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Best Programming Language To Build AI Chatbots
Technology has changed the way customer support is delivered. Earlier, if we had to gain some support from the provider company, either we had to visit the nearest office or get on a call. Now, you can simply drop a message and wait for an instant response. Something, which was a far dream even a decade back.
However, when you message your provider for support, the returning person is not actually a human representative. It is a chatbot. Traditionally, we had pre-programmed bots for dedicated responses and dedicated questions. Today, we have AI chatbots for real-time intelligent responses. These bots learn over time and improve the customer experience. Let’s see how.
Learning Of Blog
• Languages You Should Consider for AI Chatbots
o Java
o Clojure
o Lisp
o Python
o Ruby
• Conclusion
AI chatbots are a medium to utilize natural language processing capabilities for delivering enhanced communication to the users; even when it is 2 AM in the night. Below we have discussed the languages that you should use for AI chatbots or chatbot training.
Languages You Should Consider for AI Chatbots
1. Java
Java is a multi-paradigm language that has high-level programming features. You require these features to build a robust AI-powered chatbot. The best part is coding in Java is easy and the language is user-friendly. You can utilize the vital features of this refined interface to develop a chatbot.
The standard widget and the visualization feature of the language can further help the programmer to monitor work regularly.
2. Clojure
Using the Clojure programming language, you can access Java Frameworks for optional type hints and inference. This language is originally a member of the Lisp family, which works on Java Virtual Machine and empowers users to create code in the form of multiple functions. That’s why it has a strong macro system working on the code-as-data viewpoint.
With Clojure, you have a reactive agent and transaction memory system for correct, clean, and multi-threaded code and design. You can even utilize high-order and recursion functions as a replacement for side-effect-enabled looping.
3. Lisp
Lisp is one of the oldest programming languages that was created for efficient programming. It has evolved and become dynamic over time. No doubt, Lisp is the most popular language when it is about creating chatbots. From chatbot training to designing, we can achieve it all using Lisp’s dynamic prototyping abilities.
In working, Lisp can adapt to solutions more easily, which makes specific problems easier. The additional dynamic abilities like interactive expression evaluation during development and file recompilation in a running program further makes it a desirable language for chatbot training.
4. PHP
If you want to develop a chatbot in a cost-effective manner, then PHP open-source programming language is best-suited. You can work on an array of libraries, which are widely available. You can explore the functionalities of PHP much quickly when compared to other scripting languages.
Simply put, you can utilize this language to design a chatbot that can operate in an intricate IT landscape.
5. Python
Python is a significant programming language – not only for chatbot training but also for other types of AI and ML development. Python has a lot to offer. Its syntax, features, and versatility accompanied by a number of libraries contribute to the popularity of this language.
Here are some additional features:
• Less development time
• Interactive development
• Module and dynamic code development
• NLP support
All these features make python perfect for chatbot training. This is why chatbot experts frequently utilize this programming language for various development motives.
6. Ruby
Ruby is an object-oriented and dynamic programming language, which has a feasible and easy syntax. This language supports more than one programming paradigm. It has a dynamic system that also supports automatic memory management. These features make Ruby suitable for AI chatbots development.
All the above programming languages are widely utilized for AI chatbot training. If you are also willing to develop a chatbot, then check the benefits and features of the above programming languages to make an informed decision.
If you are still confused, visit our website for certification and course guidance. |
Jan. 17, 2021
Gothic Suspense
Castle, Damsel, Horror, Bride
The characteristics and history of Gothic suspense
Judy Nedry
There are those among us who cannot resist the temptation of the creaking staircase, the possibly haunted mansion, the tormented but silent owner of the castle, the damsel in distress, and the secrets behind all those bumps in the night. For us, Gothic suspense is a genre of choice.
Gothic suspense has come a long way since 1764 Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto, widely considered the first Gothic novel. In it, a young prince marries the virginal Isabella, then dies by a falling stone. Before the body has cooled, his lecherous father decides he will divorce his faithful wife and make the young widow his own. Having none of it, Isabella goes on the run through the castle’s subterranean passages with her erstwhile father-in-law and his men in hot pursuit.
A little over the top, readers today might venture. However, The Castle of Otranto lays out most of the characteristics found in Gothics throughout the ages. And then some.
The Characteristics of Gothic Suspense
The Damsel – In the majority of popular Gothics, an innocent and naïve young woman is central to the plot. Most often she also is an outsider and finds herself thrown into a terrifying or dangerous situation and isolated from those who could help her. As a bride, Isabella arrives at her future husband’s castle. His death leaves her vulnerable to the forces around her.
The Governess – A favorite device since Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre was published in 1847, is that of the governess—or someone like a governess—a young woman of lower birth hired into the household of the rich and powerful. The Bronte sisters (Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, also published in 1847, is considered a Gothic, and indeed has many Gothic traits) did much at the time to further popularize the genre.
The Setting –Any novel worthy of the genre relies on the creepy, isolated castle which houses the secrets essential to the plot. This “castle” can take many forms. While derelict, haunted castles are the all-time favorite, the isolated manor house, mansion, inn, orphanage, school, or old hotel make excellent substitutes. A wild, natural locale further enhances the already foreboding atmosphere.
The Narrator – The setting is second only to the narrator in making a Gothic successful. One of the most terrifying Gothics in my experience, Daphne DuMaurier’s Jamaica Inn, is set in the early 19th Century at an isolated roadhouse on the Cornish moors. Mary, the young heroine goes there to be with her aunt after the death of her mother only to find herself in the middle of a ruthless smuggling ring. Alcoholic rages, storms, horse hooves and wagons in the night, and murder punctuate terror-filled nights as Mary hangs on, hoping to talk her aunt into leaving. Even worse is the mysterious presence behind the operation.
A History of the Gothic Novel
Gothics are rife with mystery and suspense. In, Rebecca the narrator becomes obsessed with her husband’s late first wife, whose presence haunts Manderley in the form of Mrs. Danvers’s increasing malevolence and the question of what really happened to the late Rebecca. Jane Eyre wonders about that woman in the upstairs window. Those old mansions also provide ample framework for ghosts, unexplained disappearances, lonely walks on the moors, the ever-popular ancestral curse, and murder.
But for readers like me, the pleasurable terrors of the Gothic suspense genre are rooted in the experiences real and imagined of the novels’ protagonists. Beginning with Jane Eyre, the reader is invited into the protagonist’s life—her psyche, her feelings, her unwelcome attraction to the lord of the manor, her fears. Her emotions. In the best of Gothic plots, there also is the protagonist’s transformation into empowerment and self-knowledge.
Walpole published the first edition of The Castle of Otranto disguised as a medieval romance from Italy discovered and republished by a fictitious translator. With its second edition, Walpole claimed authorship and the favorable reception by literary reviewers changed into rejection. At the time, romance was held in contempt by the educated as a tawdry and debased form of writing.
By 1847, however, times had definitely changed. Western culture had moved from the Age of Reason into Romanticism. As a backlash against the Age of Reason, Romanticism valued such characteristics as intuition, imagination, humanitarianism, individuality and, of course, romance. This is the era that saw the birth of feminism and the abolitionist movement. Since Romanticism grew out of the Industrial Revolution, its literature began to elevate the common man. Heroines a bit farther down the food chain than the usual landed gentry were plucky and better able to navigate the caste system as seen in the works of the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen. Such was the popularity of the early 19th-Century Gothic novel that Austen wrote a parody: Northanger Abbey, published posthumously.
The middle class expanded, and so did the number of educated women who reveled in the details of other women’s lives. They were swept off their feet by Mr. Rochester and the tormented Heathcliff. A little mystery and terror only stirred the romantic pot and made it more delicious! At last, there were novels that appealed to the female reader along with plenty of females to read them. To many, the Gothic became synonymous with Romance.
There were plenty of Gothic offshoots. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, a classic Gothic minus the romance, is not commonly thought of as such. But, look at it. There’s the old, lonely house, clanking chains, ghosts, wonderful suspense, and social commentary. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein not only has the trappings of a good Gothic, but also may be literature’s first science fiction novel. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher are but a few of the 19th-Century classics considered Gothic.
Post-World War I saw another rise in the popularity of Gothic literature. While Daphne DuMaurier wrote of suspense and romance, contemporaries such as William Faulkner and Carson McCullers led the post-ante-bellum charge for the Southern Gothic with its dark past and darker romances. This wave was followed by a plethora of Gothic romances dating from the 1950s through the 1970s from such authors as Phillis A. Whitney, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Dorothy Eden, and others. One of the best Gothics to come out of the 1970s is The Shining by horror author Stephen King.
Are we seeing another Gothic revival in 2021? Perhaps. Like any good mystery, the Gothic begins with someone who wants to find their way out of the mess they’re in. Add a deserted mansion, a bump in the night, a body, or a handsome stranger who may or may not be a vampire. But in the end, it’s the story that matters.
About the Author
Judy Nedry grew up in the small towns of Idaho and eastern Oregon and worked as a wine and food journalist for 25 years. A life-long mystery reader, she has written three novels in the Emma Golden Mystery Series. Her latest novel, Blackthorn, is a stand-alone Gothic thriller set on the Columbia Gorge. She resides in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
More at judynedry.com
Gothic Suspense Judy
More Gothic Suspense |
Diabetes management primary care
What is type 2 Diabetes?
Is type 2 diabetes serious?
Handling type 2 diabetes
Can type 2 diabetes be cured?
Treatments for type 2 diabetes
There are a number of various ways you can deal with type 2 diabetes, such as making healthy way of life options, utilizing insulin or taking medication. Your health care group will assist you to discover the right treatment for you. This can lower your danger of developing issues and assist you to live well with diabetes.
Signs and signs of type 2 diabetes.
When you have type 2 diabetes your body can’t get enough glucose into your cells, so a typical symptom is feeling very tired. There are likewise other signs to keep an eye out for. These include feeling thirsty, going to the toilet a lot and dropping weight without trying to.
Some individuals also don’t believe the signs are necessary, so don’t request for aid. This means some people can live for approximately 10 years with type 2 diabetes prior to being diagnosed.
Risk factors of type 2 diabetes.
There are several factors that can affect your danger of establishing type 2 diabetes. Because the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are not always apparent, it’s actually crucial to be aware of these threat aspects. They can include:
• your age
• if you have a moms and dad, sibling, sis or child with diabetes
• your ethnic background
• high blood pressure
• being obese
Recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Knowing where to begin following a type 2 medical diagnosis can be a challenge. You might feel overwhelmed, but it’s essential to know there isn’t a one-size fits all technique to managing the condition.
Whether you are freshly identified, aiming to improve your diabetes management, or in need of information to support others, we are here to assist. We have actually got lots more information about:
Avoiding type 2 diabetes
Did you understand that around 3 in 5 cases of type 2 diabetes can be avoided or postponed? Our information about preventing type 2 will show you the steps you can require to lower your danger of developing the condition.
Inspecting your blood sugar levels
Checking your blood sugar level levels is a vital part of managing your diabetes, so we’ll take you through how to check them and what your readings mean.
Dealing with type 2 diabetes
We have actually also got more info for various age, such as youths and older individuals, as well as useful school recommendations for parents of children with diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is likewise associated with other health conditions, such as thyroid illness and oral issues. It’s crucial to be mindful of these, so make certain to read our details about diabetes associated conditions.
Your feelings
Type 2 diabetes is a complicated condition, and it may appear like there’s a lot of info to take in. We have actually got emotional assistance and recommendations that you may discover handy if you’re feeling worried or stressed.
Diabetes technology
For some individuals, managing their diabetes with innovation can be life-changing. However we also understand it can be overwhelming if you’re unsure where to begin. Our information and guidance about diabetes technology will assist you comprehend what the various types of tech do and how to access them, so you can discover what works for you.
Research study into type 2 diabetes
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What is DevOps?
DevOps is a relatively new and innovative method for building and delivering quality software.
The term combines the last parts of software development and technology operations, because DevOps is about eliminating silos and bringing development and operations activities together.
DevOps has come a long way since it emerged more than 10 years ago. Systems administrators wanted to keep up with more efficient Agile product development teams, which were creating production-quality software more frequently. Teams were getting better at delivering software, but bottlenecks remained in the rest of the value stream, in areas like up-front planning and the deployment and management of systems in production. Back then—and even now for many organizations—these bottlenecks caused friction between development and operations teams. Andrew Clay Shafer and Patrick Debois have been credited with coining the term DevOps in 2008, and the concept took hold with the first DevOpsDays event in Belgium in 2009.
Implementing DevOps is not just about tools; it is also about the way people work and the processes they use. DevOps breaks the historical silo between the engineering teams creating an application or service and those responsible for running that service in production. Processes and work align to the entire lifecycle of the products and services and all that is needed for their delivery and operation.
Ideally, one team manages all aspects of the service, including security and testing functions. In larger organizations there may still be some functional specialization, but it remains critical that the process and communication are focused on the end-to-end delivery of the entire service. This product-centric view can be based on something as simple as a microservice or a more complex set of deliverables that comprise a release (the circumstances and the end customer often make that determination). Over time the goal is to continue to make smaller changes and to iterate more rapidly.
The new processes and teams leverage as much automation as possible and technologies that facilitate the end-to-end connection of the product lifecycle, including the all-important feedback loop from the customer to the team.
DevOps is important because it has the potential to help an organization differentiate itself from competitors by responding more rapidly to business demands. DevOps is a new and better way of building software with improved collaboration end-to-end, not only between development and operations teams, but also collaboration with disciplines such as security (sometimes referred to as DevSecOps), testing (quality assurance or QA), version control, and cross-team collaboration capabilities such as ChatOps. DevOps results in a better software product and more successful implementations.
At its core, DevOps is a best practice. It was conceived on the premise that application and service delivery organizations work best when software development teams are really collaborating and doing continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). That means that at the end of every iteration, no matter how short, the software is production-ready—even if it isn’t always deployed in production each time.
Large organizations undergo DevOps transformations to solve a common and fundamental problem with enterprise software creation. When developers create new software, they are coding and testing it in a developer environment, which is offline and lets them troubleshoot bugs, tweak code, and refine requirements without endangering their business, government agency, or medical or educational institution.
However, when it's time to deploy the new software or code into the real-world environment, issues arise, because the developer environment is not exactly the same as the ever-evolving production environment. This can cause some real heartburn or even heartbreak. Deployment failures can lead to problems that cost a lot of time and money to fix. Historically this issue was made worse by large numbers of changes being rolled up into infrequent releases.
The operations teams are responsible for ensuring that products run reliably in production with the right checks and balances in place to ensure reliable deployment. Friction can arise between operations and the development teams trying to iterate and get their code changes into production as fast as possible.
A DevOps-based delivery pipeline is all about getting developers and operations staff to:
• Work together better
• Think and act on the same wavelength
• Remove barriers and siloed structures
• Share responsibilities
• Focus on QA, version control, configuration management, and release management as a connected, continuous delivery activity, often referred to as a value stream
By integrating development and operations teams and adding automation, organizations can improve collaboration, work culture, and ultimately productivity. DevOps integration is based on automating infrastructure and workflows, allowing for the continuous delivery of applications into production, and constantly measuring application performance.
Automation is a key best practice of organizations that use a DevOps model. Automate as many tasks as possible, especially:
• Code-functional, user, and security testing
• Workflows, including stage gates and releases
• Infrastructure implementations and changes
• Validation of configuration management changes
DevOps offers a large competitive advantage via automated code functions that occur throughout the software development lifecycle. However, automation only happens if the teams know that automation capabilities are available, and that many previously manual functions are increasingly automated, such as ITIL change management. Automation can significantly improve the developer experience by freeing developers from administrative tasks.
DevOps Change Management - ServiceNow
Another DevOps best practice is for developers to write software in small chunks that can be integrated, tested, monitored, and rolled out within hours. This improves on the old way of spending weeks or months to write and test large volumes of software code. Development teams can be more responsive to the needs of the business, and there’s less chance of a major outage caused by a larger release with many changes. Also, it’s easier to revert a small change if something goes wrong in production. This best practice applies whether you’re using new cloud-native technologies or more traditional infrastructure.
Not all projects can be delivered in more frequent small chunks; sometimes it’s still logical to group changes together into larger or less-frequent releases in a larger DevOps lifecycle. However, DevOps teams will operate on the principle that their code is instantly deployable.
While most companies have gained considerable experience in Agile development and are experimenting with or fully investing in DevOps principles, some believe that DevOps isn't ready for prime time in larger organizations. This belief stems from a number of factors, including the requirement that adopting DevOps can require major changes in organizing people, processes, and technology. The other factor is that almost all large enterprises are subject to a wide range of regulations, especially when systems touch financials, personally identifiable information (PII), or healthcare data. The regulatory environment for large organizations is why they have strong controls in IT operations for releasing application updates. These controls are ripe for automation, as they have been based on manual processes.
As DevOps implementations continue, and as experience and automation grow, DevOps will be used more often for addressing real-world issues and business problems. And when people see how they can balance speed and agility with regulation and control, they’ll be more than ready to create truly new software functionality. Successful DevOps practices rely on a core appreciation of this reality and can make people more productive, because the “plan, build, run” systems operate more efficiently.
You can spread DevOps methodology across your organization intelligently, taking the risk out of working quickly, and minimizing friction between IT operations and development teams. Large enterprises that rely on strong controls for business continuity can leverage emerging technologies such as value stream management (VSM) to help them make the transition.
DevOps Lifecycle - ServiceNow
A well-run DevOps team iterates quickly and provides benefits in some very basic ways: smaller and more frequent software releases delivered on time or ahead of schedule and with fewer problems in production. Even if bugs are found in production, they are fixed more quickly, and the team learns and improves by leveraging the data available through collaboration and value stream management.
Good DevOps teams deploy code many times faster than lower-performing peers, and they experience fewer failures. The transition to DevOps encourages a continuous improvement mindset across the organization, because everyone involved has access to information about the complete lifecycle. Also, the emerging AI capabilities in DevOps will lead to even more efficiencies through automation and improved reliability.
There is an obvious business case for DevOps, but rolling it out may be a leadership challenge you didn't expect. It takes good preparation and persistence for companies to go from waterfall to Agile software development and on to adopting DevOps. However, the rewards can be impressive.
Many DevOps best practices help improve stability. One example is the focus on making smaller changes that are unlikely to cause major outages; they can be quickly and often automatically reverted if something goes wrong. The continuous integration process of DevOps helps to ensure that code changes are appropriately combined and tested, and the application of policies and tools can eliminate issues as early in the cycle as possible.
The 2019 Puppet State of DevOps report shows that a strong DevOps foundation makes security simpler and more reliable to implement. Security becomes a part of the DevOps team in the same way as code development, testing and operations. Collaboration improves, and security is inherent in the process.
Working in smaller iterations and in combined end-to-end teams means that changes can be implemented more quickly, and the teams become more responsive to the needs of the business. The overall time from the initial idea through to the change appearing in production can be significantly shortened, meaning a faster time to value.
The benefits of DevOps are all heightened by improved collaboration and communication. Developers get direct feedback on the performance of their work in production, and operators have more insight into what is being delivered and why. All those involved, including security and quality assurance, have the opportunity to share and refine their policies through the support of the entire team.
It isn’t easy getting developers and operations teams to work together, to quickly build, and to release code into production. DevOps is heavily reliant on cultural and process changes, along with the availability of the right DevOps tools. Many IT, engineering, and business unit leaders at large organizations understandably get anxious when planning for such a transition. However, the business case for DevOps is compelling, and products like ServiceNow DevOps simplify the workflow. There's simply no reason for any organization to shy away from a DevOps deployment.
DevOps Hybrid Model connects Dev to Ops - ServiceNow
How to get DevOps
Expand DevOps success across the enterprise. Take the risk out of going fast and minimize friction between IT operations and development. |
Data types in Apache Parquet
Versions: Parquet 1.9.0
Data in Apache Parquet files is written against specific schema. And who tells schema, invokes automatically data types for the fields composing this schema.
Through this post we'll discover what data types are stored in Apache Parquet files. The first part describes the basic types, provided natively in the framework. The second section explains the interoperability between Parquet and serialization frameworks such Avro or Protobuf from the data types point of view.
Primitive and logical data types
In Parquet we can distinguish 2 families of types: primitive and logical. The latter are an abstraction over the first ones. The difference between them is the "friendliness" of definition. For instance, instead of defining a text as an array of bytes, we can simply annotate it with appropriate logical type. The annotation is made through org.apache.parquet.schema.Types.Builder#as(OriginalType) method.
Let's first see what logical types are available:
All of values listed above are backed by one of following primitive types:
Besides primitives Apache Parquet provides also nested types. They're handled by org.apache.parquet.schema.GroupType thanks to the manipulation of repetition levels that can take 1 of 3 values: required (exactly 1 occurrence, typically primitive types), optional (0 or 1 occurrence) or repeated (0, 1 or more occurrences). For the case of nested types we can distinguish:
Parquet types interoperability
As you know from the introduction to Apache Parquet, the framework provides the integrations with a lot of other Open Source projects as: Avro, Hive, Protobuf or Arrow. You deduce correctly that all of these systems weren't written expressively in the standards of Parquet data types. But somehow they communicate together pretty well.
The communication between 2 systems having different data types is made through the intermediary of converters. For instance, in the case of Parquet - Avro interoperability is provided by org.apache.parquet.avro.AvroSchemaConverter#convert(org.apache.avro.Schema) method. The same approach is used for Parquet - Protobuf compatibility where a org.apache.parquet.proto.ProtoSchemaConverter is defined.
However, Parquet doesn't work only with serialization libraries. It can also be used in query engines, as Hive. But the integration model doesn't change. Hive also uses the converters to map its data types to the ones supported by Parquet.
Parquet types examples
The learning tests below show some use cases of data types in Parquet:
public void should_create_map_of_integer_string_pairs() {
Type letter = Types.required(BINARY).as(UTF8).named("letter");
Type number = Types.required(INT32).named("number");
GroupType map = Types.buildGroup(REQUIRED).as(OriginalType.MAP).addFields(letter, number).named("numbers_letters");
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(map);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("required group numbers_letters (MAP) {\n" +
" required binary letter (UTF8);\n" +
" required int32 number;\n" +
public void should_create_a_list() {
Type letterField = Types.required(BINARY).as(UTF8).named("letter");
GroupType lettersList = Types.buildGroup(REPEATED).as(OriginalType.LIST).addField(letterField).named("letters");
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(lettersList);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("repeated group letters (LIST) {\n" +
" required binary letter (UTF8);\n" +
public void should_create_int96_type() {
Type bigNumberField = Types.required(INT96).named("big_number");
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(bigNumberField);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("required int96 big_number");
public void should_create_boolean_type() {
Type isPairFlagField = Types.required(BOOLEAN).named("is_pair");
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(isPairFlagField);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("required boolean is_pair");
public void should_fail_on_applying_complex_type_to_primitive_type() {
assertThatExceptionOfType(IllegalStateException.class).isThrownBy(() -> {
}).withMessageContaining("MAP can not be applied to a primitive type");
public void should_create_fixed_length_array_type() {
Type salary = Types.optional(FIXED_LEN_BYTE_ARRAY).length(10).precision(4).as(DECIMAL).named("salary");
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(salary);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("optional fixed_len_byte_array(10) salary (DECIMAL(4,0))");
public void should_create_simple_string_type() {
Type textType = Types.required(BINARY).as(UTF8).named("text");
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(textType);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("required binary text (UTF8)");
public void should_create_complex_type() {
// Parquet also allows the creation of "complex" (nested) types that are
// similar to objects from object-oriented languages
Type userType = Types.requiredGroup()
String stringRepresentation = getStringRepresentation(userType);
assertThat(stringRepresentation).isEqualTo("required group User {\n" +
" required int64 id;\n" +
" required binary email (UTF8);\n" +
private static String getStringRepresentation(Type type) {
StringBuilder bigNumberStringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
type.writeToStringBuilder(bigNumberStringBuilder, "");
return type.toString();
Data types are an inherent part of Apache Parquet. They are used not only to define the schema but also have associated specific optimization techniques such as encoding or compression. As we could see through the first section, Parquet brings the main primitive types that can be mapped (aliased) to logical types that are more user-friendly. The second part presented the converters that are widely used in the project to integrate external serialization libraries and query engines as Hive. |
Quick Answer: How Did The Marine Corps Get The Name Devil Dogs?
When did the Marines get the name Devil Dogs?
Lisk wrote that the term Devil Dogs originated in June of 1918 at the Battle of Belleau Wood in France. He is right. However, it was not used to describe dogs. It was used to describe heroic Marines fighting in one of the deadliest battles up to that time.
Are the US Marines still called the Devil Dogs?
But after 20 days of brutal fighting, the Marines controlled the wood. According to legend, the Marines at Belleau Wood were called “ Teufelshunde ” or “Devil Dogs” by their German opponents. The nickname endures today as part of the Marine Corps’ legacy.
Who invented Devil Dogs?
Drake Baking Company, but it is now owned by McKee Foods. The company makes snack cake products such as Devil Dogs, Funny Bones, Coffee Cakes, Ring Dings, and Yodels. Drake’s has traditionally been marketed primarily in the Northeastern U.S., but it expanded to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. regions in 2016.
You might be interested: Readers ask: Should I Join The Marine Corps After College?
What does the German word Teufel Hunden mean?
Teufel hunden, German nickname for U.S. Marines Devil dog recruiting station, 506 Fifth Street / / H. Library of Congress.
What is the most badass branch of military?
The most elite special operations forces in the US
• Division Marine Recon.
• Air Force Special Operations Weatherman.
• USMC Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company — ANGLICO.
• USMC Amphibious Recon Platoons.
• Air Force Combat Controllers.
• Army ‘Combined Applications Group’
• US Navy SEALs.
• SEAL Team Six — Rainbow.
What does semper fi mean in the Marines?
What is USMC Devil Dog?
Devil Dog is a motivational nickname for a U.S. Marine. It is said to be based on the apocryphal use of “Teufel Hunden” [sic] by German soldiers to describe Marines fighting in World War I.
Are US Marines Tough?
What are nicknames for Marines?
Over the years Marines have picked up nicknames like ” Devil Dog” and “Leatherneck” and have adopted phrases “Semper Fidelis,” “the Few, the Proud,” and “Esprit de Corps.” From the Marines’ Hymn to the famous Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem, there is much to learn about the terminology of the Corps.
You might be interested: Quick Answer: Can Civilians Wear The Marine Corps Emblem?
Who bought Drake’s cakes?
NEW YORK — Hostess is moving forward with the sale of Devil Dogs, Yankee Doodles and Yodels to the maker of Little Debbie cakes. The bankrupt company says it picked McKee Foods as the buyer for the Drake’s cakes after nobody stepped forward with a qualifying bid to top its $27.5 million offer.
Why are Marines called jarheads?
What does Jarhead stand for?
Jarhead is a nickname for members of the United States Marine Corps. Jarhead may also refer to: Jarhead (book), Anthony Swofford’s 2003 memoir of his experiences as a U.S. Marine in the First Gulf War. Jarhead (film), the 2005 film adaptation of Swofford’s book.
What is Devil Dog Day?
Is Devil Dogs copyrighted?
DEVIL DOG Trademark of U.S. Marine Corps, a component of the U.S. Department of the Navy – Registration Number 4913587 – Serial Number 86715593:: Justia Trademarks.
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Italian philosophy
Greek origins
Ancient Rome
Humanism offered the necessary intellectual and philological tools for the first critical analysis of texts. An early triumph of textual criticism by Lorenzo Valla revealed the Donation of Constantine to be an early medieval forgery produced in the Curia. This textual criticism created sharper controversy when Erasmus followed Valla in criticizing the accuracy of the Vulgate translation of the New Testament, and promoting readings from the original Greek manuscripts of the New Testament.[1]
But when the work was finished, the Craftsman kept wishing that there were someone to ponder the plan of so great a work, to love its beauty, and to wonder at its vastness. Therefore, when everything was done... He finally took thought concerning the creation of man... He therefore took man as a creature of indeterminate nature and, assigning him a place in the middle of the world, addressed him thus: "Neither a fixed abode nor a form that is thine alone nor any function peculiar to thyself have we given thee, Adam, to the end that according to thy longing and according to thy judgement thou mayest have and possess what abode, what form and what functions thou thyself shalt desire. The nature of all other beings is limited and constrained within the bounds of law. Thou shalt have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. Thou shalt have the power, out of thy soul's judgement, to be born into the higher forms, which are divine."[2]
During the sessions at Florence of the Council of Ferrara-Florence in 1438–1445, during the failed attempts to heal the schism of the Orthodox and Catholic churches, Cosimo de' Medici and his intellectual circle had made acquaintance with the Neoplatonic philosopher George Gemistos Plethon, whose discourses upon Plato and the Alexandrian mystics so fascinated the learned society of Florence that they named him the second Plato.
The Prince politically defines “Virtu”—as any quality that helps a prince rule his state effectively. Machiavelli is aware of the irony of good results coming from evil actions, and because of this, the Catholic Church proscribed The Prince, registering it to the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, moreover, the Humanists also viewed the book negatively, among them, Erasmus of Rotterdam. As a treatise, its primary intellectual contribution to the history of political thought is the fundamental break between political Realism and political Idealism—thus, The Prince is a manual to acquiring and keeping political power. In contrast with Plato and Aristotle, a Classical ideal society is not the aim of the prince’s will to power. As a political scientist, Machiavelli emphasises necessary, methodical exercise of brute force and deception to preserve the status quo.
Many contemporaries associated Machiavelli with the political tracts offering the idea of “Reason of State”, an idea proposed most notably in the writings of Jean Bodin and Giovanni Botero. To this day, contemporary usage of Machiavellian is an adjective describing someone who is "marked by cunning, duplicty, or bad faith"[5]. The Prince is the treatise that is most responsible for the term being brought about.[6] To this day, "Machiavellian" remains a popular term used in casual and political contexts, while in psychology, "Machiavellianism" denotes a personality type.[7]
Age of Enlightenment
On Crimes and Punishments (1764) by Beccaria.
Italy was also affected by the enlightenment, a movement which was a consequence of the Renaissance and changed the road of Italian philosophy.[8] Followers of the group often met to discuss in private salons and coffeehouses, notably in the cities of Milan, Rome and Venice. Cities with important universities such as Padua, Bologna and Naples, however, also remained great centres of scholarship and the intellect, with several philosophers such as Giambattista Vico (1668–1744) (who is widely regarded as being the founder of modern Italian philosophy)[9] and Antonio Genovesi.[8]
Italian society also dramatically changed during the Enlightenment, with rulers such as Leopold II of Tuscany abolishing the death penalty. The church's power was significantly reduced, and it was a period of great thought and invention, with scientists such as Alessandro Volta and Luigi Galvani discovering new things and greatly contributing to Western science.[8] Cesare Beccaria was also one of the greatest Italian Enlightenment writers, who was famous for his masterpiece Of Crimes and Punishments (1764), which was later translated into 22 languages.[8]
Early modern and 19th-century philosophy
Italy also had a renowned philosophical movement in the 1800s, with Idealism, Sensism and Empiricism. The main Sensist Italian philosophers were Gioja (1767–1829) and Romagnosi (1761–1835).[9] Criticism of the Sensist movement came from other philosophers such as Pasquale Galluppi (1770–1846), who affirmed that a priori relationships were synthetic.[9] Antonio Rosmini, instead, was the founder of Italian Idealism. The most comprehensive view of Rosmini's philosophical standpoint is to be found in his Sistema filosofico, in which he set forth the conception of a complete encyclopaedia of the human knowable, synthetically conjoined, according to the order of ideas, in a perfectly harmonious whole. Contemplating the position of recent philosophy from Locke to Hegel, and having his eye directed to the ancient and fundamental problem of the origin, truth and certainty of our ideas, he wrote: "If philosophy is to be restored to love and respect, I think it will be necessary, in part, to return to the teachings of the ancients, and in part to give those teachings the benefit of modern methods" (Theodicy, a. 148). He examined and analysed the fact of human knowledge, and obtained the following results:
Other Ontological philosophers include Terenzio Mamiani (1800–1885), Luigi Ferri (1826–1895), and Ausonio Franchi (1821–1895).[9]
Hegelianism, Scholasticism and Positivism. Augusto Vera (1813–1885) was probably the greatest Italian Hegelianist philosopher, who composed works in both French and Italian. It was during his studies, with his cousin in Paris, that he came to know about philosophy and through them he acquired knowledge of Hegelianism and it culminated during the events of the 1848–49 French revolution. In England he continued his studies of Hegelian philosophy.[10] During his years in Naples, he would maintain relationships with the Philosophical Society of Berlin, which originally consisted of Hegelians, and kept up to date with both the German and the French Hegelian literature. As a teacher, he undertook the translation of Hegel's Introduzione alla filosofia (Introduction to philosophy) in French.[11] A lot of his work on neo-Hegelian theories were undertaken with Bertrando Spaventa.[12] Some works see the Italian Hegelian doctrine as having led to Italian Fascism.[13]
Modern, contemporary and 20th-century philosophy
Some of the most prominent philosophies and ideologies in Italy during the late 19th and 20th centuries included anarchism, communism, socialism, futurism, fascism, and Christian democracy. Both futurism and fascism (in its original form, now often distinguished as Italian fascism) were developed in Italy at this time. From the 1920s to the 1940s, Italian Fascism was the official philosophy and ideology of the Italian government. Giovanni Gentile was one of the greatest Italian 20th-century Idealist/Fascist philosophers, who greatly supported Benito Mussolini. He had great a number of developments within his thought and career which defined his philosophy.
• His role as education minister (1923)
Meanwhile, anarchism, communism, and socialism, though not originating in Italy, took significant hold in Italy during the early 20th century, with the country producing numerous significant figures in anarchist, socialist, and communist thought. In addition, anarcho-communism first fully formed into its modern strain within the Italian section of the First International.[16] Italian anarchists often adhered to forms of anarcho-communism, illegalist or insurrectionary anarchism, collectivist anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, and platformism. Some of the most important figures in the late 19th and 20th century anarchist movement include Italians such as Errico Malatesta, Giuseppe Fanelli, Carlo Cafiero, Alfredo M. Bonanno, Pietro Gori, Luigi Galleani, Severino Di Giovanni, Giuseppe Ciancabilla, Luigi Fabbri, Camillo Berneri, and Sacco and Vanzetti. Other Italian figures influential in both the anarchist and socialist movements include Carlo Tresca and Andrea Costa, as well as the author, director, and intellectual Pier Paolo Pasolini. Antonio Gramsci remains an important philosopher within Marxist and communist theory, credited with creating the theory of cultural hegemony. Italian philosophers were also influential in the development of the non-Marxist liberal socialism philosophy, including Carlo Rosselli, Norberto Bobbio, Piero Gobetti, Aldo Capitini, and Guido Calogero. In the 1960s, many Italian left-wing activists adopted the anti-authoritarian pro-working class leftist theories that would become known as autonomism and operaismo.
Early and important Italian feminists include Sibilla Aleramo, Alaide Gualberta Beccari, and Anna Maria Mozzoni, though proto-feminist philosophies had previously been touched upon by earlier Italian writers such as Christine de Pizan, Moderata Fonte, Lucrezia Marinella. The Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori is credited with the creation of the philosophy of education that bears her name, an educational philosophy now practiced throughout the world.
Giuseppe Peano was one of the founders of analytic philosophy and contemporary philosophy of mathematics. Recent analytic philosophers include Mauro Dorato, Carlo Penco, Francesco Berto, Emiliano Boccardi, Gloria Origgi, Pieranna Garavaso, Alessandro Torza, Matteo Plebiani, Elia Zardini, Luciano Floridi, and Luca Moretti.
See also
2. Pico 224–225
5. "Definition of MACHIAVELLIAN". Retrieved 10 August 2018.
6. Skinner, Quentin (12 October 2000). Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780191540349.
7. Christie, Richard; Geis, Florence L. (22 October 2013). Studies in Machiavellianism. Academic Press. ISBN 9781483260600.
8. "The Enlightenment throughout Europe".
9. "History of Philosophy 70".
10. "Augusto Vera". Facoltà Lettere e Filosofia (in Italian). Retrieved 10 November 2006.
13. "Idealismo. Idealistas". Enciclopedia GER (in Italian). Retrieved 10 November 2006.
15. Runes, Dagobert, editor, Treasure of Philosophy, "Gentile, Giovanni"
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Question: What is dating by tree rings called?
What are people who study tree rings called?
Dendrochronology - The Study of Tree Rings (U.S. National Park Service)
What are the oldest trees?
The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus Longaeva) has been deemed the oldest tree in existence, reaching an age of over 5,000 years old. The Bristlecone pines success in living a long life can be contributed to the harsh conditions it lives in.
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Question: What are the limits for potassium-argon dating?
Potassium-argon dating is accurate from 4.3 billion years (the age of the Earth) to about 100,000 years before the present. At 100,000 years, only 0.0053% of the potassium-40 in a rock would have decayed to argon-40, pushing the limits of present detection devices.
What can be dated with potassium-argon dating?
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Incense,In Sense
Incense,In Sense: The extension of a person’s willingness.
Yu-Ching Peng
In terms of the Asian culture, the charming religious architectures and the praying activities are impressed in the general’s eye. Especially, the prayers in Taiwan usually adore an idol to visualize their belief. Thus, according to this situation, it made me challenge why we need to work with religious regulation, the models of god, and the celebration activities to re-shape our faith to respond to our value of belief? What if everyone could investigate their praying experience and comprehend their feeling while exploring in transcendental sensory? Then, applying their sensory to create a personal panorama, which is space fulfil with emotional and touching to a person’s faith.
About religious architectures, the prayers mainly understanding the beauty of divine space via viewings, such as light effects, detailed decorations, and volumes… Thus, based on the previously mentioned presumption, I aim to investigate beyond vision sensory to re-shape the space, trying to develop the possibility of spiritual experience, activating a personal engagement with the praying scenes which we get used to it before.
As stated in my spiritual experience, the small temple located in my community, which is full of my growing memories and emotional associations, is meaningful for me to analyze what emotions does it bring, and the secondary senses beyond the primary experience. After analyzing personal praying sensory with contained imagination, association, emotional reflection, I caught sight of incense, the main component of my praying experiments, which as the medium to activate the atmosphere, helping a person to build the temporary visualization to engage with their beyond vision sensory.
According to my praying prototyping, the incense could be seen as a symbolic media to investigate beyond vision sensory. As the smoke produced, it starts to play with the prayer body response, the collaboration of the praying participation re-shape the temporary religious routine, which performs the private, the spiritual space for us to get in beyond the concrete experience. ” How does incense act as a tangible bridge between the spiritual and material? ” the article called Scents, Community, and Incense in Traditional Chinese Religion highly supports my presumption of the incense influence. In the book, Meyer emphasizes that participants embody the belief by engaging the senses of the beholder and making the intangible tangible. Through this media, we demonstrate how incense can play a large role in forming and maintaining a sense of religious identity. Secondary, about the smell of the incense, Uri Almagor (1990, 253) has explored the connection between smell, memory, and emotion. He notes that smells can often trigger changes in mood, behavior, and thought. I also deconstruct the incense sticks, which made up of aromatic materials used for making incense are typically plant-based and can include a variety of resins, barks, seeds, roots, and flowers. The common component is cinnamon, frankincense, musk, patchouli, sandalwood, and myrrh, which also be used as the medicine in the traditional Chinese culture, that is the reason why the smell of incense could influence the players’ mood and behavior. Thus, visual and smell perception plays a crucial role in worshippers’ burning of incense. Incense smoke and the smell of incense are the media through which to communicate with a deity. the reason for the prototyping of secondary scenes which based on the primary engagements.
Eventually, in agreement with my analysis, faith could be identified as a personal response to the surrounding, which comes from our spiritual reflection. Thus, my sensory examination aims to deconstruct our personality to re-visualized the space of faith and our emotional responses of the environment. In my incense studies, the smoke of incense redefined as an extension of a person’s willingness to re-shape the faith scenario. With the materiality responses, a person activation, and the environmental conditions, these factors collaborate beyond the physical experience, which giving us the methodology to re-seeing the original religious space in a different point of view, or providing the possibility to re-create the new functions on the faith area.
My praying investigation of incense smoke
According to my daily worship routine, I usually go to the small temple at midday or after work. The daytime and the night provide different types of light effects and wind blowing in the narrow alley, therefore, I plan to concentrate on the day, the night and the rainy scenes.
In my experiments of activating the incense smoke, the weather conditions and my engagements provide the diverse forms of intangible perspective, which influence the density, the height, and the colour of the smoke, collaborating the temporary panorama of divine understanding.
By activating the temporary panorama of personal responding on faith, I suddenly realised that space might not just be built in the physical world, or made up with the material, in order words, it might lose the aura to represent the personal response to the surrounding.
Space, such as I produced in the intangible perspective, could provide more emotional reflection, which was only be received by own, also be seen as a kind of space. It indicates the temporary, the changeable possibility to re-appreciating the aura of our religion.
Besides, I reconnected the secondary response I explored in the first impression collage. Aiming to re-verify my temporary panorama in an emotional understanding beyond the primary experience, giving more personality respond to the environment, giving more possibilities of re-creating the aura experience.
Another prototyping- Incense accessories
Except for the smoke investigations, I executed another prototyping to react to the extension of our willingness.
The incense acts as the tangible bridge between the material and spiritual space, promoting a person realises their emotional reflection to the surrounding. Based on the previously mentioned principle, I originate the prototyping to envision the incense smoke as an object, which reflected the theory of Gernot Böhme and Walter Benjamin: atmosphere aims to extend our quality of feeling, also as artwork for affecting individual participation. To visualize the personal extension, I intended to solid the incense. By adding the water, Methyl Cellulose and Gypsum, the ash of the incense concreting its form. Then, to show the extension of my body willingness, I shaped the incense on some part of my body in random and folded them.
After solidification, I reconnected these objects as our body extension of activating movements, re-defined them as the accessories, which performance our emotional reflection on the surrounding.
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Australian Rangeland Society
Dr. Gresley Wakelin-King, Wakelin Associates, Melbourne; La Trobe University, Bundoora. Email:
Hi, I’m a rangeland geomorphologist. My job is to understand how the Earth’s surface works: the evolution of Australian landscapes, and the processes that maintain them. I got here through a degree in geology and a PhD in desert rivers, and the thing I most enjoy is fieldwork in remote country. I work as a consultant, mostly in western New South Wales and the Lake Eyre Basin; I do research in my own time.
Geomorphology means ‘the shape of the land’. Many people will remember this as part of physical geography in school, where we learned landscapes’ names, shapes (landforms), and character. A meandering river, for example, has a sinuous loopy channel, billabongs, and usually a ridge-and-swale floodplain (Figure 1). Geomorphology tells us about the processes that create the landforms. The river meanders because of inbuilt patterns of turbulence related to the river’s size and sediments. The turbulence creates conditions where the channel migrates slowly, leaving behind a bumpy floodplain where the old banks and bars used to be. Sometimes during channel migration the sides of a loop will meet and join, cutting off the top of the loop and leaving behind a billabong. With this knowledge planners can identify river reaches at risk of sudden change, or distinguish between erosion problems (needing to be fixed) and normal bank retreat (a natural and necessary part of channel migration).
Figure 1. A meandering river: the Murray River at the South Australian-Victorian border. Source: Google Earth
Questions to Ask
During my career I have talked to landholders and residents whenever possible, to find the ways in which geomorphology can be used to support sustainability and productivity. Sometimes this has been during fieldwork, and sometimes during conferences and field days hosted by Landcare, Natural Resource Management groups, or the Australian Rangelands Society. These are the questions I have most often heard: “I’ve seen a great rehabilitation technique, will it work at my place?”, “My landscape is doing [a thing], is that what’s supposed to happen?” and, “Why is this paddock different from the rest of the property?”. For all these, the answer includes geomorphology.
Landforms support habitat. All ecosystems exist within their physical habitat, which in turn is supported by landscape processes both near and far. An ecosystem can be in good shape locally but be threatened by distant events such as gullying. Monitoring (e.g. vegetation) at point locations may be misleading if landforms across the wider catchment are not considered (Pringle and Tinley 2003). As described so vividly by Hugh Pringle at the 2006 Australian Rangeland Society conference (Renmark), there’s no point monitoring somebody’s breathing by keeping an eye on the feet, because by the time the toenail turns blue the damage is already done.
Different landscapes, different processes. There are so many different types of river and landscape in the Australian rangelands, each operating in their characteristic way. A rehabilitation technique that works well in one place can be an ineffective waste of diesel in another. A particular type of watering point might do well in one catchment but be an erosion trigger elsewhere. In a way, this is like the realisation (~100 years ago) that Australia is not England, and European stocking rates and game animals don’t belong here. In the same way, the Paroo is not the Barrier Ranges is not the Channel Country is not the Gascoyne. On-ground works and river/range assessment schemes need to be a good fit to the landscape that they are being applied to. Nothing works equally well everywhere.
Landscape change (or not). It’s important to know whether the landscape we see today is in its natural condition, or whether it has undergone post-European change. Some Australian rangelands have undergone widespread and pervasive landscape change, some are in original or near-original condition (with respect to landforms; these comments do not apply to plant or animal communities), and some is changed but recoverable, or changed but acceptable. Geomorphology has a particularly important role here, since memories and historical records can be imprecise and ambiguous. If the landscape is in original condition, or is changing in response to its natural landscape processes, it’s likely to be difficult to alter by mechanical means. Furthermore, since the landscape is already evolved to make the best use of its surroundings, mechanical changes may risk unintended poor outcomes. If it’s not broken, it’s likely to be hard to ‘fix’ and easy to break.
Geomorphology is also important in identifying the causes of landscape change. Management action that targets the wrong cause will probably be a waste of resources. Because the world is a complex place, there are often several causes for change; targeting one while ignoring the rest may only resolve part of the problem. An example of this would be an earth tank watering point on a shallow valley that has historically experienced heavy grazing pressure. In the present day the area exhibits devegetated hillslopes and valley-floor incision that has desiccated the previously well-watered flats (Figure 2). Destocking might support hillslope revegetation, however the valley floor is still impacted by the presence of the dam and its bywash (narrowing the flow path and increasing valley’s runoff energy above the erosion threshold).
Figure 2. In its original state, this area was a water lane (an unchannelled valley floor) between two banded vegetation hillslopes. The vegetation has been diminished by historical heavy grazing, and the water lane has experienced multiple episodes of valley-floor incision as a result of dam placement. Source: Annotated Google Earth image.
Banded Vegetation: a Geomorphology Story
Banded vegetation slopes and plains are widespread landform in Australian and other rangelands (more info in Wakelin-King 1999, Valentin et al. 1999). This nifty biophysical association is a natural water-harvesting system of alternating bare dirt and bands of vegetation occurring on gentle slopes in loamy or clayey soils. From the air or in Google Earth it looks like stripes or elongate dots that follow the contours of the landscape (Figure 3). It occurs in many different plant communities including Mitchell grass, chenopod and mulga.
Figure 3. Banded vegetation in good condition: the darker vegetated bands stand out clearly against the orange bare dirt, and the water lane (top left to bottom just right of centre) is unchannelled. Straight sealed road across the top right corner. Source: Google Earth
Rainfall is shed from the bare ground onto the vegetated bands, where it infiltrates and supports the ecosystem. From the plants’ point of view, it’s as if they were growing in a wetter climate. A banded vegetation hillslope has greater productivity than if the vegetation had been evenly distributed. Almost all rainfall stays and grows vegetation on the banded hillslope: only a very little reaches the infilled valleys between one hillslope and the next. These areas, known as water lanes, are more densely vegetated and transmit runoff as shallow low-energy sheetflow (there is no channel).
