Genoese. There has also been a twelve-string three strings per course type and an instrument with sixteen-strings four strings per course. Much of mandolin development revolved around the soundboard the top. Pre-mandolin instruments were quiet instruments, strung with as many as six courses of gut strings, and were plucked with the fingers or with a quill. However, modern instruments are louder - using four courses of metal strings, which exert more pressure than the gut strings. The modern soundboard is designed to withstand the pressure of metal strings that would break earlier instruments. The soundboard comes in many shapes - but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. There are usually one or more sound holes in the soundboard, either round, oval, or shaped like a calligraphic f f-hole. A round or oval sound hole may be covered or bordered with decorative rosettes or purfling. 1. History See: History of the mandolin. Mandolins evolved from lute family instruments in Europe. Predecessors include the gittern and mandore or mandola in Italy during the 17th and 18th centuries. There were a variety of regional variants, but two that were widespread included the Neapolitan mandolin and the Lombardic mandolin. The Neapolitan style has spread worldwide. 2. Construction Mandolins have a body that acts as a resonator, attached to a neck. The resonating body may be shaped as a bowl necked bowl lutes or a box necked box lutes. Traditional Italian mandolins, such as the Neapolitan mandolin, meet the necked bowl description. The necked box instruments include the carved top mandolins and the flatback mandolins. Strings run between mechanical tuning machines at the top of the neck to a tailpiece that anchors the other end of the strings. The strings are suspended over the neck and soundboard and pass over a floating bridge. The bridge is kept in contact with the soundboard by the downward pressure from the strings. The neck is either flat or has a slight radius, and is covered with a fingerboard with frets. The action of the strings on the bridge causes the soundboard to vibrate, producing sound. Like any plucked instrument, mandolin notes decay to silence rather than sound out continuously as with a bowed note on a violin, and mandolin notes decay faster than larger stringed instruments like the guitar. This encourages the use of tremolo rapid picking of one or more pairs of strings to create sustained notes or chords. The mandolins paired strings facilitate this technique: the plectrum pick strikes each of a pair of strings alternately, providing a more full and continuous sound than a single string would. Various design variations and amplification techniques have been used to make mandolins comparable in volume with louder instruments and orchestras, including the creation of mandolin-banjo hybrid with the louder banjo, adding metal resonators most notably by Dobro and the National String Instrument Corporation to make a resonator mandolin, and amplifying electric mandolins through amplifiers. 3. Tuning A variety of different tunings are used. Usually, courses of 2 adjacent strings are tuned in unison. By far the most common tuning is the same as violin tuning, in scientific pitch notation G 3 –D 4 –A 4 –E 5, or in Helmholtz pitch notation: g–d′–a′–e″. • second course: A 4 440.00 Hz ; A above middle C • first highest tone course: E 5 659.25 Hz • third course: D 4 293.66 Hz • fourth lowest tone course: G 3 196.00 Hz Note that the numbers of Hz shown above assume a 440 Hz A, standard in most parts of the western world. Some players use an A up to 10 Hz above or below a 440, mainly outside the United States. Other tunings exist, including cross-tunings, in which the usually doubled string runs are tuned to different pitches. Additionally, guitarists may sometimes tune a mandolin to mimic a portion of the intervals on a standard guitar tuning to achieve familiar fretting patterns. 4.1. Mandolin family Soprano The mandolin is the soprano member of the mandolin family, as the violin is the soprano member of the violin family. Like the violin, its scale length is typically about 13 inches 330 mm. Modern American mandolins modelled after Gibsons have a longer scale, about 13 7 ⁄ 8 inches 350 mm. The strings in each of its double-strung courses are tuned in unison, and the courses use the same tuning as the violin: G 3 –D 4 –A 4 –E 5. 4.2. Mandolin family Piccolo The piccolo or sopranino mandolin is a rare member of the family, tuned one octave above the mandola and one fourth above the mandolin C 4 –G 4 –D 5 –A 5; the same relation as that of the piccolo or sopranino violin to the violin and viola. One model was manufactured by the Lyon & Healy company under the Leland brand. A handful of contemporary luthiers build piccolo mandolins. Its scale length is typically about 9 1 ⁄ 2 inches 240 mm. 4.3. Mandolin family Alto The mandola US and Canada, termed the tenor mandola in Britain and Ireland and liola or alto mandolin in continental Europe, which is tuned to a fifth below the mandolin, in the same relationship as that of the viola to the violin. Some also call this instrument the "alto mandola." Its scale length is typically about 16 1 ⁄ 2 inches 420 mm. It is normally tuned like a viola fifth below the mandolin and tenor banjo: C 3 –G 3 –D 4 –A 4. 4.4. Mandolin family Tenor The octave mandolin US and Canada, termed the octave mandola in Britain and Ireland and mandola in continental Europe, is tuned an octave below the mandolin: G 2 –D 3 –A 3 –E 4. Its relationship to the mandolin is that of the tenor violin to the violin. Octave mandolin scale length is typically about 20 inches 510 mm, although instruments with scales as short as 17 inches 430 mm or as long as 21 inches 530 mm are not unknown. Bandol: The instrument has a variant off the coast of South America in Trinidad, where it is known as the bandol, a flat-backed instrument with four courses, the lower two strung with metal and nylon strings. The Irish bouzouki, although not strictly a member of the mandolin family, has a resemblance and similar range to the octave mandolin. It was derived from the Greek bouzouki a long-necked lute, constructed like a flat-backed mandolin and uses fifth-based tunings, most often G 2 –D 3 –A 3 –E 4 an octave below the mandolin - in which case it essentially functions as an octave mandolin. Common alternate tunings include: G 2 –D 3 –A 3 –D 4, A 2 –D 3 –A 3 –D 4 or A 2 –D 3 –A 3 –E 4. Although the Irish bouzoukis bass course pairs are most often tuned in unison, on some instruments one of each pair is replaced with a lighter string and tuned in octaves, in the fashion of the 12-string guitar. While occupying the same range as the octave mandolin / octave mandola, the Irish bouzouki is theoretically distinguished from the former instrument by its longer scale length, typically from 22 to 24 inches 560 to 610 mm, although scales as long as 26 inches 660 mm, which is the usual Greek bouzouki scale, are not unknown. In modern usage, however, the terms "octave mandolin" and "Irish bouzouki" are often used interchangeably to refer to the same instrument. The modern cittern may also be loosely included in an "extended" mandolin family, based on resemblance to the flat-backed mandolins, which it predates. Its own lineage dates it back to the Renaissance. It is typically a five course ten string instrument having a scale length between 20 and 22 inches 510 and 560 mm. The instrument is most often tuned to either D 2 –G 2 –D 3 –A 3 –D 4 or G 2 –D 3 –A 3 –D 4 –A 4, and is essentially an octave mandola with a fifth course at either the top or the bottom of its range. Some luthiers, such as Stefan Sobell also refer to the octave mandola or a shorter-scaled Irish bouzouki as a cittern, irrespective of whether it has four or five courses. Other relatives of the cittern, which might also be loosely linked to the mandolins and are sometimes tuned and played as such, include the 6-course/12-string Portuguese guitar and the 5-course/9-string waldzither. 4.5. Mandolin family Baritone/Bass The mandocello, which is classically tuned to an octave plus a fifth below the mandolin, in the same relationship as that of the cello to the violin: C 2 –G 2 –D 3 –A 3. Its scale length is typically about 25 inches 640 mm. A typical violoncello scale is 27 inches 690 mm. The mandolone was a Baroque member of the mandolin family in the bass range that was surpassed by the mandocello. Built as part of the Neapolitan mandolin family. The Greek laouto or laghouto long-necked lute is similar to a mandocello, ordinarily tuned C 3 /C 2 –G 3 /G 2 –D 3 /D 3 –A 3 /A 3 with half of each pair of the lower two courses being tuned an octave high on a lighter gauge string. The body is a staved bowl, the saddle-less bridge glued to the flat face like most ouds and lutes, with mechanical tuners, steel strings, and tied gut frets. Modern laoutos, as played on Crete, have the entire lower course tuned to C 3, a reentrant octave above the expected low C. Its scale length is typically about 28 inches 710 mm. The Algerian mandole was developed by an Italian luthier in the early 1930s, scaled up from a mandola until it reached a scale length of approximately 25-27 inches. It is a flatback instrument, with a wide neck and 4 courses 8 strings, 5 courses 10 strings or 6 courses 12 strings. Used in music in Algeria and Morocco. The instrument can be tuned as a guitar, oud or mandocello, depending on the music it will be used to play and player preference. When tuning it as a guitar the strings will be tuned E 2 E 2 A 2 A 2 D 3 D 3 G 3 G 3 B 3 B 3 E 4 E 4. Strings in parenthesis are dropped for a five or four course instrument. Using a common Arabic oud tuning D 2 D 2 G 2 G 2 A 2 A 2 D 3 D 3 G 3 G 3 C 4 C 4. For a mandocello tuning using fifths C 2 C 2 G 2 G 2 D 3 D 3 A 3 A 3 E 4 E 4. 4.6. Mandolin family Contrabass The mando-bass most frequently has 4 single strings, rather than double courses, and is typically tuned in fourths like a double bass or a bass guitar: E 1 –A 1 –D 2 –G 2. These were made by the Gibson company in the early 20th century, but appear to have never been very common. A smaller scale four-string mandobass, usually tuned in fifths: G 1 –D 2 –A 2 –E 3 two octaves below the mandolin, though not as resonant as the larger instrument, was often preferred by players as easier to handle and more portable. Reportedly, however, most mandolin orchestras preferred to use the ordinary double bass, rather than a specialised mandolin family instrument. Calace and other Italian makers predating Gibson also made mandolin-basses. The relatively rare eight-string mandobass, or tremolo-bass also exists, with double courses like the rest of the mandolin family, and is tuned either G 1 –D 2 –A 2 –E 3, two octaves lower than the mandolin, or C 1 –G 1 –D 2 –A 2, two octaves below the mandola. 5.1. Variations Bowlback Bowlback mandolins also known as roundbacks, are used worldwide. They are most commonly manufactured in Europe, where the long history of mandolin development has created local styles. However, Japanese luthiers also make them. Owing to the shape and to the common construction from wood strips of alternating colors, in the United States these are sometimes colloquially referred to as the "potato bug" or "potato beetle" mandolin. 5.2. Variations Neapolitan and Roman styles The Neapolitan style has an almond-shaped body resembling a bowl, constructed from curved strips of wood. It usually has a bent sound table, canted in two planes with the design to take the tension of the eight metal strings arranged in four courses. A hardwood fingerboard sits on top of or is flush with the sound table. Very old instruments may use wooden tuning pegs, while newer instruments tend to use geared metal tuners. The bridge is a movable length of hardwood. A pickguard is glued below the sound hole under the strings. European roundbacks commonly use a 13-inch 330 mm scale instead of the 13 7 ⁄ 8 inches 350 mm common on archtop Mandolins. Intertwined with the Neapolitan style is the Roman style mandolin, which has influenced it. The Roman mandolin had a fingerboard that was more curved and narrow. The fingerboard was lengthened over the sound hole for the E strings, the high pitched strings. The shape of the back of the neck was different, less rounded with an edge, the bridge was curved making the G strings higher. The Roman mandolin had mechanical tuning gears before the Neapolitan. 5.3. Variations Manufacturers of Neapolitan-style mandolins Prominent Italian manufacturers include Vinaccia Naples, Embergher Rome and Calace Naples. Other modern manufacturers include Lorenzo Lippi Milan, Hendrik van den Broek Netherlands, Brian Dean Canada, Salvatore Masiello and Michele Caiazza La Bottega del Mandolino and Ferrara, Gabriele Pandini. In the United States, when the bowlback was being made in numbers, Lyon and Healy was a major manufacturer, especially under the "Washburn" brand. Other American manufacturers include Martin, Vega, and Larson Brothers. In Canada, Brian Dean has manufactured instruments in Neapolitan, Roman, German and American styles but is also known for his original Grand Concert design created for American virtuoso Joseph Brent. German manufacturers include Albert & Mueller, Dietrich, Klaus Knorr, Reinhold Seiffert and Alfred Woll. The German bowlbacks use a style developed by Seiffert, with a larger and rounder body. Japanese brands include Kunishima and Suzuki. Other Japanese manufacturers include Oona, Kawada, Noguchi, Toichiro Ishikawa, Rokutaro Nakade, Otiai Tadao, Yoshihiko Takusari, Nokuti Makoto, Watanabe, Kanou Kadama and Ochiai. 5.4. Variations Other bowlback styles: Lombardic, Milanese, Cremonese, Brescian, Genoese Another family of bowlback mandolins came from Milan and Lombardy. These mandolins are closer to the mandolino or mandore than other modern mandolins. They are shorter and wider than the standard Neapolitan mandolin, with a shallow back. The instruments have 6 strings, 3 wire treble-strings and 3 gut or wire-wrapped-silk bass-strings. The strings ran between the tuning pegs and a bridge that was glued to the soundboard, as a guitars. The Lombardic mandolins were tuned g–b–e′–a′–d″–g″ shown in Helmholtz pitch notation. A developer of the Milanese stye was Antonio Monzino Milan and his family who made them for 6 generations. Samuel Adelstein described the Lombardi mandolin in 1893 as wider and shorter than the Neapolitan mandolin, with a shallower back and a shorter and wider neck, with six single strings to the regular mandolins set of 4. The Lombardi was tuned C–D–A–E–B–G. The strings were fastened to the bridge like a guitars. There were 20 frets, covering three octaves, with an additional 5 notes. When Adelstein wrote, there were no nylon strings, and the gut and single strings "do not vibrate so clearly and sweetly as the double steel string of the Neapolitan." 5.5. Variations Brescian mandolin or Cremonese mandolin Brescian mandolins also known as Cremonese that have survived in museums have four gut strings instead of six and a fixed bridge. The mandolin was tuned in fifths, like the Neapolitan mandolin. In his 1805 mandolin method, Anweisung die Mandoline von selbst zu erlernen nebst einigen Uebungsstucken von Bortolazzi, Bartolomeo Bortolazzi popularised the Cremonese mandolin, which had four single-strings and a fixed bridge, to which the strings were attached. Bortolazzi said in this book that the new wire strung mandolins were uncomfortable to play, when compared with the gut-string instruments. Also, he felt they had a "less pleasing.hard, zither-like tone" as compared to the gut strings "softer, full-singing tone." He favored the four single strings of the Cremonese instrument, which were tuned the same as the Neapolitan. 5.6. Variations Genoese mandolin, a blend of styles Like the Lombardy mandolin, the Genoese mandolin was not tuned in fifths. Its 6 gut strings or 6 courses of strings were tuned as a guitar but one octave higher: e-a-d’-g’-b natural-e”. Like the Neapolitan and unlike the Lombardy mandolin, the Genoese does not have the bridge glued to the soundboard, but holds the bridge on with downward tension, from strings that run between the bottom and neck of the instrument. The neck was wider than the Neapolitan mandolins neck. The peg-head is similar to the guitars. 5.7. Variations Archtop At the very end of the 19th century, a new style, with a carved top and back construction inspired by violin family instruments began to supplant the European-style bowl-back instruments in the United States. This new style is credited to mandolins designed and built by Orville Gibson, a Kalamazoo, Michigan luthier who founded the "Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co., Limited" in 1902. Gibson mandolins evolved into two basic styles: the Florentine or F-style, which has a decorative scroll near the neck, two points on the lower body and usually a scroll carved into the headstock; and the A-style, which is pear shaped, has no points and usually has a simpler headstock. These styles generally have either two f-shaped soundholes like a violin F-5 and A-5, or an oval sound hole F-4 and A-4 and lower models directly under the strings. Much variation exists between makers working from these archetypes, and other variants have become increasingly common. Generally, in the United States, Gibson F-hole F-5 mandolins and mandolins influenced by that design are strongly associated with bluegrass, while the A-style is associated other types of music, although it too is most often used for and associated with bluegrass. The F-5s more complicated woodwork also translates into a more expensive instrument. Internal bracing to support the top in the F-style mandolins is usually achieved with parallel tone bars, similar to the bass bar on a violin. Some makers instead employ "X-bracing," which is two tone bars mortised together to form an X. Some luthiers now using a "modified x-bracing" that incorporates both a tone bar and X-bracing. Numerous modern mandolin makers build instruments that largely replicate the Gibson F-5 Artist models built in the early 1920s under the supervision of Gibson acoustician Lloyd Loar. Original Loar-signed instruments are sought after and extremely valuable. Other makers from the Loar period and earlier include Lyon and Healy, Vega and Larson Brothers. 5.8. Variations Flatback Flatback mandolins use a thin sheet of wood with bracing for the back, as a guitar uses, rather than the bowl of the bowlback or the arched back of the carved mandolins. Like the bowlback, the flatback has a round sound hole. This has been sometimes modified to an elongated hole, called a D-hole. The body has a rounded almond shape with flat or sometimes canted soundboard. The type was developed in Europe in the 1850s. The French and Germans called it a Portuguese mandolin, although they also developed it locally. The Germans used it in Wandervogel. The bandolim is commonly used wherever the Spanish and Portuguese took it: in South America, in Brazil Choro and in the Philippines. In the early 1970s English luthier Stefan Sobell developed a large-bodied, flat-backed mandolin with a carved soundboard, based on his own cittern design; this is often called a Celtic mandolin. 5.9. Variations Tone The tone of the flatback is described as warm or mellow, suitable for folk music and smaller audiences. The instrument sound does not punch through the other players sound like a carved top does. 5.10. Variations Double top, double back The double top is a feature that luthiers are experimenting with in the 21st century, to get better sound. However, mandolinists and luthiers have been experimenting with them since at least the early 1900s. Back in the early 1900s, mandolinist Ginislao Paris approached Luigi Embergher to build custom mandolins. The sticker inside one of the four surviving instruments indicates the build was called after him, the Sistema Ginislao Paris). Paris round-back double-top mandolins use a false back below the soundboard to create a second hollow space within the instrument. Modern mandolinists such as Joseph Brent and Avi Avital use instruments customized, either by the luthiers choice or at the request of player. Joseph Brents mandolin, made by Brian Dean also uses what Brent calls a false back. Brents mandolin was the luthiers solution to Brents request for a loud mandolin in which the wood was clearly audible, with less metallic sound from the strings. The type used by Avital is variation of the flatback, with a double top that encloses a resonating chamber, sound holes on the side, and a convex back. It is made by one manufacturer in Israel, luthier Arik Kerman. Other players of Kerman mandolins include Alon Sariel, Jacob Reuven, and Tom Cohen. 5.11. Variations Mandolinetto Other American-made variants include the mandolinetto or Howe-Orme guitar-shaped mandolin manufactured by the Elias Howe Company between 1897 and roughly 1920, which featured a cylindrical bulge along the top from fingerboard end to tailpiece and the Vega mando-lute more commonly called a cylinder-back mandolin manufactured by the Vega Company between 1913 and roughly 1927, which had a similar longitudinal bulge but on the back rather than the front of the instrument. 5.12. Variations Banjolin or mandolin-banjo The mandolin was given a banjo body in an 1882 patent by Benjamin Bradbury of Brooklyn and given the name banjolin by John Farris in 1885. Today banjolin describes an instrument with four strings, while the version with the four courses of double strings is called a mandolin-banjo. 5.13. Variations Resonator mandolin A resonator mandolin or "resophonic mandolin" is a mandolin whose sound is produced by one or more metal cones resonators instead of the customary wooden soundboard mandolin top/face. Historic brands include Dobro and National. 5.14. Variations Electric mandolin As with almost every other contemporary string instrument, another modern variant is the electric mandolin. These mandolins can have four or five individual or double courses of strings. They have been around since the late 1920s or early 1930s depending on the brand. They come in solid body and acoustic electric forms. Instruments have been designed that overcome the mandolins lack of sustain with its plucked notes. Fender released a model in 1992 with an additional string a high a, above the e string, a tremolo bridge and extra humbucker pickup total of two. The result was an instrument capable of playing heavy metal style guitar riffs or violin-like passages with sustained notes that can be adjusted as with an electric guitar. 6. Playing traditions worldwide See Mandolin playing traditions worldwide and History of the mandolin The international repertoire of music for mandolin is almost unlimited, and musicians use it to play various types of music. This is especially true of violin music, since the mandolin has the same tuning as the violin. Following its invention and early development in Italy the mandolin spread throughout the European continent. The instrument was primarily used in a classical tradition with Mandolin orchestras, so called Estudiantinas or in Germany Zupforchestern appearing in many cities. Following this continental popularity of the mandolin family local traditions appeared outside Europe in the Americas and in Japan. Travelling mandolin virtuosi like Giuseppe Pettine, Raffaele Calace and Silvio Ranieri contributed to the mandolin becoming a "fad" instrument in the early 20th century. This "mandolin craze" was fading by the 1930s, but just as this practice was falling into disuse, the mandolin found a new niche in American country, old-time music, bluegrass and folk music. More recently, the Baroque and Classical mandolin repertory and styles have benefited from the raised awareness of and interest in Early music, with media attention to classical players such as Israeli Avi Avital, Italian Carlo Aonzo and American Joseph Brent. 7. Notable literature Concerto: a musical composition generally composed of three movements, in which, usually, one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra or concert band. Mandolin in the orchestra Orchestral works in which the mandolin has a limited part. 7.1. Notable literature Art or "classical" music The tradition of so-called "classical music" for the mandolin has been somewhat spotty, due to its being widely perceived as a "folk" instrument. Significant composers did write music specifically for the mandolin, but few large works were composed for it by the most widely regarded composers. The total number of works these works is rather small in comparison to - say - those composed for violin. One result of this dearth being that there were few positions for mandolinists in regular orchestras. To fill this gap in the literature, mandolin orchestras have traditionally played many arrangements of music written for regular orchestras or other ensembles. Some players have sought out contemporary composers to solicit new works. Furthermore, of the works that have been written for mandolin from the 18th century onward, many have been lost or forgotten. Some of these await discovery in museums and libraries and archives. One example of rediscovered 18th-century music for mandolin and ensembles with mandolins is the Gimo collection, collected in the first half of 1762 by Jean Lefebure. Lefebure collected the music in Italy, and it was forgotten until manuscripts were rediscovered. Vivaldi created some concertos for mandolinos and orchestra: one for 4-chord mandolino, string bass & continuous in C major, RV 425, and one for two 5-chord mandolinos, bass strings & continuous in G major, RV 532, and concerto for two mandolins, 2 violons "in Tromba" - 2 flûtes à bec, 2 salmoe, 2 theorbes, violoncelle, cordes et basse continuein in C major p. 16. Beethoven composed mandolin music and enjoyed playing the mandolin. His 4 small pieces date from 1796: Sonatine WoO 43a; Adagio ma non troppo WoO 43b; Sonatine WoO 44a and Andante con Variazioni WoO 44b. The opera Don Giovanni by Mozart 1787 includes mandolin parts, including the accompaniment to the famous aria Deh vieni alla finestra, and Verdis opera Otello calls for guzla accompaniment in the aria Dove guardi splendono raggi, but the part is commonly performed on mandolin. Gustav Mahler used the mandolin in his Symphony No. 7, Symphony No. 8 and Das Lied von der Erde. Parts for mandolin are included in works by Schoenberg Variations Op. 31, Stravinsky Agon, Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet and Webern opus Parts 10 Some 20th century composers also used the mandolin as their instrument of choice. Among the most important European mandolin composers of the 20th century are Raffaele Calace composer, performer and luthier and Giuseppe Anedda. Today representatives of Italian classical music and Italian classical-contemporary music include Ugo Orlandi, Carlo Aonzo, Dorina Frati, Mauro Squillante and Duilio Galfetti. Japanese composers also produced orchestral music for mandolin in the 20th century, but these are not well known outside Japan. Traditional mandolin orchestras remain especially popular in Japan and Germany, but also exist throughout the United States, Europe and the rest of the world. They perform works composed for mandolin family instruments, or re-orchestrations of traditional pieces. The structure of a contemporary traditional mandolin orchestra consists of: first and second mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos tuned like the cello, and bass instruments. Smaller ensembles, such as quartets composed of two mandolins, mandola, and mandocello, may also be found. 7.2. Notable literature Duo and musical ensemble A duet or duo is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece. A musical ensemble with more than two solo instruments or voices is called trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, septet, octet, etc. 7.3. Notable literature Concerto 7.4. Notable literature Mandolin in the orchestra Orchestral works in which the mandolin has a limited part.
ⓘ Rikken Kaishintō ⓘ Rikken Kaishintō The Rikken Kaishintō was a political party in Empire of Japan. It was also known as simply the Kaishintō. The Kaishintō was founded by Ōkuma Shigenobu on 16 April 1882, with the assistance of Yano Ryūsuke, Inukai Tsuyoshi and Ozaki Yukio. It received financial backing by the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, and had strong support from the Japanese press, and urban intellectuals. The Kaishintō pursued a moderate approach, calling for a British-style constitutional monarchy within the framework of a parliamentary democracy. In a speech Ōkuma gave at the inauguration of the party, he emphasized the symbolic role of the monarch in the type of government he envisioned. He also argued that those extremists who supported having the emperor directly involved political decision making were in fact endangering the very existence of the Imperial institution. In the first General Election of 1890, the Kaishintō won 46 seats to the Lower House of the Diet of Japan thus becoming the second largest party after the Liberal Party Jiyūtō. Afterwards, the Kaishintō adopted an increasingly nationalistic foreign policy, and in March 1896 merged with several smaller nationalist parties to form the Shimpotō.
The Shadow Of The Nightingale – Remembering Lear scott-palmer_0There are five main sources I turned to for my adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear and they range from the ancient to the more modern. These sources both informed Shakespeare’s version of the tale and, in turn, were informed by Shakespeare’s text. In a way, I think I approached the adaptation of Lear with a specific outcome in mind: focus on the daughters, on their relationship with Lear, and on the textual elements of that story that survived from adaptation to adaptation that reflect that story. When I discuss this in lectures and in classes, I often refer to “textual shadows,” elements, hints, flavors and shading of the original source materials that (no matter how radically altered or re-written) somehow remain embedded in the story. The example I refer to regularly is the “shadow of the nightingale” in Romeo and Juliet. During the 7th Century, an unknown Arabian poet and philosopher wrote a story called “Layla and Majnun” which told the story of two star crossed lovers who, due to a long running family feud, are refused permission to marry by their parents. Persian Nightengale Persian Nightingale – 13th Century Layla’s parents force her to marry a local prince…Her husband dies, Layla mourns for the lost love of Majnun and dies of grief. Majnun is also driven mad and, although in some versions of the story he survives, in others he kills himself at the tomb of his beloved. In this story, Layla references a “nightingale” that sings to welcome the night. This tale, originally written in the 7th century, was somewhat popular in literature throughout the Middle East until the 12th century, but it was the Persian masterpiece “Leyli and Majnun” by Nezami Ganjavi that popularized it dramatically in Persian literature. Nezami collected both secular and mystical versions of Majnun and recreated a new, more vivid picture of the famous lovers. Subsequently, many other Persian poets imitated him and wrote their own versions of the romance. Nezami “Persianised” the poem by using techniques borrowed from the Persian epic tradition, such as the portrayal of characters, the relationship between characters, description of time and setting, etc. A Latin translation of this story was known to exist in Europe throughout the 13th and 14th centuries and could very well be the original source for many of the stories that eventually influenced Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet….and, thoughout them all, the nightingale remained and ultimately found his way into Shakespeare’s tale. Now, it may be difficult to somehow argue that a nightingale is a powerful enough symbol to have had such a defining impact on the story of the star-crossed lovers, but it is not difficult to argue that the nightingale had enough power to have been chosen, by more than 900 years’ worth of adaptors, as a key image in this particular story. There is something about the creature, something about the nature of that animal, that stayed deeply embedded in every subsequent version of the story for more than 900 years. Tough little bird… The Nightingale and the Rose – the lover and the beloved This “shadow of the nightingale” is as close a metaphor as I can get to the elements of the Lear story that I chose to focus on in my adaptation; now, clearly, my mind was focused on my own personal history with powerful men and their daughters due to my family experience, but those elements exist in every version of the Lear story. The “shadow” of a family torn apart by madness, the unique elements of the relationship between a father and his daughters, remained throughout centuries even when Shakespeare tried (and succeeded!) to make this intimate tale the backdrop to a grand political tale of power, tyranny and narcissism. (It should not be surprising, then, that one of my favorite exchanges in the play comes when Lear asks Goneril, “Who is it that can tell me who I am?” and she replies, “Lear’s shadow.” That just gave me the shivers…) The five texts that I plumbed for Lear’s shadow are: • Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (1577) • The anonymous True Chronicle History of King Leir and His Three Daughters Gonerill, Ragan and Cordelia (1605) • William Shakespeare’s King Lear (1608) • Gordon Bottomley’s Lear’s Wife (1920) • Jose Hierro’s Lear at the Cloisters translated by Gordon McNeer (1950) (more on these later sources next time…) I’ve already spent some time discussing the influence and nature of the first two sources, but I would say just a few more things about the anonymous Leir: Shakespeare’s reinvention of the ending is not, in my opinion, the most radical of his changes to the story. From my perspective, the most important change Shakespeare makes to Leir is that he does away with the character of Perillus in favor of a small number of new characters who divide (and, I think, dilute) the role that Perillus plays in the original. From Perillus, Shakespeare crafts Kent and the Fool, and, by doing so, crafts more complicated relationships in favor of more central, emotionally grounded ones (this may, in fact, be the most contentious of my opinions about Lear…ie…that Kent and the Fool aren’t as emotionally grounded and connected to Lear as Perillus is in the original). The other incredibly powerful element of Leir that is missing (to the detriment of the play, in my opinion) from Lear is the focus placed on the gender and role of his children…his daughters, NOT his son. Perillus acts as a “stand in” son in Leir, the son that the King wished and longed for, and the impact of that “failure to produce an heir” is seen…powerfully seen…in the character and nature of each of his daughters. Title Page of “True Chronicle History” by Anonymous Instead, Shakespeare (as Donna Woodford writes in Understanding King Lear), “eliminate(s) this focus on the dangers of having only daughters…in part by adding the subplot of Gloucester and his sons, borrowed from Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia, which clearly shows that the source of the tragedy lies in fathers misjudging their children, not in the gender of the children.” I think it is difficult to underscore just how significant a difference this change is to the nature of the Lear story…IF the only “children” we are dealing with as characters (or as an audience, for that matter) are the daughters of an aging king, the gender of the children is crucial…no…critical…to the nature of the relationship between father and children. If there are multiple fathers with sons and daugthers…well, it is a story about fathers and children, not fathers and daughters… But the original source materials are ONLY about Lear and the daughters and…from my perspective…the very specific nature of the relationship between a father and his daughters hovers over the story like…well, like the shadow of a nightingale. Scott Palmer Artistic Director
Japan Follows Scotland and Germany Abandoning Nuclear Power In Favour Of Clean Energy japan nuclear plant2 1. Japan – Follows the lead of Germany. Scotland and other european countries abandoning nuclear energy a. TOKYO — Japan said that it would seek to phase out nuclear power by 2040 — a historic shift for a country that has long staked its future on such energy, but one that falls far short of the decisive steps the government had promised in the wake of the world’s second-largest nuclear plant disaster last year. By comparison, Germany, which in 2010 relied on reactors for 26 percent of its electricity, was rattled enough by the Fukushima disaster to announce a move away from nuclear power by 2022. b. With the long-term energy plan set, the political battle is set to refocus on the struggle by the government to build consensus for reopening the vast majority of the country’s reactors, which were idled after the nuclear catastrophe, amid public opposition to restarts until better safety regulations were in place. c. With only two reactors operating, Japan struggled through a sweltering summer after parts of the country were asked to conserve electricity use by as much as 15 percent, the second year such requests were made. Power companies fired up old gas- and oil-powered stations and scrambled to secure imported fossil fuels. Despite fears of widespread blackouts, however, none materialized, strengthening nuclear critics’ argument that Japan could do without nuclear energy. d. Japan is set to significantly increase its investment in clean energy sources. In previous government estimates through 2030, eliminating nuclear power would require investment of $548 billion in solar, wind and other types of renewable energy and $66 billion on power grid technology. e. Under the new goal, Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 would be between 5 percent and 9 percent less than levels in 1990, the documents said. Environmentalists say that a more aggressive push to develop clean energy can further reduce Japanese emissions. “The government must use its new energy strategy as a starting point for a far more ambitious renewable policy, greater energy efficiency measures, and increasingly bold strides toward the sustainable green economy that will secure Japan’s future prosperity,” Greenpeace said in a statement. “A nuclear-free future is not a choice, it’s an inevitability,” it said. 2. Contrast the forward looking plans of Germany, Scotland, most european countries and Japan against the Nuclear energy policy of the Westminster government a. Development plans are to build at least 8 new nuclear power plants in England, which it is projected will provide around 16 gigawatts of power. The plants are to be built at: iii. NuGeneration plans to build up to 3.6GW of new nuclear capacity at Moorside, near Sellafield. 3. Scotland is a world leader in the production of clean energy At 2015 clean energy produces more power in Scotland than nuclear, coal or gas and this is set to increase significantly. The expertise of Scottish industry is being exported to other countries worldwide and the decision of Japan to embrace renewables over nuclear vastly increases opportunities for Scottish outward looking firms. Recent developments have brought forward the use of wave power and Scotland is in the vanguard in the development of this new technology which the island country of Japan will embrace. Scotland is getting it right but we need Westminster to provide funds allowing an extension of the national grid to our islands. Lack of grid capacity is delaying clean energy development and power production which in turn is preventing the country from meeting emission targets
Chondrocalcinosis 1 A very rare genetic disorder characterized by progressive osteoarthritis which starts relatively early and is progressive. Joint damage is caused by deposits of crystals containing calcium. * Joint pain * Osteoarthritis * Stiff joints Studies indicate that osteoarthritis is acquired and probably results from a combination of metabolic, genetic, chemical, and mechanical factors. Secondary osteoarthritis usually follows an identifiable predisposing event — most commonly trauma, congenital deformity, or obesity — and leads to degenerative changes. Osteoarthritis may first appear between ages 30 and 40, and is present in almost everyone by age 70. Before age 55, it affects men and women equally, but after age 55 the incidence is higher in women. Radiography has a large role to play in the diagnosis of chondrocalcinosis with radiographs, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound and nuclear medicine all having a part. CT scans and MRIs show calcific masses (usually within the ligamentum flavum or joint capsule) however radiography is more successful. As with most conditions, chondrocalcinosis can present with similarity to other diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis or gout. Arthrocentesis, or removing synovial fluid from the affected joint, is perfomed to test the synovial fluid for the calcium pyrophosphate crystals that are present in CPDD Treatment for asymptomatic chondrocalcinosis is not advised to prevent end-organ damage. For acute pseudogout, intra-articular corticosteroid injection, systemic corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or occasionally, high-dose colchicine. NSAIDs are generally administered in low doses to help prevent chondrocalcinosis, however in an acute attack is already occurring, higher doses are administered. Research into surgical removal of calcifications is underway, however this still remains an experimental procedure.
Why is DARPA researching 'explainable AI'? By Justin Stoltzfus \| Last updated: June 27, 2018 In general, explainable artificial intelligence is becoming a much heralded part of cutting-edge work in data sciences. It's helping to guide human control of an inherently volatile and dynamic type of technology – explainable AI helps answer a lot of our collective questions about how artificial intelligence will work. To understand explainable AI, it helps to understand what "regular AI" looks like. Traditionally, as AI begins to take shape, the typical project consists of a fancy new software capability, hidden in algorithms and training sets and linear code, that's kind of a "block box" to users. They know that it works – they just don't know exactly how. This can lead to "trust issues" where users may question the basis on which a technology makes decisions. That's what explainable AI is supposed to address: Explainable AI projects come with additional infrastructure to show end users the intent and the structure of the AI – why it does what it does. In an age where top innovators like Bill Gates and Elon Musk are expressing concern about how artificial intelligence will work, explainable AI seems extremely attractive. Experts contend that good explainable AI could help end users understand why technologies do what they do, increase trust, and also increase ease-of-use and utilization of these technologies. Specifically, though, DARPA explains on its own specifically why it is interested in the new projects. A page on DARPA shows that the Department of Defense anticipates a “torrent” of artificial intelligence applications, and some amount of chaos in its development. “Continued advances promise to produce autonomous systems that will perceive, learn, decide, and act on their own,” writes David Gunning. “However, the effectiveness of these systems is limited by the machine’s current inability to explain their decisions and actions to human users. … Explainable AI – especially explainable machine learning – will be essential if future warfighters are to understand, appropriately trust, and effectively manage an emerging generation of artificially intelligent machine partners.” Gunning’s online essay suggests that explainable AI systems will help to “provide the rationale” for technologies, show their strengths and weaknesses, and make use cases more transparent. A graphic on the page shows how a straightforward pipeline of artificial intelligence functionality from training data would be augmented by something called an explainable model and an explainable interface that will help the user answer questions. Gunning further suggests that an explainable AI program will have two major focus areas – one would be sifting through multimedia data to find what's useful to users, and a second focus would be simulating decision processes for decision support. DARPA hopes to provide a “toolkit” that can help to develop future explainable AI systems. Share this Q&A • Facebook • LinkedIn • Twitter Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Written by Justin Stoltzfus \| Contributor, Reviewer Profile Picture of Justin Stoltzfus More Q&As from our experts Related Terms Related Articles Term of the Day Backpropagation is an algorithm used in artificial intelligence (AI) to fine-tune mathematical weight functions and improve... Read Full Term Tech moves fast! Stay ahead of the curve with Techopedia! Join nearly 200,000 subscribers who receive actionable tech insights from Techopedia. Go back to top
Accessibility links Breaking News Looking Back on Britain’s European Journey People celebrate Britain leaving the EU on Brexit day at Parliament Square in London, Britain January 31, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Looking Back on Britain's European Journey please wait No media source currently available 0:00 0:06:11 0:00 As February begins, Britain is no longer a member of the European Union (EU). The British withdrawal from the EU comes 3 and a half years after the country’s voters decided to leave the union. The move, known in news reports as Brexit, was one of the biggest issues in the history of the 62-year-old political and economic partnership. Britain was never a full EU member. It always had its own national currency, but no one actually believed it would ever leave the EU. But the idea grew within Britain’s Conservative Party, which had a small group of people who opposed EU membership. In 2016, Prime Minister David Cameron agreed to hold a nationwide referendum, saying he wanted to settle the issue. Most people believe he wanted kill the idea. It did not happen. In 2016, a majority of voters decided to leave, shocking Britain’s political class. It has taken several years to work out the details of the break-up, and the British people are still as divided as they were on the day of the referendum. The city of London is home to more than 1 million EU citizens. People there voted by a large majority to stay in the union. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has linked the decision to a rise in racist and anti-immigrant abuse. He said Britain’s capital would remain “a truly…European city.” “We will continue to welcome people from around the world, (without concern for) the color of their skin, the color of their passport or the colors of their national flag,” he added. People in the United Kingdom (U.K.) will notice few changes immediately. The U.K. and the EU will have an 11-month ‘transition’ period. During this time, the country will continue to follow the EU’s rules while it organizes new agreements on trade, security and other issues. It is all likely to be difficult. Many people are celebrating Brexit. However, few remember just how difficult it was for Britain to join in the first place. After World War II, Britain’s worldwide empire was dying. Its economy was failing. In 1957, it looked over at the European continent, where the newly created European Economic Community (EEC) brought in industry and investment. In the 1960s, the British government pushed to join the EU, but was stopped two times by French President Charles de Gaulle, who had veto power. De Gaulle had spent much of the war in London when France was under occupation. He warned the EEC members that Britain had a “deep…hostility” to Europe that could bring about the end of what was then called the “common market.” He worried that in times of trouble, Britain would always agree with the United States over its European neighbors. The French kept the British out of the EU until 1973. Every British political party agreed with the decision to join what was now called the EU. The British government would follow the laws and the rules of the EU’s leadership on trade, security and other areas. Soon, in March, British politicians will start the work of pulling their country out of those regulations when they begin negotiating new agreements. Already, it does not appear it will be easy. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government hopes to negotiate a deal with the EU, as well as a free trade agreement with the United States. That is likely to be unpopular with many Britons. There are already questions and worries about American food-safety issues and drug prices. Still others remain certain that Brexit holds a better future for Britain. In the English port of Dover, just 32 kilometers from France, retiree Philip Barry welcomed the new reality. “My expectation is that there may be a little bump or two in the road but in the end it will even out,” he said. “Somebody once said short-term pain, but long-term gain.” I’m Susan Shand. Words in This Story currency – n. the money that a country uses transition – n. a time when change takes place referendum – n. a special election empire n. a large grouping of states under a single leadership bump – n. a small raised area on a surface See comments (1) This forum has been closed.
Ebola Returns To Africa – Spreading Fast Ebola Vaccine "You won't feel a thing" They always say that, they LIE! Well, Ebola’s back again. And it’s already killed 26 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And 46 people are suspected to have contracted the disease, or a very similar illness. The DRC’s Health Ministry has confirmed that they are indeed facing what appears to be an Ebola outbreak. Their statement early Sunday said that so far 21 cases have been confirmed as Ebola, with a further 21 cases being treated as probably Ebola, and another four only suspected to be. Although it’s the most news-grabbing viral hemorrhagic fever, Ebola is only one of many such illnesses, and doctors aren’t sure yet whether this outbreak of cases is all Ebola related, or a mix of several similar diseases. That said, there was a confirmed Ebola case on Friday in Mbandaka City. Mbandaka City has a population of more than a million people, and Congolese government workers expressed concern that the disease has spread so quickly from the rural areas it usually affects to an urban environment. The government of the DRC is shipping 4,000 doses of an experimental vaccine to Mbandaka, but it remains to be seen whether they will be effective given that they need to be kept cold during storage. Infrastructural and organizational issues in Mbandaka could make that a challenge. Plus, 4,000 vaccines is not going to make much of a dent in a city of a million people. Although the World Health Organization met in an emergency committee on Friday, they decided the situation in the DRC was not yet significant enough to justify a public health emergency response. But the WHO did warn that nine neighboring countries are at risk of being impacted by the outbreak. The last major outbreak of Ebola in West Africa in 2015 killed more than 11,000 people. That was the largest such recorded outbreak since the discovery of the disease in 1976. Prior outbreaks had never killed more than a few hundred. That 2015 outbreak became so massive largely because infected individuals were allowed to travel large distances throughout Africa while showing symptoms of the disease. Because of this travel by a small number of victims, the disease spread faster than health officials could keep up with it. Meanwhile, this new outbreak in the DRC has already spread to urban environments, where population clusters are very large and densely packed. Urban areas are also hubs for travel. An outbreak in a city would almost certainly spread rapidly across the region. All of this has health officials justifiably worried, but so far the WHO seems to think that things are under control. Let’s hope they remain that way.
Katrina's progress with learning mathematics Katrina is 10 years old and has Down syndrome. She is making good progress with learning and numbers and mathematics. We describe how Katrina has learned number concepts and arithmetic skills over several years. We highlight the influence of early learning habits, visual supports, motivation and practice, and the uses made of different number teaching schemes. McConnochie, J, and Sneath, G. (2007) Katrina's progress with learning mathematics. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 12(1), 34-37. doi:10.3104/practice.2014 Figure 1 \| Katrina completing mathematics exercises. We are amazed to see how well our 10 year old daughter with Down syndrome is doing with her mathematics. Yesterday, when her dad came home, Katrina was able to tell him why 5/4 and 9/8 were improper fractions and she could sit down with her Stern fraction pieces and work out what they were as mixed numbers (1¼ and 1⅛). Looking back, it's very interesting to see what the steps were that helped her to arrive at this point. Like the bike riding[1] it seemed to be a distant and impossible goal for a long time (years) and then suddenly it all seemed to come together. Many years of practicing mathematical skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division have helped Katrina reach the stage that processes such as long multiplication and long subtraction are becoming so automatic that Katrina doesn't even have to consciously think about them. We believe that in this way the processing power that is available to Katrina can be concentrated on other aspects of maths such as problem solving. As an analogy, it is easier to understand the meaning of text if you don't have to sound out the words while you are reading. Learning habits We have lived a transient life and in quite a few of the schools we have been to, teachers have commented that Katrina works harder and more consistently than any other child in the class. We think a lot of that can be traced back to the habits and expectations set by pre-school early education classes attended at The Sarah Duffen Center and by Portage services. Katrina has never really known any different and for the most part she does seem happy to sit down and finish her set tasks, particularly if she feels she is successful. These good learning habits have been invaluable. Stern Structural Arithmetic A program for learning number concepts that is based on reasoning and insight into mathematical relationships, rather than rote learning and counting. A home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional support needs and their families. First developed in Portage, Wisconsin, USA in the early 1970s, the service is now widely available across the UK. A teaching program that emphasizes a step-by-step approach, building on success and learning through practice. A multi-sensory approach to arithmetic teaching that uses patterns that are structured to encourage the understanding of number and number relationships. Early counting We started with early counting up to 20 at pre-school, age 3. Our biggest hurdles have been achieving number bonds and then times tables. Once this foundation was in place everything else has followed more easily. Number 'shapes' Looking back at her progress in maths, Katrina started Kumon in 2001, aged 5, but stopped again because of the time it took. Initially, she really found the dot patterns of the teen numbers impossible to correctly identify. It was about that time that we started to use Numicon more consistently with the pattern shapes to learn odd and even, and to learn the addition of numbers to 10. At that time, using Numicon we also introduced 'doubles' and 2 times tables, which Katrina seemed to learn. Her sister was a good role model, as she was also learning her times tables. Katrina's school was pleased with Numicon using it to support school numeracy classes and to demonstrate some of the confusing language of maths (e.g. minus, subtract and difference). Practice and persistence In 2003, when Katrina was 7, we started Kumon again. This time it was far more successful because Katrina had developed a lot of confidence using the Numicon templates to support her number bonds. We were very lucky that we had Marie Gibb's Andover Kumon class nearby. Marie is very dedicated to all her pupils and also very flexible and supportive. I think Katrina enjoyed going along to Kumon classes - certainly she enjoyed the fabulous Kumon reward days, when the children could exchange their earned Kumon stickers for sweets. Kumon practice on number bonds to 10, then eventually to 20, continued every day for years. When we left the UK, Marie allowed us to continue by correspondence still with quite detailed support. (Marie even posted the sweets on the reward days!) Looking back, Katrina was doing at least 100 number bonds every day for about 3 years. Even in Marie's Kumon classes, Numicon supported each new stage of progress until Katrina developed the confidence to succeed without the props. As with Numicon or Stern Maths, a key factor in Kumon was the structure it provided, making gradual steps forward by consolidating from a baseline level where Katrina could be successful. Most of all it gave us an appreciation of the progress that can be made when maths is practiced for a short amount of time every day. At every stage the biggest single obstacle has been when Katrina will not try because she feels something is too difficult for her. The structure also gave us the confidence to patiently persevere. Figure 2 \| Example completed mathematics exercises. Further examples are available in SUPPLEMENTARY ONLINE FIGURES. Five times tables were introduced along with Vikki Horner's 'Charlotte' clock in 2003. Soon after some of the other times tables were introduced as well. We had some limited success with the tables, however they were all quickly forgotten again. We maintained our focus on number bonds to 20 (and subtractions) with the Kumon practice every day. We continued by correspondence with Marie Gibb right up until 2005. We could no longer afford Kumon, but with the very strong foundation in the principles of Kumon and the established daily routines for practice, it was a successful transition when Katrina's mum found several web sites which allowed us to start printing off our own series of worksheets.[2,3] We are quite convinced that the daily practice with Kumon was essential. It probably helped that Katrina could see that her brother and sister and other children had to do their Kumon as well (it worked well for them also). Multiplication tables Then, over Christmas 2005, there was a concerted effort on times tables. The holiday was 6 weeks long and each week one or two sets of times tables were concentrated on, starting with 2x and 5x tables because Katrina had some previous confidence with them. The times tables were demonstrated using Stern materials, and also with the ever popular raisins (which could be eaten) and then lots of written examples using the printouts from the web pages. Success and speed All last year Katrina practiced several hundred maths examples every day before breakfast in order to allow her to pass the weekly maths tests at school (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). To pass each level and move on to the next, the children had to be able to answer 60 questions correctly in 4 minutes. Because of her daily practice, Katrina managed relatively well and was able to move on to a new level most weeks. Kumon principles insist on improving your personal times, and seeing her 'time score' remains an important motivation and reward - as does the declaration of 'now 100%' after completing corrections (no matter how many corrections there are). On the example work sheets you can see the times that Katrina has recorded for each page, 4 minutes 35 seconds, 3:06 etc. This daily practice has led to the stage where Katrina is now very confident (and very quick) with multiplication and division up to the 12 times tables and addition and subtraction number bonds up to 20. Figure 3 \| Example completed mathematics exercises. Further examples are available in SUPPLEMENTARY ONLINE FIGURES. Small steps and visual support Having confidence in number bonds and times tables has recently brought other maths operations within her grasp. Squares and square roots were in the Year 6 tests and have been introduced with quite good success, as have long addition / subtraction and long multiplication. We found the Stern number board particularly useful for teaching long addition and subtraction. This visual prop makes it obvious to children why it is necessary to carry and rename tens when adding and subtracting larger numbers. Katrina couldn't do it at all without the practical, visual props at each new stage of progress. We used Numicon to start with and Stern materials when they became available later on. There have been lots of ups and downs and periods of going backwards and periods of thinking we weren't making much progress, but gradually Katrina developed speed and confidence with the daily practice over several years. We have found it is extremely important to break each mathematical process down into very small steps to ensure constant success for Katrina. For example in long multiplication, Katrina spent several weeks becoming very quick at long multiplication using single digit numbers (e.g. 972 x 7) before we introduced two digits (e.g. 972 x 17). We have recently introduced long division using the Stern materials and games. Once Katrina developed a good understanding with the concrete material we have started to introduce pages and pages of written practice of simple divisions with remainders e.g. 4 r 3 5 \| 23 Racing the clock is a great motivator. It also provides a measure of when Katrina has become proficient enough to ensure that the long division method has become automatic (this will make it easier to move on to more difficult calculations). It is equally important, we believe, to teach Katrina all the correct terms for each aspect of mathematics e.g. numerator, denominator, remainder, quotient etc. Recently when Katrina was practicing simple long division, we heard her say for each example "and the quotient is …" It seemed that having a label for each of the terms helped her remember each step that she needed to take. Katrina's mum has been very methodical and analytical in her approach to selecting the maths targets, particularly when doing Kumon by correspondence. She and Marie exchanged ideas, thoughts and recommendations about when to go back and consolidate and when to move up a level. But equally, I think the process has been made much easier by the good habits and work skills that were introduced during the pre-school years. Further information Kumon Australia and New Zealand Kumon España http://www.kumon.es/ Kumon Deutschland http://www.kumon.de/ Kumon North America http://www.kumon.com/ Kumon UK and Ireland http://www.kumon.co.uk/ National Portage Association (UK) Maths Extra http://www.mathsextra.com/ Numicon http://www.numicon.co.uk/ Stern Structural Arithmetic http://www.sternmath.com/ Maths skills in everyday life We have not spent much time on problem solving and Katrina still needs a lot more practice in applying the mathematical skills she has to real-life situations. However, over the last few months with her improved competency in the times tables and number bonds we have noticed Katrina effortlessly using these skills in simple daily tasks, such as calculating hours remaining on the clock, how many places to set at the table when we have visitors, dividing up chocolates and sweets and also in working out the amount of change she should get for simple transactions. "Now she participates happily in family board games and some card games on an equal, independent basis" From 2003 onwards, games were fairly slow and tedious, as we helped Katrina work out the score in simple card games, or add the numbers on the dice. Now she participates happily in family board games and some card games on an equal, independent basis. Indeed, Katrina takes a lot of pride and enjoyment in keeping the score for many different games and, as is the case for all of us, there is that much more fun and enjoyment when she feels she is successful. 1. Sneath G. Learning to ride a bicycle. Down Syndrome News and Update. 2003;3(3):94-95. doi:10.3104/practice/244. 2. Miller M. Free math worksheets. Homeschool Math. [Online] 2007 [cited 2007 Feb 12]. Available from: http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/ 3. Schoolhouse Technologies. Basic facts worksheet factory. [Electronic Download]. Seattle, WA, USA: Schoolhouse Technologies; 2007 [cited 2007 Feb 12]. Available from: http://www.schoolhousetech.com/products/basicfacts/ Received: 1 February 2007; Accepted 14 February 2007; Published online: 30 July 2007.
Metode 110 - canvi climàtic “Mètode” analyses the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change The new volume of Metode is coordinated by María José Sanz and Sérgio Henrique Faria and focuses on the many dimensions of climate change. climate crisis Beyond the climate crisis It is not enough to address the climate crisis: it is necessary to tackle the entire set of problems that contribute to exceeding planetary boundaries. A decade to act This is a decisive decade in the fight against climate change, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation policies. covid-19 and climate change COVID-19 and climate change The paper reviews the impact that COVID-19 has had on the ambitions of countries to meet the Paris Accord of reducing emissions to keep global temperature increases to below 2 ºC in this century. Climate change Due to the climate change, seasonal differences in temperatures have become wider, and extreme weather events are becoming more common. Why are summer nights getting steadily warmer? One of the factors is a warming of 2 °C, in recent decades, in the surface temperature of the Mediterranean. Answered by María José Estrela, full professor of Physical Geography at the UV. Too many bears and penguins Sara Moreno, Tatiana Pina and Martí Domínguez have shown the over-representation of iconic animals of climate change. Sea-level rise puesto frutas nutrición Disentangling nutrition facts from fiction There is a widespread misconception, mainly due to perverse agnogenic practices, that nutrition is hard and confusing, that we do not really know what to eat and that health professionals cannot agree. covid crisis climate emergency The arrival of COVID-19 in a context of climate emergency Losing sight of climate change in the media could run the risk of strengthening the consensus for a narrative in favour of economic growth that leaves environmental issues in the background.
