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What's the difference between saliva alcohol testing and a breath alcohol machine?
The primary difference between saliva alcohol testing and a breath alcohol machine is the method used to collect the test specimen. A saliva alcohol, or oral fluid alcohol test, requires the subject to submit an oral fluid sample. A breath alcohol machine test is performed using the subject's exhaled breath. Additionally, the two testing methods differ in the type of analysis used to detect the presence of alcohol. Finally, each breath alcohol test collects a single sample that cannot be divided for subsequent testing whereas some saliva alcohol testing permits multiple tests to be conducted using the same specimen. For both a saliva alcohol test and a breath alcohol test, a positive result is confirmed by use of an evidentiary breath alcohol machine.
What types of results do saliva alcohol tests and breath alcohol testing machines provide?
Saliva alcohol and breath alcohol machine tests are both suitable for use as a screening method to detect the presence of alcohol. Both tests can provide an instant positive or negative result. Devices using either saliva or breath testing methods may also provide data indicating subject’s blood alcohol content (BAC) level.
Both saliva and breath tests are designed to detect alcohol that has already been ingested by the test subject and is present in the blood. Once alcohol is consumed and enters the bloodstream, it is present in a person's saliva and also his or her exhaled breath. These two testing methods rely on defined ratios to calculate the equivalent blood alcohol concentration based on the alcohol levels detected in either the saliva or breath respectively.
Saliva Alcohol Test Sample Collection
Oral fluid specimens for saliva alcohol testing may be obtained using an absorbent material placed in the mouth or by collecting a sample of forced expectorant (spit) from the test subject in a collection container. Once collected, the saliva sample is immediately tested using a point-of-collection analyzer. An alcohol saliva test may also be submitted laboratory testing. However, lab-based saliva alcohol testing cannot detect the presence of ethanol alcohol. Instead, a lab-based immunoassay test will detect the alcohol biomarker ethyl glucuronide (ETG). The detection window for this biomarker is variable and does not correlate to a specific blood alcohol concentration. Thus, lab testing of saliva samples is not used to confirm impairment or workplace alcohol violations.
Breath Alcohol Machine Test Sample Collection
The collection of a breath specimen for alcohol breath machine testing may be achieved by active or passive means, depending on the testing device used. Active collection requires the test subject to breathe into a straw or mouthpiece until a sufficient sample has been provided. Passive collection breath alcohol machines use a fan or other mechanical means to capture the test subject's breath vapor when the device is near the subject's mouth.
After collection of a breath alcohol specimen, one of several different methods will be applied to analyze the sample. When an evidentiary breath alcohol machine is used, two different methods may be employed to achieve the most accurate results.
Infrared spectrophotometer and electrochemical fuel cell technology are two of the most commonly employed methodologies for detecting alcohol in a breath sample. Infrared spectrophotometer machines measure changes in light wave patterns caused by the presence of alcohol in the breath. Electromechanical fuel cells machines are most often used in workplace testing. These devices detect the presence of alcohol by measuring electrical activity triggered by the chemical reaction between the alcohol and a catalyst in the device. The results of an alcohol breath machine test are available within minutes.
The U.S. Federal government has designated a limited number of devices as suitable for alcohol screening and confirmation tests when such testing is required by federal law. When testing is required for a safety-sensitive transportation job, an evidentiary blood alcohol machine is always required to confirm a positive screening result.
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Movement 411
411. Self-recording level for surveyors. Consists of a carriage, the shape of which is governed by an isosceles triangle having horizontal base. The circumference of each wheel equals the base of the triangle. A pendulum, when the instrument is on level ground, bisects the base, and when on an inclination gravitates to right or left from center accordingly. A drum, rotated by gearing from one of the carriage wheels, carries sectionally ruled paper, upon which pencil on pendulum traces profile corresponding with that of ground traveled over. The drum can be shifted vertically to accord with any given scale, and horizontally, to avoid removal of filled paper. |
What Is HIV, don sida.
#Don #sida
What is HIV?
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It damages your immune system, making it easier for you to get sick. HIV is spread during sex, but condoms can help protect you.
Want to get tested for HIV?
HIV/AIDS is a serious infection
HIV can affect anybody — about 1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, and more than 41,000 new infections happen every year. Most people with HIV don’t have any symptoms for many years and feel totally fine, so they might not even know they have it.
Once you have HIV, the virus stays in your body for life. There’s no cure for HIV, but medication can help you stay healthy longer and lower your chances of spreading the virus to other people. Treatment is really important (that’s why getting tested is so important). People who have HIV and don’t get treatment almost always die from the virus. But with medication, people with HIV can be healthy and live a long time.
What’s the difference between HIV and AIDS?
HIV is the virus that’s passed from person to person. Over time, HIV destroys an important kind of the cell in your immune system (called CD4 cells or T cells) that helps protect you from infections. When you don’t have enough of these CD4 cells, your body can’t fight off infections the way it normally can.
How do you get HIV/AIDS?
having vaginal or anal sex
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Home Environment Carbon Filtering
Carbon Filtering
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Carbon purification, in regards to water filters, is an extremely efficient method to get rid of pollutants from water. The primary element behind carbon purification is carbon. The fundamental component has a long background of being made use of to take in different impurities. The majority of people do unknown it, yet a single extra pound of carbon has an active surface area absorbing the price of over 100 acres. This is just one-factor carbon filtering is so reliable. Along with carbon filtering having such a vast area where to catch pollutants, turned on carbon has a minor electro-positive cost contributed to it. This cost enables the coal to be incredibly appealing to many contaminations; consider a magnet bring in iron filings to obtain a far better mental image. As the inbound water moves with the favourably charged carbon surface area, the unfavourable ions that prevail for impurities are drawninto the carbon granules.
About Activated Carbons with Jacobi come under twolarge teams. The very first usages granular triggered carbon (GAC). The 2nd team of water filters makes use of carbon blocks. Carbon block filters have a greater pollutant elimination proportion when compared with granular kind water filters.
A standard counter-top or under-the-counter carbon filter makes use of 12 to 24 ounces of turned on carbon. The sort of coal made use of differs, with one of the most typical carbon kinds utilised in water purification being bituminous, timber, and coconut covering carbons.
Coconut shell carbon expenses a lot more, however, is thought about one of the most efficient of the 3.
Carbon filtering devices:
Carbon purification water supply are accessible in a variety of residence water therapy systems. These kinds of water filters can be discovered as either standalone filters which could decrease or remove negative preferences and also smells. They could likewise get rid of or lower chlorine, and numerous natural pollutants in local water materials, causing boosted alcohol consumption water. Carbon systems could similarlybe discovered as pre-treatment systems within reverse osmosis systems where they lower the degree of some sorts of natural pollutants, chlorine, and various other impurities that could connect up the different osmosis membrane layer.
While carbon filtering devices are great at exactly what they do, they do have some restrictions. About activated carbons with Jacobifilters do not work well in eliminating all liquefied, not natural compounds. They are additionally ineffective in removing minerals and particular kinds of salts that create hard water. If your inbound water has concerned with liquefied, not natural pollutants or firmness concerns, think about utilising a reverse osmosis water filter, or you could intend to explore making use of KDF-55 or manganese greensand water filtering system.
Carbon filtering systems vary in rate, depending upon the sort of system being bought. Whole-house systems will, naturally, a price greater than smaller sized or factor of use water filters.
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Water and Proper Hydration for Peak Athletic Performance
Water and Proper Hydration for Peak Athletic Performance
Are you drinking enough water? Peak athletic performance starts with a solid understanding of hydration.
While every athlete knows staying hydrated is essential to peak performance, few fully understand how much water they should drink, and when. Many unknowingly struggle with when to decrease their water intake, and when to step their water intake up.
By “water” I mean “total water” — the term for all the fluid that goes into the stomach and keeps the heart pumping at the optimum rate, distributes nutrients throughout the body, lubricates joints, and regulates body temperate by helping to produce sweat.
Total water includes any coffee or tea, fruit juice, sports drinks, soup, and even the moisture in food (Note that I didn’t include soft drinks, or diet soda which I, along with others, strongly discourage). A full 20 percent of the water you absorb comes from food. Believe it or not, eggs and most shellfish are about 75% water, while meats come in at 50% to 70%. Not surprisingly, fruits and vegetables provide the most water as some have concentrations as high as 96%!
Knowing that, here are some questions to ask yourself:
How much “total water” do I need?
According to the latest research, just enough to keep you from becoming thirsty—no more, no less. Of course, the more intense your activity the more you have to replace water lost to sweat. That amounts to the traditional “eight glasses a day” at the very least.
Just make sure not to overdo it. A few years ago, a Vanderbilt track star drank so much water the day of a relay in Florida that his blood salts dropped to dangerously low levels. What he should’ve done instead is cut his total water intake by half and had a mix of water and a sports drink like Gatorade—which, as you probably already know by now, supplies electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals). Electrolytes not only help the blood carry electrical impulses to your nerves and muscles, but also help you absorb fluid quickly and retain it longer.
How do I know if I’m well hydrated?
One easy way is to pay attention to the color of your urine. A pale-yellow or clear color generally indicates adequate hydration. A dark-yellow color generally means that you need more fluids.
How much should I drink before a game, practice or workout?
Good question. I tell my athletes to drink 20 ounces of water or Gatorade five hours before a run, practice session, or competition; another 20 ounces two hours later; and 5 ounces fifteen minutes before start time. This progressive approach works well for two reasons: 1) It enables the body to absorb and distribute fluids to the muscles, tissues, organs, and blood stream in advance; and 2) it ensures that athletes won’t have 40 fluid ounces of liquid weighing them down as they play the game.
I’ll be back next time with more tips for high school and college athletes. In the meantime, eat smart.
21 / 04 / 2017 1R |
mining processes of iron ore
Eco-efficient and cost-effective process design for
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Introduction to Iron Ore and Steel Smelting Processing Iron ore is obtained in the conventional method of open cast or underground mining and conveying the ore to the surface preparation are where it is crushed washed and transported to the smelter
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The method does not use water to process iron ore instead it transforms mining tailings with low iron content and no commercial value into high iron content and low contaminants making it economically viable
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Mining iron ore is a high volume low margin business as the value of iron is significantly lower than base metals The second method involves oxidizing the phosphorus during the fining process by adding iron oxide This technique is usually associated with puddling in the 19th century and may not have been understood
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Iron ore can be defined on the basis of its iron content into low-grade ore taconite which commonly contains 25 to 35% iron and high-grade ore which contains 50 to 70% iron Iron-bearing ore minerals include oxides
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What is the process of refining Iron ore Iron ore refining process uses heat and another substance so that oxygen molecule can bond to them and separate from iron
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USGS Minerals Information Iron Ore
Iron ore is a mineral substance which when heated in the presence of a reductant will yield metallic iron Fe It almost always consists of iron oxides the primary forms of which are magnetite Fe 3 O 4 and hematite Fe 2 O 3 Iron ore is the source of primary iron for the world s iron and
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What is Financial Aid?
One of the most asked question when going back to school is, “What is financial aid?”. One of the biggest misconceptions about College Financial Aid is that funds borrowed from the Federal Government do not have to be paid back. This is only partially true as Federal Financial Aid is made up of four types of aid. It is crucial that all prospective and current students understand the differences.
1. Loans Do have to be re-paid
2. Grants – Do not have to be re-paid
3. Scholarships – Do not have to be re-paid
4. Work-Study – Federal Work-Study amounts/hours determined by your school
Types of Loans
Loans, both Subsidized and Unsubsidized are borrowed money with the promise to repay. For more information on the difference between Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans please CLICK HERE. Another type of Financial Aid is know as a PLUS loan. In short, PLUS loans are federal loans that are generally taken out by graduate or higher degree seeking students (i.e. Doctoral candidates) as well as parents of dependent undergraduate students (24 years old or younger) that can be used to help pay educational related expenses. PLUS loans have many positives and negatives to the student and parent that everyone should be very aware of.
Grants and Scholarships
Grants and Scholarships do not have to be repaid and are generally awarded based on “merit” (Scholarships) and “need” (Grants). Need-based awards, such as the PELL Grant, are designed to support low-income or no-income students that are in difficult financial circumstance and generally have a higher need for additional funding to pay for school. In some cases, scholarships can be need-based as well. Merit-based programs are grounded on many different factors depending on the scholarship; however, a student’s financial situation (“need”) is not always a factor.
Federal Work-Study program
Federal Work-Study programs are generally part-time jobs for Professional, Undergraduate and Graduate students (Full or Part-time) that have some type of financial need. The jobs under the work-study program are primarily centered around a student’s degree program or community service. It is also important to note that not all Universities participate in this program so it is important to double check with your chosen school if this is an option that appeals to you.
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Physical Oceanographer Post -doctoral position open at Ifremer
posted May 6, 2015, 6:45 AM by Salinity CERSAT [ updated May 6, 2015, 6:45 AM ]
Towards a better estimation of surface currents using satellite Sea Surface Salinity data
Sea Surface Salinity from SMOS (color) in the Gulf Stream region superimposed with surface currents deduced from altimeters (Reul et al., 2014).
Sea surface Height (SSH) data from altimeters are key observations to reveal the ocean variability at large spatial scales (>100-200 kms). Currently orbiting altimeters do not provide the ocean variability at the smaller so-called meso-scales (from 50 to 200 km) and sub-mesoscales (< 20 km). Recent theoretical, numerical and experimental studies (e.g. Earth Simulator simulations at very high resolution) have however revealed that the ocean surface dynamic in these ranges of horizontal scales is no more characteristics of bi-dimensional turbulence, so that the dynamic at smaller scale cannot be directly inferred from the large scale ones, e.g., through direct energy cascade.
SSH can allow a better constraint of the estimation of the surface density field to help assess in more detail the characteristics of correlation between these fields. As proposed in several recent papers (Lapeyre and Klein, 2006; Isern-Fontanet et al., 2008; LaCasce, J. H., 2012) subsurface velocity and density fields can be extrapolated from sea surface density and SSH via the Surface Quasi-Geostrophic (SQG) formalism. Such method was shown to be particularly successful in energetic regions like the Gulf Stream extension (Wang et al., 2013).
Lacking regular sea surface salinity (SSS) field mapping capability at sufficient spatial resolution, these previous works all assumed that temperature dominates the surface density variations and generally used a constant SSS value. SQG methods implicitly assume the surface density and interior potential vorticity (PV) are correlated. In fact, the two fields are often quite different. Were they perfectly correlated (or anti-correlated), the sea surface height
would resemble the surface density. But satellite SSH and SST anomalies are found to be not always coincident (e.g. Wang, 2013). While there are regions where SST and SSH anomalies are correlated, there are others where they are not. Surface heating/cooling can thus modify the surface signature of near-surface density anomalies (their strength and lateral structures) making them different from surface pressure gradient that is reflected in SSH variability. Moreover, interior PV can be non-zero due to baroclinic instabilities that affect surface pressure without changing the surface density. Finally, in presence of strong horizontal gradients of salinity, surface density is not always dominated by temperature.
The combination of the new SMOS and Aquarius satellite SSS with SST and SSH data provide a first opportunity to estimate the synoptic surface density fields on mesoscales and to further assess the level of correlation between the latter and the SSH fields. The post-doc candidate will analyse such correlation in several key dynamical areas of the world ocean.
Key words: surface currents, sea surface salinity, SMOS, density, altimetry, temperature
Procedure to apply to the IFREMER call for candidates for the 2015-2016 post-doctoral grants
Interested applicants should send :
2. A detailed curriculum vitae.
4. A list of publications and communications / symposia.
5. Two letters of recommendation.
The deadline for applications is september 10, 2015.
Complementary information can be obtained through exchanges with the Scientist Contact at ifremer.
The criteria for selecting candidates are the following :
Postdoctoral positions will begin from the 1st of November, 2015.
The candidate will work in the Ifremer Mediterannean Center located in La Seyne-sur-Mer |
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Home / Bizarre / 10 strange but interesting early photography fads
10 strange but interesting early photography fads
Photography has come a long way. It is sometimes hard to believe that black-and-white photography was the only type available a few decades ago. Nowadays we have so many possibilities. And let's not even talk about current fads like the selfie.
However, we have no monopoly on fads. In fact, the people who lived when the camera was invented seem to have better and more flashy photography than us.
10 Postmortem Photography
Postmortem photography (aka memento mori ]) was a bizarre genre in which living people photographed with the corpse of a dead relative. It was common in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Photographs were expensive at the time, and most people did not take pictures during their lifetime. The only opportunity was after her death. In fact, it was often the only image of the deceased.
Postmortem photography was possible because most people died at home. Most pictures were of children because at that time child mortality was high. The children were dressed – sometimes surrounded by flowers and toys – before the picture was taken. Their mothers sometimes even bore the children. The pictures often looked like the dead kids were just taking a nap.
Older children and adults were equipped with belts, pulleys and levers. Some even stood as if they were alive. The eyes were often dead gifts, and sometimes photographers added glassy eyes to give the impression of the dead man looking at the camera.
Considering the fact that the transport was unreliable and dead people became stiff after a few hours (called Rigor Mortis), relatives were often sent to the photographer before the person's death. The photographers sometimes arrived after the onset of rigor mortis. However, this was usually not a problem as they were experts in manipulating sterner bodies.
Postmortem photography slowly disappeared as advances in medicine made people live longer. Instead of their homes, more people died in hospitals. Cameras and photographs also became cheaper over time, and most people had other pictures of themselves and their relatives. [1]
9 Hidden Mother Photography
Early photography had long exposure times. The subject had to remain calm for 30 seconds before a picture could be taken. It is difficult to let an adult sit still for 30 seconds and stare into the camera. It is almost impossible to have a child in such a position. [2]
Because of this, mothers sometimes hid in the background while holding their children. This was called hidden mother photography. Most mothers covered themselves with clothes that fitted into the background. Others were disguised as chairs, backdrops, curtains or whatever they would hide in the photo before taking.
8 Spirit Photography
Spirit photography was another genre inspired by the long exposure times of the early cameras. The motives of earlier photographs had to stand still to prevent ghosting. As you probably guessed by name, ghosting means that the subject looked faint and transparent – as if it were a ghost.
In 1861, photographer William H. Mumler discovered in his photographs a method to produce consistent ghosting. It is believed that Mumler created his ghost images by inserting the glass plate of an earlier photograph of the alleged mind in front of a fresh glass plate, which he used for his last motive.
Rather than creating a unique genre of photography, Mumler used his knowledge to cheat his clients. He claimed he could make real shots of ghosts, and soon clients would rave about his shop to take pictures of ghosts from their deceased relatives. His clients included Mary Todd Lincoln, who took a photo with the ghost of her late husband Abraham Lincoln.
Soon people revealed Mumler's mental images as a fake. There were claims that he raided his clients' homes to steal pictures of their deceased relatives and use them for his ghost glass plates. This was probably true because the mind was sometimes a living relative. This effectively destroyed Mumler's photography career, even though a court kept him free of all charges. [3]
7 Smileless Photographs
People seldom smiled on early photographs, especially on pictures taken in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There were several reasons for this. Early photography was considered an extension of painting, and paintings should look natural. This means that a smile and anything but a shallow facial expression was not allowed.
There was also postmortem photography. As mentioned earlier, pictures taken in postmortem sessions were often the only picture a family had of their deceased relative. The images should make a dead immortal – and a natural expression was the most favored facial expression.
Another reason was the long exposure times of early cameras. As already mentioned, the subjects had to remain calm. This meant that they had to maintain a single facial expression so as not to end up with a blurred mouth. Most subjects chose a face with a shallow facial expression, as it was the easiest to care for.