In the story of banded vegetation, the landscape and the humans aren’t always on the same page. Because banded vegetation doesn’t resemble a river, it is not recognised as a water-carrying landform, so it lacks the regulatory protections and technical support that rivers might have. However, the way it retains water and supports productivity has led it to be valued in post-European pastoral enterprises. Banded vegetation hillslopes are a substantial component of many grazing properties, and earth tank dams are commonly located in water lanes (Figure 2). Despite its broad distribution in Australia, the way banded vegetation works is not widely known. It’s not familiar from temperate-zone Europe, so it’s not described in mainstream geography textbooks, and in Australia detailed research didn’t begin until late last century (e.g. Mabbutt and Fanning 1987). Consequently, landholders may not be aware of why the bare bits (the interbands) are necessary. Attempts to improve natural banded vegetation hillslopes by ploughing or furrowing the “wasted” bare ground (Figure 4) deprives the existing vegetated bands of the runoff water they need, and still won’t grow substantial vegetation in the treated areas. A study commissioned by the NSW Western Catchment Management Authority (Wakelin-King 2011) indicated that in degraded banded vegetation country, furrowing in was more successful if it avoided the naturally bare interbands, and mimicked the natural banding in scale and orientation.
Figure 4. Natural banded vegetation (left) separated by a fence line from treated banded vegetation. Source: Google Earth
Challenges for Australian Rangeland Geomorphology
Care factor. Many people have never heard of geomorphology, so they might feel that the industry or discipline that they work in has been fine without it. Life’s busy, no one wants to add another step into the workflow. Still, that’s what we used to think about concepts like biosecurity, biodiversity, native vegetation, soil science or TGP (total grazing pressure) management. I don’t think we can fully understand ecosystems without understanding the landscapes that support them. Process-based geomorphology (carried out by suitably qualified and experienced geomorphologists) should be a fundamental step in any project EIS, ecosystem study, or range/river assessment protocol.
Linking to indigenous knowledge. I know that many of the questions I want to ask about past landscape events could be illuminated by tapping into traditional knowledge. I’m aware that those discussions call for time and relationships. I’d like to do that, but I’m bound by the conditions of the contracts I’m employed under, over which I have no control. I don’t know how to change that, but I wish it was different.
Not much accessible knowledge. The Australian drylands are huge, roughly 80% of the main continent. Although there are some places where the geomorphology has been intensively investigated, much of the area is under-researched, lacking even baseline data. This is of particular concern in the drylands rivers, where many of the fluvial landforms or processes are novel and unlike the better-known rivers taught in undergraduate training. Consequently, policies and protocols are being developed on the basis of ‘desktop studies’ using insufficient or inappropriate information. Filling in this information gap is a major focus of my research, but there’s so much more to do.
There are other kinds of landscape geoscience, closely allied to geomorphology, that I refer to when starting a new area. They’ve been written for geologists, so their accessibility and usefulness to land managers is limited. For example, public-sector science investigates regolith and Cainozoic geology, producing technical publications and spatial data. This information is valuable to its intended audience, but further steps are needed to draw out its applications for land managers.
Few resources (research). There should be a research focus on rangeland geomorphology for land management, but there are barriers in the way. There is intense competition for limited funding and a marked decline in working conditions and job security for scientists and academics – that’s a problem for Australian science generally. The funding process also has inbuilt structural factors that can disadvantage new rangelands research: policy-driven research priorities that favour other sectors, and metrics which advantage already-existing successful programs and disadvantage curiosity-driven research. Academics have a punishing workload that makes it difficult to develop new research partnerships; scientists who are not tenured academics aren’t eligible to apply for research funding. Organisations such as catchment management authorities are not meant to be research bodies, and often have specific policies prioritising applied works over research questions.
Almost no resources (documentation and communication). An extensive experimental program of pitting and furrowing took place in western New South Wales from the 1960s to the 1980s, overseen by the New South Wales Soil Conservation Commission. Despite the results being presented at a national and an international rangeland conference, when I was commissioned to investigate the long-term outcomes in 2009, there was almost no information remaining. The conference proceedings were only available on paper (I found them in a filing cabinet in an office slated for closure), and the rest of my information came from geomorphology, or the memories of participants. This isn’t an isolated case; in other projects I have been involved in, my and my colleagues’ technical reports and stakeholder presentations are available at the project conclusion, but in the long term are ephemeral. The memories of conferences fade, and a downloadable report can be just one departmental reorganisation away from becoming unfindable. Similarly, there’s practical geomorphology taking place in landholder-driven rangeland rehabilitation projects across Australia. Aside from the Soils For Life case study collection (, most works are undocumented. Landholders and rehabilitation practitioners are talking to each other, but when the project funding finishes that communication network will disperse. If projects don’t have documentation, communication, and monitoring built into the funding and timelines from the very beginning, knowledge is lost.
If I had three wishes for the future of rangeland science, this is what they’d be:
1. There would be strong industry representation to government about the value of geomorphology, so that funding priorities could better reflect that the rangelands represent most of Australia, and that all habitats are hosted by landforms, so there is good reason to invest in rangelands geomorphology.
2. There would be a university research group specialising in rangelands geomorphology, teaching undergraduate courses to ecologists and land managers, and harnessing postgraduate research projects to systematically analyse and document Australian drylands geomorphology (including developing the applied aspects of the work).
3. There would be dedicated (funded) programs of science communication, supporting non-academic scientists to convert their in-house research to peer-reviewed publications, assisting landholders to document their rehabilitation works, fostering connections between landholders and researchers, and setting up indexed, securely archived and accessible storage for technical reports.
Mabbutt, J.A. and Fanning, P.C., 1987. Vegetation banding in arid Western Australia. Journal of Arid Environments, 12(1), pp. 41-59
Pringle, H. and Tinley, K., 2003. Are we overlooking critical geomorphic determinants of landscape change in Australian rangelands?. Ecological Management & Restoration, 4(3), pp. 180-186.
Valentin, C., d’Herbès, J.M. and Poesen, J., 1999. Soil and water components of banded vegetation patterns. Catena, 37(1-2), pp. 1-24.
Wakelin-King, G.A. 1999. Banded mosaic (“tiger bush”) and sheetflow plains: a regional mapping approach. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 46, pp. 53-60.
Wakelin-King, G.A. 2011. Using geomorphology to assess contour furrowing in western New South Wales, Australia. The Rangeland Journal, 33, pp. 153–171. |
Living Mulch
We’re always looking for more “green mulch” plants, which cover the ground, reducing weed pressure, while not choking out desirable plants. One such plant we feel should be more widely grown is Erigeron pulchellus. This amazing perennial is native to every state east of the Mississippi River. So, why isn’t it grown in every garden? Inquiring minds want to know. The rosettes lay flat on the ground, but are topped right now with short 8″ spikes of blush pink daisies. Our photo from the garden this week is the clone Erigeron pulchellus ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’. Erigeron pulchellus is easy to grow in average soils in light shade to part sun.
Erigeron pulchellus ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’ |
>Here is a good reason to lose weight and keep it off: Metabolic Syndrome
>To follow up on my diabetes post yesterday, I would like to talk about Metabolic Syndrome, also called: Syndrome X or Insulin Resistance Syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is characterized by excess abdominal fat, resistance to the effects of insulin ( insulin resistance), abnormal levels of fat in the blood and high blood pressure.
What do doctors recommend if you have Metabolic Syndrome?
1. Excess abdominal fat increases the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.
2. Doctors measure waist circumference, blood pressure, and fasting blood sugar and fat (lipids) level.
3.Changes in eating habits, exercise, behavioral techniques and drugs may be used to help people lose the weight
4. Diabetes, high blood pressure and abnormal fat levels are treated
RESEARCH ON METABOLIC SYNDROME: In the US, more than 40% of people over the age of 50 have it.
APPLE SHAPED PEOPLE: Metabolic syndrome is more likely to develop in people who store fat around the abdomen.
Pear shaped people- ( fat in the hips) usually do not have metabolic syndrome.
The following people tend to store excess fat around the abdomen:
Most men
Women after menopause
Metabolic syndrome in itself does not cause symptoms but is related to chronic conditions developing such as:
Fatty liver
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Chronic Kidney disease
If you have or suspect you have metabolic syndrome, losing weight can reverse the possibility of chronic conditions.
Taken in part from: The Merck Home Health Handbook. Whitehouse Station NY. Merck Research Laboratories
Take some steps toward overall Wellness today! |
In this weekly challenge the task was to swap the lower and upper 4 bits (nibbles) of an integer.
This is my implementation in the Crystal language.
At first I thought to convert the number to its binary representation and do the swapping there, but then I fugured it is just a simple mathematical operation.
• % is modulo
• // is integer division
Below the function I included the code to iterate over the range between 0 and 255 (inclusive) and for each iteration print the binary representation (padded with 0s) and the decimal representation of the original number followed by the decimal representation of the nibble-swapped number.
def swap_nibbles(n)
return 16 * (n % 16) + (n // 16)
#puts swap(101)
#puts swap(18)
(0..255).each {|num|
puts "%08b %3s %3s" % {num, num, swap_nibbles(num)} |
How internet will help you fight Zika: Experts
The world is trying to get a handle on Zika, which has killed nearly 3,300 people in Brazil and is spreading in other countries.
Here are three ways the internet could help you keep up.
• The internet has a huge potential to help fight Zika.
The World Health Organization has estimated that as many as half a billion people may be infected worldwide, including 3.3 million pregnant women.
Zika infections have also killed more than 4,300 Brazilians.
There are also a lot of people who don’t have access to the internet, such as children and the elderly.
The Zika virus can cause severe symptoms that include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.
Symptoms last for days or weeks.
Most people recover in two to three weeks.
• Online community tools can help you stay safe online.
While there are tools to prevent Zika outbreaks online, the real challenge is to stay safe when sharing sensitive information online.
In addition to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, there are other online communities, including Reddit,, and
For example, the official Reddit community for the Zika virus says that if you are having trouble with Zika, you should try to get in touch with other people who are experiencing the same symptoms.
That way, you can get help, get support, and keep the virus from spreading.
The Reddit community also has an FAQ section with questions you can ask the community about Zika.
You can also post on Reddit to share more information about the virus and get help from other people.
• It’s important to stay connected to friends and family.
The National Institutes of Health has established a Zika hotline for the general public.
The hotline has two numbers for people who may be at risk of getting Zika.
Call them at 800-332-4236, or use the website to call the hotline from anywhere in the United States.
It is up to you whether you need to call these numbers or use a separate service like TextMe, which allows you to text and text friends.
You will be asked to enter your phone number, and if you don’t answer, you will be directed to the Zika hotline.
The first number will automatically dial in for you.
Callers on the other end of the phone will also receive a text message when you call the first number.
TextMe is not a virus hotline, but you can also dial the hotline in the event you have a friend or family member who is infected.
You don’t need to worry about getting a hold of someone on the phone.
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Urinary Tract Infections Are An STD
January 20, 2019
by John Kelly, MD
Urinary Tract Infections Are An STD
Most people don’t realize that a UTI (urinary tract infection) is actually a sexually transmitted disease. It typically occurs in women, where they feel the need to pee constantly. They may experience painful burning when peeing, have lower stomach pains and experience a fever.
And, it’s not uncommon for women to have multiple UTIs in a year.
Women tend to develop a UTI after they have sex, blaming their partners for their health problem. There’s a good reason for that. And, because of it, it can cause women not to want to have sex and men wondering what they’ve done wrong. Thankfully, with some minor adjustments, you can mitigate your chance of developing a UTI.
The majority of UTIs are caused by the intestinal bacteria Escherichia coli. These bugs help with digestion but can attach themselves to a woman’s bladder, leading to a UTI. In digestion, the E. coli bacteria gets into the stool. Even if you wipe carefully, you could still have the bacteria around your anus. If you’re not careful during sex, the bacteria could get into the vagina and up the urethra.
While bladder infections do affect men, it’s the women who are most prone to it. That’s because their anus and vagina are so close together. Moisture also helps bacteria to move from the anal region to the vagina. Women who constantly lubricate themselves are at higher risk of getting a UTI.
What Are Some Of Things You Can Do To Lower Your UTI Risk?
When you need to pee, go pee, as the urination will expel the bacteria out of the body before they have a chance to make it to the bladder. Be sure you regularly go to the bathroom if you are susceptible to UTIs. Make sure you go before sex and right after it.
Wipe your butt from front to back, as wiping back to front will move the bacteria closer to the urethra.
Don’t use external irritants such as scented soap, perfumes and bubble baths. Use cotton underwear, which doesn’t trap moisture as synthetics do. Do not use tight-fitting clothes since the rubbing can lead to bacteria moving to the urethra.
Do not use internal irritants such as alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine, as these can increase the chance for UTIs.
Make sure to change your pads and tampons often, as blood is a breeding ground for the UTI bacteria.
Drink cranberry or consume dried cranberries, as it contains a bacteria-fighting chemical known as hippuric acid.
Men Can Help Lower UTI Chances Too
• Be gentle when having sex
• Be hygienic when you want to have anal sex
• Participate more in less intercourse sex
• Use condoms without spermicides
What’s The Treatment For UTIs?
The moment you feel a UTI coming on, it’s important to drink copious amounts of water or cranberry juice. The idea is to consume at least 10 glasses a day, which can help flush the bacteria out of the bladder before they can cause an infection.
Make sure to eat more dried cranberries or the extract.
Visit your doctor to get tested for a UTI and get antibiotics. Make sure you take the entire medication even if you start to feel better.
Make sure talk to your partner about UTIs caused by sex. This will help you to both find ways to prevent them and improve your relationship and level of intimacy.
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What is the difference between the terms "analysis" and "synthesis" used in a mathematical context?
For example, Hawkins's Emergence of the Theory of Lie Groups p. 3 says that Klein and Lie
were self-styled "synthesists" in the midst of analysts and arithmeticians.
What does this mean?
• 2
$\begingroup$ Analytic vs. synthetic. $\endgroup$ Jan 29 '18 at 23:17
• $\begingroup$ @FrancoisZiegler But that begs the question of why the word "analysis" became related to algebra and "synthesis" to geometry. $\endgroup$
– Geremia
Jan 30 '18 at 16:15
There is a long history to analytic and synthetic. But after historical roots and philosophical battles were forgotten analytic and synthetic came to mean two different styles of reasoning, the more formal vs the more intuitive, the more discrete and reductive vs the more holistic, etc., and not even necessarily in mathematics. There was analytic and synthetic Cubism. In neuroscience the "analytic-synthetic theory" sometimes refers to the respective specializations of the left and the right hemispheres, the more "rational" and the more "creative" one.
In the 19th century mathematics the roughly Kantian usage was given a twist: "analytic" came to be associated with more formalization and arithmetization, while "synthetic" concerned the more intuitive and constructive approaches, especially in geometry (see e.g. synthetic geometry). When Frege argued against mathematics being synthetic he meant to rid it of "non-rigorous" Kantian intuition, and construction that required it. It is this loosened Kantian meaning that Hawking appears to have in mind. He follows Klein himself, who in Elementary Mathematics from a Higher Standpoint: Volume II: Geometry, pp.66-67 bemoaned the one-sidedness of the moderns:
"In higher mathematics, however, these words have, curiously, taken on an entirely different meaning. Synthetic geometry is that which studies figures as such, without recourse to formulas, whereas analytic geometry consistently makes use of such formulas as can be written down after the adoption of an appropriate system of coordinates. Rightly understood, there exists only a difference of gradation between these two kinds of geometry, according as one gives more prominence to the figures or to the formulas...
In mathematics, however, as everywhere else, men are inclined to form parties, so that there arose schools of pure synthesists and schools of pure analysts, who placed chief emphasis upon absolute "purity of method," and who were thus more one-sided than the nature of the subject demanded. Thus the analytic geometricians often lost themselves in blind calculations devoid of any geometric representation. The synthesists, on the other hand, saw salvation in an artificial avoidance of all formulas, and thus they accomplished nothing more, finally, than to develop their own peculiar language formulas, different from ordinary formulas."
The original use is derived from Pappus, who likely reports a consensus conception that emerged in late antiquity, see The Method of Analysis by Hintikka and Remes for modern commentary. And he clearly talks about two complementary aspects of solving a geometric problem:
"It is the work of three men, Euclid the author of the Elements, Apollonius of Perga, and Aristaeus the Elder, and proceeds by the method of analysis and synthesis. Now analysis is the way from what is sought — as if it were admitted — through its concomitants [akolouthôn] in order to something admitted in synthesis. For in analysis we suppose that which is sought to be already done, and we inquire from what it results, and again what is the antecedent [proêgoumenon] of the latter, until we on our backward way light upon something already known and being first in order. And we call such a method analysis, as being a solution backwards [anapalin lysin].
In synthesis, on the other hand, we suppose that which was reached last in analysis to be already done, and arranging in their natural order as consequents [epomena] the former antecedents [proêgoumena] and linking them one with another, we in the end arrive at the construction of the thing sought. And this we call synthesis."
But the later usage was influenced by Kant's distinction between analytic and synthetic (anticipated by Locke), which altered the ancient meaning. Where analytic relied on formal logical (to Kant, syllogistic) derivations, synthetic relied on construction in intuition. Nonetheless, Kant's intuitive construction was explicitly modeled on the synthetic side of Euclid's demonstrations, see Friedman's Kant on Geometry and Spatial Intuition:
"It appears, in fact, that the proof-procedure of Euclid’s Elements is paradigmatic of construction in pure intuition throughout Kant’s discussion of mathematics in the first Critique — which includes a fairly complete presentation of the elementary Euclidean geometry of the triangle. In the Transcendental Aesthetic, for example, Kant presents the corresponding side-sum property of triangles — that two sides taken together are always greater than the third (Proposition I.20) — as an illustration of how geometrical propositions “are never derived from universal concepts of line and triangle, but rather from intuition, and, in fact, [are thereby derived] a priori with apodictic certainty” (A25/B39). And the Euclidean proof of this proposition proceeds, just like Proposition I.32, by auxiliary constructions and inferences starting from an arbitrary triangle ABC...".
As Francois Ziegler pointed out in his comment, the distinction of synthetic vs. analytic refers here to two approaches to geometry. In a nutshell, synthetic geometry is the study based solely on axioms, logical arguments and classical constructions, while analytic geometry allows the use of coordinates or calculus. The Wikipedia page gives a pretty good account: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_geometry
Klein did not completely ignore the analytic approach, as he wrote the following in his Erlangen Program:
``The distinction between modern synthesis and modern analytic geometry must no longer be re- garded as essential, inasmuch as both subject-matter and methods of reasoning have gradually taken a similar form in both. We choose therefore in the text as common designation of them both the term projective geometry . Although the synthetic method has more to do with space-perception and thereby imparts a rare charm to its first simple developments, the realm of space-perception is nevertheless not closed to the analytic method, and the formulae of analytic geometry can be looked upon as a precise and perspicuous statement of geometrical relations. On the other hand, the advantage to original research of a well formulated analysis should not be underestimated, - an advantage due to its moving, so to speak, in advance of the thought. But it should always be in- sisted that a mathematical subject is not to be considered exhausted until it has become intuitively evident, and the progress made by the aid of analysis is only a first, though a very important, step." (translated by M. W. Haskell; available at https://arxiv.org/abs/0807.3161)
I might be wrong on this, but it seems that the coordinate geometry is nowadays absent from the American high school curriculum; some elements are taught in multivariable calculus and/or linear algebra, which are considered ``advanced" courses (at the college level). Therefore the distinction between analytic and synthetic geometry appears mysterious. On the other hand, when I was in my junior high school grade in Poland in 1980s, I took a (compulsory) course on analytic geometry, from a text with a matching title. It was preceded by 2 years of axiomatic geometry, so the distinction was clear.
Grattan-Guinnesses's Convolutions in French Mathematics, 1800–1840 From the Calculus and Mechanics to Mathematical Analysis and Mathematical Physics §3.2.5 "'Analysis' and 'synthesis', and their mathematical connections", p. 135:
The basic distinction between analysis and synthesis in proof-methods in mathematics is that in analysis one starts out from the desired result and regresses until apparently impeccable principles are found, while synthesis begins with those principles and derives the result. However, especially during the 18th century mathematicians became accustomed to associate analysis with algebra and synthesis with geometry, although these connections were not clear, least of all in the development and use of the calculus.
Your Answer
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Toxic Tiger Snake
The Tiger Snake is a very large poisonous snake that is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Australia.
As Australian animals go is it among the most poisonous, in a land that features toxic things aplenty.
Tiger snakes are found in fairly large numbers and since there are several types, the populations of more than one type may be living in the same areas.
800px chappell island tiger snake Toxic Tiger Snake
The Highly Toxic Tiger Snake Shows His Fangs
The tiger snake is quite large, one of the largest of the snakes, and can grow up to seven feet long, and range in color from pale to very dark. Their colors can range from olive to yellow to deep jet black, while the underside is lighter yellow or cream. The tiger snake is strictly an Australian animal, and does not live in other countries in the wild.
The Tiger snake is not normally an aggressive snake, but will bite those who are aggressive tot hem.
They are very poisonous, and may in fact be fatal in about 45% of the bites if they are not treated quickly.
Tiger snakes are live bearing snakes and will give birth to as few as twelve and as many as thirty or forty young snakes. The record for live snakes born to a tiger snake was 64 in one litter.
750px tiger snake Toxic Tiger Snake
Tiger Snake
The Tiger snake is not an overly aggressive snake and whenever it can will run from a fight, but when threatened and unable to flee will flatten their bodis and raise their heads above the ground in a menacing pre-strike gesture.
Their venom is what is known as a neurotoxin and is a highly potent one potentially deadly if not treated as soon as possible.
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Linux Commands
How to Use Inxi Command in Linux
This article will cover a guide on using the “inxi” command line utility in Linux. It is a free and open source system information tool that can be used to identify and show information about various hardware components present in your Linux PC. Inxi works on all major Linux distributions and it can be especially helpful in resolving hardware issues and optimizing performance of applications that target specific sets of hardware requirements.
Main Features of Inxi
Some of the most important and useful feature of inxi are:
• Ability to share system information in IRC chat rooms.
• Ability to produce selective system information for specific categories only. For instance, you can only show information about audio hardware, hard drive units, and so on.
• Ability to produce colored output in terminal for better readability.
• Ability to produce detailed information or summarised information.
• Supports showing information about distribution specific package repositories.
• Supports showing information about RAID drives.
• It can show hardware temperature, fan speed and other such information by probing various sensors present in your Linux device.
• You can control verbosity of the produced output using a command line switch.
• Ability to show real time weather information as stdout.
• Ability to hide sensitive and private information using a command line option. For instance, you can replace IP information by using the “–filter” command line switch to hide the real IP address.
• Supports producing highly detailed system information and detailed kernel information especially useful for sysadmins.
• It can produce and save output in different file formats like JSON and XML.
• Ability to show information about connected USB drives.
Installing Inxi in Linux
To install inxi in Ubuntu, use the command specified below:
$ sudo apt install inxi
Inxi is available in the repository of all major Linux distributions, so you can install it from the package manager. Further installation instructions are available on its official website.
Fetching System Information using Inxi
You can produce minimal system information using inxi by running the following command:
$ inxi
Depending on the hardware and software components available in your Linux system, it should produce some output similar to this:
Inxi produces colored output by default. You can change the output color scheme by supplying a number between 0 and 42 to the “-c” switch. For instance, color scheme # 4 produces output in following color theme:
You may have noticed that the inxi command’s default implementation produces only a basic set of hardware information. To produce detailed information, you will have to use the “–full” command line switch.
$ inxi --full
Depending on the hardware configuration of your Linux system, this command should produce category separated output similar to this:
The “–full” switch shows a lot of hardware information. However, it still omits some advanced information suitable for sysadmins and some output classified under verbose category. You can know more about these advanced options by checking out “–verbose” and “–admin” switches available in inxi man page.
Inxi may not be able to probe certain hardware components in your Linux system unless you run it with root access. When you run inxi command without root access, certain fields may be tagged with “<superuser required>” message.
In such a case, run inxi command with sudo, as shown in the command below:
$ sudo inxi --full
You can produce information about some specific categories only using inxi. To do so, run a command in the following format:
$ inxi -C -G
The above command uses “-C” and “-G” switches for producing information about CPU and GPU units respectively. You can know more about all category specific switches from its man page. After running the above command, you should get some output similar to this:
You can combine multiple command line switches into one. The command below produces the same output as above:
$ inxi -CG
To censor sensitive information, use “–filter” switch, as shown in the command below:
$ inxi -M --filter
Sensitive information like serial numbers and IP addresses will be tagged with “<filter>” string and original data will never be shown in the output, as shown in the screenshot below:
This covers the most common use cases for the inxi command. To know more about its advanced options, use these commands in a terminal:
$ man inxi
$ inxi --help
Saving Hardware Information to a File
To save produced output to a text file, run a command in the following format:
$ inxi --full > info.txt
You can replace “info.txt” with any other file name. Output produced by inxi will be saved to this text file. To export inxi data to json and xml files, run the following two commands:
$ inxi -full --output json --output-file "$HOME/info.json"
$ inxi -full --output xml --output-file "$HOME/info.xml"
You can replace the full path for the output file with your desired value. Note that in some Linux distributions, inxi may throw an error about missing libraries when generating output in JSON or XML format. To know more about what libraries are missing, run the following command:
$ inxi --recommends
Just go through the output and install required packages for missing libraries from the package manager of your Linux distribution.
Inxi is a useful command line tool that can be used to create neatly categorized and systematic hardware information about your Linux PC. You can share this information in various file formats, mostly suitable for debugging software and hardware related issues.
About the author
Nitesh Kumar
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2nd Grade Spotlight: Mrs. Schneeberger
Student writers
Harper, Tanner and Travis tell us about their experience writing fairy tales in Mrs. Schneeberger's class.
Written by: Harper, Tanner and Travis
Have you ever read a fairy tale? I bet you have. But, have you ever written your own fairy tale? Well, we did in Mrs. Schneeberger's room! She read the Three Little Pigs to give us an idea of what a fairy tale was. We acted out different parts of the story to help us better understand it and picture it in our minds. Then, we made a list of a lot of different fairy tales. Next, we picked out a story we wanted to use to make a fractured fairy tale. What is a fractured fairy tale? It is a like an old fairy tale but you make changes to it. If you didn't want to make a fractured fairy tale, you could make up your own, crazy fairy tale. This was exciting because we don't normally do this. Mrs. Schneeberger helped us organize our writing with sheets that said character, setting, problem and solution. We could write down ideas for our story on it. I (Travis) wrote a story, The Day the Crayons Went to School, about a bad, despicable crayon who is trying to capture all of the other crayons but colorful man tries to save them. I (Tanner) wrote The Donut and the Frog about a frog who is trying to eat a donut but the frosting falls off and he runs into some horrible problems. I (Harper) was the author of The Dragon Chase. My story was about a girl and her dad who go mountain climbing but a dragon finds them and they try to escape him. Writing fairy tales was an unusual, creative, and exciting experience!
Student Writer
Student writer
Student Writer
Class of students |
So what is the life expectancy for people with MS? There isn’t one clear answer. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that, on average, someone with MS lives about seven years less than the general population. A study of 30,000 people in the U.S. with MS found they lived six years less, on average, than those without MS.
Multiple sclerosis itself is not the cause of death, since MS is not inherently fatal. Rather, the symptoms caused by the progression of MS can lead to other conditions that are ultimately fatal. Pneumonia, infections, and falls are common causes of death directly connected to the symptoms of MS.
“MS is not a fatal disease,” one member said. “However, this can lead to other illnesses and problems as a result of how MS can affect your life. If you become less active, you may be at risk of heart problems, or someone may fall due to mobility problems.”
MS Factors Related to Life Expectancy
There are a variety of factors related to MS prognosis. These include sex, age at disease onset, the level of recovery from the first outbreak, MS relapses, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. In general, women with MS have a better prognosis than men, as do people who are younger at the time of MS onset. African Americans are more likely to have a primary progressive form of MS. People who recover from their first outbreak completely have a better prognosis than those who do not. Infrequent MS relapses and less cerebellar and CNS involvement are also associated with a better prognosis.
The different types of MS have different prognoses. Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) typically has a better prognosis than primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Since RRMS allows complete or partial recovery from symptoms before relapse, there is less disability associated with it. Secondary progressive MS, which occurs when someone with a previous RRMS diagnosis has worsening symptoms, indicates a more systemic condition. Since primary progressive MS does not follow the pattern of relapse and recovery, and more neurological symptoms occur with it, it is associated with the poorest prognosis of all. One member reported feeling guilty when a friend with a more progressive form of MS passed away: “I felt guilty because he had PPMS, and I didn’t, and I had a life still in front of me.”
A rare type of MS is associated with a very dire prognosis — Marburg-type MS, sometimes referred to as fulminant multiple sclerosis. This condition progresses even more rapidly than PPMS and can lead to death in weeks or months.
Other Factors That Influence Prognosis
MS isn’t the only issue some people are dealing with. Other medical conditions and comorbidities can affect the disease course.
One study found the most common comorbid conditions for people with MS were high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, thyroid disease, anxiety, depression, and chronic lung disease. Almost 30 percent of those with MS had either high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Up to 20 percent had some form of gastrointestinal disorder. Thyroid disease was present in 12 percent to 17 percent, and anxiety, depression, and chronic lung disease were each present in 5 percent to 10 percent of those studied. All of those conditions are associated with a decrease in life expectancy (including depression and anxiety). To read this article in its entirety click here: MS Prognosis: Multiple Sclerosis Life Expectancy |
Grab Your Scarlet Letter Themes Here!
scarlet letter themes
The Scarlet Letter: A Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the best works of fiction in history. The setting of the Novel is in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony between 1642 and 1649. It narrates the story of Hester Prynne, who conceived a daughter after having an affair and had to struggle to create a new life of dignity and repentance.
When the Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, it became one of the first mass-produced novels in America because of the unique way of narration through multiple themes. In this post, we are going to take a deeper look at the different Scarlet Letter’s themes.
Theme of Sin
The theme of sin is evident from the start of the novel. Notably, sin in the Scarlet Letter does not just mean going against the accepted norms of religious. Rather, it also implies going against social traditions. The love act of Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne is considered adultery when Hester is caught and sentenced. However, Dimmesdale, because of his position and influence, remains free. Hester has to go through stressful isolation because of her daughter, who was born out of wedlock. For Dimmesdale, the sense of sins turns into a psychological stigma. To stay silent, he suffers from depression and severe trauma.
The Theme of Guilt
The nature of personal and public guilt is another major theme of The Scarlet Letter. The guilt from Hester’s sins and public punishment (wearing Scarlet Letter adultery in public) is devastating to her life. The public punishment and the fact that the man is not punished are even more distressing. Hester’s suffering is made worse by Dimmesdale’s silence. The affair, therefore, leaves a serious dent in how Puritan interprets morality and religion. Although the final atonement appears to mitigate Hester’s suffering, it comes too late.
Theme of Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is one of the major themes in the Scarlet Letter. After committing the sin and being forced to wear Scarlet letter adultery as punishment, Hester realizes that most of the citizens also harbor similar sins without admitting. It is hypocritical that no citizen was without sins, but few were ready to admit it.
Governor Bellingham also provides a good case of physical metaphor for the hypocrisy theme. In the Scarlet Letter, the governor dresses luxuriously while enforcing plainness on the people under him. Besides, he shares his home with Mistress Hibbins, who claims to be a witch. It is hypocritical that the governor, a supposedly upright public figure, shares the same roof with a witch.
In the entire novel, the people of Bay Colony are hypocritical by harboring two conflicting characters. Their desire to hide one character and only show what makes them look good demonstrates how hypocritical they are.
The Theme of Identity and Society
When Hester is punished with public shame and forced to wear a badge of humiliation, one would expect her to seek any possible opportunity to leave Bay Colony. Surprisingly, she is unwilling to leave. Therefore, when Chillingworth tells her that the authorities were considering allowing her to remove the badge of shame, she was shocked. This demonstrates that Hester is committed to determining her identity instead of relying on what others thought of her.
For Hester, removing the badge of shame or running away would only acknowledge the power that society has over her. Instead, she chooses to use the Letter as a symbol of personal experiences, and indeed a character. The past is part of her, and thinking that it never happened would be living in denial. Her sins are now part of her life.
The Theme of Feminine Resilience
One of the clear moral of the Scarlet Letter is feminine resilience. The shaming act of Hester and her resilience to get through the distressful social isolation shows that Hawthorne throws his weight behind the feminine side. By projecting Hester as a lady who suffers unjustly, the Scarlet Letter criticizes and condemns the moral code of the time. It is an indication that feminism is indeed not just a myth but a reality. Hester suffered more than most ordinary men would have if put in similar situations.
The Theme of Mockery of Law
Apart from the hypocrisy, sin, and evil themes, the theme of mockery is also intriguing. Scarlet Letter impressively mocks the rule of law during Puritanism. The law does not allow women to engage in adultery, and they are severely punished when caught. But this same law does not apply for the man. After committing adultery, Hester is punished while the man, Dimmesdale, walks scot-free. And this is not all! Dimmesdale is part of the jury. It is a mockery of the law that a person who is guilty of the same sin is the one entrusted with awarding the punishment.
The Scarlet Letter Theme of Passion and Love
The Scarlet Letter is also a love story. Even as sin and punishment themes appear more evident, the entire book is a type of mystery of erotic passion. Although various agents such as law, morality, religion, and Chillingworth works hard to bring disaster to Hester and Dimmesdale, it appears that the two grow morally and spiritually stronger. But they have to undergo suffering in search of love for each other.
The intensity of Hester and Dimmesdale’s love for each other peaks in the forest conversation. Hester’s expression of love for Dimmesdale is impressive. “Dost thou live?” “Hester, hast thou found peace?” Dimmesdale asks Hester. In reply, Hester indicates, “Hast thou?” The conversation is marked by intense feelings for each other.
When Hester discloses her husband to Dimmesdale, she asks for forgiveness for revealing Chillingworth’s identity. Hester is finally ready to let her pasty go by throwing away the Scarlet Letter. The lovers craft a new strategy to escape revenge. But the strategy fails.
Identifying the Main Idea In Literature Is Easy… No More Stress!
When you are faced with the task of identifying the themes in a piece of literature, the aim is to understand the main idea. You need to look at the characters and the plot from varying angles. For example, when answering the question, what is the theme of The Scarlet Letter, you need to look at the characters from the religious, legal, spiritual, and cultural viewpoints. This will help you to see what the writer is emphasizing in a specific chapter or throughout the book.
One thing we need to bring out at this point is that picking themes from a piece of literature can be tricky. You need to practice with different books to develop the right skills. Therefore, what do you do with the assignment at hand? The answer is seeking writing help.
Notably, it is not just a lack of writing skills that can make identifying themes in a piece of literature difficult. In many cases, students in college might find assignments to identify major themes difficult because the deadline is tight or have other engagements to attend to. The best option is seeking homework help from experts. The writing firms work with expert writers who can easily tell what is the theme/s in a book and know how to present it professionally.
Whether your assignment requires you to identify themes in the Scarlet Letter or other pieces of literature, you can use this post to pick them or seek expert assistance easily. |
Essential principles of financing as stated by Robert Trosten
Robert Trosten the proper utilization of funds and also investment constitutes the process of financing. There are certain core principles to be followed in funding to ensure the maximization of profit. People who are in charge of managing the fund are known as the financial manager. It is the financial manager who takes investment, operating and also financing decisions. and investment. It is the financial manager who takes investment, operating, and financing decisions. Whether you are an individual or an entrepreneur of a multinational company, you should make a note of the principles of finance for your benefit.
The core principles of finance as explained by Robert Trosten
• Return and risk: as an investor, you have to be conscious of return-less risk. It is true that the higher the risk, the higher is the rate of return. You will have to compare the risk with return.
• Value of money: with time, the amount of money depreciates. The economy undergoes inflation over some time. Thus the inflation rate needs consideration for the calculation of the quality of return. One basic principle is that the required rate of return should always be more than the inflation rate.
• The flow of cash: the process of cash inflow and also the outflow is the principle of cash flow. The cash flow should be more at the initial stage of investment. It is a principle that takes into consideration the value of money also.
• Liquidity and profitability: from the investor’s point of view, the principle of liquidity and profitability is of prime importance. It is the investor who has to ensure liquidity and also profitability. According to Robert Trosten, liquidity refers to the smooth flow of cash resulting from selling the investment.
• Diversity: Diversity is of paramount importance in the field of finance. You should never put all the eggs in the same basket. In the field of finance as well, the investor should not invest the entire cash in one investment scheme.
• Hedging: it indicates the sources from which a person should take the funds. You may take the short term as well as long term funds from reliable sources.
As per the above discussion, you can conclude that an essential grip of the principles and also understanding of finances is critical for effectively making financial decisions. |
Stories of the Stuarts: Lucy Walter, mistress of King Charles II
In this new ongoing series of articles, we will be delving in to the world of the House of Stuart, a royal dynasty who first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland in the late 14th century before eventually inheriting the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in the early 17th century. The House of Stuart reigned until 1714 when they were succeeded by the House of Hanover. As we delve further in to their world, we will be focusing on, not just the people, but the events, the places and just about everything to do with the House of Stuart. Here begins the Stories of the Stuarts.
Our first piece tells the story of Lucy Walter, one of the many mistresses of King Charles II.
Lucy Walter, mistress of King Charles II.
Lucy Walter, mistress of King Charles II.
Lucy Walter or Lucy Barlow was a mistress of King Charles II but also mother to James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. Born in 1630 to William Walter and Elizabeth Protheroe at Roch Castle, Lucy’s family were considered a family of middling gentry.
At the height of the English Civil War, Roch Castle was said to have been destroyed and so Lucy sought refuge in London, where she took shipping for The Hague. It was whilst she was at The Hague that she caught the attention of The Prince of Wales (later Charles II) who took Lucy Walter for his mistress. Though it is often said that Ms Walter was Charles’s first mistress it has also been speculated that he had a tryst as early as 1646, when he was just sixteen.
The intimacy between Charles and Lucy continued with intervals until the Autumn of 1651. In 1649, Lucy gave birth to her first child, James Scott, who Charles irrevocably claimed paternity of hence why the boy was created Duke of Monmouth. When Charles left The Hague in 1650 for Scotland, Lucy had an affair with Theobald, 2nd Viscount Taaffe who was apparently the father of her second child, Mary, though it has also been argued that Mary’s father was Henry Bennett, Earl of Arlington.
In late 1651, after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester, Charles returned to the Continent and promptly told Lucy that their relationship was over. Taking the news rather badly, Lucy began to cause embarrassment after embarrassment for an exiled Royal Court, already an embarrassment in itself. She was eventually persuaded to return to England with her children though when the Lord Protector’s intelligence department assumed she was a spy, she was arrested and sent to the Tower of London.
After her eventual release from the Tower, Lucy was sent back to the Continent where she resumed an extravagant lifestyle, even trying to use her son as a way of influencing Charles. When this didn’t work, Lucy was persuaded to hand over James to a royal tutor in March 1658.
Lucy Walter abandoned herself to a life of promiscuity which possibly led to her premature death in September 1658.
One of the biggest mysteries of Lucy’s life was whether she actually married the future King or not. There was a rumour at the time that a marriage certificate had been hidden in a black box in a place that only Charles knew. The intrigue of the black box was often brought up by Exclusionists who wished to see the Duke of Monmouth become heir instead of James, Duke of York. Monmouth was a Protestant whilst the Duke of York was a Catholic. Ultimately King Charles II denied this rumour on a number of occasions.
As for the black box, well who knows if that was ever found….
Photo Credit: Lisby
Featured Photo Credit: Sharaf |
Photographs by The Voorhes
A great chill has unlocked biology
Thanks to ice, structural biology is on fire. With new ways to snap-freeze and visualize molecules mid-movement, scientists are churning out new knowledge about life and disease with unprecedented speed.
By Alexander Gelfand
It looks like a fancy espresso maker,” says Mark Ebrahim, gesturing towards a finely machined assembly of metal components housed in the basement of the Collaborative Research Center.
But Ebrahim is no barista. Rather, he is a physicist. And as the safety sticker on it suggests (“Warning: Cold Surface”), the device before him is no coffee maker.
Instead, it is a high-powered electron microscope that pumps focused beams of charged particles through protein samples that have been flash-frozen in liquid ethane, and then kept at a chilly -180°C by the contents of huge liquid-nitrogen tanks. Super-sensitive cameras record the electrons that pass through the samples, and powerful software algorithms use the resulting data to generate three-dimensional images of the proteins at near-atomic resolution. (Ebrahim, a senior staff scientist, keeps the equipment running.)
Gregory M. Alushin (right) and postdoc Rui Gong in the cryo-EM control room.
The technique is known as cryo-electron microscopy, or cryo-EM. And it is enabling researchers in labs across campus to investigate biological molecules, and answer scientific questions, that had previously been off limits.
“A lot of impossible projects have become feasible,” says Jue Chen, the William E. Ford Professor. She speaks from experience: her own recent cryo-EM investigations are galvanizing research into cystic fibrosis, a debilitating lung disease for which there is as yet no cure.
When it comes to understanding the basic mechanics of life, structure is everything: the shape of a biological molecule dictates what the molecule does and how it does it. Until recently, the gold standard for determining the physical structure of proteins—the molecular workhorses of the body, responsible for performing a nearly endless variety of chores at the cellular level—was x-ray crystallography, a technique that involves turning proteins into crystals and probing them with electromagnetic radiation.
It’s a powerful method, capable of resolving structures at the atomic level. But it is not without its drawbacks.
For one thing, most proteins move through different shapes, or conformations, as they go about their work. But only one conformation can be crystallized at a time, preventing researchers from analyzing the full range of shapes that allow proteins to do the jobs that nature has assigned them.
Photograph by The Voorhes
CryoScope Micro Lens
Photograph by The Voorhes
Worse, not all proteins are amenable to crystallization: some are too fragile to withstand the process, while others can’t be packed into orderly three-dimensional crystals. Yet x-ray crystallography is an all-or-nothing proposition: “You get great crystals, you get a structure. You don’t get crystals, you get nothing,” says Thomas Walz, who heads the Laboratory of Molecular Electron Microscopy.
Consequently, researchers were left with a vast collection of proteins whose mysteries seemed destined to remain impenetrable, including the so-called membrane proteins that, among other things, help ferry vital substances in and out of cells.
Cryo-EM, however, changed all that.
Prior to being frozen, proteins destined for the electron microscope are comfortably suspended in a liquid solution that resembles their native environment inside cells, helping to preserve their integrity. Since many different conformations of the same protein can be trapped in ice simultaneously, scientists can see all of them at once.
“It gives me a view of the dynamics of the protein or protein complex I’m interested in,” explains Walz—who, when he isn’t lending his expertise in cryo-EM to colleagues in other labs, employs the method himself to explore the interactions between membrane proteins, other biological molecules, and the cell membranes they inhabit.
Despite these advantages, cryo-EM was not an overnight success. Originally developed in the 1980s, the technique initially produced such fuzzy, low-res images that it was jokingly referred to as “blobology.” But in recent years, improvements to the electron detectors and image processing software that make cryo-EM possible have vastly improved the resolution it can achieve.
Rockefeller’s two cryo-EM units are housed in the Evelyn Gruss Lipper Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center. A third unit is on the way.
As a result, the technology has enjoyed soaring popularity and newfound acclaim—three of the scientists who developed cryo-EM for biology were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. And other researchers who once relied primarily on x-ray crystallography—including Roderick MacKinnon, head of the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics, who used it in the work that won him his own Nobel Prize, in 2003—have now shifted almost entirely to cryo-EM in hopes of cracking previously insoluble problems.
One such problem involved a membrane protein called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, or CFTR, whose structure Chen spent nearly a decade trying to resolve using x-ray crystallography. After failure upon failure, she finally succeeded just last year, thanks to cryo-EM.
Number of Americans infected with drug-resistant Staph superbugs each year.
CFTR allows chloride ions to travel across cell membranes, and researchers have long known that mutations in the gene that produces the protein lead to cystic fibrosis, a chronic disease. (Defects in CFTR cause mucus to accumulate in the lungs, with potentially fatal consequences.) They did not, however, know what kinds of changes those mutations caused in the physical structure of CFTR, or how those changes prevented the protein from operating properly—information that could potentially unlock new treatment strategies.
Chen, who heads the Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Biophysics, began working on CFTR in 2008, but try as she might, she could not persuade the protein to crystallize—in part because a section of it, known as the R domain, doesn’t have a fixed structure. It flops about from one position to another.
A few years ago, Chen began learning the ins and outs of cryo-EM with help from old hands like Walz. She initially used the technique to study a form of CFTR found in zebrafish that is virtually identical to the human version; it was easier to work with, and allowed her to refine her methods. Thanks to those preliminary studies, she was ultimately able to get a good look at the human version of CFTR, even determining the location (or locations) of its elusive R domain. Her results, which were published in the journal Cell this past March, help explain how a particular mutation interferes with the protein’s ability to function, information that could open the door to new therapies.
Most treatments today deal with the symptoms of the disease (mucus buildup, lung infections) rather than its underlying causes. The only FDA-approved drug that addresses a problem with CFTR itself helps less than four percent of cystic fibrosis suffers—those with a specific genetic mutation. The rest are currently out of luck.
Chen says that further cryo-EM studies could reveal more about the structure of CFTR, and how different mutations cause the protein to fail in different ways. This, in turn, would make it possible to design drugs that bring relief to far larger numbers of patients, something that would have been inconceivable not long ago.
Gregory M. Alushin, who joined Rockefeller last year as head of the Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, is also using cryo-EM to pursue projects that were formerly out of bounds.
6 million
Number of Americans who suffer from chronic wounds, often as a complication of diabetes or other disease.
Alushin investigates how cells sense mechanical forces: the constant pushing and pulling generated by their own movements and by the environment that surrounds them. These forces can lead a cell to change its motion—encouraging a healthy one to migrate from one position to another, for example, or provoking a cancerous cell to metastasize—and may even cause it to turn genes on or off.
Research has shown that long strings of protein called actin filaments play a crucial role in all of this. The proteins in the filaments, which are strung together in repeating patterns that resemble double-stranded spiral staircases, change shape in response to the forces they experience. Those changes in conformation invite other molecules known as signaling proteins to bind with them, triggering a series of biochemical events that ultimately lead to changes in a cell’s behavior.
Understanding precisely how the proteins in the filaments change shape, and which signaling proteins bind to them, could allow researchers to design drugs that would stop the process in its tracks, preventing tumors from metastasizing, or warding off unwanted changes in gene expression.
To achieve that level of understanding, however, Alushin first needs to determine the atomic-scale structure of the proteins. Until cryo-EM, that didn’t seem possible.
“You can’t use crystallography on them, because they don’t pack into crystals,” he says. And even if they did, he adds, the very act of locking the filament proteins into well-ordered crystals would make it impossible to observe the range of conformations that allow them to do their work.
Mark Ebrahim tending to the equipment.