Rabies Virus: Structure, Pathogenesis Rabies Virus Structure Last updated on June 6th, 2021 Rabies virus is an enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus with bullet- shaped or rod-shaped morphology. It is the member of the family Rhabdoviridae and the genus Lyssavirus. Structure of Rabies virus Structure of Rabies virus Shape: Rabies virus is rod or bullet- shaped (75 x 180 nm); one end conical, other planar ( concave). Envelope: Present. Virus envelope contains glycosylated G-protein spikes embedded in lipid membrane derived from the host cell. This envelope doesn’t cover the planar end. Matrix (M) protein: Membrane or matrix (M) protein layer lies beneath the envelope. Virus nucleoprotein (N) which tightly binds the viral RNA to form the nucleocapsid core lies inside to matrix protein. Viral genome: The core of the virion consists of helical RNP (group-specific antigen). Genome is unsegmented, linear, ss (-) sense RNA ( 12kb, MW 4.6 X 106) and the virion contains an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Rabies virus: 2. Sensitive to ethanol, iodine- preparations, 40– NH4+ compounds, soap, detergents, and lipid solvents (ether, chloroform, acetone). 1. Attachment: Rabies virus attaches to host cells via its glycoprotein spikes; nicotinic acetylcholine receptor may serve as a cellular receptor (in neurons). 2. Entry: Entry is by endocytosis. 3. Replication and Assembly: • Viral RNA polymerase transcribes viral genome into 5 mRNA species; the monocistronic mRNA species code for 5 virion proteins: nucleocapsid (N), polymerase proteins (L,P), matrix (M), and glycoprotein (G). • Genome RNP is a template for complementary (+) sense RNA, which is responsible for a generation of (-) sense progeny RNA. Same viral protein serves at polymerase for viral RNA replication as well as transcription. • newly replicated genomic RNA associates with viral transcriptase and nucleoprotein to form RNP cores in the cytoplasm; M- protein is important in packaging the RNA. 4. Release: The newly formed virus particles acquire an envelope by budding through the plasma membrane. Animal Susceptibility and Growth of Virus Antigenic Properties • purified spikes containing viral gp elicit neutralizing( protective) antibody; thus provide a safe and effective subunit vaccine. • antiserum prepared against purified nucleocapsid Ag used in diagnostic IFT, the antibody is not protective and is group-specific. • virus possesses haemagglutinating activity (property of gp spike), optimally seen with goose erythrocytes at 0-4°C and PH 6.2. • GP spikes are inactivated by heat ( 56°C for 30-60 min), ether, trypsin, deoxycholate or tween 80, but not by BPL. Human to human transmission is very rare, only documented cases involve transmission by corneal transplants. The virus does not penetrate intact skin, and if deposited it is inactivated due to time and drying. Uncommon routes for transmission are: • Inhalation while in bat- infested cave • aerosols released during centrifugation of infected materials in the lab Rabies virus multiplies in muscle or connective tissues at the site of inoculation for 48- 72 hrs → enters peripheral nerves at neuromuscular junction → spreads up the nerves to CNS → multiplies in the CNS and progressive encephalitis develops → spreads centrifugally along the peripheral nerve trunk to various body parts including the salivary glands where it multiplies and is shed in saliva; organ with the highest titer of virus is submaxillary gland. Other organs where virus has been found include pancreas, kidney, heart, retina, and cornea; Rabies virus has not been isolated from blood. Susceptibility to infection and incubation period depends on 1. hosts age, genetic background and immune status; 2. viral strain involved, 3. amount of inoculum, 4. the severity of laceration, and 5. the distance between point of entry and CNS Virus produces a specific eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion, the Negri body in infected nerve cells, which are round or oval, purplish pink structure and vary in size from 3-27 µm; the Negri bodies are filled with viral nucleocapsids. Presence of such inclusions is pathognomonic of rabies, but it is not observed in at least 20% of cases; therefore the absence of Negri bodies does not rule out rabies as a diagnosis. Clinical Findings Rabies viral disease is acute, fulminant, fatal encephalitis, primarily a disease of lower animals; spread to humans by bites of rabid animals or by contact with saliva. Incubation period is typically 1-2 month; may be as short as 1 week or as long as yrs Clinical spectrum can be divided into 3 phases 1. short prodrome. 2. acute neurologic (encephalitic) phase During the acute neurologic phase( 2-7 days), there are signs of nervous system dysfunction which begins with hyperactivity → bouts of bizarre behaviour, agitation or seizures. • generalized convulsions follow death occurs with in 1-6 days due to respiratory arrest during convulsion. 4. Rabies may present as: 1. furious rabies: predominantly encephalitic disease with neurologic dysfunction. 2. dumb rabies: paralytic illness; with symmetrical ascending paralysis followed by coma and death, occurs in about 20% patients. Pathogenicity of a strain related to its capacity to induce cell fusion in neuroblastoma cells. Observable damage to nerve cells in the brain appears minimal; non-specific changes include parenchymal microglial response and perivascular cuffing, with lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltration in the grey matter of brain stem and spinal cord. About Acharya Tankeshwar 474 Articles Be the first to comment
How to Be Caring How to be caring is a question we all need to answer. If we don’t, our lives will never be as rich or fulfilled as they could be. A quality of caring will impact not only the people around us but also those within our relationships. Whether it’s your family, friends, or co-workers, if you have compassion and empathy, you are a caring person. According to University of Cincinnati psychologist and autism expert Dr. John Grindler, “Empathy is a crucial emotion for caring.” Dr. Grindler adds that “one of the major components for well-being is emotional well-being – having feelings, believing in ourselves, being willing to take risks and be vulnerable.” Not everyone who expresses their feelings displays these traits regularly. However, anyone who does has a unique quality of compassion and empathy that can make a difference in their life, whether it’s making another person feelings of loneliness, fear, or despair or simply providing assistance in overcoming a challenge. The ability to extend empathy when it’s needed might seem like a small or unimportant skill. However, offering to care and nurturing in everyday situations is crucial for well-being. For example, if a young person has been abused at some point in their life, their emotional health is at risk. They might be unable to put themselves into the shoes of another person and thus might fail to recognize when something else is lacking in their life. Engaging them in meaningful activities such as playing sports or working with the disabled or elderly can go a long way to reducing feelings of loneliness or other negative emotions that might prevent them from developing a caring mindset. Developing caring and compassion, and other interpersonal skills can go a long way to improving one’s self-esteem and self-image. For example, taking care of yourself physically can have a positive effect on your well-being. A physically fit person tends to be happier and physically healthier. In addition, a physically appropriate person tends to take care of themselves more than someone who’s not physically fit. Empathy is also crucial to developing compassion. If you understand someone but lack empathy for your feelings or those of others, then you are unlikely to be very compassionate. A person can only take care of themselves if they take care of others. They were human starts with being able to hear what was going on around them. If a person can’t understand the perspective, how are they supposed to provide compassion? The ability to take care of and find joy in other people’s experiences is an essential quality of care. Studies have shown that individuals with compassion and empathy do what they need to do to move toward their well-being. They don’t procrastinate or become anxious about their own needs. Instead, they make time to listen carefully to what someone else needs. They have patience. They can listen effectively. When we hear the word “caring,” our brains automatically associate it with another related word, like love or sympathy. However, these feelings and emotions that we have for another are entirely different from our own. Name-calling and compassion that stem from unhealthy emotions can have serious consequences. It’s time to let go of the false beliefs associated with caring and start to realize that genuine compassion comes from a deeper level of awareness, mindfulness, and wisdom. You can learn to be compassionate by recognizing your adverse reactions and emotions when you engage in name-calling or begin expressing your feelings toward someone else. You can learn to be human by listening effectively and compassionately to what someone else is saying without becoming defensive. Finally, you can learn to be caring by setting aside your lack of compassion and speaking softly to those you need to talk to. This approach to conflict resolution will allow you to set aside conflict rather than adding to it. Leave a Comment
Let’s talk about systemic racism A crowd marches through Virginia Beach on June 6 in protest of police brutality. Noah Siraj, Staff Writer “No justice, no peace!” Copious social media postings. Constant media coverage. Ubiquitous protests and demonstrations. Over the past few weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement has exploded across America, with protests in all 50 states. The protests began in response to the murder of George Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis. The issue of police brutality against black people isn’t a local, single city phenomenon. George Floyd is just one of many, the newest addition to a list of unarmed black people murdered by police. People took to the streets demanding not only justice for Floyd but for a reformed police system, one without racism. What one often hears being referred to as “systemic racism.” Systemic racism is racism ingrained in the structure of our civilization and how our country developed. Redlining is a good starting point. ‘Redlining’ is a process that originated in the 1930s when a government-sponsored loan corporation sectioned off areas of maps of American communities to decide which areas they should loan mortgages. Neighborhoods with colored residents were circled in red, or redlined, to show that they were bad choices for lending. This practice was quickly picked up by private banks. According to Emily Badger of the Washington Post, “to redline a community was to cut it off from essential capital.” Although outlawed in 1968, the effects of redlining still exist today. Some banks still enact redline-like policies, discriminating against people of color. According to a 2019 National Community Reinvestment Coalition study, black and Hispanic men seeking small business loans faced more scrutiny and worse treatment from bank officers than less qualified white men; if a black family couldn’t secure a loan in the 30s, 40s, or 50s, their descendants will lack family wealth that helps homeowners today. This process still affects today’s society. One of the most quoted statistics in attempts to prove that black people are “naturally more violent” (and thus the criminal justice system is not biased) is the fact that while African-Americans are 13% of the American population, they represent 50% of the prison population. While true, this doesn’t take into account the effects of systemic racism. Poorer neighborhoods inherently have higher rates of crime and, as seen in redlining, black people are systematically forced into those low-income neighborhoods. Because of this, more police resources are dedicated to those areas, resulting in higher surveillance and even more arrests, driving the crime rate up. All this provides an artificially inflated rate of crime for black people. If you still doubt the implicit bias in the criminal justice system, just look at the exoneration rate between races: black people constitute almost 50% of all exonerations. They are falsely sentenced at a much higher rate than all other races. The systematic boxing in of African-Americans into low-income communities feeds into itself. Over policing leads to more arrests, which leads to more broken households. More broken households increases the likelihood of economic difficulties. More economic difficulties limits social mobility, keeping those families in the same overpoliced neighborhood for generations. The high amount of arrests leads to implicit bias in the criminal justice system which results in harsher punishments and a higher rate of incarceration for black people when committing the same crime as their white counterparts. It feeds off of itself, and it will continue to feed off of itself unless the government steps in to stop the cycle. This cycle is why protests and riots are necessary. At their current scale, the government cannot ignore the protests. In just a few weeks, Minneapolis decided to terminate its police department in its current capacity, Louisville passed “Breonna’s Law,” banning no-knock warrants (which are what led to Breonna Taylor’s death in March,) and the officers in George Floyd’s murder have all been charged. For anyone looking to help make a change, register to vote. The presidential election and many local elections are approaching this November. The best way to make a change is to elect those into office who advocate for those changes.
Small (Labor) Truths The Persistence of Child Slavery in Modern Cacao Production and Alternative Models by \| Sep 17, 2020 Direct trade chocolate In 2005, a company named Taza debuted a new way to do chocolate. The disc-shaped bars produced in their Somerville, Massachusetts factory were minimally processed from from ethically-sourced cacao and contained only ingredients that might have been used by the original Aztec and Mayan cultivators, plus sugar. However, its innovation lies not so much in the bars themselves, but in the methods it uses to procure its ingredients. This method, direct trade, was designed as an alternative to the increasingly problematic Fair Trade model; Taza deals directly with cacao-producing cooperatives in Latin America, offering three times the market value price for raw chocolate and conducting its own inspections to ensure that farmers use environmentally sustainable methods and ethical labor practices. That same year, Theo, a Seattle-based company, became the first producer of organic bulk chocolate in the United States. It expanded to consumer chocolate bars the following year. While its bars looks and tastes more like the Dutch-processed chocolate we have come to expect, the company also acquires its raw materials through direct-trade with the Peruvian cooperative that grows some of the other ingredients Theo uses in its chocolate. Across the Atlantic ocean, Tony’s Chocolonely formed in 2005 when journalists purchased a cacao plantation in Ghana and gave its workers complete control over production, effectively creating a direct-trade relationship and a co-op simultaneously. These companies reacted in similar ways to news that the government watchdogs and corporate entities who govern cacao cultivation had failed to eliminate persistent use of child labor (called “small labor”) and child slave labor in cacao production. They each set out to prove that humane business practices could eradicate the worst forms of labor malpractice and child abuse in one of the most lucrative agro-business industries in the world, one which generates more than $100 billion in revenue every year. Direct trade proponents strive to raise consumer awareness about the ethics of chocolate production, the limitations of a corporatized Fair Trade system and the rights of farmers to a living wage. Thanks to complicated hierarchies and an expensive certification process, the touted Fair Trade standard on which so much agricultural trade is based has proven insufficient to elevate cacao farmers (or anyone else) out of poverty. In order to produce a truly ethical chocolate, manufacturers largely returned to cacao’s origins in terms of region, cultivators and labor model. Chocolate School Aztec royal and military classes consumed cacao primarily as a savory beverage, while laboring classes cultivated it and used its beans to pay yearly tribute to the upper classes. Spanish colonists inherited Aztec trade and tribute systems when they invaded the region in 1519-20, and missionaries introduced slavery into cacao cultivation by forcing Indians to labor for their salvation. Most of them died, so the Spanish began importing African slaves in the 1600s. By the time slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888, Africans in America had become well-versed in cacao production. Perhaps this is why the British felt confident they could introduce theobrama cacao into west African agriculture in the 1860s. Within a few short decades, the supply of African cacao had eclipsed its Latin American ancestor even as demand for chocolate grew exponentially. In 1895, Latin American farms still provided the largest portion of the world’s cacao, contributing 77,000 metric tons; in 1925, West African farms produced 500,000 metric tons of cacao beans, capturing the supply market while overseeing an exponential growth in consumer demand. Tropical belt cacao map Though cacao is not a plantation crop per se—its production model typically consists of a loose organization of small farms rather than one large farm spanning hundreds of acres—it is labor intensive. Cacao pods must be harvested by hand using machetes to cut the pods from trees and again to break open the pods to separate the beans. Additionally, theobrama cacao grows only within a narrow band of latitude in tropical regions; each cacao tree takes five years to mature, requires plenty of water, and grows best amid old-growth trees in rainforests. Cacao production waned in Latin American agriculture not only because slavery had declined, but because agriculture itself became more mechanized, and soil depletion caused by plantation and plantation-like farming methods led to deforestation in areas where cacao formerly grew. Demand for other tropical produce skyrocketed around the world, and the United States colonized parts of Latin America in order to ensure easy access to these goods. It replaced slavery with debt-peonage, and reconstructed its large-scale plantation model in warmer climes, using essentially the same (newly-emancipated) workforce. Meanwhile, in Africa, chocolate was good business in the first half of the last century. The newly independent West African nations of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire built their fledgling economies on the promising crop, and taxed farmers harshly while limiting cacao prices internally in order to sell cacao at stock-market value while paying pennies on the dollar at the farm-gate. Within two decades, both Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire were impoverished nations, even as the market expanded and prices increased over the remainder of the century. Faced with crushing debt, farmers planted more cacao, sometimes invading protected forests to do so. Facing labor shortages, diminishing resources, and failing profits, cacao farmers made the next, inevitable leap in nightmare logic: they began resorting to child labor to fill these gaps. Co-op Blues Human rights workers estimate that more than two million children, many of them slaves, work on African cacao farms. Enslaved children sometimes work alongside “small laborers,” members of the farm owner’s family or legitimate wage earners who provide a sort of protective coloration for the slaves against the prying eyes of investigative journalists or aid workers. The strategy has been only partially successful: In 2001, and again in 2011, BBC reporters exposed the practice of child labor and child slave labor in African chocolate production. After the 2001 exposé, two U.S. congressmen crafted the Harkin-Engel Protocol, designed to raise farm-gate prices and eradicate child labor in cacao production by 2005. All major chocolate manufacturers agreed to work with member farmers to set fair, above-market prices, monitor farmers’ labor systems, and penalize transgressors. Child laborer with African cacao Structurally, this new model resembled the existing, and often successful, cooperative system in Latin American textile manufacture and agricultural production. The United States’ heavy-handed neocolonialism sparked a series of violent protests and revolution across much of the region, and where possible, workers took control of certain means of production and redesigned those models based on 20th-century socialist/communist philosophies or ancient indigenous practices, depending on whom one asks. Unfortunately, the African cooperative system was never intended to function like Latin American ones, in which like-minded producers bargain collectively from a place of strength. Since African farmers have borne sole blame for modern slavery, chocolate manufacturers serve more like enforcers in the African cooperatives, working above farmers and intermediary buyers. Needless to say, the balance of power tilts sharply in the corporations’ favor. Cacao farmers remain at the bottom of the pyramid, victims of a pricing scheme over which they have no control, forced to sell their crops for a little more than US$1 per kilo—beans that more than double in value after repackaging in a corporate warehouse, and whose price increases exponentially once sold by the parent corporations to individual manufacturers on the open market. The chocolate manufacturers seemed resigned to failure, quietly extending the Protocol’s 2005 deadline to 2008, then 2011, and again to 2020. Each extension accompanied a disappointing revelation in the industry. Not only has forced child labor persisted in cacao production in Africa, a 2015 Fortune article, later corroborated by a report from the USDA, found that use of slaves has actually increased. Unfair and unequal labor practices have defined chocolate from its Meso-American roots through its gradual globalization, so it is somewhat ironic that slavery’s absence in modern Latin American cacao production is a direct result of its continued presence in Africa. Independent chocolate manufacturers in Europe and the United States examined the situation uncovered in west Africa and decided to create alternative sources for cacao free from the inequities of the labor and market systems which have defined its production. Since Latin America already possessed the infrastructure and climate to sustain cacao cultivation, conscientious chocolate manufacturers could focus their attention on the labor concerns, which could largely be solved by truly addressing pricing, income and environmental issues. (New) Chocolate Rules In 2019, Taza paid about $3,100 per metric ton for the beans, which were cleaned and fermented locally before being shipped to the company factory in Somerville. Taza sells its 1.75-ounce chocolate discs in packages of two for about US$5, earning more than $70,000 from every metric ton of chocolate used. The company draws from collectives in countries across Latin America and the Caribbean such as the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Haiti; in addition to paying the collectives well, its owners directly monitor the labor practices of their members to curtail inhumane and environmentally unsustainable practices. Fall 2020Volume XX, Number 1 Altereco Label Direct trade looks a lot like Fair Trade, but has so far succeeded where its corporatized ancestor has not. Just last year, Brazil found that several coffee farms had resorted to slave labor even as they were re-certified by Dutch watchdog organization UTZ. The farms involved had also been certified slave-free by CARES (a Starbucks company) and Fair Trade. So why is direct trade working where Fair Trade has failed? The revelations of Fair Trade’s shortcomings are fairly recent, so it is difficult to say, though likely tied to the financial burden Fair Trade certification places on suppliers—the very people it was designed to assist. The distance between Fair Trade (or UTZ, or CARES) and the cooperatives is great, and filled with intermediary costs and people. Actual monitoring is sporadic, leaving abuses unchecked internally. Because direct-trade cooperatives were formed specifically to combat abusive labor practices, they are closely monitored, not by middlemen, but by manufacturers, who alone bear the costs of their efforts. Tonys Slave Free Logo For years, Tony’s has been the only direct-trade company to tackle the industry’s use of slave-labor at its source in Ghana. It has recently been joined by Theo, which opened another cooperative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Taza, which has also entered into a direct-trade agreement with a Ghanaian cooperative. Nor has the direct-trade model itself been the only response to combat bad industry labor practices. The popular German brand, Ritter Sport, decided to forego unreliable third-party verification and create its own self-contained plantation and partially-mechanized fermentation system in Nicaragua, slated to begin production in 2020. The scheme is reminiscent, in practice, of decisions made by US corporate operators in that region last century, and thus potentially worrisome. However, as long as Ritter Sport applies its strict German labor laws in Nicaragua, it could provide a tremendous growth opportunity for local farms and the region. Information on chocolate sourcing has become more transparent in the past ten years, as more companies develop or change their models. Helpful websites like encourage consumers to investigate the issue and list the growing number of companies who engage in truly ethical sourcing for their cacao. Some, like Equal Exchange, who got its start in ethical coffee sourcing before branching out into chocolate in the early 2000s, are working to fix the Fair Trade certification in which they participate rather than reinvent the wheel using direct trade. One producer, Mānoa, has situated itself in the United States’ only tropical state, Hawaii (only the southern part of Florida is tropical), and “sources locally,” avoiding the Global South’s labor trap altogether. The biggest names in chocolate such as Lindt, Hershey’s, Cadbury’s and Ghiradelli do not make the list. It seems they still rely on consumers’ cravings to outweigh consumers’ morals. Chocolate joins the ranks of textiles, diamonds and coffee in our public awareness and horror of certain industries’ unfair labor practices. While we are encouraged to be appalled by such practices, we are not encouraged to feel empowered to stop them. In absence of government action, individual companies have taken initiative to create direct-trade relationships with cacao producers and raise awareness through grassroots digital media campaigns—a non-existent option in 2001 in the wake of BBC reporting, nor in 2008 after the Protocol’s second failed deadline. If the manufacturers themselves will not adopt ethical practices, their customers must. Consumers can only continue to make the hard, but correct, choice to rely on direct-trade, single-source brands using (mostly) Latin American cacao from vetted, approved farms. Tara M. Dixon is an independent scholar living in northern Virginia. She holds a Ph.D. in world history from Northeastern University, although her postgraduate work often lies at the intersection of commodification, culture and sustainability. She is currently working on a food history of coconuts and other tropical produce. Related Articles Chocolate: Editor’s Letter Chocolate: Editor’s Letter Is it a confession if someone confesses twice to the same thing? Yes, dear readers, here it comes. I hate chocolate. For years, Visiting Scholars, returning students, loving friends have been bringing me chocolate from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru… El jardín pandémico El jardín pandémico English + Español Imagine the tranquility of a garden. With the aroma of flowers mixed in with the buzzing of bees and the contrast of shady trees against the fierce Paraguayan sun. From the intimacy of a family garden in which daily ritual leads one to water the plants, gather up the dry leaves… What’s in a Chocolate Boom? What’s in a Chocolate Boom? English + Español Peru has a longstanding reputation for its quality cacao. In the past decade, it has also attracted attention as a craft chocolate hot-spot with a tantalizingly long list of must-try makers. Indeed, from 2015 through 2019, a boom of more than 50 craft chocolate… Print Friendly, PDF & Email
What are the COVID-19 RNA vaccines and how do they work? rna vaccine graphic By now, we’re all familiar with the image of coronavirus. The spikey blob peppers news websites, looms behind reporters during bulletins and frequently punctuates your Twitter doom-scrolling. More recently, the news accompanying this image has taken a positive turn, with promising results from the COVID-19 vaccine trials. It’s the iconic spikes of the coronavirus spikey blob that are a key part of how these vaccines work. Link to complete article Related Blogs: Join Now
The best meteor shower of the year will peak TONIGHT on Merseyside The Perseid shower peaks tonight when up to 100 meteors an hour can be spotted. The Perseid shower is the most spectacular of the year as more meteors are visible than that of any other shower and often big ‘fireballs’ can be spotted. It comes around every summer when Earth passes through the trail of dust and debris left in the orbit of the very large Comet Swift-Tuttle, which passes near Earth every 133 years on its journey around the sun. The meteors blaze through the sky as pieces of debris burn up in the atmosphere, travelling at 37 miles per second. Most Perseid meteors are made of pieces of dust about the size of a grain of sand, and almost all of them burn up completely on their way through the atmosphere. Meteor showers happen when bits of ice and dust, which can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a pea collide with the earths atmosphere at 134,000mph. Heading out to areas away from light pollution, such as the countryside, will give you the greatest chance of seeing meteors. The chances of spotting meteors will also be weather dependent, as clear skies give the best viewing opportunities. The weather on Merseyside is expected to be mostly cloudy with some breaks in cloud. Heavy rain will make it very wet night across the region.
10 Types of Statistical Data Distribution Models • Neelam Tyagi • Jun 18, 2021 • Statistics 10 Types of Statistical Data Distribution Models title banner Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.-Evan Esa A good yet sound understanding of statistical functions (background) is demanding, even of great benefit in everyday life. For example, the concept of data distribution where distributions are simply the population, holding scattered data. Data distribution is a function that determines the values of a variable and quantifies relative frequency, it transforms raw data into graphical methods to give valuable information. It becomes substantial to understand the kind of distribution that a population has that assists in applying proper statistical techniques/methods. On the other hand, when statisticians or data experts analyze datasets, the very first step is to conduct exploratory data analysis (EDA) for learning about characteristics of a specific feature in datasets that help in understanding any pattern present in the data distributions. Through this way, they can tailor machine learning models suitable for particular case studies as ML models are designed under some data distribution assumptions. Therefore, understanding certain types of statistical data distributions is necessary to assist in identifying which models are appropriate to use, and this is the main course of discussion through this blog. (Related blog: Statistical data analysis) What are the Types of Data Distribution/Statistical Distribution Models? 1. Bernoulli’s Distribution This is one of the simplest distributions that can be used as an initial point to derive more complex distributions. Bernoulli’s distribution has possibly two outcomes (success or failure) and a single trial. For example, tossing a coin, the success probability of an outcome to be heads is p, then the probability of having tail as outcome is (1-p). Bernoulli’s distribution is the special case of binomial distribution with a single trial. The density function can be given as f(x) = px (1-p)(1-x) where x € (0,1) It can also be written as; formula 1 The graph of Bernoulli's distribution is shown below where the probability of success is less than probability of failure. The graph is demonstrating Bernoulli's distribution where the probability of success is less than probability of failure Bernoulli’s Distribution The distribution has following characteristics; • The number of trials, to be performed, need to be predefined for a single experiment. • Each trial has only two possible outcomes-success or failure. • The probability of success of each event/experiment must be the same. • Each event must be independent of each other. (Read also: ANOVA test) 1. Binomial Distribution The binomial distribution is applied in binary outcomes events where the probability of success is equal to the probability of failure in all the successive trials. Its example includes tossing a biased/unbiased coin for a repeated number of times. As input, the distribution considers two parameters, and is thus called as bi-parametric distribution. The two parameters are; • The number of times an event occurs, n, and • Assigned probability, p, to one of the two classes For n number of trials, and success probability, p, the probability of successful event (x) within n trials can be determined by the following formula formula 2 The graph of binomial distribution is shown below when the probability of success is equal to probability of failure. The graph is showing binomial distribution when the probability of success is equal to probability of failure. Binomial distribution The binomial distribution holds the following properties; • For multiple trials provided, each trial is independent to each other, i.e, the result of one trial cannot influence other trials. • Each of the trials can have two possible outcomes, either success or failure, with probabilities p, and (1-p). • A total number of n identical trials can be conducted, and the probability of success and failure is the same for all trials. 1. Normal (Gaussian) Distribution Being a continuous distribution, the normal distribution is most commonly used in data science. A very common process of our day to day life belongs to this distribution- income distribution, average employees report, average weight of a population, etc. The formula for normal distribution; formula 3 Where μ = Mean value, σ = Standard probability distribution of probability, x = random variable According to the formula, the distribution is said to be normal if mean (μ) = 0 and standard deviation (σ) = 1 The graph of normal distribution is shown below which is symmetric about the centre (mean). The graph is representing normal distribution which is symmetric about the center (mean). Normal distribution Normal distribution has the following properties; • Mean, mode and median coincide with each other. • The distribution has a bell-shaped distribution curve. • The distribution curve is symmetrical to the centre. • The area under the curve is equal to 1. (Recommended blog: Types of statistical Analysis) 1. Poisson Distribution Being a part of discrete probability distribution, poisson distribution outlines the probability for a given number of events that take place in a fixed time period or space, or particularized intervals such as distance, area, volume. For example, conducting risk analysis by the insurance/banking industry, anticipating the number of car accidents in a particular time interval and in a specific area. Poisson distribution considers following assumptions; • The success probability for a short span is equal to success probability for a long period of time. • The success probability in a duration equals to zero as the duration becomes smaller. • A successful event can’t impact the result of another successful event A poisson distribution can be modeled using the formula below, formula 4 Where 𝝺 represents the possible number of events take place in a fixed period of time, and X is the number of events in that time period. The graph of poisson distribution is shown below; The image is showing the graph for Poisson distribution when the rate of occurrence of an event is constant. Poisson distribution Poisson distribution has the following characteristics; • The events are independent of each other, i.e, if an event occurs, it doesn’t affect the probability of another event occurring. • An event could occur any number of times in a defined period of time. • Any two events can’t be occurring at the same time. • The average rate of events to take place is constant. 1. Exponential Distribution Like the poisson distribution, exponential distribution has the time element; it gives the probability of a time duration before an event takes place. Exponential distribution is used for survival analysis, for example, life of an air conditioner, expected life of a machine,and length of time between metro arrivals. A variable X is said to possess an exponential distribution when formula 5 Where λ stands for rate and always has value greater than zero. The graph of exponential distribution is shown below; The graph is representing an exponential distribution that shows a survival life of a machine Exponential distribution The exponential distribution has following characteristics; • As shown in the graph, the higher the rate, the faster the curve drops, and lower the rate, flatter the curve. • In survival analysis, λ is termed as a failure rate of a machine at any time t with the assumption that the machine will survive upto t time. (Also read: Importance of Statistics in Data Science) 1. Multinomial Distribution The multinomial distribution is used to measure the outcomes of experiments that have two or more variables. It is the special type of binomial distribution when there are two possible outcomes such as true/false or success/failure. The distribution is commonly used in biological, geological and financial applications. A very popular Mendel experiment where two strains of peas (one green and wrinkled seeds and other is yellow and smooth seeds) are hybridized that produced four different strains of seeds-green and wrinkled, green and round, yellow and round, and yellow and wrinkled. This resulted in multinomial distribution and led to the discovery of the basic principles of genetics. The density function for multinomial distribution is formula 6 Where n= number of experiments. Px= probability of occurrence of an experiment. The graph of exponential distribution is shown below; A Multinomial Distribution graph that shows the distribution of more than two variables. Multinomial Distribution The following are properties of multinomial distribution; • An experiment can have a repeated number of trials, for example, rolling of a dice multiple times. • Each trial is independent of each other. • The success probability of each outcome must be the same (constant) for all trials of an experiment. 1. Beta Distribution Beta distribution comes under continuous probability distributions having the interval [0,1] with two shape parameters that can be expressed by alpha (ɑ) and beta(ꞵ). These two parameters are the exponent of a random variable and control the shape of the distribution. The distribution shows the family of probabilities and is a suitable model to depict random behaviour of percentages or proportions. It is used for the data models that hold uncertainties of the success probabilities in a random experiment. The probability density function for the beta distribution is formula 7 Where 𝝱 is second shape parameter and B( ɑ, ꞵ) is normalizing constant that makes sure area under the curve is one. The graph of beta distribution is shown below; The image is displaying the beta distributed U-shaped curve. Beta Distribution The general formulation of beta distribution is also known as the beta distribution of first kind and beta distribution of second kind is another name of beta prime distribution. Beta distribution has many applications in statistical description of allele frequencies in genetic population, time allocation in project management, sunshine data, proportions of minerals in rocks, etc. (Referred blog: Conditional Probability) 1. Beta-binomial distribution A data distribution is said to be beta-binomial if the • Probability of success, p, is greater than zero. • And, shape of beat binomial parameter, α > 0, as well as β > 0 Being the simplest form of Bayesian mode, beta-binomial distribution has extensive applications in intelligence testing, epidemiology, and marketing. The graph of beta-binomial distribution looks as below; The image shows uniformly distributed beta-binomial distribution when α = β = 1. Beta-binomial distribution The parametric shape can be defined in the form of the probability of success such that • A distribution tends to a binomial distribution for the greater value of α and β. • The value of discrete uniform distribution is equivalent to the distribution between 0 to n, if both the values α = β = 1. • For n = 1, the beta-binomial distribution is approximately the same as Bernoulli distribution. Talking about the key difference amid a beta-distribution and binomial distribution, the success probability, p, is always fixed for a set of trials whereas it is not fixed for beta-binomial distribution and changes trail to trail. 1. T- Distributions In statistics, t-distribution is the most important distribution, also known as student’s t-distribution. It is employed to estimate population parameters when the sample size is small, and the standard deviation is unknown. It is widely used for hypothesis testing and built confidence intervals for mean values. The graph of t-distribution distribution is shown below; The graph is showing t-distribution symmetric curve when mean is zero T-distribution has the following properties; • Similar to normal distribution, the t-distribution has bell-shaped curve distribution and is symmetric when mean is zero. • The shape of distribution doesn’t alter with degrees of freedom, and has the range – ∞ to ∞. • The variance is always more than one. • As the sample size, n, increases, t-distribution acts as normal distribution where the considered sample size is greater than 30. (Must check: T-test vs Z-test) 1. Uniform distribution Uniform distribution can either be discrete or continuous where each event is equally likely to occur. It has a constant probability constructing a rectangular distribution. In this type of distribution, an unlimited number of outcomes will be possible and all the events have the same probability, similar to Bernoulli’s distribution. For example, while rolling a dice, the outcomes are 1 to 6 that have equal probabilities of ⅙ and represent a uniform distribution. A variable X is said to have uniform distribution if the probability density function is formula 8 The graph of a uniform distribution looks as below An image is showing uniform distribution that has rectangular shaped variation. Uniform distribution The uniform distribution has the following properties; • The probability density function combines to unity. • Every input function has an equal weightage. (Must check: 4 types of data in statistics) To sum up, we have seen various types of statistical data distribution models along with their probability density distribution functions, graphical representations and common properties.
144 Sociology 1 semester, ½ credit Open to juniors and seniors Sociology studies social behavior and human groups in a systematic method. This course will focus primarily on the influence of social relationships upon people’s attitudes and behavior, on how societies are established, and on how they change. Identification of recurring patterns and their influence on social behavior will be major goals of this course. 1. Apply sociological concepts to everyday situations. 2. Communicate information and concepts effectively in oral and written forms. 3. Analyze the relationships of individuals and groups to institutions and cultural traditions. By the completion of this course, students will know… 1. Culture and social structure 2. The role of the individual in society 3. Social inequality 4. Social institutions This curriculum last updated January 27, 2021, by the Social Study Department.
Biological Sciences Student Research Symposium Abstracts Spring 2018 BIOL 152, Principles of Ecological, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology Christopher Ivey, BIOL 152, Adrienne Edwards, Fruit Count on Gallium acarine as a result of plant height v. soil temperature Jillian Douglass, Alexander Vina, Maia Taylor, Diana Mosqueda,,, Fruits are costly to plants because fruits usually don’t photosynthesize. There may be limits to the number of fruits a plant can make at a particular time. In this experiment, we studied the number of fruits produced on the whorls of Galium aparine (sticky weeds). We compared soil temperature to plant height on nine plants from three locations on the CSUC campus along Big Chico Creek, and found no difference in growth rates. Using the three locations as replicates, we then counted the number of fruits at six whorls starting from the base on 12 plants from each location (N=36 plants). At each whorl fruit number ranged from 0-10. The average number of fruits per whorl did not differ significantly from the null expectation of 4.1 fruits at every whorl. There appears to be a limit on average fruit number that is less than the number of flowers produced at every whorl. The resource allocation to fruits appears equal across all whorls. It appears likely that because these fruits photosynthesize, the number of fruits on one whorl does not affect the number of fruits on adjacent whorls. Anthracnose Resistance in California Sycamores and London Plane Trees Josh Roter, John Nyznyk, Dean Gorans,, Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) is a fungal disease that infects a variety of plants where symptoms include, leaf spotting, blotches, distortions, defoliation, and blight. Two trees that are affected by anthracnose are the California sycamore (Platanusracemosa) and the London plane tree (Platanus acerifolia). The London plane tree was widely used instead of the California sycamore in part because it was thought to be more resistant to the fungal disease. We hypothesized the London plane tree would have lower percent damage from Anthracnose compared to the California sycamore. To test this, data were collected haphazardly along Big Chico Creek from CSUC campus to the Yahi trail in Bidwell Park and compared using a chi squared test. There was a significant difference in the likelihood of being damaged by the disease between the two trees. The California sycamore had, on average, 30% higher damage than the London plane tree. Our results support the common belief that London plane trees are more resistant to Anthracnose than the California sycamore. How to BEE Attractive Melissa Madrigal, John Vang, Matthew Rubalcava,, The significance of this project is to improve bee pollination efficiency and possibly modify plants in response to the bee’s attraction towards certain flower characteristics. The treatment of flower petals and stamens could be applied in agricultural settings. Our null hypothesis is that bees will go towards the stamen instead of the petals, while our alternate hypothesis is the bees will most likely go towards the petals instead of the stamens. Group members observed the Rhaphiolepis indica for bee visitations ten minutes at a time for two different treatments. One treatment included the removal of all stamen from a cluster of 7-10 flowers, the other treatment involved the removal of all petals from a cluster of flowers, and one cluster was left as a control. A t-test was done and the alternate hypothesis was accepted since the bees gravitated towards flowers with petals and without stamens, more than those without petals. This means that placing plants with an abundance of flower petals in agricultural areas could promote more bee activity in the surrounding areas. College Squirrels Miranda Truhe, Kiara Onuoha, Kevin Flores,, The experimental hypothesis for this experiment was that Eastern grey squirrels would prefer apples over nuts in their nutritional diet. We used the cafeteria method for this experiment by setting out three trays of food with apples and two kinds of nuts (hazelnuts and almonds). By the end of our experiment, squirrels preferred apples over nuts. The overall significance of this experiment was to give us a better understanding of the squirrels eating habits to learn more about its behavior and way of living in the Chico community. BIOL 152, Badri Ghimire, Effective Soil Additives on Bean Growth Allen Benavidez, Mark Sanchez, Troy Agers, , There are varieties of soil additives but there is not a definite fertilizer for the promotion of growth for bean plants. In our experiment, we tested the amount of bean plant growth with fertilizer and Worms with fruit. We collected soil from Big Chico Creek and filled three individual cups adding fertilizer to one, apple and worms to another, and maintaining one control group. Plant lengths were measured every week for three weeks since they were planted. Our results were that our control group grew at a faster rate than our other two groups. We concluded that our experiment does not support that soil additives are detrimental to soil growth due external influences such as centipedes, fertilizer ingredients and fruit acidity. (Control final length: 4” Fertilizer final length: 2” Worms with apple final length 0”) Our worms with apple plant soil contained a small amount of centipede larvae which affected the worm population. Apples could have taken part in preventing the bean to grow when worms are absent from the decomposing process. Effects of temperature increase on rate of respiration in three different species of fish Allissa Burns, Edith Deras, Jamie Arteaga,, Temperature is a factor that influences aquatic life. We tested how water temperature affects the respiration rate in three different species of fish: Guppy, Cichlid, and Platy. We predicted that the respiration rate in all species of fish will increase when temperature increased. We established a control group with three fish, one of each species, with an automated heater keeping a temperature of 23°C. We established an experimental group with three of the same species as well, but with a controlled heater that increases the temperature by 2°C weekly. The starting temperature for the experiment group was 23°C and ended at 31°C by week number five. The two groups were separated by a glass barrier. We monitored and counted each fish’s breaths for one minute to calculate the respiration rate. A t-test was conducted. The p-value for the Guppy was 0.022. The Cichlid had a p-value of 0.0204. The Guppy and Cichlid have p-values which are significant. The p-value for the Platy species was greater than 0.078 meaning it’s insignificant. The results supported that increase in the temperature of water is significant in the respiration rate of the Guppy and Cichlid species, but not the Platy species. Picky Bettas Brittany Sanders, Michael Siva, Brian Stabenfeldt,, Betta fish are a common pet that people own throughout the world, and their health is affected by many factors, particularly their diet. However, most people are unaware of which type of food is most preferred by a betta fish; the exact problem we set out to address. We hypothesized that the betta fish will display a preference towards the more nutritionally dense food source. First, we established three treatment groups, each consisting of a betta fish inside a standard fish tank. We then identified four common food sources betta fish eat; standard fish flakes, blood worms, freeze-dried brine shrimp, and steamed peas, and determined the varying nutritional values of these food sources. Then, upon feeding, we recorded the amount eaten of each food source, and conducted this test three times a week for three weeks, collecting a total of 27 data entries. We found the betta fish don't have a significant preference for any particular food source (p>0.05). In conclusion, our results showed betta fish don’t have food preferences Endemic Life of Hordeum jubatum 'Foxtail Barley" in response to proximity of water source Toua m.k. Yang, Carl Conserve, and Evan Cardinaux,, Endemic life growth is greatly depending on the habitat that it is a part of, and the resources that are available to any given species. The species in question was the foxtail barley and how the subsurface growth would respond to a general vicinity to the main water source in the area. We hypothesized that the roots of the foxtail barley would increase in length as the distance from the water source increases. We examined two sites, one near the water and one further away in totality of thirty samples using a shovel and sieve to remove any remaining aggregates of dirt from the plant’s roots so that they could be measured and recorded. Results showed a trend in the root length opposite of what was originally hypothesized. Plants closer to the water had an average root length of 14.61 centimeter, while plants further from the water source averaged a root length of about 11.18 centimeter. It was found that the root length of foxtail barley was not increasing as distance from the water was increased and the specified species was more mature along the edge of the river. Stomatal Differences Based on Sunlight in Eudicot Plants Connor O'Leary, Ian Schneider, Previous studies have revealed that plant phenotypic plasticity can be altered by the sunlight. We examine how sunlight exposure might alter stomatal density distribution in plant leaves. We examined the leaves found in varying sunlit environments from 3 different plants. We used Orange (Citrus sinesis sp), Mock Orange (Philadelphus californicus), and Fava Beans (Vivia faba). Each leaf sample was examined under a microscope, and we counted the stomata. Data analysis from T-TEST shows that each of the three cases were significant. We found P-values,0.003, 0.006, and P<0.0001 from plants orange, mock orange and fava beans respectively. There is in fact a higher stomatal density in leaves that are exposed to higher amounts sunlight. This shows that stomatal density is highly affected by sunlight. Effect of Soil pH on Plant Growth Derrick Deak, Shannon Smith, We hypothesized that plants grown at the “natural” pH of 6.5 would have the highest ratio of healthy plants and that the highly acidic and basic watered plants would show differing signs of nutrient deficiency and an overall stunt in growth. For trials, we established five testing groups and measured their initial height and health and over a three week period we watered each group daily with water in their desired range (1-4 pH, 5-6 pH, 6.5 pH, 7-8 pH, 8-12 pH). Our results indicated significant a stunt in growth and health to all but the control group (6.5 pH), as evidenced by slight discoloration in the veins and the tips of the leaves. This means we can safely surmise that plants grown outside of the optimal pH range do not prosper and may not survive to the next generation as compared to those grown within the range. This is of great significance because with that knowledge one can take steps to create optimal conditions for crops and thus maximize yields. Habitat Preference of Western Gray Squirrels Destiny Del Papa, Kerry Schnitter, Western Grey Squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is native to California. They rely on trees for travel and habitats to build their nests. We hypothesized that the average number of S. griseus would be lower in more urban areas due to the increased human population. In the field, squirrel population and their behavior was recorded in two different locations, one more densely populated than the other, for four weeks. Even though we could not find a significant difference between sites (P= 0.390), we found that the mean number of squirrels in the rural area was about 22% higher than the mean number of squirrels in the urban area. This difference in means may be due to the increased number of trees found in the rural area. In conclusion, we found that S. griseus do not show a habitat preference. Feeding Behaviors Among Squirrels Yesica Nava, Ariana Guerrero, Danielle Donovan,, When dealing with mimicry, species can begin to learn the difference between palatable and non-palatable options. The motive behind our experiment was to evaluate the feeding behavior among our western grey squirrels (Sciuridae). For the experiment, we used cranberries (twenty palatable), peanuts (twenty palatable and non-palatable), and almonds (twenty palatable and non-palatable). We coated the peanuts with onion powder, and as for the almonds we lightly saturated them in lemon juice. Due to inconsistent weather, our data ended up being skewed from our null hypothesis. The squirrels did not end up learning the difference between the palatable and non-palatable options. In conclusion, we found that the western grey squirrel did not learn to distinguish between the palatable and non-palatable options. For example, the squirrels did not eat the palatable cranberries, but they did eat a majority of the peanuts every day of our data collection. They ate about eighty percent or more of the non-palatable peanuts for every data entry. Pollinator Flower Color Preference David Veach , Vivian Gallegos , Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and beetles are essential to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Color is one of the main floral traits used by pollinators to locate flowers. For this experiment, a total of 167 flowers were examined to see if certain pollinator groups prefer flowers of specific colors. Data was recorded from two loci, North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve and on the Chico State campus. Data was recorded when the weather conditions were bright and sunny, and when pollinators were expected to be most abundant. Flower colors and pollinator groups were categorized so that their values could be compared. Flowers were observed at random to look for pollinators in action and their quantity was recorded. After conducting a Chi-Squared test, the results displayed no significance in the selection of flowers by certain pollinators (8.6x10-14 < 0.05). In conclusion, it was found that there was no significant preference of flower colors by any of our pollinators. Water stress levels on radish growth Joy Cooper, Tanner Kranig, Cristian Brady,, Plants grow at different rates according to their environmental stressors. We hypothesized that fast growing radish plants watered with distilled, carbonated, and regular water would have different growth rates. Each plant was given one capful of water and measured everyday. Our results showed that the radishes watered with distilled grew the fastest, carbonated water grew second fastest, and regular water resulted in the slowest growth rate (we graphed the measurements and the slope of the distilled water was .6204 where carbonated had a slope of .6069 and regular water only had a slope of .5848). In conclusion, our plants that were given distilled and carbonated water grew the fastest and as we predicted regular water was the slowest growing of the three. Insect Population Density Jesus Garcia, Angel Zavalza, As tiny as they may be, insects play a huge role in soil richness. Whether it’s ants and beetles creating canals for water storage or earthworms working as decomposers to nourish the soil, it is all a community effort. In this experiment, insect density and diversity is measured depending on the rock size (circumference). According to the data collected, nearly 50% of insects observed resided under larger rocks with an average circumference of 44.6 inches. In closing, an insects positive role in soil richness should be taken into account; thus, preserved to live in larger rocks. Carrying Capacity of Garlic Chive Seeds Jakob Gardner, Seth Wise, In natural forests, where plant life could be overlapping each other. We hypothesized that the population of the plants in the soil increases the rate of the plant growth will be reduced. We planted five different pots with garlic chive seeds that had different populations in each of them. The first pot had 2 seeds, second 5, third 10, fourth 20, and the fifth pot had 50 seeds. Plants in the higher population groups from (40 to 100%) sprouted sooner (on day 2) while the lower density plants from (4 to 20%) sprouted later (day 3). After the initial sprouting, the plants had relatively similar growth patterns until day 7 where the higher density plants started to fall off. We concluded that the carrying capacity of our environment was around 10 plants and was supported by the results (Pot #1 reached maximum height of 130mm, #2 134mm, #3 142mm, #4 124mm, #5 104mm) of the experiment. The rate of moss regrowth based on its location Krystian Bonis , Marcus Rehrman , There are many different species of moss (Bryophyta) which grow in different places and even on different objects. We identified patches such as Medusa moss, which grows on the rocks along the Big Chico Creek, Carpet moss, which resides on the ground roughly ten feet from the creek, and Bryopsida moss on the branch of an Oak tree. The purpose of this project was to slightly trim an area within the moss patch and see how well it regrew, based on where the patch was located and how well it had access to nutrients and water for optimal growth. We hypothesized that the moss on the rock would grow the fastest due to its water resource, the moss on the ground would follow because of the nutrients in soil, and the moss on the branch would trail because it is attached to the thick bark. At the start, measurements were taken from each patch, and then within all the patches a small area was cut down to around the same length. The results showed that the moss patch which regrew the strongest was the Medusa moss, which nearly regrew to its original average size, the Carpet moss saw very little yet noticeable growth, but the Bryopsida moss saw no regrowth in length whatsoever (rock patch had around 17.8% more regrowth). In conclusion, the rainfall that occurred in Chico during the trial rose the creek waters and held the rock underwater, giving the moss patch an advantage for optimal regrowth. Examining Batesian Mimicry in the Viceroy Butterfly (Viceroy Limenitis archippus) Cara Tamcke, Kevin Johnson, Hunter DeHerrera,, In nature, organisms are forced to inhabit a form of defenses against predators, mimicry for example, has been studied for over a century in various organisms. In this study, we examine experiments that have studied the survivorship of the Viceroy Limenitisarchippus through their use of mimicry. We hypothesized that the Viceroy Limenitis archippus used Batesian mimicry to resemble the Monarch Danaus plexippus. However, it was later discovered this relationship is far more complex and the Viceroy Limenitisarchippus actually exhibits Mullerian mimicry. In a experiment performed in Florida, it was found that 40% of Viceroy Limenitisarchippus that were ingested by birds, were fully eaten. The experiments supporting this form of mimicry is implemented through a series of “taste tests”. It can be concluded that the Viceroy Limenitis archippus mimics the appearance of the Monarch Danausplexippus as a form of defense, and is later found to not have a difference in palatability. The Effect of Human Frequency and Habituation in Squirrels Leslie Garcia, Madison Gutierrez , Are mimics less likely to be eaten by predators depending on which type of mimicry they exhibit? In this experiment, we wanted to examine the effectiveness of Mullerian mimicry. Our null hypothesis being that the type of mimicry doesn’t have an effect on survivorship of the mealworms, and the alternate hypothesis being that it does impact survivorship. We set out two different trays in two different locations, one showing Batesian mimicry and the other Mullerian. After leaving them out for two weeks and checking on them each day, we found that the rates of survivorship were slightly higher in the mealworms from the Mullerian tray. The average rate of removal from the Batesian tray was around 2.8. From the Mullerian tray the average rate of removal was 1.9. In the end, our hypothesis was supported by the data and results we yielded - Mullerian mimicry is more effective at keeping prey alive than Batesian mimicry. Survivorship of Batesian vs. Mullerian Mimicry Miguel Castro, Ginger Shaffer, Birds Observed In Different Urban Locations Throughout Chico Matt Konopka, Katie Mata, Urbanization influences bird diversity in Chico by affecting the species of birds and frequency of bird activity. We hypothesized that there would be more birds in less urbanized locations such as the creek on campus. We expected to see a distinct change in the species of birds found at the different locations. There was some cross over of the same species being observed at the sites, the outlier was the Pigeon and Humming Bird. The Pigeon has grown accustomed to living on buildings and spending their days in the busy city but on the other hand the Humming Bird prefers the less noisy atmosphere that is found near the creek. There were four locations with varied levels of urbanizations from parks and creeks to the Downtown Plaza. We observed birds for 30 minutes three times a day with a replication at each site. After analyzing the data, the results showed that there were more birds active in the morning, with an average of 27 birds near the creek but the afternoon had more bird activity Downtown, with an average of 32 birds. We also observed difference in the number of species at each location. All the locations are relatively close together and there are distinct changes between the frequency of the birds and the different species that we observed. The time where peak bird activity happens is dependent on the type of environment of the habitat. Ideal germination and growth Pastor Magana, Brooke Environmental stress such as water availability can affect a plant by stunting it’s growth. We explored whether over watering or under watering would affect the germination and growth rate of radish seeds. Determining the amount of water each individual radish seed requires would help farmers to grow plants more efficiently by demonstrating the appropriate amount of water needed. Using six seeds for six trials, each seed was isolated and was given a water ranging from a eighth cup of water to two in a half cups of water twice daily. The seeds were all placed on a table by the window allowing for equal sunlight and other environmental factors. During our experiment, we conducted an Annova test and concluded since our p-value was (.42) there is no significant difference between germination and growth rate within varying amounts of water. Correlation Between Proximity to Big Chico Creek and Bird Density Ryan Rosenbaum, Mary Cate Hoeft, Joe Fucigna,, Our experiment sought to determine whether or not bird density in Chico is affected by proximity to the Big Chico Creek. We hypothesized that a greater density of birds would be observed near the creek as opposed to one mile away in the University Village. Data was collected during a fifteen minute interval every day for one week near the creek and in the University Village. No tools were required to conduct our experiment. Our calculated P-value (8.54812E-05) indicates a significant difference between the densities of birds near the creek and at the University Village. In conclusion, preferential bird habitat was found to be affected by proximity to the Big Chico Creek. Comparing Invasive Ivy Coverage on Trees of Lower Park Sofia Lepore, Jake Kincaid, The Hedera algeriensis (Algerian Ivy) is an invasive species prevalent in Bidwell Park. It displaces native plants, which can alter an ecosystem within the Big Chico Creek Watershed and disrupt it beyond the individual plant. We hypothesized that we would see higher percent cover of H. algeriensis on and around trees near the creek. For field trials 15 random plots (15x15 m2) were generated throughout Lower Bidwell Park. While there we observed the factors of creek proximity, tree count, and percentage of trees with H. algeriensis on them. We compared the percentage of H. algeriensis coverage in relation to creek proximity, with our t-test resulting in a mean value of 67% coverage on trees near the creek, and 70% coverage on trees further from the creek. We found a p-value of .389, therefore we could not support that percent cover due to creek proximity is significantly different within Lower Park. Does Temperature Effect the Activity of Squirrel Populations Victoria Dennis, Skylar Tomasetti, Nitzairian Ramirez,, Living on a campus with an abundant population of squirrels have allowed us to inquire if there is a difference in activity of squirrels at different temperatures. We conducted this experiment by going to different locations with high populations on campus, outside Holt hall, behind Colusa hall, and in front of the physical science building, when temperatures were a low of 50 degrees and a high of 82 degrees, we were able to monitor the squirrels’ activity. Our hypothesis was squirrels are less active in the cold weather due to them wanting to stay warm and conserve energy. When the weather is warm they will be more inclined to roam, mate and look for food sources to store for when it is colder. The type of data that will be collected will be discrete and nominal. By observing when the squirrels come out, how long they are out and what they are doing; for example, eating, gathering, playing or mating a conclusion can be drawn on their behavior. During the experiment the we will be evaluating independent frequencies and comparing means between the warm and cold weather and use an ANOVA comparisons. The results show that there is a significant difference between the temperature and the time of day in squirrel activity. The P-value for the warm weather is 0.386 and for A.M. is 0.139. Our conclusion for the experiment is that our hypothesis is correct as based on our evidence, squirrels are more active in higher temperatures. Stomatal Density Variation Between Distances of Water Source Victoria Trejo, Vanessa Mendoza, Samantha Romero,, Stomata are essential for plant survival as they exchange CO2 and O2. We examined the differences in stomatal density in the leaves of Blue Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L. ssp. cerulea) growing closer and away from the Big Chico Creek, inside Chico State University. We hypothesized that leaves further away from the creek would have a higher stomatal density than the leaves closer to the creek. Thirty leaves were collected from each plant and counted stomata under microscope (400X). We found a significant difference between the two different locations (P-value 0.00000143). In conclusion, the stomatal density is greater in the plants further away from the creek than the plants in close proximity to the creek. BIOL 152, Drew Gilberti, Earthworm Soil Preference Amber Lydia, Semranjit Kaur, Aisha Shaikh,, Earthworms belong in soil, but the real question is what type of soil are they most attracted to. We hypothesized that red worm preference for soil type is influenced by proximity of water sources. To test our hypothesis, 25 worms were placed on a plate in the center of 3 away from water and 3 near water sources. This was done to give each sample of soil an equal advantage of exposure to the round works. The result was that that the worms hated the soil samples near a water source and jumped over to the soil samples that were not collected near a water source. The statistical value was 7.78331E-05, which was statistically significant. Worms showed a preference for soil not found near a water source and this did support our hypothesis. Comparing Latex Production in Native and Non-Native Plants Jessica Poundstone, Ceres Phillips, Scarlett Echeverria,, Plants have developed multiple mechanisms to defend themselves from herbivores. Latex, a thick, creamy white, milky emulsion plant defense, coagulates when exposed to air and hardens around insect mandibles. Latex only occurs in about 10% of angiosperm species. We hypothesized that nativity has an effect on how much latex is produced. With 2uL micro capillaries we measured latex produced by species from the milkweed, dogbane and Euphorb families. Our results showed that non-native species tend to produce more latex when compared to native species. Leaf Density Indicates Location of the Meristem Jesse Garcia, Aaron Ragsdale, Kyrstin Brown, Kenneth Touhey,,, Cabbage proliferates through means of asexual reproduction which is induced by the shoot apical meristem. However, inquiries remain unresolved in regard to where the meristem is located on a Napa Cabbage, Brassica rapa Pekinensis. The purpose of this study was to identify the location of the meristem on Napa Cabbage by relying on visual indication of asexual regeneration. We hypothesized that leaf density is an indicator of the meristem location which is responsible for asexual reproduction. To test our hypothesis, we examined four cabbages, stripped the leaves, segmented them into three portions of stem and situated them into suitable environments for daily observation. We found a significant relationship (p<0.05) between meristem location and leaf density suggesting that new leaf growth is an indicator of meristem position. Therefore, our results support our hypothesis, which present consistent data of meristem location. These results inspire possible implications related to ecological concerns; dependable knowledge of meristem location can motivate utilization of segmenting the meristem to maintain cabbage yield and reduce waste. Algae growth Kasity Watkins, April Amajoyi, Amanda Ramirez , , The oxygen we breathe in everyday is made by a process called photosynthesis. Here in the Chico Creek there is a large amount of algae that grows on various rocks in the creek which also contributes to producing oxygen. With this process in mind, we hypothesized that the amount of sunlight that a plant receives will determine its growth and we decided to test this by measuring the surface areas of rocks covered in algae that were both in the sunny and shaded areas of the creek. We predicted that the growth would be more abundant in plants that are in the sun rather than those in the shade. To test our hypothesis, we quantified algae growth across 60 rocks by finding the average surface area of them in both areas of the creek. We found that there was no significant (P= 0.2001) relationship between the algae growth of rocks in the sun and in