Another reason was the fact that the Victorians did not smile. There was a widespread belief that only idiots smiled. No one wanted to be an idiot because he smiled in a photo. [4]
6 Headless Portraits
Early photographers manipulated images a century before computers and imaging software arrived. Image editing began immediately after the invention of the first cameras, when some photographers discovered a method in which two images were cut together and put together to create a new one.
Swedish photographer Oscar Rejlander used this technique to create the headless portrait genre in the 19th century. As you may have guessed from the name, one or more subjects appeared in a headless portrait. The subject or someone else in the picture held his head in his hand or on a plate.
The headless person or the other person sometimes held a bloody knife in his hand to give the impression that they had cut off his head. While this type of portrait can be easily created with the image editing software available today, it was a tedious task in the past and not as easy as it looks. [5]
5 Builder's Photo
Locomotive and car manufacturers used the builder's photo (aka official photo) to introduce their new or upgraded products. The shot included either the front and side of the product or just the side. The locomotives were often without wagons and the images were sometimes edited to remove the backgrounds.
Some manufacturers have painted their locomotives gray to look good on black and white photos. Darker areas of the locomotive were also painted in light colors to make them appear lighter. The locomotives were repainted in their real colors after shooting.
Railway companies posted the pictures in their offices and used them on postcards and advertisements. Also Lokomotivbegeisterte got into the fashion. Her pictures, however, were called roster shots. [6]
4 Pigeon Photography
In 1907, Julius Neubronner applied for a patent for the dove camera. As the name suggests, the camera was attached to a pigeon. A timer enabled automatic photography when the pigeon was in flight.
The camera was a win for aerial photography back then. In fact, his pictures are among the earliest aerial photographs ever taken. In front of the dove camera, people took aerial photos of cameras attached to balloons and kites. Dragons and balloons, however, were slower and could travel only limited distances.
This becomes more interesting when we find out that Dr. Neubronner never started developing a camera for aerial photography. He invented the camera to document the routes of the pigeons.
This does not mean that the dove camera had no defects. Although useful for aerial photography, it was unreliable for surveillance as it shot images randomly. This was the reason why it lost its place for airplanes when World War I came. [7]
3 Manual Retouching
Immediately after the invention of photography, people started to look for ways to look better in pictures. In the Victorian era, however, there was no computer or image editing software. The Victorians solved this problem with pencils to manually retouch the glass plates used to create the photos.
Body lines became bolder with sharp pencils. Blunt pencils were used to brighten darker areas of the body. The cheeks were often shaded, as they usually looked darker in the finished image. Photo editing was so common in Victorian times that almost every image was manually reworked. [8]
2 Hand-Colored Photographs
Some paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries appear in color, although color photography was only perfected in the middle of the 20th century. How was that possible? Of course by painting over pictures.
Johann Baptist Isenring began hand-colored photo fashion when he painted over a black and white photo with pigments and gum arabic. Some other photographers soon joined the fad. A well-known photographer was Yokohama Matsusaburo, who doubled as a painter and lithographer.
Matsusaburo created his first color photograph in the 1860s and was known for his hand-colored pictures. Hand-colored photography reached its peak at the beginning of the 20th century, but died quickly when color photography was started by cameras in the 1950s. [9]
1 Red Shirt School of Photography
The Red Shirt School of Photography was a genre born of the perfection of colored photography. The genre was unknowingly started by several magazines that were accused of purposely inserting red objects into their images.
There are rumors that photographers working for the magazines came with red shirts, red umbrellas, and other red objects to put their hands on. They added these objects to their photographs to make them look appealing. National Geographic was one of the journals accused of launching the fad.
Color images fascinated people when color cameras became mainstream in the 1950s. The editors quickly realized that readers focused on the colors in the image rather than the lines and movements that were central to the era of black-and-white photography. The editors therefore focused on gaining more readers through appealing images.
In fact, the editors have selected the pictures by color. For this reason, photographers have preferred to take pictures with sharp and appealing colors like red. Some photographers traveled with actors wearing bright clothes or bright accessories, letting them walk into a scene just before shooting. The genre died in the 1960s. [10]
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A Brief History of Science
Around 2650 B.C. this Egyptian was renowned for his knowledge of medicine.
Father of life sciences - also believed in spontaneous generation.
Know for hir study of reproduction or genetics.
In 1543 he published a book on the Human body with detailed illustrations of the organs, muscles andskeleton
Proposed the idea that, like matter, energy comes in little "packets" called Quanta.
Known for his Theory of Evolution which explains how we got here withour reference to a Creator. Wrote "The Origin of the Species"
Invented the Microscope.
Father of the scientific method.
One of the first scientist to demonstrate how closely math and science are linked.
"The Electrical Giant". Believed that Electricity and Magnetism were the result of a single process.
Known as the father of atomic theory.
Came up with the First Law of Thermodynamics.
Known for his Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.
Founder of Modern Physics.
Offered an explanation for why a rain bow appears in the sky. "The priest who solved the mystery of the rainbow".
Developed a picture of the atom and even had a model named after him.
Demonstrated Atmospheric Pressure and invented the Adding Machine.
One of the greatest scientists of all time. Laid down 3 laws of motion, laws of gravity, developed calculus and showed white light is composed of many different colors of light.
This scientist along with Anaximander & Anaximenes are viewed as the first real scientists.
Invented the Telescope.
Developed Equations to describe Speed, Distance traveled, Etc. Showed that most of what Aristotle said about motion was wrong.
Followed Grosseteste. "Proved" wrong the superstition that a diamond could only be broken with the application of goat blood.
One of the first to break Ptolemy's Geocentric view. (Correctly) Believed that the earth spins while it orbits the sun. (Heliocentric System)
Thought the earth was the center of the universe and the planets and stars orbited about the earth in a series of circles. Also called the Ptolemaic system or geocentri system and does not move.
Was wrong about many thing concerning atoms but he was right about them being in constant motion.
Founder of modern atomic theory.
Developed Pasteurization. Destroyed the idea of spontaneous generation and was know for his work with vaccines.
Published a book on Classification.
Studied Geology. Thought the Earth took millions of years to form.
Used mathematical data to support the heliocentric system and found the oval or ellipse pattern the planets use to travel around the sun.
Founder of modern Chemistry. |
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Home arrow Sociology arrow Understanding Society and Natural Resources
Simple Neo-Malthusian Theories
Simple neo-Malthusian theories apply the logical structure of classical Malthusianism to other important issues of resource management. Like classical Malthusianism, they have a certain commonsensical appeal due to their plausible assumptions and axiomatic elegance. Simple neo-Malthusian theories therefore often play a powerful role in the popular imagination, although more often than not without any direct reference to classical Malthusianism as the source of the tradition.
Environmental Neo-Malthusianism
Environmental neo-Malthusianism is a typical case in point. According to this school, environmental impact (ƒ1) such as land degradation and biodiversity loss outpaces and strains nature's ability to provide ecosystem services (ƒ2) such as biomass production and carbon sequestration. The reason is that environmental impact constantly increases, while ecosystem services are either stagnant or declining. After a period of overshoot, the decline of ecosystem services inexorably leads to
Fig. 4.3 Environmental neo-Malthusianism
environmental degradation, undermining the Earth's regenerative capacity. This must lead to catastrophic consequences, constraining humanity's ability to make further demands on ecosystems and ultimately rebalancing environmental impact with nature's ability to provide ecosystem services (Fig. 4.3).
Environmental neo-Malthusianism is neatly illustrated by ecological footprint analysis, as in the World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report (WWF 2012). [1] The report closely follows the neo-Malthusian template, with ecological footprint outpacing and straining biocapacity but ultimately constrained by it.
Ecological footprint (ƒ1) is a measure of environmental impact. It is understood as the land base that would be required to compensate for a given level of environmental impact, most notably greenhouse gas emissions. It is based on the so-called IPAT equation, which specifies environmental impact in terms of population, affluence, and technology (Ehrlich and Holdren 1971). The equation has seen many specifications over the years (Chertow 2000).[2] To cite just one prominent example, Ehrlich et al. (1999, 270) define environmental impact (I) as:
a product of population size (P), per capita affluence (A) measured as per capita consumption, and the environmental impact of the technologies, cultural practices, and institutions through which that consumption is serviced (T), measured as damage per unit of consumption.
Fig. 4.4 Climate-based neo-Malthusianism
Biocapacity (ƒ2) is a measure of ecosystem services. It is defined as “[t]he capacity of ecosystems to produce useful biological materials and to absorb waste materials generated by humans” (WWF 2012, 146). [3] Ecological footprint constrains biocapacity insofar as, after a period of overshoot, the overburdening of biocapacity by ecological footprint must lead to dismal consequences such as land degradation and climate change, which in turn must lead to significant social calamities: environmental migration, resource wars, pandemics, and so on. Short of a sustainability transformation, such calamities may be the only way for ecological footprint and biocapacity to return to a long-term global equilibrium.
• [1] Ecological footprint analysis goes back to Wackernagel and Rees (1996) and is also applied by the Global Footprint Network (Ewing et al. 2010)
• [2] Most authors interpret IPAT as an equation [I=P×A×T] or even as an identity [ I = P ´´],P GDP
although it is better understood as a complex function allowing for interaction effects between its variables
[I=F(P;A;T )]
• [3] Biocapacity is understood here as a specific ecosystem service, namely the bioproductivity of the earth. It is operationalized as the average bioproductivity of a “global hectare”, multiplied by the surface of the earth in hectares
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Related topics |
Wu (1995): Organisms respond to elevated temperatures and to chemical and physiological stresses by an increase in the synthesis of heat shock proteins. The regulation of heat shock gene expression in eukaryotes is mediated by the conserved heat shock transcription factor (HSF). HSF is present in a latent state under normal conditions; it is activated upon heat stress by induction of trimerization and high-affinity binding to DNA and by exposure of domains for transcriptional activity. Analysis of HSF cDNA clones from many species has defined structural and regulatory regions responsible for the inducible activities. The heat stress signal is thought to be transduced to HSF by changes in the physical environment, in the activity of HSF-modifying enzymes, or by changes in the intracellular level of heat shock proteins.
1) Baniwal, SK; Bharti, K; Chan, KY; Fauth, M; Ganguli, A; Kotak, S; Mishra, SK; Nover, L; Port, M; Scharf, KD; Tripp, J; Weber, C; Zielinski, D; von Koskull-Döring, P. 2004. Heat stress response in plants: a complex game with chaperones and more than twenty heat stress transcription factors. J. Biosci. 29(4):471-87 PubMed
2) Fujita, A; Kikuchi, Y; Kuhara, S; Misumi, Y; Matsumoto, S; Kobayashi, H. 1989. Domains of the SFL1 protein of yeasts are homologous to Myc oncoproteins or yeast heat-shock transcription factor. Gene 85(2):321-8 PubMed
3) Nover, L; Scharf, KD; Gagliardi, D; Vergne, P; Czarnecka-Verner, E; Gurley, WB. 1996. The Hsf world: classification and properties of plant heat stress transcription factors. Cell Stress Chaperones 1(4):215-23 PubMed
4) Wu, C. 1995. Heat shock transcription factors: structure and regulation. Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 11:441-69 PubMed
Name: HSF
Class: TF
Number of species containing the TAP: 115
Number of available proteins: 2360
The colour code corresponds to the rules for the domains:
should be contained
should not be contained
Domain rules:
(Domain names are clickable)
Phylogenetic tree for Archeaplastida:
To view the tree click here.
TAP distribution:
The following table shows the distribution of HSF over all species included in TAPscan. The values for e.g. a specific kingdom are shown in the tree below if you expand the tree for that kingdom.
Minimum Maximum Average Median Standard deviation
List of species containing HSF sorted by kingdomcladesupergrouporderfamily:
hide all | show all
expand kingdom Archaeplastida (2396 proteins in 115 species) |
Cryptocurrency Mining Types
Mining was rather simple to perform in 2009 since just a few people knew about bitcoins at that time. Besides, it costed less than a dollar, therefore just enthusiasts dared to mine it. It was possible to get a reward by new unit creation on average per day.
The Bitcoin rate rose to hundred dollars by 2013 and the number of miners increased to such a degree it took months waiting for the reward. Then there appeared the first pools where the miners united to quickly create a block, then sharing the reward proportionally between the participants. Then there have been created powerful ASICs intended to efficiently mine Bitcoin. Now it’s unprofitable to mine bitcoins at home. But there are also other cryptocurrencies, which mining is available to everyone. Their mining principle is almost the same, that’s why it’s better to explore mining essence as well as determine the approach which can be followed while earning first coins.
mining types
Mining process
Mining can be divided into 3 types depending on the equipment from the technical point of view:
1. GPU mining, i.e. video cards-based mining.
2. CPU mining, i.e. processor-based mining.
3. ASIC-based mining on special equipment intended to mine cryptocurrencies that work on certain algorithms.
It’s possible to call mining amateur to some extent, based on the devices number, when there is a small number of video cards in the system unit or one rig. A rig is a frame with several video cards (usually 6-8 pieces) connected to one motherboard (with a cheap processor and a minimum RAM) through the risers and powered by 1-2 power supplies. Besides amateur miners include those who perform processor-based mining, sometimes without a discrete video card at all, although GPU mining capabilities are much higher than CPU.
Those involved in the mining process and those who don’t want to limit themselves to small earnings anymore, gradually increase the scale while collecting more rigs (or buying ready-made ones) hereby forming the whole farm. This is rather industrial mining than amateur. It becomes harder for such farmers to mine cryptocurrency within an apartment since in addition to other reasons cooling requires more space within industrial scale. In such a case they find suitable premises, which can be safely called the whole crypto mine.
The owners of many ASICs also belong to industrial crypto miners. Most of them move to China, where they accommodate in huge hangars located in the mountain provinces. Both equipment cooling as well as electricity cost which make it necessary for selecting a certain crypto mines location are rather important in this case.
Mining ways
Mining is divided into 3 types depending on its method:
1. Individual mining or solo mining. This is an independent own equipment-based mining, which doesn’t require collective participation in the pools. In this case, all the coins you’ve mined, as well as transaction fees belong to you as a deserved profit. Equipment power is important for individual mining since a large hash rate is required to ensure the computational complexity. Solo mining is beneficial for mining relatively fresh cryptocurrencies.
2. Collective mining in pools. A pool is a server combining the computational miners’ power. It is a common computing network, which engaged in new blocks creation. The coins mined are divided among miners, according to their own share in the process. Pooling has become required due to the increasing network complexity of popular cryptocurrencies.
3. Cloud mining. Here you rent the computing power from a service that mines itself on an industrial scale in contradistinction to the previous two mining methods which use their own equipment. In this case, you no longer need to start your own farms and maintain them. It is enough for you to pay for someone else’s power and mine some industrial crypto mine equipment while getting the coins mined. Cloud mining makes it possible to join the production without large investments.
cryptocurrency mining
Each mining can be considered a passive income source to some extent, because a lot of effort is not required for this. It’s better to configure the process, providing continuity and efficiency, and get the coins earned. The main thing here is considering such important aspects as:
• Possible damage, which means it’s required to take care of a reliable warranty on the equipment;
• Room cooling and farm noise reducing, if it operates at home;
• Power supply stability as well as high-quality wiring.
It is worthwhile to follow the cryptocurrency rate more often for increasing profitability in order to switch to more promising coins in time.
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By: Néstor Meléndez
Long ago, before the Spanish conquistadores came to the new world, this was the land of the Muiscas. They lived in this area and practiced salt mining, agriculture, hunting and fishing. This is the place that Gonzalo Jiménez de Quezada, chose to found Santafe de Bogotá in 1538. It had plenty of water and vegetation and was an extended plain guarded by the mountains. For Spanish standards it was a perfect location to found a settlement.
The Cathedral of Bogotá, La Catedral Primada was designed by Domingo de Petrés and built between 1807 and 1823. It was built on the grounds of 3 other churches that also served as cathedrals. The last one was brought down by an earthquake that shook the city on 1785. The actual construction has a neoclassical style. This is the most important church of Colombia and is where the most significant Catholic celebrations of the country are held.There were massive riots, known as el Bogotazo that took place in 1948 after the assassination of the popular leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitán. The Cathedral was taken by snipers opposed to the establishment On April 9 1948. You still can look up at the bell tower and you will see holes from bullets that were fired at these sharp shooters, so that law and order could be restored by authorities. The cathedral is open to the public for masses everyday at 12 noon.
Casa del Florero:
The white and green colonial house is built in the mudéjar andaluz style and is where the independence of Colombia from the Spanish crown began to take place. The house was built at the end of the 16th century, and it belonged to one of the families of the founders of the city. It was also owned by the royal audience attorney general. At times, the house balcony was rented by the owners, to people that wanted to see the important events that took place at the Plaza Mayor. On 1810, this house became part of the history of Colombia, because of the events that happened on July 20th. In those days, the first floor, was rented to a Spaniard named José González Llorente, who had a very well known general store. It was a market day, so the plaza was crowded with many people that were buying groceries and general merchandise. The criollos, as the Colombian born were named, engaged in a plotted fight against the Spaniards known as the chapetones. As a result, a general revolt produced the signing of the independence act that was finally made possible on August 7th 1819. This was when the troops led by Simón Bolívar, won the final battle at the Puente de Boyacá against Spanish troops. The house is now a museum and is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday.
Palacio de Justicia:
This is the newest building in the plaza. It was rebuilt, due to a fire that resulted from the battle that occurred in November of 1985, when M-19 leftist guerrillas invaded the justice palace and kidnapped the supreme court judges and many civilians. The armed forces and police regained control of the palace after 3 days of fighting and many dead. It's a very sad moment in the recent history of Colombia. There are ongoing investigations about where are many disappeared people that were at the palace that day. People who the military mistook for guerrilla members. The new building was inaugurated in 2004 and seats the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, The State Council and the superior justice council. On the upper center of the building is the phrase “Colombians, the guns gave you independence, laws will give you liberty” from one of the fathers of the republic, Francisco de Paula Santander. It gives the intention of the Colombian justice from the days of the independence.
Palacio Lievano:
The palacio lievano is where the Bogota's mayors office is located. It was built in the early years of the 20th century, on the grounds of the Galerias Arrubla, the first mall that existed in the city. In 1900, a huge fire destroyed the buildings completely. The French architect Gaston Lelarge designed the new building and it was finished in 1904. This magnificent building is of a French renaissance style and covers the whole west block of the plaza de Bolívar. It has a beautiful style with big windows and the roofs that take you to the times of the French republic.
Simón Bolívar statue and Capitolio Nacional:
The statue of the Libertador, Simón Bolívar is the most important monument in the plaza. It was installed in 1847 and made by Italian sculptor, Pietro Tenerani. Since then, the name of the square was changed to the current name, Plaza de Bolívar. Its said to be the most vivid and faithful sculpture of Bolívar.
The Capitolio Nacional It's the home of the congress of the Republic of Colombia. It was designed in 1848 and finished in 1926. The original design was made by the Danish architect, Thomas Reed, and is in a neoclassical style. It was the first official building to change from the Spanish-influenced architecture into the more French-oriented republican type.
Construction was interrupted in 1851, due to the civil war. It started again in 1870, and opened partially in 1874. In 1881 the construction went on until 1885 when another war blew out the resources to continue. Then between 1911 and 1919, the French architect Gastón Lelarge retook it and redesigned the front and interior. The final touches lasted till 1926 when it was finally and officially inaugurated by the president Pedronel Ospina. It's made totally in carved stone and you can appreciate the fine details of the construction, as well as the sculptures that guard the roof.
So when you come to Bogotá, make sure you go to the Plaza de Bolívar and have a look at Colombian history.