Freezing the samples solved these problems, and by using specialized “motor proteins” to pull on opposite ends of the filaments as they freeze, Alushin’s team can even see how they deform in response to mechanical force.
Much to his surprise, Alushin found that rather than straightening out when stretched, the twisting, double-stranded protein structures comprising the filaments instead developed what looked like “squiggly” regions. He suspects that these deformations are caused by one strand breaking and wrapping around the other, and that the resulting change in shape serves as a target for signaling proteins. He is already conducting further cryo-EM trials to test this hypothesis.
“We know these signals are happening, but we don’t know which molecules are involved, or how they interact,” he says. “So we’re putting together the molecular cast of characters, and observing the conformational acrobatics they undergo.”
Of course, like any scientific technique, cryo-EM has its own limitations and challenges.
“We’re putting together the molecular cast of characters and observing the acrobatics they undergo.”
It doesn’t work particularly well on the smallest molecules. The image processing software it relies upon cannot always make sense of all the different conformations in a sample. And it generates so much data—multiple terabytes per project, Ebrahim estimates—that simply storing it all poses a serious challenge. Rockefeller has recently upgraded its high-performance computing capabilities to handle the needs of cryo-EM, and is beefing up its data storage capacity, as well (see “Processing power”).
Meanwhile, the technology continues to improve, promising even more impressive results to come. And Walz, who has been involved with cryo-EM almost from the start, continues to be amazed by the progress that has already been made since the bad old days of blobology.
“Every day I’m astonished by what can be done,” he says, “and by how easy it has become.” |
Geometric Sequences
In a Geometric Sequence every term is found by multiplying the previous hatchet by a constant.
You are watching: 2+4+8+16+32+64
This sequence has actually a aspect of 2 in between each number.
Each hatchet (except the an initial term) is uncovered by multiplying the previous term by 2.
In General we compose a Geometric Sequence like this:
a, ar, ar2, ar3, ...
a is the very first term, and r is the factor between the state (called the "common ratio")
Example: 1,2,4,8,...
The sequence starts at 1 and doubles every time, so
a=1 (the very first term) r=2 (the "common ratio" in between terms is a doubling)
And we get:
a, ar, ar2, ar3, ...
= 1, 1×2, 1×22, 1×23, ...
= 1, 2, 4, 8, ...
But be careful, r should not be 0:
when r=0, we gain the sequence a,0,0,... Which is not geometric
The Rule
We can also calculate any term utilizing the Rule:
This sequence has a factor of 3 in between each number.
The worths of a and also r are:
a = 10 (the first term) r = 3 (the "common ratio")
The preeminence for any term is:
xn = 10 × 3(n-1)
So, the 4th term is:
x4 = 10×3(4-1) = 10×33 = 10×27 = 270
And the 10th ax is:
x10 = 10×3(10-1) = 10×39 = 10×19683 = 196830
This sequence has a aspect of 0.5 (a half) in between each number.
Its preeminence is xn = 4 × (0.5)n-1
Why "Geometric" Sequence?
Because that is like increasing the dimensions in geometry:
a heat is 1-dimensional and has a size of r
in 2 dimensions a square has actually an area the r2
in 3 size a cube has actually volume r3
etc (yes we have the right to have 4 and much more dimensions in mathematics).
Summing a Geometric Series
To amount these:
a + ar + ar2 + ... + ar(n-1)
(Each hatchet is ark, where k starts at 0 and goes up to n-1)
We can use this comfortable formula:
a is the first term r is the "common ratio" in between terms n is the variety of terms
What is that funny Σ symbol? that is called Sigma Notation
(called Sigma) means "sum up"
And below and above it are presented the starting and ending values:
It states "Sum up n where n goes indigenous 1 to 4. Answer=10
This sequence has a variable of 3 between each number.
The worths of a, r and n are:
a = 10 (the very first term) r = 3 (the "common ratio") n = 4 (we desire to amount the an initial 4 terms)
You can inspect it yourself:
10 + 30 + 90 + 270 = 400
And, yes, the is much easier to just add them in this example, as there are only 4 terms. But imagine including 50 state ... Climate the formula is lot easier.
Example: grains of Rice ~ above a Chess Board
On the web page Binary Digits we give an instance of grains of rice top top a chess board. The concern is asked:
When we location rice on a chess board:
1 grain on the first square, 2 grains on the 2nd square, 4 seed on the third and so on, ...
... doubling the seed of rice on each square ...
... How numerous grains the rice in total?
So us have:
a = 1 (the first term) r = 2 (doubles every time) n = 64 (64 squares top top a chess board)
= 1−264−1 = 264 − 1
= 18,446,744,073,709,551,615
Which was precisely the result we got on the Binary Digits page (thank goodness!)
And an additional example, this time v r less than 1:
Example: include up the first 10 terms of the Geometric Sequence the halves each time:
The values of a, r and also n are:
a = ½ (the an initial term) r = ½ (halves every time) n = 10 (10 terms to add)
Very close come 1.
(Question: if we proceed to increase n, what happens?)
Why go the Formula Work?
Let"s check out why the formula works, because we gain to use an interesting "trick" which is precious knowing.
First, contact the totality sum "S":S= a + ar + ar2 + ... + ar(n−2)+ ar(n−1)
Next, multiply S by r:S·r= ar + ar2 + ar3 + ... + ar(n−1) + arn
Notice the S and S·r space similar?
Now subtract them!
Wow! all the state in the center neatly release out. (Which is a succinct trick)
By individually S·r indigenous S we obtain a straightforward result:
S − S·r = a − arn
Let"s rearrange it to uncover S:
Factor the end S
and also a:S(1−r) = a(1−rn)
Divide by (1−r):S = a(1−rn)(1−r)
Which is our formula (ta-da!):
Infinite Geometric Series
So what happens once n goes come infinity?
We deserve to use this formula:
But be careful:
r should be in between (but not including) −1 and 1
and r have to not it is in 0 since the sequence a,0,0,... Is no geometric
So our infnite geometric collection has a finite sum once the proportion is less than 1 (and better than −1)
Let"s bring back our ahead example, and also see what happens:
Example: add up all the terms of the Geometric Sequence the halves every time:
12, 14, 18, 116, ...
We have:
a = ½ (the very first term) r = ½ (halves each time)
And so:
= ½×1½ = 1
Yes, including 12 + 14 + 18 + ... etc equates to exactly 1.
Don"t think me? simply look at this square:
By adding up 12 + 14 + 18 + ...
we finish up through the totality thing!
Recurring Decimal
On another page us asked "Does 0.999... Same 1?", well, let us see if we deserve to calculate it:
Example: calculation 0.999...
We have the right to write a recurring decimal as a sum favor this:
And currently we deserve to use the formula:
Yes! 0.999... does same 1.
See more: Under Which Conditions Of Temperature And Pressure Does A Real Gas Behavior
So over there we have it ... Geometric assignment (and your sums) can do all sorts of impressive and powerful things.
Sequences Arithmetic Sequences and Sums Sigma Notation Algebra Index |
To conserve energy, AI clears up cloudy forecasts
To conserve energy, AI clears up cloudy forecasts
Toboggan Lodge, which researchers used as a case study for a new smart control system that includes a machine learning algorithm predicting the accuracy of weather forecasts. Credit: Jason Koski/Cornell Brand Communications
But when the forecast is imperfect—as it often is—buildings can end up wasting , just as we may find ourselves wet, cold or burdened with extra layers we don't need.
A new approach developed by Fengqi You, professor in engineering at Cornell University, predicts the accuracy of the forecast using a machine learning model trained with years' worth of data on forecasts and actual weather conditions. You combined that predictor with a that considers characteristics including the size and shape of rooms, the construction materials, the location of sensors and the position of windows.
The result is a smart control system that can reduce by up to 10 percent, according to a case study his team conducted on Toboggan Lodge, a nearly 90-year-old building on Cornell's campus.
"We don't have a perfect way to the weather, so the best thing we can do is combine AI and mechanistic modeling together," he said. "These two parts have never before been harmonized in a systematic way for automatic control and energy management."
Explore further
Geoscientists insist weather forecasting is more accurate than ever and could get even better
More information: Chao Shang et al, A data-driven robust optimization approach to scenario-based stochastic model predictive control, Journal of Process Control (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.jprocont.2018.12.013
Provided by Cornell University
Citation: To conserve energy, AI clears up cloudy forecasts (2019, February 6) retrieved 21 October 2021 from https://techxplore.com/news/2019-02-energy-ai-cloudy.html
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Feline Communicative Behavior
Chapter 3 Feline Communicative Behavior
Intraspecies communication takes three major forms: vocal expression, body postures, and visual or olfactory marks. For most animals, body language is the primary messenger, not vocalizations. Chemical communications are often underappreciated by humans. Interspecies communication is more complicated than intraspecies communication because animals of different species generally are not considered to have the innate ability to understand the communications of each other. However, because humans can learn many feline signals, understanding and communication between people and cats is possible.
Vocal Communication
Vocal communications are used to transmit general messages and are not associated with the complexities typically found in human communication. Both vocalizations and marking behaviors, which are discussed later in this chapter, are important tools for the relatively asocial cat; these methods of communication enable an individual to determine if there are any other cats nearby and can thus help prevent direct confrontations. Distance-reducing vocal patterns in response to humans generally do not occur if the distance between the cat and the human is greater than 8 feet.66 The variations of tonal elements during specific-goal emotional states result from changes in the laryngopharynx due to touch reception and tension variations rather than from oral position variations typical in human speech.66,83 Phonetically distinct sounds have been carefully differentiated and placed into one of three groups, depending on how the sound is produced (see Appendix A). Spectrogram analysis recognized 23 patterns that could be divided into two major types of cat vocalizations. Pure calls are homogeneous, whereas complex ones have major changes in frequency ranges, harmonic structures, or pulse modulations.20 Postural communication might also be important in modulating vocal signals.20 These could include such things as position of the ears or piloerection. Although kittens can recognize familiar voices by 4 weeks of age, they usually do not take specific notice of one another’s vocal communication patterns until their ninth week.66
Murmur Patterns
Murmur vocalizations involve sounds a cat produces while its mouth is closed.66
The cat that is very bonded to its owner may use a single short murmur of “acknowledgment” when it visualizes something it is about to receive.66 This trill vocalization implies a friendly approach. More than 90% of the time it occurs as the cat is moving, and more than half of the time this is when the cat is changing elevation.12 The acknowledgment sound does not start until sometime after the twelfth week of age.
The feline “call” sound is used primarily to draw someone or something toward the cat; it is also the female’s signal that she is ready to mate.27,28,66 Variations include the coaxing sounds used by a tomcat to notify females that he is ready to mate, to invite young males out to fight, and to announce his presence to other males. This advertising sound is not used by all South American domestic cats, indicating that a learning component may be present in vocalization.79
The “purr” has been described in a number of ways, from mhrn, the most common, to brrp and chirp.16 By 2 days of age the purr is present and is produced by both nursing kittens and the queen. The queen uses the purr initially when approaching her kittens.16 It then serves as a form of communication between them (vocal for the queen and tactile for the kittens). The young kittens will stop the purr only for swallowing.66 The frequency of its use increases as the queen adopts a lactation position, as the kittens nuzzle her fur, or if the queen shifts position while nursing her young.43
As the kitten matures the purr can develop several other inflections and meanings. A “greeting” or request vocalization is an expanded form of a single inhalation segment of the purr. In the kitten this purring vocalization increases in intensity until it reaches the greeting level by about the third week of life, when it may alert other kittens as the first reaches the queen to nurse.25,66,67 This sound, although usually short, can be prolonged sequences of individual purr segments, as when a cat approaches from a distance. The “request” purr for food or attention develops after the twelfth week66 and becomes adultlike by 20 weeks.67
A cat may purr in almost any situation, including just before death following a chronic disease. This may reflect a state of euphoria, perhaps resulting from an endorphin release. A similar sensation has been experienced by terminally ill humans. Experiences that are interpreted to be either pleasurable or distressing may also be accompanied by purring vocalizations. The purr has been equated with the human smile. This may be fairly accurate, although anthropomorphic. Just as people smile when they are happy, are fearful, or want something, cats too are most likely to purr in these situations. Studies show that it is very common for the cat to produce an inaudible purr in the presence of humans.77
There have been many descriptions of how the purr is generated. Theories include fremitus caused by blood passing through kinetic angulation in major vessels and soft palate vibrations. Electromyographic studies, however, show that the purr results from activation of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles, which results in partial glottal closure and increased transglottal pressure for 20- to 30-ms bursts.77,89 That in turn is controlled by the neural infundibulum.30 The diaphragm is alternately activated to produce the more or less continuous sound.77,89 Inhalation is often the louder, longer, and lower-pitched component of the purr, although there is considerable individual variation. In some cats the exhalation portion of the purr may be the major component. The purring interval is variable and depends on the cat’s intensity of interest.
Vowel Patterns
The five types of sounds produced when the mouth is first opened and then gradually closed are called vowel patterns.66
Anger wail
A common form of vocalization for the young kitten has been termed the anger wail.66 This distress vocalization can be heard as early as the first day of life and seems to be related to the absence of the smell of the mother, littermates, or both. The anger wail is even more common in cold environments and during physical restraint.43 During the first few days, the mean number of distress cries is one or two during a 3-minute period, but this number increases rapidly during the first 5 days of life. It reaches a peak soon after the 2-week-old period, which is the most vocal period of the kitten’s life.78,81 Although the anger wail is first associated with competition during nursing, it later becomes individualized and associated with rough forms of play, fights, and protests.27,66,78
Vocalizations of “complaint” also begin sometime after 79 days of age.22,66 Some cats that express a vocal complaint are apparently satisfied with a human’s verbal sympathy.66
“Demand,” like several other patterns, is often the intermediate form of a series of vocalizations that increase in intensity with time. Kittens do not acquire this pattern until after 79 days of age.66 Variations by means of voice inflections allow the cat to indicate different moods. In tense situations more stress is given to the initial sound, and the opposite occurs in situations of hopelessness.66 A coaxing variation is soft and begins with a closed mouth. The “whisper” occurs when the cat is aware that it is not advisable to make noise but is unable to suppress the demand.66 That results in a mouthing movement with little or no noise (a “silent meow”). A chirping variation of demand, accompanied by intense tail flicking, is commonly expressed when the cat is highly aroused by the sight of prey. Queens use another form of demand to call their kittens over to observe prey.3 A slower, more drawn-out vocalization is expressed when the cat is absorbed in a goal pursuit. The demand then becomes a “begging demand.”66
Strained-Intensity Patterns
Sounds that express an intense emotional state are produced with the mouth held open.66
“Hiss” and its more intense variation “spit” are involuntary reactions to surprise by an enemy. The sound is produced as air is forced through a small oral opening while the cat is changing positions to view the approacher.66 These vocalizations can occur even before the eyes open in the kitten and are controlled, along with other forms of defensive behavior, by the amygdala and the hypothalamus.
Active fighting, especially between males, is accompanied by a “snarl.” Following a noisy inhalation the vocalization is expressed and abruptly stopped.66 The amount of noise is intense but generally is quite out of proportion to the amount of actual physical damage.
Neural Regulation
Several areas of the brain are associated with vocalization, but the periaqueductal gray is the most important site.20,86,87 The lateral tegmentum is associated with the growl, the ventral nucleus III with the scream, the tegmentum and medial lemniscus with the meow,20 the cerebral aqueduct with the purr,2 and the amygdala and hypothalamus with growling and hissing.21
Dopamine and acetylcholine are the two primary neurotransmitters associated with vocal communication. When dopamine is released and reuptake is prevented (D-amphetamine), the cat hisses, spits, and meows.20 Blocking dopamine receptors (bulbocapnine) results in a cat that will vocalize easily and loudly at little disturbances.20 Activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the hypothalamus results in a vocal response.20
Postural Communication
The cat uses various body postures as its primary methods of communication, but these postures are probably less significant for the cat than for other animals, because maintaining harmony within a social group is less significant. Nevertheless, a cat generally uses certain patterns to indicate whether another individual may approach.
Distance-Reducing Postures
Active approaches
When one cat is actively approaching another, the tail is held vertically.54 When a cat approaches a generally friendly being, or when a kitten approaches the queen, the vertical tail position is particularly obvious (Figure 3-1). This tail position may have been derived from the queen’s licking of the anogenital area of the kittens,27,28 but more likely it evolved to make the message of benevolence very obvious. Cats often rub against each other or a friendly person. This usually begins with the head and corner of the lips and progresses along the shoulder and rest of the body. It may then be repeated using the other side of the cat’s body.67 At the same time the vertical tail is rubbed against the other cat along its cheek, side, or back.13,53 Eventually the two cats end up with the rear end of one cat near the face of the other and with the tail of the first tilting toward the other cat.
When petted, a friendly cat responds by pushing the petted part of its body closer to the person for contact (Figure 3-2). Thus the cat will extend its pelvic limbs when the base of the tail is rubbed or flex its forelimbs and turn its head for a neck massage.
Cats that roll onto their side or back expose the most vulnerable portion of their body, the abdomen, to potential attack. Thus it has been suggested that this is a submissive or greeting posture.14,26,67 The behavior is commonly displayed to adult tomcats. In 795 of the cats studied, the cat rapidly approaches another cat and immediately rolls before the other cat can respond.26 The paws are flexed and the legs are splayed.26 Rolling is also used as an invitation to play by kittens.26
Other postures
Many facial expressions and tail postures without piloerection have a “come-closer” meaning. Arching of the tail over the cat’s back indicates a high arousal, as in play (Figure 3-3). An inverted U shape to the tail is most significant in the play chase (Figure 3-4). Extreme excitement, as when watching a bird, can result in a twitching tail movement often accompanied by a chirping vocalization. Facial expressions involving half-closed eyes, protrusion of the third eyelid, or both are most often associated with the performance of a natural body function, such as eating, defecating, social grooming, or copulating.28,82 The play face usually includes dilated pupils and forward-pointing ears (Figure 3-5). Rapid head shaking from side to side has been associated with the response to acute stress.90
Distance-Increasing Postures
Interactions between cats often involve patterns of silent communication that indicate when the cat prefers minimal social contact. Thus many body signs are used to convey a “distance-increasing” message. The cat usually gives adequate warning before an attack. Unfortunately, humans and other species do not always interpret the threat postures accurately.
Offensive threat
In the offensive threat, direct eye contact with constricted pupils, forward-directed whiskers, and a straight-forward body position indicate an intention to attack (Figure 3-6).3,27,55,70 It also permits the cat to block all movements by the other cat.70 This stare technique is used to regulate social distances. A more subtle, deliberate back-and-forth flagging of the tail, particularly the tail tip, expresses the cat’s disturbance with the situation and its agitation.54 Threat postures as part of the conditioned defensive reflex can appear before the kitten’s eyes have opened, and they will stabilize by 35 days. Even at this young age, the threat usually involves the optical effect of a rapid approach created by a sudden, apparent increase in size resulting from piloerection. Tomcats use another variation of this threat.13,14,60 The cat stiffens his rear limbs and straightens his back to “slope downhill.” Piloerection starts in the thoracolumbar region and increases caudally. The tail comes straight caudally for a short distance and then makes an abrupt bend downward. It too is bristled. The head may move slowly side to side.
Pariah threat
The lowest ranking cat of a group of cats, the pariah, may show a crouched posture whenever approached by the territorial male (Figure 3-8). This behavior is accompanied with flattened ears, and the cat will often bare its teeth. Because the cat is in a crouched posture, the act is often compared with the submissive behavior shown by dogs, and controversy remains about the true nature of the position.14,15 It is listed here as a distance-increasing behavior because the crouched posture is rarely seen without some elements of defensive threat.15 This posture can also be shown to a person, so providing a description of the posture becomes important when cat aggression is a problem. It represents a time for the approaching person to back off to lessen the threat.
Other postures
Tail postures can send messages. For distance-increasing signals, tail lashing indicates general irritation in an aggressive situation and is particularly characteristic of defensive aggression or escape.8,54 Piloerection of the tail is associated with a threat posture. When the tail is vertical with piloerection, a moderately intense offensive threat is indicated (Figure 3-9). This signal is commonly used when the resident cat chases away an intruder. In defensive threats the tail can be arched over the back with hair erect (Figure 3-10), whereas a tail curved into an inverted “U” with the hair standing is associated with postures that are intermediate between offensive and defensive threats (Figure 3-11).27,28 This inverted-U tail posture is also used during defensive withdrawals.95 During an immobile confrontation the tail posture is similar, but the ears are back, the pupils are dilated, and, except for head movement to closely watch the threatening individual, the cat is motionless.95 The tail can also be between the legs, as when defensive or escape behaviors are attempted.8 These tail positions are far more common during play behaviors than they are in defensive or offensive ones.
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I did not like my history classes when I attended Western Kentucky University. I only had to take two of them and neither professor acted like he wanted to be there. Consequently, those of us slogging through their disinterest didn't either.
On the other hand, my eighth grade history teacher, Don Nall, and my 11th grade history teacher, the late Floyd Hooks, made history fun. Very enjoyable. Mr. Nall gave me extra credit for planning a history-themed vacation. Mr. Hooks went the unconventional route and managed to focus on events that most history teachers don't cover. For example, when we got around to the 1920s, he taught us about the invention of crossword puzzles, the explosive popularity of the film industry, and bathtub gin.
Lovers of history really know how to make it fun for their students.
Derrick Lindow, an eighth grade history teacher at Daviess County Middle School, was bitten by the history bug at a young age and has now signed a contract to publish a book about Daviess County and the Civil War.
Laid Low in the Dust: Partisan Warfare in Western Kentucky is the working title of a book about guerrilla and partisan warfare and a group of men known as the Partisan Rangers. It sort of expounds on a 10-page college research paper Derrick was inspired to write after reading a historical marker on Highway 431 that summarizes the Battle of Panther Creek.
Always a source of great interest for him, he began the process of publishing the book three years ago.
I asked Derrick about guerrilla and partisan warfare as it pertains to the Civil War and he explained that guerrillas and the Partisan Rangers essentially "operated outside the bounds of conventional warfare" and "saw the war as an opportunity to plunder."
They were involved in skirmishes in both Hopkins and Union Counties and were instrumental in Newburgh, Indiana becoming the first northern town to be captured by the Confederates--an event so monumental, it made headlines in British newspapers. Ultimately, the Partisan Rangers' and Confederate soldiers' undoing occurred in Owensboro.
I'd imagine you could piece together quite a journal for yourself just by noting ALL the historical markers you see in the area.
It's that kind of interest that's led Derrick to a publishing deal with Savas Beatie, a company that specializes in works about the Civil War.
Upon release, Laid Low in the Dust: Partisan Warfare in Western Kentucky will be available on the publisher's website in addition to Amazon and other sites and locations.
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What are the benefits and risks of using lasers to treat tooth hypersensitivity (short, sharp tooth pain)?
Key messages
- Lasers may slightly reduce pain after 24 hours. They may reduce pain beyond 24 hours but the evidence is very uncertain.
- Lasers do not appear to cause adverse (unwanted) effects.
- We need future studies to strengthen the evidence and investigate the impact of laser treatment on quality of life.
What causes tooth hypersensitivity?
Tooth hypersensitivity is short, sharp pain that is not due to a dental disease or problem such as caries (holes in the teeth) and can occur when teeth come into contact with hot or cold food or drinks; cold air; or specific food or drinks such as sugar and fizzy (carbonated) drinks. It can also occur when people brush their teeth or receive professional dental care.
How can we treat tooth hypersensitivity?
An option for treating tooth hypersensitivity is to use laser (light) therapy. Lasers produce a narrow, focused beam of light that is applied to the painful tooth to treat it. Depending on the type of laser used, the treatment either aims to seal off the painful area, or to numb it.
What did we want to find out?
We wanted to find out if lasers work to treat tooth hypersensitivity, and whether they are associated with any unwanted (adverse) effects.
What did we do?
We searched for studies that compared lasers against a placebo (dummy treatment) or no treatment for treating tooth hypersensitivity. We compared and summarized the results of the studies and rated our confidence in the evidence, based on factors such as study methods and sizes.
What did we find?
We found 23 studies of different durations up to 6 months that involved 936 people (2296 teeth) over 12 years of age with tooth hypersensitivity.
The evidence:
- suggests that lasers may slightly reduce pain after 24 hours compared to placebo or no treatment;
- is not robust enough to determine if lasers reduce pain beyond 24 hours or not; and
- suggests that lasers do not cause unwanted effects.
No studies investigated the impact of laser treatment on people’s quality of life.
What are the limitations of the evidence?
The main limitations of the evidence are that studies:
- reported inconsistent results;
- were conducted in ways that may have introduced errors into their results; and
- produced imprecise results when they were combined together.
Due to these limitations, we have little confidence in the evidence.
How up to date is this evidence?
The evidence is up to date to October 2020.
Authors' conclusions:
Limited and uncertain evidence from meta-analyses suggests that the application of laser overall may improve pain intensity when tested through air blast or tactile stimuli at short, medium, or long term when compared to placebo/no treatment. Overall, laser therapy appears to be safe. Future studies including well-designed double-blinded RCTs are necessary to further investigate the clinical efficacy of lasers as well as their cost-effectiveness.
Read the full abstract...
Dentinal hypersensitivity is characterized by short, sharp pain from exposed dentine that occurs in response to external stimuli such as cold, heat, osmotic, tactile or chemicals, and cannot be explained by any other form of dental defect or pathology. Laser therapy has become a commonly used intervention and might be effective for dentinal hypersensitivity.
To assess the effects of in-office employed lasers versus placebo laser, placebo agents or no treatment for relieving pain of dentinal hypersensitivity.
Search strategy:
Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 20 October 2020), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library 2020, Issue 9), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 20 October 2020), Embase Ovid (1980 to 20 October 2020), CINAHL EBSCO (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; 1937 to 20 October 2020), and LILACS BIREME Virtual Health Library (Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Information database; from 1982 to 20 October 2020). Conference proceedings were searched via the ISI Web of Science and ZETOC, and OpenGrey was searched for grey literature. The US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched for ongoing trials. No restrictions were placed on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases.
Selection criteria:
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which in-office lasers were compared to placebo or no treatment on patients aged above 12 years with tooth hypersensitivity.
Data collection and analysis:
Two review authors independently and in duplicate screened the search results, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Disagreement was resolved by discussion. For continuous outcomes, we used mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We conducted meta-analyses only with studies of similar comparisons reporting the same outcome measures. We assessed the overall certainty of the evidence using GRADE.
Main results:
We included a total of 23 studies with 936 participants and 2296 teeth. We assessed five studies at overall low risk of bias, 13 at unclear, and five at high risk of bias. 17 studies contributed data to the meta-analyses. We divided the studies into six subgroups based on the type of laser and the primary outcome measure. We assessed the change in intensity of pain using quantitative pain scale (visual analogue scale (VAS) of 0 to 10 (no pain to worst possible pain)) when tested through air blast and tactile stimuli in three categories of short (0 to 24 hours), medium (more than 24 hours to 2 months), and long term (more than 2 months).
Results demonstrated that compared to placebo or no treatment the application of all types of lasers combined may reduce pain intensity when tested through air blast stimuli at short term (MD -2.24, 95% CI -3.55 to -0.93; P = 0.0008; 13 studies, 978 teeth; low-certainty evidence), medium term (MD -2.46, 95% CI -3.57 to -1.35; P < 0.0001; 11 studies, 1007 teeth; very low-certainty evidence), and long term (MD -2.60, 95% CI -4.47 to -0.73; P = 0.006; 5 studies, 564 teeth; very low-certainty evidence). Similarly, compared to placebo or no treatment the application of all types of lasers combined may reduce pain intensity when tested through tactile stimuli at short term (MD -0.67, 95% CI -1.31 to -0.03; P = 0.04; 8 studies, 506 teeth; low-certainty evidence) and medium term (MD -1.73, 95% CI -3.17 to -0.30; P = 0.02; 9 studies, 591 teeth; very low-certainty evidence). However, there was insufficient evidence of a difference in pain intensity for all types of lasers when tested through tactile stimuli in the long term (MD -3.52, 95% CI -10.37 to 3.33; P = 0.31; 2 studies, 184 teeth; very low-certainty evidence).
Most included studies assessed adverse events and reported that no obvious adverse events were observed during the trials. No studies investigated the impact of laser treatment on participants' quality of life.
Health topics: |
Strawberry cultivation
Strawberry cultivation
The strawberry loves soils with a pH that has a value between 5.5 and 6.5 even if it tolerates pH values of up to 7.5. Its water requirement is moderate, but it needs constant irrigation throughout the vegetative period. If you opt to plant it directly in the garden, you can plant it in rows respecting a distance of about 120 cm. between one row and another; between one plant and another, 30-35 cm if planted in a double row or 15-20 cm. if planted in a single row. To protect your plant from weeds, use the black plastic film, already holed, which can be purchased in specialized shops, so you will reduce the manual operations to remove the weeds to the minimum necessary. For fertilization, the manure is excellent for the plant and then the supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium during vegetation.
Strawberry motiplication
With the strawberry multiplication is synonymous with simplicity: it is performed approximately every three years, to always have vigorous plants; because if it is true that the plant is perennial it is also true that the production is not constant over time, but decreases with the aging of the plant. This operation is done by the stolons. What are? They are the “branches” of the strawberry that arise from the collar of the plant. Subsequently, the stolons lengthen, and on their top a new plant is formed, already equipped with roots and leaflets. It is sufficient that you take the young plants originating from them to have a new plot. It will be enough to remove the old plants and plant the new ones in place; or, to rotate, plant them in another corner of your garden. This operation takes place in August.
Main parasites and pathologies
In the strawberry cultivation and fight against diseases coexist, especially against the rot to which the fruit is very exposed. The Piedmontese term “frola” with which the strawberry is indicated has the double meaning of also indicating a “shortcrust” thing, fragile and gives us an indication of its “fragility”. Among the animals Red spider and Aphids are the strawberry “storm troops”, covered on the sides by the terrible molds: Oidium, Anthracnose and Botrytis. Spider and Aphids attack all parts of the plant. Chemical or biological fight against them, as you prefer. Botritys and Oidium attack all parts of the plant, while Anthracnose mainly “takes care” of the fruits. Here chemical fight, you have no choice.
Strawberry grape cultivation
Uva Fragola is a vigorous vine, with long reddish shoots that can even measure five meters. It is widely used to form pergolas. Its hairy leaves are quite large, dull and hairy on the underside. It blooms in May. Its cluster is of medium size, with medium-large dark berries. There is also the white variety, with light yellow berries. The grape is very fragrant and its smell is reminiscent of strawberries. The current legislation provides that it is allowed to grow strawberry grapes only “for the family consumption of winemakers”. Strawberry grapes do not like calcareous soils. It is suitable for exposures in full sun or partial shade, if possible sheltered from the winds. However, it can withstand both heat and cold, resisting temperatures as low as -15 ° C.
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Representing Animals
Product Description
Product Details
Table of Contents
Nigel RothfelsI. Animals in History
1. A Left-Handed Blow: Writing the History of Animals
Erica Fudge
2. Animals and Ideology: The Politics of Animal Protection in Europe
Kathleen Kete
3. Dog Years, Human Fears
Teresa Mangum
4. The Moral Ecology of Wildlife
Andrew IsenbergII. The Animal Object
5. What Does Becoming-Animal Look Like?
Steve Baker
6. Watching Eyes, Seeing Dreams, Knowing Lives
Marcus Bullock
7. . . . From Wild Technology to Electric Animal
Akira Mizuta LippitIII. Cultures of Animals
8. Unspeakability, Inedibility, and the Structures of Pursuit in the English Foxhunt
Garry Marvin
9. Displaying Death, Animating Life: Changing Fictions of "Liveness" from Taxidermy to Animatronics
Jane Desmond
10. Bitches from Brazil: Cloning and Owning Dogs through the Missyplicity Project
Susan McHugh
11. Immersed with Animals
Nigel RothfelsContributors
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How humans perceive and understand animals.
About the Author
Nigel Rothfels is an independent scholar and Director of the Edison Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is the author of Savages and Beasts: The Birth of the Modern Zoo (2002), and is currently writing a cultural history of the elephant.
"...I recommend Representing Animals to scholars and others interested in how cultural representations of animals have influenced society and impacted actual animals... the book's cohesive message that the problems of nonhuman animals are very much our problems as well should be counted as a strength and a message that all parties might break bread over." -net
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A Taste of Detroit
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The Motown Museum is located at Hitsville USA, the original home of Motown Records from 1959-1972. Founded by Berry Gordy, Jr., Motown Records would become the most successful independent record label in the industry and the largest black-owned company in the U.S. at one time. The "Motown Sound" jump-started the careers of notable artists like The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and the Jackson 5. Visitors to the museum can see Studio A, where some of the most famous Motown songs were recorded, along with a collection of other memorabilia from the era.
• Hitsville, USA, home to the Motown Museum
• Berry Gordy, Jr, founder of Motown Records, along with his sister Esther Gordy Edwards, founder of the Motown Museum
• The Supremes rehearsing at the Motown studio
• Stevie Wonder recording in Studio A
• Studio A today, with the original equipment
• Outside the Motown Museum
Berry Gordy, Jr. was born in Detroit in 1929 and had an interest in music from a young age. When he was 27, he quit his job on the assembly line at Lincoln-Mercury to pursue a career in songwriting. His first successful song was Jackie Wilson’s hit “Reet Petite.” Gordy soon decided to start his own record company and borrowed $800 from his family to form Tamla Records in 1959. On April 14, 1960, Gordy incorporated Motown Record Corporation, coining a term that reflected the Motor City nickname for Detroit. He began working with friend Smokey Robinson’s group, The Miracles, and their recording of “Shop Around” became Motown Records’ first Top 10 hit the same year.1
Gordy set up his recording headquarters in a home on West Grand Boulevard that he called Hitsville, USA, living in the upstairs apartment with his young family. He began taking on new talent, and some of the early performers who recorded with Motown included Mary Wells, The Temptations, The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder (then an 11-year-old prodigy). With Gordy’s direction, the company developed the “Motown Sound,” a mix of gospel, rhythm and blues, and pop. With the Civil Rights Movement raging in the 1960s, Gordy saw an opportunity for African-American performers to appeal to a broader white audience. Motown Records would become the largest black-owned company in the United States and the most successful independent record label in the industry.1
In Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock & Roll, Charlie Gillett writes that,
“Although Gordy showed an outstanding flair for combining good business sense with a seemingly infallible instinct for new, commercial sounds, perhaps his most important ability was his gift for recognizing good performers, writers, producers, and musicians, and for inspiring them to fulfill their potential. Within four years of forming his company, Motown had ten performers capable of making the pop market's top ten, any one of whom could compare with the best singer any other company could offer. Yet none had any kind of reputation before Gordy signed them. […] The system enabled the Motown Corporation to have an unparalleled ten-year run in the singles market, with 79 records making the top ten."2
Just five years after forming, Motown Records was bringing in $15 million. The Studio A space where musicians recorded their Motown hits was open and running for 24 hours. Around 75% of its releases made it into the charts, from artists such as The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Jackson 5, and Lionel Ritchie. Motown Records moved its headquarters from Hitsville, USA to a larger building on Woodward Avenue in 1968 and then to Los Angeles in 1972. Around this time, Gordy was dealing with disgruntled singers and songwriters who felt that their contracts under Motown were very unfair; some of these disagreements developed into lawsuits and the departure of the artists. Gordy sold Motown Records to MCA in 1988 for $61 million.1
The Motown Museum was opened in 1985 by Gordy’s sister Esther Gordy Edwards. When Motown Records moved their headquarters, Edwards, who had been Senior Vice President, stayed to run a corporate office out of the original Hitsville, USA building. According to the museum’s website, “As she worked, people would knock on the door, asking to ‘take a peak’ at Studio A, the original Motown recording studio where their favorite songs had been recorded. Ever gracious, Mrs. Edwards would stop working and take these uninvited, but nonetheless welcomed, guests on an impromptu tour of the facility. It soon occurred to her, after eventually touring thousands of people from around the world, that the building at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Hitsville, USA, had become a monument to the music Motown created."3
The museum preserves Motown’s legacy and encompasses a vast collection of memorabilia from the era. It was renovated with a new gallery space, offices and the upper apartment where Gordy lived was restored. Awestruck visitors can see the Studio A space where dozens of artists recorded the most famous Motown songs. The studio and control room still contain original instruments and equipment. The collection includes clothing, photographs, records, and promotional items. The museum has drawn international visitors since it opened, including many musical artists who come to pay their respects to the Motown legacy. On display are a hat and sequined glove donated by Michael Jackson that he wore the first time he did his famous moonwalk dance at the Motown’s 25th anniversary. In 2011, Paul McCartney visited the museum and learned that the 1877 Steinway grand piano that was used in the recording studio was no longer functioning, so he paid to have it repaired.
1. Kettler, Sarah. "Berry Gordy Jr. Biography." The Website. Accessed July 22, 2016.
2. Gillett, Charlie. "The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock & Roll." London: Souvenir Press, 2011. 3. "About the Museum." The Motown Museum Official Website. Accessed July 22, 2016. |
Computing in the Spring Term
Some of the children in Nursery have been using the computers to research about fire and chopsticks. They were able to look at pictures to make their own fire and also watched videos about how to use chopsticks.
Children in reception have been researching about where they live and about animals they want to find more about. They have used Google Earth to find out about where they live and have used Google to look at pictures and videos about animals they want to know more about.
Some of the children have been able to move the beebot around the maze using the controls on the computer. They have been able to select the arrows using the mouse to turn the beebot and also move it forwards and backwards.
Year 1
Year 1 have been using the new beebot maze creators. The children can make their own beebot maze using the smaller pieces of wood and then program the beebot to move around the maze in smaller instructions. They had the challenge of writing the algorithm for the whole maze and the children could de-bug their beebot if it did not reach the finish.
Year 2
Year 2 have been linking their computing lessons to their topic ‘Art Around the World’. They used Google Earth to look at Dereham and surrounding areas such as Norwich. The next lesson they looked at places in the England and then finally they explored different countries around the World. They really enjoyed finding familiar places such as McDonalds, Tescos, Disneyland Paris and the Eiffel Tower. |
Quick-Spreading Stomach Bug in the Midwest
July 18, 2018
At least three states are experiencing an “extremely contagious stomach bug” passing through: Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa. Even if it’s not (yet) in your state, beware, and use best practices at all times to prevent disease transmission!
What is it? The stomach virus lasts a day or two and causes diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes fever. Health experts are reminding everyone to stay hydrated, as dehydration is one of the main reasons for hospitalization when you get stomach flu (especially in the summer heat!).
Normally, bacterial food poisoning is more common during warm spring and summer months. The heat encourages bacteria to flourish, and it spreads at the common summer picnic, or through food processing plants on pre-cut fruit and veggies (or even cereal!). Viral stomach illness is more common in winter, when lack of humidity allows airborne viruses to spread, so this outbreak is a bit unusual—and should be considered as “extremely contagious” as advertised. It’s likely other states will experience an outbreak, too.
Prevention is standard: wash your hands often, and avoid touching your eyes/nose/mouth when out and about. When preparing food, wash your hands extra, wash counters, cutting boards, plates, and utensils between uses, and avoid raw meat contaminating anything else (don’t reuse marinade).
You can help shore yourself up with immune support. Make sure that your gut has a strong defense system by supporting its natural good bacteria colonies with good habits and diet, or by reseeding with a supplement like Flora MGR. Or you can support your overall immune system (especially useful if you’re traveling) with colloidal silver!
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Digital Humanities Naval History
A Graph of Diplomatic Wrangling in Algiers
When the United States became independent after the American Revolution, it had to struggle to protect its seaborne commerce in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Americans had to rely on the goodwill of France, Portugal, and other European powers because the United States lacked the naval power necessary to protect its own shipping.
Historical Background
Americans had to negotiate with the Barbary states to secure the release of hostages, taken by Barbary corsairs, and to decide how much tribute would guarantee the safety of American shipping. The United States quickly felt the bite of diplomatic and military impotence. American diplomats, who had little power of their own, had to rely on the good graces of many others with better connections to the Algerine court. Sometimes, those others helped the American cause; at other times, they weren’t all that helpful; and on a few occasions, they purposely derailed American negotiations.
Richard B. Parker writes about the United States’ relationship with Algiers in Uncle Sam in Barbary: A Diplomatic History, which details the complicated and sometimes absurd relationships of American diplomats, European diplomats and dignitaries, and the court of the Algerine dey. The story is quite complex, which makes it difficult to understand in a narrative, and Parker’s organization doesn’t help matters. (A quick shout-out to Jean Bauer, whose Early American Foreign Services Database was extremely helpful in elucidating the roles of some diplomats whom Parker does not adequately identity.)
The story of American-Barbary diplomacy is all about relationships. Naturally, a story about relationships suggests a network graph as a way to make the situation more intelligible.
Parameters and Characteristics of the Graph
To represent the American-Barbary diplomatic network, I created the graph in Gephi. I hate Gephi. I like Gephi. (You know what I mean.) This graph represents interactions from approximately 1785 to 1800. The last interaction I recorded was between the dey of Algiers and William Bainbridge in September 1800; this interaction was the first one in which the navy was directly involved (though it was a diplomatic interaction, not a military one). I decided to end my graph there because I’m most interested in how the navy changed things for U.S. relations with the Barbary states and with the European nations who had hitherto helped those relations.
The nodes are people who had a connection to Barbary diplomacy. The edges are letters and meetings that Parker writes about. I checked up on as many as I could using American State Papers, and I will continue to document the interactions more explicitly than Parker does in his bibliography (where he only records the collection, not the exact document, his source comes from).
Each node is color-coded by nationality; the next step is also to record where these people were actually living while they were engaged in Barbary negotiations.
Green: Algiers
Red: United States
Purple: England
Light blue: Tripoli
Darker blue: France
Light purple: Spain
Yellow: Portugal
Orange: Sweden
The graph isn’t perfect (obviously). There’s a lot more to be done here. This graph is based solely on Parker’s book, which I’m not wholly convinced is accurate. In addition, Parker addresses only diplomatic relations with Algiers, not the other three Barbary states (Tripoli, Tunis, and Morocco). Furthermore, I haven’t attached dates to each edge, simply because Parker doesn’t provide dates for all of the interactions. A more dynamic timeline of the network changes would be most instructive. So there’s a lot more data that needs to be added to this graph. But I think it’s a good start toward understanding the global nature of American relations with the Barbary states, which culminated in the Barbary Wars of 1801-1805 and 1815. |
All Care
93 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have total cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dL. Nearly 29 million adult Americans have total cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL. 7% of U.S. children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 have high total cholesterol.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of lipid. It’s a waxy, fat-like substance that your liver produces naturally. It’s vital for the formation of cell membranes, certain hormones, and vitamin D. Cholesterol doesn’t dissolve in water, so it can’t travel through your blood on its own. To help transport cholesterol, your liver produces lipoproteins.
There are different types of cholesterol, based on what the lipoprotein carries. They are:
LDL (low-density lipoprotein): Also called “bad” cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of your arteries and form plaque. Plaque build-up in the arteries can reduce blood flow and increase your risk of heart disease.
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol: Also called “good” cholesterol because it is thought to help remove “bad” cholesterol from the body.
• Total cholesterol level – less than 200 is best, but it depends on your HDL and LDL levels.
• LDL cholesterol levels – less than 130 is best, but this depends on your risk for heart disease.
• HDL cholesterol levels – 60 or higher reduces your risk for heart disease.
• Triglycerides – less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) is best.
Reasons for High Cholesterol
There are various factors which can increase your risk of bad cholesterol include:
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them more prone to accumulate fatty deposits. Smoking might also lower your level of HDL, or "good," cholesterol.
• Age. Because your body's chemistry changes as you age, your risk of high cholesterol climbs. For instance, as you age, your liver becomes less able to remove LDL cholesterol.
• Diabetes. High blood sugar contributes to higher levels of dangerous cholesterol called very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lower HDL cholesterol. High blood sugar also damages the lining of your arteries.
How to control Your Cholesterol
• Eat a low-salt diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight
• Quit smoking
• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all
• Manage stress
Get Yourself Checked Now |
Okay, bear with me. In layman's terms:
Еstimates vary, but on a clear night, away from big cities and their "light pollution," you'll see about 5000 stars up in the sky, give or take. Even though all of them are in the Milky Way, they're not equidistant from Earth: they revolve around the galactic center at different orbits. Some are in our immediate neighborhood while others hang out as far as 1000 light year away.
5000 stars may not be a great number by astronomical standards, but it's still pretty impressive, wouldn't you say?
Some stars are larger, and others smaller. It stands to reason that some of them might be "hiding" behind others. Because they orbit the galactic center at different speeds, using different orbits, wouldn't it follow that from time to time, over the centuries, decades, or even years (months?) a "new" star would emerge from behind a well-documented one? Shouldn't this be happening often; or are they so sparsely distributed around the galaxy that no "new" stars have appeared out there over the past three thousand years or so?
• $\begingroup$ Look up proper motion of stars. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proper_motion#History Stars move across the sky very slowly. Halley was the first to nice that 3 stars had drifted more than 1/2 of 1 degree compared to written records from about 1850 years earlier. $\endgroup$
– userLTK
Jan 3 '16 at 0:42
• $\begingroup$ @userLTK: Which is why I said, "Over the past three thousand years or so." $\endgroup$
– Ricky
Jan 3 '16 at 0:46
• $\begingroup$ We haven't been systematically observing and cataloging stars for very long. It's more like "no 'new' stars have appeared out there over the past few hundred years". $\endgroup$
– HDE 226868
Jan 3 '16 at 1:11
• 1
$\begingroup$ @HDE226868: from Wikipedia: "Proper motion was suspected by early astronomers (according to Macrobius, AD 400) but proof was provided in 1718 by Edmund Halley, who noticed that Sirius, Arcturus and Aldebaran were over half a degree away from the positions charted by the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus roughly 1850 years earlier." So, no, not merely the past few hundred years. $\endgroup$
– Ricky
Jan 3 '16 at 1:15
• 2
$\begingroup$ @Ricky I mean that it's only in recent history that we can identify a significant number of stars and consider them all unique. Hipparchus observed a few of the brightest stars he could see. He could not observe and distinguish most of the others with the necessary accuracy. Ptolemy, for example, only wrote down about 1,000 in his catalogue. $\endgroup$
– HDE 226868
Jan 3 '16 at 1:19
To the naked eye, the answer is almost certainly no because of the enormously slow movement of stars across the sky and because 5,000 stars may be a lot but only a tiny percentage of the sky is covered by visible stars.
To Hubble, which can see perhaps tens of millions of stars, maybe more, the link here, has a picture of two stars that are approaching crossing each other's path from our point of view. With a big enough telescope it probably happens from time to time, though I wouldn't want to try to calculate how often, but to the naked eye, I'm comfortable saying no, in fact, it was often assumed that stars didn't move and were fixed in the sky (contrary to what Macrobius said). That was the popular point of view prior to Halley's observation.
There was also Tycho Brahe's "De Nova Stella" or "new star" which we now know to be a super-nova, and that was quite the surprise at the time. Nobody thought a new star could appear because they thought the stars were fixed and permanent, but that appearance wasn't by the method you suggest.