the shade, which did not support our hypothesis. However, we did find that there was a 28% increase in algae that was growing in sunny areas. Habitat Preference of Two Species of Squirrels in the Chico Area Milla Konings, Ross Schaefer, David Salgado,, This experiment was conducted to study the invasive Eastern Gray Squirrel, and how well it competes with the native Western Gray Squirrel in 3 different habitat types, including riparian, urban, and oak woodland habitats. These habitats were surveyed to discern which environment had the highest proportion of introduced squirrels, with the hypothesis being that this likely due to habitat preference. A count was made at a variety of locations that represent the squirrels habitat, tallying squirrels of the regular all gray variety, or the reddish-tailed Eastern variety. This experiment supported our hypothesis, which is that Eastern Gray Squirrels have strong habitat preference to Oak Woodland habitats over Riparian or Urban, suggesting that there is more food, shelter, and other resources in that habitat. The fewest Eastern Squirrels were observed in urban habitats, which came as a surprise given that the Squirrels were introduced by humans. There were almost 40% more Eastern Gray Squirrels, in proportion to Western, present in oak woodland habitats than in urban or riparian areas had an intermediate amount. In the future, if Eastern Gray Squirrels begin to push out our native populations, data suggests that conservation efforts should start in oak woodlands, as the highest concentration of the potentially harmful introduced squirrels exist in these areas. Is Squirrel Activity Affected by Human Presence?" Sarybell Castro, Julia Huskisson, Humans have a tendency to influence ecosystems they inhabit. The purpose of this experiment is to see if the growing population of college students will affect the squirrel population. We hypothesized that if there was more human activity, there would be less squirrel activity. We predict that humans will have a negative influence on squirrels due to squirrels feeling anxious We tested our hypothesis by comparing the number of squirrels in an area to the number of humans in that area at the same time (also including any other variables such as dogs). After going for several days to a variety of places, we collected our data and performed a T-test. The average squirrel count was 2.6 squirrels and 23 people. Our data did support our hypothesis that...If there are more humans in one area of Chico, and we see very little squirrel activity, it is probably due to the fact that humans make squirrels nervous. But, that is not to say there aren’t other factors involved, such as other animals near them, the weather patterns, and sources of water. BIOL 152, Rachel Schleiger, Moss Density Briana Flores, Sara Deleon, Wai hnin Phyu,, Because aspect is the compass direction in which a slope faces, it has an effect on the temperature and how much moisture is available. Certain plants are highly dependent on aspect for abiotic environments necessary for survival and reproduction. This study investigated how bryophyte (moss) patterns changed based on different aspects. Sunlit environments lack the moisture and shade that moss thrive in. Specifically moss cover was estimated with 0.1m2 quadrats in North and South facing aspects adjacent to a riparian environment. The results indicated a significant difference in moss growth by at least 25% on the north facing side of the Big Chico Creek and no moss growth on the south facing side. Thus, our results support that plant growth patterns are relied upon certain ecological circumstances. These patterns offer insight on an environments climate and available nutrients. Batesian mimicry on Chico bird population. Isaac Adelman, Sophia Schmerling, Tanner Wahl,, Mimicry is the resemblance of one organism to another. This research attempts to demonstrate how mimicry effects consumption of bird seeds in birds. By finding the correlation between color, type of bird seed, and consumption, we would be able to prove that mimicry does affect consumption. This project attempts to determine if birds are affected by the color of the food they are consuming. We wanted to apply what we have been learning to a small-scale experiment; we set up different colors and types of bird seeds to see what color of seeds the birds prefer. Despite our predictions, the birds were drawn to the sunflower seeds much more than the bird traditional bird feed, regardless of the color. Now that we have determined that it is the type of food and not necessarily the color of food; We can conclude that we need less variability when testing for mimicry, as well as a more controlled environment, for more conclusive results. In ecology, it is essential to understand the effects of mimicry on trophic interactions between species. Effect of fire on Petrorhagia dubia in Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve Jeremy Scheffler, Richard Prentice, Sophia Bennett, Kiley Quevedo,,, This study investigates how fire affects the growth and spread of the invasive flower species, Petrorhagia dubia, in an upland oak environment in BCCER. After a fire, the presence of Petrorhagia dubia will increase in burned areas, particularly those with an open canopy. To collect data, we took parallel transects, one in a burned affected area and the other in an unburned area. Based off the data collected, the unburned area saw far fewer flowers than the burned (p-value= 0.9997). The unburned areas have less invasive flowers present because the natural vegetation was not affected by the fire, so it is more difficult for the invasive flowers to colonize that space. In the burned area, newly open soil allowed for less competition with native plant species and easier colonization for invasive plant species, such as Petrorhagia dubia. Confirming our hypothesis; we concluded that the burned area was more susceptible to these invasive flower species. Species richness as a Function of Solar Radiation Scott Stokes, Carlo Jimenez, Jacqueline Mendiola garcia Solar radiation, is an absolute necessity for any plants development and health. This study explored how variation in solar radiation affect species richness. It was hypothesized that areas with intermediate solar radiation would have the highest species richness because this area would receive enough sunlight to photosynthesize properly while not being thermally stressed by high levels of radiation. Solar radiation readings were made in three different areas, on clear days with little to no atmosphere obstructions, at five different times of the day order get average radiation readings. Richness was assessed in a 1yd2 quadrant was placed randomly fifteen times for all three areas. An ANOVA indicated there was a significant difference between areas richness (p-value = 3.38E-8). Post-hoc t-tests indicated that intermediate solar radiation had the most species (p-value = 0.0001998, p-value = 3.731E-7). It is believed that the intermediate radiation sight had the most species because it received plenty of incoming radiation, was close to the river and had signs of intermediate disturbance. Area one was close to the river and had signs of disturbance but lacked sufficient solar radiation. While area two was also close to the river and got plenty of solar radiation but lacked signs of disturbance. Understanding these types of patterns can contribute to specific areas of biology, such as conversation biology. Yellow Flowers in Upper Bidwell Park; The North Rim Trail vs. The South Rim Trail Tonya Boskovich, David Gleason, Megan Bleiler, ZoeyZanotti,,, For this study, we compared the plant pattern changes of Ranunculacae canus on the North Rim Trail and South Rim Trail based on abiotic differences in the habitat and the amount of foot traffic they each receive. Ranunculacae canus, Sacramento Valley Buttercup, has been observed at many different aspects in Chico, CA, USA. Ranunculacae canus abundance would vary in abundance depending on the terrain and location. To test this, 1m2 quadrats were used to record the abundance of flowers in two different aspects. A T-test indicated no difference in the abundance of Ranunculaceae canus (p-value = 0.079) at the two separate locations. Because of the high p-value, our data shows no significant difference in mean populations of Ranunculaceae canus on the North Rim Trail versus the South Rim trail. Visually it appeared that there were different abundances of Ranunculaceae canuson the North Rim than the South Rim, however the data didn’t support this assumption. This means that our hypothesis couldn’t be accepted and was therefore rejected. This is important to understand on a broad scale for two reasons. The first being the implications of human activity on natural habitats; and the following has implications that despite seeing a plant population in different abundances in two separate locations, it doesn’t indicate the data will support it if a statistical analysis is performed on the plant population. BIOL 350 Fundamentals of Ecology Colleen Hatfield, BIOL 350, Adrienne Edwards, Species' Cover in Three Chaparral Land Treatments Andre Colunga, Greg Barry, Jared Decker,, Fire is not as devastating to an environment as is believed. Fire can lead to healthy new growth in a chaparral environment and remove dense old growth, increasing biodiversity. We hypothesized that species relative cover will vary depending on whether burned, unburned, or in a fire break. Our predictions stated that species cover would be lowest on fire break plots compared to burned and unburned plots. Working in Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve in Chico, CA, we recorded the percent cover of plant species in 2m2 plots in and around an area that burned in September 2017. Unburned areas had the highest percent cover, as predicted. Our results accurately reflected our prediction because in areas where there has been no fire the cover is, in some cases, greater than 100% because of canopy height differences. In the burned areas, the percent cover was lower but had the most resprouts and herbaceous plants. The fire break areas had the least amount of percent cover of plants, most of it consisting of coarse woody debris and bare ground with some grasses. Percent cover varies in the three different treatments, but each has its own dominant cover: burned is dominated by resprouts, unburned by scrub oak and fire break by coarse woody debris but no plants. It is apparent that regeneration in fire breaks deviates from natural vegetation regeneration. Comparison of Habitat of Desmocerus californicus dimorphus Al Wallace, Autumn May, Desmocerus californicus dimorphus also known as the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (VELB) is listed as threatened at the federal level. One of the limitations of the VELB is that it is confined to an extremely specific haitat: the elderberry bush (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea). This beetle needs branches on the elderberry bush to be within a certain circumference. The VELB ovaposits eggs into branches. The larvae live and develop in the branch cambium and then burrow out to emerge as adults. Unfortunately, recent brush clearing inadvertently pruned away some of the VELB habitat along the Big Chico Creek that runs through campus. This study compared VELB habitat on campus along Big Chico Creek versus habitat at Pine Creek unit of the Sacramento River Wildlife Refuge. Ten trees were sampled at each location and the number of habitable and inhabitable branches per tree were counted. It was found that there is a significant difference with an average of 73 habitable branches at Pine Creek versus 6 habitable branches on campus. With a significance level of .05, a p-value of .009 was obtained. After conducting the ANOVA test, it was found that we were able to reject the null hypothesis and state that there is a significant difference between the two sites. This suggests that pruning around the creek on campus produced significant damage to the VELB habitat. This study suggests that there should be an increase in caution around this habitat to preserve the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle. A Survey of Potential Habitat Loss for Valley Longhorn Elderberry Beetles at CSU-Chico Ian Schneider, Colin Kroeker, Selena Hennessey,, The Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus), or VELB, is a particular species of wood-boring beetle that is endemic to the central valley of California, and is only found in association with the host plant, blue elderberry (Sambucusnigra spp. caerulea ). Our goal for this project was to determine the amount of viable habitat within the Chico State campus and predict the average amount of potential habitat lost during an unintentional removal of blue elderberry. We measured the base diameter of cut and uncut elderberry trunks that supported the preferred stem diameter. After measuring the trunks and counting the ‘ideal’ stems that were present on cut and uncut plants, we used a standard regression to determine the relationship between trunk size and potential suitable VELB habitat. There was a significant but weak positive association (R2 = 0.29) between the trunk diameter and the number branches that facilitate suitable VELB habitat. We estimated that approximately 11.5 branches were lost (minimum of 6 to a maximum of 25). With a larger sample size, we predict we would be able to use this method to determine the environmental take after an unintentional VELB habitat loss event. Density of Invasive Himalayan Blackberries In Bidwell Park as a Function of Water Kira Price, Angie Persell, Michaela Fahlen, Jake Kincaid ,,, Angie P. The Rubus armeniacus (Himalayan blackberry) is an invasive species prevalent in Bidwell Park. As an invasive plant it displaces native riparian species. By taking over native plants, invasive species can alter an ecosystem in negative ways. We hypothesized that we would see higher densities of invasive R. armeniacus in riparian zones with more water permanence because R.armeniacus does not originate from a Mediterranean climate and does not thrive in extended drought conditions. We measured throughout upper and lower Bidwell park, where blackberries occurred, with the factors of creek proximity, shade level, and percentage of blackberries present along each of the 23 transects. We estimated patch size by calculating an ellipse area from our transect data. The average patch size of Lower Park was 252.1m² and Upper Park was 268.2 m². There was no significant difference in patch size due to water permanence. While R. armeniacus patch sizes may be impacted by other factors, we cannot determine that water permanence between Upper and Lower park is significantly different. Competition within the seed pod of the Western redbud, Cercis occidentalis Maria Avelar, Marvin Barrios, Competition operates at multiple levels between organisms, and competitive interactions are even more interesting when observed in a self-contained system. We focused our research on the effects of competition for nutrients among the seeds of western redbud, Cercis occidentalis. Since seeds are resource sinks in need of sucrose, we predicted that the seeds closer to the basal region of the pod (near the stem) would outcompete its neighboring seeds simply due to its proximity to the source of nutrients, the stem. We conducted our experiment on CSU Chico State’s campus. A total of ten western redbud trees were sampled, 250 seed pods were collected, and 1,035 seeds were analyzed. We counted the seeds based on their location within the pod, as basal, medial or apical and specified further whether the seeds were viable or inviable. Although we had initially predicted the seeds in the basal region would have a higher probability of allocating most of the nutrients due to a proximity effect, there was a significantly higher percentage of inviable basal seeds, 5.12% than inviable apical seeds, 3.48%. Overall, there were 2.36 times more viable seeds in the middle and in the apical region than in the basal region. In conclusion, it is clear there is an unequal allocation of nutrients among the seeds of Cercis occidentalis. The seed’s proximity to the stem did not account for the number of viable and inviable seeds, instead genetics may be responsible for the pod’s phenotypic traits. Does Seed Position in Seed Pods of Cercis occidentalis Affect Predation by Gibbobruchus mimus? Mohammad Mukhtar, Emily Barber, Aracelie Agraz,, When multiple seeds are contained within a fruit, seed arrangement and position can influence allocation of nutrients and predation risk. We studied these ideas by analyzing seed position and predation on seed pods of Cercis occidentalis (Western Redbud). To test our hypothesis, a total of 50 seed pods from each of 8 trees found on the CSU Chico campus were sampled (n = 400). Each seed pod was divided into 3 sections: basal, medial, and apical with respect to the peduncle. The number of seeds in each section along with the presence or absence of predation by Gibbobruchus mimus (Seed Weevil) was recorded. The analysis of gathered data, via chi-square test, showed a significant difference in the number of seeds in each position as well as a significant difference in the site preference for predation. The data analysis suggests that there is a correlation between seed location within a seed pod and the site of predation. As the number of seeds within a certain position increases, so does the likelihood of predation in that position. The Effects of Intraspecific vs Interspecific Competition on R. satvia species Ceres Phillips, AJ Samra, and Oscar Kalfsbeek,, Competition drives many interactions in ecology, determining which members of a population, or specific species, will survive. The two most common forms of competition seen in nature are interspecific competition, where members of different species compete, or intraspecific competition, which involves members of the same species. We hypothesized that, when it comes to R. sativa, or radish, intraspecific competition will be more detrimental to the seedling growth than interspecific competition. We created five treatments in order to test our hypothesis, with two groups measuring low and high intraspecific competition, respectively, two groups measuring low and high interspecific competition, respectively, and a control group. We utilized Beta vulgaris (beet) for the interspecific treatments, weighed the initial biomass for the seeds that would undergo a specific treatment, and performed the experiment over a span of four weeks. We then weighed our seedlings for each treatment, and we found a significant difference in radish biomass, when grown with other radishes, was far less than the biomass of radish seeds grown with beets. These results significantly support our hypothesis that intraspecific competition between radish seeds was stronger than interspecific competition. Pollinators Prefer the Middle-Aged Flowers in an Inflorescence of Vicia villosa Shelby Bomke, Diana Ledford, Alexandra Wynter,, Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and beetles, provide crucial pollination services to the ecosystem. In recent years, pollinator population densities have declined threatening seed production in many animal-pollinated species, like hairy vetch (Vicia villosa). It is critical to understand the way pollinators behave and utilize resources while pollinating. There is a balance between reward and cost of obtaining reward for the pollinator; with decreasing reward per flower, pollinators have to expend more energy. We tested the hypothesis that pollinators prefer the middle-aged flowers in an inflorescence compared to the older or younger flowers of the hairy vetch. We predicted that the pollinators would prefer the middle-aged flowers in the inflorescence because of a higher nectar reward and lower energetic cost. We conducted eleven, ten minute observations in Upper Bidwell Park and Little Chico Creek footlands in Chico, California. We observed meter squared plots of hairy vetch. We then recorded the number of pollinators that landed on old, middle-aged, and young flowers. We observed that pollinators visited the middle-aged flowers significantly more than both the older and younger flowers. The rewards of the middle-aged flowers outweigh the energetic costs to the pollinators because of a higher nectar reward. Analysis of earthworm populations in soils. Terrence Carter, Giovani Gutierrez, Aisha Sheikh, Brittany Simpson,,, The occurrence of European earthworms (Lumbricus cf. terrestris) is directly related to human disturbance. We examined whether the population density of earthworms was directly related to whether it was in a fertilized grass covered area versus leaf litter covered area. Our leaf litter covered test location had a large understory of California Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) and an overstory of Sycamore (Platanus spp.). We treated nine- 0.6 m sq plots within each treatment location: fertilized grass cover and leaf litter cover areas. An aqueous solution of water and tea tree oil was applied to each plot and the number of earthworms that erupted from the surface was counted. This was then replicated two other times which resulted in 18 data points. Earthworm density was 74% higher in our Sycamore leaf litter covered location compared to our fertilized grass covered location (p <0.05). Abundance of earthworms is affected by the amount of organic matter available, and conventional lawns. have reduced organic matter available to earthworms. Influence of Urbanization on Water Quality Cole Gleaton, Thomas McNairn, Francisco Preciado, Will Baker,,, Urbanization has been known to affect the quality of water. We hypothesized that there would be poorer water quality in Big Chico Creek (BCC), a stream running through a more urbanized area, compared to Butte Creek (BC), a stream running through a less urbanized area. Also, we hypothesized that water quality would degrade more downstream within both creeks. In this study, we considered downstream to be more urbanized. To quantify water quality, we measured levels of Dissolved Oxygen Content (DOC), pH, Nitrates (NO3), and Phosphates (PO4) at three locations on each creek. Multiple ANOVA tests were run to compare the response variables between each location. Overall, our results indicated BCC had poorer water quality compared to BC. BCC was significantly more acidic and had lower DOC compared to BC, although DOC values for BCC were not significantly different. In addition, BCC had higher levels of both Nitrates and Phosphates, but levels were not significantly different along both creeks. Moving downstream within both creeks, the pH became significantly more acidic and DOC also degraded. However, the DOC measurements moving downstream for BCC were not significantly different. Within both creeks, higher levels of NO3 and PO4 were found moving downstream, although there was not a significant difference throughout each creek. Therefore, urbanization has a negative effect on water quality by significantly lowering pH within BCC and BC. BIOL 350, Tag Engstrom, The Color of Nectar Impacts Hummingbird Foraging Alana Taylor, Joseph Garcia, Hummingbirds are known for being attracted to brightly colored flowers. It is known that there is an evolutionary relationship between plants and their pollinators because plants have adapted to not only be visually appealing, but to allow easy access. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether or not hummingbirds have a color preference of nectar. We tested whether hummingbirds were attracted to colored nectar from the warmer end of the colored spectrum (red and yellow) versus the cooler end (purple and blue). In order to conduct this experiment, we filled five identical, clear, hummingbird feeders with store bought nectar. We then used food dye to color the nectar red, yellow, blue, and purple. Our control was the clear store-bought nectar. We then hung the five feeders at the Camellia Garden on the CSU Chico campus and observed the amount of nectar consumed from each feeder. Each feeder was hung 10 inches from the tree branch and was later removed and brought back the following observation time. We had a total of four two-hour observation days. We then measured how much nectar of each feeder was consumed. We conducted an ANOVA test to determine whether there was a relationship between color of nectar and amount consumed. Based on our analysis, we can conclude that red colored nectar was preferred more than the other color options. Our results support the ecological principle that red colored flowers attract hummingbirds. Lichen communities on rocks support the theory of island biogeography Connor Bouch, Carlos Estrada, Hannah Guiles,, The theory of island biogeography is one of the major ecological principles explaining patterns of isolated communities. One of the predictions indicates that a larger isolated habitat, or island, will have greater species diversity when compared to smaller isolated habitats. We set out to investigate this theory by gathering data on species diversity within lichen communities on isolated rocks found in the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve. When rocks on which lichen can grow are separated by unsuitable habitat, they behave as separate island habitats to the lichen. We separated rocks into two categories based on diameter, large rocks (>3ft) and small rocks (<3ft). Data on species diversity was collected by counting the different lichen species present on each island. We identified lichens as different species based on color. Larger habitat islands had a higher mean in species diversity (p-value < 0.05). The results support the general principles of the theory of island biogeography, showing a greater species diversity being present on larger islands. The results from this experiment could be used to help predict the relative species diversity between similar biomes. Bloom Density of Vinca major (Big Leaf Periwinkle), an Invasive Riparian Plant Species Increases Under Low Canopy Coverage. Roberta Overman and Charles Wheeler, Plant species display a wide range of tolerances of light and shade. Some are extremely shade-tolerant and others are very light dependent. While some plants grow well in shaded areas their reproductive structures can be light dependent. We observed flower density of the Vinca major (bigleaf periwinkle) in different canopy covers. Vinca major thrives in full sun as opposed to the closely related species, Vinca minor, which is best suited for shaded areas. We hypothesize that the more canopy cover for the selected areas the less bloom density will be. In our experiment, we tested this by taking flower counts from one square meter quadrants of Vinca major in low canopy cover, partially canopy cover and high canopy cover. The results show bloom density was higher in low canopy cover and lower under high canopy cover. These results support our hypothesis that Vinca major is a sun adapted species. Soil Properties of Flower Patches in Upper Bidwell Park Kristen Morris, Shyanne Rizzo, Physical and chemical properties of soil can be a factor in determining what plant life is supported in an ecosystem. Varying soil properties within an area can also influence the heterogeneity of flora on a relatively small scale. After observation of Upper Bidwell Park in early April, we noticed there are defined patches of flowers spread throughout the grassland. We wanted to understand what causes flowers to grow in these distinct patches, rather than evenly throughout the landscape. We hypothesized that there were differences in soil properties within the patches than adjacent areas with just grass. We collected soil samples within three flower patches and right outside these flower patches. We tested a variety of different soil properties, including electric conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, soil moisture and soil water holding capacity. Soil moisture was observed qualitatively on a scale of wet to dry at time of sampling. Overall, we found that soil moisture seemed to be the determining factor in varying presence of flower patches in comparison to the other soil properties we tested. This suggests that heterogeneity of this area is due to mosaic of moisture and water flow, rather than differing chemical properties within the soil. This study helps to better understand how micro-climates influence biodiversity in this area. The Rate of Degradation and Analysis of the Nutrient Cycle in Chaparral Communities That Have Experienced Recent Fire Lauren Howey, Erica Aldanese, The Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) was subject to a wildfire that burned roughly 60 acres in September 2017. Fires can be a healthy and necessary aspect of our ecosystem, when plant matter burns the ashes are returned into soil as nutrients. Therefore, our question was to see if there is a difference in the nutrient cycle of soil that has experienced a recent fire compared to soil that has not experienced a recent fire. We hypothesized that recent fires will increase the amount of nutrients to soil, so a natural process like decomposition will occur at a faster rate than in an area that has not experienced a recent fire. To keep our data consistent, we used 15 potatoes that were cut in half, each half going to either fire or non-fire chaparral. Within the BCCER, 15 half potatoes were placed in 3 rows of 5 in an area that has not experienced a recent fire, this will be the controlled experiment testing of the nutrient cycle. The second set of 15 half potatoes was placed with identical arrangement in an area that has experienced recent fire. First, each potato was weighed and then, was reweighed within their chaparral every 5 days for a total of 15 days. Using a 95% confidence interval, we obtained a p-value of 0.02 (.02 < .05), therefore we can conclude there is significant difference in the nutrient cycle within both chaparrals with the recent fire chaparral having a faster degradation rate. Germination of Yellow Lupine (Lupinus luteus) Seeds Continues after Exposure to Cold Conditions Ryan Dearborn, Josh Sandige, Ryan Rowe, Austin Miller,,, Seed germination depends on a variety of factors, one of the most important being temperature. During the winter, cold periods can be interrupted by days or even weeks of warmth uncharacteristic to the season, potentially triggering the seed’s germination. This premature germination can lead to large scale die offs of certain plants, including grasses and flowers. Our experiment evaluated the extent to which a Yellow Lupine (Lupinus luteus) seed can withstand a warm period before germinating prematurely, to determine the severity of these warm periods and how they effect flowering plants. Our experiment consisted of 100 seeds placed between wet paper towels in a freezer, in which we would keep the seeds cold, thus preventing germination, and then expose to warmth for a set amount of time. After this period of warmth, the seeds were brought back into the cold, and germination was evaluated on a percent scale of partial to full germination. Our hypothesis was that it would take 7 days for the seeds to germinate in a warm period, half of the projected germination rate since the seed had time to soak up water between the towels for several days before hand. The seeds germinated within 4-5 days, even in the treatments that were only exposed to 2-3 days of warmth. This indicates that Lupine and similar flowers can germinate succeeding a warm period that is only a fraction of the average germination time. This makes them more susceptible to premature germination than may have been previously thought. Observing the Effects of Acid Rain on Seedling Germination Sastina Thammavongsa Germination of seeds is relied on by farmers throughout the world. The effects of acid rain can change their entire livelihood. Varying pH levels have different effects on seeds and will help to determine if the crop will be viable. The effects of pH on tomato seeds were observed closely at 4 different pH levels. To observe the effects of acid rain, the 4 experimental pH’s were 2, 4, 5, and 7. The number of days for germination varied between the different pH levels. The number of germinating seeds was greatly reduced when the pH was extremely low and may give insight to the future of agriculture and vegetation around the world. Variation in seasonal temperature and precipitation does not affect growth of Arctostaphylos manzanita in 2016 and 2017 Whitney Branham, KC Sicheneder, Alan Mata,, Plant communities within Mediterranean environments experience significant variability in climate. As a result, organisms must be well adapted to extremes such as long, hot summers with very little moisture as well as very cold and wet winters. We studied the Common Manzanita, Arctostaphylos manzanita, in the Manzanita Grove at Big Chico Ecological Reserve (BCCER). Branch measurements were taken from 160 different branches for both 2016 and 2017 by analyzing stem lengths. Temperature and amount of precipitation were collected from the US Climate Data website for Chico for each month in the growing season from January-May for both 2016 and 2017 and the average was taken for each year. T-tests were utilized to determine if significant variation in temperature and precipitation affect growth. Overall, variation in temperature and precipitation didn’t affect average growth in 2016 and 2017. Thus, other environmental factors such as aspect within the hillside, nutrient availability, or access to sunlight could be playing a more significant role in determining growth rates. BIOL 409 Molecular Biology Kristopher Blee, BIOL 409, Juan Araujo-Sarinana, Investigation of the gene AT2G33420 expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana Manpreet Mann, Amandeep Dhillon, Theodore Lee , , Arabidopsis thaliana is a very popular organism in plant biology due to its genome sequence that has helped researchers discover a variety of gene functions. In Arabidopsis thaliana, 73 genes coding for class III peroxidase proteins have been identified. To determine the function of the peroxidase gene AT2G33420, the location of the expressed protein has to be determined. It is hypothesized that the protein is expressed in the root tissues of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. An experiment was conducted by first tagging the gene with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) using the Tri-Template PCR. Then the tagged gene was cloned and subcloned into plant transformation vectors. Then the Isolate binary vector subclones were transformed with Agrobacteriumtumefaciens and pipetted onto Arabidopsis thaliana flowers. The seeds from the Arabidopsis plant that were coated with agro, were then harvested, plated and allowed to germinate to develop roots. Microscopes were used to see the fluorescence in the lateral root caps of the germinated seeds. From the fluorescence light intensity obtained, it can conclude that the protein coded by the gene AT2G33420 is located in the roots. Exploring Arabidopsis thaliana peroxidase gene expression using fluorescence Alexis Carual, Maci Meyers, While 73 genes exist in Arabidopsis thaliana, the class III peroxidase multigene family is not very well known. Because so many isoforms exist within one family, it is difficult to know what each gene is responsible for in plant development. With the use of bioinformatics, we were able to narrow down a gene of interest, AT2G33420, which expressed mRNA abundance in root tips during early development of Arabidopsis thaliana, to be localized outside of the cell and in vesicular pathways. To test this, a YFP fluorescent tag was inserted into the gene sequence and transformed into Agrobacterium. The Agrobacteria was then taken and introduced to Arabidopsis thaliana through its flowers and left to grow. Seeds were collected from these plants and plated to allow roots to develop. Fluorescence was observed in the root tips through microscopy. Based on the data collected, there is indication of fluorescence in the root elongation zone of Arabidopsis thaliana, with the tagged protein of interest being expressed in the cell wall. Knowledge of where the peroxidase protein AT2G33420 is located can help narrow down what this gene contributes to the early stages of plant development. Plant Cell Location of Peroxidase Protein, Gene AT2G33420, in Arabidopsis thaliana based on signal peptide and C-terminus Amino Acid Sequence. Derrald Buis, Jessica Miccio , Lignin, an important structural component in plant vascular tissue, is found in high concentration in plant cell walls. In the paper industry, high lignin concentration is associated with weakening paper quality. Removing lignin requires a substantial amount of time and energy. Enzymes, peroxidase (POX) and laccase, are believed to produce lignin. The focus of the study is to determine the protein location of POX gene AT2G33420 within the plant cell of Arabidopsis thaliana. Based on the von Heijne signal peptide and the C-terminal amino acid sequence, protein location is hypothesized to be in the plant cell wall. The POX gene was tagged with Yellow Fluorescent Protein (YFP) using PCR, sub cloned into a plasmid vector, and then transformed into Agrobacteriumtumefaciens. A. tumefaciens was inserted into A. thaliana through floral inoculation. Using fluorescent microscopy, protein location of POX gene AT2G33420 tagged with YFP, was confirmed to be in the plant cell wall of root tips. Determining POX protein location provides evidence that POX may play a role in lignification of the plant cell wall. The significance of finding the location of POX protein could help in the future by repressing POX expression in plants to see if there is a decrease in lignin production. Locating Potential Lignin Affecters in Arabidopsis thaliana Gian Gomez, Alex Gonzalez, Lignin is a polymer deposited in the cell walls of many plants, significantly affecting their rigidity. Genes targeting their proteins toward the cell wall are typically responsible for lignin formation. Through analysis of a gene’s amino acid (AA) sequence one can determine where in the cell it will target its proteins. An AA-sequence containing a non-hydrophobic C-terminus is predicted to direct its coded proteins to the cell wall or outside of the cell. By tagging peroxidase gene At2G33420 – a gene highly expressed in the root tips of Arabidopsis thaliana – with Yellow Fluorescent Protein (YFP), one can determine the cellular location of this gene’s activity. Polymerase chain reaction was utilized to construct a reporter gene containing YFP, which intensifies the amount of fluorescent light observed through microscopy. The gene construct underwent subsequent processes of cloning and sub-cloning into plasmid and plant transformation vectors. Escherichia coli was used as a host to grow and amplify the construct. This construct was then transformed into a bacterium capable of introducing the reporter gene by floral inoculation of A. thaliana. The resultant seeds contained the constructed reporter gene with YFP and their root tips were analyzed by inverted microscopy. The fluorescence in and around the cell walls of the experimental specimens was of a higher intensity than the fluorescence observed in the root tips of control seeds. The increased fluorescence indicates gene At2G33420, now containing the YFP construct, directs its proteins toward the cell wall and may affect the formation of lignin in A. thaliana. Arabidopsis thaliana Peroxidase Gene AT4G33420 Expression and Protein Subcellular Location Investigation Jennifer Morales Mazariegos, Emily Poitan Mendez, Arabidopsis thaliana is a model organism, containing 73 class III secretory peroxidases, many of which serve multifunctional purposes through the plant’s physiology. Of the seventy-three, peroxidase gene AT4G33420 was used in an investigation of protein targeting. Hypotheses of the location of the gene’s expressed protein, which is dependent on the amino acid sequence and cleavage sites was made using Bioinformatics. It was hypothesized that protein expressed by AT4G33420 gene would be located in the elongation zone of the Arabidopsis root tip, more specifically, subcellular localization of the protein would be in cell walls. In order to preserve the native promoter sequencing, a procedure was developed that introduced a YFP gene tag into a selected site within our target gene. The YFP gene would be used to assess protein location using fluorescence microscopy. Results displayed significant fluorescence in the cell walls of the experimental plant tissue which supports what was hypothesized that the protein will be secreted to the cell wall. This research can be used for future work in the investigation of lignin formation in plants. Peroxidase (AT2G33420) Location in Arabidopsis thailana Kimberly Macias, Stephanie Barajas , Peroxidase proteins are involved in the lignification of cells in the xylem root tip. We used bioinformatics to choose gene AT2G33420 which codes for a peroxidase protein that it is highly expressed in the root tip. We hypothesize the peroxidase protein will fuse to the plasma membrane and will be targeted into the cell wall. Our research was conducted by first isolating Arabidopsisthaliana DNA and used PCR to insert the Yellow Fluorescent Protein into the coding sequence of AT2G33420. We followed this by recombining peroxidase AT2G33420 and cloning it into a plasmid. We proceeded with the transformation of Agrobacterium and inoculated Arabidopsis thaliana flowers to harvest the seeds. We visualized the protein using microscopy and were able to see the gene being localized at the cell wall. A Transgenic Investigation into the Peroxidase Gene AT2G33420 in Arabidopsis thaliana Payton Hurley, Sukhwinder Sarai, Peroxidases within the Arabidopsis plants serve many functions which include plant defense and are thought to be involved in the polymerization of lignin. Being able to track where these peroxidase proteins end up, allows for determination of their function. When investigating genes with the Arabidopsis plant our research was narrowed down to the gene AT2G33420. Using bioinformatics a hypothesis was made that this protein would be targeted in the cell wall, if the gene was successfully expressed. The gene was tagged with YFP using PCR then cloned into Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Inoculation of Arabidopsis flowers with the Agrobacterium plasmid cells led to the production of transgenic seeds, which then germinated. These seeds were then used in fluorescence microscopy to visualize the root tips under both bright field and YFP filters. Within our images, we were able to see the fluorescence of the YFP within the root tip and along the cell wall. BIOL 409, Mandeep Grewal, The Protein Coded by the Gene AT4G33420 of Arabidopsis thaliana is Targeted to the Cell Wall Daisy Avila, Miriam Ibarra, Korina Sigala,, Class III peroxidase genes are involved in lignin formation. There are 73 class III peroxidase genes found in Arabidopsis thaliana. Predicting the location of a gene, allows for the determining of its subcellular mechanical function. If the protein that the gene, AT4G33420, encodes for follows the von Heijne rule, it does not contain a KDEL signal and whose last three amino acids are not all hydrophobic then it will be secreted to the outside of the cell. Using bioinformatics, a gene of interest was selected, and primers were designed in order to tag our gene with the yellow fluorescence protein (YFP), mRNA analysis via genevestigator suggested that protein encoded for by the gene AT4G33420 is in high accumulation in the steel area. The reporter construct was cloned in to pDONR, and subcloned into pMN20GW which lead to the transformation of agrobacterium. Agrobacterium was then used to transform Arabidopsis thaliana. From the fluorescence microscopy images, in the transformed A. thaliana roots there was evidence of fluorescence throughout the root however, greater intensity is noted at the cell wall area of the stele cells. This could be an indication of the presence of peroxidase AT4G33420. From the collected data, it is indicated that the hypothesis is supported. In the future, the KDEL signal can be introduced to the retention site which could potentially lead to determining the destination of the expressed protein. The Key to Softer Toilet Paper: Finding the “Roll” of the Class III Peroxidase Coded for by Gene AT4G33420 within Cell Walls of Arabidopsis thaliana Brad Underwood, Simone Burdick, Dara Stroup,, Lignin is a complex organic polymer deposited in the cell walls of many plants, making them rigid and woody. The 73 class III secretory peroxidases in the Arabidopsis thaliana plant species are known to play a role in lignin formation and plant detoxification. We chose the peroxidase coding gene AT4G33420 using the online sources PSORT and Genevestigator. We hypothesized that the protein will be located in the cell walls of the plant’s root tip due to the high abundance of mRNA in the steele. The absence of a KDEL motif at the C-terminus, the hydrophilicity of the last three amino acids and the presence of a signal peptide at the N-terminus means that the protein will be secreted through the biosecretory pathway to the cell wall, and therefore may play a role in lignin formation. We tagged the gene AT4G33420 with YFP, inserted the reporter construct into Arabidopsis thaliana gametes and analyzed the seedlings using fluorescence microscopy. We observed fluorescence within the cell walls of the transformed seedling’s root tips, suggesting that the peroxidase AT4G33420 may play a role in lignin formation. To test this hypothesis further, we could knock down expression of the genes for future plant generations, to see if lignin formation subsides. Finding the genes that code for lignin formation enzymes, and knocking down expression of those genes in future plant generations could simplify the steps of the paper making processes and could also create a new, more efficient plant food source for livestock. Class III Secretory Peroxidase AT4G33420 Presence in the Cell Wall and Stele of Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana Plants Gavin Monges, Whitney Branham, Jackie Sanchez,, Molecular biology seeks to understand functions of enzymes. Among the most abundant of these enzymes are peroxidases. Genes that code for peroxidase enzymes encompasses a multigene family coding for 73 peroxidases. In Arabidopsis thaliana, peroxidase plays roles in cell wall modification, yet specific functions of individual enzymes remain unclear. This experiment attempts to elucidate the role of peroxidase 47, a class III secretory peroxidase present in Arabidopsis thaliana predominantly expressed early in development. Specifically, the design answers the question where expression will occur for a gene that codes for a peroxidase in both the cell and anatomically in the plant. Using Genevestigator to view mRNA accumulation of peroxidase III gene, we selected a gene for a protein likely expressed in early growth of the stele of Arabidopsis thaliana. Bioinformatics data determined that the protein will be excreted to the cell wall due to a signal peptide sequence, absence of KDEL sequence, and hydrophilic nature of the c-terminal amino acids that direct secretion down biosecretory pathway. The hypothesis is two-fold, peroxidase III protein will be expressed in the stele of Arabidopsis thaliana and the protein will be excreted to the cell wall. This hypothesis was tested by transforming Agrobacterium tumefaciens bacterium with a peroxidase gene fragment tagged with YFP sequence. Floral inoculation of Arabidopsis thaliana produced transgenic seeds for visualization of the tagged secreted protein via fluorescence microscopy. This experiment provides support for the mechanism of peroxidase 47 as the tagged protein was observed in the stele of the root tip. Class lll Secretory Peroxidase AT2G22420 are Targeted to the Cell Wall and Support Lignification of the Arabidopsis thaliana Hadja Stringfellow, Taryn Mullen, Class lll secretory peroxidases are a family of plant-specific oxidoreductase that are widely thought to support the lignification in plant cell walls. Arabidopsis thaliana contains seventy-three class lll secretory peroxidase genes, all of which having various activity levels and functions throughout the plant. In our research, peroxidase gene 17, AT2G22420, was used to gain more information on protein targeting. Bioinformatic tools were used to create hypotheses of the location of this gene's expressed protein. We were able to hypothesize that when the peroxidase gene is expressed, the targeted protein would be found in the xylem of root, and more specifically, the sub-cellular localization would be in the vacuole. Using PSORT, we were able to determine that the native N-terminus was conserved in order to preserve signal peptide sequencing that targets insertion of the protein to the ER. In addition to this, the hydrophobic C-terminus segment was conserved and lacked KDEL sequencing which resulted in protein targeting to the cell wall. To test our hypothesis, we tagged the peroxidase gene with YFP sequence which will be able to visualize with fluorescence microscopy. Arabidopsis was then transformed using agrobacterium and after observing the whole plant, fluorescence was observed supporting our hypothesis that our protein was targeted to the cell wall. We can use these results of the sub-cellular location to further investigate the functions of our peroxidase lll gene not limited to detoxification, lignification, defense against pathogens, catabolism, and root elongation within the plant. Subcellular Location of Class III Secretory Peroxidase AT2G22420 Expressed in the Cell Wall through the Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana Jessica Malanco Ayala , Judith Barajas, Monica Furubotten,, Class III peroxidases are secretory peroxidase enzymes found in plant cells that are responsible for catalyzing lignin formation. Lignin assists in providing structure and pathogenic defense in plants. The aim of this experiment was to identify the subcellular location in which the peroxidase AT2G22420 of Arabidopsis thaliana would be expressed. We used Genevestigator to identify where mRNA was most abundant, and chose a gene with a high rate of transcription. AT2G22420 was investigated through PSORT a bioinformatic tool which revealed that it had no KDEL and the three terminal amino acids were hydrophilic, indicating it would leave the endoplasmic reticulum, travel through the golgi and exit through exocytosis to its final location in the cell wall. Our hypothesis was tested by tagging a coding sequence and tracing it through fluorescent microscopy in a transformed Arabidopsisplant. This was done by cloning the selected gene, tagging it with YFP, and transforming the amplified fragment into the plant through the plant pathogen Agrobacterium. Microscopy techniques were utilized in order to visualize subcellular gene expression within the cell wall. After analyzing a sample from Arabidopsis root tips through microscopy, it was found that the protein was expressed in the cell wall, which supported our hypothesis. After knowing the plant specific location of the protein, further experiments could be performed to test the function of this peroxidase in the cell wall. Peroxidase 17 (AT2G22420) of Arabidopsis thaliana localized in the cell wall Jackelin Villalobos, Rana Yousaf, Austin Testa,, Class III secretory peroxidases are plant oxidoreductases that support lignification in plants. Arabidopsis thaliana contains 73 different peroxidase enzymes that are all part of the same gene family. The peroxidase chosen was PER17 since it was highly expressed in the root tip. Our question presented was; where is the protein made by PER17 expressed intracellularly? It was predicted that the protein made by PER17 would be expressed in the xylem of the root, specifically in the vacuole. Through PSORT it was discovered that the C-terminus contained amino acids that were mostly hydrophobic and no KDEL meaning that the protein made by the chosen peroxidase enzyme would be targeted to the vacuole. It was also found that the N-terminus helped preserve the signal peptide sequencing, meaning it would be allowed to enter the ER and eventually be secreted. Through several amplification processes, we were able to tag the peroxidase with YFP and clone it into pDONR221. This was also subcloned into pMN20 and used to transform agrobacterium. The Agrobacterium was then used to transform Arabidopsis thaliana flowers in order to obtain transformed seeds. Fluorescence was observed in the cell wall which supported our hypothesis that this protein created by the chosen enzyme would be located in the cell wall. Further research could however be done to investigate the function of this enzyme in more than just lignification of the plant. Arabidopsis thaliana class III Peroxidase AT2G22420 Is Secreted into the Cell Wall Kelsey Hanson, Dam Diaz, Allie Moore,, Class III peroxidase enzymes constitute a diverse and multigene family with a variety of functions at various locations. There are three classes of peroxidase enzymes, that play significant roles in detoxification or lignification. Arabidopsis thaliana has 73 class IIl secretory peroxidases, with their function dependent on their location within the cell. The purpose of this experiment was to locate a single peroxidase protein inside of a plant cell. To do so, we used bioinformatics to identify mRNA accumulation throughout different areas of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant and chose the peroxidase AT2G22420 sequence. We hypothesized that AT2G22420 would be secreted into the cell wall due to the hydrophilic C-terminus protein and lack of a KDEL sequence. Using the peroxidase sequence and our retained promoter of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant as the independent variable, we had the ability to observe the location of the peroxidase protein which acted as the dependent variable. To test this, amplification of AT2G22420 with designed primers and YFP fragment were used to prepare for insertion into the plant. Sub-cloning with bacterial plasmids and antibiotic resistance positively selected for transformed Arabidopsis thaliana plants. The transformed bacterial plasmid containing the AT2G22420 sequence was used to inoculate the flowers of Arabidopsis thaliana yielding the desired transgenic plant. Arabidopsis thaliana Class III Secretory Peroxidase AT4G33420 is Secreted in the Cell Wall Kelsey Linden, Oscar Chavez, Justine Rios,, Peroxidases are found in plant, fungi, bacteria and are members of a superfamily that consist of 3 major classes. Class III secretory peroxidases catalyze the formation of lignin in plants. Our goal was to determine the location of a Class III secretory peroxidase, AT4G33420, in Arabidopsis thaliana. To create genetically modified A. thaliana plants, we used bioinformatic tools such as Genevestigator and PSORT. PSORT, showed the pathway of which the protein would travel throughout the cell by showing us the gene did not contain the motif KEDEL. Thus, it will not reside in the endoplasmic reticulum and instead will enter the secretory pathway. Since it has hydrophilic amino acid residue in the C-terminus it cannot be retained in the vacuole and instead it will be secreted out to the cell wall. Furthermore, using an mRNA detection tool in Genevestigator it identified the accumulation of mRNA in the elongation zone of the root. Our hypothesis is the protein will be secreted out to the cell wall and found in the elongation zone of the plant. In order to visually analyze our results, a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) was inserted by designing primers and performing PCR. Analysis of roots were conducted through imaging of our Arabidopsis thaliana plant, where fluorescence was present in the elongation zone of the root. For future investigation we could manipulate this gene to overexpress it or knock it out to determine the phenotypic deviation from the wild type. AT4G33420 Transformation of Arabidopsis by Floral Inoculation with A. tumefaciens in the Root Tip Marvin Barrios Rodas, Eric Madrigal, Class III secretory peroxidase genes are plant-specific oxidoreductase that have been known to show involvement in several physiological processes in Arabidopsis thaliana. PER 3 was chosen, using bioinformatics, in this experiment since it was greatly expressed in the root tip of the plant. This lead to the question; where is the protein that is made by PER 3 expressed inside the cells? With the help of PSORT, we were able to predict that the protein is expressed around the cell wall since it lacks the ER retention sequence KDEL and contains hydrophilic terminal amino acids. To prove this, we conducted PCR on primers we produced in lab and inserted a Yellow Fluorescence Protein (YFP) which tags our protein to be able to detect under a fluorescence microscope. Cloning of various plasmids such as pDONR and PMN20GW were completed to result in the production of Agrobacterium cells. The Agrobacterium cells contain the plasmid that was constructed molecularly and were then inoculated onto Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, using drip the method, to infect the plants’ chromosomes with the selected gene. After the inoculation, our protein was fluorescing in the cell wall and on top of the root tips of the plants. Arabidopsis thaliana Class III Secretory Peroxidase AT4G21960 Expression and Localization Nida Ejaz, Mikala Herr, and Madison Brandt,, Peroxidases are enzymes that can be found in plants, animals, and bacteria and can be viewed as members of a large family consisting of 3 major classes. Class III comprises the secretory plant peroxidases, which are responsible for catalyzing lignin formation in plants; lignin is a hydrophobic polymer that lines cells such as xylem, and is important in providing structural support and pathogen defense in plants. In Arabidiopsis thaliana, there are 73 peroxidase genes. Genevestigator was used to select AT4G21960 (PER 42) peroxidase gene and determine its sub-cellular location in the cell. We hypothesize that the protein coded by peroxidase PER 42 is expressed in the cell wall of cells based on the signal peptide sequence such as the absence of KDEL sequence and hydrophilic amino acids on the C-terminus. To test this hypothesis, primers were designed to amplify the gene via PCR. Following PCR, homologous recombination was used to insert Peroxidase 42 DNA into the T-DNA region of the plasmid vector pBlee containing YFP gene and 3x FLAG. The modified plasmid vector pBlee was then used to transform Agrobacteria and then infiltrate transformed Agrobacteria onto Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize N. benthamiana leaves to determine the location of fluorescent protein. Results showed significant fluorescence in the cytoplasm of the experimental plant tissue, in contrary to our prediction. For further research, we could attempt to transform the Peroxidase gene 42 into another plasmid and insert that into another plant species to see where the protein fluoresces. Gene AT4G33420 Located in the Apoplast of Roots in Arabidopsis thaliana Oscar Kalfsbeek, Sang Pham, and Tracy Rojas,, Plant class III peroxidase enzymes support lignin formation because they are plant specific oxidoreductase. The reaction occurs when the mono lignin strips off an electron from the peroxidase, and the electron that is stripped off could form a covalent bond. Thus, leading to lignin polymerization to occur in the cell wall. Peroxidase protein is hypothesized to be in the apoplast because peroxidase helps in the formation of lignin which is abundant in the apoplast. In Arabidopsis thaliana there is 73 peroxidases, and we chose the peroxidase gene AT4G33420 which we hypothesized would be secreted into the apoplast. We came to this conclusion based on the data provided by Genevestigator and PSORT. Genevestigator allowed us to select a peroxidase where mRNA was abundant in the roots, and we used PSORT to identify a potential subcellular location. PSORT gave us a signal cleavage peptide, no KDEL, and the last three amino acids. Therefore, the peroxidase protein would be located in the apoplast. To visually analyze our experimental results, we inserted a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) sequence by designing primers and performing PCR on the gene AT4G33420. Then we performed a tri-template PCR to anneal the gene fragments. Analysis of the apoplast of roots was conducted by taking fluorescence pictures of Arabidopsis thaliana roots. The fluorescence was present in the cell wall; therefore, our hypothesis is supported. In the future, we could tag the gene to determine the retention time of the (ER). Arabidopsis thaliana Class III Peroxidase AT2G22420 is located in the Cell Walls of Elongation Zone Cells Victoria Coia, Austin Van Alstyne, Peroxidase genes are known to take part in plant development including cell wall maintenance and detoxification. There is difficulty in determining the individual function of each peroxidase in Arabidopsis thaliana as previous studies have only looked into the function of in vitro development. The purpose of this research was to determine the location of peroxidase AT2G22420 in Arabidopsis and how it relates to its function in the plant. We hypothesize that peroxidase AT2G22420 will be found most abundantly in the elongation zone of the root tip using an mRNA accumulation heat-map from Genevestigator. We also hypothesized that the peroxidase AT2G22420 will be found in vacuoles determined by PSORT which showed us the cleavage site amino acids, terminal amino acids, and lack of KDEL. We conducted this research by tagging AT2G22420 with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) and then transforming the Arabidopsis gametes using Agrobacterium. Using fluorescence microscopy, we were able to identify the tagged protein in the elongation zone of the root tip and the cell walls within the root. AT2G22420 was where we predicted it to be in the plant root, however we did not expect it to be found in the cell walls. Based on the location of the protein, the expected function of peroxidase AT2G22420 is in lignin formation associated with cell wall maintenance. Location of Peroxidase AT2G22420 within the cell walls of Arabidopsis thaliana Zach Scott, Dominic Valeriote, Kyle Colombi,, The Peroxidase gene family (PER) has a wide variety of functions in all land plants and specifically within Arabidopsis thaliana including pathogen defense, lignification, and detoxification. Due to the many functions in this large peroxidase family, it is difficult to assign a specific role to each Class III peroxidase. Using GENEVESTIGATOR, the peroxidase gene AT2G22420 was chosen and hypothesized to be targeted to the root tip of the plant. Using PSORT, the subcellular location was hypothesized to be located within the cell wall because AT2G22420 lacks the ER retention sequence KDEL and contains hydrophilic terminal amino acids. To test this hypothesis, the gene was tagged with yellow fluorescent protein sequence (YFP) using Tri-Template PCR. The fluorescently tagged gene was then cloned into the pDONR221 plasmid and finally sub cloned into a second plasmid, pMN20GW. pMN20GW was used to transform Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which was then pipetted onto Arabidopsis thaliana flowers for the transformation of the developing single cell egg / embryo to create transgenic seeds. These seeds were then harvested, plated, and allowed to germinate. Using fluorescence microscopy thus far, our hypothesis seems to be supported by the cell specific location of the peroxidase being located within the cell wall of the germinated seeds. Further implications of these results could include areas involving the production of lignin such as lessening cost of the creation of lignin based products such as paper. BIOL 412 Bacterial Physiology Emily Fleming, In silico analysis of Leptothrix cholodnii Lcho_0478 Localization and Function Ashley Case Located in freshwater microbial iron seeps, Leptrothrix cholondii SP-6 is a heterotrophic, sheath-forming betaproteobacterium that oxidizes both iron and magnesium. The mechanism by which these sheathes are formed is under research as well as the proteins that participate in its formation. In this study, we examine the function of the protein Lcho_0478 and find that it codes for a transporter activator protein, indicating it could participate in sheath formation. To do this study we utilized a variety of bioinformatics resources. Lost and Found Lcho_1854 in Leptotrix cholodnii Ashley Hernandez Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 belongs to the betaproteobacterium family, characterized by their ability to generate tubular sheath deposited with oxidized manganese or iron. Most Leptothrix spp are located in oligotrophic iron-rich water environments. Many studies have illustrated the composition of the sheath including manganese and iron metals and bacterial exopolymers. It’s clear that bacterial secretion plays a vital role in the sheath formation yet the mechanisms involved in the sheath development is unclear. In this study, we aim to determine whether the gene Lcho_231 is associated with the sheath formation for L. cholodnii. We believe that the putative gene with the locus tag, Lcho_2341 is related to bacterial sheath formation for L. cholodnii. We show that Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 gene with a locus tag Lcho_2341 codes for a glycosyl transferase enzyme. Our data suggests that glycosyl transferase, a gene product of Lcho_2341 is involved in the biosynthesis of teichoic acid, an important putative pathway for cell envelope formation for Gram positive bacteria, even though L. cholodnii is a Gram Negative. Characterization of Lcho_2341 for Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 Grace Prator Understanding the Roadblocks of Leptothrix cholodnii John Machado, Kerrick Swangler Leptothrix cholodnii is an Iron oxidizing bacterium that actively creates sheaths around the cells and lives within them. In the microbial genetics class (BIOL 472) a sheath and motility mutant was generated, however the genes affected by the transposon mutagenesis used in BIOL 472 were not fully understood. We expand upon one protein sequence that was found in L. choldnii’sgenome: Lcho_0658. The protein Lcho_0658 is a member of LC7/ Roadblock domain which is primarily responsible for the regulation of flagellar movement. The sequence interactions between the LC7 domain, which 0658 is a part of, and other neighboring proteins within the membrane of L. cholodnii provide evidence that supports flagellar regulation. One of the strongest relationships that LC7 has is to Phosphate/ Phosphonate ABC transporter periplasmic protein. This relationship establishes that this protein works in tandem with phosphate transporter systems which cooperate and in turn regulate the movement of flagellar systems. The LC7 protein domain is also similar to that of dynein; a protein in eukaryotes that responsible for regulating motor components of a cell. In both flagellar movement and cilia movement, this protein can be seen in the membrane regulating the movements independent of each other. In terms of L. cholodnii, the related protein 0658 is responsible for movement in the extracellular environment while also being responsible for movement within the sheaths formed by the bacteria. Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6: Type II Secretion System of the Gene Lcho_0549 Lyndsey K. Corral Leptothrix cholodnii is a sheathed, metal oxidizing bacteria that can generate a sheath or tube of iron and then grow inside of a tube. Leptothrix cholodnii has its genome sequenced and can be used to look at the putative pathways that are involved in the cell envelope formation in bacteria. By using bioinformatics, the gene locus tag of Lcho_0549 was investigated by using different online databases to reveal information such as alignments, phylogenetic trees, and the network and relationship to other genes. The gene of interest for this experiment, Lcho_0549, was found to be a type II secretion system (T2SS) by using these online databases. One way this was discovered was by looking at the genes protein families (pfam). This revealed the T2SS and also showed how the T2SS is closely related to the systems that assemble type IV pili on the cells surface. T2SS are known to be very complex and consist of many different proteins. By using the online database Uniprot, an image of gene Lcho_0549 was made by showing protein-protein interaction. This protein-protein interacting showed how there are 11 nodes which are the proteins, and 33 edges which are the interactions between the nodes, displaying the complexity of T2SS. The Uniprot database also revealed functional enrichments of the network of proteins. This showed that the KEGG pathway being a bacterial secretion system (pathway ID 03070) and concurred with earlier results of pfam of a T2SS. This shows how protein secretion systems are a way that Leptothrix cholodnii is able move proteins across its membrane. The study of type IV pilin secretin protein in Leptothrix cholodnii Mercedes Angara The protein, locus tag Lcho_3403, is involved in cell sheath formation. Bioinformatics are used to analyze the location and putative function of the protein. The location and putative function of the type IV pilus protein might be involved with sheath formation in Leptothrix cholodnii. Unsheathing the function of type IV pilus in Leptothrix cholodnii Melissa French Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 are known to produce an organic microtubule sheath in which it is the site of metal oxidation that leads to mineralization of the sheath. The production of this sheath does not appear to be essential for the survival of the organism. A sheathless variant of SP-6 was generated from another lab by multiple passes in a liquid rich media and it has been seen that sheath production does not revert which indicates that sheath production is more than likely chromosomal. With the knowledge of sheath production being chromosomal, bioinformatics can be used to help identify a chromosomal gene that plays a role in sheath production. To identify the function of Lcho_2870, bioinformatics was used to identify where the gene was located in the L. cholodnii genome, what the nucleotide sequence is and the amino acid sequence. With the amino acid sequence, the function of the gene was determined to be a type IV pilus biogenesis/stability protein PilW. With the use of bioinformatics, a network of the associated genes was created to understand what the functional partners around the gene Lcho_2870 do and how they are associated with the function of the gene. The functional partners that are associated with Lcho_2870 have various pilus functions, two of the functions are various assembly proteins and secretion. With the knowledge on what the function of the gene Lcho_2870 is, this can help further understand if the type IV pilus biogenesis/stability protein PilW plays a role in sheath production in SP-6. Rhomboid Protease in Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 involvement in Sheath Formation Miriam Ibarra Leptothrix cholodnii are a part of a group of sheath forming bacteria which are largely found in swamps, iron seeps and springs that are iron and manganese rich environments. L. cholodnii contain rhomboid proteases that are serine proteases that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds. It is hypothesized that rhomboid protease in sheath forming bacteria are involved in sheath formation. Many of the proteins associated with rhomboid protease in L. cholodnii appear to be involved in the formation or folding of proteins. A neighbor-joining tree was design and it appeared bacteria were clustering together depending on their ability to form sheaths or not. Gene neighbors for rhomboid protease in sheath forming bacteria appeared to share more similarities to one another than compared to those of non-sheath forming bacteria. This may suggest a different evolutionary history for rhomboid proteases in sheath forming versus non-sheath forming bacteria. To determine if rhomboid proteases do in fact differ in function between these two groups the associated proteins to these proteases in sheath forming and non-sheath forming bacteria need to be explored. Localization and Characterization of Lcho_4331 Protein in Leptothrix cholodnii Max Lorey Leptothrix is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria in the class Betaproteobacteria, whose energy metabolism is strictly aerobic. Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 is the only species with the ability to possess sheath formation under laboratory conditions. Sheath’s form from filaments grown from swarmer cells produced by Lepthothrix bacteria. The purpose of the experiment is to determine the structure and function Lcho_4331 protein and if its function is involved in sheath formation. A series of bioinformatic tests were run with the nucleotide sequence of Lcho_4331 protein and the results concluded that Lcho_4331 is a methyl-accepting protein (MCP). MCP’s are sensor proteins located in the membrane and their general function is the transport of specific substances across the membrane. MCPs allow bacteria to detect concentrations of molecules in the extracellular matrix so that the bacteria may move or tumble towards the source. According to RCSB the signal transduction regulates the activity of associated kinases, altering the behavior of the flagellar motor and hence cell motility. Signaling is in turn modulated by selective methylation and demethylation of specific glutamate and glutamine residues in an adaptation subdomain. This experiment has shown that Lcho_4331 has no known functional relationship with sheath formation in Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6. Role of Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 Lcho_0670 gene Rocio Clara Leptothrix cholodnii is an aerobic, sheath forming, filamentous bacteria, species that oxidize Mn2+ and Fe2+ and are usually found in oligotrophic, slowly running, iron- and manganese-rich water (1). L. cholodnii SP-6 generate a sheath or tube of iron and grow inside the tube as a means of movement. In Fall 2018 semester, the Microbial Genetics class at CSU Chico isolated sheath and motility mutants of L. cholodnii SP-6, however were unable to determine the genes were targeted and mutated. Our purpose was to follow up with the isolated mutants in order to determine the involvement of the altered genes in cell envelope structure and motility. The BIOL 472 class identified the targeted genes in the L. cholodnii SP-6 mutants and our class individually analyzed their role via bioinformatics. The Lcho_0670 gene, which is the gene I was assigned, codes for an integral membrane protein, MviN, putative peptidoglycan lipid II flippase. This protein is essential in the peptidoglycan synthesis pathway as it is responsible for transporting the lipid-linked peptidoglycan precursors from the inner to the outer leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane. After a series of complex steps, these precursors ultimately polymerize into mature peptidoglycan thus composing the cell wall. Iron Shells of Leptothrix cholodnii Sarah Brown Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6, be found in aquatic environments that is rich in iron and manganese. It is known as a sheath forming bacteria, with filamentous attachments. The bacteria form thick mats by oxidation of either iron or manganese. These mats can cause clogged pipes, especially when they are thriving in waste water treatment plants. This is a unique trait for sheathed bacteria. In order to find out more about Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6, bioinformatics was done on the protein LCHO_0476. L cholodnii’s protein LCHO_0476 is, 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipiocolate reductase, which is known for a catalyzing step in the lysine biosynthesis. Picolinate is a natural chelator. A chelator bonds other ions and molecules to metal ions. We hypothesize that picolinate could play a role in the adherence of iron molecules to the cell’s sheath. To further test this protein within the genome of L. cholodnii, metabolic pathway analysis is suggested. We can do this by radio labeling metabolites to figure out where in the cell 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipiocolate reductase is located. We would also suggest fractionation of the protein. Beneath the sheath: Lcho_0550's role in Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 sheath formation Sophia Phillips Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 is a sheathed metal-oxidizing bacteria commonly found in swamps, springs, and other iron and manganese rich environments. Previous studies have suggested a relationship between cellular excretion and sheath production. Determining the genes responsible for sheath production in Leptothrix cholodnii could be vital in developing a sheath production model. Lcho_0550 is a gene isolated from a sheath and motility mutant Leptothrix cholodnii strain obtained by the Chico State Bacterial genetics class. I hypothesize Lcho_0550 is involved in Leptothrix cholodnii sheath formation. To test this hypothesis, I used a series of bioinformatics tools to determine Lcho_0550's location, relationship to other proteins, and ultimately, it's involvement in Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 sheath formation. IMG determined Lcho_0550 is a Type IV_A pilus. Type IV_A pilus are powered by ATPase PilB and are essential for the formation of type II secretory pathways in gram negative bacteria. Type II secretion systems assemble type IV pilus, which are located in posterior and anterior of cell, and provide motility to the cell through a series of contractions known as twitching. Previous studies have linked motility and sheath production, suggesting motility is caused by the extrusion of sheath. Based on its involvement in cellular motility, I conclude that Lcho_0550 could be involved in Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 sheath formation. To determine Lcho_0550's role in sheath formation I would delete the Lcho0550 gene and examine the phenotype. Localization and Characterization of Lcho_2909 Protein in Leptothrix cholodnii Xochith Herrera Leptothrix cholodnii, a bacterium from the genus Leptothrix, is well known for its ability to oxidize metals such as Fe(II) and Mg(II) that is used in the formation of sheath formation and consequently releases energy. Locus tag Lcho_2909 is a protein found in Leptothrix species. The structure, function, localization, and role of Lcho_2909 in sheath formation is not well known. Further examination of these characteristics was done using Uniport, PSORTb, Joint Genome Institute (JDI), and NCBI. Results from a PSORTb examination suggested that the location was in transmembrane, with a low probability, therefore speculative. Analysis of Leptothrix cholodnii Lcho_3646 Function and Location Nancy Martinez The Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 species are associated with causing bulky biofilm and pipe clogging in wastewater treatments due to the formation of sheaths, which allows an attachment solid surface. The sheath matrix is known to be a hybrid of bacterial polymers, aquatic metals, and minerals. Because the sheath is extracellular, bacterial secretion is essential for sheath formation. Unfortunately, the mechanisms involved in sheath formation and synthesis are still unknown. In this study, I determined that Lcho_3646 indirectly participates in the sheath formation in Leptothrix species. To test this hypothesis, I used bioinformatics to determine peptide positions, tranmembrane helicies, and multiple sequence alignments using the ncbi, psort, phobius databases, for example. Lcho_3646 appears to be a small multidrug resistance transporter. These transporters catalyze multidrug efflux driven through the ATP synthase complex, suggesting that they are indirectly involved with sheath formation. BIOL 434 Ornithology Jay Bogiatto, Habitat Utilization and Selection by Birds within a Foothill Woodland Ecotone, with notes on Avian and Vegetation Diversity AJ Samra, Nikkie Werner, Katherine Tucker, and Brad Underwood,,, We conducted an investigation of habitat utilization by birds within a low elevation, foothill woodland ecotone located in Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, Butte County, California. Data were collected between April 13 and May 4, 2018, along 10 parallel 100 meter (m) transects, each 10 m apart, within our 1 ha study site. The objectives of our study were (1) to generate plant species and foliage height profiles for our study site, (2) to calculate Shannon Diversity values (H’) for avian species, plant species, and foliage heights, and (3) to determine whether birds are randomly or selectively using those plant species and vegetation foliage height intervals present within our study area; our null hypothesis states that there are no differences in the proportion of plant species and foliage height intervals available within our study area and the utilization of these habitat components by birds. The most common avian species at our site include Acorn Woodpeckers, European Starlings, California Quail and Yellow-Rumped Warblers. Our results will be presented on our poster. BIOL 476 General Virology Troy Cline, Isolation and characterization of bacteriophage from raw sewage Maria Mercedes Angara, Madison Brandt, Dan Carlson, Ashley Case, Ashley Dearden, Nida Ejaz, Melissa French, Stephanie Keck, Caitlin Keene, Jessica Lopez, Nely Lopez, Glenda Macco, Jaya Nolan, Victoria Ramirez, Jesse Slaton, An Tolley, Dominic Valeriote, Brandon Van Curler-Clements Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacterial cells. They are among the most numerous and diverse forms of life. Bacteriophages have an impact on the biology of other microorganisms and thus have a significant effect on the environments around them. The goal of these experiments was to determine the characteristics of bacteriophage present in a sample of filter-sterilized raw sewage. Using six different bacterial hosts, we were able to isolate six different bacteriophages. We measured the host range of each phage and found that the phages had varying degrees of host-specificity, a feature that is common to most viruses. Additionally, we determined the heat stability of each phage and whether or not the phage contained a lipid envelope. While there were some similar characteristics between the phages that were isolated, a great amount of diversity was still observed, underscoring the extensive variety within the phage community. Investigation of the structural and biochemical characteristics of bacteriophage isolated from sewage Daisy Avila, Sarahy Barcenas-Silva, Jacob Bomagat, Laura Bowker, Casey Combs, Kelsey Dani, Megan Erickson, Ashley Hernandez, Andrew Kang, John Machado, Brandon Maddox, Sandra Martell, Nancy Martinez, Claudia Menchaca, Kaleigh O'Brien, Sophia Phillips, Grace Prator, Jennifer Salazar, Makenna Soudan, Rana Yousaf Bacteriophages are viruses that are capable of infecting and replicating within bacterial cells and are abundant and diverse in nature. By studying bacteriophage, researchers have been able to better understand bacterial genetics, the evolution of microorganisms, and a vast range of applications such as antibacterial phage therapy. As a class, several different phages were isolated from filter-sterilized sewage collected from the Chico Water Pollution Control Plant. Several structural and phenotypic traits of the phages were characterized. After selection and isolation, each lab group was responsible for determining the concentration of phage in a lysate, the host range for each phage, the relative abilities of the bacteriophage to attach to a bacterium that serves as a host for productive replication and a non-productive host, and the temperature stability of the phage. These compiled results highlight and reflect on the diversity and principle concepts of virology. BIOL 482 Bioinformatics (for Biologists) BIOL 482, Gordon Wolfe, Investigation of transit peptides in Emiliania. huxleyi acyl lipid biosynthesis proteins Donald Beck After multiple rounds of endosymbiosis, many plastidial genes in eukaryotic phytoplankton have relocated to the nucleus. For the plastid proteins to localize to the plastid from the nucleus a signal peptide and transit peptide are required. The signal peptide allows entry of the protein into the secretion pathway. Enough is known about signal peptide sequences that programs have been developed to infer the signal peptide cleavage site based on amino acid sequence. Far less is known about the cleavage site between the transit peptide, responsible for targeting proteins to plastids after they enter the secretion pathway, and the functional or mature portion of the peptide. The goal of this work to discover patterns at the TP-MP cleavage site which can be used to create a program capable of searching for these cleavage sites and infer the destination of the mature protein. This study was done using protein data from Emiliania huxleyi (Ehux), a species of coccolithophore (haptophytes) abundant in oceans around the world. This work only examines those proteins involved in acyl lipid biosynthesis. BLASTp was used to compare Ehux sequences to close relatives and cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya to determine the conserved portion of the protein which is likely to be the mature peptide. Signalp 3.0 was used to find the signal peptide cleavage site. Sequences were aligned by hand. Weblogo was used to generate a logo of amino acid consensus in the sequence flanking hypothetical TP-MP cleavage sites. Twelve of the thirteen examined proteins were determined to contain transit proteins. Investigation of Biosynthesis, signaling, and transporter Peptide Proteins in Emiliania. huxleyi Jessica Malanco Ayala, Kirstie Steiner, Plastids are double-membrane organelles found in photosynthetic eukaryotes. Plastid proteins must be transferred from the nucleus across several membranes to get to their target location. Organisms that have developed through secondary endosymbiosis contain bipartitite targeting sequences upstream from the mature peptide. The N-terminal signal peptide (SP) transports the peptide through the endoplasmic reticulum to a secretion pathway, where it is then guided to its target location in the plastid by the transit peptide (TP). Both pre-peptides are removed by peptidases. Our goal was to deduce the TP pattern for the haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi. We used BLASTp to find orthologous proteins in haptophytes and the cyanobacteria Leptolygbya. We narrowed these to include only those with reasonable signal and transmit peptide sequences (determined with SignalP 3.0 HMM to predict SP; SP+TP should be ~20-45 amino acids). We analyzed peptides involved in general biosynthesis, signaling, and transporters which were likely or potentially plastidial as determined by BLASTp searches. These proteins were color-coded by their side chain properties to visualize patterns. We then determined the mature peptide sequence for each organism by comparing peptide sequence to Leptolygbya. We will present our TP-mature peptide cleavage patterns compared with those known for diatoms (Huesgen et al. 2013). Citation: Huesgen PF et al. (2013) PLoS ONE 8(9): e74483. Plastidial Protein Targeting in the Marine Haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi Jamison Sydnor The marine unicellular haptophyte Emiliania huxleyi is one of the most abundant organisms on the planet. Its evolutionary history suggests multiple endosymbiosis events including the consumption and subsequent conversion of an ancestral photosynthetic eukaryote into a plastid. In this process, many of the genes encoding plastidial proteins shifted from a plastidial to nuclear origin. For proteins to reach their final plastid destination, a signal peptide (SP) is necessary to enter the secretory pathway, followed by a transit peptide (TP) to enter the plastid. In this study, I analyzed plastidial protein synthesis peptides in E. huxleyi. Initially SP cleavage sites were identified using SignalP 3.0. Using BLASTP, mature peptides were found by aligning multiple haptophyte sequences with mature peptides found in the cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya, lacking a SP and TP. Finally, transit peptides were deduced with manual alignment. I will present my results and also compare my findings to those inferred from diatoms, a functionally similar unicellular eukaryote. The purpose of this study is to find patterns in transit peptides with a plastid target to better understand the metabolism of this highly successful organism. Investigation of transit peptides in Emiliania huxleyi Translational and Nucleic Acids biosynthesis proteins Oscar Chavez, Sandra Martell, Organisms arising from a secondary endosymbiosis acquired plastids from a photosynthetic eukaryote, whos genes subsequently moved to the nucleus. These proteins are translated in the cytoplasm and transported across four membranes by a bi-partite targeting sequence which include a signal peptide (SP) and a transit peptide (TP).TP are known in diatoms however in an important hyptophyte, Emiliania huxleyi (EHUX), they are unknown. Therefore, our goal was to identify a TP motif of EHUX and compare them to those known for diatoms.In order to determine the TP cleavage sites, BLAST sequences against proteins that are responsible for DNA replication and translation were performed. BLASTp orthologs of diatoms were used to determine conserved regions between these sets of organisms. Protein sequences were color coded by amino acids residues composition for interpreting purposes and SignalP 3.0 HMM were used to predict the cleavage site of the SP. The cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya was used to determine the mature peptide (MP) start. This was used to align our sequences manually and determine a visual pattern that is present in the TP and MP cleavage site. Weblogo was then used to determine any conserved region between the TP and MP. BIOL 482, David Keller, Data mining the pancreas Elizabeth Bianchini, Cody Rice, PDX1 and NeuroD1 are transcription factors required for proper pancreas function and development. The goal of this project was to determine whether or not their co-regulated genes are also critical in insulin production and pancreas development/function. Using multiple bioinformatics tools, we compared datasets from PDX1 and NeuroD1 and genes associated with them. NeuroD1 vs. PDX1 appear to cluster within 750bp of each other and most reads also seem to cluster within 500bp of the 5’ promoter ends. Further analysis demonstrates that PDX1/NeuroD1 overlap with microRNA-4281, a non-coding region on chromosome 5 in humans. This microRNA appears to be involved in neural cell precursors. Additionally, there are multiple genes from the PDX1/NeuroD1 dataset that overlap with other datasets generated by researchers studying the effects of pregnancy on insulin production in islets and pancreatic development in neonates. In relationship to the effect of pregnancy on insulin production, the PDX1/NeuroD1 dataset has 575 overlapping genes with functions such as: structural development, process regulation, and protein binding. Analysis of potential NeuroD1 and PDX1 gene targets Rebecca Belmonte, Ryan Nielsen, The transcriptome of a cell is the set of genes that are actually expressed in that given cell. These genes are carefully regulated to control the development of different cell and organ types. Beta cells of the pancreas do not properly function in diabetes, causing a decrease in the amount of insulin secreted. Understanding how beta cells are regulated can help us to understand how to better treat diabetes. We decided to investigate which genes are potentially being co-regulated by Pdx1 and NeuroD1, hypothesizing that these co-regulated genes are crucial for proper pancreatic function. Pdx1 and NeuroD1 both bind to the insulin promoter, suggesting that these two proteins regulate multiple genes involved in pancreatic functionality. By identifying these regions we can identify ‘signal integration centers’. We found which genes were bound by both Pdx1 and NeuroD1 near a transcriptional start site. These genes were then compared to experimental data showing altered gene expression in response to inhibition of CDK2, a gene which regulates the secretory function in beta cells. We found a list of 306 genes which had its expression levels tested in response to CDK2 inhibition and interacted with both Pdx1 and NeuroD1 near a transcriptional start site. Interestingly, some of the genes that were down-regulated in response to decreased levels of CDK2 play a role in protein secretion, endocytosis, and membrane integrity. This supports the idea that CDK2 is crucial for insulin secretion and suggests that these genes may be important for insulin trafficking. Genes Involved in Pancreatic β-Cell Biology are Targeted by PDX1 & NEUROD1 Proteins Usman Rehman PDX1 and NEUROD1 are transcription factors essential for pancreatic development. Previous experiments identified target genes bound by PDX1 and NEUROD1 proteins. We hypothesize that genes bound by both PDX1 and NEUROD1 proteins are critical for pancreatic β-cell function and development. We predict that PDX1 and NEUROD1 binding sites cluster as the base pair window increases. PDX1 and NEUROD1 binding data was analyzed in R Studio to determine read clustering. The UCSC Genome Browser, Biomart Ensembl, DAVID, ReviGO, and KEGG provided information on genes that PDX1 and NEUROD1 act upon; it was discovered that PDX1 and NEUROD1 reads cluster within 750 base pairs of each other and within 400-600 base pairs of the promoter. The UCSC Genome Browser converted mouse chromosomal data to human chromosomal data and noncoding genes associated with PDX1 and NEUROD1 were obtained. One dataset was selected from the NCBI GEO analyzer and the fold change for experimental and control treatments was calculated. ID’s from the two datasets were aligned and DAVID, ReviGO, and KEGG provided pathway maps for GLUT2, a target of both PDX1 and NEUROD1. Biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions maps revealed that coding and non-coding genes associated with PDX1 and NEUROD1 are involved in pancreatic β-cell biology. Over-expression and knockdown of PDX1 and NEUROD1 would provide biological confirmation of in silico data. In silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments will provide further understanding of a link between PDX1, NEUROD1, and pancreatic β-cell biology. Effects of PDX1 and NeuroD1 genes on diabetes To investigate the significance of Pdx1 and NeuroD1 genes and how they relate to diabetes. We used bioinformatics to gain new information on novel genes that are responsible for insulin production and pancreas development. We used this data to help us find new genes to focus our research on in hopes of discovering more about diabetes. We could discover important roles of Pdx1 and NeuroD1. We also considered SNP mutations that could be deleterious which could help us target important genes for further research. Which we can then hopefully target with new kinds of drugs in the future to help treat diabetes. BIOL 484, Field Ecology Amanda I Banet, Spring Water Quality and Macroinvertebrate Diversity at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) Brandon Ertis, Leslie Esquivel, Lindsey Xayachack,, Protecting the integrity of freshwater sources and preventing decreases in biodiversity is a nationwide concern as water is a basic necessity all organisms require for survival. Responsible management cannot be accomplished without understanding current conditions and how they may change over time. This study characterizes water quality and macroinvertebrate populations on the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER). We analyzed temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, nitrate, and phosphate at Big Chico Creek and three springs (Headquarters Spring, Horse Trough, and Saline Spring). Results were compared to prior data to evaluate if water quality is changing over time. We also collected macroinvertebrates, identified them to taxonomic order, and compared results between springs. Preliminary results suggest that water quality is not changing over time, though macroinvertebrate diversity and richness do vary from site to site. Of all the study sites, Saline Spring appeared to have the highest macroinvertebrate diversity and richness. The results of this study can inform future research, and has the potential to influence management practices at BCCER as they relate to these freshwater springs and the biological communities that they support. Assessment of the Riverine Wetland at Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve Lynsey G. Ryan T. Forrest M. Riverine wetland systems are comprised of the river and its active flood plain, and are intended to include any adjacent riparian areas contributing to bank stabilization and organic material inputs. These systems connect not only watersheds, but also flora and fauna of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats. California has lost a large amount of its wetland habitats and continues to do so, due to development, pollution, and the effects of climate change. This study uses the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) to determine the quality of Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) riverine system. We used the CRAM protocol to evaluate the physical and biotic structure, buffer, and hydrology of an 115 meter long assessment area downstream of Henning Hole at BCCER. Preliminary results suggest that the riverine system at BCCER is a fully-functioning riverine wetland system. This study allows for comparisons of the integrity of riverine wetlands throughout the state of California using this rapid assessment. It may also be used as a time series to reliably compare BCCER rapid assessments throughout time. Lobation of Blue Oaks (Quercus douglasii) along Big Chico Creek Canyon He-Lo Ramirez, Trevor Garrison, Micheal Klemm,, Blue Oaks (Quercus douglasii), have highly variable leaf morphology ranging from the absence of lobation to moderate lobation. Previous studies on closely related deciduous oak species have found that abiotic factors in the soil, including water availability and nutrient content, can significantly affect leaf morphometrics such as degree of lobation. This study looked at two study sites of Blue Oaks within the Big Chico Creek Canyon on two extreme soil types, the Tuscan Formation (Hogspring) and Chico Formation (BCCER), Hogspring and BCCER, are located approximately five miles from one another, and found at similar elevations. At each site, five leaves were collected per quadrant, per tree. We used ImageJ analysis software to measure degree of lobation (perimeter:area) of each leaf. Our hypothesis is that soil type, and abiotic factors associated with each soil type, cause differences in leaf morphology with all other variables equal. Preliminary results show a significant effect (p<0.05) of study site, tree quadrant, and aspect for lobedness. However, this significant effect was driven by only 5 leaves from a single quadrant of a single tree. More data needs to be collected to confirm this result. How does mountain lion (Puma concolor) urine affect the presence of conspecific and heterospecific individuals observed with camera traps? Sonia Alvarado-Ray, Mariby Cruz, Kelly Scott, Trevor Moore,,, Puma concolor, commonly known as the mountain lion, is an elusive mammal, making it difficult to determine their abundance and life history. Camera traps are commonly used to gather more information about them and many other species. Because it can still be difficult to capture predators on camera, some research teams have tried using bait to attract them. The goal of this project is to determine if using mountain lion urine to bait camera traps will attract more predators, specifically mountain lions. Because most felines display territorial behavior, we predict that baited traps will have significantly higher mountain lion encounter rates. Previous work has suggested that 2-phenylethylamine, a chemical present in the urine of many predators including mountain lions, can deter small prey species. Because of this, we hypothesize that prey species will be less abundant at baited sites. Preliminary results show a higher occurrence of both heterospecific and conspecific species at the baited sites. More data is being collected to control for camera location. The results of this study will provide useful information for the design of future camera trap studies. Distributions of native Emys marmorata and invasive Trachemys scripta elegans across local regions of Big Chico Creek Annie Enos, Laura Lampe, Arians Maestas, Jack Selzer Competition from invasive species can detrimentally affect native populations, particularly when two species have similar habitat preferences. The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is invasive on seven continents, and previous work has shown these turtles negatively influence European pond turtle populations. However, few studies have evaluated the interactions between the red-eared slider and the western pond turtle (Emys marmorata), a California native. The goal of this study was to examine the relative numbers of these species in Big Chico Creek across a gradient of elevation and urbanization. We surveyed areas known or expected to support turtles in the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER), Upper Bidwell Park, and Lower Bidwell Park. We recorded the presence of the native western pond turtle at all three locations. There were no red-eared sliders observed in BCCER or in Upper Bidwell Park, but two individuals were recorded in Lower Bidwell Park - an area which may be more prone to human introductions of the species. Understanding the distribution of native and invasive populations is important for management purposes. This survey may be repeated in the future to provide a more comprehensive representation of the two species in Big Chico Creek, and is a means of monitoring any potential encroachment of red-eared sliders upstream. BIOL 613, Population Ecology Christopher Ivey Gall clustering does not increase resistance to parasitoids for the galling wasp Disholcaspis eldoradensis Drew Gilberti Parasites often have large impacts on host population densities. Difficulty arises in understanding the impact of parasites when considering insect behavior. The galling wasp Disholcaspis eldoradensis is attacked by parasitoids that cause mortality in larvae. In addition, the wasp gall secretes a nectar-like substance that attracts ants which deter would-be parasitoids. Galls occur in both clusters and solitary patterns, which may influence ant abundance. Galls occurring in clusters may enjoy reduced parasitism if ant recruitment increases in response to locally available nectar, but galls in clusters may also form more attractive targets for parasitoids. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that gall aggregation reduces successful parasitoid attacks. Because gall clusters are expected to secrete more nectar than solitary galls, and thereby recruit ants more successfully, I predicted that gall clusters will also have lower rates of parasitism. To test this hypothesis, galls were collected and sorted by cluster size. A total of 114 galls were collected, 56 of which were parasitized. Number of galls in a cluster was not correlated rates of successful parasitoid attacks, which is in contrast to similar studies. The timing of collection may have influenced the results as my study. I collected in April, near the beginning of the asexual generation, whereas other studies collected in October, near the end of the asexual generation. 150 years of herbarium records demonstrate species-dependent shifts to earlier flowering time Laura Lampe As the global climate undergoes significant and rapid changes, all organisms will be affected, directly or indirectly. The ability of organisms to respond, for example via shifts in phenology or distributions, may be significant to the persistence of any organism. It is therefore important to identify the shifts that are occurring and their direction and magnitude. Herbarium and museum collections provide historical records of species phenology and distributions, which can give insight into climate-related shifts when compared to modern records. I examined 150 years of herbarium records of Clarkia unguiculata, Gilia tricolor, and Lupinusalbifrons to determine correlations between flowering times, year of collection, elevation, and latitude. In C. unguiculata, flowering time is 24 days earlier most recently than in the earliest collections, which is consistent with previous research. Similar trends were not observed in G. tricolor or L. albifrons, which suggests that California natives may have varied responses to changes in climate over time. Identifying these responses provides the type of insight necessary to predict and prepare for continuing shifts. Stomatal density and water mass of Quercus douglasii (Blue Oak) not correlated with tree size Anna Burns Water availability is an important environmental factor influencing stomatal density. Water vapor lost through stomata accounts for more than 90 percent of total water transpired by a plant. Oaks, unlike some other trees, can produce relatively deep taproots. This may improve access to ground water. Because plants in wetter environments generally have higher densities of stomata, larger Quercus douglasii trees were predicted to have progressively higher stomatal densities and percent foliar water mass compared to smaller trees. Height, foliar water mass, and stomatal density measurements were obtained for 12 Q. douglasii trees representing a size gradient from 0.4 to 10.7 m in height. Linear regression was used to test whether the density of stomata in leaves was explained by both tree size and percent water mass in leaves. Stomatal density was not associated with tree height (P = 0.25), nor was percent water mass in leaf tissue correlated with tree height (P = 0.19). Increases in tree size did not appear to affect access to water nor to induce variation in stomatal density and foliar water mass. Distribution of manzanita leaf gall aphids (Tamalia coweni) on whiteleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida) Stephanie Parker The spatial dispersion of a species is important when considering the distribution of that species within the available habitat. Two mechanisms of dispersal include random dispersion driven by environmental influences (e.g. wind, physical barriers), and direct dispersion driven by resource availability. The distribution of a species provides insight into the population and use of available habitat. Tamalia coweni, a galling-aphid, induces galls on new leaf growth on manzanita species. For this study, I examined the distribution of 2017 T. coweni galls and the available new growth leaves from that year using 45 sampled plots over 9 individual plants (Arctostaphylos viscida). The gall distribution did not significantly differ from a Poisson distribution, suggesting a random distribution of galls across these plots. In contrast, a different test, Morisita’s index of dispersion, suggested the dispersion pattern of the galls was aggregated. The proportion of habitat use (number of galls) to habitat available (number of leaves) was low. Because gall induction is limited by growth of new leaf tissue, a direct dispersion of T. coweni foundresses is inferred, driven by habitat availability. Flower age and nectar production: significant differences found in young and old flowers of Rosmarinus officinalis. Trevor Garrison Pollinators rely on nectar as a reward for visiting flowering plants. In turn, flowering plants rely on pollinators for their own reproductive success. The dynamics of nectar production in flowers can influence the behavior of pollinators, which can impact plant reproductive success. Pollinators respond to changes in available nectar, and flower phenology may contribute to nectar dynamics. Flowers from a Rosmarinus officinalis plant were bagged and their 24-hour nectar production and sucrose percentage were measured at 1 day and 6 days following opening. Significant differences were found for the mean nectar volume secreted by young and old flowers (mean young: 0.22µL, SD: 0.1, mean old: 0.16µL, SD: 0.05), but no significant differences were found when comparing the mean sucrose percentage of nectar secreted (mean young: 44%, SD: 15, mean old: 40%, SD: 8.8). This study suggests that older rosemary flowers secrete less nectar. This could lead to changes in pollinator foraging behavior, by influencing them to visit more plants, increasing pollen dispersal Pallid Bat Seasonal Activity in Northern California Cameron Divoky, Trevor Moore, Colleen Hatfield, Shahroukh Mistry, Faculty Mentors: Colleen Hatfield and Shahroukh Mistry,, Antrozous pallidus is a Species of Special Concern in California and a State Vulnerable species. Previous studies of A. pallidus have focused mainly on behavior and roosting patterns, with limited information available on long-term seasonal activity. This study examines patterns of seasonal activity in A. pallidus at three sites in northern California, ranging from the Central Valley to the Cascades. Activity was documented daily for 3 years using acoustic data loggers at the Eagle Lake Field Station, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve and the CSU Chico University Farm. Bat species identity was established using SonoBat software. Antrozouspallidus showed the greatest seasonal activity in the summer (June-July) with minimal activity during the winter months (November-February). This pattern was most noticeable at BCCER. This indicates seasonal migratory activity by pallid bats and a preference for oak woodland habitat with adjoining rock outcrops, over valley agricultural landscapes. Activity Patterns of the Western Red Bat, Lasiurus blossevillii, in Northern California Trevor A. Moore, Cameron Divoky, Colleen Hatfield, Shahroukh Mistry, Faculty Mentors: Colleen Hatfield and Shahroukh Mistry,, Lasiurus blossevillii is a tree-roosting bat found throughout the western United States. It is present year-round in the Central Valley, however, the seasonal migratory patterns in the state are not well understood. The aim of this study is to examine the seasonal activity patterns of L. blossevillii in Northern California. Using acoustic recordings, we examined the activity patterns at three different habitat types: an agricultural area in the valley, canyon and ridge oak woodland, and a pine-juniper forest. Species were identified using SonoBat software. Lasiurus blossevilli had the highest levels of activity during June and July across all sites, with the pine-juniper forest showing the greatest activity. The lower elevation sites retained low levels of activity throughout the winter suggesting temperatures warm enough for occasional foraging. The site in the valley showed a late-year increase in activity during October and November, possibly indicative of migratory activity. Leaf trait variation in a Quercus lobata common garden experiment is not explained by climatic conditions of maternal seed source He-Lo Ramirez, Victoria L. Sork, Jessica W. Wright, Christopher Ivey Faculty Mentor: Christopher Ivey, Oak leaves are remarkably variable. Previous studies found that leaf morphology of some oak species covaries with climate, which may reflect local adaptation or plastic responses to climate. We tested the hypothesis that variation in leaf dissection and specific leaf area in Quercus lobata was genetically based. The study was conducted in a provenance test involving 672 maternal families collected from 97 locations throughout the range of the species. We subsampled leaves from 54 trees grown from 27 maternal families (9 locations) representing extremes and median of multivariate climate phenospace, used digital image analysis to measure shape, and weighed leaves to calculate specific leaf area. If variation in traits reflects adaptation to climate, we predicted that leaves sampled from trees originating from contrasting climates would contrast significantly in traits measured, even when grown in this common garden. Instead, we found no significant differences in leaf traits among the climate categories sampled, suggesting that the variation is largely shaped by local environmental conditions Leptothrix cholodnii, how do your tubes grow? Sandra Martell, Emily Fleming Faculty Mentor: Emily Fleming, Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 is an aquatic bacterium that is known for its production of extracellular sheaths. These extracellular sheaths are the site of metal oxidation. Due to product of these insoluble solids, these organisms are nuisance organisms because they influence biocorrosion, and cause biofouling of water distribution pipelines. Its influence on biofouling makes it important to understand and know the genes responsible for sheath production. Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 is being used as a model for sheath production because it retains the ability to produce sheaths when grown in the laboratory. The goal of this study is to determine genes responsible for sheath production. To determine which genes are responsible one needs to have a robust assay to assess sheath production. Quick screen assays are needed to characterize the phenotypes of natural variants with and without sheath. The four ways I will characterize sheath production will be by quantifying movement with motility assays, visualizing the sheath using Scanning Electron Microscopy, quantifying sheath using stains, and observing sheath production in capillary tubes. In preliminary experiments, I observed that: 1) That motility and sheath production are mutually exclusive. This needs to be further confirmed with pure cultures of sheathless mutants. 2) Initial trials using stains did not bound to organism know to contain a sheath. Future efforts are focused on staining the metal bound oxides that typically adhere to the sheath. Despite these challenges, I will continue to establish protocols for screening and quantifying sheath production as this will help classify future sheath mutants. Isolation of Sulfur Oxidizing Acidothiobacillus John Machado, Serban Sarbu, Emily Fleming Faculty Mentors: Emily Fleming and Serban Sarbu, Caves and cave systems have been points of interest in the scientific community for decades due to their isolation from the outside world. This provides opportunities to explore and document possible live forms that live there. With each cave a new environment allows new and unexplored organisms to thrive there without human interaction. Within most caves and cave systems there is typically an entrance that is easily accessed, however the environment of the inside of the cave may prove to be more dangerous than entering it. Sulfur Cave in Romania, which experiences gas runoff from a dormant volcano that lies deep beneath the cave floor provides an atmosphere consisting of a small percentage of H2S and 96% CO2 which is much greater than the normal CO2 conditions we experience (0.04%). Since the cave is rich in CO2, the cave consists of an extremely acidic environment. Along the walls of this cave where the volcanic gasses meet with our atmosphere there exists a gaseous interface where sulfur oxidizing microorganisms are present. Research has been conducted on the cave and those similar to Sulfur cave, however the microbes that are present at this interface have yet to be grown in a lab setting. Microorganisms that are able to survive in harsh environments like volcanic caves present unique opportunities of exploration and research into the lifestyles of these microorganisms which can provide a bigger picture of how they are able to grow, potentially in extraterrestrial environments such as Mars. Over the past semester I set out to isolate and grow one of the dominant species of bacteria that are present in Sulfur Cave. FeRB <-> MeHg Sophia Phillips, Teal Myers, Gordon Wolfe, Emily Fleming, Faculty Mentor: Emily Fleming, Methylmercury is highly toxic and biomagnifies in aquatic biota, making it a critical environmental concern. Iron reducing bacteria (FeRB) and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) methylate mercury in freshwater ecological systems. However, previous studies have demonstrated that SRB are responsible for only ~50% of mercury methylation in Fe-rich, Hg-contaminated marshes, and the complete set of bacteria responsible for methylation has not been identified. In this study, we determined total mercury and total iron across a transect in Walker Marsh on the CA coast. We characterized the microbial community using 16S rRNA sequencing, and also estimated the numbers of known mercury-methylating taxa by PCR amplification of the hgcA/B gene. Our observations suggest sediment iron levels are correlated with higher mercury. Sulfate- and iron-reducing proteobacteria were both highly abundant in the community, and hgcA/B-containing bacterial genera were dominated by β-proteobacterial sulfate and iron reducers, with only low abundance of Firmicutes. We propose that mercury methylation is shared between both groups in these environments. Characterization of Bacterial Degradation of Polyhydroxybutyrate Emily Egusa, My Lo Thao, Daniel Edwards, Tara Burns, Larry Kirk, Larry Hanne Faculty Mentor: Larry Hanne, Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable bioplastic that can be used to replace conventional, petroleum-based plastics. PHB can be both synthesized and degraded by bacteria. This research project has focused on the isolation, identification, and characterization of bacteria that can degrade PHB. Eight PHB degrading bacteria were isolated from the environment and polyhydroxybutyrate depolymerase activity was determined on PHB-nutrient agar plates. One isolate, Acidovorax wautersii, was chosen for further investigation based on its high levels of depolymerase activity. Results in liquid culture indicated that the enzyme is inducible and highest activity occurs between 4-8 hours following PHB exposure at 36˙C. SDS-PAGE comparison of concentrated supernatant from PHB induced cultures showed a band at approximately 60 kDa, not present in the uninduced samples. The primary breakdown product of PHB was determined to be the monomeric unit, 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), by HPLC analysis. Development of axenic Aiptasia: a vital tool for Cnidarian-Bacteria symbiosis research Dearden Ashley, Sydnor Jamison, Cawa Tran, Faculty Mentor: Cawa Tran, Coral bleaching caused by rising sea temperatures continues to threaten coral reef health. Mass bleaching events across the globe have provided a preview of the loss that will ensue if corals are unable to adapt to their changing environment. It has been hypothesized that corals may be able to acclimate to the thermal stress of global warming by altering their composition of symbiotic bacteria. The sea anemone Aiptasia has been used as a model for coral reef research, and analysis of its microbial communities may provide valuable insights into cnidarian host-microbe interactions. Investigation into the physiological benefits that symbiotic bacteria may confer on their cnidarian hosts is limited by the lack of proper experimental methods. This work aimed to produce a method for the exploration of the role of bacteria in cnidarian health by developing axenic Aiptasia. Through the use of antibiotic treatments and various sterilization procedures, we have made progress towards the establishment of axenic Aiptasia. Presence of bacteria was tested using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Future studies will involve careful testing of bacterial effects by re-infecting axenic anemones with known bacterial strains. These functional studies, made possible by the development of axenic Aiptasia, will focus on identifying bacterial species that contribute to host thermotolerance. This work will advance knowledge that is urgently needed to preserve Earth’s corals and the diverse ecosystems they support. Light in the Marine Environment and its Effect on Cnidarians and Their Algal Symbionts Gavin Monges, John Machado, Sophia Phillips, Cawa Tran,, Faculty Mentor: Cawa Tran, The health of coral reefs worldwide is threatened by a combination of natural and anthropogenic stresses. Many of these stresses have resulted in mass deaths observed in coral reefs in events commonly referred to as coral bleaching. Under normal environmental conditions, the algae exist in a mutually beneficial relationship with their hosts, providing them with energy derived from their photosynthetic processes. Thus, light plays an important role in growth and development of these organisms. Sea anemones are organisms that also rely on light to grow and reproduce. Aiptasia is a symbiotic sea anemone used as a model for coral symbiosis studies, as it is easy to rear in lab and can be grown symbiotically (with algal symbionts) and aposymbiotically (without algal symbionts). These anemones are known to exhibit behavioral responses as a result of light exposure, such as phototaxis (bodily movement towards light) and phototropism (orientation and growth towards light). We hypothesize that anemones with algal symbionts will exhibit a stronger phototactic and phototropic response than those without algal symbionts. To test this hypothesis, we exposed both symbiotic and aposymbiotic anemones to light. Because the algae have a range of photoreceptors (phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins), we examined the anemones’ responses to varying wavelengths of light (blue, red, and white light). Overall, the greatest phototactic response was observed in symbiotic anemones exposed to the blue wavelength of light. The goal of this study is to understand how simple, yet critical marine organisms detect light to best benefit themselves and their symbionts. Investigation of Expression of the cMed2b Gene in Medaka, Oryzias latipes, with the Idiopathic Scoliosis Phenotype Karsten McDonell, Kristen Gorman Faculty Mentor: Kristen Gorman, Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a prevalent deformity with no known cause. It is defined by abnormal spinal curvatures that occur after birth and during pediatric growth. For this reason, IS has been considered a post-natal syndrome. The goal of my project is to investigate the expression of an IS candidate gene (cMed2b) during development. I hypothesize that there will be different expression in curved versus normal embryos. My work uses a strain of the Japanese Rice Fish, Oryzias latipes, with non-induced genetic scoliosis as a model. Gene expression will be measured at various time points during development by RT-PCR, in order to identify differential expression. Results of this experiment will contribute to an understanding of a genetically complex disease, as well as provide a foundation for future work. Detection of Scoliosis gene, cMed2, during embryonic development Sandra I Arellano, Kristen Gorman Faculty Mentor: Kristen Gorman, Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is an abnormal spinal curvature. The cause of IS has been unknown for thousands of years, but we are making progress in discovering the disease’s biology. Historically, IS was considered exclusive to humans because it is not observed in quadrupedal animals. However, the fish model Oryzias latipes has a lineage with heritable scoliosis that is similar to IS. Human studies have not identified IS causative genes. Prior genomic work in the O. latipes model has identified several candidate genes. One of these, cMed2, is not expressed in curved fish after hatching. The goal of my project is to assay cMed2 during development. I hypothesize that there will a lack of expression during development. Total RNA will be extracted from pools of curved and normal embryos, and then converted to cDNA. Using primers designed for the cMed2 transcript, I will then amplify parts of the gene. Amplicons will be run on electrophoresis gels. A band is anticipated if the gene is expressed. Results will help with understanding the molecular pathways associated with the etiology for IS. This may lead to improvements in healthcare for how efficiently IS is treated. The Role of cMed3 in Scoliosis Formation Victoria Coia, Kristen Gorman Faculty Mentor: Kristen Gorman, Human idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a genetic disorder characterized by an abnormal curvature of the spine. Between 0.5 - 10% of children around the world have IS. Because curve onset occurs after birth, the deformity is not considered congenital. Although it is known to be genetic, the biological basis of IS remains unknown. The goal of my research is to evaluate the expression of an IS candidate gene during embryogenesis. For my research I use the Medaka fish as a genetic animal model, and an inbred lineage having phenotypic similarities to IS. I will be evaluating the expression of my candidate gene (cMed3) at various developmental stages in two groups: curved and normal embryos. I hypothesize that there will be stages that show different gene expression in curved fish. If so, my results will demonstrate that IS has a congenital defect. The ultimate goal is to discover the biological basis for IS. This can contribute to improved screening methods for early detection of scoliosis. Investigating the Effects of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in human cells Grace Y. Prator, David Keller Faculty Mentor: David Keller, The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system has recently emerged as a novel approach in biomedical research pertaining to applications in gene therapy. Coupled with a customizable guide RNA, Cas9 endonuclease can be engineered to induce a double strand breaks in a targeted gene sequence, activating endogenous DNA repair mechanisms. In this study, we aim to address whether utilizing Cas9 nuclease co-expressed with a gRNA can edit the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Lipofectamine CRISPRMAX was used to deliver Cas9 protein and gRNA complexes into a GFP+ stable cell line of HEK 293 cells. Fluorescent microscopy was used to visualize significant changes in GFP fluorescence while Image J was used for quantification of the images. Here, we demonstrate that by transfecting Cas9 and gRNA into a GFP+ stable cell line resulted in two-fold reduction of GFP fluorescence. Because there was a significant decrease in GFP fluorescence, this suggests that we successfully edited the GFP gene in HEK 293 cells. Generation of Fluorescent Zebrafish Kidney Cell Lines Dara Stroup, Katerina Arca, David Stachura, Faculty Mentor: David Stachura, Blood is important for the health, support, and survival of vertebrate organisms and it needs to be constantly replenished. The production and regulation of blood cells is necessary for proper vertebrate functions such as the ability to carry oxygen to tissues and the ability to fight off pathogens. Any problems in this process can have severe consequences, such as anemia, neutropenia, or leukemia. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a small common aquarium fish species, are an excellent model system for studying numerous developmental and molecular processes that are conserved across vertebrate species, including blood formation and regulation. We previously generated cells from the zebrafish kidney (the site of blood formation in fish) that support blood cell growth and differentiation outside of the fish’s body, allowing an in-depth understanding of signals needed for these processes. To add to the toolkit available to study blood development we generated kidney cell lines from fluorescent fish known as GloFish that have fluorescent blue kidney cells. The advantage GloFish have over other zebrafish is that we can use their exceptionally vibrant and distinct colors to track cells and their secreted intracellular components under a microscope and with flow cytometry. These fluorescent blue kidney stroma cells will help us visualize blood cell activity in an unprecedented manner, allowing more in-depth studies of the molecular processes involved in their generation and regulation. Stem Cells- it’s What’s for Dinner Katerina Arca, Dara Stroup, David Stachura, Faculty Mentor: David Stachura, With more than 7 billion people on the planet, our increasing dependence on the ocean to provide us with food sources to support growing populations requires that we develop alternative seafood sources before we completely collapse the ocean ecosystems. Cellular agriculture is the production of agricultural products from cell cultures; this technique could establish a clean, nutritious, and sustainable source of fish for human consumption without negative ecological effects. We are utilizing zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism for studying the mechanism behind directed differentiation of embryonic blastomeres to generate mature skeletal muscle, fat, and cartilage, important components of fish tissue for human consumption. By altering cell isolation techniques, extracellular matrix growth conditions, and media components, we have established cell lines that survive for weeks in culture and can be stimulated to differentiate towards muscle tissue. Our long-term goal is to fine-tune the number and amount of exogenous factors added to the cultures so that we can use zebrafish as a model system to discover cell-supportive factors required to generate sustainable sources of threatened species such as bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, albacore, and various species of salmon. kal1b Plays a Role in Thrombocyte Production Matthew Boice, Peter Kure, David Stachura, Faculty Mentor: David Stachura, HSCs emerge in developing zebrafish from the wall of the dorsal aorta and migrate to caudal hematopoietic tissue (CHT) for expansion. Three cell lines were created from zebrafish tissues which support HSPC proliferation; zebrafish kidney stroma (ZKS), Zebrafish embryonic stromal trunk (ZEST) cells and Caudal hematopoietic embryonic stromal tissue (CHEST) cells. Prior studies conducted by Stachura labs have shown 447 overexpressed transcripts are shared among these hematopoietic supportive cell lines. Of these 447 transcripts, the one hundred highest expressing genes were analyzed and marked for further study. kal1b was chosen for further investigation. In these investigations, morpholinos (MOs) are used to target the gene of interest (kal1b) and reduce its expression. MOs are injected into a developing embryo in its first hours, and the development of the embryo is monitored. Survival rates of the embryos are measured, and the gene’s role in hematopoiesis is determined. Impact of increased incubation temperature and thermal stress on the aerobic scope and thermal tolerance of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Nicholas M. Balfour, Carlos A. Estrada, Rebecca A. Pilakowski, Dylan K. Stompe, Amanda I Banet,,, Faculty Mentor: Amanda I Banet, Recent research has investigated the impact of higher temperatures on sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and found that increased incubation temperatures resulted in lower thermal tolerance later in life by decreasing critical thermal maximum (CTmax). The oxygen and capacity limited thermal tolerance hypothesis (OCLTT) proposed by Portner provides one possible explanation. This hypothesis suggests that the thermal tolerance of aquatic ectotherms is limited by insufficient oxygen delivery to cells. We hypothesize that fish exposed to high temperatures early in development will exhibit reduced aerobic performance later in life, as compared to fish incubated at lower temperatures. We also hypothesize that this difference will be magnified when fish are swimming in high temperature waters. To test this, we reared rainbow trout eggs in three temperature treatments: 50F, 55F and 60F. After hatch, CTmax and aerobic performance of fish were measured across a range of swimming temperatures. Habitat-specific Diet Analysis of Sacramento Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) and Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Sacramento River Dylan Stompe, Nick Balfour, Stacey Alexander, Mandy Banet,, Faculty Mentor: Amanda I Banet, California native fish populations have experienced decline in recent years. One possible cause of decline is predation, which may be exacerbated by the presence of non-native predators, predator size class effects, the presence of man-made structures, and hatchery rearing effects. In an effort to quantify predation and identify associated factors, we examined the diets of non-native striped bass and native Sacramento pikeminnow within the lower Sacramento River. Sampling was conducted twice weekly during 2017 via hook-and-line sampling along a 22-mile section of the Sacramento River, in Butte County, California in addition to haphazard fyke trap sampling in Sacramento, California. Striped bass and Sacramento pikeminnow stomach contents were recovered via gastric lavage and are to be examined with the aid of qPCR to determine habitat, size, season and species specific diets. Quantification and analysis of predator diets with the use of Pinka’s Index of Relative Importance and non-parametric statistical methods will afford insight into the effects of predation on vulnerable Sacramento River native fish populations. Understanding sweet bottom-up and top-down trophic cascades- Disholcaspis eldoradensis Drew Gilberti, Christopher Ivey Faculty Mentor: Christopher Ivey, Trophic interactions may provide insight into understanding the distribution and abundance of organisms. Predators and producers influence other trophic levels through unexpected and complex interactions. The wasp Disholcaspis eldoradensis induces galls on valley oak trees, which are distinctive for their secretion of nectar. The nectar attracts ants which reduce parasitism of wasp larvae within the galls. I propose to test the hypothesis that parasitoid attack on galling wasps is directly influenced by both lower and higher trophic levels. A factorial experiment has been designed that will systematically test every trophic level within the system. Host trees, ants, and nectar will be stimulated or impaired in order to measure the direct or indirect impact on the distribution and abundance on wasps. The Impacts of Gall Size and Shape on Housekeeping Behavior of the Gall-inducing Aphid, Tamalia coweni Stephanie Parker, Don Miller Faculty Mentor: Don Miller, There are multiple traits we use to define sociality in insects. Often, we associate colonial insects such as bees, ants and termites, with eusociality. When we expand sociality to include defensive and housekeeping behavior, we can analyze the varying levels of sociality in insects such as galling aphids. After inducing a gall on a leaf, the founding female aphid will raise multiple generations of offspring that live and feed inside the gall. In some species of galling aphids, specialized soldier castes defend the colony and remove waste from the gall, a housekeeping behavior. Analyzing housekeeping behavior alone suggests that some aphids we consider nonsocial exhibit many of the same behaviors as social galling aphids. Tamalia coweni induces galls on manzanita species and does not have a recorded soldier caste. Unlike other galls, T. coweni galls do not have an opening that waste may be actively pushed out of, instead we are seeing housekeeping behavior in the form of arranging the exoskeletons in clustered lines at the corners of the gall. This arrangement occurs in galls on one species of manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida, and not on another, A. manzanita. This study seeks to quantify the arrangement of cast exoskeletons, as well as the differences of gall size and shape between the two species of manzanita that may be driving this difference in behavior. This rudimentary housekeeping behavior would indicate an independent evolutionary origin of more complex sociality in T. coweni Landing rate of the walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis, on two western North American walnut species, Juglans californica and J. major Irene Lona, Don Miller Faculty Mentor: Don Miller, The walnut twig beetle (WTB), Pityophthorus juglandis, vectors a phytopathogenic fungus, Geosmithia morbida, which causes Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) in walnut trees, Juglans. We are investigating the susceptibility of two walnut species native to the western USA (Juglans californica and J. major) by comparing the WTB flight and landing responses to small diameter branch sections. Twenty unbaited branch sections (10 each of J. californica and J. major) were presented in a completely randomized design to a population of WTB at Wolfskill Experimental Orchards (Winters, California) and the Agricultural Teaching and Research Center (ATRC) in Chico, California. Stickem-coated acetate sheets were placed around the branch sections and exchanged weekly. Three assays were completed in Wolfskill (Assays 1-3), and one assay was completed in ATRC (Assay 4). Landing rates on these traps were compared between J. californica and J. major. An additional assay (Assay 5) was completed at the Wolfskill site to measure responses to J. californica and to a cardboard tube (negative control). A statistical analysis that pooled results from Assays 1-3 showed a preference by WTB for J. californica. Assay 4 and 5 however showed no preference to either host perhaps due to the low population of WTB during the assays. The observed preference of the WTB in this study indicates that host preference may be determine by long-range olfactory cues. Migration Patterns of Flammulated Owls Using Light-Level Geolocators Shannon Rich, Colleen Hatfield Faculty Mentor: Colleen Hatfield, Flammulated owls (Psiloscops flammeolus) are small nocturnal owls that are thought to migrate long distances every year from summer breeding grounds in the Western United States to winter habitat in Mexico. They are cryptic and elusive cavity nesters and little is known about their migratory patterns or their winter habitat. They have been named a Species of Concern by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service because of potential habitat destruction. The goal of this research was to track the movements of these owls during their migratory season and over the winter using light-level geolocators. The geolocator records ambient light levels that correspond to sunrise and sunset times to determine specific bird locations. During 2012-2013, 60 geolocators were attached to male and female Flammulated owls in breeding sites in Washington, Colorado, Utah, and California. In 2013-2014, 16 of these geolocators were recovered from birds in California, Utah, and Colorado. The migratory routes of these birds were analyzed using GIS and further analysis was performed to determine kernel density estimates and habitat characteristics of their winter home ranges in Mexico. This geolocator analysis along with additional research on habitat preferences of Flammulated owls in California is the first step in assessing the current status of this species with the goal of a broader western U.S. effort in the future. Influenza viruses differentially alter macrophage polarization in a strain dependent manner Donald Beck, Armando Sotozuniga, Troy Cline, Faculty Mentor: Troy Cline, H5N1 influenza viruses cause human infections with a high mortality rate. The mechanism of enhanced disease severity is not understood. Macrophages play a critical role in protection against influenza viruses yet have been implicated in enhanced disease severity following H5N1 infection. H5N1 influenza viruses are unique in their ability to replicate in macrophages, a feature that maps to the viral hemagglutinin (HA) gene. We hypothesize that H5N1 influenza viruses cause severe disease by altering macrophage functions. Macrophages have been classified as classically-activated (M1) or alternatively-activated (M2) as defined by the cytokines that drive macrophage activation and the gene expression profile of the polarized macrophage. M1 macrophages are pro-inflammatory, while M2 macrophages are involved in tissue repair. We investigated the impact of influenza virus infection on macrophage polarization by infecting macrophages with the H1N1 virus CA/09 (unable to replicate in macrophages) or with CA/09 expressing an H5 HA gene (CA/09+H5 HA; replicates in macrophages). Cells infected with CA/09 expressed both iNOS and MMR (markers of an M1 and M2 polarization, respectively), suggestive of a balanced M1/M2 response important for recovery from infection. Infection with CA/09+H5 HA induced expression of MMR only, indicating a polarization toward the M2 phenotype. Further, macrophages infected with the CA/09+H5 HA were not responsive to an M1-polarizing stimulus (IFN-γ) while remaining responsive to the M2 stimulus, IL-4. These results suggest that influenza viruses modify macrophage functions in a strain-dependent manner correlating with replication of the virus in macrophages. Isolation and characterization of avian influenza viruses in Northern California Elizabeth Bianchini, Analucia Barragan Trejo, Raymond Bogiatto, Robin Donatello, Magdalena Plancarte, Walter Boyce, Troy Cline Faculty Mentor: Troy Cline, Recent human infections with influenza viruses of avian origin highlight the need for continued surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIV) in waterfowl. In 2014, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 first detected in South Korea entered North America through the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route for waterfowl, and caused outbreaks in poultry in the United States. California’s Sacramento Valley is an important wintering site for waterfowl from which avian influenza viruses may be isolated. To better understand the risk posed by avian influenza viruses circulating in California, we collected cloacal swabs from 2,066 hunter-killed ducks across three hunting seasons at different locations in the Sacramento Valley. Sixteen waterfowl species were represented in our sampling. The presence of influenza viruses in cloacal swabs was determined by PCR for the matrix gene. The overall prevalence rate was 10.5% with diverse HA and NA subtypes represented. We observed a significantly higher positive rate in 2015-2016 (19.9%), a phenomenon that may be related to overcrowding on wetlands due to drought conditions. Northern shovelers had a statistically higher carriage rate (21.3%) relative to other species. Of particular interest, we detected HPAI H5 influenza viruses by PCR but were unable to retrieve an egg isolate. Three H7N3 isolates were obtained and, given recent human infections with H7 viruses, were characterized with respect to in vitro replication kinetics in mammalian tissue culture. All three H7 viruses were capable of replication in mammalian cell culture at levels similar to a human H1N1 virus. Mutation mapping to demystify sheath production in Leptothrix cholodnii SP-6 Kirstie Steiner, Malory Brown, Sandra Martell, Betsey Tamietti, Emily Fleming Faculty Mentor: Emily Fleming, Metal-oxidizing bacteria like Leptothrix-Sphaerotilus generate complex surface structures to avoid becoming entombed within an iron or manganese crust and to remain suspended in the water column. These bacteria possess cellular machinery to generate a highly ordered organo-metallic fibrillar microtubule sheath and have been generating these structures for hundreds of millions, if not billions of years. While the sheath structure is well known to be composed of long polysaccharide fibrils bonded by amino acids, the microtubule sheath assembly machinery and regulation of sheath production is unknown. Determination of sheath-related genes has been complicated due to a lack of a tractable genetic system in these metal-oxidizing bacteria. We developed a genetic system, obtained several sheath mutants using transposon mutagenesis, and identified the genes that were disrupted. Of these mutants, many either overproduced or did not produce sheaths. The genes associated with these mutants are connected to motility, suggesting a link between sheath production and motility. To confirm a specific gene’s involvement in the observed mutant phenotypes, we will reconstruct the mutant from wild-type using targeted gene deletion. Lastly, we obtained natural sheathed and sheathless variants and will sequence their DNA and use bioinformatics to identify more potential genes involved in sheath production. Does the Bacterial Community Associated with the Sea Anemone Aiptasia Change in Response to Thermal Stress? Jamison Sydnor, Ashley Dearden, Cawa Tran Faculty Mentor: Cawa Tran, The sea anemone Aiptasia is a model organism for studying the symbiotic relationship between corals and photosynthetic dinoflagellates belonging to the genus Symbiodinium. With climate change driving ocean temperatures to rapidly increase, thermal stress is implicated as the primary culprit disrupting the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. As dinoflagellates vacate their host in response to thermal stress, the symbiosis collapses, causing bleaching to occur. In the worst cases, large-scale bleaching events wipe out the framework for entire ecosystems. To address this increasingly dire issue, research has recently adopted a new approach to understanding these processes by shifting focus to the bacteria associated with Aiptasia. We hypothesized that the bacterial community associated with Aiptasia changes in response to thermal stress. In order to examine the bacterial communities, symbiotic and aposymbiotic (lacking algae) anemones were subjected to both control (27°C) and thermal-stress (34°C) temperatures to emulate their natural environment and bleaching threshold respectively. Metagenomics analysis was then performed. Community composition determined from metagenomics output was compared to live cultures prepared from the same samples. Results from this experiment provide insight into both the biological function and taxonomic annotation of associated bacteria, allowing us to discern which species confer a potential benefit to the host under heat-stressed conditions. ccl44 plays a key role in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell proliferation Payton Laurie, David Stachura Faculty Mentor: David Stachura, Blood development is a complex and highly regulated system where hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) differentiate into the numerous types of cells that make up the hematopoietic system. Understanding the genetic and molecular pathways involved in this process is an important step to treating many diseases associated with the blood system. Due to the conservation of this system and many of its genes across vertebrate species we turn to zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism. Three cell lines from sites of hematopoiesis were isolated, which expanded HSPCs when they were plated on these stromal cells. With the use of RNA sequencing we compared transcript expression of these three stromal cell lines and generated a list of 447 genes that we believe are important regulatory factors in the hematopoietic system. A highly expressed transcript from these cells was chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 44 or ccl44. In order to test its effect on hematopoiesis we performed knockdown experiments using morpholinos (MOs). Transgenic zebrafish lines with fluorescently labelled myeloid, erythroid, and lymphoid cells were injected with ccl44 MO and a decrease in those cell lineages was observed with the help of flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative RTPCR. Further characterization of ccl44 could have clinical importance for HSPC expansion and treatment of diseases like anemias and leukemias. son is necessary for proper blood maturation Rebecca Belmonte, Erin Ahn, David Stachura Faculty Mentor: David Stachura, Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an excellent model organism for studying embryonic vertebrate development due to its conserved genome with humans, external development, and ease of observation under the microscope. Previously, we showed that mutations in the mRNA splicing co-factor gene SON cause spinal and brain malformations in human and zebrafish. We performed these studies by knocking down the expression of the zebrafish homolog of SON in zebrafish at the single-cell developmental stage with specific morpholinos (MOs). In addition to the brain and spinal malformations, we also observed abnormal blood cell levels with SON knockdown. Decreased levels of SON resulted in impaired blood flow and changes to the amount of red blood cells, thrombocytes, and myeloid cells. As we continue to investigate SON and its effect on blood development, we will be able to establish how over- and under-expression of this gene negatively impacts human health. Analysis of novel inhibitors of the GRB2 SH2 domain that decrease proliferation in chronic myeloid leukemia Tina Hanson, Stephanie Aguiar, Kallie Griffin, Skylar Tomasetti, Sofia Rodriguez, Carolynn Arpin, David Stachura,,,, Faculty Mentor: David Stachura, Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a disease affecting the normal growth of myeloid cells in the blood and bone marrow caused by a chromosomal translocation linking the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) gene to the Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene-1 (ABL1). Once transcribed, this fusion protein, known as BCR-ABL, causes an over-proliferation of myeloid cells. Downstream of BCR-ABL is growth receptor bound protein-2 (GRB2), an intracellular adapter protein involved in cellular growth and differentiation. BCR-ABL binds with the SRC homology-2 (SH2) domain of GRB2 accelerating leukemic transformation. We created four novel SH2 antagonists (NHD2-15B, NHD2-92, NHD2-107, and NHD2-114) and tested their effects on the growth of K562 cells, a BCR-ABL+ immortalized myelogenous leukemia cell line, and found significant growth reduction after 48 hrs. To verify the mechanism of action, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to determine if the drugs outcompeted GRB2’s natural ligand, a biacore surface plasmon resonance assay, to determine Kd, and a cellulose nitrate filter assay, to determine site specificity, were performed. Each antagonist was then tested on developing zebrafish to ascertain the toxicity of these molecules. These assays indicated that our SH2 antagonists do, in fact, antagonize GRB2 and kill CML cells, bringing us closer to determining a key mechanism in CML oncogenesis and developing targeted therapies for this disease.