If you need more information on Colombia, please leave your comments or write me at
Popular posts from this blog |
Jimmy uses traditional ingredients to make noodles. He adds sodium carbonate to the flour, water and salt to add texture to the noodles. He uses an office shredder to replicate the cutting machines used in a food factory to shape the noodles. After steam-cooking the noodles he flash fries them. This drives away moisture, leaving a dried product that can then have boiling water added to cook the noodles 'instantly'.
This clip is from:
Jimmy's Food Factory
First broadcast:
9 February 2011
Could be used to introduce the function of gluten in flour based food products. The clip explains how a modern innovation (flash frying the steamed noodles to force moisture out) facilitated the creation of the instant noodle. Learners might be prompted to reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of this innovation in terms of health, convenience and culture. Students might also be asked to speculate on how this process might be applied to other food products. This might be facilitated through a product development activity or demonstration. |
7 Unhealthy Meals That Aren't So Bad For You
Well, provided you eat them in moderation.
Do you love lechon, but resist it for health reasons? Do you like eating pizza, but you rarely do because it's going to make you fat? The truth is you are actually avoiding foods that aren't that bad for you—some of them actually provide nutrients and vitamins your body needs.
1. Burger
Why we don't eat it: Food chains use a lot of additives like sodium phosphate to preserve and texturize the meat. (Translation: It's not good for your health.)
Why we can eat it: Patties are made of red meat. And study shows that it actually contains vitamin B which is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. But note that you can only consume 100 grams (roughly the size of a deck of cards) in a day to avoid the risk of having heart disease and diabetes.
2. Fried breakfast
Why we don't eat it: Anything fried is linked to fat and calories. As we all know, these are main causes of stroke and obesity.
Continue reading below ↓
Why we can eat it: According to this research, a plate of fried bacon, sausage, egg, and beans could be the healthiest start-of-day meal since it can help your metabolism break down fats. Based on the researchers' observation, those who consumed high-fat food in the morning showed lowered incidence of metabolic syndrome—a group of bodily abnormalities associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The logic here is that eating fat can actually teach the body to help burn fat.
3. Pizza
Why we don't eat it: Because it contains sodium and lots of calories that can make anyone's blood pressure shoot up.
Why we can eat it: Researchers discovered that those who ate pizza at least twice a week were 59 percent less likely to develop cancer of esophagus, 34 percent less likely to develop throat cancer, and 26 percent less likely to get colon cancer. And that's all because pizza is rich in lycopene, a phytochemical found in tomatoes. So the next time you go for pizza, ask for more tomatoes. It's a weird request but ultimately a good one.
Continue reading below ↓
4. Shrimp
Why we don't eat it: Shrimps are bad for our cholesterol levels.
Why we can eat it: Although it's true that shrimps are relatively high in cholesterol, research shows that it isn't too bad after all. For instance, it can help the skin stay young because it contains high levels of astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant. And for those experiencing the onset of hair loss, its zinc content can actually help your locks to regrow.
5. Ice cream
Why we don't eat it: Because sugar is equal to diabetes.
Why we can eat it: It's rich in calcium and phosphorus, with about 10 percent of the adult recommended dietary allowance of these minerals in just a half-cup serving! It also has vitamins A, C, D, and E, and vitamins B6 and B12.
6. Fish and chips
Why we don't eat it: Because it's full of calories and fat, which might increase the risk of heart failure.
Continue reading below ↓
Why we can eat it: Those unhealthy elements can be outweighed if you cook the fish and chips with grape juice, which has memory-boosting nutrients and an innate ability of lowering the risk of cancer.
7. Lechon
Why we don't eat it: Eating too much lechon can cause hypertension and heart attack.
Why we can eat it: You probably already know that it's high in protein, minerals, and amino acids, which are all good for the health. But did you know that lechon is also very high in thiamine (or vitamin B1)? This means that it can help your nervous and cardiovascular systems perform its functions better. Ironic, right?
A simple reminder though: Always eat in moderation!
This story originally appeared on FHM.com.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by Cosmo.ph editors
The Healthiest Fast Food Orders For When You Have No Choice
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How Can Insufficient Homestead Water Supply Be Improved?
faucet and plants
For years I have been in the practice of saving water. You never know when your source of water might be cut off. Having sufficient water is the most critical need to be considered for Country or Homestead Property. Several factors can effect the amount of water available even on land with a 5 gallon per minute well flow.
What if the water on the land is not enough for your needs? Using grey water and collecting rainwater if legal in your area are two methods that can increase the water available on your property when there is insufficient well flow and no surface water from springs or streams.
First we will look at factors leading to a lack of sufficient water. Then we will look at using grey water and collecting rain water as methods of increasing water availability.
Factors Leading To A Lack Of Sufficient Water
Periods of drought affect the output of wells, springs and the volume of water in streams and ponds.
The amount of rainfall and snow pack plays a role in next years well and spring water output. Rain water and melted snow percolate down through the ground and raise the level of water in underground aquifers.
New wells drilled that take water from the same aquifer may cause all wells on that aquifer to produce less water by lowering the water level of the aquifer or decreasing the recharge rate of the wells.
Where there is insufficient water it will be late summer near peak harvest time when water availability becomes most critical.
Using Grey Water
Grey Water is water from the home that is not contaminated with human fecal waste. This would be water from showers, sinks, bathroom vanities, and even clothes washing machines if a biodegradable detergent is used.
Grey Water does not include dishwater from a dish washing machine. Commercial Dish Washing Detergents usually contain caustic additives and the water will have organic materials and fats the soap cleans off the utensils.
Grey Water can be used on gardens, berry bushes, watering fruit trees and to flush toilets.
Do not put Grey Water directly on fruits and vegetables, especially those eaten raw such as carrots. Instead use it in gravity flow drip irrigation systems or pour it directly on the ground near the base of plants or fruit trees.
Save your non-Grey Water to use when watering such garden produce as carrots, strawberries and other plants that are usually eaten raw.
Collecting Grey Water
Simple methods for collecting grey water might include catching water from sinks in a bucket when brushing teeth or washing face and hands.
Rinsing dishes with water in a dishpan instead of water in a sink to save the water in the dishpan would be another way to collect grey water.
By placing a bucket in the shower while waiting for the water to get warm is another way to collect water.
But the water collected while waiting for the shower water to get warm is not grey water so it could be used on anything that you would use clean water for. Then while taking your shower you could collect the water in different container as another method for collecting grey water.
Storing Grey Water
Grey Water can be stored in food grade 55 gallon drums that are metal or plastic as long as they are stored where the water would not freeze during the winter.
A simple hand pump designed for use with a 55 gallon drum is an easy way to remove the stored Grey Water for use.
Cost Of Collecting And Storing Grey Water
The above described methods can be done for relatively little expense. The Cost would be for a few buckets under sinks and in showers, a dish pan for rinsing dishes, a few 55 Gallon food grade drums and a hand pump to remove the stored Grey Water from the 55 gallon drums.
Depending on the family size, the cost could be as little as $100.00 to start.
Plumbing A House For Grey Water Collection
If building or remodeling a house, you can have it plumbed so that the grey water is collected in a separate (septic) tank.This separate tank would be called the grey water tank. Check with the Local Health Department to see if Local Building Codes prevent plumbing for Grey Water collection.
Be sure any grey water tank is buried below the frost line and there is a way to remove the water from the tank. Depending upon your situation this could be a simple hand pump or a more expensive solution.
All sink and shower drains would be plumbed to empty into the grey water tank buried below the frost line. This grey water drain system is a separate drain system from the one used from toilets and from a dish washing machine.
I know of a house on the side of a hill where Grey Water was diverted to flow into a tank buried just below the house and uphill of the garden. The Grey Water was used to water the garden at the bottom of the hill by gravity flow.
Collecting Rain Water
Another way to improve the water situation is to capture rainwater for use on the garden, orchard, berry bushes and water for the animals.
Some Western States have decided that a landowner collecting rainwater is illegal. They claim ownership over rain, even if it falls on private property. So check to be sure the State you live in allows landowners to collect rainwater.
The easiest way to collect rain water is from the roof using the gutters on your house. It can be collected using 55 gallon food grade drums (barrels) that are either filled singly or connected together so that when one barrel is filled the overflow is sent to another barrel.
Rainwater collection
This method of collection works best in climates where it doesn't get very cold in the winter. This method can also be used to collect rain water in the spring, summer or fall to be used on the garden or watering stock.
A full 55 gallon barrel of water weighs around 400 pounds and it may not be easy to move one to where it won't freeze in the winter! In northern climates you may want to consider burying an underground tank below the frost line and diverting the rain water from the gutters into the tank.
Collecting Clean Rainwater
To keep leaves, pine needles, dust and other debris out of your rainwater, you need a way of diverting water flow from your collection system. Any simple method devised will work as long as it is easy to use.
Diversion of the first 15 minutes of rainwater is usually sufficient to remove pine needles, dust and debris that have collected on the roof from the stored rainwater. Rain Water is safe to use as drinking water for stock animals and if filtered is safe for human consumption.
For over 15 years we have used a Big Berkey water filter made by British Berkefeld to filter our drinking water. This is a tested and proven water filter that is used world wide by British Special Forces and provides safe drinking water in all kinds of situations.
How Much Rainwater Can Be Collected?
The amount of rain water collected depends on the size of the roof you are collecting from and the volume of rainfall you get where you live. How much rain water that is collected will vary from year to year.
There are 231 cubic inches in a U.S. Gallon. So for every 1 inch of rainfall on a roof that is 100 square feet in area, you could get about a 55 gallon barrel of rainwater after diverting the first portion to get rid of debris that was on the roof.
This is an estimate rather than an accurate calculation. This is because it depends on how hard it is raining and if you were right there to open the diversion system and close it when the debris was washed off the roof. Also be aware that not all rain fall is hard enough to remove the debris that can collect on the roof.
If you have other structures such as a barn or shop, utilizing their roof to collect rainwater would increase your yield. The water from a small shed's roof can be diverted into one or more 55 gallon drums. Diverting water from a barn's roof might require a second buried tank for collection.
Cost Of Collecting Rainwater
Rain water collection has been practiced for at least 100 years. Diversion of rain water into cisterns is a time honored practice in many parts of the world. The cost of collecting rain water depends on the system you choose to use.
Costs would range from the price of 55 gallon barrels and your diversion system all the way up to the cost of purchasing and burying a plastic tank below the frost line and diverting water into it. Check with Farm Supply Stores or Building Supply Stores for the price of plastic tanks that are suitable for burying underground.
Don't forget there is the cost of removing the water from the buried tank. In the U.S., Farm Supply Stores such as Tractor Supply and North 40 can be contacted to see about pump systems to remove grey water or rain water from underground tanks.
As with collecting grey water, a simple hand pump designed for use in 55 gallon drums can be used to remove the rain water from collection drums.
If you live on a hillside and your garden is downhill from your house, gravity flow combined with a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses can be inexpensive methods of using water from underground tanks.
Amount Of Water That Can Be Saved In A Year
If you were to just save the Grey Water from an average of 1 shower each day, 20-30 gallons, and also from one load of clothes a week washed in a top loading washer, 20-30 gallons, that would equal 160-240 gallons of grey water saved each week or 8,320-12,480 gallons of grey water saved each year!
If you were able to collect rainwater from just 200 square foot of roof space, 100-110 gallons per rain fall and do this an average of once a month over a years period of time that equals 1,200 to 1,320 gallons a year.
Only saving the above amounts of grey water and rain water each year would yield between 9,540 and 13,800 gallons more of water each year to use on your homestead!
Much more grey water and rain water than these figures is possible to save each year and can make a big difference in the success of your Country or Homestead Property.
You can estimate the water needs for your homestead here to determine how much water you would need for your family.
Related Questions
Do drilled wells run dry?
Yes, there are times when drilled wells run dry. This can happen in a drought and when other wells are drilled into the same underground stream or aquifer reducing the amount of water available. Sometimes a well can be drilled deeper to solve the problem.
How long does a well last?
This depends upon several factors. One of the most critical factors is the amount of water removed from the aquifer compared to the amount of water that refills the aquifer from rainfall and snow melt. Another factor is the dept of the water in the aquifer.
The deeper the aquifer the longer, in theory, it should provide water. In the eastern U.S. where there is more rainfall a well can last a lifetime or longer. In the western U.S. where it is more arid a well should last for 20 to 30 years, sometimes longer.
Should I buy property without water on it?
Land without a proven source of water on it is worth $Zero as a homestead or farm. If there is not a proven source of good quality water on the land either do not buy it or have the seller develop a proven source of water before buying the land. You want a minimum of 5 gallons per minute well flow.
If this is done, you add the cost of the well to the price of land at Closing. If it is not done you cancel the sale, get back your earnest money and the seller keeps the land.
About The Author
John Brownlee
A retired Lawyer and Health Care Provider, he teaches people how to locate, evaluate, and purchase Country and Homestead Property. He and his wife, Linda, have taught hundreds of people how to suture wounds in an emergency. He teaches both Preparedness and Health Care Classes and has been a Presenter at Sustainable Preparedness Expos. He holds a General Ham Radio Operator's License. |
Step 5: Embryo Selection and Transfer
Embryo quality is a critical factor affecting the success of IVF. The best embryos are transferred to the uterus based on grade and cell number. In some instances, assisted hatching is used to increase pregnancy and implantation rates by enhancing the embryo's ability to escape from the zona pellucida at the blastocyst stage.
Embryos are transferred into the uterus through a small tube or catheter. This procedure does not require anesthesia, as it is usually painless. The embryos are placed in a small amount of fluid inside the catheter, which is threaded through the cervix during a speculum examination.
The embryos are implanted so that they reach the top part of the uterus. Abdominal ultrasound is used to confirm the correct placement. Depending on the patient's wishes and age, one to five embryos may be transferred in one treatment cycle. |
Biology Question:
Download Questions PDF
How do plants take in oxygen?
First cells in take carbon dioxide and does photosynthesis, which takes water, sugar, and CO2 and then creates oxygen and a green pigment.
However, plants breed just like animals and thus use up all the O2 they produce (or almost all). They are auto-sufficient.
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What is the proper name for EDTA and what is it?What are sori? |
3 Ways To Become A Better Student Scientists
3 Ways To Become A Better Student Scientists
Tips from the Pros
Science is of paramount importance in today's world. From the device you are reading this article with to the antibiotics that have saved countless lives, science has helped foster a better world.
All of these scientific advances have been possible because students like you and me decided that they wanted to pursue science. They did not back down and as a result, this potential for greatness led them to make the great discoveries that they are known for.
But what if they had decided that classes were too hard, became discouraged, or simply thought they weren't as good as someone else?
Here are three proven ways you can become a better student scientist now and in turn a great scientist in the future.
1. Ask yourself: "Why do I want to be a better scientist?"
The first step is to ask yourself the real questions. Why did you open this article in the first place? What is your motivation for becoming a scientist? Is it to be better than yourself, better than others, or for the simple pursuit and love of knowledge?
What intrinsically motivates you isn't the main point. What is important is that you are able to identify what it is. Once you have identified your motivation, you have a driving force that not many people in science have found.
In an article in Scientific American, the science journalist Daisy Yuhas states:
"When it comes to cultivating genius, talent matters, but motivation may matter more."
2. "Street Smarts"
In an article published in Nature Immunology, researchers highlighted the importance of having "street smarts" for today's developing scientists.
When talking about "street smarts", the authors highlighted the importance of:
1) finding a mentor who can be a positive influence,
2) dressing professionally,
3) taking advantage of scientific meetings to network with other students as well as potential employers, and
4) developing your "elevator talk" (be able to talk about your research project in the time it takes to ride an elevator)
3. Do what you love!
Many times students think that there is a step-by-step path for preparing for a career in science/research; others believe that in order to pursue a career in science they must let go of other topics or activities that interest them.
In reality, many opt for a different approach. For example, I had the opportunity to meet a student who just graduated from Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). She found a passion for dentistry that took her all the way to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) for a research internship. Additionally, she has a passion for art. She is using her passion for art to further develop skills needed for dentistry.
Similarly, I have met a student interested in fashion and science who is making fabric from kombucha tea. He is now in Queensland University of Technology in Australia on a grant perfecting the method.
There are many other similar accounts I can mention from other students I have met. One thing is certain, your work should reflect what's important to you.
In summary, it's important to understand yourself and what motivates you to pursue science, to be professional and take advantage of available opportunities, and to pursue topics that interests you.
Visit StudentScientists.com for more stories and resources like this.
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It's Time To Thank Your First Roommate
You have been through all the college "firsts" together.
You were even each other's first real college friend.
You were even each other's first real college friend.
Late night talks were never more real.
You saw each other at your absolute lowest.
No matter what, you always bounced back to being inseparable.
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Minimalism Addresses Our Culture Of Consumption
Decluttering your life and consuming less allows you to live in the moment.
Most of us, at some point in our lives, have become trapped by our culture of consumption. It's a disgusting display of wealth and social status that social divides us. This social divide does a great job at inhibiting our potential at building objective, meaningful relationships. Material possessions become our identity and we begin to lose a true sense of who we really are. It's entirely possible for us to exist as content, beautiful human beings without participating in the culture of consumption we have been duped into believing in.
The problem with our culture of consumption is that it has become a key aspect of every activity. We give too much value to "things," focusing less on their contribution to our overall wellbeing, passions, or happiness. We may experience temporary contentment or pleasure, but it seldom lasts forever. Minimalism eliminates the "things" from our routine, allowing us to find contentment from the simple things in life.
Minimalism is not an expensive hobby one takes up on the quest for self-discovering and happiness. There is this huge misconception that being a minimalist requires a fat wallet and that your life is now restricted by rules and limitations. This simply is not true. This misconception comes from the elitist culture which has emerged through social media outlets. This distorted perception has blurred the individualistic nature of minimalism. A lifestyle often associated as a fad is actually a lifestyle that de-clutters your physical and mental state.
Minimalists are people who…
• Make intentional decisions; that add value to their lives.
• Focus on personal growth and the quality of their relationships.
• Live in the moment.
• Discover personal potential by eliminating obstacles standing in our way.
• Consume less and intentionally.
• Gift experiences rather than material possessions.
There isn't anything necessarily wrong with owning material possessions. If you find importance in an object that genuinely makes you happy then, great! Minimalism doesn't have to look like white walls behind aesthetically placed black furniture. This concept focuses on the internal value system we all forget we control. Start small; declutter your thoughts. We easily get stuck in our routines that we forget to look slow down and just breathe. Living in the moment is by far the most valuable aspect of minimalism because it allows us to feel and experience every minute of our existence.
If you're someone who enjoys nature, there's more value to be found in the adventures we seek out and create than those created for us. Discover birds you've never seen before, wander down trials in your neighborhood, or uncover beaches no one else knows about. You'll find more value in the creation of your own adventure because those experiences are completely your own.
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What is Actually Going on with Uncertainty Principle Equation
The vacuum created in the above mentioned experiment is absolute vacuum. The second level is just one of proof. Despite what you might have heard, quantum physics isn’t really a tough subject to comprehend.
The fields are complementary to one another. Normal terms for fixed mortgages are 10 decades, 15 decades, 20 decades, or 30 decades. To further complicate this issue, let’s take our electron from a vacuum and put it within the atom.
The issue is that the mind may not be observed. The period uncertainty principle suggests some grand philosophical notion, like you can never be certain of anything, or there are a few things you can not ever be sure of and sometimes people use it as if this is what’s meant. Only the initial principal matter existed.
The Basic Facts of Uncertainty Principle Equation
A borrower who’s putting down a sizable mortgage and has a fantastic credit rating can expect a lower rate of interest. It is possible to also divide the yearly amount by the original balance for each calendar year’s beginning-balance effective pace. Both are utilized to correct the value of money with time.