Consider how small stars are from our point of view. Alpha Centauri A, the larger one, it's about 1.7 million KM across and it's about 4.3 light years away, or, 41 trillion KM. It's diameter is 23 million times smaller than it's distance from us. That's the equivalent of looking at a golf ball from nearly 200 miles away. Now if you scatter 5000 golf balls each 200 miles away across the sky and you let them move around very very slowly, how often do you think one golf ball passes in-front of another? Not very often. Granted, that's not quite right as the atmosphere spreads stars out a bit so each golf ball is smudged to maybe the size of a basketball, but they almost never pass infront of one another, at least, not if we only take into account 5,000 visible stars.
Now, binary stars, it happens more often if they are lined up right, then they can pass infront of each other and this has certainly been observed by telescope but not to the Naked Eye, we can't visibly tell that Alpha Centauri is 2 stars (3 with the more distant Proxima but that can't be seen by the eye). They are on average about a billion miles apart but that can't be seen by the naked eye. It was observed by telescope in 1689.
There simply aren't enough visible stars (and taking HDE's point that most of the 5,000 visible stars weren't cataloged until recently), there's essentially zero chance that it was ever observed that a star appeared "new" by passing from behind another star.
Using Hubble, it can happen, but not to human sight.
• $\begingroup$ " ... the link I provided above ..." -- Please include that link in your answer. $\endgroup$ Jan 4 '16 at 16:31
• 1
$\begingroup$ FYI .. We haven't even discovered all of the M stars out to 100 light years yet. I'm sure that Hubble could aim at a new field of view and discover more every time. As far as cataloging, we have done about a billion stars now and there are several hundred billion in the Milky way alone. $\endgroup$ Jan 6 '16 at 4:27
Once it was discovered about 300 years ago that stars have "proper motion", and appear to move very slowly over the celestial sphere in random difections and random apparent speeds, it was realized that the stars were all moving in three dimensional space.
And if all stars have the same actual velocity in space, or velocities within a relatively narrow range, the stars with the largest proper motion are likely to be nearer to Earth than stars with lower proper motion.
So astronomers naturally tended to try to measure the parallexs of the stars with the largest known proper motions first, since they were probably among the closest stars to Earth. Astronomers also realized that if the different stars all had the same luminosity, the ones which appeared brighter from Earth would have to be closer.
Since the closer a star was to Earth, the larger its parallax would be, and this the easier it would be to measure the star's distance, astronomers concentrated their parallax measuring efforts on the stars which appeared brightest as seen from Earth, and the stars, however dim they looked from Earth, which had the largest proper motion.
The first distance measurements to stars were made in the 1830s, and tens hundreds, and thousands more were made in the next century. By about 1950, attempts had been made to measure almost all of the stars which appear visible to the naked eye from Earth. Many turned out to be too far away for their distances to be measured, and more or less accurate distances to the others were measured. And attempts were made, often successfull, to measure the distances to thousands of stars with large proper motions.
The Hipparocos satellite from 1989 to 1993, and the Gaia space observatory from 2013 toc. 2022, have made many percise astrometric observations of many mthousands andmilions of stars. For example, they have measured the proper motions of millions of stars far more accurately than before. So astronomers might be rushing to measure the parallaxes of all the high propermotion stars they detected.
Except that Hipparcos and Gaia also measured the parallaxes, and thus the distances, of the stars they observed, to much greater accuracy than ever before.
Some astronomers have had projects to discover all the stars closest to Earth and have searched for stars which might be nearby to measure their parallaxes.
Stars with the same spectral class can vary greatly in their luminosities depending on whether they are supergiants, bright giants, giants, sub giants, or main sequence stars. And apparently the spectra of stars can show which luminosity class they belong to.
So astronomers searching for neaby stars would pick luminosity class V stars, main sequence stars, to find the parallaxes of, because they would be much less luminous that giant stars with the same apparent brightness, and so would be much nearer.
So discoveries of stars that are really close to the Solar system has slowed down a lot as the lists become more and more complete.
The 1991 third Gleise catalog of stars within 25 parsecs (84.64 light years) of the Sun includes 3,803 stars. A sphere with a radius of 25 parsecs has a volume of 65,449.8469 cubic parsecs. So the stars in the catalog have a density of about 0.0581055 stars per cupic parsec.
Wikipedia's List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs lists stars and brown dwarfs within 5 parsecs of the Sun. That list has a volume of 523.598776 cubic parsecs. Omitting 11 brown dwarfs, and including the Sun, there are 65 stars in that radius. So the stars in that list have a density of 0.1241408 stars per cubic parsec.
However, the individual stars in the list are grouped in star sysems containing 1, 2, or 3 stars each. There are 50 star systems in the list, so the star systems have a density of 0.0954946 stars per cubic parsec.
I am not certain whether the Gleise catalog lists individual stars or star systems. So I don't know if the stellar density of listed stars in the Gleise catalog is 0.4680612 or 0.6084689 the density of stars in the list of nearby stars.
Either way, it indicates that the percentage of stars whose distances have been measured decreees with distances of just tens of parsecs.
There is another class of astronomical objects sort of similar to stars. Tthey are called brown dwarfs, intermediate in mass between planets and stars. Since brown dwarfs have only limited fusion during parts of their lifetimes, they are very cool, compared to the typcial star, and emitt almost all their radiation in the infrared bands.
In recent decades many brown dwarfs have been discovered. The closest examples are Luhman 16A & Luhman 16B, and WISE 0855-0744, (both discovered in 2013), at distances farther from the Sun than Barnard's Star, the second closest star system, and closer to the Sun than Wolf 359, the third closest star system. There are a total of 11 brown dwarfs within 5 parsecs.
So probably some more brown dwarfs close to the Sun will be discovered.
• $\begingroup$ +1. Yet 0.09 stars per cubic centimetre is a lot. Ymmd😂 $\endgroup$ 2 days ago
• $\begingroup$ @planetmaker corrected. $\endgroup$ 2 days ago
• $\begingroup$ Well, yeah, but there's supposed to be BILLIONS of them! $\endgroup$
– Ricky
23 hours ago
Your Answer
|
THE notion that farming is an activity that requires a huge land area has been clearly debunked as urban farming gains ground among Malaysian city dwellers.
An empty space before they took over in December last year. the rooftop now has a bar and a garden brimming with fresh vegetables and herbs such as lemongrass, ginger, mint, lemon, passionfruit, and bitter gourd.
Wong said the produce they gain from the garden is currently used for their own consumption, but they are eventually planning to distribute to communities around their area.
“We hope to influence others to do this, because the more people joining the initiative, the better for the environment,” she said.
CityFarm Malaysia, a company specialising in indoor and vertical farming using the hydroponics method, said that demand for their hydroponic kits has increased almost tenfold since the company launched last year.
CoFounder Looi, 28, said the public’s rising interest in urban farming could be due to greater health awareness as well as growing concerns over food shortages as the world population increases.
“All these factors will contribute to need for urban farming. Indoor farming promotes high utilisation of land.”
Source: Farming gains ground in the city |
Friday, April 5, 2013
The Common Good
The Common Bad
When nations can no longer define "the common good" they begin to decline.
Thereafter, it becomes increasingly difficult to get back on track, which is to decrease then reverse that national decline, returning to the business of the common good.
One reason that it becomes increasingly difficult to get back on track is that the definition of the common good becomes more and more unclear.
The consensus that had at an earlier time defined the common good begins to evaporate as the ethical social awareness within that nation continues to decline.
The inevitable national decline continues to feed on itself in what could be called a form of social or cultural cannibalism depicted and indicated artfully by the photo of a sculpture, which for this post has been captioned "The Common Bad."
We can say, then, that national decline begins with a loss of vision about what the future holds for any nation that loosens its moorings to the understanding of the meaning of "the common good."
Thus, national decline can be defined as an increase in the common bad along with a concurrent decrease of the common good.
In the United States, for some time now, the health and well being of "the middle class and the poor" has been a measure of our understanding of the common good.
The online encyclopedia states:
The common good or common weal is a term that can refer to several different concepts. In the popular meaning, the common good describes a specific "good" that is shared and beneficial for all (or most) members of a given community. This is also how the common good is broadly defined in philosophy, ethics, and political science.
(Wikipedia, "Common Good", emphasis added). The "middle class and poor" is an obvious representative for the standard, because those are the common people, as shown by the history and definition of the phrase "the common weal" which is the old English form of "the common good":
com·mon·weal (kmn-wl)
1. The public good or welfare.
2. Archaic A commonwealth or republic.
commonweal [ˈkɒmənˌwiːl]
n Archaic
1. the good of the community
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) another name for commonwealth
com′mon•weal` or com′mon weal`,
1. the common welfare; public good.
2. Archaic. a commonwealth.
Thesaurus Legend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun 1. commonweal - the good of a community
(The Free Dictionary, emphasis added). A look at the synonymous term "Commonwealth" adds clarity:
The English noun commonwealth in the sense meaning "public welfare; general good or advantage" dates from the 15th century. The original phrase "the common-wealth" or "the common weal" (echoed in the modern synonym "public weal") comes from the old meaning of "wealth," which is "well-being"...
(Wikipedia, "Commonwealth", emphasis added). This was the purpose for the founding of the nation and The U.S. Constitution:
(Wikipedia, "Preamble", emphasis added). The "general" or "common" issues, that establish the common good or the common weal, were the general foundational purposes of the Constitution (the "... preamble indicates the general purposes for which the people ordained and established the Constitution ...", Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11, 22 (1905); emphasis added).
Since this post is getting long, and the foundation for future posts in this series is now established, I will stop for today.
The next post in this series is here.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Two Is Better Than One
The subject matter of today's post is the new MOMCOM 2.0, the latest and greatest.
The "new" entity which is now slowly but surely appearing through the fog of war, the smog of Oil-Qaeda, and the blur of surprising, but quickly approaching, news automation.
More about that below, but first the background.
From the time Dredd Blog first laid "eyes" on MOMCOM several years ago, in MOMCOM - A Mean Welfare Queen, many have also been surprised when they first lay eyes on this ubiquitous, shadowy, and mysterious entity.
The main reason I add the "2.0" description today is because our learning is increasing, rather than it being exclusively because MOMCOM is going through an inordinate morph.
The "M" in MOMCOM is the military, which we know is an internationally placed entity with military, intelligence, and other bases and/or installations in hundreds of nations around the globe (The Virgin MOMCOM - 8).
Originally the "O" in MOMCOM was simply big oil companies, which we thought at first were American companies.
Since then we have learned that their machinations around the world are terroristic in nature, so now the "O" in MOMCOM 2.0 is "Oil-Qaeda" (see e.g. Oil-Qaeda: The Indictment and MOMCOM: The Private Parts - 4).
And now the second "M" in MOMCOM, McTell News (the media), is going into automation:
And Now For Some Breaking News
And the articles don’t read like robots wrote them ...
(Automated News, Wired, emphasis added). The M's in MOMCOM are becoming automated via flying drones and via news writing computer software, even as Oil-Qaeda says it is going to be getting all its oil from "oil independent America", which is probably artificial intelligence created news too.
We took a nibble at that probability in the recent post (The Peak of The Oil Lies - 5) where we pointed out that the military portion of MOMCOM has, at various times, historically hidden from the public where it gets its oil.
Evidence for undercover shadowy dealings of that sort have been detailed recently by an apparently real, but not-for-profit, journalistic organization (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, "ICIJ").
ICIJ has uncovered a vast network of all kinds of secret dealings:
(ICIJ, emphasis added). Thus, MOMCOM 2.0 appears to be every bit as "sagacious" as when we first noticed this entity.
Sagacious in the sense of The Matrix (The Matriarch of The Matrix, The Matriarch of The Matrix - 2, The Matriarch of the Matrix - 3, The Matrix of Plunder).
The next post in this series is here.
MOMCOM needs a little ... help her ...
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
When Is Our Collective Mind Going To Return?
Denial is Immaturity Based
We often do magic mind tricks when it comes to the state of and fate of current civilization.
Some of us imagine a future civilization harmed by what we are doing now -- which is a mind trick that tells us that "it" is not here yet.
Utter and complete denial that "it" exists is another mind trick the big league deniers are playing on themselves.
The problem is that "it" is us and we are already here along with what we are doing.
Currently, about three million people die every year just from Oil-Qaeda sponsored air pollution, and about two hundred species become extinct each day.
About forty percent (~40%) of those human deaths, due to that air pollution, takes place in one nation:
(Air Pollution Linked to ... Deaths, emphasis added). Another estimate adds other oil pollution caused deaths to make the totals substantially larger:
(Oil-Qaeda: The Indictment - 2). It is clear that it is not just air pollution that is killing us, because in the U.S. about fifty five percent (55%) of our rivers and streams are polluted (You're Doin' A Heckuva Job Browner - 5).
The foundation of propaganda induced magic thinking is based on a group addiction produced by Oil-Qaeda:
(A History of Oil Addiction - 4). We have had some of the best visionaries who have warned us for almost two centuries that our detachment from the reality of the planet we live on takes civilization in a fatal direction:
(Quotes). There is a video available here which details the history of climate science discoveries and ignored warnings that have been given to civilization for many generations.
So what is the "it" that we collectively are waiting for?
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
How Microbes Communicate In The Tiniest Language
Video Index (time - subject)
00:21 - microbes are oldest life forms on Earth
01:03 - 10 times more microbes than human cells in us
01:31 - 100 times more microbial genes than human genes in us
02:00 - microbes are 99% of our make-up; they keep us alive
02:20 - microbes are vital for keeping us alive and healthy
04:20 - microbes talk with a molecular language
07:50 - quorum sensing (like a census) to know population count
08:20 - Intra species communication (shape of words) dialects
10:50 - microbes communicate with other microbes (multi-lingual)
11:20 - they take a census of all other microbes around them
12:30 - synthetic molecules-words interrupt communication
13:50 - synthetic molecules-words confuse the microbes
15:00 - they have collective, community behaviors
15:20 - microbes made the rules for multi-cellular development
16:00 - microbes invented multi-cellular behavior inside us
17:15 - the team
Dr. Bonnie L. Bassler, Princeton University:
Monday, April 1, 2013
Why is It The Busiest Tax Court? - 2
The Month of The Taxman
April 15 is tax day and April 1 is April Fool's day.
Some say that is a distinction without a difference.
As usual some things tend to stick more solidly to the pages of history than other things tend to, thus, from time to time here at Dredd Blog we review what was posted on Dredd Blog in some of the pages that make up a small part of the history of it all.
On this date in 2009 the following text was posted to history:
We recently pointed out that the landscape of US tax law is a murky place. Now we want to point out that the Federal District Court offers a jury trial by one's peers. But it is a place where only the wealthy, along with their expensive lawyers, tend to venture.
For the rest of us, the US Tax Court does from 85% to 95% of the tax cases, depending on the year.
The number of cases filed in The Tax Court, after 1999, has grown consistently:
# filed .......... year
31,450 .......... 2008
30,442 .......... 2007
26,993 .......... 2006
24,801 .......... 2005
24,931 .......... 2004
22,451 .......... 2003
20,291 .......... 2002
14,649 .......... 2001
13,545 .......... 2000
One wonders why, when a taxpayer's chances of winning in that court are extremely slim. Some reports show a 7 - 3, or even an 8 - 2 ratio (IRS wins 8 out of 10 cases, taxpayers win 2 out of 10 cases) in that court:
... an examination of raw numbers shows ... the taxpayer doing better in the general jurisdiction district court than in the specialized tax court. Some studies show that the taxpayer wins only 5% of the time in tax court as compared to 20% to 30% of taxpayers winning in the district court, with other studies acknowledging at least a 20% percent differential (Geier 1991. p. 998). The data used for this study show a 12% differential, with taxpayers winning 20% of the time in tax court and 32% of the time in the district court. These differential rates have led some scholars to argue that the tax court is ... biased in favor of the [IRS] ... Kroll 1996 ...
(Fed. Dist. Ct. vs Tax Court, PDF). My reading of the published cases over the past 10 years is not so promising, and I would say that it is more like 9 - 1. That is, IRS wins 9 out of 10 cases in the Tax Court.
But that ratio could be because the government needs money more at some times than it does at other times.
Which could mean that the pressure which deficits put on IRS and the Tax Court causes variation in decisions for taxpayers from time to time.
The US Tax Court is the court for the poor and middle class, and the US District Court is for the well to do:
Of course, litigating in the tax court is not the only option for the taxpayer. The major alternative to the tax court is the United States District Court, the court of general trial jurisdiction in the federal system. To sue in this court, the taxpayer must pay the disputed tax, and then sue for a refund in the United States Federal District Court ... The taxpayer files the claim, and the case is tried in the taxpayer’s local district. The taxpayer can, and usually does, request a jury trial. Decisions of these courts can be appealed to the circuit within which the court is located.
(ibid, emphasis added). The poor and middle class who can't afford a lawyer and who can't afford to pay the tax out front, then ask for it back in a District Court, must go to the tax court.
Once there most often they try to win pro se (representing themselves without a lawyer).
The middle class and the poor who go to the Tax Court can't have a jury decision. Instead they must rely on the Tax Court judges. The very Tax Court judges whom the scholars have said are biased in favour of the IRS:
These differential rates have led some scholars to argue that the tax court is ... biased in favor of the agency (Kroll 1996; but see Maule 1999). One scholar notes it is this potential for bias that has led Congress often to resist creating other specialized courts (Baum 1990). While most scholarship has failed to develop a coherent theory for why such bias exists, posited reasons include such factors as ideology, institutional design and structure, prior IRS work experience, the type of litigant, attorney representation, and even social and personal characteristics of the judge.
(ibid, emphasis added). Yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives one of the Carolina representatives said that there was a surge in the increase of Boston Tea Party gatherings in his area.
He went on to say that taxpayers do not like it when their money, earned from hard work done before their shower, is taken from them and given to the banksters who work after their shower.
Why is that not surprising?
The answer to "why all the filings in the Tax Court?" is desperation. Both the government and the people are desperate for money.
Which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the tripling of tax cases in the tax court happened in the same years (2000-2008) that the Bush II regime ruled the roost (wink, wink).
It appears, upon a cursory examination, that filings in the Tax Court have averaged in the neighborhood of 31,000 cases per year since 2008.
Beatles, The Tax Man: |
Frequent question: What makes a good economy in Malaysia?
What is the main economy of Malaysia?
Malaysia: Economy
What makes a good economy?
What makes up the Malaysian economy?
Economy of Malaysia.
GDP per capita $11,604 (nominal, 2021 est.) $29,340 (PPP, 2021 est.)
GDP by sector agriculture: 7.1% industry: 36.8% services: 56.2% (2016)
What did you know about what is Malaysia economy?
Malaysia’s economic system is principally a laissez-faire, free economy with government control for national interests and for realignment of national wealth, focusing on trade, investment, manufacturing, and services. … Malaysia is situated at the heart of ASEAN, a vibrant region with promising growth prospects.
IT IS INTERESTING: Does Singapore have high working hours?
Is Malaysia a 1st world country?
First World Countries 2021.
Country Human Development Index 2021 Population
Malaysia 0.802 32,776,194
Barbados 0.8 287,711
Kazakhstan 0.8 18,994,962
Palau 0.798 18,169
Is Malaysia richer than Korea?
Who has the strongest economy?
1. United States
• 2019 Nominal GDP in Current U.S. Dollars: $21.43 trillion3
• 2019 PPP Adjusted GDP in Current International Dollars: $21.43 trillion4
• 2019 GDP Growth: 2.2%5
• 2019 Nominal GDP Per Capita in Current U.S. Dollars: $65,2986
Does a strong currency mean a strong economy?
In general, a strong currency means a strong national economy. Also, strong currency limits price increase and lowers the cost of credits because the interest rates are low as the inflation is low. … Strong currency increases purchasing power for goods and services invoiced in weaker currencies.
How can you turn a weak economy into a strong economy?
To increase economic growth
1. Lower interest rates – reduce the cost of borrowing and increase consumer spending and investment.
2. Increased real wages – if nominal wages grow above inflation then consumers have more disposable to spend.
3. Higher global growth – leading to increased export spending.
Why is it so hot in Malaysia now?
Dr Fredolin also said that this was a normal occurrence, due to the influence of the enhanced centre of convection of the MJO, which brings moisture and weather instability to Malaysia, and after that, the enhanced centre of convection is followed by the suppressed centre of convection, which is what caused the dry and …
IT IS INTERESTING: What makes an effective Filipino leader?
What can I export to Malaysia?
India’s export products to Malaysia consisting of textures, machinery and instruments, electronic goods and metal manufactures, fresh vegetables and fruits, cotton yarn, meat products, sugar, rice (other than basmati), wheat, RMG cotton and accessories, primary and semi-finished iron, made-ups.
World Southeast Asia |
For other uses, see Kraken (disambiguation).
Pen and wash drawing of a colossal octopus by malacologist Pierre Dénys de Montfort, 1801
The Kraken (/ˈkrɑːkən/)[1] is a legendary sea monster of giant size that is said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. A number of authors over the years have postulated that the legend originated from sightings of giant squids that may grow to 12–15 meters (40–50 feet) in length, despite the fact that the creature in the original tales was not described as having tentacles and more closely resembled a whale or crab. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the kraken have made it a common ocean-dwelling monster in various fictional works. It was first described by the Dane, Erik Pontoppidan in his first book: Det første forsøg paa Norges naturlige Historie, forestillende dette kongeriges Luft, Fjelde, Vand, Væxter, Metaller, Mineraliser, Steen-arter, Dyr, Fugle, Fiske og omsider Indbyggernes Naturel, samt Sædvaner og Levemaad, I-II, Kbh. 1752-1753
The English word kraken is taken from Norwegian.[2] In Norwegian Kraken is the definite form of krake, a word designating an unhealthy animal or something twisted (cognate with the English crook and crank).[3] In modern German, Krake (plural and declined singular: Kraken) means octopus, but can also refer to the legendary kraken.[4]
In the late-13th-century version of the Old Icelandic saga Örvar-Oddr is an inserted episode of a journey bound for Helluland (Baffin Island) which takes the protagonists through the Greenland Sea, and here they spot two massive sea-monsters called Hafgufa ("sea mist") and Lyngbakr ("heather-back").[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] The hafgufa is believed to be a reference to the kraken:
Now I will tell you that there are two sea-monsters. One is called the hafgufa [sea-mist], another lyngbakr [heather-back]. It [the lyngbakr] is the largest whale in the world, but the hafgufa is the hugest monster in the sea. It is the nature of this creature to swallow men and ships, and even whales and everything else within reach. It stays submerged for days, then rears its head and nostrils above surface and stays that way at least until the change of tide. Now, that sound we just sailed through was the space between its jaws, and its nostrils and lower jaw were those rocks that appeared in the sea, while the lyngbakr was the island we saw sinking down. However, Ogmund Tussock has sent these creatures to you by means of his magic to cause the death of you [Odd] and all your men. He thought more men would have gone the same way as those that had already drowned [i.e., to the lyngbakr which wasn't an island, and sank], and he expected that the hafgufa would have swallowed us all. Today I sailed through its mouth because I knew that it had recently surfaced.
Appearance and origins
Kraken attacking merchant ship,1810
In 1830 Alfred Tennyson published the irregular sonnet The Kraken,[20] which described a massive creature that dwells at the bottom of the sea:
Below the thunders of the upper deep;
Far far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides; above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumber'd and enormous polypi
Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages, and will lie
Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.
See also
Explanatory notes
1. "sea-reek" and "heather-back" (Edwards & Pálsson 1970, Ch. 21, p. 69).
2. "kraken". The Free Online Dictionary.
3. "krake". Bokmålsordboka. (Norwegian)
5. Boer 1888, p. 132
6. Larson 1917, p. 125
7. Keyser, Munch & Unger 1848, Chapter 12, p. 32
8. "Caroli Linnaei Systema naturae sistens regna tria naturae".
9. 1 2 3 "Kraken". Encyclopædia Metropolitana; or, Universal Dictionary of Knowledge . 21. B. Fellowes, London. 1845. pp. 255–258.
10. Linnaeus, Carolus. Fauna Suecica. Stockholm: Laurentius Salvus. 1746. p. 386.
11. Pontoppidan, Erich: Det første Forsøg paa Norges naturlige Historie, Copenhagen: Berlingske Arvingers Bogtrykkerie, 1752.
12. Pontoppidan, Erich: Versuch einer natürlichen Geschichte Norwegens (Copenhagen, 1753–54).
15. 1 2 Sjögren, Bengt (1980). Berömda vidunder. Settern. ISBN 91-7586-023-6 (Swedish)
18. The London Magazine, or, Gentleman's Monthly Intelligencer Vol. 24 (Appendix, 1755). pp 622–624.
20. "The Kraken" (1830). The Victorian Web.
21. "Index of /files/2701".
• Rafn, Carl Christian, ed. (1829). Örvar-Odds saga. Fornaldarsögur Norðurlanda. 2. Copenhagen: Enni Poppsku. pp. 248–249.
• Keyser, Rudolph; Munch, Peter Andreas; Unger, Carl Rikard, eds. (1848). "12". Speculum regale. Konungs-skuggsjá. Christiana: Carl C. Werner. p. 32.
• Larson, Laurence Marcellus, ed. (1917). The King's Mirror: (Speculum Regalae - Konungs Skuggsjá). New York: Twaine Publishers / American-Scandinavian Foundation. pp. 119–.
External links
Look up Kraken in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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What are the criteria used to evaluate transmission medium?
Factors to consider when choosing transmission media include: cost, ease of installation and maintenance, availability, and most important, efficiency of transmission. Transmission efficiency is generally viewed as the amount of signal degradation created by the use of a particular transmission medium.
What are the three main transmission mediums?
Three main types of physical transmission media for networks.
• Coaxial Cable. This type was popular for several early networks. …
• Twisted-pair Cable. This type is more popular among modern network because it is faster as well as easier to settle than coaxial cable. …
• Fiber-optic Cable.
What are the transmission medium used in data communication?
What do you mean by transmission medium?
In data communication terminology, a transmission medium is a physical path between the transmitter and the receiver i.e it is the channel through which data is sent from one place to another.
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What is another name for transmission media?
A physical medium in data communications is the transmission path over which a signal propagates. Many different types of transmission media are used as communications channel. In many forms of communications, communication is in the form of electromagnetic waves.
Which type of transmission medium is appropriate for such a link?
(e4) The most economic way to connect it with a reasonable high speed would be to use radio wave transmission, as they are easy to install, can travel long distances, and penetrate buildings easily, so they are widely used for ommunication, both indoors and outdoors.
Which of the following is not a medium of transmission?
Is air considered a medium in a communication process?
When we write, the medium is the paper. On the phone, it is the telephone wires. When we speak, the medium is the air.
What are different types of media used for communication?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of transmission media?
Advantages of Optical Fibre
• High bandwidth.
• Immune to electromagnetic interference.
• Suitable for industrial and noisy areas.
• Signals carrying data can travel long distances without weakening.
What are the different transmission modes?
There are three modes of transmission, namely: simplex, half duplex, and full duplex. The transmission mode defines the direction of signal flow between two connected devices.
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What are the different types of transmission technology?
What are the two types of transmission technology available?
• The transmission technology can be categorized broadly into two types:
• Broadcast networks and.
• Point-to-point networks.
Which transmission media has the highest?
Answer:Optical fiber has the highest transmission in network. Explanation:An optical fiber is a thin fiber which is made up of glass or plastic.
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What is the main disadvantage of ramjet engines?
The main disadvantage of the ramjet engine is that it requires a rocket motor or other means to boost it to supersonic Mach numbers. …
What are the disadvantages of ramjet engine?
Ramjets are more efficient over long distances than rockets but suffer a significant disadvantage: They are useless at low velocities. Consequently, they rely on booster rockets or other vehicles to get them up to speed. Standalone ramjet aircraft typically use hybrid engines [source: NASA].
What is the main advantage of scramjet or ramjet engines?
While a ramjet engine decreases the airflow to subsonic speeds before combustion, a scramjet engine keeps the airflow supersonic throughout the entire engine and so combustion takes place at supersonic speeds [8].
What was the main disadvantage of the turbojet engine?
Disadvantage: At lower speeds, the efficiency reduces. Noisy. At takeoff and climb, low thrust is available.
Which is faster scramjet or ramjet?
Ramjet has revolutionized Rocket Propulsion and Missile Technology over the years. On the other hand, the Scramjet or the Supersonic Combustion Ramjet is a further complex model and is efficient at hypersonic speeds, usually upwards of Mach 6.
Why are turboprops still used?
A turboprop engine is designed to allow fewer moving parts, which cuts down on maintenance costs. An additional saving is engine parts. … Due to a collection of factors such as the plane’s lighter weight, the type of engine used, and the size of the aircraft, turboprops burn less fuel than jet planes.
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How high can a ramjet go?
These then take it up to about 30 kilometers (100,000 feet) and Mach 5, at about which point they will—should—flame-out and are parachuted back for re-use.
by John Hollaway. Monday, February 4, 2019.
Altitude Sea Level 30 km
Ramjet air mass flow, kg/hr 24,056 4,971
Why it is called ramjet?
The ramjet gets its name from the method of air compression-, it cannot operate from a standing start but must first be accelerated to a high speed by another means of propulsion. The air enters the spike-shaped inlet and diffuser (fig. 70) which serve the same purpose as the compressor.
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Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation
హైదరాబాద్ మహానగర పాలక సంస్థ
Founded 1869[1]
B. Janardhan Reddy
Seats 150
Political groups
On Mission Tomorrow
Meeting place
GHMC Building
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in short (GHMC) is the urban planning agency that oversees Hyderabad, the capital and largest city in the State of Telangana, and Secunderabad, a bordering city to Hyderabad. It is the local government for the Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Its geographical area covers most of the urban development agency the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). 64 ex-officio members including 5 Lok Sabha MPs whose constituencies are in GHMC jurisdiction vote in GHMC election.[2][3][4]
Formation of Hyderabad Municipal Board and Chaderghat Municipal Board In the year 1869, Municipal administration was first introduced for the city of Hyderabad. The city of Hyderabad was divided into four and the suburbs of Chaderghat were divided into five divisions. The whole management of both the city and the suburbs was handled by the then City Police Commissioner, Kotwal-e-Baldia.[5]
In the same year, Sir Salar Jung-1, the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad State under the Nizam, has constituted the Department of Municipal and Road Maintenance. He also appointed a Municipal Commissioner for Hyderabad Board and Chaderghat Board. At that time, city was just 55 km2 with a population of 3.5 lakhs.
In 1886, the suburban area of Chaderghat was handed over to a separate officer and then Chaderghat became Chaderghat Municipality.
In 1921 Hyderabad Municipality has increased to 84 km2.
The first corporation In 1933, Chaderghat Municipality was merged with Hyderabad Municipality to form Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and was given statutory status under the Hyderabad Municipal Act. During the following year (1934), the first elections were held for Municipal Corporation and a Standing Committee was appointed at that time.[5]
Jubilee Hills Municipality In the year 1937, Jubilee Hills Municipality was formed by the amalgamation of Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. Later, in 1942, the corporation status for the city has been removed due to some issues.
Secunderabad Municipality In the year 1945, Secunderabad Municipality was formed. Again in 1950, Hyderabad regained its lost Corporation status along with the amalgamation of Jubilee Hills Municipality.
Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad The Hyderabad Corporation and the Secunderabad Corporation, were established in 1950 via the Hyderabad Corporation Act. Jubilee Hills Municipality merged in Hyderabad Corporation during this time.[5] In 1955, the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act merged the municipal corporations overseeing Hyderabad and neighbouring Secunderabad.
Once again in "1955", both the municipal corporations of Hyderabad and Secunderabad were merged to form Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH). In 1956, Hyderabad became capital of Andhra Pradesh after the state was formed.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was formed on 16 April 2007 by merging 12 municipalities and 8 gram panchayats with the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad. The municipalities are L. B. Nagar, Gaddi annaram, Uppal Kalan, Malkajgiri, Kapra, Alwal, Qutubullapur, Kukatpally, Serilingampalle, Rajendranagar, Ramachandrapuram, and Patancheru. These municipalities are in Rangareddy district and Medak district. The panchayats are Shamshabad, Satamarai, Jallapalli, Mamdipalli, Mankhal, Almasguda, Sardanagar and Ravirala.
The Government Order 261 was initially issued in July 2005. Now, the Supreme Court has rejected the plea to interfere into the matter, the Andhra Pradesh government has passed the GO 261 that is related to the creation of Greater Hyderabad on 16 April 2007. Earlier, the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad had a population of 4.5 millions living in an area of 172 km². The new urban agglomeration sprawls across 650 square kilometers with a population of 6.7 millions. The erstwhile city of the Nizams has now transformed into an area far greater.
The Government has decided to divide the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation into five zones (south, east, north, west and central zones), 17 circles and 150 wards. Each ward would cover about 37,000 people. The GHMC is headed by a Commissioner and also has a Special Commissioner both of whom belong to IAS. Each zone will have a zonal commissioner, an officer of the rank of additional commissioner with a deputy municipal commissioners heading every circle. There will also be a separate engineering wing with an Engineer in Chief and Chief Engineer at head office level and a superintending engineer for each zone; a town planning wing with Additional Commissioner (Planning) and a Chief City Planner at the head office level and a city planner for each zone.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) comprises the erstwhile Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, plus 10 municipalities & 8 panchayats in Ranga Reddy district, 2 municipalities in Medak district.
The 10 municipalities in Ranga Reddy district are: L. B. Nagar, Gaddi annaram, Uppal Kalan, Malkajgiri, Kapra, Alwal, Qutubullapur, Kukatpally, Serilingampalle and Rajendranagar
The 8 panchayats in Ranga Reddy district are:Shamshabad, Satamarai, Jallapalli, Mamdipalli, Mankhal, Sardanagar and Ravirala
The 2 municipalities in Medak district are: Ramachandrapuram and Patancheru
The Telangana Government has appointed CVSK Sarma as the first Chief Commissioner of GHMC. There is also a provision for a directly elected mayor of Hyderabad. Mohammed Majid Hussain from Ahmednagar division holds this post presently. However, the Chief Commissioner can allocate more funds and in general has more power
The term of the legislature of precursor to the GHMC namely the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, then simply called by the same name ended before the formation of the GHMC. The Standing Committee of the Legislature takes a major role in the decision making process within the legislature when it is in session
Political Performance in GHMC Election 2016
S.No. Party NameFlag AllianceNumber of CorporatorsChange
01Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) -99Increase99
02All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen(AIMIM)-44Increase1
03Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)NDA04Decrease1
04Indian National Congress(INC)UPA02Decrease50
05Telugu Desam Party(TDP)NDA01Decrease44
See also
2. "GHMC poll fray 2016".
3. "GHMC in dilemma over ex-officio members".
5. 1 2 3
External links
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Due to their robustness, reliability and long term stability micr
Due to their robustness, reliability and long term stability microoptodes today are widely used in various biotechnological applications, like tissue engineering [11].Fiber optic sensors display the following advantages over microelectrodes:Affordable price,Measures oxygen in liquid as well as in the gas phase,Sensor signal independent of flow velocity,No time for polarization required, unlike the electrochemical electrode,No consumption of oxygen molecules while measuring, unlike the electrode that consumes oxygen molecules,No cross-sensitivity and no interference to carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3), pH, and any ionic species like sulfide, sulfate or chloride. Oxygen microoptodes are only affected by gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO2) and gaseous chlorine (Cl2),Measurement range from 1 ppb up to 22.
5 ppm dissolved oxygenFast response times (t90 up to 1 s in the liquid and < 0.2 s in the gas phase).While there are a number of good reasons for using optical sensors, there have one disadvantage: microoptodes have a tip size of approximately 50 ��m, which is relatively big as compared to microelectrodes (10 ��m and less). This hampers studies where a very high spatial resolution is needed, e.g. to map gradients in oxygen concentration over a few cell layers. However, microoptodes allow spatial resolutions of slightly below 50 ��m, which is sufficient for most applications.3.?Oxygen Mapping in Plant SeedsOxygen-sensitive microsensors have enjoyed a long history of use in plant biology with focus on roots and its nodules [12-15].
The first (albeit indirect) attempt on seeds was done by Porterfield et al. [16] using miniature glass electrodes. By assessing the endogenous oxygen status within the siliques of both thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus) it was proposed that oxygen deficiency is an important determinant of the process of seed development. A series of studies followed, in which direct estimates of endogenous oxygen concentrations were made using relatively robust oxygen probes (microoptodes; Presens GmbH Germany). The procedure for oxygen profiling in seeds has since been standardized into the following four steps:The fruit (containing the intact seed) is fixed in a horizontal plane and, if necessary for the access of the microsensor, interfering material of the fruit is removed (e.g.
a small window is cut into the pod wall of a leguminous species, while in maize, the husk is discarded).Correct Brefeldin_A positioning of the microsensor on the seed surface is aided by a microscope. In some cases, the sealing of the microsensor entry point is necessary to prevent the diffusion of oxygen into the seed via the micro-channels formed by the probe. Often this is achieved by the application of silicone grease.The microsensensor is driven, in a series of timed steps, into the seed using a micromanipulator.
On the other hand, the signals of biological EMDs encode the ima
On the other hand, the signals of biological EMDs encode the image velocity in a nonlinear and ambiguous way. Their responses peak at a certain velocity and decrease for velocities beyond this optimum [8]. Further properties of at least basic EMD models make this motion detection scheme only a poor velocity sensor: (1) The response amplitudes of basic versions of the EMD depend on the global spatial frequency composition of the input image [9]. (2) The global contrast of the moving image changes the response of basic EMDs in a quadratic way [10,11]. (3) The time-dependent responses of individual EMDs show pronounced fluctuations that depend on the specific details of the pattern analysed by the EMD; these pattern-dependent fluctuations can be reduced by spatial integration over many EMDs looking at neighbouring points of the image [12].
(4) Even the time course of spatially integrated EMD outputs depends not only on pattern velocity but also on acceleration and higher-order temporal derivatives [10,13].Control systems for mobile robots often combine the biologically inspired concept of flow-specific large-field integration with computer-vision algorithms for local velocity estimation that do not show the strong contrast and pattern dependence of EMDs [14,15]. Systems using biologically inspired EMDs were also proposed and successfully tested in simulation [16] and in hardware [17] but are limited to environments with a restricted range of textural properties [18,19].
Compared to the performance of models employing basic EMD variants, the responses of motion-sensitive neurons in the brain of insects, such as flies, after which EMDs were modelled, are much Anacetrapib less sensitive to the pattern structure and contrast. In particular, they show the quadratic dependency on image contrast only for very low contrast values. For higher contrast values, the response does not increase with increasing contrast and the neuronal responses become less sensitive to the local contrast variations of the stimulus patterns [10,20�C22]. This relative contrast independence is not the consequence of signal saturation Dacomitinib at the level of the wide-field motion sensitive neuron, because the response can still be modulated by changing the image velocity, but of processing in the peripheral visual system [23].
To reduce the dependence of EMDs on local pattern contrast and, thus, to approximate the responses of their biological equivalents, various augmentations of EMDs were proposed. These range from simple saturating static nonlinearities incorporated into the motion detection process [10,21] to a sophisticated combination of nonlinearities and temporal filters [18,24].
ch is involved in JA biosynthesis, a sieve element occluding prot
ch is involved in JA biosynthesis, a sieve element occluding protein pre venting the loss of photoassimilates after wounding and catalases which are known to serve as common antioxidant enzymes and to induce suberization and other protective mechanisms after wounding . Four proteins with EST counts 100 were peptidyl prolyl cis trans isomerases which are also known as cyclophilins and accelerate the folding of pro teins, proteasome subunits responsible for pro tein degradation and turnover, auxin repressed proteins known to affect auxin signaling as negative reg ulators and methionine synthase, which catalyses the last step in the pro duction of the amino acid L methionine used by plants for many essential direct or indirect cellular processes.
Two further proteins almost unique to the EF li brary in these elms were the enzyme methionine sulfoxide reductase, which functions in plant defense via the regulation of the cell redox status and is known to be involved as an antioxidant in repairing proteins damaged by oxidative stress, and the transport pro tein SFT2, which in yeast is involved in traffic to the Golgi complex and vesicle associated membrane fusion. The R statistic was applied in order to detect differences in relative transcript abundances between the elm treatments. Transcripts with R 3 were considered to be dif ferentially expressed between the Cilengitide libraries. For all these protein types, the R statistic revealed a significant differ ence in transcript abundances between the treatments.
Discussion The large scale EST sequencing results shown here repre sent the first step in studying the defensive responses of field elms to egg laying by the specialist elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola, at a molecular level. 361,196 expressed sequence tags were assembled into 52,823 unique transcripts. Although the gene discovery rate among the transcripts was low due to the low number of Ulmus genes in public databases, we were nevertheless able to identify a large number of candidate genes with possible roles in the response of elm to egg lay ing by the elm leaf beetle. Normalization based on se quence sample size and analysis using R statistics provided the basis for comparative gene expression analysis using EST frequencies across five different biological treatments, egg laying and feeding by X. luteola, feeding, transfer of egg clutches, methyl jasmonate spraying and an untreated control.
The function of these candidate genes must now be confirmed in further studies. Despite a similar sample size and the fact that clonal plant material, identical sequencing technologies, and sequence assembly were used, the EST frequencies of the five treatments showed astonishingly small intersec tions as can be seen in the Venn diagrams and visualization of metabolic pathways. Therefore, although the influence of X. luteola feeding on transcripts cannot be ruled out, the ten fold larger library EF F is still capable of being used for detecting the less abundant
f action was investigated by testing for involvement of NF ��B, MAP kinases and TLR2. Methods General e perimental design As an inflammatory environment is thought to be present in patients with discogenic back pain, human intervertebral disc cells were pretreated with recombinant IL 1B, thus increasing the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and matri de grading enzymes. Thereafter, different solvents were used to prepare sequential curcuma e tracts and tested for their ability to reduce inflamma tory and catabolic Cilengitide gene e pression after 6 hours. The presumably most abundant bioactive substance in the most potent e tract was chosen based on structure based solubility, information in the literature and identi fication using HPLC MS analysis and tested in the same setting, using various concentrations.
8) was pipetted into plastic cuvette and subsequently 40 ��L of t
8) was pipetted into plastic cuvette and subsequently 40 ��L of the sample was added. Spectra were recorded after 5 min long incubation of a reagent with a sample. After a measurement, cuvettes were rins
Tactile sensors fabricated using MEMS offer the advantages of small size, mature technologies, and low cost processing. PZT thin-films fabricated using the sol-gel method provides the advantages of easy processing, low annealing temperature, and excellent piezoelectric characteristics. Accurate Zr/Ti element composition can be controlled in the sol-gel deposition process; thus, a composite material with a high ferroelectric property (Zr/Ti with a ratio of 52:48) can be obtained.Various sensors, such as piezoelectric-based sensors [21�C25], Carfilzomib optical sensors [26�C29], and laser Doppler [30] sensors have been used for measurements of human body pulses at various artery regions. For piezoelectric-based tactile sensors, the mechanical energy can be transferred to electrical energy using an applied pressure, and the sensors have the advantages of high sensitivity, improved hysteresis, excellent repeatability, and high durability.
The most commonly used 3�� In Vitro Transcription (3��IVT) Affyme
The most commonly used 3�� In Vitro Transcription (3��IVT) Affymetrix microarrays consist of probesets usually incorporating 11 Perfect-Match (PM) 25 nucleotide (nt)-long oligonucleotide probes specific to a ~600 nt region of the transcript’s 3��-UTR and an additional set of corresponding mismatch (MM) probes where the central 13th nucleotide is replaced with its complementary equivalent used for the accession of non-specific binding strength. The next generation of Whole Transcript (WT) expression analysis arrays (like the HuGene-1_0-ST) utilize a set of background intensity probes that have no homology to the transcripts of the organism analyzed which are used to estimate the non-specific binding based on the varying GC content of the probes (the number of G and C nucleotides in the sequence).
The basic steps of a microarray experiment include RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, amplification and labeling, cRNA fragmentation, hybridization, washing and staining and finally a complete surface scan of the microarray. The main differences Anacetrapib between WT and 3�� IVT microarrays concern the cDNA synthesis step and result from the need to either achieve a high quality whole transcript amplification or amplification of the 3��-UTR region. 3��IVT microarrays utilize the oligo(dT) primer which, by binding to the 3��UTR region, initiates the cDNA synthesis in the 3��->5�� direction. This approach allows to achieve a very high yield of amplification in the close vicinity of the 3�� region although it is very susceptible to RNA degradation [2]. In contrast, WT microarrays are based on random primers which can attach to various regions of the transcript thereby promoting the cDNA synthesis reaction independently from the 3�� region. Both primers include a T7 polymerase promoter which in the amplification process leads to a significant increase in the amount of target material due to the in vitro transcription process. This step produces cRNAs whose sequence is complementary to the isolated RNA molecules.
The typical assumption with these models is that all of the starl
The typical assumption with these models is that all of the starlight incident on the image detector is detected. In reality, the measured intensity is less than the modeled star intensity, due to the effects of pixel saturation and star detection logic. Pixel saturation has the effect of masking image intensity, due to the bit depth of the analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) of the image detector. Star detection logic is used to detect candidate stars and separate the star image from the background image noise. Similar to the model described in the first row of Figure 1, the detection of a specific star is still defined by a minimum SNR. However, in this case, the SNR is based not only on the noise of the image detector and the size of the PSF, but on the length of the star smear.
These models are summarized by the second row of Figure 1.On the opposite end of the fidelity spectrum, we have various high fidelity models. These models produce more accurate results, but they rely on specific information about mission orbits and maneuvers. Availability is measured along the specific orientation track the sensor will follow on the celestial sphere. This track is defined by the dynamics of the spacecraft. Star detection is assessed by the exact detection routines employed on the star tracker. These models can include the effects of optical aberrations on the PSF, as well as the effects of bright bodies (Sun, Moon, other planets). Furthermore, these models would typically revise the definition of availability from having at least Nmin detectable stars in the FOV to having a detectable non-ambiguous star pattern in the FOV, which contains enough stars for star identification.
These models are summarized by the last row of Figure 1 and would typically be used to predict the availability performance of a spacecraft following launch.There is currently a gap in available performance models between those which yield high fidelity results and those which are not specific GSK-3 to a particular mission. This work attempts to bridge this gap and provide some intermediate models of availability. The aim is to increase the fidelity of the availability model while not limiting its applicability to any specific mission. We explicitly consid
Recently, there has been great interest in surface acoustic wave (SAW) rate sensors (so called gyroscopes) because of their many unique properties such as superior inherent shock robustness, a wide dynamic range, low cost, small size, and long working life compared to other current gyroscope types [1]. The Rayleigh wave can be generated at the surface of piezoelectric material by applying a voltage to interdigital transducers (IDTs) patterned on the substrate [2].
In this test the toxin or sample contaminated by the toxin is in
In this test the toxin or sample contaminated by the toxin is injected into mice, which are monitored for any physiological changes. This test is expensive, time consuming, the results may be variable and ethically controversial. In last decades significant effort were, therefore, invested in the development of new in vitro biophysical methods.2.1. Physical and Biophysical MethodsSpectroscopic methods exploit different optical characteristics of molecules in different range of electromagnetic spectrum. The presence of Cyanobacteria toxic metabolites in natural water was determined by exploiting the color change of bromine thymol blue indicator [6]. Ho et al. used fluorescence for the detection of cholera toxin [7].Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that can have toxic effects on vertebrates.