You analyze a dataset and figure out that political polarization has been steadily rising in UK for the last 10 years. You tell this to your colleague who looks surprised: apparently, in her analysis, polarization has been decreasing for the last 10 years! And she used exactly the same dataset as you. What is going on? What we know about measurements i.e. recap of the last post on measurements In our last post we discussed that, in the social sciences, quantities are defined in a general way. This is different in fields like physics where they employ “operative definitions” which tell you exactly how to measure a specific quantity. Of course, we have many more interesting details in that post, but the short story is: different people will end up measuring different things (and these measurements are usually non-comparable). We used the example of counting potato chips and noticed that everyone will count a “full chip” as one. However, everyone will have a different approach when counting broken chips. For example, one may count each fragment as a separate chip, while someone else may not consider them as “chips”. End of the recap! What about the dynamic behavior? The big question now is: we know these measurements are non-comparable, but should they all produce the same dynamic behaviour? For example, if I add a chip to the bag, all the measurements will increase by one. And if I remove 10 chips from the bag, all measurements will decrease by 10, right? Yes, indeed, in some cases all the measurements will behave nicely and produce the same behaviour. However, what happens if we start crushing some chips in the bag? Now, the measurement which counts only the full chips will tell you the number of chips is going down (we are losing a lot of full chips) but the measurement counting each fragment separately will register an increase! We are observing two opposite dynamic behaviours even if we are still measuring the same “macro-concept” (i.e. the number of chips) Why we have this, again? As discussed last time, we should be careful with the difference between “macro-concept” and the measurement itself (i.e. “operative definition”). Indeed, while the macro-concept may sound clear and intuitive (“we are just counting how many chips we have in the bag”) it is actually hiding the fact that we can perform this operation in many different ways. And, unfortunately, every way consists of measuring something different. But maybe you are still not seeing exactly what is causing this problem, nor how this can impact the social sciences. Well, in the next paragraphs we will address this using political polarization and a few elephants. What is an elephant? There is a nice story about some blind men trying to figure out what an elephant actually is. One grabs its trunk (i.e. the nose) and thinks that elephants are like snakes; while another one grabs one leg and thinks that elephants are like trees, etc. Maybe this story may teach you something important about life, but we are not interested in life, but in science, measurements and definitions! So, let us replace the blind men with 3 researchers wanting to write an article on Nature Elephants. They also ask independently their assistants to put a sensor on the elephant to track its movements. One assistant puts the sensor on the tip of the nose, one on the leg and the last one on the chest. However, the researchers are unaware of these differences; they only know that their sensors are on the elephant (and nothing more). When the elephant is moving, all three measure roughly the same behaviour (i.e. horizontal motion). But when it stops walking, they start observing completely different dynamics. One, measuring the chest, start observing a rhythmic movement. The one on the leg measure almost complete stillness, while the sensor on the nose shows big irregular movements in different directions. The three eventually start arguing and debating. Should they use more precise sensors? Or maybe run an experiment with 1,000 elephants? Should they use some statistical technique for removing big or small movements? This may sound very silly, but unfortunately, it is not too different from the way we discuss when we face more abstract concepts, such as political polarization… Is polarization increasing? Some times ago, I gave a talk in which I showed how, with a method we are currently developing, we could explore different aspects of political polarization. At the end of my talk, a person asked me: “so, practically, is polarization increasing or not in the US? If are not familiar with the term, polarization represents how “split in two” a certain society is. As you may guess, this is a quite general concept, which incorporates almost endless measurements. Let us see a couple of examples. Polarization can be thought as: 1. How many people are at the “extremes” (e.g. most people hold neutral attitudes VS most peple hold more extreme attitudes) 2. How extremists are the ideas (e.g. in society 1 extremists think we should not accept immigrants; in society 2 extremists think violence against immigrants is acceptable). 3. How “flat” the society is (e.g. a society in which if you are a left-winger you also have specific food, music, and other habits which you share with he other left-wingers) Take also into account that you can also combine the previous definitions. For example, you can produce a measurement that is mostly sensitive to effect (1) and only a little to effect (2). This means that we have pretty much infinite possible measurements! Ok, but this was not the initial question. The question was: “is polarization increasing?” And it is clear that the person who asked wants a pretty simple answer, such as “yes” or “no.” But, before answering it, let us warm up testing it on the elephant. The elephant game Let us play the following game: I will give you a situation and a question. You can answer only “yes” or “no.” Ready? SITUATION: The elephant is running. QUESTION: Is the elephant moving? Wow, you are pretty good at this game! SITUATION: The elephant is standing while eating. QUESTION: Is the elephant moving? SITUATION: The elephant is sleeping. QUESTION: Is the elephant moving? We could go on, but you probably got the point: a simple “yes” or “no” does not fully represent what is going on. Actually, it does not represent it at all. And this is the reason why I totally disappoint the person asking me the question initial question, by answering her: “Polarization is increasing or decreasing depending on what you mean by polarization.” What about the models? As you know, I am very interested in the dynamic modelling of social phenomena. Specifically, in agent-based models. So, how does this knowledge related to modelling? 1. Making the model The first important thing to consider is how you will build the model. Some people build a model directly from data and experiments, other from more general theories and frameworks. Whatever you do, you will also select a specific definition of the phenomenon you want to model (even if you are not aware of this choice). So, make sure you know which choice you are making, and that you keep being coherent with that choice. For example, you may mix two theories, or experiments, but make sure they refer to the same specific phenomenon. 2. Using the data It is probable that one day you will use data with your model. Maybe it will be for calibrating it, or for validation, or whatever. The thing that you have to keep in mind is that there will be many types of data all under the same name. To stick with the elephant example, you will find data on the nose’s movement, on the ear’s movement, etc. But, probably, they will all be labelled as “elephant’s movement.” So, when using data with your model, you will have to make sure that both model and data refer to the exact same phenomenon. 3. What can go wrong? The short answer is: everything. Here, just as an example, enjoy the following: • The case in which your model makes totally different predictions depending on the measurement used for collecting the data [link]. • The case in which you can actually transform one model into another just by changing the measurement scale [link]. This does not fully explain it! As you may see, one solution is the simple “just stick to one measurement.” However, this is a little limiting. Indeed, whenever we stick to one single concept of “polarization” we are also neglecting all the others. Similarly, if we track only the elephant’s nose, we lose all the information about its ears, eyes, tail, etc. What to do? A common thing that people say is something along the lines of “this problem is just too complex because humans are infinitely complex. We should not even attempt to solve this problem. Enjoy life while it lasts.” While I agree (especially with enjoying life), I think there are a series of things we can do to make things better while doing our research: 1. Being as clear as possible about definitions, models and measuring process 2. Study the phenomenon using different definitions and measurement (but being clear about these differences!) 3. Trying to summarize the results and look for similarities and differences between different measurements and models Will this solve all the problems? Definitely not, but I am pretty sure it will allow us to make some pretty amazing discoveries. What’s next? In these posts we analyzed this problem on a very general level (i.e. broad definitions vs operative definitions). But it is time to start facing a little more in detail how measurements are made in the social world. Coming up next, ordinal scales and measurement distortions!
219 Module Two Google Earth Exercises Student 1165 words 5 pages Amanda Horn SCI 219 Module Two Google Earth Exercises These questions include Chapters 4, 5, and 6. Fill out your answers in this document and submit your responses in Blackboard. Galapagos Islands Chapter 4. This island group is famous as the site at which Charles Darwin collected evidence for evolution of species. Because the islands are so isolated, they were free of human inhabitants until relatively recently. Most of the animals never developed a fear of humans. It is a popular ecotourist destination today because of its biodiversity and historic scientific importance. Questions: 1. Approximately how many islands can you see in this group? There are about ten islands clustered in the main group, with a couple of other minor …show more content… 3. The cooperative relationship depends on clear, warm water that allows sunlight to reach the photosynthesizing algae. Zoom out until you can see Cairns, and then zoom in to the bay. What land uses contribute to murky water in the bay? Runoff from both agricultural and urban land use contributes to murky water in the Bay. 4. Many of the world's coral reefs are affected by sediment runoff like this. If you lived in Cairns, what steps might you take to reduce sediment runoff that might threaten the coral reefs? Maintain land cover to reduce erosion, avoid soil disturbance, and create barriers to slow runoff and trap sediment. Grand Banks Chapter 6. The opening case study in this chapter describes declining fish populations of the Grand Banks. This view in Google Earth shows the general shape of the ocean floor, including the sharp drop off the edge of the Grand Banks. Once site of one of the most abundant fisheries in the world, marine populations here have been depleted by destructive fishing methods. Especially destructive are the large trawlers that drag nets on the sea floor, destroying reproductive and feeding habitat and badly damaging the marine food web. The Grand Banks provided outstanding habitat for cod because of several factors: the shallow sea floor was good for the development of eggs and young, the Gulf Stream carried warm water and nutrients northward • Chapter 07 7197 words \| 29 pages • Recognizing and Shaping Opportunities 19363 words \| 78 pages • Adidas Marketing Plan 20780 words \| 84 pages • 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays 2nd Edition 1 47262 words \| 190 pages • Marketing Management 14th Edition Test Bank Kotler Test Bank 173938 words \| 696 pages
9001 Wakarusa Street, La Mesa, CA 91942 Did you know that lupus is a debilitating autoimmune disease whose name derives from the Latin word for wolf? The disease got its name when a 13th century physician described the facial lesions of a lupus sufferer as resembling a wolf’s bite. How much do you know about lupus? Take the Lupus Foundation of America Lupus Awareness Quiz to find out: 1. Is lupus contagious? Yes No 2. Is lupus a form of cancer? Yes No 3. Which of these symptoms is a sign of lupus? Painful or swollen joints Butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose Hair loss All of the above 4. Is lupus related to HIV/AIDS? Yes No 5. Is lupus life threatening? Depends on the severity 6. Can children have lupus? Yes No 7. How many years on average does it take to get an accurate lupus diagnosis from the time when symptoms are first presented? 1 year 3 years 6 years 10 years Answers: 1. No, lupus is not contagious. You cannot “catch” lupus from someone or “give” lupus to someone. 2. No, 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. However, some treatments for lupus may include immunosuppressant drugs that are also used in chemotherapy. 3. All of the above are symptoms of lupus. Other symptoms include: headaches; extreme fatigue; anemia; swelling in feet, hands, legs, or around eyes; pain in chest on deep breathing; sun- or light-sensitivity; abnormal blood clotting; fingers turning white or blue when cold; and mouth or nose ulcers. 4. No, 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. 5. 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. 6. Yes, thousands of children and teens in the United States are living with lupus. In children, lupus tends to be more aggressive and severe than it is in adults. The symptoms are more intense, and the disease can have long-term effects on a child’s growth, quality of life, and even how long they live. 7. It takes an average of six years to get an accurate lupus diagnosis. That’s six years of pain, fatigue, and confusion—and it’s six years too many. Source: Lupus Foundation of America, https://www.lupus.org/lupus-awareness-month# Newsletter Sign-up
Poetry Tips Readers ask: 39 line poem? What is a 39 line poem called? 39 line poems 39line poem Six-line poems What is a Sestina example? A sestina is a poem written using a very specific, complex form. Examples of Sestina: Elizabeth Bishop’s “A Miracle for Breakfast” was published in 1972. What is a long seat called? long seat Long seat Long seat What is a 10 or 13 line poem called? What is the hardest type of poem to write? How many lines is a Sestina? A sestina consists of six stanzas of six unrhyming lines followed by an envoi of three lines. Is Sestina a poem? The sestina is a complex, thirty-nine-line poem featuring the intricate repetition of end-words in six stanzas and an envoi. The envoi, sometimes known as the tornada, must also include the remaining three end-words, BDF, in the course of the three lines so that all six recurring words appear in the final three lines. How do you write a good Sestina? How to Write a Sestina 1. Determine your theme. 2. Brainstorm six stanza-ending words. 3. Evaluate your words in light of your theme. 4. Arrange your words in the order you’d like for the first stanza. 5. Decide upon your meter (how many beats in each line). 6. Start writing. ( 7. As you write, focus on the meaning behind your repeating words. You might be interested: I need a wife poem? What does Sestina mean? What do you call the legs of a chair? foot – bottom of the leg. headpiece – another word for “top rail” or “headrest”. With cresting, can be called “cresting rail” leg – support for the chair. What is a two person chair called? A loveseat can be one of two styles of twoseat chair. One form – also known as “British two-seaters” – is essentially synonymous with “twoseat couch”. It typically has two upholstered seats. What is a long comfortable seat called? armchair. a large comfortable chair with parts for you to rest your arms on. It is often part of a set of chairs called a suite that also includes a sofa (=a long chair for two or three people). What type of poem has 10 lines? What is a poem with 10 lines called? a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. What do you call a poem with 10 syllables per line? It means iambic pentameter is a beat or foot that uses 10 syllables in each line. Simply, it is a rhythmic pattern comprising five iambs in each line, like five heartbeats. Iambic pentameter is one of the most commonly used meters in English poetry. Leave a Reply
Often asked: What Is A Wether Sheep? What is a wether in sheep? : a male sheep castrated before sexual maturity also: a castrated male goat. What are wether sheep used for? Wethers are adult male sheep that have been castrated so they cannot breed. Wethers are used for wool production. What age is a hogget sheep? Hogget: 15 or 16 months old. Darker meat with a richer, stronger flavour than lamb. How do you wether a lamb? The easiest and most common method of castration is the rubber ring or band. Using an elastrator tool (or ring extender), the band is placed above the testicles, around the neck of the lamb’s scrotum. Care should be taken not to place the band over the lamb’s rudimentary teats. What do you call a female sheep? Do wether sheep make good pets? Any breed of sheep can be kept as a pet. Pet sheep should should be females (ewes) or neutered males (wethers). They should not have horns. Hair sheep are a good choice because they will not require shearing. You might be interested: Quick Answer: How Do Wild Sheep Lose Their Wool? What is a sheep farmer called? Sheepherder. A sheepherder is a herder of sheep (on open range). It is someone who keeps the sheep together in a flock. In the U.S., the sheepherder is not usually the owner of the sheep. Farm (n) Is a goat a sheep? What is sheep poop called? Why do we eat lamb and not sheep? Do lambs cry when being slaughtered? What do you call a 2 year old sheep? Teg – a sheep in its second year. Also hogget, old-season lamb, shearling. You might be interested: Readers ask: What Does The Sheep Symbolize In Chapter 7, Why Does Amir Recall The Sheep Slaughtering? Why do they cut off sheep tails? The tails of lambs are cut off to prevent blowfly strike, a type of parasitic infection. These infections can lead to fertility problems, decreased wool production, and sometimes death. What age do you ring lambs? Lambs should be marked between the ages of two and 12 weeks, with the youngest animal in the mob being at least 24 hours old so that a maternal bond can form. If lambing extends for more than six weeks, consider having two mulesing/marking sessions. Is Lamb tail docking painful? Tail docking is routinely carried out to avoid soiling of the fleece around a lamb’s rear and thus prevent fly strike – a painful condition where flies lay their eggs in the wool, resulting in maggots eating into the skin. However, the process of tail docking itself is a stressful and painful one. Leave a Reply
On various news websites, there is usually at least one story about stock markets, currencies or a major company’s share price. One of the biggest stories of this nature is how the Pound fell to an eight-year low against the Euro. This, like many other financial news pieces, has consequences far beyond stock exchanges. If you are worried about such things as holiday money, your weekly shopping bill and energy prices, looking at market data can prove really useful. It doesn’t take a lot of know-how, but checking the news can help you to make your decisions on spending far more sensible. Currency Markets Should you be planning a trip somewhere in mainland Europe like France or Spain? A look at the currency markets is essential. Seeing how much money you will get at the bureau de change will inform you of what you can buy on holiday. It will also make it easier to know where the best deal is, compared to the real exchange rate. Company News Monitoring individual companies’ share prices will help you to figure out how much certain everyday goods will cost. Checking live market data for, say, energy companies may hint at any future price rises. If the share price falls, it suggests that profit warnings are coming, which in turn could mean a hike in electricity or gas bills. In the event of any sudden change in an energy supplier’s share price, there may be another reason to be wary. A fall may mean you should switch to another supplier, enabling you to save money on your energy bills. This can also be applied to supermarkets, particularly the big four — Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. Comparing rival companies’ share prices will give you a better idea of where to shop. Rising prices would usually mean that any price rises will be put on hold. However, there are instances where falling share prices may herald a raft of discounts. Wider Markets Looking at data for markets like the FTSE 100 can help you to understand the state of the economy. Generally speaking, if a market is following a downward trend, the economy isn’t performing too well. When good news is announced e.g., a thaw in US-North Korea relations, stock markets tend to increase in value. Long-term trends will give you an indication of how much your money is worth. They will impact on other areas too, such as interest on mortgages, petrol prices and even tax rates. A downward trend could see you pay more on all of these things; a rise may see prices remaining steady.
Skip to Content Resource Articles // Why Do Some of Us Worry More Than Others? Learn Different Theories on This Complex Question and What You Can Do to Make an Impact. Worrying is something everyone does, but it is such a constant part of life for some that it has a significant impact on everything they do. Answering the question of why some people worry more than others is a career goal for many with a master’s degree in psychology. Let’s take a closer look at some explanations for why some of us worry more than others. 1. Default Mode Network Some researchers and mental health practitioners attribute this heightened worry to the default mode network, a region of the brain that is activated when we are not concentrating on anything in particular. According to some experts, if the thoughts triggered by our default mode network are negative or fear-based, then pessimistic emotions tend to be felt when we don’t have anything to focus on. Alternatively, when we are focused, the default mode network is effectively turned off and the negative thoughts are suppressed. Some people, however, may have an overactive default mode network, which leads their mind to constantly replay negative events or stimulate self-doubt.1 Why Do Some of Us Worry More Than Others? 2. Perception Some experts contend that thinking that we worry more than the next person is based on a misguided perception. We may actually be worrying as much as everyone else, but it seems like they worry less because they don’t talk to us about what worries them. While we are very aware of our own worries, we have a less accurate understanding of the extent to which other people worry because it’s simply not discussed.2 Outside of discussing our anxieties with a mental health practitioner, talking about our fears and doubts in public goes against societal norms. 3. Emotional Sensitivity There are some psychology experts who believe some people worry more than others because they are more emotionally sensitive. According to the research, the more emotionally sensitive people are, the more they will find bad situations devastating. People’s brain chemistry can actually change after they go through a traumatic experience, which leaves them wired to avoid the situation at all costs and can lead to more worrying and anxiety.3 4. Stress Other research indicates that increased worrying can be brought on by prolonged general stress, not just something traumatic. When we encounter a challenge, we release cortisol, which provides a boost of energy and focus. But some scientists argue that problems arise when we have excess cortisol in our body for an extended period of time. This can lead to a poorly regulated stress response that can cause strong and extended periods of worrying.4 Stress experienced over time can lead to more worrying and anxiousness because our stress response is becoming less effective. 5. Something We Are Born With Some psychologists believe that there are those of us who are born predisposed to worry more than others. They cite longitudinal studies that track children from birth through adolescence and adulthood to see how worried and anxious they feel over time. Several studies seem to indicate that babies who have strong reactions to novel situations tend to grow up to be more anxious. These high-reactive babies also have a hyperactive amygdala as they grow older and greater increases in heart rate and pupil dilation in response to stress, compared to others.5 Although the research subjects all had different upbringings and different challenges in life, the data shows that those who were highly reactive as babies had a higher likelihood to worry more as adults than those babies who were less reactive. As we have seen, there is no clear answer as to why some people worry more than others. It is a question psychologists and mental health practitioners continue to research. And it’s just one of many questions you can address with a master’s in psychology from an accredited online institution. With a master’s degree in psychology, you can to apply your knowledge and research to real-world situations, or you can further your studies and pursue a PhD in Psychology. Regardless of which of these paths you choose, you can help answer questions about the human mind and behavior that can have a positive impact on the lives of many. Walden University is an accredited institution offering an MS in Psychology degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission,
Stayki \| Vitebsk Execution of Jews in Stayki 1 Execution site(s) Kind of place before : Memorials : Period of occupation: Number of victims : Witness interview Yevdokia T., born in 1928: “I was going to school; I was eight or nine years old at that time. They were living in Stayki, well not in Stayki, but in a settlement. They were living there. We bought them things. They had houses and they stood there… Now there is a drugstore; they were selling things there, like candies, minty candies, I remember. […] They had minty candies; they were called “sen-sen”. It’s the old-fashioned name. “Sen-sen.” We had no money, so, there were two Jewish women there, they told us: “Tell your mother to give you some eggs.” So, my mother gave me a pair of eggs and they gave me candies in exchange, well candies and… Well, they had different stuff packed. I bought this. And then, my children, when the war started…I already didn’t go to school or anything…we also feared that the Germans would take us somewhere.” (Witness n°1036, interviewed in Stayki, on October 29, 2019) Soviet archives « [Summary] There are only lists of victims. According to the list 17 Jews were exterminated in Stayki. No other detail is provided.” [GARF 7021-84-2] Historical note Stayki is located 30km (18,6mi) north of Orsha. The first records about the Jewish community go back to the 18th century. In the beginning of the 19th century about 400 Jews lived in the village making up roughly 30% of the total population. In the mid-1920s the Jewish population decreases due to relocation to bigger towns. According to the local residents, there were about a dozen Jewish houses close to the railway station. The majority of them were merchants; they had small shops inside their houses. Holocaust by bullets in figures Stayki was occupied by the German army in July 1941. A part of the Jewish population escaped to the East. The remaining Jews continued to live in their homes until September 1941. On September 29, 1941, an aktion was carried out by the Germans. Before being taken to the execution, all the Stayki Jews were rounded-up at the place near the local school. Then, they were taken to the woods where they were shot with submachine guns. According to the eyewitness of the shooting, the local population was forced to go watch the execution, even though nobody took them there by force; they went by themselves. According to some sources there were two mass graves at the site. Besides the Jews there were ten communists murdered on the same day. Nearby villages Please contact us at
Oral clefts are a major public health problem worldwide. The lip and palate form as a result of the cell proliferation (growth), apposition, and fusion of embryonic facial processes. This requires that the processes appear in the correct place, achieve the correct shape and size, and have no obstruction to fusion. Given the complex nature of this orofacial development, one can readily imagine a long list of potential mishaps. The inheritance patterns of oral clefts are not classically Mendelian, being more like polygenic quantitative traits. Indeed, mouse models suggest that differences in susceptibility to an environmental insult results from a genetically determined difference in normal oral development. That is, the growth of facial and palatal processes exhibit the continuous variation usually associated with the quantitative inheritance of phenotypes such as height and weight. Mouse models also suggest that an important epigenetic contribution to cleft etiology is variation in monoallelic gene expression. Understanding the interplay of genotype, epigenotype, and embryonic environment is critical to understanding the developmental mechanisms associated with normal and abnormal lip and palate ontogeny. Cleft Lip and Palate Back To Top
Home / Features / Handbook of Falun Gong Issue / The Basics of Falun Gong General description of Falun Gong 2009-04-08 Author:China Association for Cultic Studies Falun Gong is a cult that originated from some parts of China in the early 1990s. Its founder Li Hongzhi fabricated cultic heresies to exercise extreme spiritual control over his followers to commit a lot of monstrous crimes, violating laws and regulations. Cultic fallacies are the primary means used by Li to mentally control his followers, which are the direct causes of many atrocities committed by Falun Gong disciples.For example, Li Hongzhi claims that the earth has been destroyed 81 times and he is the only one who can stop the destruction of the earth; that the earth is but the garbage dump of the universe, the only way out is to practice Falun Gong; that Falun Gong followers would be hampered by religions and they should not convert to any religion; that everything is pre-arranged by himself and even the Holocaust during the World WarⅡ was brought about by the change of celestial phenomena; that when the cultivators feel uncomfortable somewhere in their bodies it isn't sickness, and they should not go to see a doctor or take medicine. Li says that, to practice Falun Gong one should give up everything: "If you can let go of life and death, you're a God," that those against cultivation are all demons, "the wretched demons just deserve to be killed"; that even if the practitioners hurt their relatives, they can repay the victims much more after ascending to Heavens in the future; that the Falun Dafa is above everything including all human laws. Li Hongzhi also demands, by intimidation or threats, that all Falun Gong practitioners recite his scriptures and obey his orders. Killing of people is the major crime committed by Falun Gong. Under the spiritual control of Li Hongzhi, more than 1,000 Falun Gong practitioners lost their lives because they refused to take medicine or see a doctor, believing in the fallacy that Falun Gong practitioners should not take medicine when fell ill; several hundred practitioners committed suicide; and over 30 innocent people were killed by Falun Gong fanatics. A typical example is the Tian'anmen Square self-immolation incident: On January 23, 2001, seven Falun Gong practitioners set themselves on fire at the Tian'anmen Square in order to achieve "Consummation," resulting in two deaths and three disabled because of serious injuries. On September 4, 1998, Ma Jianmin, a Falun Gong practitioner from Shandong Province, killed himself by cutting open his belly in order to seek for the "wheel of law" which Li Hongzhi claimed was installed in the abdomen of each Falun Gong practitioner. Zhang Zhiqin, a practitioner from Liaoning Province, suffered from diabetes. After practicing Falun Gong, she rejected medical treatment in the hope that her illness would be cured by reading Li Hongzhi's books and listening to his tapes. Soon Zhang's conditions worsened and died as the result. From May 25 to June 26, 2003, a Falun Gong follower named Chen Fuzhao killed 16 people by poisoning in order to "enhance his Gong powers." Of all the victims, 15 were beggars or junkmen, and one was a Buddhist. Harming the public interest is another crime committed by Falun Gong.Falun Gong openly tramples on the international norms, frequently attacking civil communication satellites. According to incomplete statistics, since June 2002, Falun Gong has attacked Chinese communication satellites for more than 200 times with a total time amounted to over 100 hours. Falun Gong openly instigates its members to attack public infrastructure for radio and TV broadcasting. There have been more than 100 cases so far, of which the Falun Gong members are involved in sabotaging optical fiber cables and grafting in the cultic TV programs. Instigative articles on attacking communication cables can easily be found on Falun Gong websites. They have formed special sabotaging groups such as the "fax team" and the "telephone team" etc, systematically engaged in large-scale harassment and intimidation activities. Sending out junk e-mails is another way of harming the public interest. Falun Gong openly admits on its websites that from January to February 2004, they have made over 8 million harassing phone calls. Incomplete statistics indicate that the monthly junk e-mails sent out by Falun Gong from overseas to Mainland China amounted to over 30 million. What's more, Falun Gong is still committing these crimes up to now. Falun Gong viciously attacks organizations and people that hold different views, infringing upon people's freedom of speech. Before the official ban on Falun Gong, tragedies caused by the cult had already been revealed to the public by journalists, scientists, teachers as well as figures from the religious circles. They demonstrated many refutable facts that practicing Falun Gong may cause death, mental disorder as well as family breakup. Falun Gong members were thrown into a panic by these reports. They cursed scientists, besieged media organs, and frequently made harassment against those who held different views from them. According to statistics, Falun Gong staged dozens of besiegement against media and press nationwide a few years before it was outlawed. While besieging and attacking Chongqing Daily press, Falun Gong practitioners threatened: If the press refused to apologize, they would destroy the unit with floods or even destroy the whole world before the due date preset by Li Hongzhi. Now readers may still come across the long list of "evil persons" on Falun Gong websites. Celebrities such as famous scientists Zhuang Fenggan and Pan Jiazheng, religious leaders such as the bishop Fu Tieshan, master Sheng Hui etc, are all blacklisted on the internet simply because they have ever criticized Falun Gong. They are systematically molested by harassing phone calls, and their personal safety under serious threatening. Falun Gong becomes a political organization with cultic characteristics.In recent years Falun Gong systematically puts forward political appeals, energetically stirs up troubles outside China and actively stages various kinds of anti-China activities, instigating its followers to overthrow the Chinese government. In order to tarnish the image of the People's Republic of China, Falun Gong draws in foreign politicians by trap and lies, encouraging them to speak ill of China and driving wedges between China and other countries. The Chinese government firmly believes that most practitioners were taken in and are victims. And for them the policy of the government is to carry out persuasion, education and redemption. The Chinese government and people from all walks of life work together, helping most practitioners to shake off the spiritual shackles of Falun Gong. It reflects the Chinese government's will to protect human rights of its citizens including most Falun Gong practitioners. The Chinese government and society at large are sincere, responsible and successful in caring and helping those indulged in Falun Gong. Under the help of the government and society for these years, most practitioners have already seen through the true color of Falun Gong, and broke away with the spiritual control of the cult, and now are living a normal life. They have established normal social and family relations, some become experts in making a fortune and some even become volunteers helping and educating people with their own experiences. According to statistics, over 98% of the practitioners have already shaken off the spiritual shackles of Falun Gong. And after converting, they are not discriminated, but have received certain favor treatments in their work and living since they have become quite vulnerable as the result of practicing Falun Gong. Only a few Falun Gong core members have been punished according to law by the judicial organs simply because they have engaged in criminal activities violating law rather than practicing Falun Gong. The allegation of these people being persecuted is groundless. Now to cover up the evil features of Falun Gong, a handful of Falun Gong backbones headed by Li Hongzhi are spreading rumors in the Unite States and other places that the Chinese government cruelly persecutes Falun Gong practitioners. Li Hongzhi and his diehards also try to whitewash their images with new tricks: They label themselves people in pursuit of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance," and decorate their masks with "traditional Chinese culture." Yet regardless of how hard they try, no amount of sophistry can deny what Li Hongzhi has said to over two million practitioners and the crimes they committed in China. In fact, most countries as well as all the honest persons around the world maintain that Falun Gong is a cult and regard the ban on it by Chinese government as justified except a handful of people who have ulterior motives and try to make use of the cult for their own ends.
background preloader A branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge Epistemology (; from Greek ἐπιστήμη, epistēmē, meaning 'knowledge', and -logy) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge. Epistemology is the study of the nature of knowledge, justification, and the rationality of belief. Much debate in epistemology centers on four areas: (1) the philosophical analysis of the nature of knowledge and how it relates to such concepts as truth, belief, and justification,[1][2] (2) various problems of skepticism, (3) the sources and scope of knowledge and justified belief, and (4) the criteria for knowledge and justification. Epistemology addresses such questions as: "What makes justified beliefs justified?",[3] "What does it mean to say that we know something?" Etymology[edit] The title of one of the principal works of Fichte is ′Wissenschaftslehre,′ which, after the analogy of technology ... we render epistemology. The idea of epistemology predates the word. Related: Philosophy and LogicLearning / ApprendrePhilosophy-The problems with philosophy Ontology Parmenides was among the first to propose an ontological characterization of the fundamental nature of reality. Etymology[edit] While the etymology is Greek, the oldest extant record of the word itself, the New Latin form ontologia, appeared in 1606 in the work Ogdoas Scholastica by Jacob Lorhard (Lorhardus) and in 1613 in the Lexicon philosophicum by Rudolf Göckel (Goclenius). The first occurrence in English of ontology as recorded by the OED (Oxford English Dictionary, online edition, 2008) came in a work by Gideon Harvey (1636/7–1702): Archelogia philosophica nova; or, New principles of Philosophy. Containing Philosophy in general, Metaphysicks or Ontology, Dynamilogy or a Discourse of Power, Religio Philosophi or Natural Theology, Physicks or Natural philosophy, London, Thomson, 1663.[5] The word was first used in its Latin form by philosophers based on the Latin roots, which themselves are based on the Greek. Overview[edit] Write! People really like the original Write app. It’s powerful, it’s simple, and it’s only 99 cents. But for more advanced writing experience, we introduce you to Write 2 and What Is Love? Famous Definitions from 400 Years of Literary History by Maria Popova “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything.” After those collections of notable definitions of art, science, and philosophy, what better way to start a new year than with a selection of poetic definitions of a peculiar phenomenon that is at once more amorphous than art, more single-minded than science, and more philosophical than philosophy itself? Gathered here are some of the most memorable and timeless insights on love, culled from several hundred years of literary history — enjoy. Kurt Vonnegut, who was in some ways an extremist about love but also had a healthy dose of irreverence about it, in The Sirens of Titan: A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved. Nervous system The nervous system is the part of an animal's body that coordinates its voluntary and involuntary actions and transmits signals between different parts of its body. Nervous tissue first arose in wormlike organisms about 550 to 600 million years ago. In most animal species it consists of two main parts, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Protocol (object-oriented programming) The protocol is a description of: Note that functional programming and distributed programming languages have a concept which is also called a protocol, but whose meaning is subtly different (i.e. a specification of allowed exchanges of messages, emphasis on exchanges, not on messages). This difference is due to somewhat different assumptions of functional programming and object-oriented programming paradigms. In particular, the following are also considered as part of a protocol in these languages: The allowed sequences of messages,Restrictions placed on either participant in the communication,Expected effects that will occur as the message is handled. Reductio ad Absurdum reductio ad absurdum (also known as: reduce to absurdity) Description: A mode of argumentation or a form of argument in which a proposition is disproven by following its implications logically to an absurd conclusion. Arguments that use universals such as, “always”, “never”, “everyone”, “nobody”, etc., are prone to being reduced to absurd conclusions. The fallacy is in the argument that could be reduced to absurdity -- so in essence, reductio ad absurdum is a technique to expose the fallacy. Logical Form: How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses In 2009, scientists from the University of Louisville and MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences conducted a study of 48 children between the ages of 3 and 6. The kids were presented with a toy that could squeak, play notes, and reflect images, among other things. For one set of children, a researcher demonstrated a single attribute and then let them play with the toy. Another set of students was given no information about the toy. This group played longer and discovered an average of six attributes of the toy; the group that was told what to do discovered only about four. A similar study at UC Berkeley demonstrated that kids given no instruction were much more likely to come up with novel solutions to a problem. An Antidote to the Age of Anxiety: Alan Watts on Happiness and How to Live with Presence by Maria Popova Wisdom on overcoming the greatest human frustration from the pioneer of Eastern philosophy in the West. “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives,” Annie Dillard wrote in her timeless reflection on presence over productivity — a timely antidote to the central anxiety of our productivity-obsessed age. Indeed, my own New Year’s resolution has been to stop measuring my days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence. But what, exactly, makes that possible? Spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, that extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. It encloses the central canal of the spinal cord that contains cerebrospinal fluid. The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system (CNS). In humans, the spinal cord begins at the occipital bone where it passes through the foramen magnum, and meets and enters the spinal canal at the beginning of the cervical vertebrae. The spinal cord extends down to between the first and second lumbar vertebrae where it ends. Epistemology - A philosophical concept concerning how you know what you know and the methods you choose to use in order to test the validity of 'knowledge'. Epistemologists 'are occupied with the grounds and the limits, in brief, the character, of "knowledge"' (Mills, 1959, p. 58/). Found in: Davies, M. (2007) Doing a Successful Research Project: Using Qualitative or Quantitative Methods. Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN: 9781403993793. by raviii Jul 31 Epistemology - A way of understanding and explaining how we know what we know or believe in. Found in: Glossary of Key Terms: by raviii Jul 31 Epistemology: the study of the grounds upon which we believe something to be true. Found in: 2012 - (Oliver) Succeeding With Your Literature Review by raviii Apr 10 Related: peter112007imam al ghazalitimothybirchTest EngineeringscienceBeing in Time by Heidegger
10 Natural Ways to Prevent Eczema How to Prevent Eczema Naturally? Eczema is a skin condition which causes itchy, red, and swollen patches of skin on the face, back of the knees, wrists, hands, or feet. The most common type is called atopic dermatitis. Everyday things in your environment — cigarette smoke, pollen, and even your clothes — can cause eczema to flare. Avoiding your personal eczema trigger, or triggers, is an important part of your overall eczema treatment plan. 1. Avoid the Cold and Keep Moisture In many people, extreme cold can cause eczema breakouts because skin becomes too dry. Moisturizers are an important eczema treatment, especially in cold weather. They help keep skin from drying out, cracking, and itching. 2. Clear the Dust Some studies have shown that dust mites can cause eczema, especially in kids. You should wash bed linens and curtains weekly in hot water, and giving the entire room a thorough cleaning once a week. 3. Be Choosy About Detergent Harsh ingredients in some laundry detergents can cause eczema symptoms. You should choose a fragrance-free, neutral pH detergent for your clothes. Then make sure you get all the soap out of your clothes by choosing the double rinse cycle. Be careful with other household cleansers, too. Wear gloves if you have to use an item that may contain an eczema trigger. 4. Ease Stress Stress can be an eczema trigger in some people. Ease stress and anxiety not only relieve eczema symptoms, but also cut down the number of eczema attacks. Deep breathing, yoga, and joining a support group are a few options. 5. Keep Cool Heat and humidity are common eczema triggers. Keep your house cool and use a humidifier in the winter to avoid dryness. Wear loose-fitting cotton clothes that breathe and are easy on your skin. Find a shady spot to beat the heat and keep your cool when you are outside. 6. Watch What You’re Eating Food allergies could cause eczema symptoms in people with atopic dermatitis, so avoiding foods that trigger flare-ups can be helpful. At the same time, eat more food that is rich in the antioxidant vitamins A, B, C, E and the omega-3 fatty acids. 7. Avoid Pollen For people with atopic dermatitis, pollen is a common eczema trigger. Stay indoors when pollen counts are really high and keep your windows closed. If you have to go outside, take a quick shower when you come back home in order to remove pollen from your skin and hair, and wash your clothes. 8. Check Your Cosmetic Bag Products containing alcohol, perfumes, lanolin, or preservatives tend to cause eczema breakouts in many people. When trying out a new cosmetic, cleanser, or lotion, test it out on a small patch of skin. 9. Stay Out of Hot Water Wash your skin with warm water and use a mild soap. Avoid hot water and scrubbing, both of which can irritate your skin. Pat skin dry with a towel. While you’re still damp, smear skin with rich moisturizer. 10. Reduce Pet Dander It may be best to keep pets outside. If you let them in, keep animals off sofas and chairs and ban them from the bedroom. Frequent vacuuming of carpet and rugs may help reduce pet dander, a common eczema trigger. Regular bathing and grooming of pets may also make your treatment for eczema more effective.
This is more of a genuine curiosity question than anything, but how is it that we have developed a vaccine for feline Leukemia, but can’t develop vaccines for other cancers? (Both feline and human.) We have a vaccine for Feline Leukemia virus, but admittedly it’s not our best vaccine. There are some retroviruses in cats, like this one, that can manifest as cancers. The vaccine in this case targets the virus, not the cancer. A similar thing in humans developed recently is the human papillomavirus vaccine, which targets the virus associated with many cervical cancers. And we sort of can develop vaccines against other cancers, but they have to be made on an individual basis. Autologous tumor cell vaccines involve taking cells from somebody’s cancer, processing them into a vaccine, and then vaccinating the patient with it. The aim of this therapy is to stimulate the patient’s immune system against their own cancer. This is a useful launching point for science fiction, but is a little beyond the scope of this blog. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
Home Ask MCQ Quiz Contact Us Login Ronan Asked : 27-05-2021 One Word Substitutes Q. Choose the one which can be substituted for the given word/sentence : Leave or remove from a place considered dangerous. A. Evade B. Evacuate C. Avoid D. Exterminate Submit Your Answer * You must be logged in to add answer. Dapzoi Verified Commented on 2021-05-27 20:16:29 (IST) Answer : B Explanation : Evacuate meaning to remove the contents : empty
MS 7 IGNOU MBA Assignments Jan – June 2019 1. “Communication is the transmission of a signal by a way of particular medium from a sender to a receiver.” In the light of statement explain the pathway/ mediums through which communication takes place. 2. What is a computer virus? Explain the various types of viruses and how to prevent these viruses? 3. What are the managerial decisions? Explain the various types of managerial decisions. Which one is preferred in what situations? 4. “If a firm doesn’t want to use its own internal resources to build and operate information systems, it can hire an external organization that specializes in providing these services”. Explain the above statement with the help of advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing. 5. What do you understand by the term data models? What are the various types of data models? Explain them in brief. (i) Operating System (ii) Organisation and Information System-Two-way-relationship (iii)Marketing Management Sub-System (iv) Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) (v) Operational database vs Data Warehouse. Speak Your Mind
What is Japanese for Death? And Why The Number 4? If you watch a lot of action anime or read a lot of fantasy manga, then you’re definitely going to run into some Japanese words like kill, die, death and so on. What is Japanese for Death? The short answer is (shi). Let’s take a look at the of ways (shi) gets used and some of the other words that usually go along with it. How to Use 死 (shi) And Other Related Words The simple way to say “to die” is 死ぬ (shinu) in the casual form and 死にます (shinimasu) in the polite form. These both follow the basic rules for conjugation into either the negative or the past forms. Some phrases that you’re likely to encounter when reading manga are: • death and the number four in japanese死んじゃいやぁ！ (shin ja iyaa!) Don’t die! • 死んでくれ！ (shinde kure) • 死ねーっ！！！ • これから死ぬぞ、お前！ (korekara shinu zo, omae!) You are just about to die! The word 殺す (korosu) means “to kill.” So you might hear in an anime some of these: • こいつは…僕が殺す! (koitsu wa… boku ga korosu!) This guy… I’ll kill him! Or an evil king might say something along the lines of: • 歯向かうヤツを殺す！ (hamukau yatsu o korosu!) I’ll kill whoever defies me! When the king’s guards show up, the main character might reply with: • 僕を殺しに来たんだろう？ (boku o koroshi ni kita n darou?) You’ve come to kill me, haven’t you? Of course not everyone wants to kill. Sometimes they just need to hash things out with a good fight. Like you do with your main rival. • 今…我々は戦う！ (ima… wareware wa tataku!) Now… We fight! Here are some compound words that are pretty common to see that use : • 死体 (shitai) = Dead body; Corpse • 死後 (shingo) = After death • 死者 (shinsha) = Casualty • 死神 (shinigami) = Death god; Reaper • 死滅 (shimetsu) = Extinction; Annihilation • 死人 (shinin) = Corpse; Dead person What is the Deal with the Number 4? In English, we typically associate the number 13 with bad luck. I remember being in an apartment complex once that didn’t even have a “13th floor” because nobody would want to stay there! It just went from floor 12, to floor 14! Likewise, the Japanese people tend to avoid the number 4. Why is that though? I mean, the kanji for the number four is which doesn’t look like the kanji for death at all. Take a look at the picture below to figure out why: As you can see, the word for “death” and the word for the number “four” sound exactly the same in Japanese! No wonder they tend to avoid it. But if they don’t like it, then why are those words pronounced the same way? Well as it turns out, the Japanese language has multiple words for each of the numbers 1-10. The number four in particular actually has three different ways to pronounce it depending on how it is used. They are よ (yo), よん (yon), and of course し (shi). よ (yo) and よん (yon) are both the Kun’yomi of the number four, which means that they are from the original Japanese language. But し (shi) is actually the On’yomi reading of it, which is the version that came into the Japanese language from the Chinese language when they imported all of their Kanji to establish a writing system in Japanese. So there you go. It was the Chinese, lol! (¬‿¬) What do you think of the number four sharing the same pronunciation as the word death? Know of any other words that share the same pronunciation? Let me know with a comment below! 2 thoughts on “What is Japanese for Death? And Why The Number 4?” 1. I love Japan! I plan to travel there in the near future. It’s always nice to know a little bit extra information about the Japanese culture. Do they has Friday the 4th? lol I am a great fan of anime as well. Death Note was awesome, although I didn’t quite like the end (but I won’t reveal why to avoid spoilers). Reading through the article it’s funny to stumble upon some really common phrases, it gave me flashbacks to scenes from several anime series 🙂 • Yeah I totally know what you mean Jacob. Pretty much all of my friends who enjoy anime want to visit Japan! It’s a like a rite of passage for the anime fanatics, lol! Death Note was pretty sweet! Although, I agree that I did not like the ending of the first season. Have you seen the live action moves that they did? They are pretty good and they actually changed up the story a little so that die hard fans would have some new stuff to watch. Plus I heard that there is a new Death Note movie coming out in America in English! Should be pretty cool I think. Leave a Comment
Question: How Many Glands Are There In Our Body? What are the glands present in human body? Many glands make up the endocrine system. The hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and pineal gland are in your brain. The thyroid and parathyroid glands are in your neck. The thymus is between your lungs, the adrenals are on top of your kidneys, and the pancreas is behind your stomach.. Why do the glands in my neck hurt? Lymph nodes become swollen in response to illness, infection, or stress. Swollen lymph nodes are one sign that your lymphatic system is working to rid your body of the responsible agents. Swollen lymph glands in the head and neck are normally caused by illnesses such as: ear infection. What do swollen glands feel like? Swollen lymph nodes will feel like soft, round bumps, and they may be the size of a pea or a grape. They might be tender to the touch, which indicates inflammation. In some cases, the lymph nodes will also look larger than usual. Lymph nodes appear in parallel on both sides of the body. Which is the largest endocrine gland? Is stomach a gland? Gastric gland, any of the branched tubules in the inner lining of the stomach that secrete gastric juice and protective mucus. The stomach has three layers of muscle: an outer longitudinal layer, a middle circular layer, and an inner oblique layer. Which is the largest gland in human body? LiverLiver: is the largest gland in body. It stores its waste bile in Gall Bladder. Bile is released into duodenum and helps in digestion of fats. Which is the smallest gland in human body? What are the two types of glands? Thus the two types of glands are called : Exocrine and Endocrine. What are the 7 glands? What do your glands do? They release substances that help you fight off illnesses and, if you are sick, help you get better. When you have a bad cold and your neck glands are swollen, that is your immune system in action. How many hormones does the human body produce? The human body secretes and circulates some 50 different hormones. A wide variety of these chemical substances are produced by endocrine cells, most of which are in glands. The hormones then enter the blood system to circulate throughout the body and activate target cells.