What Uncertainty Principle Equation Is – and What it Is Not
Despite their size, Rising Cities aren’t nodes on the worldwide small business circuit. By now it may even be available online as it was released for unlimited distribution. It’s a mathematical equation, which is the reason you may acquire distinctive calculations from various insurers.
One https://www.gcu.edu/degree-programs/bachelor-science-exercise-science-health-education particular important element in the current models of the universe is known as the cosmological constant. They are not flexible and hence they are not accurate in predicting interest rates. Arbitrage free models are also referred to as No-Arbitrage Models.
The most important question for EPR is to figure out every time a quantity has a definite price. Unfortunately, gravity can’t be quantized like the other interactions in the conventional model. There isn’t any limit in the utmost uncertainty, only the minimum uncertainty.
Pressure stemming from the imbalance was measured pushing the 2 plates closer together. The end result is a system which is transparent and productive. Mass is the sum of inertia in an object.
In the very first case, there’s the HUP that says it is impossible to simultaneously measure position and speed with perfect accuracy. Akin to the above, you haven’t any feeling of motion while you’re sitting comfortably on your sofa. You might imagine it would be effortless to get both the specific place of something and its specific mass, path, and speed at the exact moment.
For example, energy is almost always a multiple of a minimum chunk. The point as soon as the formula is rendered and its tiniest details are wholly observed. The difference of 10 lbs in the last example, is often referred to as the effect size.
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The absolute most arduous facet of working in the quantum realm is being not able to talk to intuition. It’s happening all around us but such particles exist just for a very brief time period and become annihilated. String theory has lots of holes in it.
After performing the experiment a big number of times, the end result is intuitively exactly that which we would anticipate. With just about any endeavor, there’s a strong element of luck involved. In order to acquire a more accurate picture of reality and raise your capacity for independent action, you’ve got to go snowmobiling again.
The Tried and True Method for Uncertainty Principle Equation in Step by Step Detail
Otherwise, the declining monthly balance impacts the general yearly interest. Calculating cash flow is essential for all business owners. To begin with, costs are extraordinarily large.
Why Almost Everything You’ve Learned About Uncertainty Principle Equation Is Wrong
It’s simple to make perfect decisions with perfect info. Begin by learning about the five leading accounts, which means you understand how to read financial reports. There’s a need to create information methods quantum resistant.
Combined, both of these rules are thought to constitute the orthonormality property. Decisions aren’t made in accordance with their specific conditions, and at times the premiums are so pricey that individuals can’t even afford them. As is true with social sciences, there is absolutely no special answer, or fundamental equation to problems.
Uncertainty Principle Equation Ideas
Whether the physical constants have varied over the life span of our distinct universe is 1 question which may or might not be true. The majority of the proof you need to believe is there. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle is just one of the most significant outcomes of twentieth century physics.
God exists besides the universe. Darkness is the lack of something. Subtracting X2 from X1 provides you with the last price.
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The Fuchs lab program emphasizes translational research on virus diseases of fruit and vegetable crops. Primary goals are to (i) investigate the nature of virus populations to study their genetic variability and advance our understanding of disease spread, (ii) provide insights into the interface between viruses and their vectors and hosts to advance our understanding of their molecular connectivity for pathogenicity and spread, and (iii) explore innovative approaches for crop improvement based on agriculture biotechnology to provide new opportunities for effective viral disease management strategies.
Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV)
GFLV is one of the most devastating viruses of grapevine worldwide. Research in the Fuchs lab is currently focusing on host-pathogen interactions and the development of resistant grapevine rootstocks using RNA interference.
Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV)
GRBV was discovered in 2011 and has since been detected in numerous vineyards throughout the United States. Research in the Fuchs lab is focused on the epidemiology and ecology of red blotch in efforts to improve management.
Grapevine leafroll-associated viruses (GLRaVs)
GLRaVs are causing serious economic losses. Research in the Fuchs lab is focused on options to reduce the impact of these viruses in diseased vineyards and to engineer resistance to GLRaV-3 and to the grape mealybug, its most prevalent vector, using RNA interference.
Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV)
IYSV is a major threat to the bulb onion industry. Current efforts in the Fuchs lab target the ecology of IYSV in onion ecosystems to advance our understanding of secondary spread.
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FreeRTOS & Tasks
Introduction to FreeRTOS
To introduce what, why, when, and how to use Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS) as well as get you
started using it with the SJSU-Dev environment.
I would like to note that this page is mostly an aggregation of information from Wikipedia and the FreeRTOS
What is an OS?
Operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. - Wikipedia
Operating systems like Linux or Windows
They have services to make communicating with Networking devices and files systems possible without having
to understand how the hardware works. Operating systems may also have a means to multi-tasking by allow
multiple processes to share the CPU at a time. They may also have means for allowing processes to
communicate together.
What is an RTOS?
An RTOS is an operating system that meant for real time applications. They typically have fewer services such
as the following:
• Parallel Task Scheduler
• Task communication (Queues or Mailboxes)
• Task synchronization (Semaphores)
Why use an RTOS?
important first step in any project.
In brief:
• Abstract out timing information
therefore easier to understand) application code.
• Maintainability/Extensibility
Not having the timing information within your code allows for greater maintainability
and extensibility as there will be fewer interdependencies between your software
modules. Changing one module should not effect the temporal behavior of another
module (depending on the prioritization of your tasks). The software will also be less
• Modularity
Organizing your application as a set of autonomous tasks permits more effective
to completion.
• Cleaner interfaces
Well defined inter task communication interfaces facilitates design and team
• Easier testing (in some cases)
have changed the behavior of the module under test.
• Code reuse
Greater modularity and less module interdependencies facilitates code reuse across
• Improved efficiency?
processor utilization. Code only executes when it needs to. Counter to that however is
function removes any additional overhead.
• Idle time
It is easy to measure the processor loading when using Whenever the
power mode.
• Flexible interrupt handling
processing completes. Also, processing at the task level permits flexible prioritization -
the hardware itself (depending on the architecture being used).
• Mixed processing requirements
• Easier control over peripherals
Gatekeeper tasks facilitate serialization of access to peripherals - and provide a good
mutual exclusion mechanism.
• Etcetera
- FreeRTOS Website (
Design Scenario
Building a controllable assembly conveyor belt
TaQcontrollable assembly-conveyor-belt-system.png
Think about the following system. Reasonable complex, right?
Without a scheduler
✓ Small code size.
✓ No reliance on third party source code.
✓ No RTOS RAM, ROM or processing overhead.
✗ Difficult to cater for complex timing requirements.
✗ Does not scale well without a large increase in complexity.
✗ Timing hard to evaluate or maintain due to the inter-dependencies between the different functions.
With a scheduler
✓ Simple, segmented, flexible, maintainable design with few inter-dependencies.
✓ Processor utilization is automatically switched from task to task on a most urgent need basis with no
explicit action required within the application source code.
✓ The event driven structure ensures that no CPU time is wasted polling for events that have not occurred.
Processing is only performed when there is work needing to be done.
* Power consumption can be reduced if the idle task places the processor into power save (sleep) mode,
but may also be wasted as the tick interrupt will sometimes wake the processor unnecessarily.
* The kernel functionality will use processing resources. The extent of this will depend on the chosen
kernel tick frequency.
✗ This solution requires a lot of tasks, each of which require their own stack, and many of which require a
queue on which events can be received. This solution therefore uses a lot of RAM.
✗ Frequent context switching between tasks of the same priority will waste processor cycles.
FreeRTOS Tasks
What is an FreeRTOS Task?
A FreeRTOS task is a function that is added to the FreeRTOS scheduler using the xCreateTask() API call.
A task will have the following:
1. A Priority level
2. Memory allocation
3. Singular input parameter (optional)
4. A name
5. A handler (optional): A data structure that can be used to reference the task later.
A FreeRTOS task declaration and definition looks like the following:
void vTaskCode( void * pvParameters )
/* Grab Parameter */
uint32_t c = (uint32_t)(pvParameters);
/* Define Constants Here */
const uint32_t COUNT_INCREMENT = 20;
/* Define Local Variables */
uint32_t counter = 0;
/* Initialization Code */
/* Code Loop */
/* Insert Loop Code */
/* Only necessary if above loop has a condition */
Rules for an RTOS Task
• The highest priority ready tasks ALWAYS runs
• If two or more have equal priority, then they are time sliced
• Low priority tasks only get CPU allocation when:
• All higher priority tasks are sleeping, blocked, or suspended
• Tasks can sleep in various ways, a few are the following:
• Explicit "task sleep" using API call vTaskDelay();
• Sleeping on a semaphore
• Sleeping on an empty queue (reading)
• Sleeping on a full queue (writing)
Adding a Task to the Scheduler and Starting the Scheduler
The following code example shows how to use xTaskCreate() and how to start the scheduler using vTaskStartScheduler()
//// You may need to change this value.
const uint32_t STACK_SIZE = 128;
xReturned = xTaskCreate(
vTaskCode, /* Function that implements the task. */
/* Start Scheduler */
return 0;
Task Priorities
High Priority and Low Priority tasks
In the above situation, the high priority task task never sleeps, so it is always running. In this situation where the low priority task never gets CPU time, we consider that task to be starved
Tasks of the same priority
In the above situation, the two tasks have the same priority, thus they share the CPU. The time each task is allowed to run depends on the OS tick frequency. The OS Tick Frequency is the frequency that the FreeRTOS scheduler is called in order to decide which task should run next. The OS Tick is a hardware interrupt that calls the RTOS scheduler. Such a call to the scheduler is called a preemptive context switch.
Context Switching
When the RTOS scheduler switches from one task to another task, this is called a Context Switch
What needs to be stored for a Context switch to happen
In order for a task, or really any executable, to run, the following need to exist and be accessible and storable:
• Program Counter (PC)
• This holds the position for which line in your executable the CPU is currently executing.
• Adding to it moves you one more instruction.
• Changing it jumps you to another section of code.
• Stack Pointer (SP)
• This register holds the current position of the call stack, with regard to the currently executing program. The stack holds information such as local variables for functions, return addresses and [sometimes] function return values.
• General Purpose Registers
• These registers are to do computation.
• In ARM:
• R0 - R15
• In MIPS
• $v0, $v1
• $a0 - $a3
• $t0 - $t7
• $s0 - $s7
• $t8 - $t9
• Intel 8086
• AX
• BX
• CX
• DX
• SI
• DI
• BP
How does Preemptive Context Switch work?
1. A hardware timer interrupt or repetitive interrupt is required for this preemptive context switch.
1. This is independent from an RTOS
2. Typically 1ms or 10ms
2. The OS needs hardware capability to have a chance to STOP synchronous software flow and enter the OS “tick” interrupt.
1. This is called the "Operating System Kernel Interrupt"
2. We will refer to this as the OS Tick ISR (interrupt service routine)
3. Timer interrupt calls RTOS Scheduler
1. RTOS will store the previous PC, SP, and registers for that task.
2. Scheduler picks the highest priority task that is ready to run.
3. Scheduler places that task's PC, SP, and registers into the CPU.
4. Scheduler interrupt returns, and the newly chosen task runs as if it never stopped.
NOTE: Context switching takes time. The reason why most OS ticks are 1ms to 10ms, because any shorter means that there is less time for your code to run. If a context switch takes 100uS to do, then with a OS tick of 1ms, your code can only run for 900uS. If an OS Tick is only 150uS, then your code may only have enough time to run a few instructions. You spend more CPU time context switching then you do performing actual work.
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The Greatest War Between Nations in the Americas
Excerpted from Brazil, a novel by Errol Lincoln Uys
"Descriptions like those of the war with Paraguay, particularly the battle of Tuiuti, do not find in our literature any rival capable of surpassing them and evoke the great passages of War and Peace rather than best-sellers of current extraction. " -- Wilson Martins, Jornal do Brasil
APRIL 1866 - MARCH 1870
"An enemy not worthy of being defeated."
In late March 1866, the venerable Guarani general, Juan Bautista Noguera - Cacambo - seventy-nine years old now, small, shrunken, with his hatred of the Brazilians mightier than ever, took great pleasure in a war trophy delivered to Francisco Solano López at his headquarters across the Upper Paraná: a leather bag filled with the heads of nine Allied soldiers.
Cacambo waved his tiny hands and danced with glee at the sight of these enemies. Unsheathing his sword, Cacambo cut the air above the trophies and repeated his vow: "I, Cacambo, will slay the first macaco who dares to leap to our soil!"
An Allied invasion was imminent. The Paraguayan offensive in the Argentine province of Corrientes had been disastrous: Sixteen thousand Paraguayans perished in battles and through sickness before the last units crossed the Upper Paraná back into Paraguay at the end of October 1865.
Paraguayan conscripts had again brought their army up to 25,000 men, most of whom were deployed in camps above the Upper Paraná. Their main base was at Paso la Patria, ten miles east of Tres Bocas. Between these two locations, the carrizal - deep lagoons and mud flats that extended inland for one to three miles - broke the northern banks of the Upper Paraná. At Itapiru, between Tres Bocas and Paso la Patria, there was a battery revetted with brickwork and mounting seven cannon. At Paso la Patria, thirty feet above the carrizal, there were thirty field guns; elsewhere in the jungle along the riverbank, artillery companies were concealed in the woods at likely enemy landing places.
By March 1866 the Allied army of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay was assembled below the Upper Paraná. The Brazilians now had an effective strength of 67,000 men, including 35,000 voluntários da patria. President Bartolomé Mitre, who, in terms of the Triple Alliance Treaty, was commander-in chief of the Allied army during operations on Argentinian territory, headed an Argentinian contingent of 15,000 men. The Uruguayans, led by the Colorado general Venancio Flores, contributed 1,500 men, all they could muster in the aftermath of the civil war with the Blancos.
Dom Pedro Segundo had made a brief journey to the seat of war with his two sons-in-law, Prince Louis Gaston, comte d'Eu, and Prince Louis Augustus, duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Traveling by horseback through southern Brazil, the royal trio had been present when a column of 4,200 Paraguayans had surrendered at Uruguaiana in September 1865. The thirty-nine-year old Dom Pedro, imposing as ever with his six-foot-three-inch frame and luxurious golden-brown locks and beard, had been unimpressed by the captured Paraguayans. "An enemy not worthy of being defeated," His Majesty had declared in a letter to a friend.
Dom Pedro II and his sons-in-law visit the seat of war - Camp D'Alegrete
Pedro II and his sons-in-law visit the seat of war - Camp D'Alegrete ( Janet-Lange)
A Tale of Two Volunteers
The ninety-two voluntários of Tiberica, led by Firmino Dantas da Silva, had left the town late February 1865, marching first to São Paulo and then down to Santos, where they had taken passage on a ship with other Paulista volunteers for Rio Grande do Sul. There they had been drilled for four months until July 1865, when they were posted to guard a crossing on the Uruguay River. For eight months they sat here without a glimpse of the enemy and with nothing to break the monotony but news of victories won by others, until they received orders to join the Brazilian First Corps at Corrientes.
In April 1866, the main body of the Brazilian army began to move to forward positions on the south bank of the Upper Paraná opposite the Paraguayan battery at Itapiru. On April 5, an advance group of eleven hundred men with La Hitte cannon and mortars occupied and entrenched themselves on a grassy sandbank separated from Itapiru by a narrow channel. Supporting their landing were eight Brazilian warships.
At 4:00 A.M. on April 10, thirteen hundred Paraguayans launched a counterattack by canoe from Itapiru to dislodge the men on the low spit of land opposite the battery. Within a quarter of an hour, immense flashes broke the blackness of predawn as the Brazilian ships opened fire, the booming guns adding to the din of battle rising from the sandbank.
Only sixty of the ninety-two men who had left Tiberica in February 1865 were present to see the first action since departing their town: The rest had contracted dysentery, smallpox, and other diseases, and of these, fourteen had died, eight were in the hospital at Corrientes, and ten had been sent home unfit for service. Firmino Dantas da Silva himself had spent two weeks in the hospital with measles. He was serving as liaison officer between the battalion and the headquarters of General Manuel Luís Osório, commander of the Brazilian First Corps.
Two Tiberica voluntários watching the flashes of cannon and musketry stood together yelling encouragement to the unseen gunners aboard the Brazilian ships. The enemy's cannon blazed in the dark line of jungle opposite, and shells intended for the warships roared through the air above them, but the two men greeted the Paraguayan shot with derisive laughter. When it began to grow light, they climbed the hillside to reach a better vantage point, though they found the sandbank obscured by thick smoke, the gun flashes less distinct as dawn broke.
The early light showed one of these voluntários to be much older: The man had not yet fought a skirmish with the enemy, but he bore a scar so terrible that soldiers thinking of the battles they must soon face were reluctant to gaze upon it. The old wound lay across his skull, from above his left temple to the back of his head. He had gone completely bald after suffering this awful blow.
This voluntário was Policarpo, one of the slaves bought for Itatinga from the trader Saturnino Rabelo by Ulisses Tavares in January 1856. Policarpo, twenty-nine at the time, had assured the senhor barão that he was a Mossambe whom the lash had taught obedience and hard work.
In truth, Policarpo was lazy, and had resented the regimen of the plantation, particularly at harvest time, when the slave bell rang at 5:00 A.M. for assembly and prayers in front of the mansion before work in the coffee groves until dusk. One morning four years ago, when Policarpo did not respond to the bell, an overseer had rushed to the dormitory, but Policarpo was not there. A search had been mounted immediately for the runaway; with the soaring prices for slaves after the abolition of imports from Africa, even idle Policarpo was a valued possession of the senhor barão.
Policarpo had not run from Itatinga. When the search party set out, he had been less than five miles from the senzala, snoring loudly in a patch of forest beside the road from Tiberica. He had collapsed there in the early hours gloriously drunk, a jar of cachaça and a package of the best Bahiana tobacco beside him. Policarpo detested the work of the harvest, but there had been a consolation: He would occasionally steal a sack of coffee beans from where they were stored in the old fazenda, and trade them to the squatter Gonzaga for a supply of cachaça and tabak and trinkets.
Policarpo had still been befuddled when they found him. His captors tied his hands and made him run back toward the fazenda at the end of a length of rope attached to one man's saddle pommel; when the horse had suddenly jerked forward, the rope flew loose and Policarpo sprang away toward a hill covered with coffee trees. Dashing between the trees, he had eluded his mounted pursuers for a few minutes until their shouts alerted the overseers of a slave gang working on the next hillside. An overseer had arrested Policarpo's flight by striking him over the head with a seven-foot iron bar used for driving holes into the earth to plant seedlings. Unconscious and with his skull indented by the blow, Policarpo had not been expected to survive.
But he had recovered, and had been led to Ulisses Tavares, who closely inspected his wound and questioned him at length. (The squatter Gonzaga had fled Itatinga immediately upon hearing what had happened to Policarpo.) Policarpo had been placed in the stocks, the tronco diabo, and had also been flogged with one hundred lashes. Returned to the coffee groves, he had suffered fainting spells and sudden ravings and was unable to meet his daily quota. The overseers had finally confined him to the terreiro to rake the berries as they dried in the sun.
Policarpo had become tractable, and apart from overindulgence in cachaça, gave little trouble at Itatinga. But other slaves working on the terreiro grumbled about him: It seemed to them that whenever the sun blazed down on the drying terrace and it became unbearably hot, Policarpo would have one of his spells, shaking his head and moaning until he was compelled to seek the shade for a recuperative nap.