In order to improve food safety the presence of mycotoxins must be determined during the process of food and feed preparation. The fast screening is most conventionally done with ELISA. Quantitative methods of analysis for most mycotoxins use immunoaffinity clean-up with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation in combination with UV and/or fluorescence detection. There is a strong trend towards the use of multi-mycotoxin methods for the simultaneous analysis of several of the important mycotoxins, which is best achieved by LC�CMS/MS (liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry) [8].Another physical method that can be used in toxin detection is amperometry.
The principle of amperometry is based on the measurement of the current Entinostat between the two electrodes, which is induced by a redox reaction at one of the electrode. The conditions are chosen in such a way that the current is directly proportional to the concentration of a redox active species in the analyte solution. An amperometric sensor system for measuring okadaic acid, a diarrheic shellfish poisoning toxin, has been developed recently [9].Quartz crystal microbalance sensors for the detection of ricin were presented by Stine et al. [10]. Antibodies have been used traditionally as the detection molecules for these types of biosensors. However, recent studies have shown that glycosphingolipids may be used for recognition of certain protein toxins, including ricin. Glycosphingolipids had lower detection limits (5 ��g/mL), approximately five times lower than were found for antibodies (25 ��g/mL) [10].
Quartz crystal microbalance and amperometry detection were used in many cases for the detection of low molecular weight toxins in environment and food [11�C13].3.?Surface Plasmon Resonance3.1. Detection PrincipleOne of the methods that offer quick toxin detection is surface plasmon resonance (SPR). This is a relatively new technique, which became more popular with the commercialization of biosensors by the company Biacore in the 90��s.
This chronic disease can lead to gait disturbances and falls whic
This chronic disease can lead to gait disturbances and falls which cause an important reduction of the quality of life. Gait in PD patients is characterized by a reduction in step length and velocity, decreased angular displacement and velocity of lower and upper limbs, high variability of step timing, poor bilateral coordination and asymmetric leg function [3]. A prospective 20-year follow-up of PD patients reported a high prevalence of falls (87%) and fractures (35%) [4]. The pathophysiology of falls in PD is complex and multifactorial. Falls occurring in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease can be related to a particular paroxysmal symptom called freezing of gait (FOG). FOG is defined by Nieuwboer and Giladi [5] as ��an episodic inability (lasting seconds) to generate effective stepping in the absence of any known cause other than Parkinsonism or high-level gait disorders��.
It can occur during initiation of the first step, turning [6], dual tasks, walking through narrow spaces, reaching destinations or passing through doorways [7,8]. FOG episodes are more often brief (1�C2 s), but can also last 10 s. They are reported by the patient as a subjective feeling of ��the feet being glued to the ground��. Festination while walking, another symptom of Parkinsonism, is defined clinically as a tendency to move forward with increasingly rapid, but ever smaller steps, associated with the center of gravity falling forward over the stepping feet [9]. The relation between festination and FOG is an important issue, which is not always well described in the literature.
Focused attention and external stimuli (cues) can help to overcome a FOG episode [10]. It is well known from clinicians and patients that auditory rhythmic stimulation or visual marks on the ground improve dramatically gait in patients with FOG. This sensibility to cueing has led some teams to develop mobility aid devices: cane with a laser light visual cue or visual auditory walker [11,12].Clinical assessment of FOG episodes remains difficult and the impact on the daily life is generally assessed with validated questionnaires [8,13]. In the majority of the studies, a careful quantification of gait abnormalities is performed with various movement assessment techniques. They have been especially used to demonstrate the impact of cueing on gait characteristics [14].
However, large rehabilitation programs have failed to confirm a long lasting effect. Functional Electrical Stimulation Dacomitinib (FES) has also been tested and preliminary results show FOG reduction observed during FES-assisted gait of PD patients [15,16].Clinical evaluation of video recordings of patients by one to three observers is the gold standard to identify FOG events [17]. The evaluation of clinical effects of the treatments would benefit from objective, standardized FOG measures [18].
In other words, the optimal interval of RFID distribution for k-N
In other words, the optimal interval of RFID distribution for k-NN-based positioning was derived. However, for economical reasons, not all of the RFID tags produced are designed to provide signal strength information. Instead, they simply indicate whether a tag is detected or not within the given detection range. Moreover, the inconsistency of signal strength reception, caused by multipath and interference in the presence of obstacles, is a practical problem in k-NN-based positioning [7,15]. Thus, in the present study, it was assumed that no signal strength information is given. Also, reference tags were assumed to be regularly distributed in 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional spaces corresponding to various environments in the real world.2.?Background2.1.
RFID-based Positioning Using k-NN AlgorithmThe k-NN algorithm determines the attribute of a query point by taking the weighted average of the k nearest neighbors to the point, and as such is a highly effective inductive inference method [16]. In RFID-based positioning using the k-NN algorithm, the coordinates of a target point are determined as in Equation 1:(x,y)=��i=1kwi(xi,yi)/��i=1kwi(1)In Equation 1, (x, y) and (xi, yi) are the coordinates of a target point, and the i-th reference point, wi, is a weight factor. The weight factor is inversely-proportional to the Euclidian distance between the reference point and the target point in the signal domain, that is, the signal strength difference between the two points.
In the present study, the weight factor was simply set to 1 for detected tags and 0 for undetected ones, because the RFID system was assumed not to be provided with signal strength information for detected tags.2.2. Root GSK-3 Mean Square Error (RMSE)In statistics, the root mean squared error or RMSE is one of the ways to quantify the amount by which an estimator or a model differs from the true value of the quantity being estimated. The RMSE for 1-dimensional, 2- dimensional and 3-dimensional spaces can be obtained as in Equations 2 to 4:RMSE1D=��i=1n[(x^i?xi)2]n(2)RMSE2D=��i=1n[(x^i?xi)2+(y^i?yi)2]n(3)RMSE3D=��i=1n[(x^i?xi)2+(y^i?yi)2+(z^i?zi)2]n(4)where (x?i), (x?i, ?i) and (x?i, ?i, i) are the estimated coordinates, (xi), (xi, yi) and (xi, yi, zi) are the true coordinates, and n is the total number of observations.3.?Determination of Optimal Detection Range3.1. Overview of Present StudyFor a simulated RFID-based positioning system, it was assumed that the reference tags were regularly distributed on a line in 1-dimensional space, on a regular grid in 2-dimensional space, and on a cubic lattice in 3-dimensional space. |
Mansa Musa (D. 1337) In the thirteenth century, the Mandinka people of the state that Kangaba in west Sudan arised as the most powerful group in Africa. The rise of the Mandinka to be due largely to one man, Kankan Musa who is commonly known as Mansa (Emperor) Musa.
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It is not well-known when Mansa Musa to be born, but it is most likely that he to be the grandson or grandnephew of the legend Sundiata, who established the family members dynasty. Mansa Musa came to the Mandinka throne in 1312following the death of his predecessor, Abu-Bakr II. The oversaw countless conquests, consisting of that of Ghana, and created the empire of Mali, judgment all (or parts) of modern day Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad.
Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim. He became the an initial Muslim ruler in West Africa to do the practically four thousand mile trip to Mecca. Preparing for the exploration took years and involved the work-related of artisans in countless towns and also cities throughout Mali. In 1324 Musa started his expedition with an entourage of hundreds of escorts from his resources of Niani on the upper Niger river to Walata (present-day Oualata, Mauritania) and also on to Tuat (now in Algeria) before making his method to Cairo, Egypt.
He to be accompanied by a caravan consist of of sixty thousands men, including twelve thousand richly dressed servants and also supporters. Musa made generous donations come the poor and to charity organizations and the rulers the the floor his entourage crossed. On his prevent in Cairo, Egypt, the Emperor offered out so lot gold that he produced a brief decrease in the value. Cairo’s gold market recovered over a te later.
Rulers of West african States prior to Mansa Musa had made the pilgrimage to Mecca, however it was his lavish journey the awakened the people to the wealth of Mali. Prior to long, traders from other parts the Africa, the middle East, and also even from as much away together Europe to be seeking come do business there.
Upon his return indigenous Mecca, Mansa Musa brought Arab scholars, government bureaucrats, and architects. Among those who reverted with him to be the architect Ishaq El Teudjin who introduced progressed building methods to Mali, including the use of fired bricks versus sun-dried bricks. That designed numerous structures for the Emperor including a brand-new palace named Madagou, the mosque at Gao, the second largest city in Mali, and also the still-standing an excellent mosque at Timbuktu, the largest city in the empire. The mosque was named the Djinguereber. El Teudjin’s most famous architecture was the Emperor’s room at the Malian capital of Niani.
Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage enhanced Islamic education in Mali by including mosques, libraries, and also universities. The great mosque the Sankore was particularly striking. Over the years it additionally became a facility for the teaching of Islamic philosophy and also law, paving the method for the later on University of Sankore, in enhancement to bringing increased commerce and scholars, poets, and also artisans. In fact, under Mansa Musa, Timbuktu became one the the major cultural centers not just of Africa however of the entire world. Also after the power of Mali declined, Timbuktu stayed the major Islamic center of sub-Saharan Africa.
The awareness the Musa by other Islamic leaders carried increased commerce and also scholars, poets, and also artisans, making Timbuktu one of the leading cities in the Islamic human being during the time when the most progressed nations from Spain to central India were Muslim. Timbuktu was plainly the center of Islamic Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mansa Musa liked to boast that it would certainly take a year because that someone to take trip from one finish of his empire to the other. It was not fairly that large; even so, a fourteenth-century traveler called Ibn Battuta reported that it took 4 months to travel from the northern border of the Mali realm to the funding city of Niani in the south. For the following two century Italian, German, and also Spanish cartographers produced maps the the human being which showed Mali and also which often referenced Mansa Musa. The first of this maps appeared in Italy in 1339 through Mansa Musa’s name and likeness.
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Mansa Musa passed away in 1337 after a twenty-five year reign. He was thrived by his son, Maghan I. |
St fractus
According to the cloud atlas, smoke is being classified as a Lithometeor hence the reason behind including it in the clouds gallery. This fire was caused by a residual fuel in the Wasteserve plant in Maghtab. Another panoramic photo of the smoke is included in the first thumbnail. The second thumbnail is the weather sounding at the time from which I will attempt to explain how it spread out like that. As we could notice, the wind in the first 3km of the atmosphere was light and variable explaining how the smoke is more or less evenly distributed in the area which made matters much worse for the spreading of black carbon on land.
It looked like stratus fractus homogenitus because as the hot smoke rose from its place of origin it quickly found a layer in which temperature decreased slowly leading to stability as the smoke cooled when it rose. The light winds explain the structure of the seen smoke and the unfortunate thing that the cloud actually dissipated through black carbon deposition all over the Maltese Islands. Health warnings were issued on the day for people suffering from health problems.
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What’s the poop on tomatoes? Bethel weighs in
by Rebecca Finneran, MSU Extension horticulture educator.
This past summer, 19 eager Junior Master Gardeners weighed the benefits of poop while giving back to the community in a charitable way. Dick and Maggie Bethel helped further a scientific experiment at the Kent County Michigan State University Extension Office by providing them with the world’s best rabbit poop.
Earlier in 2010, Extension educator Monica Smith suggested to Extension horticulture educator Rebecca Finneran that the “extra bounty” produced in the Junior Master Gardeners’ garden would be a welcome sight to a local food pantry known as “Kids’ Food Basket.” This local Grand Rapids non-profit provides children living in a low-income situation with a take-home sack lunch each weekday. It can sometimes be a challenge to make one that is nutritionally balanced with fresh fruits and vegetables. Rebecca loved the idea but wanted to take it a step further by incorporating a scientific experiment in the process.
Junior Master Gardeners
Kent County Junior Master Gardeners are not afraid to get their hands dirty this past summer.
Gardeners know that cherry tomatoes will produce abundantly with little gardening skill or encouragement. Plants that are fertilized regularly can produce exponentially compared to the volume of soil their roots occupy. The question was, how many tomatoes can a cherry tomato plant produce that has been fertilized only with animal manure? What is the best type of animal manure? How does the yield compare to a traditionally fertilized plant?
To address these questions, the youth chose “Sweet 100” cherry tomatoes to grow on their 8-foot post-and-wire system. In early June, they planted four plants per section and doused them with liquid food. To set up the experiment, the youth provided the “traditionally grown” tomatoes with a commercial slow-release fertilizer followed by supplemental feedings of liquid throughout the summer. They provided the other plants with only one type of organic amendment, which could be either compost or animal manures. The children had no problem incorporating each type of poop at the time of planting. Can you imagine the stories that went home to their parents that night?
Scoop on Poop
Two of the amendments were commercially available products including composted yard waste and a new, bagged product that has chicken manure as the major component. This product was apparently a bit too hot (even though it was composted) because all of the plants fertilized with chicken poop died within two weeks of application.
The Bethels provided comparable amounts of fresh (can this stuff ever be called fresh?) rabbit poop, which Dick has affectionately coined as “RGS” (Really Good Stuff.) Most of the Kent-area MSU Extension Master Gardeners are on a first-name basis with Dick, and they know the value of his RGS!
Former MSU Extension director Maggie Bethel and husband Dick team up with Kent Junior Master Gardeners to study effects of organic amendments on cherry tomatoes. Also shown is MSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer Roberta Talbot-Rossi.
Throughout the summer, the kids visually evaluated the plant growth, and as the plants began producing cherry tomatoes, they weighed yields from each set of plants. By the end of the summer, the kids were racing out to the garden to see which poop experiment was “winning.” By all appearances, the rabbit poop plants seemed like they would be the clear winners – even steroidal looking! With huge gains on growth, dark green leaves and abundant blooms, it seemed that these would clearly out-produce any other type of growing system. As it turned out, by the end of summer, the traditional plants had nearly double the production of the organically amended plants. Students wondered if the plants loaded up on RGS were really “all show.” Even though the plants looked good, they were slow to produce a crop. The kids determined that the balance of nutrients was “out of whack” and while the plants grew like mad, perhaps they grew too much, at the expense of fruit production. What was striking, was that even the lowly plants with NO inputs, did produce some nice, red fruit. In the end, the kids had donated more than 200 pounds of cherry tomatoes to the Kids’ Food Basket (less what went into their mouths) and all were happy. The rabbits are happy, too, by the way!
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One response to “What’s the poop on tomatoes? Bethel weighs in
1. Darryl Warncke
It appears the children learned a lot from this study. The results and observations were very good and just as I would have predicted. One area of concern to consider in future projects with animal manures. I believe there is a 75 day interval required between application of manure and planting of vegetable crops. This is for health concerns. You may want to check this out. |
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Did you know, not being able to hold your balance on one foot for longer than 5 seconds greatly increases your risk of falls. There are many senses and processes that begin to decrease as people begin to age. One very notable loss as we age is our ability to balance and control where we are in space. Balance is an essential part of our day to day lives and plays an important role in allowing us to live life to the fullest and with confidence.
When working with people who are being affected by the symptoms of aging I am constantly amazed how so many people believe that balance was something that you just ‘lose as you age’. This is in fact incorrect. Your balance is like a muscle-building strength, or your cardiovascular system building endurance, if you train it the better it will get.
These are many different things that individually or all together affect our balance.
Proprioception decreases
Proprioception is the body’s ability to recognise where it is in space. The proprioceptors primarily responsible for balance are located in our muscles and joints of the lower limb as well as within the inner ear. Proprioceptors in the ear are known as the vestibular system. The cells within the vestibular system die off which affects how accurately we detect our position in space and therefore making it harder for us to balance. An example of this is if we tilt our head to the left the vestibular system does not adequately detect this quick change making it harder for our brain to prevent falling to the left.
Power decreases
With muscle power decreasing so does the ability to move our limbs quickly through space. With the decrease in power and speed, many people are unable to move their leg quick enough to correct their standing position. It also makes it harder to move their hand to grab onto something when their balance is disturbed causing them to fall and putting them at high risk of injury. Power affects the ability to move swiftly enough to prevent the fall or to help slow the pace of the decline
Sight decreases
As we age our sight decreases. Depth perception, night vision and sensitivity to contrast are all affected. The loss of these visual processes affects balance as we may not be able to adjust the changes in the environment quickly and adequately as well as not being able to see what is in front of you.
With the loss of balance as we age many people ask what can be done to help prevent this. Exercise can help rebuild strength and power boosting our reaction time to prevent a fall. Exercise can also be used to improve our balance, the more we challenge our body the more our balance will improve. Challenging balance can be achieved through different ways. Changing the environment to make it harder through external disruptions, using an unstable surface or simply changing the base of support to make it harder to balance.
If yourself or anyone you know is finding it hard to balance or are beginning the notice their balance decreasing as they age come in and make an appointment to see an exercise physiologist for an individualised exercise program suited to your current balance and fitness levels.
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The Importance of Water Purification
the importance of water purification
The Importance of Water Purification
The importance of water purification is critical for your health. Purified water is filtered or processed water that removes impurities like chemicals and other contaminants. In order to avoid the risks associated with impure water, working with a company like OSI Comfort Specialists to cleanse your water can be a game-changer. There are many benefits associated with purifying water such as better overall health and enhanced flavors.
Understanding the importance of water purification and the symptoms, causes, and solutions will help assure you that you and your family are drinking safe, clean water. One of the simplest ways to purify water is by boiling it. It may kill off some bacteria, but it doesn’t necessarily remove chemicals and/or other contaminants. That’s where purification can be beneficial by providing a solution for safe drinking water in your home.
Health & Well-Being Benefits
Bacteria, chemicals, parasites, and other impurities can be found in water. Toxic materials in water have been said to increase the risk of some illnesses and diseases. Since you need food and water to live, having safe drinking water is crucial. Fresh, pure water can also be beneficial for your immune system and lead to better overall health. If you want to feel great, you have to take care of your body.
There are many benefits to drinking fresh water. Everyday health states that water does more than just quench your thirst and regulate your body’s temperature. Staying hydrated can help protect your spinal cord, provide a cushion for your joints, and help your body remove waste. Purifying your water and making sure to stay hydrated is a great way to give your body what it needs. While there are many laws in place to ensure drinking water is safe across the country, in-home water filters can give you an extra level of purification.
Other Benefits of Water Purification
Sometimes you’ll notice that your water has a foul taste or odor due to contaminants. Refrigeration filters and water purification systems can lead to better-tasting water. You can enhance the flavor and smell without having to boil out any impurities. There’s nothing more refreshing than a glass of ice-cold pure water.
Since you use water constantly while cooking it can also help make your food have a fresher taste. From boiling water for pasta to drinking tea and washing vegetables, clean pure water will have a positive effect throughout meals prepared at home.
You may have heard that drinking fresh water can help you get better skin. Moisturizing your face at the beginning and end of the day is a regimen doctors recommend all the time. While every doctor has their own opinion about how much water you should consume, they all agree that it is beneficial for your skin. Drinking plenty of fresh purified water can leave your skin feeling softer and give you a natural glow.
Symptoms, Causes & Solutions
There are many solutions to cleanse impure or dirty water. At OSI Comfort Specialists we use a range of filtration products including whole-house filters, refrigerator filters, and drinking water systems. We’ll come in to assess the issues you’re facing with impure water and recommend/install a system best suited for your needs.
There are many symptoms you might notice that will help you know if it’s time to filter your water. Each symptom has a specific cause that we can address with one of our filtration solutions. Some symptoms you may see include:
· Cloudy discolored or tinted water: solution is whole house filters
· Chlorine taste in water and ice cubes: solution is refrigerator filters
· Red/brown stains on fixtures and clothes: solution is iron removal
· Chemical contamination of water: solution is drinking water system
These are just a few things you might notice about your water. For every problem you have with water at home, OSI Comfort Specialists can find a solution. Whether you’re dealing with scale, hard water, or rusty water, we can help. Water purifiers can also be a great solution if you’re looking to improve the overall water quality in your home.
Now that you understand the importance of water purification, give us a call at 516-763-1400. We always operate and comply with the CDC, state government, and federal government guidelines to provide the utmost safety and convenience to our customers. |
Essays on Rebellion
Essays on Rebellion
This page contains the best examples of essays on Rebellion. Before writing your essay, you can explore essay examples - note their structure, content, writing style, etc. The process of creating an essay about Rebellion generally consists of the following steps: understanding the assignment, identifying the topic, collecting information, organizing the information collected, developing the main statement, writing a draft. At the editing stage of the draft, its coherence is improved, essential material is added, non-essential is omitted and a smooth transition between the individual parts of the Rebellion essay is ensured. Then the structure and content of the paragraphs are corrected, individual words and sentences are polished. After editing, the draft is subtracted, and spelling and punctuation errors are corrected.
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We've found 34 essays on Rebellion
Sammy Character in the A&P by John Updike
There are certain rules in our society which people have to consider. Some people try to deny the regulations of the society, although, their rebellion is an illusion due to the fact that the system of norms is more powerful than they think. Sammy, the …
Words 869
Pages 4
The Dream of a New Society: Why Paul Berman Was Right
The year 1968 and the immediately preceding years were one of the most tumultuous times of the twentieth century. There were protests and uprisings in all corners of the globe, for many different reasons: the Soviet Union was in its post-Stalin era and tensions with …
Words 2297
Pages 10
Practice English Language Essay
“These days we are far more tolerant of taboo language; It no longer has the power to shock or offend. Discuss. ” Why are we more accepting of taboo language today? Increased usage, social groups that use taboo language to build solidarity/exclude others. What are …
English LanguageRebellion
Words 1198
Pages 5
Essays on Rebellion
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A Synopsis of the Movie The Graduate
A world without rebels would be a world with no change. If specific groups didn’t escape the status quo, life would essentially go on as if it were put on repeat. Nothing would ever change, and nothing new would ever be accomplished. And most importantly, …
Words 1227
Pages 5
Animal Rebellion in Animal Farm
Animal FarmRebellion
Words 531
Pages 3
The Boxer Rebellion
Write a powerful and memorable topic sentence for each side Of the Teacart en for why American involvement was necessary and one for why intervention was deterred mental. The topic sentence about why U. S. Involvement was needed in the Boxer Rebellion: Rebellion was a …
Boxer RebellionChinaRebellion
Words 355
Pages 2
A Brief Guide to Mother of 1084
The play Mother of 1084 (1997) is the original translation of Mahasweta Devi’s Bengali playHajar Churashir Ma that has the best illustrations for the marginalized category. The neglected and suppressed plight of the woman is represented by Sujata Chatterjee, mother of the protagonist of the …
CultureHuman NatureRebellion
Words 1919
Pages 8
The Romantic penned (1785-1830) Contrast with Neoclassicism The replacement of reason by the imagination The shift from a mimetic to an expressive orientation for poetry, and indeed all literature. Pre-romanticism & Romanticism This period marks the end of Augustan Age. The main themes of Augustan …
Words 356
Pages 2
Why Did Mary Pose a Threat to Elizabeth?
Mary’s arrival in England triggered the discontent among some Catholic sympathisers to become prevalent, as Mary provided a clear leader to focus their religious dissatisfactions with the moderately Protestant settlement imposed by Elizabeth. This is why religious motivations behind some of the laity were the …
Catholic ChurchMotivationRebellion
Words 1744
Pages 7
Realities of War
Loved and Lost English Literature 108 July 27 2014 War is a patriotic act where one seeks the determination to lead their country. It can be viewed as noble, cruel, inhumane, and can make an individual a hero or a criminal. It affects everyone in …
AngerEssay ExamplesPoetryRebellion
Words 1393
Pages 6
Syrian Revolution
The Syrian Revolution is important on many levels. This importance is explored in the aspects of Syrians political government, economic and social status and the beginning of a wide spread resistance against dominating governments taking part in the Middle East. Hence, the Syrian Revolution plays …
Words 279
Pages 2
The Hippies: A Rebellion against the Vietnam War
The Origin and Label By the mid-sixties, the beats, follies, surfers, and psychedelics reached their peaks. This, together with the baby-boomers’ coming-of-age, set the perfect basis for the hippie counterculture to start. The Beats contributed a detachment of mainstream society; the Follies gave them a …
RebellionVietnamVietnam War
Words 689
Pages 3
Lord Liverpool Government’s Reactionary Policies in the Years
Words 661
Pages 3
Conformity and Rebellion
Conforming to societal norms can have many benefits. There are 3 different types of conformity; the first Is compliance; this Is the act of conforming to the larger majority In public while privately retaining one’s personal beliefs. This can be seen In George Rowel’s “Shooting …
Words 693
Pages 3
Locke and Hobbes on Revolution
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) and John Locke (1632-1706) belonged to the same generation of philosophers. However, both philosophers viewed English Revolution differently. Hobbes had experienced the English Revolution as a time of brutality. Thence, the philosopher compared the revolution to what he referred to as the …
Words 1073
Pages 5
What causes rebellion?
A rebellion starts with an indignation at the situation and manifests itself as a refusal to submit or be obeyed by the authority. ... Politically speaking, rebellion and revolt are usually distinguished by their distinct goals.
Why is it important to rebel?
They give context to our existence, and the world around it. They can also help to give meaning the world. ... It is time to revolt against the conditions of our existence and search for meaning. Rebellion can take many forms.
Why is rebellion necessary for change?
Sometimes rebellion is necessary... Rebellion can sometimes be necessary, because it gets things done and helps others. Sometimes rebellion can lead unwelcome... Sometimes rebellion can lead to undesirable consequences.
How do you explain rebel?
A person who refuses to be a part of, resists, or raises arms against the ruler or government in his or her country. Resists any authority or control.
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Oh no! Is this a defect? - Commonly misunderstood wood characteristics
Just like humans, no tree is perfect. It is subject to natural imperfections from the time it emerges into a tree as a seedling. There is a wide range of wood defects that varies from natural and acquired defects. For instance, defects a tree sustains during its growth can be caused by a broken branch insect or fungal attacks, or rapid tree growth. Post-harvest, there can be man-made defects caused by incorrect sawing or machining, improper handling of product and storage.
A tree is exposed to many natural forces that cause defects in their wood. Oftentimes, woodworkers find these unique features in wood products fascinating, furthermore, aged wood is be prized by many carpenters for their high-end appearances.
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• Knots
A knot is the base of a branch that was broken off from the tree. The portion of the remaining branch receives nourishment from the stem which results in the formation of dark hard rings.
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• Medullary Rays
Medullary rays are mistaken for damages or repaired wood, however, during the growing process, nutrients are transported from its core stem to other layers so that the sap moves towards the ring, hence causing these marks to appear. Although medullary rays look like scratch marks, it's prized by several outstanding carpenters as they are the most prominent in wood that has been quarter sawn to reduce expanding.
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• Insect Holes
There are a number of insects that eat wood or use them as nesting areas which result in holes. When the tree is felled, manufacturers ensure that the wood would be treated and insects nesting in the wood would be killed off.
The damage will be reviewed by experts to conclude if it is negligible or catastrophic; most people love wood with insect holes because they make each tree unique and add characteristics to the final product as long as there are no threats to the structural strength.
• Wood Ripples
Wood ripples are caused by compression of grain at the base of an old tree. This creates a ripple effect that may have a 3D effect when viewed at an angle.
(Featured image: Nest Table Set
Teak can be made for either indoor or outdoor and it is the best wood for furniture due to the high concentration of oil and wax content. These prevent the wood from water absorption and rotting. Also, teak furniture is impervious to being attacked by insects due to the high concentration of natural oil within the wood. The high level of natural oil in teak can cause some parts wood to have a darker shade. Many customers reviewed that different shades of colours in their furniture make them unique and not as dull. |
Question: What Is Cruel?
What is opposite of cruel?
Antonym of Cruel Word.
Humane, Kind.
What does it mean to be cruel to be kind?
Can you be cruel to be kind?
You must be blunt and honest with someone in order to help them realize something that may help them; it is sometimes necessary to hurt someone’s feelings in order to tell them the truth.
What does Hamlet mean when he says I must be cruel only to be kind?
He has been reprimanding her for her closeness to her new husband, the villainous Claudius, calling him a “mildewed ear.” He explains that he has to be cruel to her only to be kind, to dissuade her from having sex with Claudius as that is a betrayal of her previous husband, Hamlet’s father.
What does foolish mean?
What is the mean of cruel?
1. Cruel, pitiless, ruthless, brutal, savage imply readiness to cause pain to others. Cruel implies willingness to cause pain, and indifference to suffering: a cruel stepfather. … Brutal implies cruelty that takes the form of physical violence: a brutal master.
What is a cruel person?
Deliberately seeking to inflict pain and suffering; enjoying others’ suffering; without mercy or pity. … The definition of cruel is someone or something that deliberately causes pain or suffering.
What is the sentence of cruel?
Cruel sentence examples. He was a cruel and nasty man. How could she have said such a cruel thing? The ancient world was a cruel place.
How can someone be so cruel meaning?
Someone who is cruel deliberately causes pain or distress to people or animals. Children can be so cruel. … A situation or event that is cruel is very harsh and causes people distress.
Who said I must be cruel only to be kind?
HamletPolonius deserved what he got, but nonetheless Hamlet repents, and prepares to suffer the consequences: Polonius was punished by Hamlet, and Hamlet will be punished for killing Polonius. But when Hamlet says he “must be cruel only to be kind,” he’s shifting his attention back to his mother.
What’s the difference between mean and cruel?
The difference between Cruel and Mean. When used as verbs, cruel means to spoil or ruin (one’s chance of success), whereas mean means to intend, to plan (to do). When used as adjectives, cruel means that intentionally causes or revels in pain and suffering, whereas mean means common. |
Litter Size
How many babies does a Roborovski dwarf hamster have at once? (litter size)
How many baby Roborovski dwarf hamsters are in a litter?
A Roborovski dwarf hamster (Phodopus roborovskii) usually gives birth to around 6 babies.
Each of those little ones spend around 21 days as a fetus before they are released into the wild. Upon birth, they weight 1 grams (0 lbs) and measure 3.3 cm (0′ 2″). They are a member of the Muridae family (genus: Phodopus). An adult Roborovski dwarf hamster grows up to a size of 7.2 cm (0′ 3″).
The average litter size of a Roborovski dwarf hamster is 6
The Roborovski hamster (Phodopus roborovskii), also known as the desert hamster or Robo dwarf hamster, is the smallest of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus, averaging under 2 centimetres (0.8 in) at birth and 4.5–5 centimetres (1.8–2.0 in) and 20–25 grams (0.71–0.88 oz) during adulthood. Distinguishing characteristics of the Roborovskis are eyebrow-like white spots and the lack of any dorsal stripe (found on the other members of the genus Phodopus). The average lifespan for the Roborovski hamster is 2-3 years, though this is dependent on living conditions (extremes being four years in captivity and two in the wild). Roborovskis are known for their speed and have been said to run an equivalent of four human marathons each night on average.
Other animals of the family Muridae
Roborovski dwarf hamster is a member of the Muridae, as are these animals:
Animals that share a litter size with Roborovski dwarf hamster
Those animals also give birth to 6 babies at once:
Animals with the same size as a Roborovski dwarf hamster
Also reaching around 7.2 cm (0′ 3″) in size do these animals: |
Animal Weight
How much does a Crested agouti weight?
It is hard to guess what a Crested agouti weights. But we have the answer:
An adult Crested agouti (Dasyprocta cristata) on average weights 2.65 kg (5.84 lbs).
The Crested agouti is from the family Dasyproctidae (genus: Dasyprocta). When reaching adult age, they grow up to 17.5 cm (0′ 7″). Usually, Crested agoutis have 2 babies per litter.
The crested agouti (Dasyprocta cristata) is a species of rodent in the family Dasyproctidae. It is endemic to Guyana and Suriname. Its taxonomic status is uncertain and it may be synonymous with Dasyprocta leporina, leading the IUCN to rate it as Data Deficient.
Animals of the same family as a Crested agouti
We found other animals of the Dasyproctidae family:
Animals with the same weight as a Crested agouti
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Dasyprocta cristata:
Animals with the same litter size as a Crested agouti
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (2) as a Crested agouti: |
Can Magnesium Supplements Really Help You Sleep?
Magnesium is often touted as an antidote to poor sleep. But while some doctors say it’s okay to take it in a supplemental form for certain sleep disorders, such as those caused by restless legs syndrome, the evidence of its sleep-inducing benefits is thin.
Magnesium, an abundant mineral in the body, plays a crucial role in many physiological functions. It supports the health of the immune system, blood sugar regulation and nerve and muscle function. Some scientists suggest that magnesium deficiency may contribute to poor sleep by disrupting nerve signals and changing levels of sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin.
Most people, however, have adequate magnesium levels because the mineral is easy to come by with a relatively healthy diet. It’s found in a wide variety of plant and animal foods such as nuts, vegetables, seeds, beans, yogurt, and fish. And while many people fall short of the federal government’s recommended daily allowance, true magnesium deficiencies are rare.
Over the years, studies have looked at whether supplementing the mineral can improve sleep. Most of the studies were small or poorly designed, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. A systematic review published in April examined three clinical trials investigating magnesium supplementation for insomnia in 151 older adults and concluded that they generally provided “low to very low quality evidence”.
In a study published in 2012, researchers recruited 46 older adults with chronic insomnia and divided them into two groups. One was to take 500 milligrams of magnesium daily for eight weeks, the other was given a placebo. At the end of the study, the researchers found that those taking magnesium were more likely to report improvements in “subjective” measures of insomnia, such as how quickly they fell asleep each night and how often they fell asleep, compared to the placebo group to wake up early in the morning. However, those who took magnesium showed no difference in their total sleep time, the researchers reported.
In general, magnesium appears to have minimal side effects, and taking low doses is unlikely to do much harm. According to the Institute of Medicine, healthy adults can safely take up to 350 milligrams of additional magnesium daily. Anything at or below this level is unlikely to cause any adverse health effects. But in higher doses, magnesium can cause gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, said Dr. Colleen Lance, the medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital in Ohio. Dr. Lance said that while the evidence that magnesium can help with insomnia is weak, it doesn’t necessarily stop people from trying it.
“I tell patients that you can try it and see if it helps,” she said. “It can’t help, but it probably won’t hurt.”
Tips for better sleep
Tired of rolling and turning? There are a few strategies you can try to improve your hours in bed.
An example of where she recommends magnesium is for patients with restless legs syndrome, a nervous system disorder that causes people to have an irresistible urge to move their limbs, usually at night, which can be very disruptive to sleep. Dr. Lance said magnesium could theoretically make a difference as it helps the nerves conduct electrical signals properly, although the evidence of its restless leg benefits is still limited and mixed and it may not work for everyone.
At least one small study from 1998 found that people who suffered from the disorder had less trouble sleeping after taking magnesium. However, a recent systematic review of studies concluded that it was “not clear” whether magnesium could alleviate restless legs syndrome. More research is needed, but Dr. Lance said she tells patients with RLS it might be worth trying to see if it makes a difference. “We tell patients that they can try some magnesium in the evenings to see if that calms things down,” added Dr. Lance added.
However, chronic insomnia cannot usually be cured with a pill. When Dr. When Lance meets patients complaining of insomnia, she usually does an examination to find out the causes of their sleepless nights. She often finds that a patient is having difficulty falling or staying asleep due to an undiagnosed sleep disorder such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Many women have menopausal-related sleep problems. Some people cannot sleep soundly because their surroundings are too noisy – for example, they might have a snoring spouse or a dog that barks at night. Others may have difficulty falling asleep due to anxiety related to the pandemic, their work, their finances, or some other stressful situation in their life.
One of the most effective treatments for insomnia is cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT, which helps people address the underlying behaviors that are disrupting their sleep. Therapies like continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP can help people with sleep apnea. Medications, including supplements like melatonin, can also help in some cases, but a pill alone won’t cure insomnia, said Dr. Lance.
“We see a lot of people who have an underlying problem and are still looking for a pill to oversleep the problem,” she said. “Instead, we try to find the underlying problem and address it.”
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Mel Chin is a first-generation American artist who began his journey of creation at a young age. Despite his classical training, Chin’s art is both poetic and analytical while exhibiting an element of innovation. Disciplines of alchemy, botany, and ecology intersect throughout his work. He incorporates his work into unexpected environments, such as demolished homes, polluted landfills, and famous television. Chin looks at how art can raise social consciousness and accountability. His projects are unorthodox and politically charged, and they bring into question the artist’s role as the creative force behind the artwork.
Mel Chin at Revival Field, image courtesy of
Chin’s most notable work, Revival Field, promotes works of art that work towards benefitting science and revitalizing the economies of inner-city neighborhoods. To create Revival Field, Chin collaborated with scientists to create sculpted gardens of hyperaccumulators - plants that can remove heavy metals from contaminated areas - in some of the world’s most polluted locations.
Revival Field is a one-of-a-kind initiative. It is a conceptual art piece involving three interlaced components: plants, fencing, and a hazardous waste site. The 60 square foot installation, which began in 1991 and is still ongoing, is located at the Pig’s Eye Landfill in St. Paul, Minnesota. The soil at Pig’s Eye was polluted with cadmium, zinc, and lead, making it ideal for hyperaccumulators. The Environmental Protection Agency classified it as toxic to humans and the environment, and before the project began, the site was heavily contaminated with incinerated sewage and waste, making it illegal for anybody to enter or use the site.
Chin, after encountering this ecological question, fashioned his own structure surrounded by industrial barbed-wire fencing. His area is filled with vegetation and includes a smaller circular fence that houses a few select plants arranged in quadrants. The path between the plants is shaped like an X, similar to the Red Cross logo, to mimic a crosshair target, signaling out the land area chosen for revival.
The Minnesota field trial was active from 1990 to 1993, and revealed that Alpine pennycress was the best at absorbing heavy metals, but it did not absorb metals quickly enough to accomplish significant cleansing in three years. The structures from the original Revival Field were removed after it concluded in 1993, but Chin has since reinstated the concept in many different locations around the world. Acting with scientists on phytoremediation-based ventures proved a relatively new understanding of art form in the early 1990s and Chin helped spearhead the effort to combine his craft with botany and alchemy.
Revival Field, image courtesy of
Revival Field started as a conceptual artwork with the aim of shaping a site’s ecosystem. It is a collaboration between art and science that uses advances in each discipline to inform the other. The coexistence between two fields is what distinguishes and authenticates the project’s initiative. Chin executed the first replicated field test in the United States by treating the experiment as a work of art, and many have since coined the term “Ecovention” to describe art that uses an evolutionary framework to preserve the natural world, both physically and through political and cultural advocacy.
Revival Field Pig’s Eye Landfill, image courtesy of
The installation addresses a wide range of issues. It speaks to a social concern over the imminent destruction caused by climate change, as well as the possibility of a post-human utopia. Mel Chin proposes biotechnology as a gentle solution to the issue. On one hand, the viewer is meant to feel guilty for contributing to environmental damage; on the other hand, it is a consolation that plants, blooming impossibly in the barren landscape, are doing the job of healing for us. Revival Field opens up a world of possibilities for the future. In an evolutionary time scale, it promises a sequence of mini-utopias. It enables one to develop a kinder, healthier relationship with the earth.
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Network Computing «Prev Next»
Lesson 6Displaying routing tables
ObjectiveUse the Route Command to set your Default Gateway
Use Route Command to set your Default Gateway
When a computer needs to transmit information, it must determine the appropriate route. Usually, you send everything to the gateway to contact sites outside of your subnet, but some computers need more extensive routing information; for instance, if your gateway must route information between your subnet and other subnets, you need more detailed routing information.
Setting your default gateway
In practice, when you configure a network connection to an existing network, you use the route command to set the default gateway. For example, if your IP address was and your subnet's gateway was set at, you might use route to set your interface's default route to point to the gateway; the MouseOver below explains each part of the route command line.
1. add tells route what action to take
2. default tells route to send all packets with unknown destinations to this interface
3. gw means that you are going through a gateway and is followed by its IP address
4. The last part of the line says that the gateway is on the same subnet as the device, eth0
Route Display Command
Red Hat Reference
Question: How do I setup default gateway with a route command?
Answer. route command show and/or manipulate the IP routing table under Linux and UNIX oses.
Display default route
Following three-command display the current routing table:
# route
Kernel IP routing table
default dsl-router UG 0 0 0 ra0
Check default route
Check that the default route is set using the route −n command.
Destination, Gateway, Genmask, Flags, Metric
This shows that the gateway was set to the remote PPP server (, as well as showing the other interfaces running on my computer. There are two ppp0 entries. The first shows the destination as a host (UH). The second shows the destination as a gateway (UG). All addresses that can’t be resolved on the local LAN are directed to the gateway address.
Check that the name servers are set
The next lesson shows you how to configure a modem to create a new PPP connection |
The Buzz of a Bumble
When we were little, the two things you didn’t do were use my mother’s sewing scissors for cutting paper (when she was looking anyway) and take her spools of thread for outdoor expeditions. The endless yards of silk thread just sitting there in her sewing basket—vibrant oranges, blues and reds so neatly wound on pocket-size spools—it was just too much for my brother and me to resist. Didn’t everyone know that sewing thread was really made for bumblebee leashes?!
On Long Island there are 17 species of bumblebees, and tying a thread around one is kinda easy. Their animated behavior and loud buzzing as they fly flower to flower always makes these teddy bears fascinating to watch and easy to catch. One swoosh with your butterfly net, a quick bowtie around the bee’s waist and you have a companion to pal around with for the afternoon. Only female bumblebees can sting, and they will only do so if they feel immensely threatened, so chances of being stung were minimal but did occasionally happen.
Tomatoes are a backyard gardeners pride in late summer, but before harvest one must ensure there are pollinated flowers; enter bumblebee, stage right. Although tomato plants are self-fertile, the flowers need wind or bees for a bounty of large, juicy tomatoes. Pollen does not move well by itself from the male stamen to female stigma. A tomato flower must vibrate at a specific frequency to release the pollen enclosed in the anthers. Through buzz pollination, a bumblebee will grab the tomato flower, pull it down vertically, fasten its jaws onto the staminal tube and vibrate its wing muscles producing a high-pitched buzz. At hundreds of times a second, the vibrations are so strong the bees would be knocked off the flowers if they didn’t hold on. The released pollen falls by gravity to the stigma (pollinating the flower), and the excess pollen clings to the bee’s fuzzy body. Thus bumblebees are important pollinators in forests, meadows and for crops such as cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, squash and melons.
The native sweat bee also pollinates tomato flowers but seems to do so by chewing open the anthers. Honeybees are unable to pollinate tomatoes altogether. They just don’t have that buzz pollination behavior. Since tomato flowers don’t produce nectar, a bee’s carbohydrate source, and honeybees aren’t able to collect its pollen, a bee’s protein source, you will rarely find a honeybee visiting a tomato plant.
Experiments show fruit weight, grade and seed count are higher for bumblebee-pollinated tomato plants.
Commercial growers have been using bumblebees to pollinate hothouse tomatoes since the late 1980s. Before then, workers pollinated tomato flowers with a vibrating tool. Experiments show fruit weight, grade and seed count are higher for bumblebee-pollinated tomato plants. Now, there are commercial suppliers of bumblebees. The common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) is an agricultural favorite because of its large colony size, typically reaching 200 to 400 workers at the peak of the season.
It is relatively easy to tell if a tomato flower has “set.” Depending on conditions, a tomato flower will remain open for one to three days; a single bumblebee visit results in the transfer of enough pollen for pollination. Since bumblebees bite onto the tomato flower each time they visit, they leave tiny but visible marks that turn that section of the stamina tube brown within one to four hours. One set of bite marks is enough to indicate pollination. More sets of bite marks mean more bumblebee visits!
As our world becomes increasingly urbanized and North Americans become increasingly detached from the natural world and its creatures, I say, “Follow a bumblebee!” Follow a bumblebee for 10 minutes one afternoon. Follow her to your tomato flowers. Get lost in her flight and daily chores. No need for a bee leash of thread. Just follow the bumble and forget your own worries for a bit. Just bee. |
Readers ask: How To Help Your Toddler Lose Weight?
What is the fastest way for a kid to lose weight?
Ages 1 to 6
3. Encourage good eating habits.
4. Make small changes.
How can I help my toddler lose weight?
Healthy eating rules for young children
1. Base your meals on starchy carbohydrates, such as pasta, rice and potatoes.
2. Eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Can I put my toddler on a diet?
Say “no” to diets and supplements. Your first impulse may be to put your child on a diet. But unless their pediatrician recommends it, avoid these kinds of major calorie-cutting plans. They may mean they won’t get the nutrients and calories they need to grow.
You might be interested: FAQ: How To Get A Senior Cat To Lose Weight?
Do 2 year olds lose weight?
What do you feed an overweight child?
At what age is it harder to lose weight?
From the age of 30, your body needs less energy and you can’t get away with eating like you did in your twenties, without some weighty consequences. Then as you move past 40 and head to middle age, changes in muscle, hormones and metabolism all make it harder to stay trim.
What is overweight for a 2-year-old?
What is a healthy weight for a 2-year-old?
Should I put my 2 year old on a diet?
Do I have to put my toddler on a diet? No. Your toddler’s still growing, so she doesn’t need to lose weight. However, she may need to maintain her weight for a while.
You might be interested: Readers ask: How To Lose Hips And Stomach Weight?
What causes weight loss in toddlers?
When do toddlers slim down?
“It’s normal for a child to slim down between ages 2 and 5,” says pediatrician Roy Kim, MD. “Your child will look their thinnest about the time they start kindergarten.”
How can I get skinny overnight?
12 daily habits that will help you lose weight while you sleep
1. Get enough sleep.
2. Don’t be a cardio junky.
3. Do bodyweight exercises.
4. Add hand or ankle weights to your walk.
5. Forward fold for 5 minutes.
6. Sleep in a cooler and darker environment.
7. Eat on a schedule.
8. Eat a small dinner.
When should I worry about my child’s weight?
How can I lose belly fat as a kid?
Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Set goals. Just like with adult weight loss, the weight loss goals in children should be attainable, allowing for normal growth.
2. Food diary. Work with your child to keep a food diary.
3. Diet.
4. Physical activity.
5. Behavior modification.
6. Parental role.
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What is adultery law? How IPC Section 497 is anti-women
The Adultery law has been criticised for treating women as property owned by men
Picture for representation
Picture for representation
• Chief Justice Dipak Misra has called the adultery law "anti-women"
• Adultery law in India is defined by the Indian Penal Code Section 497
• The law has been criticised for treating women as property owned by men
Adultery law in India is defined by the Indian Penal Code Section 497. The adultery law has come under the scanner of the judiciary several times in the past but the courts including the Supreme Court held Section 497 valid. But in the latest case, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra called the adultery law "anti-women" while hearing a petition that challenged Section 497 for being anti-men and giving leverage to women.
The petition was filed by non-resident Keralite, Joseph Shine, who challenged the constitutionality of IPC Section 497 read with Section 198(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc). The CrPc Section 182(2) deals with prosecution for offences against marriages.
The Supreme Court on August 2, said, "The law seems to be pro-women but is anti-women in a grave ostensible way. As if with the consent of the husband, wife can be subjected to someone else's desire. That's not Indian morality."
"Each partner of the marriage has equal responsibility. Why should the woman take more load than the man? That is the reason we call it archaic," the Supreme Court said.
The Supreme Court's observation followed an affidavit by the Centre, which said, "Adultery should remain an offence. Diluting adultery law will impact the sanctity of marriages. Making adultery legal will hurt marriage bonds."