Mental Health The Importance of Setting Realistic Goals: SMART Goal Setting for Success Setting goals helps you plan your ideal future and aids you in staying on track to achieve all that you want in life. Goal setting is an essential aspect of success, but setting goals can be daunting. Nevertheless, setting goals helps you plan your ideal future and aids you in staying on track to achieve all that you want in life. For a goal to be successful, however, it needs to be realistic. Learn to set SMART Goals that set you up for success. What are SMART Goals? SMART is an acronym that is popular in the business world. S = Specific Goals should be well-defined and precise. You need to know what you are doing to proceed and succeed. M = Measurable You must be able to measure the progress of your goals. Outlining a way to measure success allows you to see your progress and keeps you motivated. A = Achievable Your goal should be possible in your current life. For example, you would not set a goal to be a famous singer if you cannot sing. R = Realistic Much like the idea above, your goal should be realistic. If your goal is to sprout feathers and fly, you will be set up for failure and left feeling disappointed. Keep your goals sensible to avoid defeat. T = Timely Each goal should have a deadline. Set a timeline and stick to it as much as you can. Meeting deadlines will motivate you, and missing them will allow you to reassess your current trajectory. Planning Ahead: How to set goals for your future: The first step in goal setting is to decide what you want in life. Do you want to be rich? Do you want to be happy? Do you hope to have children? Ask yourself these questions and consider the answers carefully. If your goal is to be rich, how rich do you need to be to feel happy? What does happiness look like to you? If your plan involves having children, how many children do you hope to have? Once you know what you want, you can outline what you need to do to get there. For example, to be rich, you will want to have a job and open a savings account. You may also want to create a reasonable budget that you can follow. On the other hand, if your goal is to have four children, you will need a partner – or at least a plan. Defining the steps involved in achieving your goals will create a more solid plan for achieving success. In addition, by outlining the steps involved in each objective, you will create a roadmap that you can easily follow. The Key to Success is Getting Started: Once you have outlined what your goals are, you need to start working towards achieving them. A plan is nothing without action. Therefore, you must outline all the small steps involved in each goal and start down the road to success. Decide where to begin by looking at where you hope to end up. Then, consider all the things that have to happen for you to get there. Much like a crossword puzzle, creating achievable goals involves filling in the blanks. For example, if your goal is to get a promotion at work, you can begin by working harder at your job, seeking opportunities for advancement, and enhancing your skills. Each goal has a subset of smaller goals, and each will move you closer to your ultimate objective. The key here is momentum. Getting started is the most challenging part of any goal, but the sky will become the limit once you get going. So outline your plan and get ready to jump in and swim. How to Stay Motivated in the Face of Failure: When it comes to achieving any goal, you will have to deal with failure at some point. Even the most successful people in the world failed many times before they succeeded. Do not allow failure to stop you. Instead, use failure as a lesson and move forward with the confidence and knowledge it provides. Each mistake that you make in life grants you the ability to improve. Take the lessons as they come, reassess your position, and continue on your path, wiser than you were before. If you give up on your dreams, what are you left with in life? Mental health concerns among students: evidence and implications Back to Mental Health
Ancestral Findings The Great Artists Robert Doisneau: The Great Artists Robert Doisneau: The Great Artists Robert Doisneau is an artist who sought to portray life as he wanted it to be. Learn more about his history and philosophies that went into his art here! One of Robert Doisneau’s most famous photographs is entitled “Le baiser de l’hotel de ville,” and it’s one that quite possibly perfectly encompasses the kind of work that Doisneau did. The image’s title translates to “The Kiss by the City Hall,” and that’s what it depicts. A couple kissing on a busy street, showing all the vigor and beauty of humanity at its finest. That’s one of the things that Doisneau is noted for. Though he was a photojournalist who created during the Nazi occupation of France and in the aftermath, his work doesn’t feature the sort of gritty images that you might expect from a photographer documenting such things. In one image after the next, there is a sense of playfulness and levity. Positivity, which perhaps informs us that even the darkest times still have their bright spots. In fact, Doisneau focused on positivity wherever he could. In the aftermath of World War II, tensions were still high, and those tensions were often taken out on groups of people who had been in some way involved with the German occupation. While many photographers documented everything, the good and the bad, Doisneau refused some things. For instance, some women would have their heads shaved because they’d slept with German officers—and Doisneau refused to take photographs of them so as to avoid publicizing the challenges they were going through. Ancestral Findings Genealogy Research His is a unique approach to street photography, a perspective unlike any other. So let’s dig in, learn about the man, and find out what made him the photographer he became. Robert Doisneau’s Early Life Doisneau was born on April 14, 1912—and his childhood was a tragic one. His father, who was a plumber, died while on active duty in World War I when Doisneau was only four. Three years later, when he was aged seven, his mother passed away. Doisneau went to live with his aunt, who by all reports raised him in an unloving environment. From there, he went to school, and by age 13, he was in a craft school called the Ecole Estienne in Paris. He spent a few years schooling there and then graduated in 1929 with two diplomas, one in lithography and another in engraving. It was at this school that he first began learning of various arts, not only lithography and engraving, but also through classes he’d taken in still life art and figure drawing. While many photographers take up the art later in life, Doisneau started early. When he was 16, he started taking photographs, but as stories say, he was very shy, which meant that he started off by taking photographs of cobblestones before eventually working up the courage to photograph children, then later, adults. Doisneau’s Entry into Professional Photography It was at the end of the 1920s that Doisneau became a photographer professionally. This came through work at the Atelier Ullmann (translates to Ullman Studio). Ullmann was a creative graphics studio that specialized in work for pharmaceuticals. Initially, he began working for them as a lettering artist, but when an opportunity came along, he became a camera assistant for Ullmann, and then later, he advanced to become a staff photographer. Doisneau’s Artistic Career Begins By 1931, Doisneau had left Ullmann and taken work as an assistant to Andre Vigneau, who was a modernist photographer. This is where Doisneau’s career as an artist and photojournalist was born. He sold his first photographic story to Excelsior magazine in 1932, and then in 1934, he began working for Renault as an advertising photographer. Though it was advertising work, the experience with Renault spurred on his interest in photography and photographing people. Eventually, in 1939, he was fired from this job for perpetual lateness—and that turned into perhaps one of the best developments in his life. After losing the Renault job, he was forced into freelancing, which meant that he spent his time engraving and creating postcard photos to make a living. Later in 1939, Charles Rado of the Rapho photography agency hired him, and Doisneau’s career blossomed. He traveled throughout France searching for photographic stories, which marked the birth of his career as a street photographer. War and Post War Photography When World War II broke out, Doisneau was drafted into France’s army. Here, he served until 1940 as both a soldier and a photographer. Between 1940 and 1945, Doisneau joined the French Resistance, using his various skills to forge passports and other papers needed to help refugees escape. If you look through his portfolios, you’ll discover that many of Doisneau’s most poignant photographs came after the war, some in the direct aftermath. Once World War II ended, he returned to freelance photography, selling photos to international magazines including Life. From there, he drifted some, turning down an invitation to join Magnum Photos, joining the Alliance Photo Agency for a short time, then eventually rejoining Rapho in 1946, where he’d spend the rest of his photographic career. Doisneau’s Philosophies This is a man who lived through a lot, from a difficult childhood to World War II. Doubtless, all of these things left their mark on him and his photography. But despite all the turmoil that he saw, Doisneau refused to photograph negativity. “I don’t photograph life as it is,” he once said, “but life as I would like it to be.” That’s why his photographs never ridiculed or portrayed his subjects in unfavorable ways. Doisneau was a street photographer at heart—over the years, he tried things like fashion photography, but his true passion was always to return to the streets and capture the joy and beauty he found there. Robert Doisneau passed away on April 1, 1994, but the legacy he has left looms large. In France, at the Atelier Robert Doisneau, his daughters manage a collection that includes 450,000 negatives. His portfolio features dozens of examples of the tenderness and thought that he used to approach his work, and his bibliography is a long one, filled with many, many books displaying yet more of his work. Truly, Doisneau is an inspiration to all of us, a man who proved that even during hard times, there are still bright spots to be found. About the author Will Moneymaker
Chanukah 5777 Part IV – If You Don’t Use It, You Lose It In Maoz Tzur, we sing a line that starts “Yevanim Nikbetzu Alai”, The Greeks gathered around me. Rabbi Avraham Schorr (Halekach VeHalibuv Chanukah Vol. 3) writes that there are a multitude of points to gain from this verse as it pertains to the very mitzvah of Chanukah. Yevanim Nikbetzu Alai is a statement of Achdus, of coming together, as it’s written about Yaakov (hikabtzu veshamu bnei yaakov). Rav Schorr writes that Achdus, this kibbutz so to speak, is a special entity that only Klal Yisrael is privy to and not found in regard to the other nations of the world, making the statement of the Greeks banding together as one seemingly confusing. We know that Bnai Yisrael are “Goy Echad Baaretz”, we’re considered as one people, while the rest of the world is spread apart. When the Torah records in reference to Esav of the “nefashos” of his offspring (Breishis 36:6), whereas Yaakov’s children are mentioned in the singular “nefesh” across Chapter 46. Rashi here mentions that Esav had six souls in his family, and they are mentioned in plural form because they worshipped many gods. Yaakov, on the other hand, had 70 souls in his family, yet they were called by a single soul because of their devotion to the Almighty. Now that we see this concept of connecting as one as relating to Yaakov, how is it possible that the Greeks could’ve stolen away this entity of kibbutz solely destined to the Jewish people? Rav Schorr writes that if we as a nation are divided and apart, this idea of togetherness can be taken captive by the umos haolam, and used against us. He supports this postulation with an idea from the Chiddushei HaRim, who quotes the Sfas Emes. When a new king arose over Egypt and did not know Yosef (Shemos 1:8), it’s commonly explained as this new ruler was either an entirely new king or the very same king as before who, Nischadshu Gezeirosav, just happened to have enacted new decrees. Sfas Emes is puzzled by the ability by the king to enact new gezeiros, as this idea of Nischadshu, was also a trait unique to Bnai Yisrael. Yet, if this trait is squandered or underutilized, it can be taken away by those who seek to destroy us. If we don’t use our collective prowess for achdus, it can be stolen and used to defeat us. Rav Schorr continues that this can answer the question of the Pnei Yehoshua as to why the Chashmonaim were so vigilant in their pursuit of Shemen Tahor, pure oil. There exists in Jewish law a halachic position of “tumah hutrah betzibur”, that the ritual impurity of an item is nullified and outweighed by the general communal need for that object. There was a great need to light the Menorah, and there were plenty of other containers of oil that had been defiled. Why couldn’t this idea be put in place here, and the Chashmonaim have used this impure oil for the communal need? Rav Schorr answers sharply and poignantly. If Klal Yisrael was able to shirk their communal achdus, their din of “nikbetzu”, tumah hutrah betzibur would not apply in this instance: there’s no tzibbur, no broader community. If the Jewish people fell so low in our unity that we were able to be attacked by another group gathering together against us, there is indeed no kehillah to speak of. Rav Schorr writes later in this volume that the words “agudah achas”, like we say in our Yamim Noraim davening, parallels numerically in Gematria to “Mashiach ben David.” This point of “Nikbetzu”, of remaining connected and unified as a people, is not merely a nice idea that has roots in the Torah with Yaakov Avinu: it’s the very key to our ability to bring about the ultimate redemption. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s
Lyme Disease and Chronic Fatigue The topic for today is Lyme/chronic fatigue syndrome and generally all of those symptoms that are associated with depletion of energy Applied Biomagnetic Therapy has had very good results with Lyme disease. A better name for it would be ”Multiple Systematic Infectious Disease Syndrome” (MSIDS). What is the multi-dimensional medicine approach to Lyme Disease and Chronic Fatigue? Every input has a respected place in the approach to bringing our clients back to health. Antibiotics play an important role especially when people are very depleted and I have seen examples where people have been able to get out of wheelchairs as a result of antibiotic treatments and other antivirals. However, we do find that that’s a good result but it doesn’t often deliver complete recovery so we need multi-dimensional medicine which adds another dimension. The other dimension are microbes and we do detect the energy signature of well-known microbes like Borrelia, Bartonella, Babesia Clostridium and so on in a biomagnetic treatment. We are 85% microbe so the microbes are an important part of our immune system as a defence in relation to pathogenic microbes. So that’s why we say that that antibiotic/antiviral treatment with chemical drugs has a role to play but you need another dimension to compliment that and that’s where biomagnetic therapy can play a role. But it is not the only modality that’s important here. Any kind of energy medicine can play their role. Nutrition plays a crucial role in the treatment of these kinds of conditions. Acupuncture has been combined with a number of other items including biomagnetic therapy, Kinesiology what has been shown to help is a multi-dimensional approach to this illness. Interestingly enough, when I work with people who suffer from Lyme/chronic fatigue conditions what I find is that it’s not the tick bite necessarily that pushes people into chronic fatigue. We do know that forest workers in Canada all have huge antibodies to Borrelia and Bartonella, and yet they don’t get sick. I find that family members of people with chronic fatigue and Lyme disease do not get the same symptoms even though they share the same microbes as the family member who does have Lyme disease. Generally speaking, microbes that were important at the beginning of life, such as Rubella, Measles, Staphylococcus have remained pathogenic and because they are pathogenic these seems to set people up to be very vulnerable for tick bites and other insect borne diseases. That is why the forest workers, the people who work with animals don’t get the symptoms of fatigue because their early childhood microbes are in balance. There have been cases where Borrelia, Bartonella, Babesia have not needed to be treated because when the earlier microbes were balanced the person got better. They were able to deal with the later infections very effectively. Detoxing the body, improving the functioning of the liver, the kidneys and the whole digestive system are crucial. After all, even if you do take antibiotics you do need a digestive system that can break these down to enable the body to extract the benefit from them. But often because the liver/kidneys or the digestive system are not working to their full capacity the ability to process these medications is reduced. Therefore, the antibiotics dosage is increased, and we end up go around and around. This issue is not that the antibiotics are not working, it is because the body cannot metabolise them. To summarise, balancing childhood related microbes and a functioning digestive are crucial for releasing the microbes involved in Lyme disease and Chronic fatigue. Call Now Button
Erin Lyons Paper currency is becoming a thing of the past. Cash, as we know it right now, is becoming something more of a niche slice of the pie rather than covering the entire market as it used to do. With the advent of numerous fields which by their nature rely on, for instance, online payments, the refusal (or inability) to adapt to these changes is becoming something more than just a gamechanger for many industries. One of the downsides of this situation (if not handled well) is that many social groups without access to those services may be left out. To assess the various aspects of this phenomenon, going back to its roots may be useful: what are the main driving forces of this transition towards a cashless future? First of all, technological advancements represented incentives for banks and financial institutions to lower their cash handling cost (for example, transportation and safe storage). Besides, it allows them to shift to cheaper intangible assets like bank accounts, reducing the risks of thefts and other related crimes. This change also makes countries happy, since they can easily trace consumers’ spending to implement policies more effectively and, above all, for tax purposes. The latter aspects ease the undertaking of monetary policy, especially during crises, since consumers would not be able to cash their deposits and financial institutions would have direct access to them. Thus, banks could, for instance, charge fees aimed at compensating possible negative rates. A cashless perspective, since it involves a digital record, would also enable controls on the type of purchases, which may be allowed (or not) by the bank to promote (or discourage) the acquisition of specific products/services. Merchants that do not respect some regulations may be prevented from receiving payments altogether. Let’s imagine how some consumers may be blocked in the first place before buying unethical products (for example sportswear coming from sources like child labour). Tourism would also gain a lot, considering the technological independency in exchanging money among countries with different currencies. However, all that glitters is not gold. Outdated IT systems will be challenged while managing sheer growing amounts of sensitive data, incentivising criminals to move from bank thefts to online crimes like frauds or identity thefts. Moreover, from a psychological point of view, the easiness in using smoother means of payment could fuel other social issues like compulsive spending, that have already been a challenge. In the latter cases, one of the most common pieces of advice given to overcome such problems is to use cash instead of cards, since in this case, our spending would be visibly ”quantifiable”: when the most effective way of dealing with compulsive spending is no longer feasible, what will people turn to then? Another aspect to consider is also the difference in local cultures and mentalities. Where small local businesses constitute a big chunk of a country’s economy, implementing new technologies may be harder: for communities where everybody knows each other, using cash is a daily activity. In some places, it is common to illegally offer cash payments in exchange for a discount which amounts to the VAT rate: the consumer pays less, and the merchant declares lower taxes. In places where these behaviours are common, cashless alternatives may have a hard way. However, usually these practices are ”justified” by the high costs of owning POS systems and the fees that banks charge on every payment. There is indeed a tradeoff for banks or in general for financial institutions: keep charging high prices but having low transaction volumes, or pretending less money, thus encouraging more merchants to go cashless. If the goal is to embrace the future, the card (or in general non- cash) payments seems to be the only one. While some countries like Sweden or Norway are ahead, there are many others which are still not able to welcome this solution. To create an inclusive society where everyone is involved, countries have to be alert and not bite off more than they can chew, risking to drastically introduce new technologies when people are still not ready for it. While the final goal is quite clear, there must not be too rush in trying to reach it.
How to Treat a Rattlesnake Bite Rattlesnakes account for more venomous snake bites in the USA than any other snakes combined. Rattlesnake bites account for an overwhelming amount of the venomous bites that occur in the Unites States, as they are the most prevalent venomous snakes and are found in all but three states in the USA (Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii). If you are one of the unlucky 8000 victims of rattlesnake snake bites that occur each year in the U.S. it will be very important that you know how to treat a rattlesnake bite and what to do to minimize the effects as they can be lifelong and even life threatening if not taken care of correctly. There are several things you should do if bitten by a rattlesnake or other venomous snake that can lessen the severity of the toxic effects that snake venom has on the body. Likewise there are many things that you should not do, many of which have been said to be beneficial in the past that have since been proven wrong. Always aim at doing first aid if you are not in a position to treat the bite. How to Treat a Rattlesnake Bite: 1. Get away from the snake! Obviously the last thing you want is to get bit twice. 2. Stay calm! Letting your adrenalin get the best of you is a good way to get your heart beat up and increase the rate of the venom spreading. 3. If you can get help to your position without moving very far, then lay down with the bite area lower than the heart and call for help by dialing 911 or the appropriate medical emergency contact. 4. If you need to get to an area where you can contact emergency services, do so while immobilizing the area of the bite with a splint to reduce the movement of the affected area. 5. Remove rings and bracelets that may get in the way of swelling.Place a band about two inches both above and below the bite with it snug to slow the spreading of the venom. Do not make it so tight as to restrict blood flow as this can make things worse. 6. If possible, it is advised to wash the bite area with soap and water. 7. Seek medical care as soon as possible to get the antivenins. If the person bit must walk a ways to get help, it is wise to rest for up 10-20 minutes in order to allow the venom to localize and not spread throughout the body. How to NOT Treat a Rattlesnake Bite: This is what a rattlesnake bite can look like 8 days a bite. The venom deteriorates the flesh. Protect yourself with the equipment listed below. 1. Sucking Venom out is said to not be much help. Definitely do not suck venom out of another person as this is a possible way of transmitting bacteria and causing infection, make a poisonous snake bit much worse. 2. Icing and cooling a rattlesnake bite is not suggested and is said to make the damaging effects even worse. 3. Do not cut the bite what so ever, as this can cause tissue damage and lead to quicker spreading of the venom, and again enhances the chances of infection. 4. Do not but a constricting band directly over the bite in a tourniquet like fashion. Blood flow is essential and lack of could result in loss of an extremity. Rattlesnake Bite Prevention While it is always good to know how to treat a rattlesnake bite, the best thing you can do is avoid getting bit all together. The most definite thing you can do is avoid poisonous snake territory. Of course, this is not always that easy. A good way to prevent rattle snake bites is to wear snake protective gear. Snake protection comes in many different forms, and what is best for you will vary with your situation. The most popular types of snake protective gear include (click on link to learn more): Snake Gaiters, Snake Boots, Snake Chaps, and Snake Gloves. These items not only provide protection from rattlesnake bites (all venomous snakes), but also provide a person with piece of mind for themselves and their family.
Final Exam Discuss how associational life has reflected racial segregation in America and how labor unions and ethnic national groups have responded differently to racial discrimination. Explain the racial disparities in civil participation between whites and nonwhites. Why are people of color less likely to participate in voluntary associations and/or participate in community activities? Do any of these ideas about associational life help to explain your own participation or lack of participation? Will you be more or less likely after learning about associational life to join or participate in these types of activities? (Chapter 9) Here is the book that you will be referencing off of and it is chapter 9 only and the other source you can find on your own thanks III. Text: Desmond, Matthew and Emirbayer, Mustafa, “Race in America,” 2nd ed. (2020), Norton Publishers. ISBN: 978-0-393-65640-4; 1. Main Points • Associations are the stuff of democracy; they are the lifeblood of civil society and the very embodiment of community. However, associational life has reflected racial segregation in America, revealing glaring inconsistencies between Americans’ professed principles of citizenship and their deep-seated desire to exclude certain groups from the privileges of membership. 2. The Ordeal of Integration and the Rise of Ethnic Nationalism • After the fall of slavery, racial segregation arose as one of American society’s central organizing principles, and associational life bent itself to accommodate America’s newfound edict of racial segregation. • In the wake of racial segregation, movements toward integration also began to take shape within associational life. However, some nonwhites thought racial integration did not lead to liberation, but only to more oppression, creating a movement that has come to be known as “ethnic nationalism.” • Proponents of ethnic nationalism resist cultural and social assimilation, instead championing self-determination, race pride, separatism, and, in some cases, the creation of an independent nation based on racial identity. 3. Civil Society in a Multiracial Democracy • America has developed a diverse and active civil society. Whites, however, have higher rates of civil engagement, whereas people of color are less likely to join voluntary associations and to participate in community activities. Racialized economic inequality is the primary force behind most of the racial variation in associational life. • Race-based homophily creates the strongest divides in our associational lives, and is maintained through softer forms of exclusion known as boundary work. • Analysts have demonstrated at least two of the social forces in which race plays a role in the weakening of civil society: (1) the suburbanization of America, which has contributed to the erosion of social capital, and (2) the observed reality that social capital and trust for fellow Americans are lower in more racially diverse communities. • Identity politics refers to political action intended to address the unique interests and hardships of groups who historically have faced oppression and who continue to be excluded from mainstream society. 4. Hate Groups • The organized racism cultivated by hate groups is more intensified and demanding. It is ordered by a unifying racist philosophy that demonizes specific “enemies” and advances certain goals aimed at promoting the white race. • Hate groups draw from all regions of society, and they thrive off the erroneous idea that nonwhite advancement always results in white loss. 5. Cyber Communities • Discussion of how race affects virtual associations must include who is excluded from these associations in the first place by virtue of the fact that they have no regular access to the Internet. That which separates those with regular unfettered home access to the Internet has been termed the “digital divide.” • Those privileged enough to have regular Internet access are admitted into a parallel universe teeming with virtual associations and cyber communities. • Since one’s racial identity is oftentimes unknown online, many internet users have come to regard whiteness as the virtual norm, and several studies have documented the prevalence of racism in cyber communities. 6. Religious Associations • Religious intolerance is another force that tears at the fabric of civil society. Accounting for the many complex ways in which religious conviction drives social action is fundamental to accurately interpreting the social world. • Religious life is racialized to a high degree. Religious associations in America are marked by high levels of racial and ethnic segregation. However, some congregations are quite multiracial and exist as a powerful force of integration. 7. American Promise • The American associational field continues to be marred by profound racial divisions. But even in the midst of some of the deepest obstacles to the realization of a racially just society, there, too, can be found some if its greatest promise. Leave a Reply You may use these HTML tags and attributes:
What Do You Do With A Sleeping Student? by Tom King Part of the series: Global Issues in Education Two students sitting at desks in a classroom A tweet flew by this morning about what a teacher should do with a sleeping student. I sent a response to Shelly Terrell about my experience years ago as a young math teacher who tapped the shoulder of a sleeping kid in my algebra class, and with all the empathy of the rookie I was, asked him how in the name of the quadratic formula, could he be sleeping in my class. He opened his sleepy eyes and said, “Sorry Prof King. I couldn’t get any sleep last night. My dad came home drunk and was beating my mother and me.” That was the last time I ever woke a sleeping student. When I was in high school, corporal punishment was still meted out to any errant students, usually a slap, or the infamous paddle. But there were some sadists who somehow got to be teachers and literally punched kids into submission. Although the bruises healed, my guess is that the inner scars are still there. How do I know that? Some of those kids, now men and fellow alumni, were still talking about at our 50th reunion. They weren’t laughing, either. Positive reinforcement works. I’ve seen it light the eyes of a learner many times. Negative reinforcement never works. Physical punishment not only doesn’t work on students (or anyone for that matter), but it may keep them from ever becoming a real learner. It turns an incident meant to be a positive learning experience into a painful memory of punishment. The only thing a student learns from the experience is that it’s OK to strike someone when rules are broken, or someone else just makes you angry. The punishment is perpetuated. I grew up in an era where spankings were occasionally administered. I’m not going to say that the couple of times I got one didn’t get my attention focused on my poor behavior. But, as I grew older, I was more concerned about letting my parents down, or worse, having done something I knew was wrong. Most parents today eschew spankings for the same good reasons. Regardless, it never belongs in the classroom or in a school. Ever. Anywhere. Anytime. Psychologists tell us that painful memories are often hard to eradicate. The really bad ones can result in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Corporal punishment may not occur in a battlefield, but that doesn’t mean emotional scars won’t be lasting. Negative reinforcement obliterates the desired learning and replaces it with pain or shame. The negative is what has been learned. There are no positives. How do you feel educators should manage classroom behavior problems?
Czech, Germanic From the Vandal tribe More info about the name "Vanda" Vanda is a Czech variant of Wanda. Wanda originates in Germanic and means "from the Vandal tribe". The Vandals were people of Slavic origin living in eastern Germany. There was a story about Princess Wanda who lived among the Vandals. This legend became very popular in Poland and consequently the name became popular too. In the English-speaking world it was popularized in the 19th century by Ouida and her novel Wanda. We don't know of any famous people with this name + Add a Name ·
Definition Of Subject Of The Agreement Albert`s sub-practice of verbal agreement offers several activities that focus on another type of subject-verb agreement, from simple subject-worm chord to more advanced indefinite pronouns. Once students have practiced any type of subject-verb agreement, assessments are also done to check the students` connection. A rare type of chord that phonologically copies parts of the head instead of corresponding to a grammatical category. [4] For example, in Bainouk: In Latin, a pronoun like «ego» and «do» is inserted only for contrast and selection. Proper names and common names that function as a subject are nevertheless common. This is the reason why Latin is described as a zero subl langage. Adjectives correspond to gender and number with nouns that modify them in French. As with verbs, chords are sometimes displayed only in spelling, because written forms with different formulas are sometimes pronounced in the same way (e.g. Joli, Jolie); although, in many cases, the final consonant is pronounced in feminine forms, but mute in masculine forms (e.g. B Small vs. Small). Most plural forms end on -s, but this consonant is pronounced only in connecting contexts, and these are determinants that help to understand whether the singular or plural is targeted. In some cases, verb participations correspond to the subject or object. The submission agreement does not need to impose your letter with errors. Just follow the above rules and you will break a lot of confusion that comes with the consistency of your subject and verb. There is also a correspondence in sex between pronouns and precursors. Examples of this can be found in English (although English pronouns mainly follow natural sex and not grammatical sex): money is difficult when it comes to subject-verb correspondence, as there are specific rules for referring to a sum of money against the dollar or the penny itself. 3. Composite subjects related by and are always plural. Subjects and verbs must correspond in number (singular or plural). So, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular; If a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural. In substantive sentences, adjectives do not correspond to the noun, although pronouns do. z.B. a szép könyveitekkel «with your beautiful books» («szép»: beautiful): The suffixes of the plural, possessive «tone» and big/lowercase «with» are marked only on the noun. Subject VerbAccord rule 8. Sentences beginning or giving with there have the subject that follows the verb, since there is no subject. Therefore, the verb must correspond to the following. Subject correspondence refers to the fact that the subject and verb must match in a number sentence. In other words, they must both be singular or plural. You cannot have a subject singulated with a plural gack or vice versa. The tricky part is knowing the singular and plural forms of subjects and verbs. If you`ve ever written a comment like this on one of your articles or just want to refresh your topic`s agreement rules, here you`ll find some tips that will definitely help. In this sentence, the subject (Spencer, Fridge and Martha) is plural because there are three different people. Therefore, the sentence of the verb (have been separated) must also be plural. Swahili, like all other Bantu languages, have many classes of names. Verbs should match their subjects and objects in class, and adjectives with the subjects that qualify them…. Comments are closed.
COVID-19 and Dementia Over the past year, much research has been conducted on the effects of COVID-19 with other diseases and illnesses. One cause of concern is dementia. There are a number of people who contract coronavirus that go on to experience ‘long covid’. A common symptom of long covid is ‘brain fog’. This umbrella term includes a range of cognitive difficulties such as issues with concentration, memory, and language. These are all issues seen in those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In most patients, such symptoms are expected to resolve over time but there is worry that it may be the catalyst to developing the disease. Aside from the direct effects COVID-19 has on the brain, scientists have also warned that increased isolation and social distancing is itself a risk factor for dementia. This is likely due to people missing the cognitive stimulation that is common for helping to delay the onset of dementia. Why Choose Stanfield More than 920,000 people in the UK are living with dementia – a number expected to rise to over a million by 2024 (Alzheimer’s Society, 2019). This number could increase further in light of the findings connected to COVID-19. As a result, places in dementia nursing homes are more valuable than ever. Stanfield Nursing Home is Worcester’s only independent dementia nursing home. We have been providing dementia care for over 30 years. As an experienced care home, we provide the highest possible standards of care for all of our residents. Many of whom are living with dementia. Because of this, we have a team of highly trained dementia care specialists. This means we can provide the very best in specialist dementia care to help in the best ways possible. Enabling people to lead as independent lives as possible is part of our nursing home’s core philosophy. This involves encouraging them to take on hobbies and getting involved in activities we hold. One example of a regular activity is music therapy. Music therapy is increasingly being used as a successful treatment for improving distressing symptoms associated with dementia. Activation of different areas of the brain, such as ones for sound and language, means there are ways to interact with those who no longer have full capability of speech. Music is, therefore, not only used to stimulate the brain, but also communicate through eliciting forgotten memories that were attached to certain songs, such as a wedding song or something sung to their children. Previously, we were inviting local musicians to perform in the home, be that regularly or as a special one-time occasion. Since the pandemic, musical therapy is now delivered by the Activities Lead who is a musician and brings instruments in regularly. Something considered at the home is the type of music that would benefit residents; for example, genres and sounds popular during residents’ youth. It is important to ensure the entertainment is something that individuals will enjoy and engage with for the benefits to occur. Contacting Stanfield Nursing Home If you are interested in finding out more information about our dementia nursing home and the care provided at Stanfield, then head to our website today. You can also stay up-to-date with all our care home news on our social media. Alternatively, you can call 01905 420 459 to speak to a member of our helpful and friendly team.
Easy Pace Learning Lessons and exercises List of idioms beginning with C English lesson What will I learn from the English lesson list of idioms beginning with C? List of Idioms beginning with C Carrot and sticks- You use both awards as well as punishments to make someone do something. Cloak and dragger- when people behave in a very secret manner Cards are stacked against- luck is against you Crack a book- to open book to study Cross a bridge before one comes to it- worry about the future in advance Carry coals to new castle- to take something to a place or a person that has a lot of that thing already Cast in the same mould- to be very similar Change horses in midstream- to change plans Cap it all- to finish Cried with eyes out- cried a lot Carry the can- If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault. Cast a long shadow- Something or someone that casts a long shadow has considerable influence on other people or events. Cat and dog life- If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing. Lessons that are related to this one To view a lesson just click on the link. Idioms - what are idioms learning English A - Z idioms list learning English idioms Small List of idioms A - Z English phrases Idioms and expressions using game learning Easy pace Learning online dictionary and how to use dictionaries
There’s a New Fork in Town, and It’s Biodegradable and Available at Target Restore foodware cutlery and straws are made of a biomaterial that breaks down naturally in seawater, soil and compost. Newlight Technologies, Inc. Sustainable plastic alternatives can feel too good to be true or unfeasible on a large scale. Not the case with Restore foodware, a line of biodegradable straws and regenerative cutlery made from methane and now available at Target stores nationwide. Restore is a sustainable foodware brand from California biotech company Newlight Technologies, Inc. The company's mission is to keep plastic out of the ocean by replacing it with a regenerative biomaterial called AirCarbon, a company representative told EcoWatch. Restore claims that their products never get soggy in hot or cold conditions, contain no plastics or glues, require no food crops for production and are compostable at home. How? It's because of AirCarbon, the cutting-edge biomaterial used to make Restore's forks, knives, spoons and straws. The innovative production process starts with an ocean microbe that absorbs and converts methane and carbon dioxide into a biomaterial called PHB. This material is extractable, meltable and shapeable into a range of products, from straws and office chairs to eyeglass frames, the company website explained. Newlight pioneered a way to recreate this process in tanks in order to extract the AirCarbon. Newlight also sources methane from an abandoned mine; this methane would otherwise leak into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. So each AirCarbon item actually reduces the amount of atmospheric greenhouse gases through the production process, which is considered regenerative and carbon-negative. A Newlight press release estimated that "for every one kilogram of AirCarbon produced in Newlight's production process using methane seeping from abandoned coal mines, 88 kilograms of CO2e are sequestered." Not only that, but if and when Restore's foodware products end up in the sea or soil, as disposable plastics often do, they will naturally biodegrade into non-toxic components. The company also claims that their products quickly degrade In home compost bins. However, the foodwares are meant to be durable, dishwasher-safe and reusable. "Because [AirCarbon is] naturally occurring, microorganisms in the ocean know how to eat it and consume it like a food source," Newlight CEO Mark Herrema explained to Spectrum News 1. This is why the Restore products have a natural end-of-life pathway. In March 2021, Restore piloted its AirCarbon straws and cutlery at Shake Shack locations across the country as part of the latter's "Stand For Something Good" campaign. One month later in time for Earth Day, Newlight began distributing Restore products in Target stores nationwide and on target.com, Bioplastics Magazine reported. By reaching this scale with its first national distribution partner, Newlight is now able to offer Restore products directly to consumers for the first time. Consumers can buy 24-piece packs of wrapped straws and three-piece cutlery packs that come in a reusable natural fiber carrying bag. "Our goal is to help end ocean plastic pollution by finding a shared middle ground," Herrema told Bioplastics Magazine. "For us, that means making sustainable products that people love and that also work for the environment. This launch is the culmination of many years of hard work by many dedicated people." As for what's next, Herrema told EcoWatch, "The next goal is to continue to expand our impact — we're focused on expanding production capacity as quickly as we can, and continuing to grow the availability of AirCarbon in foodware, fashion, and other industries. We'll be announcing new partners and projects as part of that in the months ahead." Longer term, Herrema told Spectrum News 1 that Newlight's plan during the next five to seven years involves replacing more than 90 percent of plastic products that end up in the ocean, including plastic bottles. "This is very much the beginning," he added. EcoWatch Daily Newsletter Related Articles from EcoWatch Recent Stories from EcoWatch
Impact Factor 7.561 \| CiteScore 8.1 More on impact › Front. Immunol., 01 October 2021 \| Editorial: Neurotropism of Parasites and the Immune Responses • 1Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina • 2Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén", Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr. Carlos G. Malbran" (ANLIS)/Malbran, Buenos Aires, Argentina • 3Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Parasitic infections of the central and peripheral nervous systems represent a significant source of morbidity and mortality, especially in humans living in low-to-middle income endemic countries. Examples of these are cerebral malaria, neurocysticercosis, African and American trypanosomiasis and toxoplasmic encephalitis, which may have a predilection for the CNS. In spite of the known association between parasitic infections and specific neurological, cognitive and mental disorders, the exact mechanisms by which “neurotropic” parasites (i) enter the central nervous system (CNS) via the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and via the blood-CSF barrier and (ii) induce neurological damage have not been fully elucidated yet. The study of parasitic brain infections is intertwined with that of neuroinflammation and brain damage. A primary role of neuroinflammation is to protect the CNS from insults, including invasion and attack by infectious agents. Pathogens can benefit from immune responses to promote neuroinvasion, for example, when neuroinflammation facilitates the opening of physical barriers, or when the pathogen develops Trojan horse strategies by using activated cells to enter the brain. Once inside the brain, pathogens are difficult to dislodge and cause CNS dysfunctions. This is the case for various protozoan parasites including the intracellular Toxoplasma and the extracellular African trypanosomes causing chronic CNS infections. Some of these neuroinvasion mechanisms were also described for fungi such as Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans (1). Toxoplasma infects one third of the human population globally. In this Research Topic (RT), Schlüter and Barragan discuss how immune cells can help the spread of Toxoplasma and are programmed by infection of Toxoplasma to spread into the CNS, and how parasite specific Tcell-mediated immune responses control but do not eradicate the infection. Additionally, the function of brain resident cell populations is delineated, i.e., how neurons, astrocytes and microglia serve both as target cells for the parasite but also actively contribute to the immune response is discussed. Mounting evidences that chronic CNS toxoplasmosis may impact in neuropsychiatric diseases or modulate cognitive functions are also presented. Focusing on ocular toxoplasmosis, S. Lie et al. analysed transcriptomes from primary human retinal pigment epithelial cells and cell lines infected with T. gondii strains in vitro. T. gondii infection triggered the immunological activation of T. gondii-infected retinal pigment epithelial cells, cells that form the blood - ocular barrier. Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness has been recognized as a scourge in sub-Saharan Africa for centuries. The disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in animals and man. Infection with this parasite results in an early hemolymphatic-stage followed by a late encephalitic-stage when the parasites migrate into the CNS. Herein, Kennedy and Rodgers present an overview of the clinical features of HAT, with special emphasis on specific features of the late stage of the disease. The epidemiological implications of previously unrecognized asymptomatic individuals is discussed as well as biological features of T. brucei, new drug candidates and diagnostic tools. Circumventricular organs (CVOs), neural structures located around the third and fourth ventricles, harbor, similarly to the choroid plexus, vessels devoid of a continuous nonfenestrated barrier, which enable them to sense immune-stimulatory molecules in the blood circulation, but may also increase chances of exposure to microbes. However, attacks to CVOs by microbes are rarely described. M. Bentivoglio et al. highlight that T. brucei circulating in the bloodstream can attack the CVOs and choroid plexus, providing a route for brain penetration. From the choroid plexus trypanosomes can seed into the ventricles and initiate accelerated infiltration of T cells and parasites in periventricular areas. Trypanosomes can also invade CVOs such as the median eminence located in the base of the third ventricle, and by crossing the border into the BBB-protected hypothalamic arcuate nuclei. Activity in arcuate nucleus neurons affects sleep/wake behavior. Data showing that trypanosome invasion of the CVOs can contribute to triggering initial and distinct CNS imbalances of HAT and the mechanisms involved are discussed. Other pathogens, such as Plasmodium, cause severe alterations and inflammation in the brain vasculature, without entering the brain parenchyma. Sequestration of Plasmodium-infected red blood cells in brain microvessels is a hallmark of cerebral malaria pathology. The role of innate immune responses in cerebral malaria is addressed here by Pais and Penha-Goncalves. They describe how recognition of various parasite-derived molecules by brain endothelial cells innate immune receptors mediates their activation, and trigger inflammatory responses that lead to microcirculatory and coagulation disturbances and to altered vascular permeability impairing BBB integrity. Metazoan parasites have also evolved mechanisms for invading cerebrospinal tissues. They may invade the CNS via hematogenous spread of larval stages to small vessels, by in situ deposition or embolism of eggs following anomalous migration of adult worms to the CNS, attaching to the nasal neuroepithelium and penetration via the olfactory nerve pathway, or directly invading the neural skull and intervertebral foramina. Neurocysticercosis, caused by blood dissemination of Tenia solium larval stages (cysticerci), is the most common helminth infection of the CNS in humans. Clinical presentation and the immunology of neurocysticercosis vary according to the type and location of cysts inside the brain parenchyma or in the cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid spaces (extraparenchymal) (2). In this RT, Toledo et al discuss the need of finding sensitive and specific biomarkers that could predict the intensity of inflammatory response to drug treatment. Although fungal infections of the CNS are uncommon, prolonged systemic circulation of fungi can affect the CNS, thus contributing to morbidity and mortality of the infected patients (3). This RT includes an original research article by M. D’Alessandre Sanches et al., who show the ability of 3 non-albicans Candida species to spread to the CNS in the mouse model, as these species are becoming more frequently involved in CNS candidiasis infections. They show that Candida glabrata, Candida krusei and Candida parapsilosis are able to disseminate to the CNS and promote local inflammation in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice early after infection. Parasitic infections also affect the peripheral nervous system (PNS), probably via the production of parasitic molecules (such as cysteine proteases from Entamoeba) and/or via the immune responses stimulated by the infection. The altered activity of peripheral neurons in these infections, through gut-brain communication may modulate immune activity. Distress in the enteric nervous system plays a key role in the pathophysiology of diarrhea upon exposure to several enteric protozoan and metazoan parasitic infections (i.e. Giardia. sp; E. histolytica). This distress has also been indicated to play a role in echagasic megasyndromes and post-infectious complications. The roles of systemic innate and adaptive immune responses in the perpetuation or eradication of parasitic infections in the brain is interconnected with the pathogenesis of parasitosis. Understanding these roles will help advance the development of preventive measures against parasite-induced neurological diseases. This RT has covered recent advances in the pathogenesis of parasites affecting the CNS and the PNS as well as the role of the immune responses in these infections, highlighting prospects for potential interventions. Author Contributions Supported by the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education. Conflict of Interest Publisher’s Note 1. Strickland AB, Shi M. Mechanisms of Fungal Dissemination. Cell Mol Life Sci (2021) 78(7):3219–38. doi: 10.1007/s00018-020-03736-z PubMed Abstract \| CrossRef Full Text \| Google Scholar 2. Prodjinotho UF, Lema J, Lacorcia M, Schmidt V, Vejzagic N, Sikasunge C, et al. Host Immune Responses During Taenia Solium Neurocysticercosis Infection and Treatment. PLoS Negl Trop Dis (2020) 14(4):e0008005. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008005 PubMed Abstract \| CrossRef Full Text \| Google Scholar 3. Cesaro S, Tridello G, Castagnola E, Calore E, Carraro F, Mariotti I, et al. Retrospective Study on the Incidence and Outcome of Proven and Probable Invasive Fungal Infections in High-Risk Pediatric Onco-Hematological Patients. Eur J Haematol (2017) 99(3):240–8. doi: 10.1111/ejh.12910 PubMed Abstract \| CrossRef Full Text \| Google Scholar Keywords: parasites, neurotropism, blood brain barrier, immune responses, fungi Citation: Postan M and Rottenberg ME (2021) Editorial: Neurotropism of Parasites and the Immune Responses. Front. Immunol. 12:775666. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.775666 Received: 14 September 2021; Accepted: 20 September 2021; Published: 01 October 2021. Edited and reviewed by: Robert Weissert, University of Regensburg, Germany *Correspondence: Miriam Postan,; Martin E. Rottenberg,
Home / News / Industry news / introduction of rocket parachute flare introduction of rocket parachute flare Views:15 Author:admin Publish Time: 2018-12-06 Origin:Site ROCKET PARACHUTE FLARE is a distress signal that can be suspended from the parachute for a certain period of time after being launched to a certain height in the air, and emits red light with a certain luminous intensity and falls at a slow speed. The marine rocket parachute flare should be installed in a waterproof enclosure. The enclosure should be printed with concise instructions or diagrams that clearly state the use of the rocket parachute flame signal. At the same time, there is a complete set of ignition devices. The visual signal is the signal that is sent when the ship needs to be rescued. In order to make the ship and the aircraft to the rescue find the ship difficult. Visual signals include rocket parachute flame signals, hand-held flame signals, and floating smoke signals. The rocket parachute flame signal is emitted by the rocket to an altitude of no less than 300 m. At its apex or near the apex, the rocket will emit a bright red flame with a parachute. The flame can be burned evenly for not less than 40 s, emits light with a light intensity of not less than 30 000 cd, and has a falling speed of no more than 5 m/s. It does not burn the parachute or accessories when burned. This signal is easier to find by rescue boats. International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements: I. the rocket parachute flame signal should meet the following requirements: 1) mounted in a waterproof enclosure; 2) on the enclosure with a brief description or illustration that clearly states the use of the rocket parachute flame signal; 3) with an integrated ignition unit; 4) when used in accordance with the manufacturer's operating instructions, personnel holding The outer casing does not feel uncomfortable. II. When launching vertically, the rocket should reach a height of not less than 300m. At the apex of its ballistics, or near the apex of its ballistics, the rocket emits a parachute flame, which should have the following characteristics: 1) emit bright red light; 2) the combustion is uniform, the average light intensity is not less than 30,000 cd; 3) has a burning time of not less than 40 s; 4) has a parachute speed of not more than 5 m/s; and 5) does not burn the parachute or the attachment when burning. There are many types of rocket parachute flare. The main difference is that the launcher is different. More common are the two types of hair and pull. When using, pay attention to the instructions for use and operate according to their requirements. 1. Method of using the rocket-type rocket parachute flame signal (1) Remove the plastic bag, remove the top cover and the bottom cover, and pay attention to keep the arrow on the outer casing facing upwards; (2) Put down the hinged lever of the bottom trigger, hold the rocket launcher in one hand, raise the head vertically, and hold the palm of the other hand on the pressure bar; (3) Push the pressure bar up, and quickly hold the rocket with both hands. When the wind is strong, the wind will be slightly upward, and the rocket will be launched soon. 2. The use of pull-type rocket parachute flame signal: (1) Remove the top cover and bottom cover, and take care to keep the arrow on the cover facing up. (2) Pull out the lower end of the parachute rocket signal. (3) Grasp the cable and pull it down. (4) Launch the rocket parachute flare. Special attention should be paid when transmitting rocket signals: Some rocket signals tend to be delayed for a period of time when launching. Try to hold the rocket simplified body with both hands. However, if the rocket has not been launched after 10 s of firing, the rocket signal should be thrown into the water as soon as possible to prevent danger. Add: No.221,Shuangzi Bd. A,Science Park,Dingmao,Zhenjiang,212009,P.R.China E-mail: Tel: +86-511-88882551 / 15312365297 Copyright 2018 Zhenjiang Matchau Marine Equipment Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved. Sitemap
How To Write Music Around A Sample? How do you make music with samples? The general approach to sampling involves taking a portion of sound from your audio track and processing it through your sampler or Digital Audio Workstation. You’ll then chop it up, loop it, pitch it and or arrange it in an entirely new way to create a brand new sound for your song. Is it legal to use samples in music? In the music industry, the process of sampling is regularly used by music producers. However, contrary to popular belief, sampling of a copyrighted song without permission from the owner is still illegal. If you use samples in your music, it is necessary for you to obtain legal permission to use it. How long can a sample be legally? What is sample based music? Music sampling is the process by which a musician or record producer uses a portion of an existing song in a brand new recording, looping it and layering it with new music in a new context. You might be interested: FAQ: How To Write A Music Book? Can you sample speeches in music? If you include a sample of someone else’s music in your own work, then you need to get permission to use it. There are two bits of copyright that you need to clear and, in many cases, neither of these will be owned by the artist who performed the track. The second is the copyright in the song. How do you isolate a beat from a song? 1. After adding the song, just click the arrow of your song track, select “Split Track To Mono” then, select your bottom track and ‘Effects -> Invert’ and you’re done with removing the beats or whatever. Is sampling music stealing? How do you clear a music sample? How to Legally Clear Samples For Your Copyrighted Music? 1. Buy online samples. The easiest and most affordable way to use cleared samples in your productions is to through specialized sites. 2. Sample an original track. 3. Find the publisher or owner. 4. Contact the publisher(s) 5. Sign an agreement. 6. Free unclear sampling. Can I use 3 seconds of a copyrighted song? 3 seconds of a song can turn into years of hurt. The first is to use music in the public domain. Songs in the public domain are no longer copyrighted and, for the most part, they are free to use. You might be interested: Readers ask: How To Decide What Genre Of Music To Write? How much of song can you use legally? How do you get a sample legally? When you sample, you must get permission from both the owner of the composition and the owner of the recording before you release any copies of your new recording. If both parties approve your request to sample, you’ll need to enter into a sampling agreement with each copyright owner. What songs can I sample for free? So to help you find the best free music samples possible, here are three sample -sharing websites that you’ve got to check out. • SampleSwap. SampleSwap is not just a website full of free samples. • LANDR Free Music Samples. People know LANDR mainly for its service that automatically masters your song. • Library Of Congress. Leave a Reply Related Post
Question: If Petetownsendf Can’r Read Music How Did He Write His D=songs? How is music written? How music is notated or written down? When did music notation that we can read develop? It’s a system devised in — you guessed it — Italy, in the 1500s and 1600s. It was a time when instrumental music was on the rise, and the musicians needed something concrete in front of them to communicate pitch and rhythm. So a good start — but this isn’t the oldest musical notation in existence. What are the 10 musical symbols? • treble (G2) G-clef. • bass (F4) F-clef. • alto (C3) C-clef. • tenor (C4) C-clef. • French violin or French (G1) G-clef. • percussion or indefinite pitch clef – not shown. You might be interested: Often asked: How Do You Remove Write Protection From A Music File On Mp3 Player? Who first wrote music down? The earliest form of musical notation can be found in a cuneiform tablet that was created at Nippur, in Babylonia (today’s Iraq), in about 1400 BC. The tablet represents fragmentary instructions for performing music, that the music was composed in harmonies of thirds, and that it was written using a diatonic scale. Is music easy to read? Learning to read music is not hard – anyone who can read the alphabet of everyday language or read numbers already has the tools to learn how to read music. If you read other articles here at School of Composition, you might have come across the idea of brain plasticity as we mentioned it a few times. What are the 7 musical notes? What kind of lines extend the staff up or down? Writing Ledger Lines When notes are too high or low to be written on a staff, small lines are drawn to extend the staff. These extra lines are called ledger lines. Example 11 shows ledger lines written above and below a staff. What else is a staff called? The staff is the foundation upon which notes are drawn. The stave (or staff ) is the foundation upon which notes are drawn. The modern staff comprises five lines and four spaces. The modern stave comprises five lines and four spaces. What was the first instrument? You might be interested: Readers ask: How To Write Background Music For A Song Online? Who invented music in India? During this 16th century period, Tansen studied music and introduced musical innovations, for about the first sixty years of his life with patronage of the Hindu king Ram Chand of Gwalior, and thereafter performed at the Muslim court of Akbar. Many musicians consider Tansen as the founder of Hindustani music. Who invented classical music? Who invented songs? Leave a Reply Related Post
Introducing long short-term memory Hochreiter and Schmidhuber studied the problems of vanishing and exploding gradients extensively and came up with a solution called Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM, LSTMs can handle long-term dependencies due to a specially crafted memory cell. In fact, they work so well that most of the current accomplishments in training RNNs on a variety of problems are due to the use of LSTMs. In this section, we'll explore how this memory cell works and how it solves the vanishing gradients issue. The key idea of LSTM is the cell state, ct (in addition to the hidden RNN state, ht), where the information can only be explicitly written in or removed so that the state ... Get Advanced Deep Learning with Python now with O’Reilly online learning.
Decomposing entities After listing key entities and processes, we move to decompose them into more detailed entities that will be transformed into classes later. It's even better to sketch the design of the project. Just draw rectangles containing names of entities and connect them with arrows if they are somehow connected together or are parts of the same process. You can start an arrow from entity A to entity B if there is a process that includes or is started by the entity A and is finished at or results in entity B. It doesn't matter how good the drawing is, it's a necessary step toward a better understanding of the project. For example, look at the following diagram: Decomposing entities and processes into classes and their intercommunication ... Get Expert C++ now with O’Reilly online learning.
How did DL take ML into next level? In short, deep learning algorithms are mostly a set of ANNs that can make better representations of large-scale datasets, in order to build models that learn these representations very extensively. Nowadays it's not limited to ANNs, but there have been really many theoretical advances and software and hardware improvements that were necessary for us to get to this day. In this regard, Ian Goodfellow et al. (Deep Learning, MIT Press, 2016) defined deep learning as follows: "Deep learning is a particular kind of machine learning that achieves great power and flexibility by learning to represent the world as a nested hierarchy of concepts, with each concept defined in relation to simpler concepts, and more ... Get Java Deep Learning Projects now with O’Reilly online learning.
Systems in a Mail Configuration A mail configuration requires a minimum of two elements, which can be combined on the same system or can be provided by separate systems: a mail hub and mail clients. When you want users to be able to communicate with networks outside of your domain, you must also have a gateway. mailhost is a common DNS host alias assigned to the mail hub in any domain. Figure 1 shows a typical electronic mail configuration that uses all elements. Each of these elements is identified and described in the following sections. Figure 1. A Typical Electronic Mail Configuration A gateway is a system that handles connections between ... Get Solaris™ 8 Advanced System Administrator's Guide, Third Edition now with O’Reilly online learning.
Test Goals Testing can be performed for a variety of purposes. One simple example is the difference between failure discovery testing and demonstration testing. In one instance, failures are desirable as they enable engineers to identify how a product or system will fail, and then take steps to correct/modify the design to prevent or prolong such failures from occurring. This approach is commonly known as Reliability Growth Testing (RGT), though Reliability Growth can also be achieved without testing. RGT is typically performed on a collection of prototypes in the later design stages, such that there is time for additional modifications based on any design flaw(s) identified during the testing. Analysis-based reliability growth techniques have grown in popularity because they are performed earlier in the design process, when it is less costly to alter the design. Demonstration testing, on the other hand, generally is used to evaluate a product’s or system’s performance by demonstrating a certain level of reliability (e.g., how long it will operate before it fails). This Reliability Demonstration/Qualification Testing (RDT/RQT) is typically performed in the latter stages of product development, at which point failures are undesirable and under performance may lead to costly and/or timely design reevaluations. A similar type of demonstration testing, known as Production Reliability Acceptance Testing (PRAT), is usually performed during the production phase of a product’s life cycle to ensure that the production process can achieve the reliability of the design – in other words, ensure the manufacturing process does introduce flaws that hinder performance. Additional screening may be performed on a production lot to eliminate parts/systems with latent defects (defects that cannot be discovered through inspection). This Reliability Screening may include Environmental Stress Screening (ESS), Burn-In or Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS), which differ in the type and severity of the stimuli applied to products to precipitate premature failures. Test Planning Once a general testing approach has been selected, it is not simply performed. Instead, there are a number of factors to consider and plan in order to achieve the desired results (or test the appropriate factor). The Design of Experiments is a common term and practice for the necessary due diligence in planning a test. Factors to consider include cost and/or schedule restrictions, applied stimuli (e.g., force, load cycling, temperature, voltage, etc.), available equipment, acceleration factors, and so on. Despite the long history between testing and reliability, a more recent approach involves Modeling & Simulation (M&S) as well as additional analyses-based activities. Such alternatives should be considered, as Testing Simulation may provide a more suitable option based on the available resources. Test Results Testing is performed to observe a component’s or system’s behavior, which is often quantified through various performance metrics. Collecting and analyzing the data is a critical component for any test, and ensures that meaningful knowledge is gleaned from the test results. A Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) is an important tool for collecting and analyzing data down to the Root Cause of failure. Weibull Analysis is an important data analysis technique for characterizing life and failure mode characteristics of a part, product or system. This brief overview of the different reliability testing strategies only scratches the surface. A more in-depth discussion of the different types of tests, and the factors to consider when planning a specific type of test are described in the System Reliability Toolkit V.