There were slaves, too, who wondered about Policarpo, the Mozambican: Wasn't it true that after his head had been broken, Policarpo had risen higher than any man in the eyes of the mãe de santo, the mother of the daughters of the saints? When the drums played, wasn't it extraordinary what energy came to Policarpo Mossambe as he danced for the African deities? And when the spirits descended, wasn't it the feebleminded Policarpo whose lips spoke with the greatest strength?
The young man with Policarpo this morning watching the fight for the sandbank near the Paraguayan shore was the mulatto Antônio Paciência. Patient Anthony, nineteen years old now, was tall and lean, with a tough, spare frame and iron muscles. His nose was slightly aquiline; the look in his brown eyes suggested inner strength; his dark-skinned countenance was frank, an expression often misconstrued as insolent. A good worker, slaver Saturnino Rabelo had predicted, and this was correct: Antônio Paciência had given no cause for complaint about the quality of his labor. Still, he had been a thoroughly bad slave.
Antônio Paciência could remember the delight of the iaiá - the slaves' corruption of "Sinhazinha" - when he had been given to her. Teodora Rita couldn't wait to show him off when visitors came to Itatinga.
Except for his behavior during inspection by the iaiá's relatives and friends, however, Antônio Paciência had seemed incapable of pleasing the baronesa. Teodora Rita's tongue wagged incessantly with complaints about Antônio Paciência and the difficulty she had training him.
There had been the time the iaiá's silver shoehorn disappeared. Iaiá Teodora Rita said she had left it in a boot given to Antônio for cleaning. The iaiá and Dona Feliciana, wife of Eusébio Magalhães, insisted on watching Cincinnato, the carriage driver, cane him, ordering that the punishment continue, until Antônio Paciência had finally admitted stealing the shoehorn: "Oh, iaiá, forgive me! I put it in my pocket . . . Oh, iaiá, I lost it, I do not know where!" (Months after the caning, the iaiá told Antônio to clean a pair of shoes she hadn't worn for a long time, and as he was carrying them to the fazenda's kitchen, something dropped with a clink to the stone floor. His terror was absolute when he saw that it was the silver shoehorn! Pausing just long enough to pick it up, he crept out of the house and buried the shoehorn far down the slope toward the Rio Tietê.)
Two and a half years after arriving at Itatinga, Antônio Paciência had been ordered to the senzala. He was genuinely puzzled, for there had been no recent clash with the iaiá, certainly nothing as grim as the loss of her shoehorn.
"I'm the slave of Iaiá Teodora Rita," Antônio Paciência protested to the overseer who had been sent to fetch him from the fazenda's kitchen. "I work in the big house.
The overseer, a mulatto like Antônio, had grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "The senhor barão's wife herself gave the order!"
It took a long time for Patient Anthony to understand that Teodora Rita simply had lost interest in her birthday gift from the senhor barão.
Brazilian family with house slaves, late 19th century
Brazilian family with slaves, late 19th century
How a Baron of the Brazilian Empire showed his Patriotism
The move to the senzala had been almost as traumatic as being sold away from Mãe Mônica. Cast among the mass of Itatinga's 220 slaves, Antônio had experienced a deprivation that went far beyond being stripped of the nice clothes he had worn on parade in front of the iaiá's guests or denied the food from the fazenda's kitchen.
Chigger Man was the first to bring Antônio Paciência close to understanding the loss of dignity.
Chigger Man, who was said to be more than ninety years old and had served the senhor barão's father in the canoes of the monsoons, was expert in prying loose the tiny mites that attacked the slaves' feet, burrowing under the skin to lay their eggs. Chigger Man performed his crude surgery outside one of the slave dormitories, and Antônio himself had submitted to Chigger Man's knife. Watching the old slave probe and scratch for chiggers had left Antônio with a feeling of revulsion and sharpened his sense of loss at leaving the fazenda.
By the time he was fourteen, Antônio Paciência was doing the work of an adult, for which he was praised by the senhor barão himself. "I was not wrong in listening to Rabelo. You are a good worker. God willing, Antônio, when you are older, you may be an overseer at Itatinga."
Seven months later, Antônio Paciência was given fifty lashes for running away from Itatinga. Eighteen months later he was a fugitive for forty-seven days until he was caught at São Paulo.
Antônio's second flight had been planned with two other slaves. He had wanted Policarpo to go with them, but the Mozambican refused: "The risk is too great."
"We'll go to São Paulo; perhaps to Rio de Janeiro. We won't be found among thousands in the cities."
"Perhaps you'll be lucky."
"Come with us, Mossambe!"
"And lead them to you?"
"We won't be caught."
Policarpo had lowered his head, exposing the deep scar. "Like the mark on a beast," he had said. "Any man who sees it will know: 'Mossambe-withthe-broken-head' - the property of the barão de Itatinga. I cannot go with you, Antônio."
The three slaves had fled Itatinga at the onset of winter 1863. One of Antônio's companions died of pneumonia in a crude shelter they had erected in a forest seventy-five miles southwest of Itatinga. The other had been caught at a senzala. Antônio had been waiting in trees on a hill behind the slave quarters of a fazenda thirty miles from São Paulo. He had heard a commotion as the fugitive was seized by those from whom he sought food. Without waiting to learn what happened, Antônio had run from the hill. He was the only one of the three to reach São Paulo, but he had been in the city only three days when he was arrested as a vagrant.
The senhor barão himself had stood on the far side of the senzala to witness the lashes given the young mulatto under the supervision of head overseer Eduardo, whom the slaves called "Setenta" (Seventy) for the number of lashes he most favored: "Neither too many nor too few" were Setenta's sentiments. "I should sell you to an other fazendeiro, Antônio Paciência," Ulisses Tavares had said, "but I'm not a man to pass on my mistakes to others. You came to me as a child and your bad ways were learned at Itatinga. However long it takes, here, too, we will teach you to be a good slave."
But Ulisses Tavares had changed his mind about keeping Patient Anthony. One morning in February 1865, Antônio and five others condemned as lazy or rebellious by the overseers had been lined up in front of the mansion to be told by the senhor barão that they were leaving Itatinga.
"You have not served me well," Ulisses Tavares had said. "You've earned more lashes than the rest of the slaves together. May Jesus Christ, who forgives all, help each one of you! Be loyal! Be trustworthy! Be proud of the service for which you are chosen! Above all, slaves - be brave!"
Ulisses Tavares was donating the six slaves to Emperor Dom Pedro's army. Though careful to select a group of malefactors whom he considered incorrigible, the senhor barão had made this gesture out of noblest patriotism. Many other slave owners picked out a few blacks or browns for the war against Paraguay, but only because these were accepted as substitutes in lieu of service by themselves or their sons. The senhor barão had a mighty contempt for cowards unwilling to fight for Brazil, and in this he was justified, for when the ninety-two voluntários of Tiberica had left the town square, his grandson had ridden at the head of the column.
Included in the column, marching three abreast, had been twenty-seven slaves from fazendas in the district. Some had tramped along with bewildered looks, for they feared this service for which their masters had volunteered them; some had stepped forward elatedly as the townsfolk cheered them. Antônio Paciência had been among the latter, and beside him marched Policarpo Mossambe, one of the six chosen from Itatinga as voluntários da patria.
Battle of Itapiru
Battle of Itapiru, Paraguayan War
A Reluctant Soldier is Promoted to Manuel Luis Osório's Staff
As the sun rose on the Upper Paraná on the morning of April 10, 1866, Antônio and Policarpo had started down the hill toward their camp. They could hear the sounds of battle from the sandbank opposite the Paraguayan battery at Itapiru. Through the thin tree cover, to the left and right of them, were others who had climbed up for a view of the battle. As in the camp below, and wherever the Brazilian army was gathering for the invasion of Paraguay, the scene held a certain incongruity.
This was South America, but here were thousands of Africans massed for battle. The number of African slaves enlisted in Dom Pedro's army by April 1866 was no fewer than ten thousand; mulattoes and other mixed breeds swelled the number of slave soldiers to fifteen thousand. And as popular enthusiasm for the war waned with the dimming prospect of swift victory, another group of voluntários had had to be compelled to serve their emperor: In the sertão of Pernambuco, the Bahia, and other provinces, recruiters were rounding up the landless class, chaining them together and marching them down to the coast for shipment to the Plata.
This morning, shortly after Antônio and Policarpo reached the camp, the guns at Itapiru fell silent. Firmino Dantas was away at the headquarters of First Corps commander General Manuel Luís Osório, and his two camp attendants had the morning to themselves. They had gone to the riverbank above the assembly point of the invasion flotilla when the first news came of the fight on the sandbank.
"The Paraguayans are defeated!" a boatman had shouted. "The island is ours!"
"Viva! Viva! Viva! Viva Dom Pedro Segundo! Viva Brasil!" A tremendous cheer rose from the men on the bank.
Policarpo seized Patient Anthony in a fierce embrace. "At last, the battle can begin! We can cross the Paraná to drive the Paraguayans to Asunción! We can cross the river, Antônio Paciência, to freedom. Freedom!" Policarpo believed the circulating rumors that slaves who fought for the emperor in Paraguay were to be freed.
"It's only a rumor, Policarpo - the hope of all slaves," Antônio Paciência cautioned.
"Remember, Antônio, I have seen the emperor riding in his carriage at Rio de Janeiro. A great monarch! A wise man! When we defeat his enemies, he will say to us, 'From this day, you are free, my Brasileiros.'"
On April 15, 1866, ten thousand men of the Brazilian First Corps under Manuel Luís Osório boarded eleven steamers and canoes and floating piers towed by the ships. Another force of seven thousand Allies, mostly Argentinians, was assembled for embarkation immediately news came of a successful landing by the Brazilians. A Brazilian fleet of seventeen ships in three squadrons rode off the Paraguayan banks, along three points from Tres Bocas to a position fifteen miles away, close to the town of Paso la Patria, the headquarters of Marshal López.
The company of Tiberica volunteers were being transported on one of the three floating piers towed by the steamer carrying General Osório. By 7:00 A.M. on April 16, this vessel was heading directly toward a channel between Itapiru and the sandbank where the Brazilians had been victorious five days ago. "Isle of Redemption," the spit of land had been called, though there had been no deliverance for eight hundred men killed there.
Firmino Dantas da Silva was aboard the steamer with Osório and his staff. He stood at the starboard bulwarks with other officers of the voluntários, feeling an intense nervous excitement as explosions from shells fired by the heavy guns of the naval escort tore up the riverbank, knocking trees to splinters and setting the forest ablaze. The Itapiru battery responded with a continuous grumble, the water rising like a geyser when the Paraguayan shot burst in the river.
Firmino had waited fourteen months for this moment, months during which he'd thought often of returning to Itatinga. At the garrison of Bagé, where the company had been trained, Firmino had not impressed the regular army officers, with whom he had little in common. "O Pensador" ("The Thinker"), his fellow officers had nicknamed him.
At last, the company had been sent to the northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, and Firmino had discovered an unoccupied ranch beside a tributary of the Rio Uruguay where they could camp during the bitterly cold, wet winter. Daily patrols scoured the riverbank, as much to look for Paraguayans as to forage for food. Slave soldiers like Antônio Paciência and Policarpo were set to planting corn, manioc, and other crops. Firmino dispatched regular reports to the Bagé garrison, but, though he received routine acknowledgments, it seemed that the Tiberica company had been forgotten.
Some of the voluntários resented the inactivity and blamed Firmino Dantas, who could have appealed to Bagé to have the company transferred but seemed perfectly content to stay at the old ranch house reading books he had brought with him. O Pensador, thinking, dreaming, waiting for the war to come to him! Inevitably, others had another explanation for Firmino's apparent willingness to sit out the war far from the battlefront: "The barão de Itatinga's grandson is frightened."
Finally ordered south, the company headed for the camp near the port of Corrientes; there Firmino Dantas found his cousin, the artillery captain Clóvis da Silva, at Lagoa Brava. Clóvis, who had already fought against the Paraguayans in Corrientes province, was also critical of Firmino Dantas's inaction since leaving Tiberica.
"The barão didn't encourage you to volunteer for so miserable a post," Clóvis da Silva said that first night as they dined together at the Hotel Riachuelo, one of many establishments flourishing at Corrientes with the influx of thousands of troops and camp followers.
"I'm not a professional soldier, Clóvis."
"Good God, man, that's not the issue. As the grandson of the barão de Itatinga, you can do better than sit in camp for eight months. Ulisses Tavares expects more than this, Firmino Dantas."
After that meeting, Clóvis da Silva had arranged for Firmino to be made liaison officer with Osório's headquarters. The promotion had brought him into contact with the command of the First Corps and offered good prospects for rapid advancement. Still Firmino Dantas had been a reluctant participant, carrying out his orders efficiently but without the show of spirit to win the attention of his superiors.
Firmino dearly longed to be back at Itatinga, where he could continue his experiments with the coffee mill. Where he could see the girl about whom he had dreamed all these months! Since the night of the baronesa's ball, Firmino's passion for the golden-haired Renata had grown. Before marching away, he had gone to August Laubner's shop in Tiberica and asked the apothecary to put together a personal medical kit for his campaign. There he had seen Renata Laubner. Firmino had gazed into those brilliant blue eyes as she talked with him, and had openly revealed his admiration - his adoration! The moment August Laubner went to the back of the shop in search of something, Firmino had suddenly taken hold of Renata's hand and pressed it to his lips.
His commitment to Carlinda troubled him. He knew also that his betrothed's fiery-tempered ally, Teodora Rita, would oppose any breach of promise. But, as the months passed, Firmino had built up hopes of a relationship with the Swiss beauty that went far beyond what could be justified by one touch of his lips to her hand. "Oh, my love, Renata," Firmino would whisper to himself "I'll fight this war and return to Tiberica, where you await me."
Now, as Firmino stood on the deck of the steamer leading the invasion flotilla toward Itapiru, the thunder of war bursting around him, with an ironclad off to starboard, her flame-belching Whitworths unleashing destruction against the enemy, his nervous anticipation gave way to elation.
Firmino glanced toward General Osório, who was fifty-eight years old, gray-haired, with alert, genial eyes, a bona fide officer and gentleman. Osório had been nineteen when he fought in his first battle in the Banda Oriental in 1827, and had gained a legendary reputation as a lancer.
When Firmino first met the general at his headquarters, where he had gone as battalion liaison officer, Osório had remarked that the name of Ulisses Tavares da Silva ranked high among those who had made King João's conquest of the Banda Oriental in 1817. "Show half the spirit of the barão on that campaign, Firmino Dantas, and you'll make the old Paulista a proud man." Firmino Dantas had promised to do his best. Alone, he had felt his deep dread of failure in battle against the Guarani, whom Ulisses Tavares, like His Majesty Dom Pedro, considered a worthless enemy.
But Firmino's apprehension vanished as the invading force rode forward. The Paraguayan gunners were finding their mark now, and scored hits on a nearby ship and a floating pier. But as the range closed, with the steamers still several hundred yards off the Isle of Redemption, the lead ships of the flotilla began to turn to port. One after the other, with the floating piers in tow and the canoes keeping in the lee of the transports, the ships began to move down the Upper Paraná toward Tres Bocas: The landing had been planned not at Itapiru but at a point about half a mile beyond Tres Bocas on the Rio Paraguay itself.
Itapiru and Paso de la Patria - Candido Lopez - Colección Museo Histórico Nacional - República Argentina
CrItapiru and Paso de la Patria - Paraguayan War - Candido Lopez - Colección Museo Histórico Nacional - República Argentina.
General Cacambo, the Old Guarani, Weeps for his Country
"Macacos . . . macacos . . . macacos."
General Juan Bautista Noguera intoned the epithet with a deadly calm as he watched the river armada draw near the low-lying banks where the Rio Paraguay fell into the Paraná.
Four thousand soldiers were in position along the banks of the Upper Paraná, the majority between Itapiru and Paso la Patria. An invasion by the Allies had been accepted as inevitable for months, and the Paraguayan High Command had seen little hope of effectively resisting a landing by the enemy's overwhelming numbers. Cacambo had been among the few to protest this; he agreed with Marshal López's English engineers, Colonel George Thompson and Lieutenant Hadley Tuttle, who had argued that Paso la Patria, Itapiru, and other possible landing places should be defended with every gun that could be brought down from Humaitá garrison.
Marshal López had rejected this plan. He accepted the fortification of Humaitá as Paraguay's key defense. The riverside batteries provided tremendous firepower, and almost a year after the victory at Riachuelo; the Brazilian fleet had not yet dared make passage toward Humaitá. But more than the guns of Humaitá awaited an enemy: There were the esteros, a natural defense every bit as daunting as the man-made works at Humaitá. The "Place of the Damned," Marshal López called it.
Behind the carrizal, situated between two parallel streams - Bellaco Norte, just below one line of outworks of Humaitá, and Bellaco Sur, about three miles to the south toward the Upper Paraná - lay the esteros. A dense forest of Yatai palms grew on heights thirty to eighty feet above the swamps, which were clogged with rushes and three to six feet deep. For an invading force, few fields of operation could be worse than that toward which the Allied troops were heading this morning of April 16, 1866.
Just past 8:30 A.M., Cacambo and his company were in a palm grove two hundred yards from the Rio Paraguay. Behind them was an extensive morass; in front of them, a narrow strip of open, firm ground, which for the past twenty minutes had been plowed up in a continuous bombardment by the enemy.
"Macacos . . . macacos . . . macacos."
War steamers, transports, flat barges, and canoes as far as the eye could see. And to challenge them, Cacambo with two hundred men and boys, most of them carrying flintlock muskets and machetes. Cacambo had sent three men to a Paraguayan detachment two miles to the east, behind the morass and below Itapiru, but he knew it would take his messengers at least an hour to get through the marshes.
The palm grove stood on low-lying ground and provided the scantiest cover for Cacambo's force. Men had thrown up small earthworks where they sheltered, but the Brazilian barrage was relentless and deadly. In fifteen minutes, Cacambo's company lost fifty men, and in the fire- storm between the palms, many more were deafened by the blasts. Only a few stood firm as the majority backed off into the morass.
Cacambo saw how bad it was. He did not curse those who fled. The company flag bearer, a boy of eleven, stood near him. Cacambo stared at the red, white, and blue banner of the Republic of Paraguay. "Go!" he said. "Carry our flag to safety."
The boy was a Guarani from Cacambo's town. He shook his head.
"Go! Go!" Cacambo said. "You can do nothing here. Take our colors to Marshal López. Tell him, Cacambo -" A shell whistled into the palm grove, exploding close by. "Go!" he shouted. The young Guarani ran for the morass.
The Brazilian guns stopped firing. In the palm grove, trees cracked and thudded to earth; wounded men cried out; and on the ground beyond, where dust and smoke drifted, silence. But the stillness was soon broken by voices as three floating piers and two canoes of the enemy approached the bank of the Rio Paraguay.
With six men remaining, General Juan Bautista Noguera stormed toward the invaders. His comrades ran ahead of him, for he had not much wind left, this old Guarani who long ago should have taken his rest with those elders who lay in their hammocks. He stumbled a few times, almost losing his footing as he skirted the craters from the enemy cannonade. He had unsheathed his sword and was wielding it with both hands.
The men in the floating piers saw the six front-runners bunched close together, their red blouses offering easy targets. Fusillades from two crowded piers stopped the six Paraguayans in their tracks.
"Macacos . . . macacos . . . macacos."
Cacambo ran on. His gaze was on the lead canoe. He saw a great macaco there, standing insolently in the prow, wearing a white kepi and blue poncho and carrying a silver-plated lance.
Cacambo was twenty yards from the edge of the riverbank when four Minit balls struck him. General Juan Bautista Noguera stumbled forward a few feet and then fell.
"My Guarani . . ." he wept, with his last breath.