Section 497 also states that a man found guilty of adultery "shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both."
In cases of adultery, the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor.
Similarly, an unmarried woman can not be prosecuted for adultery. The offence of adultery is, according to Section 497, committed by a man against a married man.
The adultery law has been criticised for treating women as property owned by men.
In the event of a man committing adultery by means of sexual intercourse with a married woman or an unmarried woman, this law does not confer any right on the man's wife o prosecute the adulterous husband or the woman with whom the husband has indulged in sexual intercourse with.
Simply put, only a man can be a victim or accused/culprit under the existing reading of Section 497 of the IPC.
But the Union home ministry defended Section 497 by referring to a judgment passed in 1985 Sowmithri Vishnu vs Union of India case. Quoting from the Supreme Court judgment, the home ministry said, It is better, from the point of view of the interests of the society, that at least a limited class of adulterous relationship is punishable by law. Stability of marriages is not an ideal to be scorned.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by the then Chief Justice YV Chandrachud had upheld the constitutionality of Section 497 of the IPC.
The existing adultery law under Section 497 gets complicated further in the view of an Amendment Act of 1976. This was the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Act. It makes an act of adultery valid ground for divorce. Either spouse can seek divorce on the ground of adultery.
It states that even a single act of voluntary sexual act by either party to the marriage with any person other than his or her spouse constitutes a ground for divorce for the other spouse. But, Section 497 of the IPC doesn't recognise a woman as an aggrieved party in the case of adultery.
Also read: Diluting adultery law will be detrimental to marriages: Centre to SC
ALSO WATCH| Is there any place for an archaic adultery law in today's India?
Click here for IndiaToday.in’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. |
The building blocks of the universe
The building blocks of the universe
Review: Meteorite by Tim Gregory, John Murray
In 2013 a meteor blazed through the early morning sky above the Russian town of Chelyabinsk. The ball of light on a shallow trajectory grew then exploded. The shockwave not only broke windows, but punched window frames out of walls and collapsed brick walls and ceilings, causing millions of dollars’ worth of damage. There is much footage of the fireball (partly because of the ubiquitous nature of dashcams in Russia), and using this, meteorite chasers were able to pinpoint the landing spot in an ice-covered lake. Of the pieces scientists retrieved, the biggest weighed half a ton.
The Chelyabinsk meteor was unusually large, but Earth is regularly hit by meteors, and we have a somewhat false sense of security because of the cushioning effect of our atmosphere. Most meteors break up into cosmic dust (the name is self-explanatory). Only a few make it to the ground as ‘falls’ (also self-explanatory). (Meteors become meteorites when they make it through the atmosphere and become falls, of course.) Only a few of these become ‘finds’ (yes, again self-explanatory). Finds are rare. As you might imagine, most ‘falls’ fall into the ocean. If a fall occurs on terra firma, it might not become a find, and weathering might reduce it to dust. Rare finds are treasured, partly because, as Tim Gregory notes in his book, they tell us about the formation of the solar system, and even of the universe.
In the Middle Ages the celestial sphere was thought of as perfect – bits couldn’t just fall off. But eventually it was concluded that those weird, heavy rocks (meteorites are often high in iron content) found in fields were related to those fireballs seen shooting across the sky at night. (Of course meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere at all times of the day, but we tend to notice them at night.)
Meteorites are made of the building blocks of the universe; they are the left-overs from the material used to make the planets. Some come from the asteroid belt, the solar system’s major reject pile. The asteroid belt is no longer thought of as the remains of a planet, but as rocks that never coalesced into a planet. Bits are knocked off when asteroids collide, a result of the planets’ gravity tugging them as the planets orbit by. Meteors can also be bits of the moon that have been knocked off by other meteors crashing into it. The same goes for Mars.
Meteors are sometimes rich with carbon, and a few years back such a meteor from Mars caused a sensation because scientists thought they saw evidence of organic compounds inside, pointing to the possibility of primitive life inhabiting Mars when it still had flowing water. US President Bill Clinton thought it worthy of a press conference on the White House lawn. But the initial enthusiasm withered down to almost universal skepticism. The evidence simply wasn’t strong enough.
Gregory tells us much about the chemical composition of meteors. Earth’s rocks have the same ultimate origin as meteorites, but the Earth’s rocks have been regularly recycled. The materials in most meteorites, in contrast, bear the original signatures of their formation within stars, giving us information on how stars form, and how the solar system came into being. The composition of meteorite rocks can indicate which heavenly bodies they come from, even down to, in the case of meteorites of volcanic origin, where in an underground magma chamber they formed.
Gregory is enthusiastic about all this, and a lucid and lyrical writer. He is also something of an evangelist for space exploration. He has an almost religious certainty that we will colonise the stars. (I don’t share his faith, but, rather, I share the skepticism of the likes of Paul Davies, who points out the difficulties caused by the vast distances involved. Gregory thinks it is wise to move beyond the Earth, but I wonder if this is more hubris – another case of thinking scientific innovation, rather than humble environmental management, will save us, and a desire to see the human race live on almost-eternally.) This is partly through necessity – there is no reason, as he suggests, that another ‘fall’ like the asteroid that smashed into the Earth 65 million years ago and killed the dinosaurs won’t happen again. There is no guarantee that humanity will survive on Earth indefinitely. (The Bible certainly doesn’t guarantee it.) In that case, if we don’t make the star-jumps Gregory is hoping for, it will be cosmic dust to cosmic dust, cosmic ashes to cosmic ashes.
Nick Mattiske blogs on books at
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Tag Archives: Musée de l’Homme
Racism after race
IN a famous series of experiments conducted in the 1970s, social psychologist Henri Tajfel asked how little it would take to persuade one group of people to discriminate against another. The answer was almost nothing. Having assigned boys to two groups based largely on random criteria, he asked them to play a game. Each boy had to decide how many pennies to give to members of his own group and to members of the other group. Tajfel found that the boys were more generous toward their own group, even though the groups had been defined almost arbitrarily. Thus was born the concept of the “minimal group…”
This article first appeared in ScienceNews on 14 May 2017. To continue reading, click here. |
The eight research museums within the Leibniz Association collect objects, conduct research and transfer knowledge. Their archives contain well over 100 million objects and provide the basis for research into the history of the Earth and biodiversity, cultural history and the history of technology, and for research into conservation of our scientific and cultural heritage.
With their research-based permanent and special exhibitions at 12 locations across Germany, the museums reach millions of people every year and play an important part in knowledge transfer. Together, the Leibniz research museums increase understanding of science as a process, and allow people to critically evaluate science and society.
1. Eight research museums, one collaborative project
With their Aktionsplan the eight Leibniz Research Museums are animating scientific research, offering ways to connect, encouraging people to help shape change. The theme of their collaborative activities is A World in Motion.
Univ.-Prof. Alexandra W. Busch
Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum - Leibniz Research Institute for Archaeology (RGZM), Mainz
T +49 6131 91 24 0
Contact at Leibniz Headquarters
Dr Britta Horstmann
Deputy Head of Division
Leibniz Association
Chausseestraße 111
10115 Berlin
T +49 30 20 60 49 611 |
Change the voice in the following sentences:
1. She will be greatly surprised if she is selected.
2. They painted the house white.
3. She told me to leave the room.
4. He promised her a present.
5. A thunderstorm often turns milk sour.
1. Her selection will greatly surprise her.
2. The house was painted white by them.
3. I was told to leave the room by her.
4. A present was promised to her by him.
5. Milk is often turned sour by a thunderstorm.
• 6
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Historical Timeline
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1970s: Kennedy Dispatches Probes to Far Reaches as Apollo Ends
The Apollo lifts off on Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission
Image above: The final Apollo spacecraft lifts off atop a Saturn IB rocket on July 15, 1975, to begin the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, a mission that would see the American Apollo link in space with a Soyuz spacecraft from the then-Soviet Union. Image credit: NASA
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The Voyager 2 on the launch pad
Image above: The Voyager 2 spacecraft stands on the launch pad on Aug. 20, 1977, before a Titan rocket lifts it into space to start the "Grand Tour" of the outer planets. Image credit: NASA
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Space shuttle Columbia arrives at Kennedy for first time.
Image above: Space shuttle Columbia is towed into an orbiter processing facility on March 25, 1979, to begin months of preparations ahead of its first flight two years later. Image credit: NASA
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Kennedy Space Center spent the 1970s bridging the achievements of the 1960s and the expectations of the 1980s. The center emerged from the decade as a place of adaptation and innovation.
The 10-year span saw Kennedy help NASA reach farther into space than ever before. The center launched men to the moon five times, rescued a crew during an emergency, sent America's first space station into orbit and then lofted a pair of spacecraft on a rare journey to see the four outer planets up -close.
Even the missions that fell in between those stand as civilization-defining scientific milestones. The twin Viking landers, for example, set down softly on the Martian surface and beamed back the first analysis of the rust-colored soil that gives the red planet its nickname.
There was also the Apollo-Soyuz flight in 1975 that saw American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts shake hands in space for the first time, a preview of the relationship that now sustains the International Space Station.
"Certainly in the manned program, it's the transition era between this kind of radical, exciting, somewhat crazy moon program of the '60s and this very stable, very useful shuttle program of the '80s," said Roger Launius, curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and NASA's former chief historian.
The chances of NASA accomplishing such milestones looked distant when the decade began. A year after the first moon landing, the center saw its first mass employee layoff as Apollo's end was scheduled. Although the program's scale was diminished, Kennedy workers still had a few Apollo missions to launch, including Apollo 13. Kennedy's team worked closely with NASA's other spaceflight centers through one difficulty after another to get the three astronauts back to Earth safely.
The layoffs continued through the return of Apollo 17 in December 1972, the last mission to carry astronauts to the lunar surface.
Having landed on the moon six times, NASA set its sights on Earth orbit with the Skylab program in 1973. Built inside the third stage of a Saturn V rocket, Skylab was designed to be a large workshop for astronauts. It was outfitted with life support, communications and other critical systems, as well as scientific equipment including a telescope designed to look at the sun.
Skylab developed mission-threatening problems minutes after launch when aerodynamic forces stripped a solar panel and micrometeoroid shield off the rocket as it climbed through the atmosphere into space.
As it had before, Kennedy's team worked closely with other NASA centers to come up with a plan to save the perilously injured station. Pete Conrad's crew of three left Kennedy aboard an Apollo spacecraft loaded with improvised tools and methods. The astronauts sprung a partially deployed solar panel and opened an umbrella-like covering over the outer shell of the workshop.
The Kennedy launch team sent the final Apollo spacecraft into orbit in 1975, timing the liftoff perfectly to allow a docking with a Soyuz capsule launched from the Soviet Union. The successful flight marked the last time an American astronaut would fly into space during the decade.
Some of the greatest achievements of the 1970s belonged to the most sophisticated machines of the day: robotic probes with computer brains, cameras and instruments that would return a scientist's delight of information about distant worlds. Preparing the spacecraft to fly meant dealing with increasingly complex machinery and unprecedented standards to keep the spacecraft free of contaminants, particularly those vehicles making landings on other worlds.
"There is this transformation in planetary science that forces Kennedy to do payload processing it had never done before," Launius said. "It's critical to Viking. If they allow any biological material on the spacecraft, they're going to get a false reading and fundamentally Viking was about biological experiments."
Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft rode powerful boosters from the coast of Florida to start journeys that would not end until they crossed outside the solar system.
Pioneers 10 and 11 laid down paths beginning with their launches in 1972 to become the first to cross the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Both Pioneers gave Earth-bound researchers unprecedented photos of Jupiter, with Pioneer 11 going by Saturn, too. They are now far outside the orbits of the planets and moving fast enough to leave the solar system.
Two Voyager spacecraft set out in 1975 to match the Pioneers’ record by flying by four planets. Taking advantage of an alignment that happens once every 175 years, Voyagers 1 and 2 were sent on a "Grand Tour" of the outer solar system. Picking up speed with each planetary encounter, the Voyagers are farther into space than the Pioneer spacecraft. Voyager 1 is more than 11 billion miles from Earth, so far that it takes radio signals travelling at the speed of light 33 hours to reach Earth.
"It was a golden age of planetary science and Kennedy was the jumping-off place to make it happen," Launius said.
Following the wind- down of the early 1970s, Kennedy's momentum started ramping up anew towards the end of the decade when the infrastructure for the space shuttle fleet took shape and saw some testing. Enterprise, the prototype that was used to prove the shuttle design would work as a glider, was enlisted to test hardware and techniques that would be used to prepare shuttles for launch for the next 30 years.
Columbia, the first shuttle intended to fly in space, would provide one of the final milestones of the 1970s at Kennedy when it arrived atop a modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to begin what would be a groundbreaking but arduous time of preparations for its first flight. Although that mission, STS-1, would not begin until 1981, its successes were built on the agency's achievements throughout the decade before.
"The whole idea of processing the shuttle, nobody had any idea what that was about until the 1970s," Launius said. "Somebody had to put in a process whereby you take an orbiter and you prepare it for flight and you do all the checkouts and you stack it and you take it out and launch it, and all that is done at Kennedy and can be done nowhere else."
Steven Siceloff,
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center |
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Was Einstein wrong about our universe?
Experiments show neutrinos moving faster than the speed of light
The life of the neutrino as we know it began amid personal chaos. Its existence was first postulated by Wolfgang Pauli, a brilliant but troubled Austrian physicist who at 20 wrote a definitive, 200-page book on Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity that Einstein himself admired, and at 25 proposed his “exclusion principle,” a fundamental statement on the behaviour of matter at the subatomic level that later earned him a Nobel Prize. Colleagues called him “God’s whip” and the “conscience of physics” for his ferocious skepticism and probing, often devastating questions. Yet he was also a prodigious drinker and carouser who, while lecturing at the University of Hamburg, was on intimate terms with the Reeperbahn, that city’s notorious red light district, and who suffered strange, haunting dreams.
The neutrino was perhaps Pauli’s least favourite of his contributions to modern physics. In the late 1920s, physicists examining the decay of radioactive materials such as uranium puzzled over a mysterious gap in the amount of energy they shed: they knew uranium emitted energy in the form of electrons, but when they added these electrons up they discovered that some energy was missing. Faced with this mathematical quandary, Pauli found himself forced in 1930 to accept the presence of an invisible and hitherto unknown neutral particle that could account for the loss—a ghostly spectre of the subatomic world. This was the neutrino. “It was the first time anyone ever postulated a missing particle,” says University of Toronto physicist Bob Orr. “Most people thought this was a really stupid idea.” Even Pauli himself called it a “terrible thing,” and he lamented that in proposing it he had “invented a particle that cannot be detected.” Indeed, he placed a standing bet—a case of champagne—on the notion that it never would be, outlining his ideas on the particle in a letter to colleagues that began: “Dear radioactive ladies and gentlemen.”
The improbable and bizarre dogged Pauli for the rest of his life, and have now caught up with his neutrino. Within months of penning that letter, Pauli’s marriage to Käthe Deppner, a Berlin cabaret dancer, collapsed. This, in combination with his mother’s suicide, sent him into a depressive tailspin, and he sought the treatment of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. The two men became friends and embarked upon a joint obsession with the numeral “137,” both believing it a sort of code that would unlock the secrets of the universe. It is perfectly by accident that when Pauli died in a hospital of pancreatic cancer in 1958, he did so in room 137.
ll are elderly but only one has died, and so the Nobel race could turn into an endurance contest.
Continued on |
The Importance of Moderation
©Kenneth Cohen 2019
The principle of moderation occurs again and again in the Dao De Jing: “If you pound an edge to sharpness, it will not last long.” (Ch 9) “Those who embrace this Dao do not wish to be full.” (Ch 15) “The sage forgoes extremes, excess, and extravagance.” (Ch 29) “One who is contented does not suffer disgrace; one who knows when to stop is free of danger and thus can achieve longevity.” (Ch 44). Confucius is famous for his emphasis on moderation: “To exceed is as bad as to fall short.” (Analects Chapter 11), a theme that also underlies virtually all Chinese arts, from painting to poetry to qigong. Yin and yang are kept in balance and neither goes to extremes: there is always a drop of yin within yang, a drop of yang within yin. In the martial arts, an attack has the potential for defense, a defensive move contains the seed of attack. Stillness is the root of movement; movement is the root of stillness.
Daoist Extremists?
Considering the importance of moderation, how are we to understand this saying of esteemed Daoist Chiu Chuji (1148-1227), also known as The Master of Eternal Spring, Chang Chun Zi. (Chiu was the founder of the most famous branch of Daoism in China: Quanzhen. It was partially because of Chiu’s influence on Genghis Khan, ruler of Mongol-controlled China, that mass killing ceased and Daoism was preserved.)
“A person of old has said, 'First your thoughts stop. Second, your breathing stops. Third, your pulse
stops. Fourth, there is complete extinction.' You enter into the great meditative trance and do not interact at all with things, [much like] the ancient awl of 700-years.”
Translation by Professor Stephen Eskildsen.
Zazen on the Ocean, painting by Maruyama Okyo, 1787
Both Buddhists and Daoists have stories of Masters who achieve this state of hibernation (perhaps, “suspended animation” is closer). In one, government officials discover Buddhist Master Huichi in a trance, his body covered by hair and his nails so long that they encircled his body. He was brought back to life when a monk rang a temple gong, at which point he asked, “What era is this?” Huichi had been hibernating for 700 years.
My Interpretation
It is important to remember that there is an ancient Chinese literary tradition of exaggeration in order to illustrate a principle. For example, would Chan Master Nan Chuan, a Buddhist monk who took the precept of "Not Killing", really have killed a cat because of a monk's hesitation in answering a koan? Did Rinzai push a scholar off the bridge because he wondered about the "depth of the river of Zen"? Did Xi Wang Mu achieve longevity by draining the sexual essence from 1,000 young men (yes, that’s the story)? Here's a great one recorded in Daoist texts: A Daoist master swallows five gemstones and ritually directs them to lodge in specific internal organs. After he dies and his body decomposes until only the bones are left, the stones become self-activated and reconstitute all of his cells and tissues. The Master is youthful again with a full life ahead of him.
Does breathing stop or pulse stop? NO. However, compared to the conventional respiratory rate or heart rate, it seems to have stopped. Hence when a similar expression is used in Zhao Bichen's 19th Century master work, Xing Ming Fa Jue Ming Zhi (translated by Charles Luk as Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality) "stopping the breath" is defined as 似停非停 "seems to have stopped but doesn't stop." In a deep state of meditation, breath slows from the average of 17 breaths per minute to about 3 breaths per minute, and heart rate may drop to 50, or even lower. There is an "extinction" of the ordinary, conventional reality. Unfortunately, exaggeration is so common in both Daoism and Qigong that some modern practitioners mistakenly believe that their authenticity is established by making outrageous claims-- pushing people from a distance without physical touch, living 250 years, etc. (I know one Daoist who increases his age by 5 years on each birthday). At some point it no longer becomes a literary convention but rather-- to be blunt-- a lie or a con.
The spiritual law of moderation is one of several measures you can use to determine if a teaching is authentically Daoist. |
Edison's 'Lost' Idea: A Device to Hear the Dead
A new invention is revealed in a nearly lost chapter of the inventor's memoirs, which is being republished in France this week.
The American, who developed the phonograph and is often cited, inaccurately, as being the first to come up with the light bulb, wanted to create a sort of "spirit phone" that recorded the utterances of departed souls.
Edison (1847-1931) detailed his efforts and they were published posthumously in 1948 as the final chapter of his "Diary and Sundry Observations."
Strangely, though, his account of dabbling in what would today be considered the occult was expunged in subsequent English-language editions of the book.
Some in America thought the idea was maybe a hoax or a joke by Edison, as no design for a "spirit phone" has ever been uncovered.
But in France, the 1949 French translation of inventor's original "Diary" was preserved intact -- with the missing final chapter.
French readers from Thursday will be able to rediscover Edison's unusual quest in a book titled "Le Royaume de l'Au-dela" (The Kingdom of the Afterlife) that republishes the text.
It may not be as he conceived it, but in a way the book channels Edison's words from beyond the grave.
The work is presented with commentary by Philippe Baudouin, a French radio presenter and trained philosopher, who told AFP: "This little-known episode in the history of talking machines was of special interest to me, as I'm a radio man."
The chapter shows how Edison tried in late 1870 to find a basis for his "spirit phone" invention by amplifying the sound from his phonographs, the precursor of gramophones and record players.
He even made a pact with an engineer working with him, William Walter Dinwiddie, that the first who died would "would try to send a message to the survivor from beyond," Baudouin said.
Edison believed not only that ghosts existed but but also that they were very talkative.
He "imagined being able to record the voice of another being, to be able to make audible that which isn't -- the voice of the dead," Badouin said.
Edison wanted to create a "spirit phone" that recorded the utterances of departed souls.
1883: Thomas Edison's Voltage Regulator
1885: Machine Gun
1890: Stop Sign
1915: Stainless Steel Sink
1916: Condenser Microphone
1917: Modern Zipper
1931: Stop-action Photography
1932: Polarizer
2010: iPad
2011: Stark Hand
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As social beings, we are hard-wired to interpret breaks in the flow of human communication. We recognise the pregnant pause, the stunned silence, the expectant hush. A closer listen shows musical silence to be just as eloquent
One of the most arresting objects on display in the musical instruments galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a 2,000-year-old bell from Japan that was built to be mute. Dotaku bells such as this one still puzzle historians, but we know they were made without clappers and buried in earth, probably as part of a ritual designed to bless crops.
The first time I saw the Met’s dotaku, I stopped dead in my tracks. The expectation of sound had been turned into a sacrificial act of silence. From inside two slits high up on the bell, I thought I saw the ghost of John Cage smiling out.
Cage’s “4’33’’” may be the most notorious act of silence to be offered as music. But it fits into a long lineage of efforts to endow silence with artistic meaning. In Japanese music, the term “ma” suggests the space in between sounds that a performer must master. Debussy wrote that the music is not in the notes, but in the spaces between them. In a similar vein, Miles Davis said, “It’s not the notes you play; it’s the notes you don’t play.”
As social beings, we are hard-wired to interpret breaks in the flow of human communication. We recognize the pregnant pause, the stunned silence, the expectant hush. A one-beat delay on an answer can reveal hesitation or hurt, or play us for laughs. A closer listen shows musical silence to be just as eloquent.
This is a rough guide to recognizing and reading music’s negative spaces.
1. Before Western composers came up with a way to notate them, the length of rests in music were often dictated by buildings. When groups of monks, facing each other in a reverberant chapel, intoned psalms in plainchant, they inserted a pause in the middle of a verse. The length of this “media distinctio” was partly determined by acoustics: It prevented the next line of text from getting entangled with the resonance trail of the last. But as musicologist Emma Hornby has pointed out, it also created a meditative space. It synchronized the community and underlined, as she writes, “the unity of the monastery breathing and singing together.”
2. When Monteverdi wrote the opera “Orfeo,” he wasn’t just retelling a myth. His opera also advertised the power of this new form of sung drama by writing music that was about music — and silence. In the prologue, the allegorical character La Musica addresses the audience and declares her dominion over not just human emotions, but also nature itself.
“While I alternate my songs, now happy, now sad,” she sings, “let no small bird stir among these trees, no noisy wave be heard on these riverbanks, and let each little breeze halt in its course.” To demonstrate her power, Monteverdi brings the music to a complete standstill. He trains the audience’s ears on sounds, which he then takes away so that attention turns in on itself, onto the very process of listening.
In a later opera, Monteverdi wrote an exquisite lullaby, “Oblivion soave,” in which the performers seem to nod off themselves, before coming to and completing the song. Much of early Baroque music would use rests in such a literal way. As sound painting, silence could come to depict sleep, death, featureless landscapes or — in tiny breaks written into a vocal line — an emotional speaker choking on sobs.
3. Reason was the order of the day in the Enlightenment, and with it the art of persuasion. In the 18th century, music theorists codified rests and silences according to the rules of rhetoric, and encouraged composers to take inspiration from oration and acting. In an article on musical phrasing, Rousseau drew the analogy with an actor onstage who “agitated, transported with a passion which does not suffer him to go through his speech, is interrupted, breaks off, makes a stop.” Listen to the Fantasie in C (Wq 61/6) by C.P.E. Bach and note how the abrupt stops and pauses seem to delineate different arguments and affects.
Avi Stein, an organist and harpsichordist, said in a phone interview that the irregular rests in 18th-century music also reflected its mercurial nature. The composers of the period “had a fascination with improvisation and an almost schizophrenic idea of the emotions,” he said. “Often they can seem to throw out an emotion and then place a rest, so that we are unsure if you will stay on with that character, or throw it out and respond with a totally different gesture.”
4. If 18th-century musicians could emulate great orators or actors with judicious placement of rests, they could just as easily play the clown. Haydn was a master at this.
Take the last movement of his “Joke” Quartet, which introduces an upbeat tune and repeats it. A lot. So often, in fact, that within two minutes it has lodged itself like an earworm in the listener’s brain. Then Haydn cuts in with made-you-wait pauses and false endings. It’s cute. It’s funny. It gets a little annoying. But he keeps at it long enough that the last blip of the theme — after seven full bars of nothing — becomes a wink of sublime silliness.
Violinist Clara Lyon, who has recorded Haydn’s “Joke” with the Spektral Quartet, said in a phone interview that the composer is here “tapping into something that’s at the root of really basic clowning. You are teaching the audience how the joke goes as you’re telling the joke.”
5. Beethoven is so often associated with images of him scowling that it’s worth remembering that he, too, was adept at the comic rest. He also mastered the mystical silence, dramatic silence, and silence-as-sound-painting.
But what Beethoven introduced most forcefully into Western music was the explosive silence. The technique is not unlike that behind comic rests: You carry your listeners along on a train of musical thought that leads them to think they know what’s coming. Then you pull out the rug from underneath.
In the first movement of his “Eroica” Symphony, that train of thought builds up aggressive momentum, culminating in a series of slashing dissonant chords that are repeated with relentless force. Then, on the first beat of the next bar, where the ear expects either more of the same or a resolution of the harmonic tension — a void. “The loudest silence in musical literature,” musicologists Grosvenor Cooper and Leonard Meyer call this moment.
The shock of a rest such as this one draws its power from a certain regular meter or pattern that has been set up beforehand. At an unconscious level, listeners begin to identify the pulse of the music with their own. When it drops away unexpectedly, the silence delivers a heart-stopping jolt.
6. For the remainder of the 19th century, composers increasingly played with what we might call liminal silence. This is often quiet and ultrathin orchestration at the outer edges of a composition, designed to blur the line between composed sounds and the ambient hum of the concert hall. The music, once it registers as such, seems to coalesce out of nothing. At the end of some pieces, it fades into thin air.
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony begins almost imperceptibly. Mahler’s First is another example of music that seems to emerge from an amniotic brew of quiet notes, suspended in time. Other romantic symphonies recede into silence, such as Tchaikovsky’s Sixth and Brahms’s Third.
7. Along with other emancipation movements, the 20th century witnessed the emancipation of musical silence. The proportions of sound to not-sound were renegotiated to the point where roles seemed reversed. In Webern’s atonal miniatures, islands of sound float in a sea of white. Composers could now get away with writing so much empty space into their works because listening habits had changed. Unlike the boisterous audiences of Haydn’s time, modern concertgoers came to a performance prepared to sit still, in semidarkness, wearing what George Bernard Shaw called their “in-churchiest” expressions. Now, when the sounds fell away in the midst of a work, there was a good chance the space would be filled with attentive silence.
8. Even so, the premiere of Cage’s “4’33’’,” in 1952 in Woodstock, New York, aroused tempers. Here was a “performance” with deliberate sound-making removed from the equation. The position of the performer at the piano created the expectation of music in a way that made those in attendance switch into musical listening mode. But their attention was stubbornly turned back on themselves, and on the ambient noises in the room.
Cage’s silent piece acts like a mirror, revealing what the listener brings into the hall — rustling bodies, digestive clicks, impatience and derision. That sense of the rest as a reflecting pond is also a feature in the music of Arvo Pärt. A piece like “Psalom” for strings takes musical phrases that sound like questions and lobs them into gaping black silences. Whether the long-drawn-out pauses in between feel sheltering or terrifying depends on each listener’s state of mind.
What unites music’s negative spaces — whether they are designed for comedy, drama or mysticism — is their power to propel the listener from the role of passive consumer to active participant. As in a limerick recited with the last word missing, the brain jumps in to complete the rhyme.
Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, who directs the music cognition lab at Princeton University, writes of “episodes of meta-listening” where composers bring listening habits to the surface “weaving this into the fabric of the aesthetic object.”
Perhaps that is why Debussy and Davis pointed to the moments of not-sound as the very essence of music: It is in those spaces that listening really listens to itself, and to the wider world.
©2019 New York Times News Service
Reference Link: |
Alcohol and its Effect on Women
Alcohol and its Effect on Women
courtesy of the Double Helix BBS at 212-865-7043
The following is an abstract from the N.E.J.M. 1/11/90 which might
be of general help and is of definite interest in defining social
behavior and in defining the limits of ourselves.
The article concerns the effects of alcohol and sex factors.
The abstract is as follows:
After consuming a comparable amount of ethanol (alcohol), women
were found to have higher blood ethanol concentrations than men
even with allowances for differences in size and were found to
be more susceptible to alcohol induced liver disease.
Recently we documented significant “first-pass metabolism” of
ethanol due to its oxidation by gastric tissue.
We report a study of the possible contribution of this
metabolism to the sex related difference in blood alcohol
concentrations in 20 men and 23 women. Six in each group were
What is being noted here (after first being noted in rats) is
that women do not metabolize alcohol via enzymes which are
present in their stomachs, or more specifically their stomach
walls (gastric mucosa) while men do.
In both men and women this ability decreases with excessive
consumption, however women have less ability to metabolize
alcohol in this manner than men, even if they are not regular
This sex difference is not reported for rats, but the ability
to significantly metabolize alcohol via the stomach mucosa was
first noticed in this species.
In women who are alcoholics stomach metabolism of alcohol was
virtually abolished.
The significance of this is that women who consume alcohol
excessively are more likely to suffer damage, usually to the
liver, than are men.
Furthermore, in regard to women who are pregnant, the existence
of the fetal alcohol syndrome, even in women who consume small
amounts of alcohol i¼ explained.
It has previously been documented that women who consume
alcohol during their pregnancy have smaller, less healthw and
possibly less intelligent babies than does who do not.
Of course this highlights the fact that without question
alcohol is the most dangerous drug problem this nation has.
Other studies on this subject have shown that while cigarette
smokers pay the public and private health cost of smoking via
the taxes placed on the product, alcohol consumers do not.
That is to say that the amount of taxes paid for alcohol does
not cover the medical cost alcoholic drinkers bring on
themselves because of their consumption.
This is despite the fact that one gallon of alcohol, untaxed,
is costs about $2 while the same gallon, when taxed, costs
about $20.
Interestingly, while it has for a long time been common medical
knowledge that the substance abuse laws are antiquated in
regard to our documented knowledge of harm caused by the
substances so listed (marijuana in particular) the list can not
only be considered stupid but sexist as well.
I do not mean to encourage the use of anything but women who
are pregnant must avoid the use of all legal drugs and should
not be mislead into thinking the legality of a substance has
anything to do with its potential harm.
This point is stressed since surveys of drug and alcohol have
shown a decline of one with the increase of the other.
During the 60’s and 70’s when drug consumption of other
substances increased the rate of alcohol consumption declined.
More recently the opposite trend has manifested. |
Phosphorus is a multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group. It is a component of DNA, RNA, ATP, and also the phospholipids that form all cell membranes. It is thus an essential element for all living cells, and organisms tend to accumulate and concentrate it. Today, the most important commercial use of phosphorus-based chemicals is the production of fertilizers, to replace the phosphorus that plants remove from the soil. It is widely used to make organophosphorus compounds. It is also an important component in steel production, in the making of phosphor bronze, and in many other related products. Phosphates are utilized in the making of special glasses that are used for sodium lamps.
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Piperylene is a volatile, flammable hydrocarbon consisting of a five carbon chain with two double bonds. It is obtained as a byproduct of ethylene production from crude oil.
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Promethium is notable for being the only exclusively radioactive element besides technetium that is followed by chemical elements with stable isotopes. It is used as a beta radiation source for thickness gauges. It is also used as a light source for signals that require reliable, independent operation. In particular, Promethium(III) chloride mixed with zinc sulfide was used for a time as a major luminous paint for watches after radium was discontinued. This mixture is still occasionally used for some luminous paint applications. Promethium has possible future uses in portable X-ray sources, and as auxiliary heat or power sources for space probes and satellites.
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Quinizarine is an organic compound derived from anthroquinone. It is an inexpensive dye that is used to colour gasoline and some heating oils. It is used as an intermediate for the synthesis of indanthrene- and alizarin-derived dyes. It is also used to form lake pigments with calcium, barium, and lead.
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Red Grease
Red Grease is an all purpose non-melt grease with extreme pressure and anti-wear additives for use in heavy duty applications. Sprays as a thin liquid and quickly becomes a thick red grease capable of clinging to vertical surfaces. It is water resistant with exceptional resistance to acids, salt spray, weather, dirt, dust, steam and oxidation. Seals out dirt and other contaminants prolonging the life of the metal.
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Riboflavin is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and other animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins. It is widely used as food and feed additives. Riboflavin has been used in several clinical and therapeutic situations. It has also been used as a muscle pain reliever. Because riboflavin is fluorescent under UV light, dilute solutions are often used to detect leaks or to demonstrate coverage in an industrial system such as chemical blend tank or bioreactor.
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Friday, March 22, 2013
A Record Smashing Black Hole Merry-Go-Round
Astronomers using a European telescope in space have found a star and black hole that whip around a common center every two and a half hours, setting a new record for the movement of such weird companions in space. Like a merciless cannibal, the black hole is also stripping the poor star of its outer layers of hot gas and pulling them into its open "mouth."
To understand this system, you must first know that while some stars are single, like our Sun, many stars live in intimate relationships with each other. Two stars may orbit a common center and spend their lives whirling around in a rhythmic cosmic dance. If one of those stars should be especially massive, it may end its life as a black hole -- a collapsed star corpse so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.
In our present case, the black hole is estimated to contain enough material to make more than three of our Suns. The little star it shares its dance with, on the other hand, is only about 1/5th the mass of our Sun. As their mutual gravity pulls them around, the star travels at 1.2 million miles per hour while the black hole moves at 90,000 miles per hour. The two are only 600,000 miles apart (a very small distance for astronomy.) Compare that to the 93 million miles that separate the Earth from the Sun.
Check out an animated video of this crazy pair of cosmic objects at:
You can see material being stripped from the living star and swirling in toward the black hole. It is this doomed material which glows with tell-tale x-rays and identified the system to the XMM-Newton x-ray telescope being operated by the European Space Agency. We can only detect these x-rays BEFORE the material enters the black hole -- nothing can escape from it once it falls into the black hole itself.
For a quick YouTube video where I explain the basics of what a black hole is, you can see:
1. i liked the youtube video link
best poetry on the world ->
2. Whatever the situations that hinder the way of get my love back,Abdul Wahab solves the issues and endures the love in your life by get my love back by black magic. Abdul Wahab makes it possible with get your love back by black magic the characteristics of god. Also you and your loved one will be entirely protected.
Muslim Astrologer In Mumbai
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Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Adventures of a Young Sailor: Powder Monkey
Adventures of a Young Sailor: Powder Monkey
Paul Dowswell
Historical Fiction Series
For ages 12 and up
Bloomsbury, 2005 ISBN: 978-1582346755
Sam has wanted to be a sailor for as long as he can remember. His father is not keen on the idea, warning his son that life in the navy is very hard indeed. So a compromise is reached; Sam can go to sea but he has to get a position on a merchant ship. Though Sam has to work hard on the Franklyn, he is not treated with excessive cruelty and on the whole he likes his new life.
Then everything is turned upside down. First the Franklyn is attacked by a French privateer. Sam gets his first taste of what war at sea can be like, and he hates every minute of it. Then a British navy vessel arrives on the scene. Though the Franklyn is saved from the French, many of the men on board the merchant ship are pressed by the navy and the captain of the Franklyn cannot do a thing to prevent this from happening. Sam is one of the crew who is taken and thus begins his reluctant career in the navy on board the frigate Miranda.
There can be do doubt that Sam?s father was quite right. Life in the British navy is hard and very dangerous. Sam spends much of his time feeling terrified of what might happen. As a powder monkey there is a good chance that he might get blown to smithereens should their ship be attacked. And what about hand to hand combat with the enemy. If Sam has to be a part of a boarding party, he might very well be injured or killed. Of course there is also the basic business of living and working on the Miranda. Discipline is rigorous, punishments are harsh, and many of the crew are very dangerous men indeed.
This exciting tale gives a fascinating picture of what it might have been like to be on an English navy ship in the 1800?s. Given the conditions on board it is a wonder than anyone survived but survive they did, and some even came to like the navy way of life. Gripping battle scenes and plenty of intimate details about ship board life make this a absorbing read. |
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Sklářská stezka II – okolím Železnorudska
Gerl´s Glassworks, Gerlhütte
A glassmaster Pock (Bock) built a glassworks called Bockbastlhütte around 1600. In the first decades of the 17th century it was almost certainly a bead glassworks which was out of operation during the Thirty Years´ War while the metallurgical rights were passed on to the Pock´s descendants. After the end of the War the glassworks was run by Hans Haas, a glassmaster from Javorná. The glassworks was most likely managed by his son Adam who was married to Markéta Pocková. Hass sells the glassworks entity with all its lands to Sebastian Gerl, a glassmaster from Javorná. Sebastian Gerl was in charge of the glassworks till 1684 when he handed it over to his son Johann Phillip. During that period, sometime between 1698 and 1699 the glassworks was moved to a different location. Its production focused on hollow and partly window glass and glassbeads. The new glassworks called Gerl´s Glassworks was managed by Johann Phillip Gerl until 1715 when it was passed over to his son Johann Kaspar. Under his management, sheet glass was already manufactured there apart from hollow glass. The glassmaster Johann Kaspar Gerl died in 1733 not having a son to pass it over. His daughter Eva Marie got married to a glass master from Železná Ruda Josef Hafenbrädel who, in line of his family tradition, expanded the glassworks by another furnace for sheet glass production. Johann Josef was in charge of the glassworks for 20 years.
After his death in quite a young age the glassworks was run by his widow, from 1763 by her son Johann Wenzel. He made changes to the glassworks and set up his own company store house for sheet glass in Vienna. Increasing prices of potash undermined the grounds of financial vitality of the company. Moreover, the glassworks got under a serious of accidents – one smelter broke down under heavy fall of snow and the other burnt down. The company was bankrupt from 1781 to 1792 which ended up by a complete bankruptcy in 1793.
The glassworks was then bought by Johann Wenzl Adler, a glassmaster from Brunst. According to the existing records, the glassworks was working quite irregularly, often completely out of operation until the 20s of 19th century due to the deep demand crisis in Czech glassmaking industry. In that time it was Adler´s widow and later her sons Anto and Ignaz who were in charge of it. Sometime in the early 30th of the 19th century the glassworks was shut down and keptout of operation for about two decades. In 1851 it was purchased by Peter Ziegler from Alžbětín who produced sheet glass here. The glassworks remained a family property also under the management of his son Wolfgang who bought it to another glass master from Alžběžín-Wolfgang´s uncle Franz Schrenk in 1875–1879. Wolfgang remained in the position of its director until its break-down in the year 1887. Written by PhDr. Jitka Lněničková
Useful information
Important information:
GPS position
N 49° 10.006', E 13° 17.403'
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CO2 Laser Cutting introduce.
CO2 Laser Cutting introduce
CO2 laser cutting is a process whereby materials are cut using a focused, high energy beam of light generated by a carbon dioxide laser. The laser beam is focused into a very precise spot on the material to be cut, and the heat generated forms a small, localized melt point through the entire thickness of the material. Many CO2 laser cutting machines employ a gas assist system which focuses a high speed stream of inert gas onto the cut point to clear the cut of melted material. Most laser cutters are automated and advance the cut by either moving the cutting head or the material to follow the cut profile. CO2 laser cutting is used for a wide range of materials and is characterized by high cutting speeds and extreme cut precision levels.
Laser cutting offers operators a highly accurate method of cutting complex shapes from a wide variety of materials. Lasers can be focused to extremely fine points and have enough energy to cut through thick metals with ease.Computer aided design (CAD) and computer numerical control (CNC) technology allows complex designs to be made by automated CO2 laser cutting machine quickly and with great accuracy. The list of materials suited to laser cutting is diverse and includes wood, acrylic, paper, leather, fabric, cloth plastics, metals, wood, rubber and as well as many other nonmetal materials. |
Soap, the Enemy of the Coronavirus
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In recent days, doctors and scientists have explained why a humble bar of soap is one of the most important resources to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. What should we know about it?
In recent days, fear and misinformation have spread through the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Due to this, doctors, scientists and health entities have emphasized the importance of taking preventive measures. Thus, we find an enemy of the coronavirus: soap.
Soap, the Enemy of the Coronavirus
Soap, the Enemy of the Coronavirus
Through Twitter, professionals such as Alberto Sicilia, doctor of theoretical physics, and Palli Thordarson, a chemistry professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia, have explained why soap is one of the best options against this virus that it has everyone on alert.
Why is soap an enemy of the coronavirus?
To help us understand why soap is an enemy of the coronavirus, the professionals mentioned above explain to us, first of all, that viruses are “microscopic beings” that need to enter into human cells in order to multiply because by themselves they cannot.
The coronavirus, in particular, is made up of three elements: genetic material (RNA), proteins that allow it to adhere to human cells, and a fat envelope that protects it. It is in this last element that soap performs its function as an enemy of the virus.
The composition of the soap includes salts with fat-like substances, known as amphiphilic, which may have lipid-like structures on the virus membrane. Thanks to these characteristics, it is a product that can act depending on the environment you are in.
Therefore, these molecules enter to compete with lipids in the virus membrane, which helps dissolve it to inactivate this microorganism, which is not actually a living being but can keep it active outside the body for hours, and even days. .
This explains why soap is the enemy of the new coronavirus and many other disease-causing germs. Hence the importance of ensuring good hand washing as a preventive measure to prevent the spread of this infectious agent that is causing us fear.
Can soap kill the coronavirus?
Soap helps dissolve the fatty membrane that protects viruses, and therefore “collapses like a house of cards and dies” – experts say. However, as we already mentioned, viruses are not really alive and, therefore, they do not die but they are inactivated with soap and a good hand washing.
Dr. Dan McGee, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Helen DeVos in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said in an interview for the newspaper Today that “Handwashing is the second-best way to prevent infection.” The first option is a vaccine, if available, of course.
But is washing your hands enough? Maybe not entirely. However, its role in the prevention of infectious diseases has been proven by science. According to research published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, handwashing helps stop the spread of the disease.
In addition, according to this same source, this habit could reduce the chances of contracting a respiratory disease by up to 54%, which outweighs the effect of any other option. All of these facts have been supported by more recent studies, such as one from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In this research, it was found that improving the handwashing rates of travelers visiting 10 of the world’s main airports is decisive in reducing the spread of many diseases of infectious origin.
Soap and disinfectants: what is the best option?
Thorough handwashing is one of the most important measures to prevent infection and spread of pathogens such as coronavirus. However, because of the same fear that has spread worldwide because of this disease, many people are thinking that disinfectants are superior to soap when it comes to acting against the virus.
How true is this? Well, health experts and entities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prioritize the use of soap. To date, there is no evidence to show that antibacterial soaps are superior to normal versions in disease prevention.
However, if soap and water are not on hand, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help. Even in places like the office, it might be helpful to have disinfectant wipes on hand. The downside is that the use of soap is being underestimated, and the use of disinfectants is becoming absurd, to the point that they have become excessively expensive.
Opt for the use of soap
Therefore, it must be clear that soap, in addition to being available to everyone, is the best option. In fact, it works in any of its versions: liquid, solid, with aroma, dishwashers, the versions only marketed for men or women, in short, all.
The most important thing is to keep in mind that they must be used together with water and for at least 20 seconds. Thus, we should wash our hands whenever necessary, at least five times a day, making sure we rub our hands together, washing our fingers and even our wrists well. Based on the article above, we provide a suitable video for you regarding Soap, the Enemy of the Coronavirus ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) |
The Molecular Zipper
Physics students the world over encounter the zipper problem at some point in their studies. It is a simple statistical physics model of the formation or unraveling of a long chain of links (often used as a toy model for DNA). Part of the reason that the zipper problem is so popular in homework assignments is that it has a great balance of interesting physics with relatively simple calculations.
We can take this common homework problem a step further to uncover some new physics in the system. By adding a simple model of degeneracy to the links, we can actually uncover a phase transition in this seemingly innocent one-dimensional zipper. Let’s take a look.
The Setup
Suppose a zipper in a heat bath (temperature \(T\)) has \(N\) links. Each link can either be closed with energy 0 or open with energy \(\epsilon\). However, the zipper can only unzip from one end. Thus, link number \(s\) can only open if all links before it are also open (\(1, 2, \cdots, s - 1\)). Shown below is the zipper diagram in Kittel’s paper.
Kittel Zipper Diagram
I am going to make a couple of assumptions here, just to simplify the analysis of the problem (similar to Kittel):
1. The final link can never be open (shown as a thick black square on the right side of the diagram above). This prevents the zipper from disconnecting and drifting apart.
2. When a link is closed it can only be in one configuration. However, when the link is open, the two pieces of the link are free to spin around and assume G different positions. Thus, the open link has a degeneracy of G.
The diagrams below show some possible examples of open links in different orientations. The orientation of the link does not change the energy stored in the link, so these setups all have the same total energy.
Kittel Zipper Diagram 1
Kittel Zipper Diagram 2
Kittel Zipper Diagram 3
If I were to do this problem in a traditional statistical mechanics class, then \(G\) would be equal to one. However, if \(G\) is not equal to one, we see an interesting effect.
The Partition Function
Due to the restricted way that the chain of \(N\) links can unravel, it can only be in certain specific energy states. If the first \(s\) links are open, then the total energy of the system is equal to \(E_s = \epsilon s\). Let’s pretend that each of the links is some particle with energy 0 or \(\epsilon\). The links in the chain will never interact with each other - they just open or close if the conditions are right. If you have a system of non-interacting particles in thermal equilibrium, then you can use Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics.