TOEFL Reading Practice 4 Please take a moment to complete this quiz. Read the following passage and answer the question In context, which word most closely defines mélange? TOEFL Test Information The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Exam is intended to measure a student’s ability to understand and use English at a college level. Over 6,000 colleges, government organizations, and businesses accept TOEFL test scores worldwide. The TOEFL Test serves a similar function to other standardized tests (such as SAT and ACT Tests) in that they used by colleges and universities as a factor in admissions. Different institutions place varying degrees of importance on standardized tests, such as the TOEFL, and use them along with other factors such as GPA, class rank, community service, recommendations and extracurricular activities. The TOEFL test is given in two formats: Internet-based (iBT) or paper-based (PBT). The TOEFL iBT has 4 test sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The TOEFL iBT takes about four and a half hours to complete. The TOEFL paper-based test is being phased out. Currently, over 96% of TOEFL tests are taken via the internet. For more help, review our free TOEFL practice tests. Some questions are from the following sources: Erik Jacobsen at www.erikthered.com/tutor CK-12 Foundation - www.ck12.org About Test-Guide Follow us
Chagos Archipelago From Wikispooks Jump to navigation Jump to search US & UK operated black site in the Indian Ocean. Plays a mysterious role in vanishing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Place.png Chagos Archipelago (Military base, Black site) Diego Garcia Indian Ocean.png Chagos map.PNG Subpage(s)Chagos Archipelago/Depopulation The Chagos Archipelago is in a remote but strategically very useful location in the Indian Ocean. It has been exposed as black site operated by MI6 and the CIA. Its role in the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is denied by most authorities, although much evidence points to it playing some role. British Indian Ocean Territory Full article: Stub class article Chagos Archipelago/Depopulation The islands were administered with Mauritius as part of the British Empire. When granted independence, the Mauritian was "frightened"[citation needed] into accepting continued UK control of the islands amid an indication that other wise it would not be given independence. The UK paid the self-governing colony of Mauritius £3m for the islands.[1] Denis Greenhill's 1966 cable The islands were were cleared of inhabitants by the UK from 1965 onwards to prevent interruptions to military operations when the US established a military base. Britain formally has sovereignty, and keep a handful of military personnel there to maintain this fiction. US military base Diego Garcia is a large Navy and Air Force base and a central node in U.S. military efforts to control the Greater Middle East and its oil and natural gas supplies, and the Indian Ocean. No journalist has gotten more than a glimpse of Diego Garcia, one of the most secretive military bases in the world, in more than 30 years. And yet, it has played a key role in waging the Gulf War, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, and the bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.[2] the island is also used for operations off the Horn of Africa and to pressure Iran and even China. After the 1991 Iraq war, the military began transforming the island into one of a handful of major "forward operating bases" as part of a shift of U.S. forces eastward away from European bases. The dream for many in the military became the ability to strike any location on the planet from Barksdale Air Base in Louisiana, Guam in the Pacific, or Diego Garcia. [3] Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Full article: Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 A December 23, 2014 article from the New Zealand Herald and France24 reported that Marc Dugain, the former chief executive of now defunct Proteus Airlines had a new theory regarding the plane; It was shot down[4]. after being hacked around Diego Garcia. His claims were met with a lot of scepticism. Malaysian President Mahathir Mohamad was visible spooked when discovering - after pushing for questioning how a plane in 2010s could disappear with satellites hovering above the entire world - the media globally refused to investigate or start questioning Boeing (who have a remote autopilot[5] patented since the 2000s for their newest planes) or the CIA (who work with British intelligence agency MI6 at Diego Garcia).[6] Extraordinary Rendition The US used the Chagos Islands for "extraordinary rendition". The Guardian reported that "the publication last week of a long-awaited US Senate intelligence report has raised fresh questions about what the UK knew about the CIA’s torture programme – and in particular the role played by an obscure overseas British territory. Al-Jazeera reported earlier in the year that the committee had seen evidence that Diego Garcia, an atoll in the Indian Ocean, had been used for extraordinary rendition “with the full cooperation” of the UK. But when the heavily redacted report was published, it made no mention of Diego Garcia, raising questions about whether references to it had been removed at the request of the UK."[7] UK Policy A UK Foreign Office memo of 1980 recommended to then Foreign Secretary that “no journalists should be allowed to visit Diego Garcia” and that visits by MPs be kept to a minimum to keep out those “who deliberately stir up unwelcome questions”.[8] UK Foreign Secretary William Hague was reported by The Guardian to be pressured by an alliance of former detainees, an abducted military officer from the 2011 Attacks on Libya and NGOs to confess Diego Garcia, be running a MI6 black site.[9] In 2000, UK foreign secretary Robin Cook resisted pressure from the US and promised the displaced citizens of the Chagos Islands the right to return to the Outer Chagos Islands.[10] His successor Jack Straw reneged on this promise.[11] 2019 ICJ ruling The ICJ ruled that the UK should hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius "as rapidly as possible" and that continued UK occupation of the remote archipelago is illegal.[12] The General Assembly reaffirmed this decision by a vote of 116 in favour, to 6 against (Australia, Hungary, Israel, Maldives, UK and the US).[13] The UK ignored the ruling, prompting the prime minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, to exploring the possibility of bringing charges of crimes against humanity against individual British officials to the ICC.[14] Related Quotations Malaysia Airlines Flight 370“This report makes no attempt or claim to prove that the large low flying jet plane seen over Kudahuvadhoo that fateful early morning was MH 370. It merely sets the record straight that the jet plane that overflew Kudahuvadhoo has not yet been identified. The Maldives government first claimed there was "no plane", then the plane was a "private jet", then fifteen months later a "domestic propeller plane flight", then back to "no plane", then finally to say it cannot be discussed due to "national security".”Blaine Gibson2016 Malaysia Airlines Flight 370“Clearly Boeing and certain agencies have the capacity to take over ‘uninterruptible control’ of commercial airliners of which MH370 B777 is one. Someone is hiding something, it is not fair that… Malaysia should take the blame. For some reason, the media will not print anything that involves Boeing or the CIA"”Mahathir Mohamad2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight 370“My own view is that probably control was taken of that aeroplane, the events that happened during the course of its tracked flight will be anybody's guess of who did what and when. I think we need to know who was on this aeroplane in the detail that obviously some people do know, we need to know what was in the hold of the aeroplane, in the detail we need to know, in a transparent manner.”Tim ClarkNovember 2014 Event Witnessed Malaysia Airlines Flight 370South China Sea Indian Ocean A commercial airliner which went missing. Reported to be seen flying towards black site, Diego Garcia. The president of Malaysia became visibly concerned that Boeing and the CIA were covering up something. Related Documents TitleTypePublication dateAuthor(s)Description Document:Depopulation of the Chagos Islands 1965-73book extract12 February 2007Mark Curtis Document:The World War on Democracyarticle19 January 2012John PilgerAn illustration of the true nature of 'Globalisation' by recounting the story of the Chagos Islanders and their Machiavellian abuse at the hands of the UK government.
Tito: a biography Swain, G. (2011) Tito: a biography. Series: Communist lives, 5. I.B. Tauris: London. ISBN 9781845117276 Full text not currently available from Enlighten. Publisher's URL: http://www.ibtauris.com/en.aspx Josip Broz Tito was a remarkable figure in the history of Communism, the Second World War, the Balkans and post-war Eastern Europe. He was the only European besides Lenin to lead a successful Communist revolution and became one of the most renowned Communist leaders of all times. For a certain generation, he was remembered as someone who stood up to both Hitler and Stalin and won. Tito was above all else a communist, and was devoted to the communist cause until the day he died. What made him different to other communist leaders was that his early experience of Soviet Russia had given him sufficient knowledge of the Soviet experience not to be bound by its spell. Throughout his life he sought to distinguish between Leninism and Stalinism, while never abandoning the internationalism that he maintained stood at the heart of the Marxist message. In his new Yugoslavia, he developed a system of socialist self-administration which appeared able to compete with the West and provided his people with the consumer benefits associated with capitalism. However, within a decade of his death the edifice he had constructed imploded into the most brutal of ethnic conflicts - in essence, Tito was responsible for both the success and the failure of post-war Yugoslavia. In this, the first post-communist biography of Tito, the renowned historian, Geoffrey Swain, paints a new picture of this famous figure. Swain explores not only Tito's relationship with Stalin, but also his early relationship with the Comintern and his long engagement with Khrushchev and the de-Stalinisation process. Item Type:Books Additional Information:'This is a fair account of Tito's political life which works well as a histroy of Yugoslavia since its foundation from the Second World War to the death of Tito ....the book has the great merit of being judicious and balanced'. Donald Sassoon, Professor of Comparative European History at Queen Mary College, University of London. Keywords:Tito, communism, Yugoslavia Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Swain, Professor Geoffrey Authors: Swain, G. Research Group:History, Memory and Legacy Publisher:I.B. Tauris Related URLs:
From Mississippi Crossroads to the American Heartland How a Unique Musical Style Road the Blues Highway to History by Masha Vodyanik, age 15 The roots of blues music run deep. This rich history can be traced along major highways running south to north through the American heartland. US. Route 61 is one these roads. It is known as the “Blues Highway.” U.S. Highway 61 is fourteen hundred miles long. It runs from New Orleans through Memphis, Tenn., north to Minnesota. It generally follows the path of the Mississippi River, and runs through the Mississippi Delta. The Mississippi Delta is an area of land in northern Mississippi where many African American slaves lived, and later tended small farms. It is not to be confused with the Louisiana Delta where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. After the Civil War, the Mississippi Delta was mostly known for its cotton business. It is also the root of blues music – affectionately termed “Delta Blues.” From the 1800’s to the 1920’s, large numbers of African Americans immigrated north to escape slavery, and after the Civil War, sharecropping, poverty, and oppression. This pattern of migration was called The Great Migration. Traveling up the highway, they shared stories of their harsh experiences on the plantations through singing the blues. This gave the road its nickname, The Blues Highway. Named after the song “Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson, the legendary crossroad at Clarksdale, Mississippi is the junction where Highways 61 and 49 meet. Legend says Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the Devil on this spot in exchange for mastery of the blues. Many artists have referenced it the Blues Highway. Minnesota native Bob Dylan has an album titled “Highway 61: Revisited.” The song with the same title tells a story of many events, leading all the way up to World War II, that occurred on this road. Besides African Americans, people of other cultures and different musical backgrounds traveled this famous road, bringing with them many other genres of music. These musical styles included jazz, country, and Rock-n-Roll. All these types of music helped the blues evolve and expand. In turn, the blues influenced American music history in many important ways. This music grew up in the south. It traveled highways and back roads right into the soul of America. [Sources: Wikipedia; Simpson Street Free Press archives; American History Atlas] Nice job Masha! This is a very interesting article. I think the history of music is super cool to learn about. – Eleazar WawaUW-Madison (2017-01-10 18:59)
en-INFO - HB4FR - Apollo 11 - HB4FR We want to interest young people in sciences, technology and radio Logo HB4FR "Clin d'Ailes" Swiss Air Force Museum HAM Radio Club Payerne - Switzerland Aller au contenu INFO - HB4FR - Special Activities (Friedrich Friedli, HB9TNA) July 20, 1969, 50 years ago, first landed people on a foreign celestial body, the moon. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first to put their boots in the moon dust, leaving their famous footprints behind. The first moon landing 50 years ago burned into the collective memory of humanity, it was a spectacle of engineering. On millions of TV screens worldwide - at that time still a relatively new technology - but also on the radio, spectators and radio listeners watched in live the event never thought possible by many people. The question arises as to how the astronauts were able to send TV signals from the moon back to Earth. While preparing for our amateur radio exam, we had studied the behavior of the electromagnetic waves and understood that the shortwave from the ionosphere to the earth are reflected. As far as can be remembered, the microwaves at that time were not or hardly used for communication purposes. So how did the Apollo team succeed in broadcasting TV signals from space and communicating with radio operations in Houston via radio signals? HB4FR, the amateur radio club of the military aviation museum "Clin d'Ailes" in Payerne VD, not only posed this question on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. He therefore decided to openly attend to these and other interesting questions as part of a memorial day of the event, one of the greatest triumphs of humanity. How was it that the first emblem of a country on the moon was the Swiss coat of arms? What triggered the first moon landing of people in space research, what has happened in this regard to this day, and what will happen next? What have Swiss industry and research contributed to Apollo 11? These are many interesting questions that will be answered on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at the Military Air Force Museum «Clin d'Ailes». The visitor receives answers to these questions during three lectures in the national languages German and French as well as through an exhibition. • Dr. André Galli, space physicist at the University of Bern, will talk about "The Apollo 11 Solar Wind Composition Experiment" (SWC) and other highlights of space research at the University of Bern ». • Lorenz Born, HB9DTN, Engineer Mobile Terminal Equipment, will, not for the first time, highlight the topic of "Apollo Telecommunications System and On-Board Computer". • Claude Nicollier, HB9CN, astronaut, astrophysicist and professor EPFL, co-founder of the "Clin d'Ailes" museum and its President-in-Office, will showcase the «space flight to Apollo 11 to today» and dare to "look ahead to the future of space travel". In addition, the visitor has the opportunity to participate in interactive activities, e.g. replacing astronaut Neil Armstrong by making a virtual moon landing, or in the lunar orbit, in the place of astronaut Michael Collins to pilot the Apollo 11 command module. Hunger and thirst will probably arise on this interesting day. HB4FR and the museum crew will do both better than quenching them with MRE (Meals Ready to Eat, the freeze-dried astronaut meals) and recycled water. HB4FR believes that the first moon landing of humans, which began as a race between the superpowers and has become one of the greatest triumphs of humanity and engineering, deserves to be recalled fifty years later. On Saturday, October 12, 2019, in the military aviation museum "Clin d'Ailes" in Payerne VD. Please refer to the german or french pages for he detailed and final program as well as the lecture registration Do not miss this special day Apollo 11, and do not forget to come and sign up for one or the other conference !! HAM Radio : Amateur Radio is „Communications Superpower". The Radio Amateurs are the eyes and the ears of the world in time when all other information channels are silent. (Kristalina Georgieva, EU-Commissioner) © 2011 / 2018 by HB4FR Logo HB4FR we provide Space for Kids Retourner au contenu
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a dynamic concept that encompasses a new vision of education that seeks to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable future. (UNU-IAS) The RCE Minna is founded to contribute to this effort to mobilize formal and non-formal sectors in all nations to deliver the ESD to the people and to support the realisation of the four major thrusts of the ESD as identified in Chapter 36 of Agenda 21, which are: 1. The promotion and improvement of basic education, 2. Reorienting existing education at all levels to address sustainable development, 3. Developing public understanding and awareness of sustainability, and 4. Training and retraining All these form the main frame work of the activities of RCE Minna. RCE Vision and Objectives: The vision and objectives of RCE Minna is anchored on the understanding of the followings:  What are the detailed problems within the region?  What is the ideal situation?  What are the hindrances?  Identification of the steps in the desired direction. RCE Objectives: Short-Term 1. To develop, collate and adapt teaching and learning resources on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) for implementation in both formal and non-formal (including local languages) education delivery. 2. To make available to all major school libraries, literature, expertise and teaching/learning resources on ESD. 3. To initiate activities that will engender collective problem-solving by bringing together school children at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels through hands-on activities at the community level. 4. To generate the requisite awareness for the uptake of ESD as a key ingredient in school curricula and community-level development programme implementation. 5. To solicit the early buy-in and continuous engagement of all stakeholders in the activities of the RCE. 6. To design and deliver strategic awareness campaigns at the community level for pushing the ESD agenda in local languages. Strategies to Achieve the RCE Objectives:  Advocacy among political class for policies that promote sustainable development  Conducting seminars and workshops on ESD for educational institutions, youth organisations, societies and clubs.  Creating public awareness for resource conservation and sustainable utilization.  Policy advocacy, participatory communitylevel resource mapping and monitoring,  Community mobilization for self-driven community development projects.  Conducting Training of Trainers (TOT) courses on ESD to increase the resource persons/facilitators in various strategic localities within the region.
Pseudoscience or Science? What is pseudoscience? And how can you distinguish it from real science? Click on the above links to begin your research. One way to detect pseudoscience is to be observant of claims that are made, yet not tested under scientific conditions. Remember that scientific claims should be reproducible, predictable, and testable. Isn’t it just easier to imagine that these actions have been taken rather than investigate it all for ourselves? Not only are we lazy, but apparently we are biologically hardwired to see patterns which seem to confirm our bias. To learn more about this idea, see this presentation by Michael Shermer Please reply to this post by explaining pseudoscience and by providing at least one example that you encounter in your everyday experiences and observations. What makes your example pseudoscience? What scientific thinking could be applied to test the claims that are made? How can you defend yourself against such claims? 49 thoughts on “Pseudoscience or Science? 1. A pseudo-science is something that claims to be scientific but can’t be tested because hypothesises are too vague. My example for this would be creationism becuase some people claim some phenomina to be ‘acts of god’ and that it is scientific that our world could have been created in 7 days. I can defend myself against this by showing them evidence of billions of years of life with the fossils of dinosaurs. 2. Pseudoscience is an idea that can never be proven by experience. It is proposed as a scientific theory that has never been confirmed. A great example of pseudoscience are UFOs because there have been claims of their existence but they can’t ever be tested with scientific evidence. Crop circles have been seen as shapes formed by UFOs but they have never been confirmed. 3. Pseudo-science is a claim that has not been proven scientifically. For example the zombie acopolypse that was caused by the incident of drug over dose. This is pseudo-science because it is caused by the movies that were about zombies which causes people to believe. 4. It is really intresting how he saw pictures evern without the outline and how the girlskissed a monkey and felt the good becuase they believed it was the guys. 5. pseudoscience is a belief or process that disguises as science and can’t be tested or proven. An example of pseudoscience is: Back in the days, some people thought that Earth was flat. It couldn’t be proven though, and it wasn’t until later, that it was proven that Earth was round 6. Pseudo-science is false science or theory, for example in science people thought that the world was flat but was discovered later that the world was round. 7. Pseudoscience is a scientific theory or belief that is based on unscientific or untested assumptions. An example of this is racism. Some people believed that there was biological evidence to support their conclusion that a certain ethnicity was inferior when in fact it was untested and completely untrue. 8. How is selectivity benificial for you? And, is selectivity benificial for others too? 9. Pseudo-science is having an idea or theory that somewhat explains the what occurs or why it happens. An example is creationism vs evolution, public schools now debate whether or not we should teach “evolution” because it can offend religion. Creationism is the thought of the world made by a greater force. Evolution is the thought that we exist from a development through generation and generations. This is all pseudo-science, because we’ll never exist to witness or test if any of these theories are true. I won’t exist to determine which origin of life is more correct, because they both have holes and flaws. • Do you think “evolution” is important even though it is just a thought? And, can “evolution” be more than just a thought? 10. I thought that this was a cool idea for an example of pseudo-science. Your example reminded me of the zodiacs. Do you think the Zodiacs are pseudo-science? 11. Pseudoscience is a science that is not nearly all science. Pseudoscience is like religion/beliefs that people put into science form and claims as it science.For example people would think that astroglogy is a type of science. It is the study of the astronomy,but some study the movement of stars and planets to help predicts one fate,but to acknowledge it as a study of science is rare to many scientist. The study of astrology is a mixture of one beliefs on how your fate can be determine by the movements of stars and planets. • I think astrology is somewhat true, but its really what we think. Its like that one trick that doctors use on patients. They’re sick, so a doctor “prescribes” medication. When it is really just a sugar pill. The patient thinks they’re cured, its what the mind sets us to think. Personally I strongly believe that a Zodiac is accurate to determine my fate, because I witness and experience it. • but doesn’t your belief that it is true effect how you interpret what your being told? 12. I think an example of pseudoscience would be how clouds are shape in the sky because I see shapes and figures of animals or everyday symbols such as the cross on the church, hearts for valentines, animals like dogs, cats, bunnies, etc. My example is pseudoscience by how I picture the clouds is shaped in my mind but the clouds were already shape like that. I think theories, hypothesizes, observations and laws could be applied to test the claims. Yes, I can defend myself by proving the claims wrong or right using the scientific theories, laws or methods. • I agree with your thought, but I think we can only determine the truth and law behind life is to actually experience it, rather just using numbers and other ways to predict what something may be or look like. 13. i think that pseudo-science is a collection of beliefs mistakenly observed as being based on scientific method. 14. I think pseudo science is about selectivity. During the auction on Gila’s scientific term selectivity, the image she drew to represent her word was the vase/two faces. If you focus on the black colors, it is the two faces image and if you focus on the white color, it is the vase. In the video, I remembered hearing about Type I and Type II errors. This reminded me about how I reacted when I was home alone. I was home with my little sister Rosemary. When I was in my parent’s room, I heard footsteps in the hallway. I was so scared, so I picked up the fly swapper and used it as a weapon. I walked out slowly, thinking to myself: is it a ghost? a thief? I was still scared, but then it turned out to be my uncle only. I made an error, thinking it was a ghost/thief, but it was just my uncle. • Do you think assuming conclusions could errors just like how you mistaken the sound of footsteps of ghost or theif for your uncle? 15. Pseudoscience means an idea that claims to be scientific but lack empirical evidence. Science has empirical evidence and pseudoscience doesn’t. For example, one time I was home alone and I heard someone calling my name but no one was there but me. My mom told me that if someone called your name and you are alone by yourself don’t answer it because it might be a ghost. My example is pseudoscience because I didn’t see it but only hear it and empirical evidence means a source of knowledge acquire observation or experiment. I also didn’t test it and I don’t have any prove so my example is a pseudoscience. Scientists had made a ghost finding device that which measured the temperature in the rooms. They believe that a ghost brings in a cold presence like a cold wind blow in the rooms although there is no prove on what so ever that they exist. • In order to defend myself from pseudoscience, I must prove what I hear or what I believe to see if it’s true. • Many cultures have different beliefs over this topic, do you think that the more people that believe in something the more possible it is? • Well, I think yes because if the more people believe it then the more chances that there might be a ghost or ghosts out there. • What type of evidence would be needed to convince everyone that ghosts exist? Considering many people claim to have video and audio evidence of ghosts but everyone is still skeptical. 16. The belief of therapeutic touch where a healer or priest passes his or her hands to heal a person is an example of pseudoscience. I believe the scientific thinking of a rationalist can be applied to test whether or not the belief of therapeutic touch truly works. Moreover to defend myself against pseudoscience claims I strongly believe in the saying “Its not about what you know it’s about what you can prove.” 17. Pseudo-science is ideas or claims that are scientific, but does not have any scientific support or evidence. An example of this would be ghosts. Their has been claims of finding ghosts by using thermometers to find the temperature in rooms. Scientists test temperatures in rooms because it is believed that the presence of ghosts can cause a change in the temperature of the room, however there has been no real proof of the existence of ghosts. • I think this is a terrific example of pseudoscience. In my opinion, I believe in ghosts. I think that ghosts are considered fake because people make claims that proofs of ghosts are somehow edited. Therefore, it makes it harder for other people to believe. • Do you believe that ghosts exist? If yes, then do you believe that there is a change in temperature when there are ghosts? • leslie, are u saying that if temperature involves in ghost, then it isnt pseudoscience? • I like the example im not sure whether I believe or not. Theres moments where stories seem so true but then some stories seem so unbelievable. I find this topic to be a form of entertainiment instead of science. 18. Pseudoscience is fake science where its claims are generally broad and have exceptions for every time it crosses a counter example. An example of pseudoscience is 2012. Everybody believes in 2012 but its not scientifically proven to be true. 19. Pseudoscience is a belief that is claimed to be science but is not proven or tested. I beleieve an example is when someone reads the lins o the palm of your hands. This is pseudoscience because the “fortue teller” is telleing you your future based on lines but it hasnt been shown or experimented. • I think that your example of pseudoscience is really interesting. My sister had had her palms read. I think that she was in a desperate situation that made her scared. Though, I think that she had gone to get her palms read because a religious belief rather than a scientific belief. I highly doubt that she was thinking scientifically. • culture is a great impact in society but to what point can we trust fortune tellers and from where do the get their power to read hands or is it just a joke? 20. selectivity: being bias seeing towards one way and not want to see the other way. through out the day i favor ideas that would be benificial towards me. pseudo-science: its a belief claimes to be related to science but has not been justified by science.
2nd October 2019 What is marginal costing in cost accounting? Marginal costing is used to know the impact of variable cost on the volume of production or output. Break-even analysis is an integral and important part of marginal costing. Contribution of each product or department is a foundation to know the profitability of the product or department. Simply so, what is the difference between variable and absorption costing? In the field of accounting, variable (direct) costing and absorption (full) costing are two different methods of applying production costs to products or services. Under the direct costing method, fixed manufacturing overhead costs are expensed during the period in which they are incurred. What is marginal costing? Marginal cost is the cost of one additional unit of output. The concept is used to determine the optimum production quantity for a company, where it costs the least amount to produce additional units. If a company operates within this "sweet spot," it can maximize its profits. What is marginal costing system? From this we can develop the following definition of marginal costing as used in management accounting: Marginal costing is the accounting system in which variable costs are charged to cost units and fixed costs of the period are written off in full against the aggregate contribution. Write Your Answer 4 / 5 based on 2 votes. Press Ctrl + D to add this site to your favorites!
How do vaccines work? show/hide words to know Activate: to make active or turn on. Adverse: harmful. Effective: works well, and as it was supposed to work. Host: an organism that is carrying a parasite. How are vaccines tested? Someone in a laboratory transferring liquid into an epindorf, and wearing PPE including a respirator. Vaccines go through a lot of testing, even before the thorough human clinical trials required for vaccine approval. Image by Fernando Zhiminaicela via Pixabay. It’s early September in 2020 and you are a vaccine researcher working to try to protect people from COVID-19. The vaccine you’re testing has just entered clinical trials, which means you are finally testing it on adult humans. One of your test subjects reports a medical issue, and your trials stop. You’ve already been through months and months of testing and re-testing of this vaccine. You tested its ability to protect cells and mice; you tested overdoses of it on mice to see if it had any negative effects; you tested it on a species of monkey; and you tested different mixtures of ingredients to see which recipe is the most effective. But if this one medical issue isn’t a fluke, or odd occurrence, this vaccine will never be sent out for use. Vaccines have to go through rigorous development and testing before they can ever be used in humans, and then many rounds of human testing before they can be used widely. Let’s take a closer look at what all goes into testing a vaccine for safety. How are vaccines tested for safety? Most vaccines require some type of cell that they can grow and replicate inside of. These "host cells" may be from a wide range of organisms, whether from bacteria, fungi, animals, or plants. The testing process depends on the type of vaccine that was chosen and the way it was produced. Sometimes powerful microscopes and computer programs will be used to visualize the vaccine; other times the vaccine can be tested without the use of microscopes. A scientist looking at two different liquids in tubes. Much of vaccine development can involve problem solving and trying to figure out how to fix a vaccine that isn't working well enough. Image © 2011, Charlotte Raymond Photography for International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). If any problems are noticed, scientists try to find the cause and make changes to fix the vaccine. This might mean that a new method or different host cells need to be chosen to make the vaccine. This process continues until the scientists are satisfied with the experimental results of the vaccine that they have made. Then, they have a “vaccine candidate.” Testing vaccines: Pre-clinical stage Once a vaccine candidate is discovered, the vaccine needs to be tested in cells or animals. The vaccine needs to activate immune cells and provide protection against the pathogen. Which tests are used depend on which type of vaccine is being tested. Some researchers can use cells to understand how the vaccine will work when given to humans. Often animal studies are done to test the vaccine’s safety and to check if the vaccine can keep the animals safe from the pathogen. This data is crucial for designing the right dose for the next research stage. A rhesus macaque mother with her baby Vaccines may be tested on different animals before they are tested on humans. Rhesus macaques have similar immune systems to humans, so some vaccines are tested on these monkeys. Image by Robbie Ross via Pixabay. Sometimes adjuvants, materials that help the immune system make a better response to the vaccine, can be added to make the vaccine work better. If the vaccine doesn’t work well, the scientists have to go back the earlier stages to improve the vaccine. However, if it works well in different types of animals and is well-tested, then an application can be filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to test the vaccine in human studies. To reach this stage can take a long time, usually several years; however, there is a special process for vaccines that are urgently needed. Testing vaccines: Phase I of human clinical trials (starting small) When testing something brand new, it’s often best to start small to make sure that everything is working properly. For this reason, the first trials on humans (called phase I clinical trials) have a small group of adult volunteers (20 – 80 people). The goal of this phase is to make sure that the vaccine is safe and to check how well it works. Saline solution A substance known to not have any immune effects, like saline, is often used as a placebo in vaccine trials. If any specific added materials are used to make the vaccine more effective, those also may be tested with the saline in an additional test group. Image by Wesalius via Wikimedia Commons. To make sure that the vaccine works, the participants are often divided into two groups. One group gets the vaccine and the other group gets a placebo (in this case, a substance that won't have any effects, like saline solution). Both groups are carefully monitored to make sure the vaccine doesn’t have any side effects and that it provides benefit or protection. Different doses might be used to fine-tune how much of the vaccine needs to be given to get the maximum benefit. If the vaccine doesn’t work or has a side effect, it goes back to the experimental stage (or pre-clinical stage). Successful vaccines, on the other hand, move to phase II clinical trials. Testing vaccines: Phase II of human clinical trials (medium-sized tests) In a phase II trial, more adults are included to ensure that the vaccine works and is safe. These trials can include hundreds of people, and often has people who have a chance of getting infected with the pathogen. In this trial, a control group of people who get a placebo instead of the actual vaccine is still included to make sure that the vaccine actually works. Different dosages or number of shots might be tested to see which one has the best effect. Once again, if the vaccine doesn’t perform well in the trial, it goes back to the earlier stages. However, if it works as expected, then it gets to move on the next stage. Testing vaccines: Phase III of human clinical trials (very large tests) An illustration showing many many people-shaped objects, in blue, black, and grey. In the third stage of clinical trials, thousands or hundreds of thousands of people are included in tests of vaccine safety and how well the vaccine works. Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images via Pixabay. The third stage is the largest test of the vaccine candidate and includes thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people. The reason why so many people are needed in this trial is to detect side effects that might only affect a small number of people (maybe only 1:10,000 or 1:20,000). Because it is very important to ensure that the vaccine is safe to give to people and works well, this phase tries to include very large groups of people and continues testing whether the vaccine protects people from the pathogen and whether there are any side effects. During this phase, children and pregnant women are generally not included. If the vaccine works well and is safe, then the people developing the vaccine can apply to the FDA for a license to start manufacturing the vaccine for delivery. What comes after vaccine approval? After getting approval for the vaccine, the developers start making the vaccine in larger numbers in factories. Then they make it available for doctors and other health care professionals. The FDA is responsible for monitoring how the vaccine is being made and checks that everything is done properly. During the production stage, the vaccine is packaged into tiny bottles and sealed to make sure that everything is sterile. Hundreds of vaccine vials sitting next to one another as part of dengue vaccine production. Once the strict testing and approval processes are complete, vaccines are ready to be made and delivered on a large scale. Even after the vaccine is launched, most companies keep studying the vaccine to make sure that it is working well and is safe. At this time is also when the vaccine may begin to be tested on children and on pregnant women. These types of studies that happen after vaccine approval are called phase IV trials. Doctors continue to keep watch for any side effects that could be caused by the vaccine and they can report it through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Parents and other health care providers can also use this system to report any problems. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the FDA carefully monitor these reports to find whether the event was caused by the vaccine and then take steps as needed. Vaccines are very safe Making vaccines is a long process and has many steps. However, the end goal is to ensure that the vaccine provides protection against the pathogen while being safe. At every stage, scientists work with groups of experts to create a safe, effective vaccine that protects people from getting certain illnesses. Once a vaccine is found to be safe, it then goes into a larger production process to make enough of it to distribute to millions or even billions of people, to start saving lives. There are several databases that track any possible issues with vaccines during phase four and beyond. In addition to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, there is also the Vaccine Safety Datalink and Post-Licensure Rapid Immunization Safety Monitoring. More information can be found at,%20blood%20&%20biologics/published/En... Singh, K, and S Mehta. “The clinical development process for a novel preventive vaccine: An overview.” Journal of postgraduate medicine vol. 62,1 (2016): 4-11. doi:10.4103/0022-3859.173187 View Citation Bibliographic details: • Article: Testing vaccines • Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist • Date published: November 16, 2020 • Date accessed: October 20, 2021 • Link: APA Style Ian Vicino, Mary D. Pardhe, Karla Moeller. (2020, November 16). Testing vaccines. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved October 20, 2021 from American Psychological Association. For more info, see Chicago Manual of Style Ian Vicino, Mary D. Pardhe, Karla Moeller. "Testing vaccines". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 16 November, 2020. MLA 2017 Style Ian Vicino, Mary D. Pardhe, Karla Moeller. "Testing vaccines". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 16 Nov 2020. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. 20 Oct 2021. Modern Language Association, 7th Ed. For more info, see Illustration of a vaccine vial surrounded by people; The Vaccine, by Mario Zucca Vaccines go through intensive testing before they are given to people on a large scale. This process ensures their safety. Vaccines have saved millions of lives. Illustration The Vaccine by Mario Zucca. Be Part of Ask A Biologist Donate icon Contribute Share this page: Share to Google Classroom
Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Monday, February 1 through Friday, February 5 Black Lives Matter in Schools BNS is committed to anti-oppressive, anti-racist, inclusive language and teaching that values all identities and supports student learning and understanding, both inside and outside of the classroom. This year, we are intentionally joining the nationwide movement for Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools Feb. 1st – Feb 5th. To this end, we will connect home and school around the BLM 13 guiding principles. As a school community, BNS teachers have approached conversations about race and social injustice more holistically throughout the school year and this will continue. In the wake of our country’s recent events and the murders that sparked the BLM movement, we are being more deliberate about these discussions. Black Lives Matter is currently in the news and most students are aware, to some degree, of this movement. Addressing this in the classroom is an important acknowledgement of a major current event. Bringing issues of racial justice into the classroom not only affirms the identities of our students, but is crucial to fostering critical engagement with the world – regardless of where teachers, students and families stand on the issues. BNS will be participating in the Black Lives Matter at School week of action that begins tomorrow. The DEI Committee has been talking with the teachers’ Race and Equity Committee about ways to share and support the relevant work already being done in the classroom. This week, teachers will be discussing the BLM at Schools’ 13 guiding principles with students, which will also be shared on BNS social media so we can all join in the conversation. Along with our daily discussions in the classroom, here are some conversation starters that can be continued at home. Monday, 2/1 – Day 1: Why do we need a BLM at school week? 1er Día: ¿Porqué necesitamos una semana escolar dedicada a BLM (Las Vidas Negras Importan)? Tuesday, 2/2 – Day 2: What does diversity mean to you? Think about your friends. What are some of the ways you are different from them? What is something you have learned from those differences? Dia 2: ¿Qué significa la diversidad para ti? Piense en sus amigos. ¿Cuáles son algunas de las formas en que se diferencia de ellos? ¿Qué ha aprendido de esas diferencias? Wednesday, 2/3 – Day 3: What does it mean to be unapologetically Black? Why would someone have to apologize for being Black? (From What We Believe) Dia 3: ¿Qué significa ser negro sin disculpas? ¿Por qué alguien tendría que disculparse por ser negro? (From What We Believe) Thursday, 2/4 – Day 4: Since this week is focused on centering Black joy, what does Black joy mean to you? Why are we thinking about Black joy? Dia 4: Dado que esta semana se centra en centrar la alegría negra, ¿qué significa la alegría negra para ti? ¿Por qué estamos pensando en la alegría negra? Friday, 2/5 – Day 5: Empathy: Why is empathy important in the conversation of Black Lives Matter at Schools? Dia 5: Empatía: ¿Por qué es importante la empatía en la conversación de Black Lives Matter at Schools? Here are other ways families can get involved 1. Look for daily prompts for furthering the discussion about these principles at home. 2. Send photos to for Instagram and Facebook shares that depict any representation of the principles or what Black Lives Matter at Schools means to you and your family. 3. Participate in any of the BLM at School virtual events happening throughout the week. 4. Join your child on Wednesday at 8:45am for a dedicated BLM BAX sing-along led by José and Donna. 13 Guiding Principals for families to encourage education and dialogue Resources to support conversations with kids & family © 2018. All rights reserved. WordPress theme: Dameer DJ. Photos: Justin Weiner %d bloggers like this:
Evaluating Energy Efficiency Programs Commercial lighting retrofit. iStockphoto/CEE staff illustration When energy use falls, how do we know whether an energy efficiency program was a factor? Evaluation establishes the degree to which energy efficiency programs are effective and a good use of public dollars. Regulators, businesses, customers, and program administrators use evaluation to understand how much energy a program saves and to improve a program over time. Efficiency reduces the electricity load existing power plants need to generate, so it can help avoid investment in new energy supply. Likewise, gas end use efficiency lessens strain on infrastructure. Evaluation allows system planners to assess how much efficiency reduces existing and future power demands. Another key measurement is the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency for society, for the program, and for the customer. Depending on state or provincial legislation, evaluation may measure progress toward public policy goals. Evaluation results illustrate the many benefits of energy efficiency programs. The most cost-effective energy is the energy not used unecessarily. CEE members drive consistency and improve credibility in measuring and verifying energy savings from programs and portfolios. Historically evaluation has been accomplished through efficient measures—for example, by replacing an inefficient light bulb with a more efficient one. Members are now identifying systemic savings—for example, from a whole house approach or building controls—so evaluators are asking more complex questions about the interactions of system components or the interactions between systems and people. Just as you would track a financial investment to gauge performance, administrators track efficiency investments. Explore these pages to discover how we know how much energy is saved. © 2013–2021 Consortium for Energy Efficiency, Inc.
Defining Beauty In Humans We generally talk about splendor by two means: bodily beauty and mental elegance. Physical charm is the best thing about points when they seem to be. Things like sunsets, countryside and individuals in many cases are seen as bodily attractiveness. Psychological attractiveness alternatively is our internal state of mind. This definition of charm is generally recognized by most people, though the two are often used to explain several parts of human being splendor. Beauty is commonly defined as a subjective, psychological, artistic level of quality of pre-existing products that makes these physical objects eye-catching to view. Things such as charm, with artwork and mindset remaining the foremost tree branches of functional vision, is the central issue of appearances, among the many divisions of psychology. Additionally it is one of the greatest preoccupations of artistic psychologists. It can be defined as the amount of money complete out of all the desired features that many of us can form in your intellects to be attractive. The physiological concise explanation of charm consequently incorporates the various psychological traits that beauty involves – including face attractiveness, body symmetry, complexion your hair and strengthen distance and occurrence. Another department of psychology which offers thoroughly with charm may be the interpersonal psychology of elegance. In this industry, natural beauty is seen to get major connections to additional components just like potential, rank and cash. The sociable research workers think that attractiveness – on the strictest good sense – has a individual demand and also that the object of natural beauty can serve as an indicator of how prosperous one is in life, exactly what is their likelihood of being successful and many others. Beauty – the thought of attractiveness – may be an extremely potent motivator. The psychologist who studies the psychology of attractiveness is named the cosmetic psychologist. The individual will examine how charm relates to mindset, exactly what the meaning of charm is, how beauty relates to the individual and just how it differs amongst nationalities. They are going to also investigation how natural beauty relates to romantic relationships involving individuals as well as how this charm differs between persons. Aesthetics mindset attempts to make clear why people want to appear beautiful and exactly how that want influences their judgements about natural beauty, their self-esteem as well as their willingness to admit and participate in things to do which are connected to splendor. The visual psychologist will also review splendor from the physical mindset, exploring the methods beauty has an effect on your system – the mind along with the heart. Beauty is subjective, a thing that varies for each and every individual. Aesthetics psychology for that reason could not offer a definitive definition of elegance since charm is actually a subjective principle and nobody can let you know what the heck is attractiveness for the children. There are plenty of attributes which are accepted as eye-catching and they include, however: the power to be agile and robust, the ability for swift progress as well as resistance to problems, the capability to handle suffering, the opportunity to put up with skepticism and the tolerance for chance. Beauty can also be found to possess relationships to sensations: someone that discovers beauty exciting may find him self happy, in contrast to someone that finds charm unsettling will experience panic and frustration. Emotions may also be observed to possess links to motivation also to power – charm gives a human being the courage to practice his / her goals strength gives a person the capability to manipulate his or her atmosphere. People outline charm in a different way, and aesthetics scholars have researched the numerous sights that individuals have with regards to attractiveness in an effort to decide the factors that are most vital in splendor. Broadly communicating, charm is described as normal and creative the way it has characteristics which might be in equilibrium with all the guy whose splendor it beautifies. According to the prevailing way of thinking on attractiveness, a human being’s bodily charm is dependent on a mix of subconscious and physiologic elements, using this method, natural beauty may be objectively calculated. . People tend to take into consideration inside their bodily qualities like fantastic, symmetry and robustness skin functions, as opposed to psychologists look into the point of the characteristics in a very individual and relate those elements to their individuality. For instance, an incredibly symmetrical encounter with good facial features in addition to a vast forehead can be viewed as desirable by most aestheticians. Masculinity and femininity are essential in identifying a person’s natural beauty. Proxemics also takes on a crucial role in understanding natural beauty. It refers back to the rate involving the span and thickness of any subject. This benefit tells us that the far more symmetrical a physical object is, the greater amount of worthwhile it will be. In addition to this, attractiveness also is related to the proportions connected with an subject.
Is there a gene for alcoholism? Is there a genetic marker for alcoholism? Abundant evidence indicates that alcoholism is a complex genetic disease, with variations in a large number of genes affecting risk. Some of these genes have been identified, including two genes of alcohol metabolism, ADH1B and ALDH2, that have the strongest known affects on risk for alcoholism. Is it genetic to be an alcoholic? Those who have a family history of alcoholism have a higher risk of developing a drinking problem. Studies show that alcoholism is approximately 50 percent attributable to genetics. Is there an addictive gene? Genes also account for 60 percent of the tendency to become addicted and 54 percent of one’s ability to quit. Because not all smokers are created equal, it’s possible to look at genetic factors to determine the best way to quit. Is there a genetic test for addiction? Offering the GARS test to a person’s family in treatment is the best way to confirm the risk of addiction in the family to help confirm the genetic basis of the Genogram. INFORMATIVE: Why do I get fat after quitting smoking? What is the heritability of alcoholism? The heritability of alcohol dependence is estimated to range between 40 and 65%, with no evidence for quantitative or qualitative sex differences in heritability (Kendler et al., 1994; Heath et al., 1997; Prescott and Kendler, 1999; Hansell et al., 2008). Which mental disorder is most commonly comorbid with alcoholism? As the effects of alcohol wear off, you may have trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, or sweating. Alcohol changes your brain chemistry, and when you drink heavily over a long period of time, your brain tries to adapt. Which is a risk factor for becoming an alcoholic? Both internal and external factors contribute to the development of alcoholism. Internal factors include genetics, psychological conditions, personality, personal choice, and drinking history. External factors include family, environment, religion, social and cultural norms, age, education, and job status. Does a person have to drink everyday to be considered an alcoholic? INFORMATIVE: What do you call someone who is addicted to alcohol? Can u inherit depression? So no one simply “inherits” depression from their mother or father. Each person inherits a unique combination of genes from their mother and father, and certain combinations can predispose to a particular illness. Is depression disorder genetic? Is anxiety genetic? Can you test for addiction? How much does genetics play in addiction? Why do I have such an addictive personality? Both the addict’s environment, genetics and biological tendency contribute to their addiction. People with very severe personality disorders are more likely to become addicts. Addictive substances usually stop primary and secondary neuroses, meaning people with personality disorders like the relief from their pain. INFORMATIVE: Quick Answer: Does chewing gum help with nicotine withdrawal? All about addiction
1. In Chapter 8, Mary Cowhey focuses on historical myths that are often reinforce in social studies curriculum. Describe a historical topic that you later discovered was inaccurate or incomplete in its narrative. How does Cowhey engage her students in dispelling historical myths? Explain the effectiveness of using materials from multiple perspectives? 2. One page 143, Cowhey introduced the science behind circumnavigation through the use of nonfiction books. Explain how using nonfiction texts can help students gain deep knowledge. Use specific examples from the chapter 3. An important component of historical thinking involves the ability to evaluate and analyze multiple sources. What specific strategies does Cowhey use to help her students construct meaning about the past? 4. Compare and contrast Cowheys unit on exploration versus Rob Cuddi. Rob Cuddi had three essential questions for his overall theme. Write your own essential question that would be applicable for Cowheys unit on explorers. What meaning(goals) does she want her students to understand? 5. Look over your essential question you developed for Cowheys class. Imagine what you would want your students to know. Imagine what you would want your students to do? Now think about her activity of stimulating an alien invasion. Would this activity be effective in your classroom? Explain why. Order Now
What is the border of Africa and Asia? What countries border Africa and Asia? Egypt – A Transcontinental Country Because the Sinai Peninsula marks the border between Africa and Asia, Egypt is considered a transcontinental country. What separates Africa from Asia? The Isthmus of Suez in eastern Egypt connects the continents of Africa and Asia, and separates the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Term Part of Speech Definition transportation noun movement of people or goods from one place to another. Is Africa attached to Asia by land? Today, Africa is joined to Asia only by a relatively narrow land bridge (which has been split by the Suez Canal at the Isthmus of Suez) and remains separated from Europe by the straits of Gibraltar and Sicily. … In that time, Africa is expected to continue drifting northward. IT IS INTERESTING: Question: What was the name of the first African American regiment in the Civil War *? What is the border between Asia and Europe? Which country is in two continents? What country lies on two continents? Turkey a unique country that spans two continents. Can you walk from Africa to Asia? Yes. with the Suez Canal, they are still connected, because the Suez Canal is in Eqypt, and it is rather narrow and shallow. You can theoretically walk from the Eastern part of Egypt to Israel, all the way eventually to India, Thailand, or China. Why is Africa a dark continent? Africa was known as the “Dark Continent” because it remained unexplored for a fairly long period of time. Factors that made is difficult for the explorer to venture in to the continent of africa were: The largest desert in the world, the Sahara Desert acted as a natural barrier for the European explorers. Does Africa touch Asia? Africa and Asia Can you drive from Asia to Africa? The only country in Africa you can drive to from China is Egypt, you can’t go any further than that. In order to cross from Asia to Africa by land, you have to pass though Israel. … All the neighbouring countries of Egypt in Africa will refuse entry if your passport shows any sign that you visited Israel. IT IS INTERESTING: How can a South African move to France? Which continent is bigger Africa or Asia? Does Africa touch Europe? African migrants climb the fence that separates Morocco from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa in February. … On a rocky beach in North Africa, a chain-link fence juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. This is one of Africa’s two land borders with Europe, at two Spanish cities on the African continent. What separates Europe from Africa? Which continent has only one country on it? Answer: (3) Australia What is the smallest country in Asia? Across the Sahara
nouns n. Skip this Video Loading SlideShow in 5 Seconds.. Nouns PowerPoint Presentation 463 Vues Download Presentation Télécharger la présentation Presentation Transcript 1. Nouns Unit 2 2. Nouns • A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. 3. Two basic kinds of nouns Proper noun names a specific person, place, thing, or idea. • Alexander Graham Bell • Tarrytown • “Rikki-tikki-tavi” Common noun names any one class of people, place, thing, or idea. • inventor • village • story 4. Identify if the noun is a common or a proper noun. Then, if it is a common noun give an example of a proper noun. If it is a proper noun give an example of a class to which each proper noun belongs. government common, Congress pony express common, Wells Fargo 5. postmaster general common, Benjamin Franklin United States proper, country city common, Appleton president common, Abraham Lincoln 6. postal service common, U.S. Postal Service Benjamin Franklin proper, inventor century common, Victorian Era history common, the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 7. Concrete and Abstract Nouns Common nouns can be either concrete or abstract. Concrete nouns things that you can see or touch. Abstract nouns name ideas, qualities, or feelings that cannot be seen or touched. 8. Kinds of Nouns 9. State if the underlined common noun is abstract or concrete. Born in slavery, Fredrick Douglass escaped and fled to Massachusetts. • abstract In 1841 he addressed a meeting and talked about freedom. • abstract After he spoke, he was hired to talk to other groups. • concrete 10. It took courage for him to speak out as he did. • abstract After his autobiography was published in 1845, he went to England. • concrete When he returned, he continued to talk about his beliefs. • abstract He helped men, women, and children flee to Canada. • concrete 11. Plural and Singular Nouns Singular Noun: When a noun means one only, it is said to be singular. Examples: boy, girl, book, church, box Plural Noun: When a noun means more than one, it is said to be plural. Examples: boys, girls, books, churches Rule #1The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding - s to a singular noun. lamp - lamps cat - cats fork - forks flower -flowers pen - pens dog - dogs 12. Rule #2Nouns that end in ch, sh, s, ss, x, z, zz form the plural form by adding es. moss - mosses buzz - buzzes box - boxes church - churches Special Note:If you add - s to such nouns as fox, bush, and bench, you will find that you cannot pronounce them without making an additional syllable. This is why such nouns form the plural by adding - es. 13. Rule #3There are several different rules for singular nouns ending in the letters f, fe or ff when changing them to the plural form. • Most nouns ending in the letters f, fe or ff form the plural by adding the letter s. surf - surfs • Some nouns that end in f, fe or ff form the plural by changing the final f form to ves. calf - calves 14. Rule #4Most nouns that end in i form the plural by adding the letter s. ski – skis • Some nouns ending with the letter i form the plural both by adding s and/or es taxi-taxis-taxies 15. Rule #5If a singular noun ends in y and is preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to i and es is added. butterfly - y + i + es = butterflies • If a singular noun ends in y and is preceded by a vowel, the letter s is simply added with no other changes made. monkey + s = monkeys 16. Rule #6There are some nouns that form the plurals differently. • Some nouns change their vowels in the middle of the singular form when forming the plural goose – geese mouse – mice woman - women 17. Spell the plural of each of the following nouns. chair • chairs star - stars dress • dresses farm • farms 18. storm • storms brush • brushes wish • wishes paper • papers 19. grass • grasses computer - computers rock • rocks bench • benches fox • foxes 20. cup • cups cross - crosses door • doors owner • owners ax • axes 21. shelf • shelves man - men fly • flies day • days taxi • taxis, taxies 22. dwarf • dwarfs or dwarves foot - feet loaf • loaves lady • ladies tail • tails 23. Compound Nouns • A compound noun is a noun made up of two or more words. A compound noun can be one word, like storybook; more than one word, like ice cream; or joined by hyphens, like runner-up. USE a dictionary if necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 24. Compound Nouns 25. Identify the compound noun in each sentence. We definitely need a new football. • football Visit the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. • Smithsonian Institution How late is the post office open on Saturday? • post office 26. Her outlook is always positive. • outlook How did your cousin like her new junior high school? • junior high school Paul Simon is my favorite songwriter. • songwriter 27. To improve, we will need a lot of teamwork. • teamwork No medicine is a complete cure-all. • cure-all This cartridge uses an advanced magnetic tape. • magnetic tape We are going to assemble a new mailing list. • mailing list 28. Plural Compound Nouns To form the plural of compound nouns written as one word, add –s or –es. To form the plural of compound nouns that are hyphenated or written as more than one word, make the most important part of the compound noun plural. 29. Forming Plural Compound Nouns 30. Collective Noun A collective noun names a group of individuals. class herd audience staff team orchestra The family struggled through the crowd to see the band. 31. Identify the collective noun in each sentence. An angry crowd assembled in front of the church. • crowd My uncle hopes to raise a flock of sheep. • flock Our class voted to have a spring picnic. • class 32. Melissa applauded the performance of the orchestra. • orchestra What did you think about the reaction of the audience? • audience A company of dancers will entertain us first. • company 33. The jury voted to acquit the defendant. • jury Later, the trio played three interesting numbers. • trio A squadron of soldiers surrounded the building. • squadron The bill was sent to a committee for further study. • committee 34. Singular and Plural Collective Nouns Collective nouns can have either a singular or a plural meaning. When referring to the group as a unit, the noun has a singular meaning and takes a singular verb. The team works on its defensive plays. 35. When referring to the individual members of the group, the noun has a plural meaning and takes a plural verb. The team go to their individual lockers. 36. To help you determine whether a collective noun in a sentence is singular or plural, substitute the word it for the collective noun and any words used to describe it. If the sentence still makes sense, the collective noun is singular. If you can substitute they, the collective noun is plural. The team works on its project. (it, singular) The team work on their separate projects. (they, plural) 37. Identify the collective noun in each sentence and state what verb form in the parentheses that best completes each sentence. The book club (discusses, discuss) their personal opinions of the plot. - book club, discuss The class (is, are) going on a bus to the art museum. - class, is 38. The choir from East High School (sings, sing) the loudest. - choir, sings The elephant herd (makes, make) a thundering noise during a stampede. - herd, makes The baseball team (boasts, boast) an excellent batting average. -team, boasts 39. The budget committee (reaches, reach) a final decision. - committee, reaches The theater troupe (come, comes) out separately at the end of the play. - troupe, come The jury (argues, argue) among themselves over the verdict. -jury, argue 40. Possessive Nouns A possessive noun names who or what owns or has something. Possessive nouns can be common nouns or proper nouns. They can also be singular or plural. Notice the possessive nouns in the following sentences. Rita has a book on history. Rita’s book is new. 41. Add an apostrophe and an –s to show the possessive of most singular nouns. father’s car Dave’s book Add just and apostrophe to show the possessive case of plural nouns ending in –s or –es. dogs’ owner churches’ congregations 42. Add an apostrophe and –s to show the possessive case of plural nouns that do not end in –s or –es. the four men’s car the geese’s honking Add an apostrophe and –s (or just an apostrophe if the word is a plural ending in –s) to the last word of a compound noun to form the possessive. high school’s mascot Boy Scouts’ trip 43. Spell the possessive case of the plural nouns in the following sentences adding apostrophes as needed. The gold seekers need for money led them to the Yukon. • gold seekers’ At that time, many countries economies were suffering. - countries’ 44. The prospectors haste to reach the Yukon began in 1896. • prospectors’ It was many travelers belief that they could find gold. • travelers’ Many prospectors would seek a guide assistance. - guide’s 45. Explorers depended on the native peoples knowledge. • people’s Settlers lives were eased by friendships with the Chinook people. • Settler’s The dogs lives were not altogether unpleasant, although they worked hard. • dogs’ 46. Using Apostrophes with Pronouns Use an apostrophe and –s with indefinite pronouns to show possession. another’s preference nobody else’s business Do not use an apostrophe with possessive personal pronouns. my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, and theirs 47. The following sentences contain possessive pronouns. If a possessive is written incorrectly, spell it correctly. If all pronouns in the sentence are used correctly, say they are correct. In the new claim, the lake was his and the island was their’s. • his/correct; theirs 48. Once prospectors reached the Klondike, they had only to find open land and stake their claims. • correct If a prospector took anothers claim, it was called “claim jumping.”. • another’s 49. Imagine the disappointment of surviving the trip to the Klondike only to lose what was yours’ to claim jumping! • yours Finally, the Miners’ Association was formed to protect everyones legal claims. • everyone’s The association had its first building in Discovery, the tent city of the Pine Creek. - correct 50. Distinguishing Plurals, Possessives, and Contractions Most plural nouns, most possessive nouns, and certain contractions end with the letter –s. As a result they sound alike and can be easily confused. Their spellings and meanings are different.
Religions serve society Religions serve society Religions serve Religions, by the fact of existing in a society, are permanently leaving messages of solidarity, respect, brotherhood, and forgiveness. They constantly assure that the other human being is a neighbor and that is important in our technified world in which we live. Religious traditions achieve the articulation of an awareness of what we lack. In his work Between naturalism and religion, Habermas exhorts not to annul these traditions in current secularized societies. This message is the most authentic that religions offer to society, although they have not always been consistent. However, as Pope Francis says, the religions “repeat a loud and clear no to all forms of violence, revenge, and hatred committed in the name of religion or the name of God. Together we affirm the incompatibility between faith and violence, between believing and hating ”. If they are consistent with their faith, religious people constitute a call to spirituality, to transcendence, an invitation to that which is deeply human. The world becomes more human thanks to the states of opinion created by religions in favor of all that is human. Today there is a field in which religion is especially significant, and that is that of brotherhood. What is proper to Christianity is not to love humanity, but to love one’s neighbor, the specific person. Religions also positively impact society’s cohesion, as highlighted by the analysis of experiences from various countries. Religious fact is closely linked to the social assets of society. The service that religions render to society is of great magnitude and very important in the pre-political order of moral ideas and values, of the global images of man and life. To become more aware of this service to society, one has to think a little about what would become of our cities without the presence of Christians, parishes, religious communities, and all other ecclesial realities, such as Caritas. They would be cities with many shortcomings from the point of view of spirituality, social coexistence, care for the poor and marginalized, the elderly, the sick, teaching, culture, etc., admitting that many other non-ecclesial realities also render their precious service in these fields. You may also like to read, What are the most widely practiced religions of the world?