The man in the white kepi was the first Brazilian to set foot on Paraguayan soil: General Manuel Luís Osório, who would be honored for this triumphant moment with the title Barão de Herval.
Thirty-eight days after the landings near Tres Bocas, the exhilaration Firmino had experienced during the invasion was gone.
On the push through the carrizal east from the low banks at Tres Bocas toward Paso la Patria, Brazilian troops had skirmished with Paraguayans deployed around the lagoons and morasses. The Tiberica contingent had reached Paso la Patria on April 21 without firing a shot other than rounds spent by nervous voluntários blazing away at noises in the jungle.
Firmino began to pay the price for the months in which he had kept to himself: utter loneliness, no fellowship at all with other officers or the men of his company. Even with Clóvis da Silva, whom he saw often at Paso la Patria - now a sprawling base for the Allied bridgehead - Firmino found it difficult to make conversation. The artilleryman's confidence left Firmino feeling totally inadequate. He recognized the major - Clóvis had been promoted since the landings - as exactly the kind of soldier Ulisses Tavares expected Firmino to be.
To make matters worse, listening to Clóvis and the others, with their boisterous, passionate, jocular talk of combat, only intensified Firmino's feeling of isolation. He looked at dead Paraguayans beside the route of march and imagined himself a corpse; he spoke with survivors of the May 2 attack on the vanguard, which had lost sixteen hundred men, and was certain he would run from such an onslaught. These anxieties grew until he could contemplate little else, not even the command of Ulisses Tavares, who had sent him south to uphold the heroic name of the da Silvas of Itatinga.
On May 24, 1866, thirty-eight days after the landings, the Allies' forward positions were along a three-mile front at Tuyuti, an area of higher ground with palm forests just north of the stream of Bellaco Sur and on the southern fringes of the swamps and morasses. Thirty-five thousand men had moved up here from Paso la Patria, with more than one hundred field guns. The Brazilian divisions held the left flank, the Argentinians the right. There were nine hundred Uruguayans, all that remained of the battalions led by the Colorado general Venancio Flores. The Allies were still under the overall command of the Argentinian president, General Bartolomé Mitre, and General Osório led the Brazilian army.
On May 24 at Tuyuti, General Mitre ordered a reconnaissance in force into the esteros. Firmino Dantas and the Tiberica company were with a division near the rear of the Brazilian left flank. General Antônio Sampião, a veteran infantryman from the northeast province of Ceará, commanded these battalions of Paulista, Carioca, and Cearense voluntários holding positions in support of an artillery regiment - the Bateria Mallet - with twenty-eight Whitworth and La Hitte cannons. Major Clóvis da Silva served with these batteries, which were led by and bore the name of the French-born Emilio Mallet, who had come to Brazil as a mercenary in the 1820s and had risen to be the best gunner in the imperial army.
Late morning, along the Allied lines, the battalions chosen to reconnoiter the esteros were awaiting orders to penetrate the marshes. The atmosphere was hot and humid, the sky cloudless, and as the reconnaissance forces were mustered, sweat-drenched men cursed impatiently; they didn't expect the probe into the esteros to amount to much.
Firmino Dantas and his men were with other voluntários three hundred yards to the left of the Bateria Mallet. The company's position was on an elevation covered with Yatai palms. Below the slight slope, the ground leveled out toward an open morass extending from the reed-clogged esteros. A wide, deep ditch had been dug in front of the twenty-eight field guns, and the earth that had been removed from this trench spread out in front of and behind it so that from the edge of the esteros the long pitfall would not be visible.
At precisely 11:55 A.M., a Congreve rocket tore into the air and burst above a patch of jungle to the left of the Brazilian positions. Here and there a bugle sounded, a whistle shrilled, as officers quickest to react brought their men to orders.
A few minutes after the rocket explosion, a Brazilian skirmisher came running out of the jungle:
"Camarada! Camarada! Os Paraguaios! Os Paraguaios!"
From the jungle on the left came eight thousand infantry and one thousand cavalrymen, who had had to dismount and lead their horses in single file through the dense undergrowth. Sweeping down on the right toward the Argentinian flank, thundering out of the cover of a palm forest, came seven thousand cavalrymen with two thousand foot soldiers running up behind them. Pouring directly from the estero in a frontal assault on the Bateria Mallet were five thousand infantrymen, with four howitzers. Altogether some 23,000 men, the bulk of Paraguay's army.
By noon of May 24, 1866, five minutes after the Paraguayans' rocket signal to commence the attack, the battle of Tuyuti raging along the whole line of the Allies.
Battle of Tuyuti - Candido Lopez
Battle of Tuyuti - Paraguayan War - Candido Lopez - Colección Museo Histórico Nacional, Buenos Aires
BRAZIL by Errol Lincoln Uys |
Raising a Child with Dysgraphia and Sensory Processing Disorder
Watching your child grow and learn is such a magical experience. To see them trying and accomplishing new things each day is very rewarding. But what happens when you notice them starting to struggle with things you think they should be able to do? When you know they should be able to copy a letter they see or figure out how to tie their shoes? No one wants to think that their child has a learning disorder like dysgraphia or trouble with motor skills.
But learning disabilities, processing disorders, and developmental delays are more common than you may think. It is estimated that around 9.7% of children in the United States are diagnosed with a learning disability and 5% have a sensory processing disorder (in the absence of autism spectrum disorder). Yet there are likely still many more children who are affected by these conditions and never formally diagnosed. Their symptoms may be milder, they’ve learned to overcome challenges, or they were never evaluated.
Identifying Symptoms of Dysgraphia
When my oldest son was in elementary school, we would practice his weekly spelling words together. He was quick to master spelling them aloud, usually only taking a day or two to learn them. But I noticed that when it came time for the test, he struggled to correctly write the words we had practiced so carefully. He would be missing letters, have incorrect letters, or have written them so illegibly that you couldn’t tell what was there.
I attributed this in part to him being left-handed, which meant many fine motor tasks did not come naturally to him. But as he got older, his overall attention, handwriting, and motor planning continued to be problematic. As an occupational therapist, I work with children on handwriting and motor planning, so I knew something was wrong. He started to develop test anxiety because he knew the material when we studied, but when it came to the exam, he wasn’t able to effectively communicate his answers in writing.
In time, I realized that he likely had dysgraphia – not to be confused with dyslexia. While around 91% of American adults have heard of dyslexia, two-thirds of them are not familiar with dysgraphia (or dyscalculia or dyspraxia). Both dyslexia and dysgraphia can lead to problems with writing, but dysgraphia is specifically an issue with written expression or the physical act of writing. My son didn’t have a problem recognizing letters or words when he saw them or spelling them orally, but he had difficulty organizing his thoughts and actually writing the words correctly. It involves a lot of planning to form each letter, space them evenly, and sequence them in the right order. As he got older, he had trouble putting his thoughts down on paper in a way that made sense even though he could prove he knew the information when asked questions orally.
What I was seeing aligned with many of the common symptoms of dysgraphia, though he was never formally tested and diagnosed:
• Poor spelling
• Poor spatial planning on paper
• Illegible handwriting
• Difficulty communicating clear thoughts in writing
Building Fine Motor Skills and Coordination
Looking back, I know now that he may have benefitted from a structured writing curriculum such as Handwriting Without Tears as he was first learning to form letters and write sentences, as these types of programs reinforce motor planning and proper form. But he engaged in other activities that have since helped him to improve his writing abilities and overcome some of the symptoms of dysgraphia.
For instance, his love of skateboarding, swimming, and snowboarding improved his spatial awareness and helped with postural control. More than a decade of piano and guitar lessons helped as well as he refined his coordination, posture, sequencing, timing, and auditory processing. Since he was doing something he loved, he didn’t even realize he was practicing these skills.
As he got older, we talked about the challenges he was having at school and the types of activities he could do to improve his skills. Writing was certainly an area where he struggled most since it requires so much fine motor planning and executive function. Children must not only sequence their movements and have strong visual-perceptual skills, but also have strong working memory to recall letter formation, spacing, punctuation, and ideas for what they want to write. It was important that he understand how his brain and body worked differently from that of people to do these tasks so that he would be on board with activities that could help him be more successful. His drive and motivation definitely played a role in strengthening his areas of need.
Battling Sensory Processing Disorder
In addition to dysgraphia, my son was also learning to manage living with sensory processing disorder (SPD). His brain has a difficult time organizing and making sense of all of the sensory input he receives on a daily basis. For some people, this means lights, sounds, movements, and textures can be overwhelming (or underwhelming). For others, like my son, it presents more as motor skill and body awareness problems. This may have contributed to his sloppy handwriting because it requires hand-eye coordination as well as proper posture and pencil grip.
But it really hit home when he would be doing something most people take for granted like making their bed. This was one of his daily chores. Most kids pull up the sheets, throw the comforter on, fluff their pillows, and they’re done. But if the sheets had fallen off the bed, my son would be in tears trying to figure out how to put everything neatly back together. His brain had trouble communicating with his eyes and arms how to coordinate both sides of his body to pick up the sheets and organize them back on the bed. Not to mention the distraction of the noise from the TV in the other room while he was trying to focus on finishing the task at hand. It was very difficult for him to make sense of what was going on and stay focused or plan each step he needed to do to be successful. This is common for children with SPD.
Managing Dysgraphia and Sensory Processing Disorder
When my son began exhibiting these symptoms, I was a young mother, he was my first child, and I was in denial of early signs that he might benefit from formal occupational therapy services. Being an OT, I was able to provide some support at home and work with him on activities that could strengthen and re-wire underdeveloped areas of his brain, but not every child is fortunate to have this type of support.
I realized that there were plenty of children like my son facing challenges every day with tasks others take for granted such as writing or making the bed. These things did not come naturally to him; he had to work very hard at them. And so I was inspired to launch Therapeutic Movements and provide families with a facility where they could not only have their child evaluated for occupational and physical therapy needs, but also sensory integration issues, rehabilitation, dysgraphia, and more. Our team of experts works with families to determine their child’s unique needs and create a treatment plan to help them reach their goals, overcome challenges, and build independence.
My son has learned to thrive over the years, but I know that he could have benefitted earlier on from formal OT services. If you are concerned about your child’s development or performance, reach out to Therapeutic Movements for more information and to schedule an evaluation.
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A new survey found out what we already knew: winter is bad for your health, appearance, and sex life. Thanks to the dark and cold months, we'll get sick more, be in crappier moods, and have no motivation.
1 in 20 people surveyed also said that their libido suffers during winter.
"This shows that many of us do feel down in the dumps when the weather turns colder and days get shorter," said Dr. Meg Arroll, a psychologist with Healthspan. "Some of this may be due to the lack of daylight and perceived unpleasantness of being out and about in the wind and rain."
She recommends taking active steps to protect your health and well-being.
Here are the top ten ways that winter makes us suffer:
1. Flu and colds
2. Dry skin
3. Less energy
4. Increased illness
5. Feeling demotivated
6. Struggle to wake up
7. Increased appetite for unhealthy foods
8. Weight gain
9. Feeling sad
10. Sore joints |
A Smart Lemur Is a Popular Lemur
A ring-tailed lemur and her two cubs. AFP/Getty Images
In 1936, self-help lecturer Dale Carnegie wrote a book called "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It became one of the best-selling books ever because all the stuff he suggested really works on humans: be friendly and make other people feel interesting and special. Honestly, that's pretty much it.
But it turns out the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), a distant cousin of ours, finds social success in different ways. According to a study published in the April 5, 2018, issue of the journal Current Biology, these little fox-faced primates shower social approbation on those with smarts rather than their most cordial acquaintances.
"We found that lemurs who were frequently observed by others while solving the task to retrieve the food received more affiliative behaviors than they did before they learned," said co-author Ipek Kulahci, formerly of Princeton University and now a postdoctoral researcher at University College Cork in Ireland, in a press release. "As a result, they became more socially central than they were before the experiment."
Lemur life involves a whole lot of finding food and avoiding predators, so it naturally follows that they might prefer to have buddies capable of showing them the best ways of filling their bellies or avoiding hawks and civets. And although previous research indicates that lemurs acquire new skills more quickly after they've observed another member of their troop perform them, this study finds that individual lemurs enjoyed more popularity when they could prove their problem-solving prowess to others.
The researchers tested this idea by setting up an experiment in which the animals had to figure out a way to retrieve a grape from a Plexiglass box. They found the most popular lemurs in the troop were most likely to retrieve the grape out of a little drawer, and those who observed the successful animals and copied them got more love from the group as a result.
"I was quite impressed that the frequently observed lemurs received more affiliative behaviors, such as grooming, without adjusting their own social behavior," said Kulahci. "In most primate species, grooming tends to be mutual; it relies on reciprocity between the groomer and the individual being groomed. ... So it is a pretty striking pattern that the frequently observed lemurs received lots of grooming without providing more grooming to others."
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Effective Content-based Video Retrieval
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The article is on video based educational material where presenters deliver educational content. The authors developed a system which is capable of storing educational video clips with their semantics and retrieving required video clip segments efficiently on their semantics. The system creates profiles of presenters appearing in the video clips based on their facial features and uses these profiles to partition similar video clips into logical meaningful segments. This addresses one of the main problems identified in profile construction and propose a novel approach to create the profiles by introducing a profile normalisation algorithm
At its best, e-Learning is individual, customised learning that allows learners to choose and review material at their own pace at anytime anywhere. At its worst, it can disempower and demotivate learners by leaving them lost and unsupported in an immensely confusing electronic realm. Leveraging the most advanced technology, multimedia have raised the learners' interest and provide methods to learn effectively. Multimedia includes more than one form of media such as text graphics, animation, audio, video and video conferencing. Interactivity (interactive learning) is a term that means a computer is used in the delivery of learning material in the context of education and training. In a computer-based interactive learning environment, a person can navigate through it, select relevant information, respond to questions using input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, or voice command system, complete tasks, communicate with others, and receive assessment feedback. Integration of heterogeneous data as content for e-Learning applications is crucial, since the amount and versatility of processable information is the key to a successful system. Multimedia database systems can be used to organise and manage heterogeneous multimedia e-Learning content.
In an attempt to integrate video clips into e-Learning we have realised that building an index on top of the video library is a requirement to provide efficient access to the video library. This will provide an easy mechanism for a student to navigate through the available video clips without downloading the entire clips and thus provide a solution to the limited bandwidth problem as well. To provide content based retrieval of digital video information, we employ a set of tools developed by us to segment video clips semantically into shots by using low level features. Then we identify those segments where presenters appear and extract the relevant information in key frames. These information are then encoded and compared with a database of similarly encoded key frames. The feature information in video frames of a face is represented as an eigenvector which is considered as a profile of a particular person. In our research, we have designed a multimodal multimedia database system to support content-based indexing, archiving, retrieval and on-demand delivery of audiovisual content in an e-learning. In this system, a feature selection and a feature extraction sub-system have been used to construct presenter profiles. The feature extraction process transforms the video key-frame data into a multidimensional feature space as feature vectors. These profiles are then used to construct an index over the video clips to support efficient retrieval of video shots. This allows the end-users to use the available bandwidth more efficiently.
But one difficulty we came up with is the profile overlapping when the faces of the presenters are projected to the eigenspace. This occur when the presenters have some features in common and complex to identify as separate profiles. We observed that this happens mainly due the variation among lighting conditions. Our efforts were to construct an algorithm to overcome lighting variations. In this paper, we propose a novel profile normalization algorithm to construct presenter profiles effectively. One of the distinct features of the algorithm is that it is capable of generating profiles at different illumination levels. Our method consequently solves the profile overlapping in eigenspace problem by using certain parameters. This work refines our earlier approach for profile construction which averages all sample key-frame data to construct the presenter profiles.
The main components of our architecture are: a Media Server, Meta-Data Database, Ontology and Object Profiles, Keyword Extractor, Keyword Organiser, Feature Extractor, Profile Creator and the Query Processor. The main emphasis of this research is on the profile creation and normalisation components of the system. The first step of the profile constructor is to extract features from the video Key-frames which containing most of the static information present in a shot. The main inputs to the profile constructor are these key-frames stored in the multimedia database.
The presenter detection and recognition process detects the faces in the key frame and try to match it with the presenter profiles available in the profile database. If the presenter in the key-frames matches with a profile then the system annotates the video shot with the presenter identification and maps it with the metadata database. On the other hand, if the current presenter's key-frames do not match with the available profiles then the profile creator will create a new presenter profile and insert it in to the profile database.
The profile construction is based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The idea is to represent presenter's facial features in a featurespace where the individual features of a presenter are uncorrelated in the eigenspace. The feature space comprises of eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of the key-frame features. In this approach, PCA is computationally intensive when it is applied to the facespace. Through the experience we gained from our initial experiments we have realized that the efficiency of the PCA process in this context can be improved substantially by limiting the analysis to the largest eigenvectors of related key-frames instead of all eigenvectors of key-frames.
Profile normalisser acquires available profiles from profile database and executes the normalisation algorithm and returns the normalised profiles to the database. Since we get key-frames from different lighting conditions we have to have a proper dynamic profile normalization algorithm to maintain the accuracy of the profile matching algorithm to an acceptable level. Therefore we concentrate on two descriptors, normally the mean intensity and its standard deviation of the data set that we use to construct presenter profiles. After investigating the variation of the illumination and the deviation of the mean intensity and standard deviation of a collection of profiles, we have identified few parameters that can be used to develop an algorithm based on these parameters to normalize the profiles with respect to illumination.
Illumination constraint
In our previous approach we have constructed presenter profiles by getting the average intensity values of the faces of presenters in the key-frames of the training set. From the results gathered we have realised that, our system performance deteriorates when the video key-frames are captured at different illumination conditions. The effects of illumination changes in key-frames are due to one of the two factors: The inherent amount of light reflected off the skin of the presenter, or the non-linear adjustment in internal camera control. Both of these conditions can have a<
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Education: The Foundation of Humility
“Where does Mount Sinai come from?” asks the Midrash (Shochar Tov 68). From Mount Moriah. It had been taken from there like Challah is taken from dough, from the spot where Isaac was to have been sacrificed. Thus G-d said, “Since Isaac was to have been sacrificed here, it is good that his children receive the Torah here.”
We may ask ourselves at least three questions concerning this passage.
1. If Mount Moriah is so important, why was the Torah not given on it (without having a portion taken from it and placed on Mount Sinai)?
2. What exactly does “It had been taken” mean? Why did our Sages add, “like Challah is taken from dough”?
3. What is the connection between the sacrifice of Isaac and the giving of the Torah? Did these two events have to occur in the same place?
The Torah commands: “Who is the man who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man will inaugurate it” (Deuteronomy 20:5). What exactly does “lest he die” signify? It means that all those who leave for war are exposed to danger.
What then does “who has built a new house and has not inaugurated it” mean? It is that even the construction of a house implies the performance of several mitzvot that are inseparable from one another, from the mitzvot connected to the house itself (such as the mezuzot [Deuteronomy 6:9] and the fence on the roof [ibid. 22:8]) to the mitzvot that one performs within its walls (such as the laws of kashrut, family purity, being fruitful and multiplying). The precepts carried out within the home, and the Divine Presence found therein, constitute the very foundation of the Torah. Concerning this, the Talmud teaches that if a man and his wife are worthy, the Divine Presence lives among them; if not, they are devoured by fire (Sotah 17a). A man performs mitzvot and good deeds in every corner of the house. He impregnates it throughout with holiness, and it is difficult to commit a sin there. The beams and the walls of the house will witness against him if he commits a sin within (Taanith 11a). In the same way that one educates one’s children, one educates and impregnates one’s house in the service of G-d.