The first step to solving any Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics problem is calculating the partition function. This is surprisingly easy for our single-ended zipper. Recall that a partition function is defined by the following sum:
\[\begin{equation} Z = \sum_{s=0}^M e^{-E_s/kT} \end{equation}\]
In the expression above, \(s\) denotes a particular state, \(E_s\) is the energy of the state \(s\), \(k\) is Boltzman’s constant, and \(T\) is the temperature of the system. We are summing over the \(M\) possible states of the system. In the single-ended zipper problem, the different states correspond to different numbers of links being open (i.e. no links open, one link open, two links open, etc.). In each of these cases, we have a degeneracy \(G^s\) (i.e. there are \(G^s\) different ways that the open links can orient themselves, with each of those states having energy \(E_s = \epsilon\)s). Then:
\[\begin{equation} Z = \sum_{s=0}^{N-1} G^s e^{-E_s/kT} = \sum_{s=0}^{N-1} G^s e^{-s\epsilon/kT} = \sum_{s=0}^{N-1} \left [ G e^{-\epsilon/kT} \right ]^s \end{equation}\]
In the equations above, we are summing to (N-1), not N. This is because we assume that the last link of the zipper will never be open (i.e. the two halves of the zipper can never disconnect and drift apart). Since \(\epsilon\), \(k\), and \(T\) are all positive, the exponent will always be less than or equal to one. Thus, we can turn to the geometric series to simplify the expression. Recall that:
\[\begin{equation} \sum_{a=0}^N r^a = \frac{1 - r^{N+1}}{1-r} \end{equation}\]
Thus, our partition function can be re-written as:
\[\begin{equation} Z = \frac{1 - Ge^{-N\epsilon/kT}}{1 - Ge^{-\epsilon/kT}} \end{equation}\]
As is customary in statistical mechanics, I will define \(\beta \equiv (kT)^{-1}\).
\[\begin{equation} Z = \frac{1 - Ge^{-\beta N\epsilon}}{1 - Ge^{-\beta \epsilon}} \end{equation}\]
I am going to proceed similar to Kittel and define \(x \equiv Gexp(-\beta \epsilon)\). Then:
\[\begin{equation} Z = \frac{1 - x^N}{1 - x} \end{equation}\]
It's Not Every Day...
Once you determine the partition function, you can solve for any number of thermodynamic quantities. Traditionally, one is asked to solve for the average number of open links on the zipper \(\langle s \rangle\). This is just the sum over all states of the probability of being in that state (P) multiplied by the index of the state (s):
\[\begin{equation} \langle s \rangle = \sum_{s=0}^{N-1} sP(s) = \sum_{s=0}^{N-1} \frac{s e^{-\beta s \epsilon}}{Z} = \frac{1}{Z} \sum_{s=0}^{N-1} s e^{-\beta s \epsilon} \end{equation}\]
Notice that we can rewrite the sum in terms of a derivative of the partition function (\(Z\)). The expression for \(\langle s \rangle\) becomes.
\[\begin{equation} \langle s \rangle = -\frac{1}{Z\epsilon} \frac{\partial Z}{\partial \beta} \end{equation}\]
Now we utilize a common trick in thermodynamics calculations. Given a function \(f(\beta) \equiv f\):
\[\begin{equation} \frac{1}{f} \frac{\partial f}{\partial \beta} = \frac{\partial}{\partial \beta} ln(f) \end{equation}\]
The expression for \(\langle s \rangle\) becomes:
\[\begin{equation} \langle s \rangle = -\frac{1}{\epsilon} \frac{\partial}{\partial \beta} ln(Z) \end{equation}\]
This is pretty easy to simplify:
\[\begin{align} \langle s \rangle &= -\frac{1}{\epsilon} \frac{\partial}{\partial \beta} ln(Z)\\[0.1cm] &= -\frac{1}{\epsilon} \frac{\partial}{\partial \beta} ln \left (\frac{1-x^N}{1-x} \right )\\[0.1cm] &= -\frac{1}{\epsilon} \frac{\partial}{\partial \beta} \left [ ln(1-x^N) - ln(1-x) \right ]\\[0.1cm] &= -\frac{1}{\epsilon} \left [ \frac{\frac{\partial (1-x^N)}{\partial \beta}}{1-x^N} - \frac{\frac{\partial (1-x)}{\partial \beta}}{1-x} \right ] \end{align}\]
Recall that \(x \equiv Gexp(-\beta \epsilon)\).
\[\begin{align} \langle s \rangle &= -\frac{1}{\epsilon} \left [ \frac{N\epsilon x^N}{1-x^N} - \frac{\epsilon x}{1-x} \right ]\\[0.1cm] &= \frac{Nx^N}{x^N - 1} - \frac{x}{x-1}\\[0.1cm] \end{align}\]
Thus, we have arrived at a familiar answer.
The Phase Transition
The final expression above is the usual stopping point in most statistical mechanics classes. However, we are going to take it a step further. Take a look at the denominators in the expression above. Something interesting is happening in the liminting case when \(x\) approaches one. In the figures below, I plot the value of \(\langle s \rangle\) as a function of \(x\) at different values of \(N\). Notice that I center each graph around \(x = 1\).
N = 50
N = 100
N = 1000
It looks like the expression has a discontinuity centered at \(x=1\) when \(N\rightarrow\infty\). This discontinuity corresponds to a phase change - the phase of relatively few links being open changes to the phase of almost all links being open.
Wait a Minute
Not quite little cupcake. It is true that \(exp(-\beta\epsilon)\) can never equal one, so we will never see a phase transition in the traditional solution to the zipper problem where \(G=1\). However, the expression \(x = Gexp(-\beta \epsilon)\) can equal one if G is large enough.
\[\begin{equation} Ge^{-\beta \epsilon} = 1 \end{equation}\] \[\begin{equation} G = e^{\beta \epsilon} \end{equation}\]
When the degeneracy of the system is equal to \(exp(\beta\epsilon)\), we will see a phase transition. Pretty neat.
In the real world, we cannot control \(G\) or \(\epsilon\); they are fixed values for a given system. However, we can control the temperature of the heat bath \(T\). Thus, we can rearrange the equation above to get the temperature at which the phase transition occurs:
\[\begin{equation} G = e^{\beta \epsilon} = e^{\epsilon/kT} \end{equation}\] \[\begin{equation} ln(G) = \epsilon/kT \end{equation}\] \[\begin{equation} T = \frac{\epsilon}{k ln(G)} \end{equation}\]
Pretty snazzy. |
Step 8: Connect the Trees
Find where the trees of different common ancestors collide and build those trees forward. Be on the look out for surprises. Most couples are married but sometimes they aren’t. In the example below, you found that a Stark from the blue cluster and a Targaryen from the yellow cluster had married.
Build the connected branches forward to identify possible candidates. Use non-ID and official documents as well as ‘information from those that know,’ to guide you. Consider target testing of individuals to validate or disprove possible relationships. Remember, you may fit a generation or two closer or further away.
This is the point where you have likely “Found” who you are looking for
More details on how to conduct Pedigree Triangulation and use tools to help find the MRCA more easily are in our Intro and Applied Classes. We also cover a number of other techniques not mentioned here including: Using Ethnicity Estimates to separate ancestral lines and matches, Segment Triangulation, Using the X Chromosome, Charting, and Y-DNA in searches. See our class page for the class schedule. |
Outdated version of the documentation. Find the latest one here.
The toolbox
The Toolbox is the main element of the processing GUI, and the one that you are more likely to use in your daily work. It shows the list of all available algorithms grouped in different blocks, and it is the access point to run them, whether as a single process or as a batch process involving several executions of the same algorithm on different sets of inputs.
Figure Processing 5:
Processing Toolbox
The toolbox contains all the available algorithms, divided into so-called “Providers”.
Providers can be (de)activated in the settings dialog. A label in the bottom part of the toolbox will remind you of that whenever there are inactive providers. Use the link in the label to open the settings window and set up providers. We will discuss the settings dialog later in this manual.
By default only, providers that do not rely on third-party applications (that is, those that only require QGIS elements to be run) are active. ALgorithms requiring external applications might need additional configuration. Configuring providers is explained in a later chapter in this manual.
In the upper part of the toolbox, you will find a text box. To reduce the number of algorithms shown in the toolbox and make it easier to find the one you need, you can enter any word or phrase on the text box. Notice that, as you type, the number of algorithms in the toolbox is reduced to just those that contain the text you have entered in their names.
Processing Toolbox showing search results
If you click on the link in that label, the list of algorithms will also include those from inactive providers, which will be shown in light gray. A link to active each inactive provider is also shown.
Figure Processing 7:
Processing Toolbox showing search results
To execute an algorithm, just double-click on its name in the toolbox.
The algorithm dialog
Once you double-click on the name of the algorithm that you want to execute, a dialog similar to that in the figure below is shown (in this case, the dialog corresponds to the ‘Polygon centroids’ algorithm).
Figure Processing 8:
Parameters Dialog
You will see a button by each vector layer selector, as shown in the figure below.
Figure Processing 9:
Vector iterator button
• A numerical value, to be introduced in a text box. You will find a button by its side. Clicking on it, you will see a dialog that allows you to enter a mathematical expression, so you can use it as a handy calculator. Some useful variables related to data loaded into QGIS can be added to your expression, so you can select a value derived from any of these variables, such as the cell size of a layer or the northernmost coordinate of another one.
Figure Processing 10:
Number Selector
• A coordinate reference system. You can type the EPSG code directly in the text box, or select it from the CRS selection dialog that appears when you click on the button on the right-hand side.
• An extent, to be entered by four numbers representing its xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax limits. Clicking on the button on the right-hand side of the value selector, a pop-up menu will appear, giving you two options: to select the value from a layer or the current canvas extent, or to define it by dragging directly onto the map canvas.
Figure Processing 11
Extent selector
If you select the first option, you will see a window like the next one.
Figure Processing 12
Extent List
If you select the second one, the parameters window will hide itself, so you can click and drag onto the canvas. Once you have defined the selected rectangle, the dialog will reappear, containing the values in the extent text box.
Figure Processing 13:
Extent Drag
• A list of elements (whether raster layers, vector layers or tables), to select from the list of such layers available in QGIS. To make the selection, click on the small button on the left side of the corresponding row to see a dialog like the following one.
Figure Processing 14:
Multiple Selection
Figure Processing 15:
Fixed Table
Along with the parameters tab, you will find another tab named ‘Log’. Information provided by the algorithm during its execution is written in this tab, and allow you to track the execution and be aware and have more details about the algorithm as it runs. Notice that not all algorithms write information to this tab, and many of them might run silently without producing any output other than the final files.
On the right hand side of the dialog you wil find a short description of the algorithm, which will help you understand its purpose and its basic ideas. If such a description is not available, the description panel will not be shown.
Some algorithms might have a more detailed help file, which might include description of every parameter it uses, or examples. In that case, you will find a Help tab in the parameters dialog.
A note on projections
Algorithms that are run from the processing framework — this is also true of most of the external applications whose algorithms are exposed through it— do not perform any reprojection on input layers and assume that all of them are already in a common coordinate system and ready to be analyzed. Whenever you use more than one layer as input to an algorithm, whether vector or raster, it is up to you to make sure that they are all in the same coordinate system.
Note that, due to QGIS’s on-the-fly reprojecting capabilities, although two layers might seem to overlap and match, that might not be true if their original coordinates are used without reprojecting them onto a common coordinate system. That reprojection should be done manually, and then the resulting files should be used as input to the algorithm. Also, note that the reprojection process can be performed with the algorithms that are available in the processing framework itself.
Data objects generated by algorithms
• A raster layer
• A vector layer
• A table
• An HTML file (used for text and graphical outputs)
You can set a default folder for output data objects. Go to the settings dialog (you can open it from the Processing menu), and in the General group, you will find a parameter named Output folder. This output folder is used as the default path in case you type just a filename with no path (i.e., myfile.shp) when executing an algorithm.
Configuring the processing framework
Rendering styles can be configured individually for each algorithm and each one of its outputs. Just right-click on the name of the algorithm in the toolbox and select Edit rendering styles. You will see a dialog like the one shown next.
Figure Processing 16:
Rendering Styles
Select the style file (.qml) that you want for each output and press [OK].
Other configuration parameters in the General group are listed below:
|
Home Uncategorized Write a C++ Program to implement Vector and Vector Operations
Write a C++ Program to implement Vector and Vector Operations
AIM: Write a program to illustrate vector and vector operations.
Vectors are sequence containers representing arrays that can change in size.
Just like arrays, vectors use contiguous storage locations for their elements, which means that their elements can also be accessed using offsets on regular pointers to its elements, and just as efficiently as in arrays. But unlike arrays, their size can change dynamically, with their storage being handled automatically by the container.
Instead, vector containers may allocate some extra storage to accommodate for possible growth, and thus the container may have an actual capacity greater than the storage strictly needed to contain its elements (i.e., its size). Libraries can implement different strategies for growth to balance between memory usage and reallocations, but in any case, reallocations should only happen at logarithmically growing intervals of size so that the insertion of individual elements at the end of the vector can be provided with amortized constant time complexity (see push_back).
Therefore, compared to arrays, vectors consume more memory in exchange for the ability to manage storage and grow dynamically in an efficient way.
Compared to the other dynamic sequence containers (deques, lists and forward_lists), vectors are very efficient accessing its elements (just like arrays) and relatively efficient adding or removing elements from its end. For operations that involve inserting or removing elements at positions other than the end, they perform worse than the others, and have less consistent iterators and references than lists and forward_lists.
using namespace std;
int main()
cout<<“The elements are “;
cout<<“Elements in ascending order\n”;
int s=e.size()-1;
int s=e.size()-1;
cout<<“\nElements in descending order\n”;
for(int j=s;j>=3;j–)
return 0;
The elements are 5 8 9
Elements in ascending order
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Elements in descending order
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Back to Programs. |
Understanding Fake Accounts on Social Media
2020-09-25 by Julio Juarez
Internet use has become almost synonymous with the use of social media platforms, with many users relying on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as their main channels to catch up on current affairs, make purchasing decisions, and find entertainment. Even so, the social media landscape has increasingly become a divisive one, and one where threats abound.
Despite what users may think, social media platforms do more than just collate and deliver content from users to their followers. Every platform has its own specific “algorithm” that curates what users see on their feed based on “likes,” which effectively operate as votes. The more that people interact with a post, positively or negatively, the more that post will be highlighted to other users.
It is for this reason that extreme content, including slander and sensationalist lies, are rapidly spread across each platform.
Another issue with social media algorithms, however, is the nature of the “voting.” While boosting exposure of posts based on user engagement may seem fair at the outset, no social media platform is immune to the scourge of computer accounts, or “bots,” that plague the internet. Worse still, these bots are never neutral; they tend to be controlled by hackers, with unknown intentions and agenda. For example, nearly half of Twitter accounts discussing the COVID-19 epidemic are bots.
The quality of bot disguises vary. Many have no profile photo, a non-existent or nonsensical bio, and “like” and comment in clear non-human patterns. Others, however, are more sinister: an account claiming to be run by an “All-American patriotic army wife” from a southern state could be a prolific debater on immigration and jobs in the English language, but with a posting history that clearly shows the use of Ukrainian.
Bot accounts such as these are characterized by researchers as “sock puppets,” indicating a hidden hand that speaks via an alternative identity. Sometimes, it can be easy enough to ascertain whether a social media user is a real person or a sock puppet, but often even the most seasoned researchers can be fooled.
Take, for example, an account once run by a “Jenna Abrams.” At one point, her Twitter handle had more than 70,000 followers, and her conservative blog posts were widely shared with enthusiasm by thousands online. In 2017, she even managed to get a fake news story shared by mainstream news media. As it turned out, however, there was no Jenna Abrams: her Twitter handle was included on a list of accounts connected to Russian intelligence that was eventually turned over by Twitter to Congressional investigators.
These bot accounts exist for a range of reasons, not least being the sowing of distrust and division. While social media platforms have made some attempt at cracking down on the issue, such as labelling COVID-19 fake news when it appears on Twitter, the onus is still on human users to learn how to distinguish between real and fake accounts on social media. |
Around 50% of all adults have experienced derealization — feelings of unreality or detachment from the world — at least once. Severe stress and other traumatic situations can trigger episodes of derealization. For some people, symptoms cause only minor problems, while others may require professional, medical intervention.
Derealization Episodes
Not everyone who experiences an episode of derealization has a psychiatric disorder. Only about 2% of people meet the level of criteria noted in the DSM-5 for a diagnosis of derealization disorder. Most people who experience derealization feel an alteration in their perception that makes their external surroundings appear unreal or strange. These episodes may last a few hours or continue for days, weeks, or even months.
perception surroundings derealization woman Tim Robberts / Getty Images
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) merged two disorders, depersonalization disorder and derealization disorder, into one: depersonalization-derealization disorder. The APA identified it as one of three types of dissociative disorders, conditions that lead to a disconnection between a person’s sense of self and their thoughts, feelings, memories, and actions.
psychiatric disorders dissociative derealization FatCamera / Getty Images
Derealization vs. Depersonalization
Both conditions lead to experiences of unreality and detachment. Depersonalization causes a person to feel like they are an observer of their own thoughts, emotions, sensations, body, or actions, and they may feel disconnected from their memories. Derealization results in detachment from the validity of their surroundings. They feel like they are walking around in a fog.
unreality detachment depersonalization derealization man urbazon / Getty Images
Traumatic Experiences That Can Trigger Derealization
Physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or having a mentally ill parent or caregiver are childhood experiences that can later result in derealization episodes or a disorder. Traumatic experiences during childhood, such as the unexpected death of a loved one or witnessing domestic violence, can later trigger these types of responses as a teenager or young adult.
traumatic experiences child abuse princessdlaf / Getty Images
Stressors for Derealization
An intense or stressful event usually triggers the sudden onset of derealization episodes. Although the episodes may be brief, they cause immense distress. A variety of stressors can have this effect, once, a few times, or chronically:
• Financial stress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Drug or alcohol use
• Incarceration
• Motor vehicle accidents
stressors incarceration anxiety derealization episode PeopleImages / Getty Images
Symptoms of a Derealization Episode
A person experiencing a derealization episode may feel like they are living in a dream or movie. They may perceive their surroundings as blurry, artificial, colorless, or distorted. Some people report a heightened awareness of their surroundings, while others feel unfamiliar with places they have been many times. Distortions of time and distance as well as of objects’ shapes and sizes are also possible. Transient derealization is common, where symptoms appear briefly, then go away.
symptoms distorted shapes sizes surroundings WIN-Initiative / Getty Images
Derealization Disorder
Persistent or recurring derealization episodes may indicate a derealization disorder. Such disorders rarely occur in children or older adults. They usually begin in the mid-to-late teens or early adulthood and seldom after 40. Some people experience both depersonalization and derealization episodes simultaneously. Researchers believe that in addition to environmental factors, biological factors such as a seizure disorder may play a role.
environmental factors teens derealization disorder vitapix / Getty Images
May Be a Sign of Other Conditions
Derealization disorder often appears in people who have avoidant, borderline, or obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. Researchers found that people with a high clinical risk for psychosis may experience derealization and depersonalization symptoms as well. However, there is no evidence of the opposite — people who experience derealization symptoms do not appear to be at a higher risk for schizophrenia or other serious mental health illnesses.
avoidant obsessive compulsive personality psychiatrist izusek / Getty Images
Both depersonalization and derealization are common psychiatric symptoms. According to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent or recurring episodes of derealization to receive a diagnosis of derealization disorder. The individual must also be aware that these experiences are not real. Additionally, the physician will determine if the symptoms are causing significant social or occupational impairment or distress. An MRI, EEG, and urine toxicology tests can rule out other causes.
diagnosis eeg toxicology test MRI alvarez / Getty Images
Most people fully recover from derealization episodes or disorders. However, individuals often avoid seeking treatment for their symptoms, causing them to last longer. Some studies show that a diagnosis alone is enough to reduce symptoms because it helps relieve anxieties resulting from the uncertainty of the issue. There is no known medication for treating depersonalization/derealization disorder. Psychotherapy is the primary treatment.
treatment derealization disorder psychotherapy FatCamera / Getty Images
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Blockchain: What is it and why is it becoming so popular?
28 January, 2020
Author:Sofia Speroni
Financial Transactions and Banks Historically, when conducting financial transactions, individuals and businesses had to largely depend on third parties, such as banks or governments, to ensure trust and security. These intermediaries comply to a series of protocols including authentication and […]
Financial Transactions and Banks
Historically, when conducting financial transactions, individuals and businesses had to largely depend on third parties, such as banks or governments, to ensure trust and security. These intermediaries comply to a series of protocols including authentication and record keeping that help to generate trust in the transactional process.
The need for a third parties is particularly necessary in digital transactions. Since digital goods like money, stocks, and intellectual property are essentially files, they are incredibly easy to reproduce. This creates a problem known as double spending, in which the same value unit is spent more than once, which until now prevented peer-to-peer digital goods transactions.
However, what about if there was a way to conduct digital transactions without a third party intermediary? Well, a new technology exists today that makes this possible. Though before getting into the functional details of this revolutionary technology, it is important to give some context.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain was invented by a person that goes by the pseudonym, Satoshi Nakamoto. The blockchain is an ever-growing list of records, referred to as blocks. Each one contains a cryptographic hash from the previous block, a time stamp, and transactional data. For example, block B would contain a cryptographic hash from block A, or in other words, the time stamp and transactional data. Blockchain is a transactional record, similar to a bank for example, but this record is distributed on computers through the whole world, it updates automatically, and each transaction is completely verified. Those who make updates to the blockchain, which is fundamental to its functioning, are paid in cryptocurrency. Though, blockchain is still very expensive and slow — while the Visa payment network can process 24,000 transactions per second, bitcoin can only process 7 transactions per second.
In simple terms
Blockchain is a series of data with a timestamp, meaning that each piece of data can be tracked. It is an immutable data record, or in other words, it is incorruptible. We can therefore conclude that the data in the blockchain cannot be altered. It is also adequately monitored, since all of the data within the blockchain is constantly controlled by thousands of computers throughout the world.
Three qualities of blockchain and a pivotal question
First of all, unlike what we are accustomed to, with blockchains, there is no central controlling authority. There is no one place where transactional data is stored. All information is in the collective network of millions of computers. Second of all, information is completely transparent and accessible for all to see. Third of all, there are no transaction costs, when passing information from point A to B in the blockchain, there is no third party that needs to be paid for simply initiating the transaction. This would eventually allow us to bypass banks all together.
Now for the real question, what are the advantages that could come from switching from centralized services such as Dropbox or Whatsapp to a decentralized system like a blockchain? Taking into account the amount of investments made in blockchain, many believe that it will revolutionize much more than just money, though no one is quite sure exactly what these changes would consist of. It is difficult to imagine what the future applications of a blockchain infrastructure could be — it would be like trying to predict the existence of Uber in the eighties.
An example from history
In 2009, the largest financial collapse in US history brought Wall Street and the financial world to its knees. People, protesting in the streets, were furious with the banking system and government that disregarded the shortcomings of the centralized nature of the financial system. This was the prime time of bitcoin as well as businesses that quickly started to develop their own cryptocurrencies, as if they were shares in the stock market. People started to buy and sell cryptocurrencies exclusively in search of capital gains — buying low and selling high.
Similar to how the value of gold increases with the amount of trust placed in it, the value of cryptocurrencies depends on the trust in its value. In 2010, a bitcoin was worth only 6¢; 50 bitcoins could buy a cup of coffee at a nice café for example. It then grew so explosively that in 2017, at its highest point, 50 bitcoins were equal to US$850,000. Though in January 2018, cryptocurrencies crashed, and though the exact reason remains unknown, many people contribute it to questionable trading and fraud, however it could simply be attributed to the general volatility caused by its explosive growth. That being said, it is reasonable to say that cryptocurrencies and blockchains are still in their infancy.
Why will blockchain transform the internet and the global economy?
Blockchain is a highly disruptive technology that promises to change the world as we know it. The technology is not only changing how we use the internet, but also revolutionizing the global economy. By permitting the virtualization of goods, Blockchain is driving the change from an internet of information (where we can see, interact, and communicate information instantly) to an internet of things (where we can exchange goods instantly). It is on the path to a new global economy of immediate value transfer, where third parties no longer play an important role. An economy where trust is established, not by centralized intermediaries, but by consensus and complex computer code.
Blockchain has applications that go much further than obvious things like digital currency and financial transfers. From electronic voting, intelligent contracts, and digitally recorded property assets, to patient health record management and proof of ownership for digital content.
This is why Blockchain is deeply alarming for the hundreds of industries that depend on intermediaries, such as banks, finance, academia, real estate, insurance, legal services, medical services, the public sector, and many more. This change would result in massive job loss and the complete transformation of these industries as a whole. Though, in general, the elimination of intermediaries comes with many benefits. The banks and governments which currently impede the free flow of business with delays due to the time it takes to process transactions and cooperate with regulatory requirements. Blockchains would allow a greater amount of people and organizations to conduct business more frequently and effectively, spurring a significant boost in local and international trade. Blockchain technology would also eliminate costly tariffs put into place by intermediaries, which have become a burden to both individuals and companies, particularly in the case of remittances.
Perhaps most importantly— blockchain promises to democratize the global financial system. Providing those that have limited access to the global economy, better access to payment systems and greater protection against corruption and exploitation.
The possible impacts of blockchain technology to society would be enormously significant in this sense. With an ever growing list of real-world applications, blockchain is sure to have a large impact. This is only the beginning.
The negative effects of blockchain
Despite the fact that blockchain is a revolutionary technology that could provide a great deal of efficiency and security in our lives, it also comes with societal problems that would need to be addressed. Blockchain technology is likely to change the way we live in the coming decades. To understand this concept, we can start to think of the changes that we may face in our lives. By understanding some of the problems related to adopting this technology, we may even be able to minimize their effects.
First of all, there is job loss. If we eliminate all intermediaries in all industries, where will all of the affected workers go? This will become a central problem in the next decade of innovation as blockchain develops. Those that develop this technology should also ask themselves the same questions to find solutions to the resulting societal issues.
Second of all, the general instability caused by the lack of regulation is of large concern. As industries implement blockchain technology, regulation will need to catch up. In the case of cryptocurrencies, specifically bitcoin, we are already experiencing the repercussions of regulatory inadequacies. Cryptocurrency crimes are on the rise with reports of theft and shady exchanges.
Third of all, there are those that believe that the establishment wants blockchain to fail. Given the magnitude of revolutionary change that blockchain would bring to all industries, those that find themselves in positions of power, understandably prefer to be out of the picture at the time of the change. For this reason, the success of blockchain is intrinsically bound to the ability of the establishment to adapt to these new changes.
8 key takeaways on blockchains with stats
1. Blockchain is a series of data with a timestamp. They are unalterable and administered by thousands of computers with no central authority.
2. Blockchain allows two people to make secure and dependable transactions without the need for any third party intermediary like a bank. For this reason, it also comes with some societal problems, like job loss in certain sectors.
3. 0.5% of the world’s population uses blockchain — this figure has increased constantly since 2010, though it is predicted that in the next five years, this growth will skyrocket to as much as double.
4. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency — it is not backed by any government or central bank, making it completely decentralized.
5. Blockchain technology can be as much private as it can be public. A public blockchain like bitcoin does not come with restrictions, anyone can buy it, resulting in a large amount of transactions, which is why the verification process is slower. However, private blockchains are controlled by a lone entity that regulates how transactions are completed. Since the participants of these transactions are limited, the transaction time is faster.
6. Blockchain transactions are processed much faster than traditional methods, which can help users save on fees, particularly with international transactions.
7. It is projected that, between 2017 and 2023, more than 50 billion dollars will be invested in blockchain.
8. Blockchain can also be used outside of the financial system, like in platforms to keep user data secure. For example, the medical records of hospital patients. |
Students' Corner
Gender: Equality, Diversity, and Management at Workplace
A.P.K. Jinadari Prabodhika
In the 2020 World Bank report on “Getting to Work: Unlocking Women’s Potential in Sri Lanka’s Labor Force”, Sri Lanka is ranked 20th in the largest gender gap in labor force participation at the workplace, with a low rate of 36%. This comes as surprising as the results contrast with Sri Lanka’s achievements in Human Capital Development such as high levels of female education and low total fertility rates. According to the analysis, the World Bank report highlights the main reasons behind the low rate as the household roles and responsibilities, human capital mismatch, and gender discrimination in job search, hiring, and promotion process.
This is a problem that prevails not only in Sri Lanka or in the South Asian region. Many countries often fail to offer gender equality and diversity in the workplace. Governments are making and amending policies and raising awareness, but still, the situation remains the same. Many steps can be taken at the individual level and at the organizational level to promote gender equality and offer a diversified workplace.
Cultural change
Organizations can take the lead to change their cultures, to promote gender equality and diversity. One way to do this is the language. In the past, most of the job roles were named after the gender which dominated that particular profession. Firemen, Policeman, Chairman, Waitress, Seamstress are few such examples. With time both men and women started to work in every field regardless of gender, but up to date, gender-biased job terms are used and practiced at the workplace. Some people may find those terms harmless, but if you look upon it from a gender studies point of view, it comes as being biased, making the other gender subordinated. This has become one of the underlying reasons for certain jobs being dominated by a certain gender. Studies have shown that a job advertisement consists of gender-biased terms and pictures that are more likely to receive applications from the biased gender than the others. This often leads to a lack of gender diversity in the related field or the industry.
The use of proper salutations is another way to promote gender equality. Traditional Business salutations were Mr., Miss, and Mrs. which are used for addressing men, unmarried women, and married women, respectively. However, the use of Miss and Mrs. has become very old-fashioned because of the belief that the marital status of a person is irrelevant at work; hence the use of the term Ms. is now considered to be the most business-appropriate way to address a woman.
All gender-biased terms have gender-neutral alternatives. Organizations can promote the use of such terminology during formal and informal communication.
From a study conducted in Sri Lanka in 2016 by the International Labor Organization (ILO), out of the 500 married women interviewed, 45% of the women who had been previously employed had given the household responsibility as their reason to give up the job. One of the underlying reasons for giving up the job for the household is the less flexible working environment for the women at the organizations. Introducing part-time working, stay at home working, flexible hours
may encourage newlywed women and new mothers to continue their jobs. Providing support in childcare and eldercare for those who are in need is another initiative that can be taken, as the above reasons can often lead to frustration and giving up the job. On many occasions, there are childcare centers and preschools associated with the organizations.
Although it is still not popular here in Sri Lanka, contemporary organizations are now promoting parental leave where not only the mother but the father will also be given leaves after childbirth so that both parents can actively participate and involve in the child’s duties.
Voice against sexual harassments
Sexual harassment is gender-based discrimination faced by employees at work. Sexual harassment can be defined as “Any unwelcome sexual advances by words or actions used by a person in authority, in a working place or any other place”. Sexual harassment may include unwanted physical contact and advances, words or comments of sexual nature, dirty jokes, showing pornographic materials, demanding, or requesting sexual favors, and sharing of abusive emails and visuals. Sexual harassment in the workplace can be of two types. First is Quid Pro Quo which means “This for that” in Latin and refers to demanding or requesting sexual favors in exchange for work benefits like higher salary or promotion. The second type is a hostile working environment which means frequent inappropriate sexual advances made to an employee. Those may be dirty jokes, comments, unwanted physical contact, or any verbal or physical misconduct, but people rarely complain, or report events related to sexual harassment. The reasons may be fear of making things worse, fear of losing one’s reputation and job, lack of awareness of the laws related to sexual harassment, or simply because of low self-esteem. A study focused on workplace sexual harassment in Sri Lanka found out that most Sri Lankan women are not sufficiently aware of the sexual harassment that happens in different domains of daily life. Many are aware of sexual harassment in public transportation and other violent incidents like rape and assault due to the publicity given by the media, but they lack awareness about workplace sexual harassment.
Women often appear to be the victims but that does not mean women are the sole victims of sexual harassment at the workplace. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of the United States, in 2015, 17.1% of the sexual harassment cases had been filed by men. The actual number may be much higher than that as men are often more reluctant to report than women. It is due to men being afraid of being mocked by fellow employees and people often believing that men cannot be sexually harassed by a woman or another man. The sexual harassment incidents faced by men include revenge for refusing sexual advances, unwanted physical contact, and sexual comments and jokes.
Organizations can take various actions to prevent sexual harassment at the workplace to make it a better place for all genders. Organizations can implement a ‘Code of Conduct’ which contains provisions related to sexual harassment in the workplace and make employees aware of it. Taking immediate actions against sexual harassment, treating complaints confidentially and with fairness will encourage the employees to voice against sexual harassment and discourage such activities, which will make the workplace a safer and friendly environment.
“For encouraging women in coming forward and reporting about the sexual harassment they experienced, in 2017 TIME magazine name those ‘Silent Breakers’ ( the women who have come forward to report about their sexual harassment at the workplace) as their ‘Person of the Year” and make them the magazine front cover”.
Equal chance for leadership and management roles
Society has stereotyped certain professions so that they are limited to a certain gender which results in people of the opposite gender struggling to climb up the career ladder. Not only certain professions but also leadership and senior management positions have also been gender-stereotyped. Society embraces leadership roles to be controlling, dominating, emotionless, and strong which are often considered as traits specific to men. Women find it difficult to advance into senior management and leadership roles in organizations due to gender stereotyping. This situation which prevents people, especially women, from being elevated to senior-level positions within an organization due to gender-biased attitudes is called the “Glass Ceiling”.
“But now the ‘Glass Ceiling’ is cracking and in 2019, 29% of the senior management positions were held by women globally which is the highest number recorded so far according to research conducted by”.
Over the past decades, more men have entered the “Pink-Collar” jobs like nursing, primary school teaching, childcare, and secretarial work. While women face the ‘Glass Ceiling’ effect in their careers, men encounter “Glass Escalator” which refers to rushed promotions of men over women into higher management positions as if they are on a moving escalator due to the under-representation of men in the female-dominated fields. On the other hand, although men encounter “Glass Escalator” which is a clear advantage, men in ‘Pink-Collar’ jobs often struggle against negative stereotypes and face gender discrimination as well.
Organizations can initiate various strategies like promoting and encouraging open conversation on the issues faced by employees, providing gender-neutral training and development programs, mentoring programs, and recognizing talents and skills without being biased and allowing people to pursue their passion in any field despite their gender.
Beyond binary
Gender identity is not always binary, and the world has become more open about non-binary gender identities. Although this is a controversial and taboo topic in Sri Lanka, many countries have taken steps to advocate non-binary gender communities including LGBTQIA. LGBT communities often face discrimination and recrimination due to their gender identities in society and the workplace is no exception. The discriminations include firing, denying promotion or hiring, and verbal, physical, or sexual harassment. According to the General Society Survey (GSS) 2012 by the University of Chicago, in the United States, 35% of LGBT respondents had reported having been harassed at work. 58% had responded to hearing disrespectful comments about their sexual orientation and gender identity in their workplace. Contemporary organizations have already taken initiatives to make their organizations more LGBT inclusive and friendly. Awareness programs, LGBT inclusive policies and strategies, gender-neutral communication, and gender-neutral restrooms are a few among them.
Research has often included Gender Diversity and Equality as social indicators in their Organizational Sustainability Performance Evaluation models and frameworks. Gender diversity
will make organizations have a wider talent pool, broad and different perspectives that spark creativity and a bigger customer base which finally gives higher profits. This gender-equal culture at the workplace should be an attitudinal change and everyone from top to bottom should actively participate in promoting it.
Every person has a right to do a job. People have different passions, and they should be able to follow their passion and work in any profession regardless of their gender identity. Workplaces should be places that promote gender equality while making people of every gender feel welcome and safe.
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- Nikolay Konstantinov
Before using this page, you should have your homework completed on paper. (Try being nice to your eyes and posture by printing the problems so you can work with pencil and paper instead of a screen.) This page is only for submitting your homework. To be short and concise it lacks any diagrams, pictures, or tables needed to work the problems.
Keep trying until you get 8 out of 10 or more.
1. 1 foot is how many yards?
1 3 13 19
2. 7.1 miles is how many feet?
744 feet 2,231 feet 8,924 feet 37,488 feet
3. 5,280 yards is how many miles?
3 miles 36 miles 1,760 miles 15,840 miles
0.027 cm 0.27 cm 2.7 cm 27 cm
270 m 0.027 m 0.0027 m 0.00027 m
0.004844 km 0.04844 km 0.4844 km 04.844 km
7. 80 ounces is how many pounds?
5 pounds 6 23 pounds 8 pounds 1,280 pounds
8.5,200 grams is how many kilograms?
5.2 kg 52 kg 52,000 kg 520,000 kg
9. One gallon is how many fluid ounces?
48 fluid ounces 64 fluid ounces 96 fluid ounces 128 fluid ounces
10. 806 liters is how many milliliters?
0.806 mL 8.06 mL 80,600 mL 806,000 mL |
Significant references to South Dakota’s First Nations people have been removed from the State’s draft social studies curriculum, despite a mandate to include more diverse perspectives in the updated standards.
Ten days after a working group submitted their final draft of the new curriculum, all but one of the 18 learning standards involving the Oceti Sakowin Oyate were cut out by officials at the South Dakota Department of Education.
The working group’s directives included a mandate for “incorporation of more diverse perspectives, especially those of Indigenous Native Americans“.
South Dakota is among the top five US States with the highest percentage of Native American people, and diversity was key issue brought up in public testimony since the standards were last updated in 2015.
It’s a move that Indigenous leaders have called Native erasure.
In a statement, Chair of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Harold C. Frazier, said the bureaucrats and politicians who commissioned the workgroup “gutted” the portion referring to Indigenous people.
“There is so much that must be taught to the children in order for them to understand the world they will inherit, and it begins with understanding of one another,” he wrote.
“Removing the important lessons of who we are, where we came from, and why things are the way they are robs young minds of the necessary understandings to overcome the hurdles of conflict, genocide, and historical trauma.”
Among the changes was the removal of discussions about the Oceti Sakowin Oyate Creation Story in kindergarten, replaced with directives that children should “recognise there are different people and cultural groups that make up South Dakota’s communities”.
In second grade history, discussing the culture of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate before European colonisation was changed to “using multiple sources, investigate the impact South Dakotans, including Indigenous Native Americans, had on United States and South Dakota history”.
In fourth grade history standards, explaining how the Oceti Sakowin Oyate was affected by “westward expansion, the creation of the reservation system, and the US assimilation policies and programs” was removed in favour of describing the “influences of various cultures on South Dakota communities”.
Mr Frazier said removing the shared history from the social studies curriculum would have a “disturbing” effect on Lakota children in public schools.
“Again, they will be relegated to the bad guy in every fantasy about the American conquest. Ignored will be our great leaders, culture, contributions, and our rightful lands,” he said.
“Our children were stolen from us in past generation, forcefully assimilated or secretly buried in boarding schools under the ‘kill the Indian and save the man” ideologies and it would seem that the task to erase them has not ended under Governor Kristi Noem’s administration and leadership.”
The draft curriculum is part of a regular revision of teaching standards, separate to Republican Governor Kristi Noem’s $900,000 initiative to create a new, state-specific civics and history curriculum resource.
A Department of Education spokesperson told Native News Online in an email that “the department made certain adjustments before the release of the draft to provide greater clarity and focus for educators and the public”.
By Sarah Smit |
Bearded Dragon Brumation: Signs, What To Do, And Guide
If you own a bearded dragon, you’ve probably had to deal with them going through brumation at some point.
As a good owner, you need to know what brumation is, its purpose, and how you should properly accommodate and care for your dragon before, during, and after the process.
When a bearded dragon undergoes brumation, it will become inactive during the year’s colder months, depending on where they are in captivity or the wild. Brumation is the cold-blooded equivalent of hibernation and allows reptiles to survive during the winter in the wild.
Although brumation doesn’t have much of a purpose in captivity, most reptiles, including bearded dragons, still instinctually know to become dormant during the winter.
Read on to learn more about this hibernation-like state.
bearded dragon brumation 1
What Is Bearded Dragon Brumation?
As we briefly touched on above, brumation is a natural process widely understood to essentially be hibernation for cold-blooded animals.
However, it is important to note the two aren’t the same, as they have several key differences.
Hibernating animals tend to be more difficult to wake up as they fall into a deeper “sleep” than brumating reptiles.
An animal experiencing brumation will occasionally wake up and enter intermittent periods of low activity, particularly in captivity.
In contrast, animals in hibernation usually don’t wake up until the cold season has completely passed.
However, the biggest differentiator involves how much food the animals consume before and during their period of dormancy.
Mammals’ metabolisms remain active during their hibernation period, so they need to eat much more food beforehand to keep themselves alive through the colder months.
On the other hand, reptiles stop eating entirely just before entering the brumation process and don’t even need food while they are brumating.
Their metabolic rates decrease so significantly to where they are unable to digest any food at all.
Still, brumation and hibernation do have many characteristics in common, including:
• Significantly lowered body temperature. Both mammals and reptiles lower their body temperatures to help them survive harsh winters.
• Decreased heart rate. This is another tactic to help these animals consume as little energy as possible to last through the entire ordeal.
• Decreased lung and respiratory function. To an unaware bystander, a brumating or hibernating animal will appear to not be breathing at all. While neither brumating reptiles nor hibernating mammals stop breathing entirely, they do significantly decrease the rate at which they breathe to help them conserve energy.
In short, brumation is about survival.
Reptiles developed a means of survival to get them through the cold winter months without succumbing to the frigid temperatures.
During this period, these animals do not eat, move, or even pass bowel movements for several months; they barely even breathe!
This allows them to dedicate every last bit of their remaining energy to their survival.
This is an amazing feat, considering even a slight temperature change is often deadly to most reptiles, as they cannot produce their body heat and usually rely on external heat sources, such as the sun and hot rocks in the wild or heat lamps in captivity.
Why Do Bearded Dragons Brumate?
Interestingly, the brumation cycle is essentially useless to bearded dragons in captivity since their environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity are strictly regulated year-round.
However, in the wild, these animals’ natural conditions are far harsher.
Without brumation, reptiles such as bearded dragons in the wild would simply die off en masse during the winter.
Since they cannot maintain or increase their body temperature, they typically rely on sunlight and other external sources of warmth to keep themselves from freezing.
By entering such a period of extreme dormancy, wild bearded dragons can keep themselves just barely alive and functioning during these extreme, harsh winters, which would normally kill them.
Since captive dragons haven’t yet evolved past the need to brumate, they instinctively will quit eating, drinking, and moving every winter.
However, it is important to keep in mind brumation behaviors vary significantly between individual beardies in captivity, as they cannot determine the time or length of the seasons as reliably as wild lizards do.
Your beardie might skip brumation some years entirely or even go through a shortened brumation period.
They might even go through a longer brumation cycle than usual.
Many dragons in captivity get a bit confused when it comes to brumation because their habitats are regulated.
Hence, they are not in the wild, making them unable to predict and determine weather patterns.
Is Bearded Dragon Brumation Normal?
Despite how scary it looks to an uninformed reptile owner, brumation is completely normal and crucial to the survival of reptiles in the wild worldwide.
Like we mentioned earlier, although captive beardies don’t have any reason to brumate, their bodies will still instinctually “know” when to begin slowing down their activity and eventually enter their deep sleep.
Keep in mind your beardie will likely experience a wide range of physical and mental changes during their brumation period, including the following.
Weight loss
While your dragon won’t become emaciated by any means, it is typical for beardies to become a bit more slender during brumation and upon waking up.
This will likely be the most visible change your pet undergoes physically.
Decrease in activity level
Another fairly obvious change your lizard will experience during brumation is a significant decrease in how physically active they are.
Even if your dragon doesn’t go through a full brumation cycle or gets a bit confused and wakes up from time to time, overall, they will not move or exercise as much as usual.
Eating less or not at all
Most beardies will quit eating entirely a few days or even weeks before entering brumation.
During this period, it is normal for your dragon to eat very little or refuse food altogether, while others will eat a small amount from time to time.
If your pet is going through a period right now where they’re having issues with eating please read our post on why bearded dragons stop eating for a dedicated post on the topic.
Not drinking water
Although this varies from beardie to beardie, many individuals will drink very little to no water at all in addition to refusing to eat.
This is also normal for brumating reptiles.
Check out our post on how much water bearded dragons need if you’re having any problems with water consumption.
Avoiding heat sources
Just before entering brumation, most lizards will lurk in the corners of their tank, in their hides, and generally just steer clear of their heat lamp.
You will need to reduce the amount of heat and UVB lighting you would normally provide to your lizard during this period, which we will cover more in-depth later.
Although these symptoms would normally be a cause of alarm in a healthy dragon, they are to be expected during brumation.
So yes, in short, brumation and all of its seemingly scary side effects are normal.
bearded dragon brumation 2
When Does Bearded Dragon Brumation Occur?
When it comes to wild bearded dragons, brumation is predictable and follows a much stricter timeframe and set of behaviors than with beardies in captivity.
This is because wild reptiles have more environmental cues to signal to them when they begin the brumation process.
For example, wild bearded dragons experience a full range of changing seasons in their natural habitat in Australia.
For these lizards, brumation usually occurs during the southern hemisphere’s coldest months: May through September.
The wild dragons’ overall activity levels will begin to decrease just before the beginning of winter, and they will typically fully enter brumation by June or July.
Eventually, they will exit brumation as the Australian winter comes to a close around September or October and resume their normal activity levels and begin eating, drinking, and hunting again as their body temperature gradually increases, signaling to them the end of their cycle.
However, for pet bearded dragons in captivity, the environmental cues are not nearly as clear to them.
While they have some idea of the changing seasons around them, their enclosures are meant to be kept in a state of perpetual summer.
Depending on where you live, though, most beardies will attempt to enter brumation when they sense winter is approaching.
If you live in the northern hemisphere, your lizard will probably brumate anywhere from October to early April, depending on how cold your particular climate is.
If you live in the southern hemisphere, you should expect your beardie to approach brumation around April and begin waking up around September or so.
Now, it is important to note not all captive bearded dragons will reliably enter and exit brumation at the same time each year.
While they do have some instinctual knowledge of when to begin brumating, they usually become confused by the conflicting environmental stimuli.
Some bearded dragons will brumate normally, while some will merely decrease activity but otherwise behave as usual.
Some others will even enter brumation for a few days or weeks, wake back up, and then re-enter brumation again for an indeterminate period later.
Usually, though, even for captive beardies, they simply “know” when winter is approaching, so you won’t experience anything extreme like your lizard attempting to brumate in the middle of summer.
But if your pet does brumate in the summer we have a post covering summer brumation in bearded dragons.
Do Baby and Juvenile Bearded Dragons Brumate?
Generally, bearded dragons do not begin brumating until they are at least 10 to 18 months of age or around the age of sexual maturity.
Baby bearded dragons under 9 months of age should not brumate at all, as they are much too small and weak to handle the extreme conditions of brumation.
Baby and juvenile bearded dragons also have very fast metabolisms which require frequent feedings to accommodate their growing bodies.
They need regular light cycles, plenty of calcium, and lots of heat and UV to grow normally.
They have lots of energy and typically exercise and move about much more than adult beardies.
If you think your baby or juvenile beardie is attempting to brumate, you should seek the help of a veterinarian as soon as possible, as this behavior is not normal.
While an adult bearded dragon is perfectly capable of slowing its metabolic rate down to almost nothing, a baby beardie would quickly succumb to the rigorous brumation process.
Signs Your Bearded Dragon Is About To Brumate
When your dragon is approaching brumation, it will display a variety of noticeable signs and symptoms.
As the colder months get closer, you should expect your beardie to show the following signs:
Gradual decrease in activity
You will likely notice a difference between your beardie’s activity level during the summer versus in the fall and winter, but how significant this difference is will vary from dragon to dragon.
Generally, though, you’ll be able to observe your lizard sleeping more and for longer periods, and they won’t be running around as much as usual, either.
Gradual decrease in appetite
Like the previous sign, this is quite noticeable if you carefully monitor your lizard’s feeding times, overall desire to eat, and behaviors during feedings.
Your dragon might eat slightly less or even refuse food at all on certain days.
However, as winter approaches, most adult bearded dragons experience some decrease in appetite, even if it is barely noticeable, while some will be on the more end of the spectrum and not eat for days before brumation.