Cilantro – Coriandum sativum Many common garden herbs are known to attract beneficial insects. A more obvious part of their “insect magnetism” comes from their ability to produce small flowers that produce nectar that is accessible to smaller, short-tongued solitary bees and wasps. Some gardeners say that certain plants emit odors or have chemical signatures that are also attractive to certain insects. From the point of view of what is readily observable to someone without having to scour through reams of plant research, you can frequently observe tiny aphids that inhabit the stems and leaves of plants like cilantro. While most gardeners likely believe that aphids have no place in a well-tended garden, their presence alone makes one wonder to what extent aphids play in helping to make certain plants “attractive” to beneficial insects like ladybeetles, lacewings, and hover flies. If aphids are part of what makes plants attractive, then they make a strong argument against the conventional (and human-centered) wisdom that insists there is such a thing as “good” and “bad” bugs.
What Is “w” In Japanese? [wa, wo] We have finally arrived at the last lesson for the basic sounds (and hiragana) of Japanese. This one is going to be interesting because of the material we are going to cover. What is “w” in Japanese? There are only two sounds that fall into this category, but sometimes only one of them actually uses a [w] sound! We are also going to cover a special Japanese character. It is the only consonant in the language that does not get paired up with a vowel. In addition to that, it can have up to four different sounds! I am also going to provide you with some free charts that you can download and use to help remember (or practice) what you’ve learned so far, but first, let’s dive into the sounds. The 2 Japanese [w] Sounds and ん This first part ought to be fairly straightforward since the [w] sound is the same in English and Japanese. It gets combined with each of the two following vowels to create the following: わ = wa を = wo Then we have the hiragana ん which can be any of the four following sounds: [n], [m], [ng], or [N]. I’ve devoted an entire section below to explaining when it uses each one, so for now let’s just listen to the audio for this lesson. Alright, let talk about ん now and then there is some additional information that I would like to give you on を. Special Notes On The ん Sounds As for the ん sound, it is actually pretty special since it is the only consonant in Japanese that doesn’t get combined with a vowel. This actually comes into play when the Japanese game shiritori, but that’s another topic entirely. The reason for this is because ん is never used at the beginning of a word. You will only ever hear it in the middle of, or at the end of a syllable or word. In addition to that, the sound will change slightly depending on the consonant or vowel that immediately follows it. That last part I mentioned is key. I’m going to give you the sounds right now, but I want to remind you that the motto of this course is to “always follow your ears.” Use what I’m about to say as a guide, but trust in your own intuition and abilities to understand this sound. The more focused time you spend listening to Japanese, the better you will become at it. Alright, you will normally pronounce ん as [n] just like you did with な-に-ぬ-ね-の in an earlier lesson. To get more technical on this topic, you will make this sound by lightly pressing the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth. As a side note, I always thought that ん looked like a lowercase “n” in English, so it was always super easy to remember! Other situations where you pronounce ん differently: 1. Pronounce ん as [m] like you did with ま-み-む-め-も when it comes right before a [m], [p], or [b] sound. 2. Pronounce ん as [ng] (like the “ng” in the English word “song”) when it comes before a [k] or [g] sound. 3. Pronounce ん as [N] when it comes at the end of a word and there is nothing after it. Unfortunately, this last [N] sound doesn’t exist in English, so I can’t give you an example word that you would be familiar with, but it is actually pretty close to the [ng] sound that I just explained previously, so you can start there and work on noticing the difference. In fact, from what I’ve learned most Japanese people will switch between [ng] and [N] subconsciously without even noticing that they did it themselves, so if you can do one of these two sounds then you can just use it and still sound like a native! Special Notes On The [wo] Sound Something I want to briefly touch upon is the を [wo] sound in Japanese. Technically speaking, the correct way to pronounce this kana is [wo]. This is how it was originally used, and people from the older generations are likely to use it more often than the younger generation. As all languages do over time, Japanese is changing and now it is more common to just say [o] for this symbol. You might be worried about confusing it with お since they typically sound identical, but を is used for certain grammatical reasons, so there’s no need to worry about accidentally swapping the two of them. You’ll know the difference during conversation. Since both [wo] and [o] are correct readings for を you can use which ever one you prefer. If you’re not sure which to use, then just go with [o] as it will sound more natural nowadays. Also, no matter which one you end up going with, I would recommend that you be consistent and use it every time, rather than switching between the two. Down below in the comments section, Kim provides a little more detail on を and I think it’s worth checking out if you have the time to do so. The Final Writing Practice Yep, you read that right. This is the last time that I will ask you to write out hiragana! Don’t worry, this isn’t some trick where I’m going to have you start writing in katakana or kanji. The reason is becuase once you have completed this section, you will have learned how to correctly write all of the basic hiragana. The next couple of sections will go over the modified and combination kana, which are these same basic ones with some small changes. わ = wa を = wo ん = n In the last lesson I told you that I was going to give you yet another way to practice hiragana. The trick is that you’ve actually been using it already throughout this course. I’m talking about reading! Since hiragana is the first of the three Japanese writing systems, it is what Japanese children learn first. This means that there are actually a lot of children’s books written entirely in hiragana that you can read to practice these symbols. Although it might not be the most efficient thing to start reading when you don’t know the basic words or grammar yet, it’s something that I wanted to provide to you as a resource in case you were interested. There is a really great website called Crunchy Nihongo that has some Japanese children’s stories written entirely in hiragana, with the option to show romaji and the English translation for the words. Click Here To Practice Reading Hiragana If you do decide to read some of the stories, be sure to let me know which ones you enjoyed the most! Time For Your Free Charts! I wanted to provide you with two hiragana charts that you can download to your phone or computer and print out (if you want to). The first one is simply a chart that shows all of the basic hiragana that you have learned. You can use it for quick reference any time in the future. The second one shows the correct stroke order of each character so that you can continue to practice writing them correctly. Something that I should mention about this second chart is that it is organized a little bit differently from the first one. It starts in the top right corner and then goes down to the bottom of the page. This is actually the way native Japanese is normally written in books and such: From top to bottom, and then from right to left. It ought to be a nice introduction to vertical writing in Japanese for you! -Download the first chart by clicking here. -Download the second chart by clicking here. P.S. I’ve cleaned up this second chart a little bit so that it is more appropriate for the knowledge we’ve gone over so far. The original version created by Pmx can be found on the Wiki Commons by clicking here. Later on I will provide you with some more charts in hiragana that contain the modified and combination sounds that we have yet to cover. But since you’ve come this far in our journey together, I wanted to give you a gift that you can find helpful. ん, んん Good. Good Words That Is! You’ve come a long way. I’m proud of you! Let’s keep it going with some more examples to listen to. わたし = I (me) わらい = Laugh みんな = Everybody (this is the [n] sound) あんまり = Not much (this is the [m]) はんき = Half-time (this is the [ng] sound) ほん = Book (this is the [N] sound) I’m Going Easy On You This Time I don’t really think you need to practice these individual sounds all too much since we only covered three new kana and they are pretty easy for most people to pick up. So just do these two things: 1. Write down each kana a minimum of five times. 2. Rehearse the words five times each. In the next lesson we are going to start learning the modified sounds and their hiragana. If this sounds intimidating at all, then rest assured that it’s not. In fact, I would say that these upcoming sounds are actually easier than the ones you’ve learned so far! Are you excited? I’m excited! Get excited! ٩(^ᴗ^)۶ Go to the Table of Contents Go to the next lesson 2 thoughts on “What Is “w” In Japanese? [wa, wo]” 1. I actually just watched a video by Dogen today on the を sound and how you are supposed to pronounce it! He basically said the same thing, that either way is correct as long as you pick one and stay consistent with it. Something I didn’t know before was that (wo) is historically correct, which is why a lot of people still use it, but (o) is the “correct” way to pronounce it in Modern Tokyo Dialect. Something that other readers who don’t follow Dogen might benefit from is that if you choose to use the old pronunciation of を, it should be less of a (wo) sounds and more of a ぅお sound. Start with a little ぅ and then move to the primary お sound. • Haha, hey I support Dogen on Patreon too! I watched that lesson as well and was pretty impressed. I had never heard about pronouncing 「を」　as 【ぅお】　before, but he convinced me in a few seconds with his explanation and audio examples. At any rate, I pronounce it as 【お】so there’s no problem on that end of things. Leave a Comment
Use to create holes in objects amongst other things. 1. Select the object to use as a hole, and position it so that it overlaps the object to cut. Repeat for any additional objects you want to use as holes. 2. Select all the objects you want to include in the compound path. 3. Choose Object > Compound Path > Make. If that doesn’t work open the pathfinder window and use ‘Subtract From Shape Area’ Your email address will not be published.
Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder Coping with the ups and downs of bipolar disorder isn’t easy. But if you or a family member or friend is struggling, there is help. NAMI and NAMI Affiliates are there to provide you with support for you and your family and information about community resources. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or [email protected] if you have any questions about bipolar disorder or finding support and resources. Helping Yourself If you have bipolar disorder, the condition can exert control over your thoughts, interfere with relationships and if not treated, lead to a crisis. Here are some ways to help manage your illness. Pinpoint your stressors and triggers. Are there specific times when you find yourself stressed? People, places, jobs and even holidays can play a big role in your mood stability. Symptoms of mania and depression may start slow, but addressing them early can prevent a serious episode. Feelings of mania may feel good at first, but they can spiral into dangerous behavior such as reckless driving, violence or hypersexuality. Depression may begin with feeling tired and being unable to sleep. Establish a routine. Committing to a routine can help you take control and help prevent depression and mania from taking control. For example, to keep the energy changes caused by depression and mania in check, commit to being in bed only eight hours a night and up and moving the rest of the time. Aerobic exercise is a good strategy for regulating body rhythm. Learn from past episodes. Pattern recognition is essential to spotting the early symptoms of an impending manic episode. Accepting support from family members or friends who can recognize early symptoms is important. Symptoms often follow very specific patterns, and this can be learned and planned for. 2 nights of a small sleep change or the even the repeated use of a certain phrase can be examples of early warning signs. Helping a Family Member or Friend
Bird-Friendly Communities The Issue with Birds and Glass [plus webinar] What makes birds susceptible to collisions in New York and beyond? Audubon scientists answer. New York City. Photo: Luke Franke/Audubon Bird-Friendly Communities The Issue with Birds and Glass [plus webinar] Up to a billion birds die in glass collisions each year in the U.S. What's driving the issue with birds and glass, and what can we do about it? Let’s take a step back and look at basic bird biology. The majority of collision victims are migratory songbirds, and the majority of collisions happen as birds migrate back and forth from their breeding grounds in the spring and fall. The problem is two-fold. The first is light, which can attract and disorient birds. Our lights will often draw birds into densely-built areas, where they find themselves in close proximity to glass. Second, the whole point of glass is to be invisible! Glass is made to reflect trees and nature. While people use architectural and visual cues to avoid walking into glass, birds see the world differently: they have a lower contrast sensitivity (they see black and white better than shades of gray) and strong peripheral vision—good for spotting bugs and predators, less helpful for noticing they are about to run into a window. But bird collisions aren’t just a city problem. Forty four percent of collisions occur at low-rise buildings, including homes. In fact, most collisions occur at the lower levels of buildings, as this is where birds are often foraging and also where trees, plants, and shrubs are often reflected most. Watch our webinar "The Issue With Birds and Glass" to learn more. Special thanks to our partners at NYC Audubon and Audubon Connecticut Thanks to the Bird-Window Collision Group (BCWG), a collaboration between The Acopian Center for Ornithology, Muhlenberg College, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, Wyncote Audubon Society, and Audubon Pennsylvania for many of the photos used in the home collisions portion of this webinar What are the effects of collisions on birds? In the United States alone, it is estimated that an average of 100 million to 1 billion birds are killed due to window collisions each year (Loss et al. 2014). When birds do hit glass, they hit hard, often dying from brain damage (not broken necks). If alive, their injuries often require rehabilitation. Even if a bird is simply stunned, they are at-risk while on the ground, where they could be picked up by predators or stepped on by people or animals. Organizations like NYC Audubon are dedicated to monitoring the issue of bird collisions and finding solutions. Interested in volunteering? Check out Project Safe Flight: Why do birds keep attacking my car window? Why is this bird “visiting” our house every day? A bird keeps coming up to our door, does it want to be inside? We get questions in this vein every spring and summer, right when birds are establishing territories. When birds like cardinals, bluebirds, and finches see another bird that looks like them (even if it’s a reflection), they get pretty upset. While this behavior may not harm the bird, it can tire them out, making them susceptible to exhaustion and predators. Mitigation is easy! There are many options for breaking up reflections on glass. Keeping your blinds down or putting objects in windows indoors will only work if the window’s exterior isn’t very shiny and reflective. Your best bet is to break up the reflection on the outside versus inside. The golden rule of spacing visual indicators on glass is two by four inches apart. Whether you use tempera paint, window decals, or hanging objects of any sort, this spacing makes birds think they can’t fly through. Acopian BirdSavers: Patterend CollidEscape: Feather Friendly bird tape (don’t forget, put it on the OUTSIDE surface!): If you do set up bird feeders outside, placing them within three feet of a window will help decrease risk of collisions. What else can we do about bird collisions? How is science driving change? The more we know about the extent of the bird collision problem, the more we can educate architects, lawmakers, building owners, and more. An online crowd-sourcing data collection tool by NYC Audubon, D-Bird provides a way for the public to enter records of dead or injured birds. Contributors come from all over the world, and this crowd-sourced data helps scientists study the scope of the issue and find solutions. If you find a dead or injured bird, you can click here to submit a report through D-Bird. We're also taking advocacy action to turn science into law. PASSED! INT 1482: A New York City-based bill requiring all buildings constructed or altered after January 2021 use materials that reduce bird strike fatalities. VETOED! S25A, the “Bird-friendly Buildings Council Act,” was vetoed by Governor Cuomo at the state level, citing concerns about the cost of a study the bill called for, and about giving policymaking authority to an appointed council. IN PROCESS! [As of July 2020] HR919, the “Bird Safe Buildings Act,” requires public buildings constructed, acquired, or of which more than fifty percent of the façade is substantially altered by the General Services Administration, use bird-friendly materials. You can contact your US Senator about this bill here: If you are in need of a wildlife rehabilitator, check out these resources, and thank you for helping save a bird's life. A list of DEC-certified animal rehabilitators: Animal Help Now: Audubon New York's resource and information page on how to help birds that appear injured or orphaned: How you can help, right now
Manufacturing Change Management The ABCs of Change Management in Manufacturing The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “The only constant in life is change.” Today we face more changes than our parents ever could have dreamed of. What does change do to a person? When the change is not handled correctly, people tend to do several things. First, people retreat to their comfort zones. People view drastic changes as a crisis, and as a result, they begin to work and live in a crisis mode. These people see everything through the lens of a crisis, and many begin to act like Chicken Little, who kept exclaiming, “The sky is falling!” Others see drastic change and adopt a “fight or flight” mentality. Some people will retreat within themselves, become depressed, and perhaps self-hurtful. Others may lash out and become aggressive toward people and may even become violent. Still others may see change and work through the same stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.How do we make change less traumatic and more enabling? Once we realize change is a process rather than event, we begin to view change differently. When we implement changes in our workplace, we follow a process to make change. This process follows six distinct, but interrelated steps: Alignment, Benefit, Communication, Development, Enable, Feedback. These six steps are known as The ABCs of Change Management. The first step of Change Management is Alignment. With Alignment, we get clarity of what we really want to change, and why. We ask ourselves several questions. First, we want to clarify what it is we want to change. What needs to be in the scope of the change? The second question is perhaps the most important: Why do we need to change? These two critical questions establish the “Burning Platform” that will drive the change. Other questions, such as what happens if we do not change, must be addressed as well. Once we have answered those questions, we then set our course from the current state to the future state. We ask ourselves where we want to be in the future. We need to articulate this clearly so we can make our mission resonate with the people with whom we share this vision. Before people commit to a course of action, one of the main things they want to know is how this new course will benefit them. People ask, whether out loud or within their heart and mind, “What’s In It For Me?” (WIIFM). If people see a personal, tangible benefit for them, they will agree to be a part of the change. Conversely, if people do not see a benefit, they will oppose the change completely. Once the benefits of the change have been determined and clarified, they should form the basis of the communication plan to explain the benefits to everyone who is affected. Consistent, clear, and continuous communication is the key to success in any change. Poor communication is the primary reason change initiatives fail. Everyone should hear and see the same message about the upcoming change. People will compare what they hear with others in the organization and if the message is different confusion will set in. A good communication plan will spell out exactly what needs to be said and when the message is to be broadcast. Messaging and communication need to be clear and should avoid “corporate-speak” or confusing acronyms to remain relevant to your audience. Communication needs to be continuous in order to be effective. It has been said that a person needs to hear a message seven times before they will remember it. Communicating a clear, consistent, continuous message about an upcoming change is critical for the change to be effective and accepted more readily. If a message is not given, people will create their own message about the change. Development, or education and training, is vital for the success of change. Consider the change of learning to drive. People cannot be expected to do something for which they have not been educated. When we institute changes, we create a development plan to ensure all the people affected by the change have been educated regarding the change and its impact on them. We must be active in our development of the people affected by change. It is only by being involved in learning that we can be confident true learning happened. Change is a continuum. The phases leading to the change, Alignment, Benefit, and Communication, set the foundation while Development builds on that foundation and gives the affected people the tools they need to succeed. When we allow people to practice what they have learned and master the skills, we enable the success. Enabling our associates to hone their new skills takes resources – time and expenses. We must be willing to spend both for our organization to thrive in the new environment that we have created. The same holds true with changes we make in manufacturing plants and business environments. Leaders provide the resources for people to master the change before the change is “live”. By mastering the change in a practice environment, mistakes can be made and not have large-scale negative ramifications on the product or business. Feedback is the crucial last step of change management. Feedback tells the affected person how they are doing in adopting the change and helps reinforce the new behavior or corrects behavior is that is off course. People crave feedback, they want to do a good job, and they want to know that they are accomplishing what is expected. People respond more to positive feedback than they will if they receive negative feedback. If a person hears negative feedback all the time, they will withdraw and “quit in place.” This can result in poor engagement from those associates and while they will continue to come to work and perform their work, they may be detrimental. Feedback takes many forms from tangible rewards to intangible recognition. Each type of feedback has its own benefits and limitations. As a leader begins to implement change management, each type of feedback should be employed to ensure maximum effectiveness. What is effective with some people will not be as effective with others. The most effective feedback, however, is that which is done positively, immediately, consistently, and often. Feedback is an effective tool in the arsenal of change management. Used wisely and properly, feedback can speed the change process and shorten the learning curve. Used properly, the right feedback can inspire those in an organization to become better change agents. Applying the ABCs of Change Management in Manufacturing The ABCs of Change Management is a roadmap for effective change. Once we know what change we are making and how we will do that, we set about effecting change. We lay the foundation of the change by getting Alignment, showing and communicating the Benefits of the proposed change, and clearly, consistently, and continuously Communicating the change to everyone affected by the change. We build the structure of the change by ensuring everyone in the organization is Developed in the new method. We create success by Enabling everyone to work with the change in a safe environment, and we make success certain by providing the Feedback to maximize performance. Change does not have to be painful, be anxiety-ridden, and does not have to guarantee erroneous outcomes. Change can be positive, productive, and beneficial. Are you ready to implement change effectively in your organization? Contact a practitioner today. 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In this concise and insightful answer to Which is larger, all known, bound nuclear energy levels, or known, bound atomic energy levels? it was pointed out that atoms can have an extremely large (possibly infinite) number of bound excited states. The Rydberg formula represents a simple model for the energy of transitions in a hydrogen-like (one-electron) atom. Originally written for the measured vacuum wavelength of the photon released by the transition: $${1\over\lambda_{vac}}=\text{R}_{\infty}Z^2 \left( \frac{1}{n_1^2} - \frac{1}{n_2^2} \right) $$ because the original work was done with grating spectrographs. Z is the atomic number of the nucleus. It is often written in terms of energy as well: $$E=h\nu = \text{Ry}Z^2 \left( \frac{1}{n_1^2} - \frac{1}{n_2^2} \right) $$ where the Rydberg energy Ry is roughly 13.6 eV. As was pointed out, as $n$ increases, the number of energy levels for this simple model increases (mathematically, at least) without limit. So possible transitions can have arbitrarily small energy, and therefore long wavelength. It's often the low energy transitions measured in radio astronomy that allow mapping gas temperatures and distribution, rather than the optical transitions. My Question: What is the lowest energy atomic transition ever detected and clearly identified? I've added the discussion of the Rydberg model just to help explain why there can be extremely low energy transition. If there is a really compelling case for a lowest energy record that was achieved in - for example - a diatomic molecule, that would be OK here - as long as it is a well defined and unambiguously identified transition. Naturally occurring atomic hyperfine transitions are fine (no pun intended) but I want to rule out things like NMR, where the transitions and their energy are caused and defined by (respectively) an externally applied fields. This should be about transitions of the atom itself. • $\begingroup$ goldstone modes have arbitrarily low excitation energy. $\endgroup$ – user18764 Jul 19 '16 at 15:16 • 1 $\begingroup$ No such thing exists. $\endgroup$ – CuriousOne Jul 19 '16 at 15:16 • 2 $\begingroup$ I wrote an answer to an earlier question involving megahertz band (lower energy than AM radio) signals from Rydbeg atom transitions in the $n > 500$ regime. That's certainly a very low energy transition and supports the notion that $n$ can take on arbitrarily high values. $\endgroup$ Jul 19 '16 at 20:43 • $\begingroup$ @dmckee Wow, that's fascinating! I noticed that the paper is open access too. Thank you for your comment! $\endgroup$ – uhoh Jul 20 '16 at 0:25 Your Answer Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.
Foam Pits in 5 Steps Gymnastics and Foam Pit construction Step 1 Determine area needed to perform the intended tricks or maneuvers. Think larger for Moto-cross, BMX and Skateboarding as more speed and altitude are usually involved. Length is usually the second most important dimension to consider always erring on the side of caution. When considering the length of the pit consider how fast and far is feasible for the athlete and then extend it a little to provide a safe cushion. Depth is the most important dimension as the amount of blocks between the landing and the hard surface below is the amount of cushion or load deflection that the pit offers. Usually a safe depth for Gymnastics is 6-8 feet. This depth would likely be sufficient for most skateboarding and BMX applications as well. Moto-cross deals with higher speeds greater height and more weight so choosing a pit depth on the back end of the spectrum is wise even deeper maybe. Finally determining width and siding is important to ensure safety. Consider the possible range of error from left to right and choose a reasonable space for landing. Again speed and distance effects the possibility for error in a direction and should be taken into consideration. Step 2 Consider the actual location. Inside? Outside? Above Ground? Below Ground? These are all questions that must be answered when locating where you plan on building your pit. Inside pits are common for gymnastics which eliminates the worry of rain or snow. Outside pits are common for snowboarding, moto-cross, and other extreme sports. These pits should probably use covers or water resistant blocks to resist the elements. Foam obviously acts very much like a sponge and after rain without a cover a pit will be very wet and if left like that it will likely grow mold there are often complaints of sickness after using a dirty foam pit. Above ground pits are possible but should still meet all the dimensional safety measures outlined above, especially depth. Step 3 Calculate the amount of blocks needed to fill a pit. The math is a simple volume calculation, length * width * height * 0.7 * 8 = # of 6″ blocks or length * width * height * 0.7 * 8 = # of 8″ blocks. These are industry standard calculations. Step 4 Select a block density. The higher the block density the more load deflection or the safer they are for the athlete. Lower density blocks will save money but may not be as safe. Step 5 Fill your pit, have fun and always practice safely! Periodically Pits should be fluffed as the foam will compact with repeated impact and provide less protection. Churning up the blocks prevents this from becoming an issue. Blocks should also be periodically replaced with fresh blocks both for cleanliness and safety as the foam gets beaten up. Safety Warnings Warning – Even with a quality pit neck and back injuries can still occur, make every effort not to land on the head or neck to reduce risk regardless of the pit. Source by Gary B Ahlm
October 29 Introduction to Modern American Social Realism When I speak of social realism, I refer to a way of using art that brings light to previously unobserved aspects of society. The use of the term “realism” is somewhat complicated. At least as I view it, it refers to (1) an attempt to present these aspects of society in a “realistic” manner, not via caricature or exaggeration, and (2) an attempt to present these aspects of society as a counterbalance to what is usually presented, in an attempt to give a sense of what society as a whole is “really” like. We’ll use the terms descriptive realism and holistic realism for these two kinds of realism, respectively. Social realism, as I see it, incorporates both descriptive and holistic realism. Maybe the term “social realism” differs from how it’s used in English literature classes. I’m not an English lit major, and I’m not giving you an English lit definition, because I’m not interested in the definition from a traditional critical perspective. I’m giving you a practitioner’s definition of the term, based on some more rudimentary concepts that attempt to cut the artistic world at its joints. Anyway, to illustrate what I mean by social realism, take the work of Jacob Riis, presenting the artwork, Bandit’s Roost. Riis is a journalist/artist presenting images via photography, examining the lives of the poor and neglected in New York City. The photographs are, at least relatively speaking, descriptively realistic. Bandit’s Roost is a photograph of some potentially unsavory characters in one of the most dangerous parts of the city. Moreover, the work is a counterbalance to what is usually presented – hence the photograph is part of a book called How the Other Half Lives – suggesting both that it is providing a descriptive account of one half of society, and that this is a half of society that is not substantially represented. It’s holistically realistic as well. When I refer to modern American social realism, I refer to an intent to apply the aforementioned concept of social realism to modern times. Of course, modern American social realism won’t take the same shape that social realism did in the 1900s. Modern America is a more socially, racially and culturally diverse country than it was back then. So, there is more territory to explore – not just “The Other Half” as it were, but the other 98%. The task of holistic realism is harder. Moreover, the methods for presenting descriptive realism will differ as well. Traditional modern pop is, I think, a clunky medium for expressing this expanded and more diverse modern America. The limited chord set especially used by traditional pop and top-40 (extensively discussed by others elsewhere) requires adjustment. After all, we are dealing with descriptive realism, and if the music is to be adequate to describing the reality that is modern America, it had better be sophisticated enough. Most modern political music is holistically real in that it attempts to bring light to previously unaddressed aspects of society (at least up to a point). This is to say that political music deals in holistic realism. However, most modern political does not deal in descriptive realism. As I see it, most modern political music consists more of direct proselytizing, or the musical ornamentation of talking points. These forms of music present holistic realism by animating political messages with musical beauty. Descriptive realism differs from these other musical mindsets because it motivates by way of talking about the world in descriptively honest manner, and if the listener listens intently then a political message becomes clear. Or at least, this is what I mean when I talk about modern American social realism.
Showing all 18 results The story White tea is young tea buds from the Camellia Sinensys plant and is only harvested for a few weeks each spring.White tea gets its name from a silvery type down that covers the leaves and unopened buds, known as “Bai Hao.” Most popular white tea plantation situated in Chinese Provinces Fujian and Yunnan. Bai Hao Ying Zhen, Bai Mu Dan from Fujian, Moon Light from Bai Hao from Yunnan. The leaves are generally picked in mid-March to early April and only on days when it is not rainy or humid. Just like champagne, white tea can only be called “white tea” if it comes from the Fujian province. Modern day harvesting and preparation of white tip tea is quite minimal and includes drying and withering of the leaves in one of several methods. These methods include heated vents, wind drying chambers or natural sunlight almost immediately after picking, preventing oxidization. Because of the minimalistic processing involved, many people refer to white tea as a “raw” tea and it is believed to have a higher amount of beneficial properties than green or black teas . The tea withering processes vary from region to region, and are very much influenced by the environment, both in terms of climate and local traditions.
5 ways to give your preschooler the library bug Libraries are a fun and practical place that your child will hopefully continue to visit throughout their entire life. But how do you help them to form the "library habit" early on? Here are 5 strategies you can start using today -- even if they're not reading on their own yet! 1. Let them choose what they want to borrow Giving children the opportunity to choose their own books lets them see just how many books are available, and also helps to keep their interest in what they're reading. Kids are more likely to be interested in something they've chosen themselves! 2. Let them see you using the library It's not easy to have a long leisurely browsing session with a preschooler in tow, but bringing them with you to pick out a book by your favorite author, or to see what's new in the cooking section will show them that the library is for people of every age and interest. 3. Talk to them about the library Tell your child a day or two in advance when you're planning a library visit, and talk about what that means. This will give you a chance to go back over how the library works (you get to borrow books for a few weeks, and then they go back for someone else to borrow), to read a favorite library book one more time before it's returned, and to anticipate what you'll borrow next. 4. Make the library social Many library activities are targeted to a particular age group, which makes them a great place to meet or to invite a playmate. Suggest to one of the parents at your child's preschool that you meet up with your children at a weekend storytime at your local branch, or talk to some of the other parents already at the storytime about attending the same session regularly so that your kids can be "library friends". This will show them that the library is a community place, where you meet people. 5. Practice interactive reading To help your child engage with books, make the experience of reading together interactive. Ask them questions about the illustrations ("How many birds are in the sky? What color are they?") and use the plots and story elements to spark conversation ("They're cooking dinner. What did we have for dinner?"). This will make reading into more than sounding out shapes on a page! Raising a reader is definitely a process, but these 5 tips will help your preschooler see the library as a fun place that they'll be excited to visit for years to come. Let us know how these strategies work out for you and share any tips of your own in the comments -- we'd love to hear from you!
From the beginning, heavy drinking was fairly commonplace among the cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point (founded in 1802). In an attempt to stem this in 1826, the academy's strict superintendent and the "Father of West Point," General Sylvanus Thayer, began a crackdown by prohibiting alcohol on campus. As Christmas approached and the cadets realized that the prohibition would put a damper on their traditional Christmas Eve festivities that included consumption of a fair amount of eggnog, a bold few began to plan away around the problem. Photo: Flickr/Erin Stevenson O'Connor Back then, eggnog was always an alcoholic beverage (see: What is Eggnog Made Of and Who Invented It?), often made with rum or whiskey. Luckily for the cadets, both liquors were plentiful near campus, being served by three taverns within easy travelling distance: Benny Haven, North's Tavern and Martin's Tavern, just across the Hudson River. Determined to make their season bright, a small cadre of cadets set out to smuggle some liquor into the North Barracks and chose Martin's Tavern across the river as their supplier. A few nights before Christmas, three cadets crossed the Hudson, drank a bit at the bar, then purchased three to four gallons of whiskey to go. They then ferried the contraband back across the river. Met at the dock by a guard, they reportedly bribed him with $0.35 ($7 today) to look the other way while they unloaded the loot and snuck it into their rooms where it lay hidden until Christmas Eve. On the fateful night, the superintendent assigned only two officers to monitor the North Barracks: Lieutenant William A. Thorton and Captain Ethan Allen Hitchcock. Things were quiet at first, and Hitchcock and Thorton went to bed about midnight. At about 4 a.m., however, Hitchcock was awakened by noise coming from one of the cadets' floors above him. Upon investigation, he discovered a small group of obviously drunk cadets and ordered them to return to their rooms. No sooner had he dispersed that group than Hitchcock realized there was another party in an adjoining room. Crashing that one as well, Hitchcock found these cadets so inebriated that he later reported they attempting to hide under blankets, and one even thought he could avoid detection by stubbornly keeping his face behind his hat. Unlike the first party, however, things got heated in the second room, and after Hitchcock left, the drunk-mad cadets decided to arm themselves with their bayonets, pistols and dirks to attack, and perhaps even kill, Hitchcock. Thus began the Eggnog Riot. While the drunken cadets were gathering their weaponry, it sounded to Thorton and Hitchcock a few floors below as if the parties had simply resumed. Returning to the cadets' floors, Hitchcock met Jefferson Davis (yes, that Jefferson Davis), then a cadet who was also drunk. Vainly trying to help his friends, Davis burst into the party-room just ahead of Hitchcock shouting: "Put away the grog boys! Captain Hitchcock's coming!" Hitchcock soon joined them and ordered Davis to his room, which likely saved him from later expulsion, since he missed out on the remainder of the riot. Had he been expelled, of course, his future in the military and politics, culminating in becoming the President of the Confederacy, likely wouldn't have ever happened. (See: What Ever Happened to Confederate President Jefferson Davis?) Other cadets who had already made preparations to attack began assaulting Hitchcock and now Thorton, who had joined the fray. Thorton was threatened with a sword and knocked down with a piece of wood, while another cadet actually shot at Hitchcock. Realizing things were spiraling out of control, Hitchcock ordered a cadet sentinel (who apparently had not been invited to the party) to get "the 'com," meaning the Commandant of Cadets; however, in their drunken state the rioting cadets thought he had summoned regular army men from a nearby barracks to attack them. Seeking to defend the honor of the North Barracks, even more cadets armed themselves (in total including about one-third of all cadets at the academy), and, as is standard operating procedure in any proper riot, the mob began arbitrarily breaking anything in sight, including windows, furniture and other items. Eventually, the 'Com came, and since the cadets truly respected his authority, they finally regained a semblance of composure, and the so-called Eggnog Riot ended sometime Christmas day. Over the next week, Inspector of the Academy and Chief Engineer of the Army, Major General Alexander Macomb, entered Orders No. 49 and 98, the latter of which placed 22 cadets under house arrest, and the former began a court of inquiry. The investigation revealed that the riot caused $168.83 in damage (around $3,500 today), and identified 19 ringleaders who were subsequently court-martialed between January 26 and March 8, 1827. Cadets Aisquith, Berrien, Bomford, Burnley, Farrelly, Fitzgerald, Gard, Guion, Humphreys, Johnson, Lewis, Mercer, Murdock, Norvelle, Roberts, Screven, Stocker, Swords, and Thompson stood trial, and other cadets, including both Jefferson Davis (who was among the 22 originally under house arrest, but otherwise went unpunished) and Robert E. Lee testified for the defenses. Eleven of the group (Berrien, Bomford, Burnley, Farrelly, Fitzgerald, Guion, Humphreys, Johnson, Lewis, Roberts and Stocker) were dismissed, and the remainder were allowed to stay, although Gard, Murdock and Norvelle chose to leave the academy anyway. As a result of the riot, in the 1840s when new barracks were constructed, they were designed so that the cadets had to actually go outside to move between floors in an attempt to prevent another mob uprising. Bonus Eggnog: Here's George Washington's (yes, that George Washington) eggnog recipe (not verbatim): Mix together well: 1 pint brandy 1 cup rye whiskey 1 cup rum ½ cup sherry Separately, separate the yolks and whites of one dozen eggs. Then beat with the yolks: ¾ cup sugar Add the liquor into the sugar-egg mixture, slowly at first, beating constantly so it fully incorporates. Then add, again beating together slowly: 1 quart cream 1 quart milk Separately, beat the whites stiff and gently fold those into the mixture. When incorporated, let it set in a cool place for several days, and as George said, "taste frequently."
Best Answer When you are about 6 months, your body may start to prepare to begin milk production. Usually around 7 months, you will notice "colostrum" either leaking or expressed from the nipples. This is premilk, and for some women, it does not appear until after the birth of your baby. About 3-4 days after birth, you will feel your breasts becoming engorged. This may cause your breasts to enlarge 3-4 times there original size, and can be hard, and very painful. Many physicians believe the breasts are not fully mature until a woman has given birth and produced milk. Breast changes are one of the earliest signs of pregnancy - a result of the pregnancy hormone, progesterone. In addition, the areolas (the dark areas of skin that surround the nipples of the breasts) begin to swell followed by the rapid swelling of the breasts themselves. Most pregnant women experience tenderness down the sides of the breasts and tingling or soreness of the nipples because of the growth of the milk duct system and the formation of the many more lobules. When I was pregnant my "milk" came around 6 or 7 months... I didn't even notice it until it was leaking all the way down my shirt and all over the front of me... highly embarassing but that WAS my first pregnancy... so now that I know... next time I will be wearing those "pads" as soon as I hit 6 months or so... just in case lol... Pam User Avatar Wiki User 2015-07-17 17:52:50 This answer is: User Avatar Study guides See all Study Guides Create a Study Guide Add your answer: Earn +20 pts Q: When does milk develop in the breasts? Write your answer... Related questions Why do breasts have milk in them? Women who are pregnant develop milk in their breasts to be able to feed her baby. Why do girls develop breasts? Girls develop breasts so when they have a baby, they are able to breastfeed. During pregnancy the breasts get larger and fill with milk to feed the baby. Those are the main reasons girls develop breasts. Why do breasts develop? It is a naturaly process of the body. It is realted to breastfeeding. The breast must develop in order to provide a place for milk when she is pregnant. Do breasts hurt when they develop milk? Most women do experience engorgement pain when the milk comes in. This lasts for 24-48 hours. Why do girls get boobies? Breasts in women develop primarily as a preparation to be able to feed milk to the new born infant. When will you develop breasts? Estrogen the hormone found in woman are the cause of breasts, and you develop breasts during or after puberty, when your hormones are at their highest peek. Distinguish between the breasts and the mammary glands? The breasts are the upper part of the chest. The mammary glands give milk. Chickens have breasts and they don't give milk. Many sea mammals have nipples to give milk, but, they don't have breasts. Does drinking milk give you bigger breasts? No it does not. But making milk yourself (lactation) does make your breasts bigger. Can hormones help you develop breasts in puberty? Yes, hormones are what make a woman develop breasts during and after puberty. How old do you have to be for milk to come out of your breasts? Well milk only comes from your breasts if your nursing a baby. So you would have to be pregnant to have milk come out of your breasts. You would have to at least have your period and that can happen at any age. How many months pregnant are you before you get milk in your breasts? When you're pregnant, the milk isn't in your breasts yet. It's not until after you actually give birth that you get milk in your breasts. It follows colostrom, which is a natural antibiotic. Will drinking soy milk enlarge your breasts? No drinking of soya milk will not help your breasts grow a single bit. Will milk leak while the man is fonding her breasts after pregnancy? Yes there are chances of milk leaking when the breasts are fondled. How long does it take for breasts to develop? From the time your breasts begin to develop, it should take two to three years to completely develop, however some girls do develop slower or faster than that. Does breasts have milk in them? What comes out of breasts? What is bunny milk? It is milk that comes from a female rabbit's breasts. Why are there breasts? Breasts exist to create milk for baby humans. Every mammal has breasts to feed their young. Do girls breasts leak milk? No because it only leaks when you give birth. If you drink a lot of milk will that make your breasts big just by a little? Sorry! Milk, even a lot of milk will not make your breast bigger, not even a little bit.. The only way to get bigger breasts is my breasts implants. What makes your breasts develop? Does a girl's breast contain milk even if she is not a pregnant and at what age she may find milk in her breasts? Age has nothing to do with when a female produces breast milk, and the only time a female has milk in her breasts is after giving birth. The first breast secretion after delivering is not milk, but a substance called "Colostrum", which is thought to have more of the vital nutrients and immune boosters than the breast milk itself has. The breasts will produce the colostrum for about a day, then they will begin producing milk. They will continue to produce milk for as long as the mother nurses, but when she stops nursing, the breasts stop producing milk. Why would there be milk? because you have breasts. Do women with large breasts produce more milk than women with small breasts? Yes and no. generally when a large breasted woman is coming into her milk, she may have more milk then a woman with small breasts, who is also coming into her milk. This generally settles down when feeding schedules have been more established and the milk production has settled into the supply and demand routine. There will only be as much milk as is needed in the breasts due to the entire concept of supply and demand, So if a heavy demand is placed on the breasts, then bigger breasts may have more milk in them then small breasts, but this is overly dependent, as i said, on the demand. A woman with twins, for instance, will produce more milk then a woman with only one baby, and this is between women with the same sized breasts. The more milk taken from the breast during a feeding, the faster it will be produced to replenish it. So the real answer is, Yes, but commonly, No. No. Not at all. I have fairly small breasts and have always produced an over-abundance of milk. I know plenty of large-breasted women who struggle with milk production. What does the phrase when your breasts develop mean? It basically are fancy words for "when your boobs/breasts are growing".
surya ppt Category: Education Presentation Description No description available. Presentation Transcript RECEPTOR concept : RECEPTOR concept Surya Narayana Parichha M.PHARM- II nd SEM Department of Chemistry Govt. College of Pharmacy, A ’ bad. INTRODUCTION Receptor concept was first formulated by Jhon langley in 1878. The term receptor was first introduced by Paul Ehrlich in 1907. It is defined as the sensing elements in system of chemical communication that co-ordinates the function of all different cell in the body. It situated inside or at surface of effecter cell. Receptor=receiver : Receptor=receiver Receptor – a molecule inside/outside of a cell that a drug binds to and uses to produce its effect. Think of a receptor as a receiver in a football game. The receptor receives drugs in the same fashion as a receiver catches a pass from the quarterback. Slide 4: Receptors are very specific as to what substances will attach to them and cause a reaction. If the receptor is a different shape then there will be no reaction. These are regulatory macromolucles,proteinious in nature. Receptor site theories : Receptor site theories Occupancy theory Rate theory Induced fit theory Macromolecular perturbation theory Activation aggregation theory Slide 6: The occupancy theory: The more receptors sites occupied by ligand, the stronger responce The rate theory: The more ligand-receptor interact / unit time, the stronger responce The induced-fit theory: The macromolecular pertubation theory: (induced fit + rate theory) Slide 7: The activation -agregation theory: Always dynamic equilibr. drug –receptor interaction terms : drug –receptor interaction terms Agonist Inverse agonist Antagonist Partial agonist Ligand Agonists = action : Agonists = action Agonist=a molecule that attaches to a receptor and elicits a response similar to that of the physiological signal molecule. Think of agonists as your body’s own chemical teammates Antagonist = Against : Antagonist = Against Antagonist- a molecule that acts against and blocks an action of an agonist Doesn’t have any effect of its own. Think of an antagonist as the opposing teams defense Contd……. : Contd……. Inverse agonist: an agent which activates a receptor to produce an effect in the opposite direction to that of the agonist. Partial agonist: an agent which activates a receptor to produce sub maximal effect but antagonizes the action of a full agonist. Ligand: any molecule which attaches selectively to particular receptors or sites. Drug-receptor interactions : Drug-receptor interactions Most drug-receptor interactions -reversible -weak chemical bonds Irreversible drug-receptor interactions -not common -strong chemical bonds (covalent) -e.g. anti-tumour drug Contd…. : Contd…. Types of interactions Covalent Electrostatic Hydrogen Dipole-dipole and ion dipole Hydrophobic Van der waals Decreasing bond strength How does the Binding Site Change Shape? : How does the Binding Site Change Shape? Before – Intermolecular bonds not optimum length for maximum binding strength After – Intermolecular bond lengths optimised Main Types of Receptors : Ion Channel Receptors : Ion Channel Receptors Receptor protein is part of an ion channel protein complex. The receptor is usually a pentameric protein. Receptor binds a messenger leading to an induced fit. Ion channel is opened or closed. Ion channels are specific for specific ions (Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, K+). Ions flow across cell membrane down concentration gradient. EX-nicotinic Ach receptor,GABAA receptors. Ion Channel Receptors : Ion Channel Receptors Ion Channel Receptors : Ion Channel Receptors Transmembrane Proteins TM2 of each protein subunit ‘lines’ the central pore Gating : Gating Five glycoprotein subunits traversing cell membrane Change in memebrene potential or Ionic concentration Cellular effects (milisec) Contd…. : Contd…. Chemical messenger binds to receptor binding site Induced fit results in further conformational changes TM2 segments rotate to open central pore G protein coupled receptors : G protein coupled receptors They called G-proteins because of their interaction with guanine nucleotide GTP and GDP. It consist of 3 subunits alpha, beta and gamma Molecular Structure. They have characteristic 7 transmembrance alpha helices similar to ion channels. classification The G Protein Activation/Inactivation Cycle : The G Protein Activation/Inactivation Cycle Enzyme linked receptors : Enzyme linked receptors Agonist binding site and the catalytic site lies respectively on the outer and inner surface of plasma membrane. Two major subgroups are 1)those that have intrinsic activity. 2)those that lack intrinsic activity. Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) : Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Several receptors involved in growth control and differentiation have intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity (e.g., insulin, EGF) Binding ligand to receptor leads to receptor phosphorylation and activation of a cascade of protein kinases phosphorylation of transcription factors activates (inactivates) gene transcription Slide 25: Extracellular N-terminal chain Intracellular C-terminal chain Tyrosine kinase-linked receptors Slide 26: Reaction catalysed by tyrosine kinase Jak-stat pathway : Jak-stat pathway Hormone-receptor interaction (e.g., growth hormone, cytokines) activates cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase (e.g., JAK1) Tyrosine kinases phosphorylate proteins that dock with other proteins via SH2 domains (bind to phosphotyrosines) STAT binds phosphorylated receptor, becomes phosphorylated, dimerizes, translocates to nucleus, binds specific DNA elements, regulates transcription Slide 28: Intracellular receptors Chemical messengers must cross cell membrane Chemical messengers must be hydrophobic Example-steroids and steroid receptors Zinc fingers contain Cys residues (SH) Allow S-Zn interactions Intracellular Receptors : Intracellular Receptors Eg-Steroid receptors - Ligands that are sufficiently soluble to cross the plasma membrane exert their actions by binding to a group of intracellular proteins called the steroid receptor superfamily. Activation of these receptors results in increased transcription of specific genes within the target cells. Slide 30: Intracellular receptor Mechanism 4. Binds co-activator protein 7. Protein synthesis activated or inhibited References : References Moroney, A. (2007). Drug-Receptor Interactions. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from Merck web site: Mosby. Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions, 7th Edition. Rhodes, M. (2008). Parkinson's Disease Health Center . Retrieved September 7, 2008, from WebMD: Silverthorn, Dee Unglaub,(2007). Human physiology: An integrated approach (forth edition).Austin:Pearson Slide 32: authorStream Live Help
How can I help?What can I do? Begleitung anbieten! Informationen besorgen If someone needs your help, you can consult with others, get information or offer to accompany. If necessary, act on behalf of the other person! Talk to friends, adults, an advice centre Make use of adults or professional helpers who can provide assistance with their knowledge, experience and active support. If there are several friends, you can divide up the tasks and then it won’t be too much for one person. One could talk to the friend; another could ask their own parents what they should do; and one could call the advice centre, get advice, or arrange an appointment. Get information Find out about the situation. Talk to your parents, call the Jugendamt or an advice centre, describe what you know, talk of your fears and find out what you could do next. Offer to accompany Many people have difficulty asking for help. They are ashamed, stressed and are afraid of saying the wrong things, or else they’re afraid that they won’t be understood or taken seriously. You can’t decide for someone else whether they want to be helped or not. By accompanying them, however, you can make it much easier for them to accept help. Act on behalf of the other person Change is very difficult to impose from the outside. In an emergency, however, you can act on behalf of another person. If you witness violence, for example, call the police. If your friend is flipping out and threatening to kill herself, call the fire brigade. Only when the acute danger is over is it possible to talk and seek solutions.
What Is Bitcoin and Is It a Good Investment? Bitcoin (BTC) is another sort of advanced cash with cryptographic keys-that is decentralized to an organization of PCs utilized by clients and diggers around the globe and is not constrained by a solitary association or government. It is the primary computerized cryptocurrency that has picked up the public’s consideration and is acknowledged by a developing number of traders. Like different monetary standards, clients can utilize the advanced money to purchase merchandise and enterprises online just as in some physical stores that acknowledge it as a type of installment. Cash brokers can likewise exchange Bitcoins Bitcoin exchanges.Bitcoin Trading There are a few significant contrasts among Bitcoin and conventional monetary forms (for example U.S. dollar): 1. Bitcoin does not have a brought together power or clearing house (for example government, national bank, and MasterCard or Visa organization). The distributed installment network is overseen by clients and excavators around the globe. The money is secretly moved legitimately between clients through the web without experiencing a clearing house. This implies exchange charges are a lot of lower. 1. Bitcoin is made through a cycle called Bitcoin mining. Diggers around the globe use mining programming and PCs to illuminate complex bitcoin calculations and to affirm Bitcoin exchanges. They are granted with exchange charges and new Bitcoins created from comprehending Bitcoin calculations. 1. There is a restricted measure of Bitcoins available for use. As per Blockchain, there were about 12.1 million available for use as of Dec. 20, 2013. The trouble to mine Bitcoins (comprehend calculations) gets more diligently as more Bitcoins are produced, and the most extreme sum available for use is covered at 21 million. The breaking point would not be reached until around the year 2140. This makes Bitcoins more important as more individuals use them. 1. A public record called ‘Blockchain’ records all Bitcoin exchanges and shows each Bitcoin proprietor’s particular possessions. Anybody can get to the public record to check exchanges. This phoenix website makes the advanced cash more straightforward and unsurprising. All the more critically, the straightforwardness forestalls misrepresentation and twofold spending of a similar Bitcoins. 1. The computerized cash can be gained through Bitcoin mining or Bitcoin exchanges. 1. The computerized cash is acknowledged by a predetermined number of shippers on the web and in some physical retailers. 1. Bitcoin wallets (like PayPal accounts) are utilized for putting away Bitcoins, private keys and public locations just as for namelessly moving Bitcoins between clients. 1. Bitcoins are not safeguarded and are not secured by government offices. Henceforth, they cannot be recuperated if the mystery keys are taken by a programmer or lost to a flopped hard drive, or because of the conclusion of a Bitcoin exchange. On the off chance that the mystery keys are lost, the related Bitcoins cannot be recouped and would be unavailable for general use.
Often asked: Why Lord Shiva Kills Parvati? Why did Shiva kill Parvati? In the Shiva Purana, when Shiva was meditating on Mount Mandara, Parvati was in a playful mood and covered Shiva’s eyes. Brahmā granted Andhaka these wishes, but warned him that he could still be killed by Shiva. Andhaka went back to his kingdom and subdued all his opponents as well as the Devas. How did goddess Parvati die? Why did Shiva cut his wife in 52 pieces? Is Parvati stronger than Shiva? Yes! Shiva is the most powerful. You might be interested: Question: How To Become Shiva Devotee? How many wives did Shiva have? Shiva have 2 wives. Who killed Lord Shiva? Is Parvati immortal? Lord Shiva told Parvati that any creature who listens the story, would become immortal, so this story should be narrated only in a solitude place. Both Shiva and Parvati left their Pancha Vautik body, the physical body with five elements at Panchatarni and entered into the empty Amarnath Cave with their subtle body. Did Lord Shiva get periods? Is Parvati older than Shiva? Who cursed Shiva as linga? You might be interested: Often asked: When To Use Kumari? Why did Parvati marry Shiva? Who was Sati’s first husband? She is generally considered the first wife of Shiva, other being Parvati, who was Sati’s reincarnation after her death. Sati (Hindu goddess) Texts Puranas, Kumarasambhavam, Tantra Personal information Parents Daksha (father) Prasuti (mother) Consort Shiva Was Shiva a virgin? No he didn’t He beheaded a stranger who didn’t allow him to meet his wife for the first time after marriage and claimed that he was the son of Parvati who Shiva knew was a virgin. It is because of Shakti, who took the form of Sati first, and Parvati later. Is Lord Shiva really a God? Who is the son of Andhak? Adi was the son of Andhak. He did a hard austerity of Brahma dev and got the boon of getting appearance of anybody by touching them. He also got boon of getting trained in fighting from Mahadev Himself. Written by Leave a Reply
Sandra Cisneros 1. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society 1. Standard PCS 01. Self, citizenship, and society 2. Standard PCS 02. Diverse Cultures 2. Strand PHIL.III Philanthropy and the Individual 1. Standard PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy Learners will associate a list of vocabulary words with self-discipline. They will use quotations from author Sandra Cisneros to infer concepts of self-discipline. PrintOne 20-minute lesson The learner will: • define vocabulary words associated with self-discipline. • reflect on the self-discipline of author Sandra Cisneros. Copies of handouts: Sandra Cisneros and Self-Discipline Vocabulary 1. Anticipatory Set: Discuss the examples of self-discipline observed from the homework assignment of the previous lesson and add to the charts from the previous lesson, if appropriate. Discuss some clues that someone else is exhibiting self-discipline. Discuss what types of behaviors help someone stay with a goal or task. 2. Distribute the handout Self-Discipline Vocabulary and have participants silently read it over, keeping in mind where the words might fit on the charts. Discuss each of the words and meanings together, asking for personal examples or observations. 3. Just like it takes self-discipline to get homework done on time, writers need self-discipline to complete their writing and editing tasks and deadlines. Some writers share their routines and practices that build their self-discipline. Sandra Cisneros is a writer who learned these skills and attitudes to shape her life the way she wanted it to go. She wrote The House on Mango Street that describes the life of a girl growing up through some tough situations in Chicago. What are other jobs and situations that take self-discipline in the face of barriers? You may think of athletes, farmers, artists, or factory workers. 4. Have the participants form groups of two or three to read and discuss the prompts in the handout Sandra Cisneros 5. When the groups are finished, hold a whole-class discussion. Groups reflect on what they learned. 6. Ask: How does Cisneros use of self-discipline help her? How does her self-discipline help the community?
The first new blue dye 200 years ago finally went on sale The first new blue dye 200 years ago finally went on sale In 1802, chemists discovered that you could commercially create a wonderful blue dye using cobalt. For the past 200 years, that has been the foundation. Then in 2009, Researchers at Oregon State University finally found a new form of blue, Brighter yet than cobalt. Finally on sale now – at $ 179.40 for a three-ounce tube, yeeikes! Isis Davis Marks in Smithsonian He has a story: Named after its chemical components of yttrium, indium and manganese oxides, YInMn absorbs red and green wavelengths while reflecting blue wavelengths to produce a bright blue color. Art supplies manufacturer George Kramer says the unique color, a combination of super-glossy blue and cobalt blue, fills a “gap in the color palette.” Artnet News. He adds, “YInMn Blue’s purity is really perfect.” People around the world have gravitated towards it blue, Which was the first man-made dye for thousands of years. Due to the difficulty of extracting blue from natural sources, artists throughout history have had to create synthetic blue pigments. Before YInMn Blue, the last commercially manufactured inorganic blue pigment was cobalt, which was discovered in 1802 and first produced in France in 1807, according to My Modern MetEmma Taggart. Cobalt is toxic if consumed in large quantities; It does not reflect heat well and tends to fade over time. “[YInMn Blue is] Really an exceptional blue color, because it reflects more heat than cobalt blue, it’s really stable and a really cool color like lapis lazuli, “Subramanian told NPR. Siehe auch Apple sagt, dass persönliche Arbeit „wesentlich“ ist und nicht vom hybriden Geschäftsplan zurücktreten wird Schreibe einen Kommentar
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer affecting women worldwide. Since 2006, two human papillomavirus vaccines (HPVV) have been licensed to protect women against the virus that causes cervical cancer. However, worldwide coverage remains unequal. Studies from the USA found strong evidence for differences in HPVV uptake by ethnicity and healthcare coverage. As the profile of ethnic groups and the healthcare system in the USA differ from countries in Europe where HPVV is free in most of the countries, we conducted a systematic review in order to analyze the determinants of HPVV uptake in Europe. METHODS: We performed a systematic Pubmed, Scopus, and Science Direct search to find articles published from HPVV availability in European countries until April 2014. No age restriction was applied. We included all studies assessing factors associated with HPVV uptake. Uptake refers to either initiation and/or completion of the three dose vaccination program. RESULTS: Out of the 23 eligible studies, 14 were retrospective reviews of data, six were cross-sectional surveys, and three were prospective cohort studies. Higher HPVV uptake was associated with ethnic majority populations, higher socio-economic status, regular cervical screening participation by the mother, and having received previous childhood vaccinations. CONCLUSION: Since the vaccine is offered for free in most of the European countries, the findings suggest that ethno-cultural and educational factors play an important role when it comes to HPVV uptake. Girls who were undervaccinated had also a lower uptake of standard childhood vaccines and mothers who were less likely to attend cervical cancer screening. This may indicate that only few parents have specific concerns with HPVV, and that preventive health care should seek ways to target these vulnerable groups. Europe Adolescents (10-18 years) Adults (18+) Coverage

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