If, as the Talmud relates (Yoma 47a), Kimchit had seven sons who all became High Priests, it was because the beams of her house never saw the braids of her hair. She was careful to hide them even when she was alone in the house, doing so in order to impregnate it with holiness. Because of her modesty, she had the merit to give birth to seven High Priests.
Therefore if a person has built a house without having performed mitzvot in it that he had intended to carry out, he does not have the right to go to war. He will be judged for not have having inaugurated it with mitzvot and good deeds. Moreover, Jonathan ben Uziel translated the verse in question into Aramaic as follows: “If someone has built a new house, and has not affixed a mezuzah to it….” For it is the mezuzah and other mitzvot that constitute the foundation of the Jewish home and generates humility in man, a guarantee that the Divine commandments will be carried out.
On Mount Moriah, our Patriarch Isaac was taught to fear the Eternal and to serve Him with the greatest of devotion. Our Sages teach that when the Jewish people finds itself in distress, the “ashes” of Isaac rise toward the Holy One, blessed be He, and his merit saves them. Where, in fact, do these “ashes” come from? Isaac was never sacrificed! The answer is that his modesty and humility allowed him to reach the level of dust and ashes, which are scattered by the wind to the four corners of the earth. It is similar to the Challah that we take from the dough: It is really bread, but when we burn it, it is literally transformed into ashes.
The Talmud teaches that from Mount Moriah, an instructional teaching was sent to the Jewish people – a teaching of modesty, submission, and the fear of Heaven. Just as Mount Moriah was uprooted, the Torah does not stay in one place; one finds it everywhere. We too should perform mitzvot everywhere, with the greatest humility – that is the essential thing. As we have seen, the Torah was given on Mount Sinai because it was the smallest of mountains, and it is part of Mount Moriah.
Desiring to impregnate the Torah and mitzvot within themselves in order to defeat the evil inclination, the Children of Israel therefore settled in the desert, where the forces of evil especially raged, close to Sinai. They wanted to attain very high levels of spirituality on this mountain, a mountain that meromem Y-h (“the Eternal uplifts”) Note that Moriah = meromem Y-h, as well as the similarity between the numerical values of Y-h (the Eternal) and ga’avah (pride): Both equal to 15. By the study of Torah, we only adorn ourselves in the Eternal’s majesty.
This Torah portion carries the name Yitro because he, fleeing all honors, went to the desert to impregnate himself with Divine worship and to fight the evil inclination.
This is also what the Children of Israel did. In fleeing from honors into the desert, they were then “pursued” by Mount Moriah, which elevated them and allowed them to reach sublime spiritual levels.
Commenting on the verse that states, “So shall you say [ko tomar] to the House of Jacob and relate [veteigehd] to the Children of Israel” (Exodus 19:3), the Talmud explains (Shabbat 87a) that the Eternal uses gentle language with the House of Jacob (that is, with the women), and rough language with the Children of Israel (that is, with the men). Why two different manners of speaking? Why, moreover (and contrary to that which normally happens), does the verse mention the women before the men?
The answer is that a man learns the virtue of humility from a woman. If on Mount Sinai it was the Torah that reminded him to conduct himself in all humility, who would remind him to do so in his home, if not his wife? The Midrash teaches that all while being strong, a woman is born with a discreet, modest disposition (Bereshith Rabba 18:3). This is why, in order to learn humility (which is the very foundation of the entire Torah), a woman needs ko tomar (“thus shall you say”) and “I am the L-RD your G-d”.
The Virtue of our Teacher Moses
Book of Shemot Index
Unity Brings About Torah Study
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Eating Disorders And Its Effects On Society
1199 Words Aug 3rd, 2015 5 Pages
When you settle down each day for a meal, whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you just eat, right? To reiterate, you don’t really take into consideration of what you’re eating, as it is something that you usually take for granted, that is, eating. Maybe that’s how it goes for you, eating without thinking. But for some people in the world, eating is something very difficult to do. Either they despise food because they feel that they are too overweight, or that they can’t stop eating because they are always hungry. These people are people who have eating disorders. Eating disorders mostly concern individuals that are usually stressed and depressed, and to deal with these problems they use food to solve it. More specifically they starve, purge, or binge, because they think that’s how they will solve their problems. The effects are overwhelming as it doesn’t only affect the individual themselves; it actually impacts everyone around them and society itself, therefore it is a problem everybody should be concern about. There are many types of eating disorders. One type is Anorexia Nervosa, which is essentially an eating disorder that individual undergo by starving themselves. The malnutrition caused by the starvation can cause serious side effects like development of osteoporosis and even more serious consequences, like death by heart failure. Now you ask yourself, why would anybody go through so much suffering? Well, like most disorders, there is a cause. One of the…
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Las Vegas, The Original City Of Sin
2161 Words Dec 12th, 2016 9 Pages
Las Vegas, the original “City of Sin” (Bull 2). Marketing campaigns flaunt the idea that “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas (Bull 4).” Now known for its attitude of permissiveness, especially regarding sexual behavior, Las Vegas has grown tremendously from its humble beginnings as a simple rail stop between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City (Bull 2). In 1911, with a population of just over 2,000, Las Vegas was incorporated and its first mayor elected. Fast forward twenty years, and the population has almost quadrupled and gambling is legalized. Reminiscent of a perfect storm, the setting was ripe for exploitation: Las Vegas was distanced from other towns or cities, the railroad allowed people to easily travel, and legalized gambling opened up avenues for debasement. With its remote location and legalized gambling, it was inevitable that big-time mobsters would come onto the scene. Additionally, casinos were being erected, encouraging guests to spend money and drink liquor, thus leading to uninhibited behavior. Furthermore, by providing workers in “the oldest profession” there would be yet another way to line the pockets of the underworld figures who created the foundation for the Vegas of today. “Russell W. Belk has argued, the idea that Las Vegas provides forbidden fruit and guilty pleasures;a vital part of the city 's appeal” (Bull 4). “According to Hal Rothman, Las Vegas has a widely accepted role as a place where generations of Americans have been allowed to…
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Carbon Cycle Definition
by Laurent Cousineau
The Carbon Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
The carbon cycle refers to the flow of carbon through the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere.
There are five main reservoirs of carbon which are all interconnected:
Also, there are many chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes which account for the exchange of carbon.
Furthermore, of all the reservoirs near the surface of the Earth, the oceans are the ones which contain the most carbon.
However, most of this carbon does not flow rapidly to the atmosphere. Hence, the oceans act as carbon sinks.
Carbon Cycle and Climate Change
Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, mankind has altered the carbon cycle via anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions.
Unfortunately, these emissions cause global warming.
In order to stop climate change, we must reduce our carbon footprint.
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Ethnic balance
As a movement, it has succeeded in making Tamils conscious of their legacy as much as it has asserted the region’s inalienable right to be an indivisible part of India.
Since the first Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cabinet was formed by Conjeevaram Nadarajan Mudaliayar Annadurai in the Madras Province in 1967, Tamil Nadu has to this day been ruled by a Dravidian party.
Jawaharlal Nehru once expressed surprise over the DMK demand for a Dravida Nadu, but today all the Lok Sabha seats in the state are in the hands of the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) led by DMK. Such is the sway the term ‘Dravidian’ holds over the political imagination of the Tamil Nadu populace.
The year 1916 was significant. That was when Maraimalai Adikal (Swami Vethachalam) launched the pure Tamil movement against the use of Sanskrit words in Tamil. The same year, big non-Brahmin landlords produced the non-Brahmin manifesto arguing for reservation in the provision of government jobs.
They formed the South Indian Liberal Federation and ran a journal called Justice, which led to them becoming known as the Justice Party. There was a political need for an ethno-cultural name in the then Madras Presidency that would bring the Kappus of Karnataka, the Reddys of Andhra, the Pillais and Mudaliyars of Tamil Nadu, and the Nairs of Kerala into one fold.
The term ‘Dravidian’ slowly emerged from the cultural ethos as the popular choice but was not used politically till later. The British rule of law promised social equality but it was denied to the non-Brahmin castes.
First non-Brahmin conference in 1917First non-Brahmin conference in 1917
The experiences of the local Congress committee secretary Erode V. Ramasamy Naicker at the Vaikom Satyagraha compelled him to start the Self-Respect Movement in 1926. Naicker later came to be known as Periyar or the great elder.
The social exclusion of all the non-Brahmin castes led to the rejection of Brahminic religion as an institution and resulted in a call for rationalism. The first cry for rationalism was raised by Ayothi Das in the mid-19th century.
It couldn’t succeed but the desire for it wasn’t extinguished either. Periyar made rationalism an integral part of the Self-Respect Movement and was violently anti-Brahminic. He also argued for social reforms and stood for social democratisation.
The Justice Party, for its survival, sought the assistance of Periyar, who, by the 1930s, had given up the socialist cause. In 1944, Periyar founded the Dravida Kazhagam (DK) combining elements of the Justice Party and Self-Respect Movement.
By 1944, Dravidam had become part of the country’s political lexicon with DK standing for social reform, atheism and the eschewal of electoral politics.
The then DK secretary, C.N. Annadurai, a central figure in the state’s political history, launched DMK a year after Independence. He brought in strategic shifts in the movement’s politics committing DMK to electoral politics and withdrew separatist demands.
It’s argued that this was done to satisfy the growing demand of the local bourgeoisie to strengthen ties across India. Annadurai was a political communicator par excellence. He and his lieutenant M. Karunanidhi used theatre and film to propagate their ideas, questioning the validity of religious traditions and resuscitated the glories of the Sangam Age.
A great political storm was sweeping through Tamil Nadu and the Congress succumbed to it, as the indefatigable Congress leader K. Kamaraj was defeated by a DMK student leader in 1967. The DMK got enough seats at its first electoral attempt in the 1950s to become the main opposition. By 1967, it became the majority party and Annadurai was the chief minister.
The Dravidian movement had come of age. The propaganda strategy of the movement soon moved from theatre to films with Karunanidhi playing a big role in the shift.
The actor who portrayed the pro-DMK hero naturally attracted much attention. Sivaji Ganeshan was the first such symbol but he soon dropped out, moving into films with religious and domestic themes. Maruthoor Gopal Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, then emerged as the icon of DMK.
Karunanidhi took over the leadership of the party, but DMK after Annadurai was ridden with internal quarrels. Using the popular support he enjoyed, MGR broke away in 1972 to form Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK)—which later became AIADMK (All-India ADMK) to avoid any hint of separatism—and became chief minister in 1977.
With DMK and AIADMK poised against each other, the Congress government at the Centre took active interest in the politics of the region, often dissolving the assembly to support whichever Dravidian party it stood with.
MGR never emphasised the conflict between Brahmins and non-Brahmins. His constituency was the average downtrodden person. With his death in 1987, his wife V.N. Janaki was brought in as chief minister for a short period.
But later, J. Jayalalithaa emerged as the AIADMK leader and came to be seen as heir to the MGR legacy. The former actor became chief minister in 1991 and soon transformed into Amma.
In the last years of the first decade of the 21st century, the Dravidian movement has seen strategic shifts with the rise of every important leader. It is significant then that while the term Dravidian is politically attractive, the state has been unable to resist the growth of the Dalit movement.
If the Dalits in Tamil Nadu feel that the Dravidian parties do not include them, the question arises as to what exactly the achievement of the Dravidian movement has been. Its demand for a Tamil consciousness has brought middlelevel backward castes into the power structure but left others behind.
Perhaps one of the lasting achievements of the Dravidian movement has been to make Tamils conscious of their legacy, at the same time constituting them as an indivisible part of India.
The writer is author and professor emeritus at the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
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Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSEs) of Humans
by Vincent Racaniello, PhD
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00:01 Hello and welcome to Prions. We are going to be diving a little deeper into this topic.
00:07 And after you've listened to this video, I hope you'll understand two assays for detecting prions. You'll know why Mad Cow Disease and Chronic Wasting Disease may be a threat to the food chain for humans. You’ll comprehend the species barrier to prion infections, and you'll be able to trace the possible origin of prion diseases.
00:36 Prions cause diseases that we call transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which I'll now refer to as TSEs, and here are some of the human TSEs: Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD), Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI), Gerstmann Straussler syndrome (GSS), Kuru, and variant CJD (vCJD).
01:02 These are human TSEs, they are also TSEs of animals.
01:07 TSEs or prion diseases are protein misfolding diseases. They involve the misfolding of a normal cell protein. So let's explore exactly what that means. The normal cell protein involved in TSEs is called the prion protein PrP with the superscript C, which means it's the cellular version. And shown here on the left is the structure of the PrPc protein. It's the normal version. You can see lots of swirls in this protein, those are alpha helices. This protein has high alpha helical content and very low beta sheet content. The pathogenic version of PRP, which is associated with TSEs as shown on the right, is called PrPsc, SC stands for scrapie, because that was the first TSE discovered, and the one where the role of the prion protein was figured it out. This protein is abnormally folded. Now we don't have the structure of this solved, but we think it has a lot of beta sheets and you can see those four long sheets going up and down in green and in yellow, those are beta sheets. So this is a conformational alteration of the normal protein. We have the normal protein and a conformationally altered PrPsc, and that PrPsc is pathogenic, when you accumulate that in your brain, you develop a TSE. It’s a very unusual disease. So pathogenic prion, PrPsc, is a conformational isoform of a normal host protein PrPc. Prion, the word prion stands for proteinaceous infectious particle, and you might hear me say “prion” or “prion”. I really don't know what's right, when you have a word invented by people, what's the difference on how you pronounce it? As long as you say “prion” or “prion”.
03:14 Prions are normal proteins on the outer surface of neurons. They are found in a few other places, but mainly on the outer surface of neurons. As in this slide, you can see at the bottom, a lovely neuron with the cell body, and then the axons and dendrites, and there on the surface is the normal cell, prion protein PrPc. So it has functions on the outside of a neuron, it is GPI linked. So it is not a transmembrane protein, but it is linked by a chemical linkage. When you acquire the pathogenic form of prion, PrPsc, let's say you ingest some meat that has bovine prions in it, bovine pathogenic prions. You'll eat that beef, it will go into your intestines, and shown here on this side, is a layer of mucosal cells, and on one of those mucosal cells, there are some normal PrPc, and you should be able to tell me which one it is, because you know it doesn't have a lot of beta sheets, alright. And then coming in just to the left of it, is a little bit of the abnormal protein PrPsc. It has beta sheets. You've just eaten this, so that's coming into your intestines. What we think happens, it comes in and causes the normal protein to convert to the abnormal form. It causes it to convert. This is really incredible.
04:39 The abnormal protein finds a normal version of the protein and it makes it fold, like it is folded, from PrPc into PrPsc. So that’s shown here, the pathogenic protein is next to the normal protein, and then the normal protein is now converted into a pathogenic one. It now has a lot of beta sheet structure. You can see those two proteins are now PrPsc.
05:02 And the idea is, this happens in the intestine, you then ingest, you then take up those proteins and they travel via various pathways, to neurons in your central nervous system and there they convert additional PrPc to PrPsc and when you have enough or more PrPsc, then you start to develop the symptoms of a TSE. And eventually you die, you will always die when you start to develop a TSE. We don’t yet have any way to stop it. Fortunately these are very rare.
05:37 So there are three ways that you can acquire or develop a TSE, also known as a spongiform encephalopathy, because of the spongy appearance of the brain when it accumulates a lot of these PrPsc proteins. So again on the left we have our normal protein PrPc, on the right, the abnormal PrPsc. There are three ways to get from normal to abnormal. You can acquire some PrPsc, you can eat it in beef or it can be introduced into you by a corneal transplant, if you get a cornea from someone who has PrPsc, maybe they don't know about it at the time when they die and donate the cornea, you can acquire PrPsc. You can get it from human hormones or other blood products. There are ways to get it. So this is the infectious form. You get that PrPsc and it converts your PrPc into more PrPsc and you develop the disease.
06:36 A second way you can acquire this is by genetics. The luck of the draw. You get a mutation from your parents in the prpn gene, the gene encoding PrPc. Single amino acid changes enough to, at some point in your life make PrPc, start to misfold, and once there's one PrPsc somewhere in you, it then makes all your others misfold. So it’s a genetic disease. So far we’ve got an infectious disease, we have a genetic disease, and finally there is what's called a spontaneous disease, where you don't eat any contaminated beef, you don't get a corneal transplant, you don't have a genetic mutation that predisposes you to misfolding, but for some reason at some point, one day some of your PrPc misfolds and becomes PrPsc and you go on to develop a TSE. Alright, three ways that you can get this, in the end they are all fatal.
07:32 They all can be transmitted.
07:35 So here is a graph showing you the number of cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease deaths in the United States from like 1979 to 2011. You have deaths in the bars and the death rate is in green. So what you can see is that the rate is low, it's 150 to 200, and now maybe 400 per million population. It's rare but not unheard of, people die of this regularly.
08:05 And the incidence, this is Creutzfeldt-Jakob, a certain kind of human TSE, incidence is slowly rising with time. We don’t know why this is the case, but it's puzzling and the more people with Creutzfeldt-Jakob, the more people are likely to get it, because they can transmit it to them. So this is a combination of mostly sporadic or spontaneous TSEs and genetic. Mostly spontaneous, very, very little from eating contaminated material.
08:36 Nevertheless it's a substantial burden and it causes a 100% fatality, you never can recover from this. Hopefully one day we’ll have drugs or some way of reversing it, but we don't at the moment.
About the Lecture
The lecture Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSEs) of Humans by Vincent Racaniello, PhD is from the course Prions.
Included Quiz Questions
1. Protein Folding
2. Carbohydrates breakdown
3. Gluconeogenesis
4. Adenine adenine bonding
5. NAD conversion
1. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
2. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD)
3. Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI)
4. Gerstmann Straussler syndrome (GSS),
5. Kuru
1. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage
2. Glycosidic linkage
3. Hydrogen linkage
4. 5' phosphate- 3'-OH linkage
5. Peptide linkage
1. Misfolding occurs by interaction with abnormal proteins
2. Misfolding occurs by enzymatic conversion of Alpha chain to Zeta chain
3. Misfolding occurs by accumulation of apoferritin
4. Misfolding occurs by lysosomal degradation
5. Misfolding occurs by cytochrome C activity
1. ...injury by nails of fingers
2. ...human hormone donation
3. ...blood transfusion
4. ...corneal transplant
5. ...genetic mutation
Author of lecture Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSEs) of Humans
Vincent Racaniello, PhD
Vincent Racaniello, PhD
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About Plasma Cutting
The HF Contact type uses a high-frequency, high-voltage spark to ionize the air through the torch head and initiate an arc. These require the torch to be in contact with the job material when starting, and are, therefore, not suitable for applications involving computer numerical controlled (CNC) cutting.
Plasma is an effective means of cutting thin and thick materials alike. Hand-held torches can usually cut up to 2 in (48 mm) thick steel plate, and stronger computer-controlled torches can cut steel up to 6" (150 mm) thick. Since plasma cutters produce a very hot and very localized "cone" to cut with, they are extremely useful for cutting sheet metal in curved or angled shapes.
Proper eye protection such as welding goggles and face shields are needed to prevent eye damage called Arc eye as well as damage from debris.
Starting methods
Plasma cutters use a number of methods to start the arc. In some units, the arc is created by putting the torch in contact with the work piece. Some cutters use a high voltage, high frequency circuit to start the arc. This method has a number of disadvantages, including risk of electrocution, difficulty of repair, spark gap maintenance, and the large amount of radio frequency emissions.[1] Plasma cutters working near sensitive electronics, such as CNC hardware or computers, start the pilot arc by other means. The nozzle and electrode are in contact. The nozzle is the cathode, and the electrode is the anode. When the plasma gas begins to flow, the nozzle is blown forward. A third, less common method is capacitive discharge into the primary circuit via a silicon controlled rectifier.