This symptom also varies significantly depending on your lizard’s overall temperament and personality.
While most dragons will become less agreeable and more lethargic, some will be downright mean and aggressive, while others will behave only slightly more aloof and standoffish than usual.
Either behavior is quite normal as long as your pet isn’t in any visible pain.
Infrequent bowel movements
Along with eating less, your beardie will also be pooping a lot less.
However, how much less they defecate will depend on how quickly your lizard stops eating and if they stop eating entirely or still eat occasionally.
Keep an eye out for signs of impaction during this time, as less active beardies going through brumation are particularly susceptible to their bowels becoming impacted.
Avoiding heat sources
As brumation approaches, your beardie won’t be seeking out their heat and UVB lamps as much.
While some lizards will still bask occasionally during brumation, many will avoid doing so completely until the warmer months roll back around.
You’ll still need to provide your beardie with regular night and day cycles, though it is best to decrease the amount of light by several hours each day to allow them to rest, as they won’t need as much heat during this time anyway.
Disliking being handled
Even with the friendliest, most people-friendly dragons, brumation will turn them into a bit of a curmudgeon.
It is normal for your beardie not to want to be handled during this time, as they are likely very tired and preparing for a quite physically and mentally stressful endeavor.
Overall, you should expect your beardie to be less outgoing and active as they prepare their bodies for the winter months.
Don’t pester or agitate them with excessive handling during this time, and give them plenty of space to allow their body to adjust.
What To Do For A Brumating Bearded Dragon
You should don’t much for a brumating beardie other than just leaving them to their own devices and checking on them for any signs of illness or unusual behavior.
As your dragon enters their little version of hibernation, monitor them closely–at a distance–and only intervene when they seek light or food.
When your bearded dragon begins displaying the symptoms described above, you should help along the process in the following ways:
Warm Baths
It’s a good idea to give your beardie warm baths regularly (at least a few times per week), but during brumation, you won’t be able to bathe them as frequently.
Be sure to give your dragon plenty of warm soaks before they enter brumation.
If your lizard is the type to wake up intermittently and remain somewhat active throughout the entire process, you’ll be able to bathe them semi-regularly.
Baths will help with shedding, bowel movements and generally just make the lizard more comfortable.
Monitor Behavior For Unusual Symptoms
If your beardie seems to be in pain, impacted, or is otherwise experiencing distress and black bearding constantly, you should seek the advice of your reptile veterinarian.
While dragons are normal to behave a bit differently during brumation, pain and extreme stress are not normal.
Give Them Food And Water
Many dragons in captivity will not brumate throughout the entire winter and will instead wake up from time to time and be somewhat active in between long, deep sleep.
While they might refuse to eat and to drink entirely, it is still a good idea to at least offer them food and water when they experience periods of activity or even just lightly mist them with water a few times per day.
Decrease Light Cycles
Normally, your beardie should get around 10 to 12 hours of UVB and heat each day.
However, during brumation, they will tend to avoid their light sources entirely, so it is fine to leave the lamps off for longer periods.
Depending on how active your dragon is during brumation, it is safe to lower the time their lamps are on by two to five hours per day to help them get the rest they need.
We have another post that goes into more details on the bearded dragon light cycle requirements.
Keep A Relaxed Environment
Keep the noise and activity to a minimum in the room you keep your beardie’s enclosure.
Don’t leave the TV on or play loud music while they are attempting to brumate.
You wouldn’t like someone blasting music while you’re sleeping, and your beardie certainly won’t enjoy it, either.
Avoid Handling
When your beardie exits brumation, there will be plenty of time to handle them and take them out for enrichment and play.
During the colder months, however, leave the lizard alone and allow them to rest.
Don’t disturb their brumation cycle with handling, and only open their enclosure when feeding them or cleaning the tank.
Be Patient
While it is boring to watch your beardie sleep in a corner for hours, days, or even weeks on end, don’t attempt to speed up the process or interfere with it in any way.
Let the brumation cycle occur and run its course as naturally as possible.
The best thing to do for your pet while they go through this process is to leave them alone and monitor them carefully from a safe distance.
Only intervene if your beardie is displaying symptoms of pain or illness; otherwise, allow them to rest and wake as they see fit.
Your dragon knows best!
How Long Does Brumation Last?
Although brumation is more regular and predictable with wild bearded dragons, brumating beardies display much more variation in their behavior in captivity.
Generally, brumation begins as winter approaches and ends as spring begins, but many beardies will either brumate intermittently or won’t even brumate at all.
Either situation is perfectly normal, and anywhere in between is just fine, too.
There isn’t a set amount of time your bearded dragon is supposed to brumate; they know their bodies and how much rest they need.
Just support them throughout the process and ask your vet for help if you notice any troubling behavior.
Bearded Dragon Brumation Temperature And Enclosure Setup
Overall, your lizard’s enclosure setup and the temperature won’t change much during brumation.
While it is best to adjust the light cycles from 10 to 12 hours of light per day to anywhere from 6 to 10 hours, this depends on your dragon’s activity level.
If your beardie isn’t really brumating at all and is only experiencing a mild decrease in activity, it is best to keep their enclosure the way it is.
Give them a large hide for them to seek out when they’re feeling tired or shy, and keep the humidity and temperature the way it is.
On the other hand, if your dragon is fully entering a brumation period and sleeping for days to weeks, it is best to keep the lights off more often.
They will appreciate the extra nighttime hours and cooler temperatures.
For more streamline temperature information we have a post on managing bearded dragon tank temperature that you will learn a lot from.
What To Do When Your Bearded Dragon Wakes Up
When brumation ends, your dragon will likely wake up fairly gradually.
They’ve been napping on and off for several months, after all, so it will take them some time to readjust and regain their normal energy levels.
Offer your beardie plenty of food and water as they resume normal activity, as they will be quite hungry while their metabolism picks back up and their appetite comes back.
Give them warm soaks to help them pass bowel movements more regularly, and slowly readjust their lighting back to its normal day-night cycle.
You shouldn’t have to interfere with your beardie’s brumation at all unless they are behaving as if they are ill; in this case, get them to a vet immediately for further instructions.
Once they fully wake up, they will slowly resume normal activity until winter rolls around the following year.
Congratulations! You and your beardie have gotten through brumation.
It’s a pretty frightening time for inexperienced reptile owners, but rest assured; in most cases, your lizard will be just fine.
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The Influence of Corruption on Plastic Pollution
Corruption, Environmental Issues, Profit, Planet, Environment, Save the Oceans, Oceans
The Influence of Corruption on Plastic Pollution
As an environmental activist, Chai Jing, once said, “The strongest governments on the earth cannot clean up pollution by themselves. They must rely on each ordinary person, like you and me, on our choices, and our will.”
So, do you choose a pollution-free environment? And are you willing to do all that it takes to achieve it? Many governmental policies on waste management are often flouted by organizations and its citizens. The very people that are being protected by these policies, violate them. At the end we are left with water, soil, and air that is corrupted with micro and macro-plastics.
According to The Guardian, corruption has been reported in the plastic recycling industry in the UK. In 2018 the Environment Agency set up an investigation to tackle this issue, based on the many complaints that organized criminals and firms are manipulating the system. This is because there is a large industry, worth 50 million pounds, that takes care of exporting plastic packaging waste. The exporters earn money by charging manufacturers a tonnage rate for plastic waste recovery notes, also known as Perns. These are used as evidence to the government that a company has repurposed or reprocessed waste, basically demonstrating that they are contributing to a healthier environment. The problem with this is that these certificates are given out based on self-declarations by companies about how much waste they are exporting. Meaning that companies can record that they have repurposed more plastic than they actually have, in order to get the Perns. In fact, data analyzed by the Guardian in 2018 shows that British export firms recorded exports of 35,000 tonnes more plastic than actually left customs that year.
Due to this, China banned imports of British plastic waste. As a result, plastic waste exports to Turkey and the Netherlands have increased. Yet, these countries do not have the capacity to reprocess such large amounts of plastic waste. Due to the overflow of these plastics, they end up leaking into bodies of water. This waste trafficking benefits individuals and organizations and degrades the environment.
In developing countries, low GDP coupled with corruption makes it impossible to put recycling systems in place. To counter this, several counties have implemented plastic bans. According to a 2018 UN report, Africa has 34 bans and taxes in place concerning single-use plastics. However, some of these countries still struggle to control access to plastics due to corrupt government officials.
This article on Research Gate discusses the influence of corruption on plastic pollution. The document indicates that corruption control will decrease annual plastic waste by 28% by 2050. If the government tightens the belt on curtailing corruption, and if citizens embrace their individual responsibilities, we could save our waters from plastic sores. Fewer turtles, whales, fish, and sea birds will die of plastic pollution. There will be decreased bioaccumulation, thus better health for the human race. So let us take on individual responsibility in slaying this monster called corruption for the sake of our waters and our planet.
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Surah Al-Fil
Revelation Place
Period of Revelation
Historical Background
As we have explained in footnote 4 of Surah Al-Buruj, in retaliation for the persecution of the followers of the Prophet Jesus Christ (peace be on him) in Najran by the Jewish ruler Dhu-Nuwas of Yemen, the Christian kingdom of Abyssinia invaded Yemen and put an end to the Himyarite rule there, and in 525 A.D. this whole land passed under Abyssinian control. This happened, in fact, through collaboration between the Byzantine empire of Constantinople and the Abyssinian kingdom, for the Abyssinians at that time had no naval fleet. The fleet was provided by the Byzantines and Abyssinia sent 70,000 of its troops by it across the Red Sea to Yemen. From the outset one should understand that all this did not happen due to religious zeal but there were economic and political factors also working behind it, and these were probably the real motive, with retaliation for the Christian blood being an excuse. Since the time the Byzantine empire had occupied Egypt and Syria, it had been trying to gain control over the trade going on between East Africa, India, Indonesia, etc., and the Byzantine dominions from the Arabs, who had been controlling it for centuries, so as to earn maximum profits by eliminating the intermediary Arab merchants. For this purpose, in 24 or 25 B.C., Caesar Augustus sent a large army under the Roman general, Aelius Gallus, which landed on the western coast of Arabia, in order to intercept and occupy the sea route between southern Arabia and Syria (See map of this trade route on p. 111 of The Meaning of the Qur'an, vol. iv). However the campaign failed to achieve its objective on account of the extreme geographical conditions of Arabia. After this, the Byzantines brought their fleet into the Red Sea and put an end to the Arab trade which they carried out by sea, with the result that they were left only with the land route. To capture this land route they conspired with the Abyssinian Christians and aiding them with their fleet, helped them to occupy Yemen.
The Arab historians' statements about the Abyssinian army that invaded Yemen are different. Hafiz Ibn Kathir says that it was led by two commanders, Aryat and Abrahah, and according to Muhammad bin Ishaq, its commander was Aryat, and Abrahah was included in it. Both agreed that Aryat and Abrahah fell out, Aryat was killed in the encounter, and Abrahah took possession of the country; then somehow he persuaded the Abyssinian king to appoint him as his viceroy over Yemen.
On the contrary, the Greek and Syrian historians state that after the conquest of Yemen, the Abyssinians started putting the Yamanite chiefs, who had put up resistance to death, when one of the chiefs, named As-Sumayfi Ashwa (whom the Greek historians call Esymphaeus) yielded to the Abyssinians and promising to pay tribute, obtained the Abyssinian king's warrant to be governor over Yemen. But the Abyssinian army revolted against him and made Abrahah governor in his place. This man was the slave of a Greek merchant of the Abyssinian seaport of Adolis, who by clever diplomacy had come to wield great influence in the Abyssinian army occupying Yemen. The troops sent by the Negus to punish him either warned him or were defeated by him. Subsequently, after the death of the king, his successor was reconciled to accept him as his vice regent of Yemen. (The Greek historians refer to him as Abrames and the Syrian historians as Abraham. Abrahah perhaps is an Abyssinian variant of Abraham, for its Arabic version is Ibrahim).
After stabilizing his rule in Yemen, Abrahah turned his attention to the objective which from the very beginning of this campaign before the Byzantine empire and its allies, had been the Abyssinian Christians, i.e. to spread Christianity in Arabia on the one hand, and to capture the trade that was carried out through the Arabs between the eastern lands and the Byzantine dominions, on the other. The need for this increased because the Byzantine struggle for power against the Sasanian empire of Iran had blocked all the routes of the Byzantine trade with the East.
According to Muhammad bin Ishaq, from al- Mughammas, Abrahah sent forward his vanguard and they brought him the plunder of the people of Tihamah and Quraish, which included two hundred camels of Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Holy Messenger of Allah (upon whom be His peace). Then, he sent an envoy of his to Makkah with the message that he had not come to fight the people of Makkah but only to destroy the House (i. e. the Ka'bah). If they offered no resistance, there would be no cause for bloodshed. Abrahah also instructed his envoy that if the people of Makkah wanted to negotiate, he should return with their leading chief. The leading chief of Makkah at that time was Abdul Muttalib. The envoy went to him and delivered Abrahah's message. Abdul Muttalib replied: "We have no power to fight Abrahah. This is Allah's House. If He wills, He will save His House." The envoy asked him to go with them to Abrahah. He agreed and accompanied him to the king. Now Abdul Muttalib was such a dignified and handsome man that when Abrahah saw him, he was very impressed; he got off his throne and sat beside him on the carpet. Then he asked him what he wanted. Abdul Muttalib replied that he wanted the king to return his camels which he had taken. Abrahah said: "I was very impressed when I saw you but your reply has brought you down in my eyes: you only demand your camels but you say nothing about this House which is your sanctuary and the sanctuary of your forefathers." Abdul Muttalib replied: "I am the owner of my camels and am requesting you to return them. As for the House, it has its own Owner: He will defend it." When Abrahah said that Abdul Muttalib would not be able to defend the Ka'bah against him, Abdul Muttalib said that that rested between Allah and Abrahah. With this, Abdul Muttalib left Abrahah and he restored to him his camels.
Muhammad bin Ishaq says that after returning from the camp of Abrahah, Abdul Muttalib ordered the Quraish to withdraw from the city and go to the mountains along with their families for fear of a general massacre. Then he went to the Ka'bah along with some chiefs of the Quraish and taking hold of the iron ring of the door, prayed to Allah Almighty to protect His House and its keepers. There were at that time 360 idols in and around the Ka'bah, but at that critical moment they forgot them and implored only Allah for help. Their supplications which have been reported in the books of history do not contain any name but the name of Allah, the One.
Ibn Hisham in his Life of the Prophet has cited some verses of Abdul Muttalib, which are to the following effect: "O God, a man protects his house, so protect Your House; Let not their cross and their craft tomorrow overcome Your craft. If You will to leave them and our qiblah to themselves, You may do as You please."
Suhail in Raud al-Unuf has cited this verse also in connection: "Help today Your devotees against the devotees of the cross and its worshipers."
Ibn Jarir has cited this supplication of Abdul Muttalib also: "O my Lord, I do not cherish any hope from anyone against them except You. O my Lord, protect Your House from them. The enemy of this House is Your enemy. Stop them from destroying Your settlement."
After making these supplications, Abdul Muttalib and his companions also went off to the mountains. The next morning, Abrahah prepared to enter Makkah, but his special elephant, Mahmud, which was in the forefront, knelt down. It was beaten with iron bars, goaded, even threatened, but it would not get up. When they made it face south, north, or east, it would immediately start off, but as soon as they directed it towards Makkah, it knelt down. In the meantime swarms of birds appeared carrying stones in their beaks and claws and showered these on the troops. Whoever was hit would start disintegrating. According to Muhammad bin Ishaq and Ikrimah, this was smallpox, which was seen in Arabia for the first time in that year. Ibn Abbas says that whoever was struck by a pebble, would start scratching his body resulting in breaking of the skin and falling off of the flesh. In another tradition Ibn Abbas says that the flesh and blood flowed like water and bones in the body became visible. The same thing happened with Abrahah too. His flesh fell in pieces and there arose bores on his body emitting pus and blood. In confusion they withdrew and fled towards Yemen. Nufail bin Habib, whom they had brought as guide from the country of Khatham, was searched for and asked to guide them back to Yemen, but he refused and said: "Now where can one flee when God pursues? The split nose (Abrahah) is the conquered; not the conqueror."
This was such a momentous event that it soon spread throughout Arabia and many poets made it the subject of their laudatory poems. In these poems one thing quite evident is that everyone regarded it as a manifestation of Allah Almighty's miraculous power, and no one, even by allusion, said that the idols which were worshiped in the Ka'bah had anything to do with it. For example, Abdullah ibn Az-Zibara says: "The sixty thousand returned not home, nor did their sick man (Abrahah) survive on return. Ad and Jurham were there before them, And there is Allah, above the servants, Who sustains it."
Not only this, but according to Hadrat Umm Hani and Hadrat Zubair bin al-Awwam, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) said:"The Quraish did not worship anyone but Allah, the Only and One, for ten years" (and according to others, for seven years. Umm Hani's tradition has been related by Imam Bukhari in his History and by Tabarani, Hakim, Ibn Marduyah and Baihaqi in their collections of Ahadith. Hadrat Zubair's statement has been related by Tabarani, Ibn Marduyah and Ibn Asakir, and this is further confirmed by the mursal tradition of Hadrat Sa'id bin al Musayyab, which Khatib Baghdadi has recorded in his History.
The Arabs describe the year in which this event took place as Am al-Fil (the year of the elephants), and in the same year the Holy Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace) was born. The traditionists and historians almost unanimously state that the event of the people of the elephant had occurred in Muharram and the Holy Prophet was born in Rabi al-Awwal. A majority of them states that he was born 50 days after the event of the elephant.
Theme and Substance
If Surah al-Fil is studied in the light of the historical details given above, one can fully understand well why in this Surah only Allah's inflicting His punishment on the people of the elephant has been referred to and described so briefly. It was an event of recent occurrence, and everyone in Makkah and Arabia was fully aware of it. The Arabs believed that the Ka'bah had been protected in this invasion not by any god or goddess but by Allah Almighty Himself. Then Allah alone had been invoked by the Quraish chiefs for help, and for quite a few years the people of Quraish having been impressed by this event, had worshiped none but Allah. Therefore, there was no need to mention the details in Surah al-Fil, but only a reference to it was enough so that the people of Quraish in particular, and the people of Arabia in general, should consider well in their hearts the message that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) was giving. For, the only message that he gave was that they should worship and serve none but Allah, the Only and One. Then, they should also consider that if they used force to suppress this invitation to the truth, they would only be inviting the wrath of God, Who had so completely defeated and destroyed the people of the elephants. |
A teenage boy named Chaim wrote a letter that he tossed over the barbwired fence prior to his death at the hands of his Nazi captors in 1944. Ivan del Mea transformed the letter into a song in 1965. The song was reintroduced by the Gorizia band Zuf de Zur who covered it. The somber cadence of the song reminds one of the weight of the events surrounding Chaïm’s internment, all he had seen and all he had lost. This letter served as his final goodbye prior to his murder at the young age of 14.
Lettera a Chaïm
Ivan Della Mea - 1965
Se il cielo fosse bianco di carta
e tutti i mari neri d’inchiostro,
non saprei dire a voi miei cari
quanta tristezza ho in fondo al cuore,
quale è il pianto, quale il dolore intorno a me…
Si sveglia l’alba nel livore
di noi sparsi per la foresta
a tagliar legna seminudi,
coi piedi torti e sanguinanti:
ci han levato scarpe e mantelli,
dormiamo in terra…
Quasi ogni notte come un rito
ci danno la sveglia a bastonate,
Franz ride e lancia una carota
e noi come larve affamate
ci si contende, unghie e denti,
l’ultima foglia…
Due ragazzi sono fuggiti,
ci hanno raccolti in un quadrato,
uno su cinque han fucilato…
Ma anche se io non ero il quinto,
non ha domani questo campo,
e io non vivo…
Questo è l’addio a tutti voi
genitori cari,
fratelli amici,
vi saluto e piango…
Letter to Chaïm
Translated by: Billy Ewell
If the sky were white as paper
and if all the seas were as black as ink,
I couldn’t describe to you, my dearest
the sadness I feel in my heart,
the tears and sorrow all around me.
The day wakes up in grey luminosity
of us, scattered in the forest,
half-naked, cutting timber
with twisted, bleeding feet
They took away our shoes and coats
We sleep on the ground
Every night, like in a ritual,
they wake us up with wooden sticks
Franz laughs and throws us a carrot and we, like hungry larvae,
fight with our nails and teeth
to grab the tiniest leaf.
Two boys fled,
they gathered us in the square
and shot every fifth of us
But even if I was not the fifth
this camp has no future
and I won’t live
This is my goodbye to you all
my dear mother and father
my brothers and friends
I say goodbye to you and I cry |
Agricultural and Forest Entomology (2020) 22, 179-192
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Alicia Winkler, Jeanette Jung, Benno Kleinhenz and Paolo Racca (2020)
A review on temperature and humidity effects on Drosophila suzukii population dynamics
Agricultural and Forest Entomology 22 (3), 179-192
Abstract: - Drosophila suzukii is an invasive polyphagous pest of wild and cultivated soft-skinned fruits, which can cause widespread economic damage in orchards and vineyards.
- The simulation and prediction of D. suzukii's population dynamics would be helpful for guiding pest management. Therefore, we reviewed and summarized the current knowledge on effects of air temperature and relative humidity on different life cycle parameters of D. suzukii.
- The literature summary presented shows that high oviposition rates can occur between 18 and 30 °C. Temperatures between 16 and 25 °C resulted in fast and high egg-to-adult development success of more than 80%. Oviposition and adult life span were positively affected by high relative humidity; however, the factor humidity is so far rarely investigated.
- We assume that this is one reason why relative humidity usually is not considered in modelling approaches, which are summarized herein. The high number of recently published research articles on D. suzukii 's life cycle suggests that there is already a lot of knowledge available on its biology. However, there are still considerable research gaps mentioned in the literature, which are also summarized herein.
- Nevertheless, we conclude that sufficient temperature data in the literature are suitable to understand and predict population dynamics of D. suzukii, in order to assist pest management in the field.
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Paolo Racca
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
population dynamics/ epidemiology
Pest and/or beneficial records:
Beneficial Pest/Disease/Weed Crop/Product Country Quarant.
Drosophila suzukii |
Human airway mucus alters the susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms to tobramycin but not to colistin, according to a study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Normal airway epithelium enables continuous clearance of inhaled pathogens and pollutants by constant mucus secretion into the airway lumen and the coordinated beating of epithelial cell cilia. In diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF), the mucociliary machinery is compromised, reducing the mucus clearance rate and providing an optimal environment for bacterial infections.
P aeruginosa is one of the most prevalent pathogens found in patients with CF. Inhaled antibiotic therapies for pseudomonal infections such as tobramycin, colistin, levofloxacin, and aztreonam, are relatively effective in early stages of P aeruginosa infection. In the lungs of individuals living with CF, P aeruginosa forms structured bacterial communities (biofilms) that are surrounded by a self-produced extracellular matrix known to evade antibacterial treatment.
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Further, P aeruginosa biofilms are often embedded in mucus, representing an additional barrier to the diffusion of inhaled drugs. Therefore, an effective antibiotic therapy must overcome both the extracellular matrix of the biofilms and mucus layer. These barriers are barely addressed in the currently available in vitro models used during pre-clinical development stages of anti-infective candidates. This study aimed to investigate the impact of airway mucus on P aeruginosa biofilm susceptibility to antibiotic treatment.
P aeruginosa biofilms were grown in vitro in the presence or absence of human tracheal mucus and the antibacterial efficacy of colistin and tobramycin — a process termed P aeruginosa biofilm susceptibility (PBS) by the researchers — was investigated in a total of 85 independent mucus samples. The efficacy of antibiotics is typically assessed by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using in vitro assays; however, this technique does not take into account either bacterial biofilm formation or the influence of mucus, both of which may act as diffusion barriers, potentially limiting antibiotic efficacy.
Biofilms grown in PBS required a concentration 900 times higher than the MIC to be eradicated, irrespective of the antibiotic used. In biofilms grown in a mucus environment, a concentration-dependent decrease in viable bacterial load could still be seen for both antibiotics. However, tobramycin efficacy was significantly impaired in the presence of mucus, leading to a shift of the IC50 value from 100 mg/L without mucus to >900 mg/L with mucus. In contrast, colistin treatment efficacy was not affected by the mucus environment, with IC50 values of 170 and 190 mg/L for biofilms grown in PBS and in mucus, respectively. Furthermore, diffusion studies revealed significantly retarded and decreased diffusion of tobramycin through mucus compared with diffusion through pure mucus or biofilm formed in PBS. This reduction was more pronounced in biofilm/mucus mixtures, suggesting biofilms in the presence of mucus respond differently to antibiotic treatment. Alternatively, no differences in mucus permeability of colistin were observed.
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Overall, results suggest the mucus environment and biofilm formation may be of high relevance for anti-infective drug development. The study investigators concluded that, “[A] model considering mucus as the natural microenvironment for P aeruginosa biofilms in human lungs has been successfully developed, suggesting that the mucus environment should be considered as a key factor for in vivo biofilm formation.”
Müller L, Murgia X, et al. Human airway mucus alters susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms to tobramycin, but not colistin [published online July 5, 2018]. J Antimicrob Chemother. doi:10.1093/jac/dky241 |
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What the Bible Says About Life and Death
What the Bible Says About Life and Death
Reading the creation account in the Bible book of Genesis, we learn that the first man, Adam, was told by God: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17) That statement clearly and simply shows that if Adam had obeyed God’s command, he would not have died but would have continued living in the garden of Eden.
Sadly, rather than choosing to obey and live forever, Adam chose to ignore God’s command, and he ate the forbidden fruit when his wife, Eve, gave it to him. (Genesis 3:1-6) The consequences of that act of disobedience are still with us today. The apostle Paul explained it this way: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) That “one man” was, of course, Adam. But what was the sin, and why did it lead to death?
What Adam did—willfully disobeying or breaking God’s law—is sin. (1 John 3:4) And the penalty for sin is death, as God told Adam. As long as Adam—and his future offspring—remained obedient to God’s command, they would have no sin and would never have to taste death. God did not create humans to die but to live—even forever.
There is no disputing that death has “spread to all men,” as the Bible stated. But does some part of us live on after we die? Many would say yes, that a part of us—something called the soulis immortal. This, however, would amount to saying that God lied to Adam. How so? Because if a part of us moves on to live in some other realm after we die, then death would not be the penalty for sin, as God stated. The Bible says: “It is impossible for God to lie.” (Hebrews 6:18) In reality, it was Satan who lied when he told Eve: “You certainly will not die.”Genesis 3:4.
That raises the question, If the teaching of the immortality of the soul is based on a lie, then what really happens at death?
The Genesis account of creation says: “Jehovah God went on to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living person.” The expression “a living person” is translated from the Hebrew word ne’phesh, * which literally means “a breathing creature.”Genesis 2:7, footnote.
The Bible thus makes clear that humans are not created as individuals with a soul that is immortal. Rather, each individual is “a living person.” That is why, search as you may, you will not find any Bible text that uses the expression “immortal soul.”
Since the Bible does not say that humans possess what some call an immortal soul, why do so many religions teach the contrary? The answer takes us all the way back to ancient Egypt.
Herodotus, a Greek historian of the fifth century B.C.E., said that the Egyptians were “the first of mankind who have defended the immortality of the soul.” Another ancient culture, the Babylonians, also toyed with the idea of the immortal soul. By the time Alexander the Great conquered the Middle East in 332 B.C.E., Greek philosophers had popularized the teaching, and it soon spread throughout the Greek Empire.
You will not find any Bible text that uses the expression “immortal soul”
In the first century C.E., two prominent Jewish sects, the Essenes and the Pharisees, taught that the soul survives the body at death. The Jewish Encyclopedia says: “The belief in the immortality of the soul came to the Jews from contact with Greek thought and chiefly through the philosophy of Plato.” Likewise, first-century Jewish historian Josephus attributed the teaching, not to the Holy Scriptures, but to “the belief of the sons of Greece,” which he viewed as a collection of tales by their mythologists.
As the influence of Greek culture continued to expand, professed Christians adopted this pagan teaching as well. According to historian Jona Lendering, “Plato’s hypothesis that our soul was once in a better place and now lives in a fallen world made it easy to combine platonic philosophy and Christianity.” Thus, the pagan doctrine of the immortal soul was absorbed into the “Christian” church and became a fundamental part of its beliefs.
In the first century, the apostle Paul sounded this warning: “The inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1) How true those words proved to be! The doctrine of the immortal soul is but one example of “teachings of demons.” It is not supported by the Bible, and it has its roots in ancient pagan religions and philosophies.
Happily for us, Jesus said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) By gaining an accurate knowledge of Bible truth, we are set free from the God-dishonoring teachings and practices promoted by so many of the world’s religions. Moreover, the truth in God’s Word sets us free from the shackles of the traditions and superstitions associated with death.—See the box “ Where Are the Dead?
Our Creator did not intend for humans to live just 70 or 80 years on earth and then move on to spend an eternity in another realm. His original purpose was for his human creation to live forever right here on earth as his obedient children. This grand purpose is an expression of God’s love for humankind, and it will not be thwarted. (Malachi 3:6) Reassuringly, the inspired psalmist declared: “The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.”Psalm 37:29.
^ par. 9 Some Bible translations, such as the King James Version and the Catholic Douay Version, render ne’phesh by the words “living soul,” whereas many modern translations render it “living creature,” The New English Bible; “living being,” New International Version and The Jerusalem Bible; or simply “began to live,” Today’s English Version. |
Wiki Contributions
Logic: the science of algorithm evaluating algorithms
In order to define the semantics,... This isn't precise enough for me to agree that it's true. Is it a claim? A new definition?
First: sorry for the bad grammar! Let me start with rephrasing the first sentence a bit more clearly:
"In order to define semantics, we need to define a map between the logic to the model ...."
It is correct that this description constrains semantics to maps between symbolically checkable systems. Physicists may not agree with this view and could say: "For me, semantics is a mapping from a formal system to a physical system that could be continuous or to which the Church thesis does not hold."
Model theoreticians, however, define their notion of semantics between logical systems only. Therefore I think I am in a pretty good agreement with their nomenclature.
The message is that even if we consider a continuous system mathematically (for example real number), only those of its aspects matter which can be verified by captured by discrete information processing method. What I argue here is that this implicit projection to the discrete is best made explicit if view it from an algorithmic point of view.
Although we can not check verify the correctness ... .. What do you mean? Are you talking about something other process than the proof checking program?
It is more model checking: Given a statement like "For each x: F(x)", since your input domain is countable, you can just loop over all substitutions. Although this program will not ever stop if the statement was true, but you can at least refute it in a finite number of steps if the statement is false. This is why I consider falsifiability important.
I agree that there is also a culprit: this is only true for simple expressions if you have only each quantifiers. For example, but not for more complex logical expressions like the twin primes conjecture, which can be cast as:
foreach x: exists y: prime(y) and prime(y+2)
Still this expression can be cast into the form: "T(x) halts for every input x.", where T is the program that searches for the next pair of twin primes both bigger than n.
But what about longer sequences of quantifier, like
f = foreach a: exists b: foreach c: exists d: .... F(a,b,c,d,...)
Can this still be casted into the form "T(x) halts for every input x"? If it would not then we needed to add another layer of logic around the stopping of Turing machine which would defeat our original purpose.
In fact, there is a neat trick to avoid that: You can define a program T'(n) which takes a single natural number and checks the validity (not f) for every substitution of total length < n. Then f is equivalent to the statatement: T'(n) does halt for every natural number n.
Which means we manage to hide the cascade of quantifiers within algorithm T'. Cool, hugh?
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Logic: the science of algorithm evaluating algorithms
The overall message is not really new technically, but its philosophical implications are somewhat surprising even for mathematicians. In general, looking at the same thing from different angles to helps to get acquire more thorough understanding even if it does not necessarily provide a clear short term benefit.
A few years ago, I chatted with a few very good mathematicians who were not aware (relatively straightforward) equivalence between the theorems of Turing and Goedel, but could see it within a few minutes and had no problem grasping the the inherent, natural connection between logical systems and program evaluating algorithms.
I think, that there is quite a bit of mysticism and misconception regarding mathematical logic, set theory, etc. by the general public. I think that it is valuable to put them in a context that clarifies their real, inherently algorithmic nature. It may be also helpful for cleaning up one's own world view.
I am sorry if my account was unclear at points and I am glad to provide clarification to any unclear points.
Logic: the science of algorithm evaluating algorithms
I expected the reaction with the countably infinite models, but I did not expect it to be the first. ;)
I wanted to get into that in the write up, but I had to stop at some point. The argument is that in order to have scientific theories, we need to have falsifiability, which means that this always necessarily deals with a discrete projection of the physical world. On the other hand so far every discrete manifestation of physical systems seemed to be able to be modelled by Turing machines. (This assumption is called the Church thesis.) If you add these two, then you arrive by the above conclusion.
Another reason for it not being a problem is that every (first order) axiom system has a countable model by the theorem of Lowenheim-Skolem. (Yes, even the theory of real numbers have a countable model, which is also known as the Skolem paradox.)
Actually, I don't think that the technical content of the write-up is novel, it is probably something that was already clear to Turing, Church, Goedel and von Neumann in the 40-50ies. IMO, the takeaway is a certain, more pragmatic, way of thinking about logic in the age information processing, instead of sticking to an outdated intuition. Also the explicit recognition that the domains of mathematical logic and AI are much more directly connected than it would seem naively.
Rationality quotes: September 2010
Marcus Aurelius
Less Wrong: Open Thread, September 2010
I agree with you. I also think that there are several reasons for that:
First that competitive games are (intellectual or physical sports) easier to select and train for, since the objective function is much clearer.
The other reason is more cultural: if you train your child for something more useful like science or mathematics, then people will say: "Poor kid, do you try to make a freak out of him? Why can't he have a childhood like anyone else?" Traditionally, there is much less opposition against music, art or sport training. Perhaps they are viewed as "fun activities."
Thirdly, it also seems that academic success is the function of more variables: communication skills, motivation, perspective, taste, wisdom, luck etc. So early training will result in much less head start than in a more constrained area like sports or music, where it is almost mandatory for success (age of 10 (even 6) are almost too late in some of those areas to begin seriously)
Something's Wrong
I found the most condensed essence (also parody) of religious arguments for fatalism in Greg Egan's Permutation City:
Even though I know God makes no difference. And if God is the reason for everything, then God includes the urge to use the word God. So whenever I gain some strength, or comfort, or meaning, from that urge, then God is the source of that strength, that comfort, that meaning. And if God - while making no difference - helps me to accept what's going to happen to me, why should that make you sad?
Logically irrefutable, but utterly vacuous...
Rationality quotes: September 2010
You should not take the statement too literally: Look it in a historical context. Probably the biggest problems at Russel's time were wars caused by nationalism and unfair resource allocation due to bad (idealistic/traditionalist) policies.. Average life expectancy was around 40-50 years. I don't think anyone considered e.g. a mortality a problem that can or should be solved. (Neither does over 95% of the people today). Population was much smaller. Earth was also in a much more pristine state than today.
Times have changed. We have more technical issues today, since we can address more issues with technology, plus we are on a general trajectory today, which is ecologically unsustainable if we don't manage to invent and use the right technologies quickly. I think this is the fundamental mistake traditional ecological movements are making: There is no turning back. We either manage to progress rapidly enough to counteract what we broke (and will inevitably break) or our civilization collapses. There is no stopping or turning back, we have already bet our future. Being reasonable would have worked 100 years ago, today we must be very smart as well.
Rationality quotes: September 2010
I just find it a bit circular that you want evidences for the assertion saying that assertions need evidences.
Berkeley LW Meet-up Sunday September 5
I'd prefer Sunday or Saturday (9/5 would work for me.)
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Quick Answer: Tachometer What Is The Definition?
What tachometer means?
A tachometer is a device for counting. It is used to show the number of revolutions per minute (RPM) of the aircraft engine. An airplane needs one tachometer for each of its engines. Instructions. An airplane׳s engines often run faster than its propellers.
What is tachometer and its uses?
The tachometer is a measuring instrument that is used to measure the operating speed of an engine in revolutions per minute. It is also known as a revolution counter. This instrument is usually used to estimate traffic speed and volume/flow. It is used in cars, aircraft or other vehicles.
How does tachometer work?
On a vehicle, such as a Car or Motorcycle, the Tachometer measures the rate of rotation of the engine’s crankshaft. With a Tachometer, driver’s are able to assess the ‘engine speed’ and change the gearing ratio accordingly. Each Tachometer indicates the maximum RPM for that particular engine.
What is electrical tachometer?
Definition: The tachometer use for measuring the rotational speed or angular velocity of the machine which is coupled to it. It works on the principle of relative motion between the magnetic field and shaft of the coupled device.
See also Often asked: Who Is Trunk In Dragon Ball Z?
Is a tachometer needed?
Why is a tachometer important?
Tachometers or revolution counters on cars, aircraft, and other vehicles show the rate of rotation of the engine’s crankshaft, and typically have markings indicating a safe range of rotation speeds. This can assist the driver in selecting appropriate throttle and gear settings for the driving conditions.
Which sensor is used in tachometer?
You are here: Home > Tachometers > Tachometer Sensors Several types of sensors are available including Proximity, Hall Effect (magnetic), Optical and Laser. Permanently mounted systems usually use a Proximity or Hall Effect type sensor.
How does an analog tachometer work?
Basically, it beams infrared light at the shaft. One place on the rotating shaft is reflective. The tachometer measures the rate at which the light is reflected back onto the tachometer.
Where is the tachometer sensor located?
What controls the tachometer?
How do I know if my tachometer is working?
Start the vehicle and wait for it to idle down to normal idle speed. At this point the meter should be displaying a fairly constant AC voltage. If this is the case, rev the motor up and down and observe the reading on the meter. The AC voltage should rise when the engine RPM’s rise and fall when the engine RPM’s fall.
See also Where Is Bmw X2 Built?
Why is my tachometer not working?
Potential Problems with a Tachometer A blown fuse is a potential problem with the tachometer. Check the fuses to ensure they are properly functioning. Bad wiring can also be the cause of a malfunctioning tachometer. If you are getting erratic readings, this can be a sign of bad wiring.
What is analog tachometer?
Analog tachometer is an electronic instrumentation to count machine revolution based on time period – revolution per minute (RPM).
Which of the following is correct for AC and DC tachometer?
9. Which of the following is correct for AC and DC tachometers? Explanation: For AC tachometer it has a sensitivity which is very less than the sensitivity of DC tachometers. 10.
What is mechanical tachometer?
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[–]Fritzkreig 7 points8 points (0 children)
Many tropical areas experience variable weather patterns. Over all it is just handy to be able to keep time in regard to crop harvest and planting, animal migrations, dynastic rule, navigation, chonology for contracts and treaties.
Also with no light pollution and not a ton to do at night watching the stars was as much entertainment as watching fire and fornication. Humans are built to recognize patterns for survival; even today much of an IQ test is built around pattern recognition.
[–]Who_GNU 8 points9 points (0 children)
The stars still change throughout the year. The location of a star (or constellation) right after sunset changes slightly every night, in a loop that repeats annually.
[–]SYLOH 4 points5 points (0 children)
If you exclude the dry/wet season tropical areas, there are not areas left.
Every biome is affected in some way by regular seasonal variation.
In particular the equatorial region experience changes in average wind direction, causing different weather patterns, a wet/dry season being the most obvious.
In particular the tropics of South East Asia experience wind shifts that were so regular, sailors had books for optimal departure times which often denoted specific week in which to leave for a particular destination.
[–]d2factotum 0 points1 point (0 children)
There are often regular yearly events even in the tropics, e.g. monsoon season. Even without that, though, the sun still changes angle in the sky from month to month--even if you're exactly on the equator the Sun is only directly overhead at noon twice a year, at other times it will be either north or south of your position.
[–]Federal_Assistant_85 0 points1 point (0 children)
Solar anulemma is an easy way to track the seasons by marking sun shadow on a wall from an object at a certain time of day. The sun's angular position changes wind patterns and how weather systems travel. Early cultures all over the world shared this method of telling time. |
Small Group Studies
Hall of Faith Week 10 Study
We heard during the weekend sermon that "adversity is the grindstone of life." Everyone faces adversity, and everyone is shaped by it, for good or bad. When we face hard times, the question is, how will we respond? Will we respond positively, or will we be overcome by the difficulties we face? Today we will be encouraged by the life of David, a man who trusted God and remained faithful during a time of great adversity.
Growing up, which did you find most challenging: elementary school, middle school, or high school? Why?
Bible Study Questions
1. How are the obstacles and adversities that we face connected to our faith?
2. Read 1 Samuel 16:5-13. Based on what we know from these verses, how would the world have perceived David? What was most important to God when it came to David's fitness for kingship?
1 Samuel 16:5-13
3. Read 1 Samuel 17:41-51. What evidence do you see of David accepting his calling of the future king of Israel, even at a young age?
1 Samuel 17:41-51
1. What limitations have others tried to impose on you? What limitations have you imposed on yourself?
2. What adversity are you facing today? What voices have you been listening to amidst this adversity?
3. How can David's story encourage you as you face adversity this next week?
One of the biggest things we can do during the battles we face is praying for each other. Hopefully, by now, you have all shared what adversities you are facing right now. So, spend some time now praying for each other, asking God to strengthen and sustain you throughout the trials you are facing. As you pray, thank God for the promise that God fights for His people and never leaves us alone during our adversities and trials.
Going Deeper
David's story tells all about his faithfulness to God, but it also tells us all about God's faithfulness to His people. So, let's take some time to look at Scripture to understand what David's story tells us about God's faithfulness.
Read 2 Samuel 7:1-3.
What Did David want to do for God?
Read 2 Samuel 7:5-16.
Summarize God's response to David?
What stands out to you about God's response?
How was God's response to David an act of grace, which is getting something that we do not deserve?
Instead of David building a house for God, God promised to build a house for David through his descendants. Now, part of this prophecy was about Solomon, David's son, who would be the next king. Solomon would end up building a temple, or a house, for God, but this was also speaking to something greater. You see, God promised in this passage of Scripture to build a house, or dynasty, for David that extended beyond Solomon and would, in fact, never end. So, let's look at what Scripture teaches about this promise and its fulfillment.
Read Isaiah 9:6-7.
How is this prophecy connected to God's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7?
Read Matthew 1:1-17.
How is this timeline evidence of the fulfillment of God's promise to David?
How was God's promise to David, and the fulfillment of the promise found in Matthew 1, not only evidence of God's faithfulness to David, but also to you and me today?
God's promise to David was not immediately fulfilled. Instead, after twenty-eight generations, at just the right time, God sent Jesus. This long time period did not mean God was not faithful in the waiting. Instead, He was waiting for the right time to send Jesus. Yet, all the while, He was faithful. Maybe this period of waiting resonates with you. Is there an area of your life where you are waiting to see evidence of God's faithfulness? If so, share this with your group. How does this story of David give you confidence in God's faithfulness and hope as you wait?
MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)
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Too much Protein: Perhaps Protein is not all that it’s “Built Up” to be
By Arielle Levitan M.D. and Romy Block M.D.too-much-protein
It seems like messages about protein bombard us everyday. Protein bars and powders abound. Likewise, many food labels boast a certain number of grams of protein, alluring us to believe “well, then it must be healthy . . . “
Are we really lacking in protein?
Actually, most of us are not deficient in protein. The US recommended daily allowance for protein is 46g for women and 56g for men (This is roughly .8g per kg of body weight– in common terms, about 1/3 of a gram per pound of body weight). Since many foods that we eat (including vegetarians and vegans) contain protein, those grams add up fairly quickly. For example, a yogurt has 11 grams of protein, and a serving of meat has over 20. Dairy products, tofu, eggs, beans and rice are other common sources.
Do we all have the same requirements for protein?
Of course not. Because each of us have different diets, exercise routines and health histories, we each have different nutritional demands. Various factors about an individual do influence how much protein they should consume – just as many factors determine what our vitamin needs are (Click here to take our vitamin survey and get a custom all in one vitamin).
As outlined above, men and women have slightly different baseline protein requirements. It is generally felt that those in extreme training situations (e.g., marathon running, competitive swimming, etc.) require more protein in their diets. Similarly, someone who is recovering from protein deprivation due to illness or a severe burn also needs more protein to replenish their stores. However, the vast majority of us (even those who exercise with intensity) are actually getting or exceeding the recommended daily intake.
If you wish to build your muscles by consuming protein there is a clearly a point of diminishing returns. Increasing your protein if you are falling short of your training demands is only worth it to a point. It appears that anything beyond 1.8 g/ kg of body weight per day (so roughly twice the listed usual RDA for protein) is no more beneficial for those looking to gain strength or body mass. Sorry to break it to all of you body builders out there who are putting down gallons of protein drinks everyday. It’s probably not doing much for you.
So, even 2/3 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is a very high goal and not necessarily beneficial for building big muscles (if that is even your goal).
Is eating too much protein harmful?
There is conflicting data on this. Some have suggested that diets excessive in protein can be harmful to the kidneys. We do know this to be true in those with existing kidney disease. However, it has not been proven to be so in those with heatlhy kidneys. It is however, important to consume enough fluids with protein because excess protein can deplete one of fluids and this can put stress on the kidneys.
There is some data to suggest that too much protein intake is associated with higher risks of cancer. However the study also found this reversed in older age. It also is unclear if the protein itself is raising the cancer risk or if it’s the associated animal fat consumption that could be causing the negative affect.
But doesn’t protein help with weight loss?
Actually, protein can impede weight loss because of its high caloric content. Foods high in protein are rich in calories. This is a natural function of protein being a great source of energy. However, it also is the case that many artificial vehicles for protein (bars, powers, gels, shakes, etc.) have lots of additives which add further to the caloric content. Therefore, do not assume that more protein is always better when you are trying to trim down. More on weight loss tips here.
So why push the protein intake then?protein-in-food-too-much-protein
There are some reasons that protein is still very important, even if you are not looking to win the Mr. or Miss Universe competition. Foods high in protein (and fats) tend to be satisfying. They are digested less rapidly than those with lots of carbs and they do not produce the natural insulin rush that sugary foods do. Therefore, they do not cause major drops in blood levels a few hours later. In other words, proteins hold your appetite for longer. Eating protein based meals and snacks tends to minimize the ravenous hunger that follows eating a quick carb.
For this reason, try to balance your snacks and meals so they contain at least some protein (and remember that doesn’t have to be a burger). If you are in intense training, recovering from illness or you want muscles that Popeye would envy, then push up to twice the RDA for protein (in addition to the actual work that goes into building those muscles). One rule to live by is to aim to get 20-30% of your calories from protein. You can calculate the protein calories in something by looking at the grams of protein and multiplying them times 4 (i.e., each gram of protein has 4 calories, while fats have 9 calories per gram, carbs have 4). The goal is to then find a balance between the three.
Chances are, that if you do the math, protein is abundant in your diet. If it is not, look for some natural ways to add it in via eggs, dairy, lean meats or legumes, rather than artificially produced products. These may have the cache of “protein,” but they may come with other undesirable additives.
While focusing on your diet, don’t forget to look at your nutritional needs as a whole and what vitamins you need. Take our vitamin quiz to get an all in one vitamin that is a custom supplement for you.
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