Inverter plasma cutters
Analog plasma cutters, typically requiring more than 2 kilowatts, use a heavy mains-frequency transformer. Inverter plasma cutters rectify the mains supply to DC, which is fed into a high-frequency transistor inverter between 10 kHz to about 200 kHz. Higher switching frequencies give greater efficiencies in the transformer, allowing its size and weight to be reduced.
Plasma cutting - a technology that grew out of plasma welding in the 1960s - emerged as a very productive way to cut sheet metal and plate in the 1980s.[2] It had the advantages over traditional "metal against metal" cutting of producing no metal chips and giving accurate cuts, and produced a cleaner edge than oxy-fuel cutting. Early plasma cutters were large, somewhat slow and expensive and, therefore, tended to be dedicated to repeating cutting patterns in a "mass production" mode.
As with other machine tools, CNC (computer numerical control) technology was applied to plasma cutting machines in the late 1980s into the 1990s, giving plasma cutting machines greater flexibility to cut diverse shapes "on demand" based on a set of instructions that were programmed into the machine's numerical control.[3] These CNC plasma cutting machines were, however, generally limited to cutting patterns and parts in flat sheets of steel, using only two axes of motion (referred to as X Y cutting).
CNC cutting methods
Plasma cutters have also been used in CNC machinery. Manufacturers build CNC cutting tables, some with the cutter built in to the table. The idea behind CNC tables is to allow a computer to control the torch head making clean sharp cuts. Modern CNC plasma equipment is capable of multi-axis cutting of thick material, allowing opportunities for complex welding seams on CNC welding equipment that is not possible otherwise. For thinner material cutting, plasma cutting is being progressively replaced by laser cutting, due mainly to the laser cutter's superior hole-cutting abilities.
A specialized use of CNC Plasma Cutters has been in the HVAC industry. Software will process information on ductwork and create flat patterns to be cut on the cutting table by the plasma torch. This technology has enormously increased productivity within the industry since its introduction in the early 1980s.
In recent years there has been even more development in the area of CNC Plasma Cutting Machinery. Traditionally the machines' cutting tables were horizontal but now due to further research and development Vertical CNC Plasma Cutting Machines are available. This advancement provides a machine with a small footprint, increased flexibility, optimum safety, faster operation.
New Technology
In the past decade plasma torch manufacturers have engineered new models with a smaller nozzle and a thinner plasma arc. This allows near-laser precision on plasma cut edges. Several manufacturers have combined precision CNC control with these torches to allow fabricators to produce parts that require little or no finishing.
Plasma torches were once quite expensive. For this reason they were usually only found in professional welding shops and very well-stocked private garages and shops. However, modern plasma torches are becoming cheaper, and now are within the price range of many hobbyists. Older units may be very heavy, but still portable, while some newer ones with inverter technology weigh only a little, yet equal or exceed the capacities of older ones.
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Here's Why Self-Driving Cars are Still a Long Way Off
(Photo Credit: Sean Rice)
With advances in various aids, however, self-driving—or autonomous—cars are finally starting to seem realistic. On the simplest level, by coordinating GPS, adaptive-cruise-control, and lane-keeping technologies, a car can know where it's going and avoid crashing into other cars. In theory, at least. The reality is considerably more daunting.
RELATED: Watch an Audi RS7 Drive Itself Around a Track at 150 MPH—with Nobody Inside
The Talking Car Returns
There are, however, a few non-pavement-related systemic upgrades that can help. "It's hard to imagine having completely autonomous cars without layered communication with other vehicles and the infrastructure," says John Capp, director of active safety research for General Motors.
RELATED: 5 Reasons You Should Fear the Google Autonomous Car
Such a traffic signal could even sense when a car was approaching a red light at a speed that suggested it wasn't going to stop. In that case, the light could stop cross traffic or signal the potential red-light-running car to halt.
Both V2V and V2I rely on something called DSRC, which stands for Dedicated Short-Range Communication. It's a form of Wi-Fi, designated 802.11p, similar to the systems in our homes but optimized for moving transmitters and receivers. It will broadcast information about 10 times per second over half a mile of range. The information is intended to be anonymous, so the authorities won't be writing automated tickets every time a vehicle exceeds the speed limit. At least that's what they're saying now.
Welcoming Our Robot Overlords
When asked what they would do with their commuting time if they didn't have to drive, the largest group of survey respondents said it would still pay attention to the road. These are the same people who can't sleep on a plane.
Free Time
Manic Panic
Ghost Rider
Of all the possible scenarios posed, riding in a car without any form of driver control (such as in Google's demonstration cars) tied an autonomous commercial truck for the most concerning to respondents.
The Price Is Wrong, Bob
Mapping It Out
Even with this constant communication, the autonomous car still will struggle to drive intelligently when the lane markings are obscured by a layer of snow, if visibility is impeded by flying flakes, or when in-car cameras miss an important sign blocked by a semi. That's when a more detailed and accurate map will provide assistance.
The accuracy of map databases used by today's navigation systems is limited, generally locating the car's position to within about 30 feet. That's close enough to determine which road you're on but not sufficient to keep you in your lane.
With that information, as well as a more accurate GPS to locate the car's position with similar precision, the car could now stay in a lane reasonably well, even if the markings were obscured or worn.
Since this new mapping database is so huge, the car will have to constantly download the necessary information from the cloud. As the car moves around the country, its database will get updated with the local map data. Moreover, since this data is critical to autonomous driving, it will require frequent upgrades to reflect construction zones or any changes to the roadway, speed limits, or even signage. "Surveying every road in the United States is an enormous undertaking," Capp says. "The autonomous car is a ways off."
Don't Let That Driver's License Lapse Just Yet
Carmakers are chomping at the bit to start installing V2V receivers and transmitters in production cars, and their requirements have largely been defined by SAE standard J2735. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn't yet blessed those protocols and probably won't until the end of 2016, when it likely will codify them as law.
It will be some time before a useful portion of the vehicles on the road are equipped with V2V. V2I-compatible traffic controllers will take even longer. "The infrastructure planning horizon is very long-term. V2I will probably be installed gradually as the existing controllers wear out," says John Maddox, the director of collaborative strategies at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Despite some carmakers' promises of autonomous cars before the end of the decade, we'd figure 2025 to 2030 before the appearance of cars that can truly drive themselves without human intervention. And that's just on the technology front. The legal and insurance issues would make for a fairly dense and unreadable book. In other words, drivers are in no immediate danger of becoming an endangered species.
Originally published at Car and Driver.
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ICBMs Are Essential to America's Second-Strike Capability
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One critical aspect of nuclear deterrence is a nation’s second-strike capability — its capacity to respond to an aggressor’s assault with nuclear arms that have not been destroyed as a result of the initial attack. America maintains a triad consisting of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), bombers and missile-carrying submarines to assure enough nuclear weapons survive to respond in kind to an aggressor. Some critics believe eliminating ICBMs would be a cost-effective solution to reduce defense spending, but this is not a safe option. The U.S. needs to maintain the ICBM component of the nuclear triad to ensure it has an array of options for deterring potential nuclear aggressors and maintaining a solid second-strike capability.
According to some critics, Minuteman III ICBMs no longer serve a vital purpose. These opponents argue that ICBMs should be eliminated because they are vulnerable and inflexible. This is not true. ICBMs definitely have a purpose: they enhance the U.S. second-strike capability by providing a third method to respond in the event of a nuclear attack.
Needless to say, bombers and submarines also have unique capabilities that strengthen Washington’s nuclear deterrent and second-strike capability. Bombers attack ground and sea targets by dropping bombs, firing torpedoes, and launching cruise missiles. The aircraft also offer flexible options since they can adjust targeting while airborne, can be withdrawn in flight (unlike launched missiles), and can be stationed abroad to reassure allies. Submarines, on the other hand, are able to patrol the world’s oceans undetected and could respond with a deadly counterattack if U.S. bombers and ICBM forces were destroyed.
It is important for Washington to maintain its ICBM force because the other two components of the nuclear triad, bombers and submarines, have potential weaknesses that may be exploited in the future. For instance, bombers are very large aircraft and must refuel, which makes them potentially easy targets for future aggressors. Secondly, even though submarines roam the world’s oceans today undetected, they would become much less useful as a deterrent if a technological breakthrough were discovered that enabled aggressors to detect their location – a fear Admiral Jonathan Greenert, Chief Naval of Operations, has called “the oceans becoming transparent.”
In comparison to bombers that can fly anywhere in the world and submarines that can wander in oceans undetected, ICBMs may be viewed as vulnerable since they remain in fixed silos. However, their fixed locations assure they remain under firm control of national command authorities, and any attacker would have to wonder whether U.S. missiles had already been launched before they were hit. In contrast, bombers and submarines are in principle free to travel anywhere in the sky or ocean, meaning their operators must be trusted to use the weapons they carry as intended.
While President Barack Obama desires to decrease dependence on nuclear weapons, that does not mean other nations will follow his lead. Nuclear deterrence is no longer focused on one nation as was the case during the Cold War. Contemporary nuclear threats include a range of non-state actors, rogue regimes, and rising powers. Russia also has recently test-launched an ICBM and has publicly stated it will begin to test a new family of warheads to place on such missiles.
Recent tension between Russia and Ukraine underscores the importance of U.S. commitments to protect its overseas friends from aggression. As a result of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, Ukraine returned its nuclear arsenal to Moscow in exchange for security guarantees from Russia, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Since Moscow has clearly violated this agreement, Kiev is dependent security-wise on the U.S. and U.K. This recent example is one of many promises Washington has made regarding the protection of allies from hostility and further underscores the need to modernize the nuclear triad. After all, doing away with ICBMs would mean reducing the nuclear triad to two legs — potentially emboldening adversaries, increasing chances of a future aggressor wiping out Washington’s second-strike capability, and undermining the credibility of U.S. commitments.
The technology to develop nuclear weapons continues to proliferate to other nations. The U.S. must modernize all three components of the nuclear triad to guarantee its relevance to emerging threats. In particular, the ICBM force should be cost-effectively modernized over time as suggested by a recent RAND study, not eliminated, to allow the U.S. to continue creating the psychological effect of nuclear deterrence that prevents an aggressor from attacking the U.S. and its allies.
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The contra-flow system is used to collect thermal energy from hot flue gases. When wood burns in the firebox high temperatures are reached quickly, forcing the burning flue gases into the upper combustion chamber below the top lid. The hot gases are then guided down and out into the side channels, where the heat is released into the exterior stones. At the same time, room air outside the fireplace walls warms and moves up the stone surface in a path opposite to the interior downflow. These two opposing air flows are known as contra-flow. Most of the generated heat is transferred evenly into the room in the form of comfortable radiant heat.
Firewood burns quickly and efficiently in the firebox and the solid mass of the Tulikivi rapidly stores the heat. A couple of loads of wood are sufficient to heat any room, and heat will be radiated up to 24 hours or more.
A Tulikivi masonry heater does not waste heat or wood like a normal stove or open fireplace, which have to be continually fed to keep the fire burning.
Tulikivi masonry heaters can be equipped with an outside air kit, e.g. in passive energy houses. An air duct guides combustion air from outside directly into the combustion chamber. Models of fireplace groups 1 and 2 require an additional adapter, whereas group 3 models can be connected without an adapter.
The Tulikivi bakeoven contains a little bit of the old and a lot of new. The basic structure of the oven respects the work of the old master craftsmen. Other manufacturers lack the heat technology developed and patented by Tulikivi, which represents a whole new way of thinking.
A Tulikivi bakeoven however only needs one flue connection instead of the two they used to have. Whether you burn wood in the firebox of the fireplace or in the bakeoven, the whole oven is sure to warm evenly from top to bottom.
Burning wood in the bakeoven ensures a long baking time and an even temperature
Tulikivi’s bakeovens also feature an ingenious structure. They work on a double combustion principle, making use of all the energy of the wood and lengthening the effective baking time. The wood is burned in the firebox of the bakeoven. Incombustible flue gases rise with the flames into the upper fire chamber. Thanks to the secondary air flowing through the ashbox and grate, these gases also burn into usable heat. Finally the coals are deposited through the rear section of the firebox onto the grate, where they burn quickly and generate additional heat. No separate flue is required. |
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TARGIS - Variable Rate Smart Fertilizing System in Precision Agriculture (TARGIS-VRA)
Precision agriculture is a practice that adopts high information technologies like GPS, control units and software for the purpose of optimizing yield according to local varying soil conditions while conducting agricultural inputs applications (planting, fertilizing, spraying and harvesting, land surveying, line handling systems, yield mapping and grain loss monitoring systems). Current precision agriculture technology platforms provide compact system solutions. Traditionally manufactured agriculture machines, commonly used in European countries cannot adapt precision agriculture technologies. Precision agriculture platforms in Europe are mainly based on ISO-bus structures that are compatible only with ISO-bus tractors, which are advanced and highly expensive solutions. However, the current structure of TARGIS-VRA can be adapted to traditional agricultural machines and attains 25% to 30% fertilizer conservation (due to 5 years of field studies). As a result, precision farming is made possible for traditionally manufactured machines and pays itself of in maximum one year for a single farmer with 20 hectares of average field size.
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3 Differences Between Islamic and Conventional Banks | About Islam
Home > Shariah > Contemporary Issues > Islamic Economy and Finance > 3 Differences Between Islamic and Conventional Banks
3 Differences Between Islamic and Conventional Banks
3 Differences Between Islamic and Conventional Banks
The conventional banking system forces the emerging financing platforms to resemble its image. This includes Islamic banking system which is based on the principles of Islamic law.
Thus, the question one asks is, what are the differences between the two?
An average banking customer does not see any difference since the end result is the same. Admittedly, from outside the Islamic banking practices look like those made by conventional banks. That is the result of many regulatory and legal challenges facing Islamic banks.
But, Islamic banks differ in their operations since they uses Islamic contracts. It is critical to understand that conventional banks operate by charging interest (riba) to the customers. Allah forbids this in the Holy Qur’an. Severe warnings in various hadiths confirm its dangers.
Now, let us see some of the differences between the Islamic banks and the conventional banks.
Difference #1: Islamic bank earns a profit (ribh). They DO NOT charge interest (riba)
The most critical difference is that Islamic banks DO NOT charge “interest” (riba). Rather they earn “profit” known as “ribh” in Arabic. Failing to realize this distinction will only lead to confusions.
So, the question is that how is earning profit different than charging interest?
Consider the following scenarios.
Scenario 1: Interest
Let’s say A lends $100 to B. A tells B to return his capital ($100) + interest (say $20) at the end of the month. So, B will return $120 at the end of the month to A. This is riba (interest). Because B paid $20 extra to A for nothing.
Scenario 2: Profit
In this scenario, A wants to earn a lawful profit according to the injunctions of Islam. So, he goes to a wholesale market and buys a product worth $100. Notice that A is now putting physical efforts and travelling to the wholesale market in real time. A returns to his shop and displays the product on the shelf for $120. B visits A’s shop and buys that product for $120.
The $20 extra that A earned on the product is “profit” (ribh). This is NOT riba or interest. Because in scenario 1, A only extended a $100 bill to B and asked B to return $120 at the end of the month. A did not put any efforts. As such, charging $20 extra is unjust. This is interest.
In scenario 1, A treated money, i.e. the $100 bill, as commodity or product. Islam forbids treating money as commodity. Because money itself does not have any intrinsic value. Meaning, if someone is hungry they cannot eat money to fulfill their hunger. They must USE that MONEY to buy something to eat. If someone wants to travel, money itself cannot carry them. They must USE that MONEY to buy an airline, bus, or a train ticket to travel.
Thus, Islam treats money as only a MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE. It is not a commodity to buy and sell as the conventional banks do. Islamic banks buy and sell the commodity (e.g. a house, machinery, land etc.) not the money.
Extending a $100 bill and charging $20 extra is riba. Whereas buying a product worth $100 and selling it for $20 extra is profit. This is trade (bay’). They are not the same. Allah the Exalted says,
{But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest} (Al-Baqarah 2:275).
This distinction is of utmost importance so let it sink in.
Difference #2: Where is your money invested?
In investment accounts, conventional banks costumers do not know where the bank invests their money. More often than not, they invest in non-halal activities. This includes casinos, alcoholic beverages, pork-related businesses, and pornography to name a few.
In deposit accounts, the bank keeps a fraction of the money with them. The rest is loaned out on interest (riba) for various non-halal activities. So, a faith-based consumer indulges in riba in an indirect way. The bank uses that money to loan it to the businesses conducting non-halal activities. This includes conventional banks giving money to buy houses and charging riba.
In Islamic banks, the Shariah scholars mandate to disclose where Islamic banks invest the capital. The investment is only allowed in halal activities. So, faith-based consumers are safe.
Difference #3: Late payment charges
For late payment, the conventional banks will charge a certain percentage of interest. It will be on the outstanding principal amount. It compounds (interest upon interest) if carried forward. But Shariah scholars forbids Islamic banks from indulging into such unethical practices.
Until now, the Shariah scholars didn’t even allow the Islamic banks to charge late payment fees. But then consumers started being delinquent and abused the system. So, the Shariah scholars allowed to impose “Ta’widh“. A compensation for actual loss suffered by the financier.
In most cases, the cap is set to a minimal fixed dollar amount instead of a fixed or floating percentage rate. Introducing this practice is to discipline the consumers to make timely payments. Special harmonious provisions are set for genuine hardship cases.
To sum up, it is the underlying Islamic contracts that differentiates Islamic banks from the conventional banks. The outcome of both entities may look alike, but the difference is in its composition. Mere outcome does not determine the difference.
It is not only about the end result. Because if it is, then it seems reasonable to be in a relationship with the opposite gender forever. Why perform faith-based rituals since outcome will be the same either way?
Prohibition on consumption of non-halal meat seems unreasonable. A faith-based consumer may choose to buy meat without restrictions. But that is not the case. Instead, we use a proper faith-based procedure to make things permissible.
And Allah knows the best.
About Naeem Suleman Dhiraj
Naeem Suleman Dhiraj holds Master of Science in Islamic banking and finance. The author can be reached at [email protected]
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The Mill at Anselma, West Pikeland, PA, 2009.
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Credit: Courtesy of Charles Hardy, III
Constructed in the late 1740s, the Mill at Anselma is the nation’s best surviving example of a colonial water-powered custom grist mill. In the foreground is the mill pond, which feeds water to the top of its overshot water wheel. This generates more power than an undershot wheel–placed directly in a fast-moving creek or river–by utilizing the additional force of gravity and weight of the water itself. In operation until 1934 and then reopened in 2004, Anselma includes three pairs of grinding stones, two of which still function. Today, the mill continues to grind wheat and corn, which it sells, during monthly milling demonstrations.
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A crucial lesson
Indian schools still shy away from introducing sex education in their curriculum but the need for it has always been stressed by the education authorities
India has been at the forefront in terms of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. With 16 million teenagers getting pregnant between the ages of 15 and 19 years, and 2.40 million Indians living with HIV, the time for implementing comprehensive sex education in schools is nigh.
A circular was sent out to all heads of institutes in July 2005 from CBSE to introduce programs to “facilitate adolescents to understand the perspective of physical biological and emotional changes.” While some schools did implement counselling sessions and classes to connect sessions on sex educations. There is still a wide-spread hush-hush attitude when dealing with subjects like sex and sexuality.
“Ours is an all-girls’ school, and our sex ed sessions consisted basically of being taught how menstruation works and a question-answer session, which got cut short as soon as someone asked about intercourse,” says 18-year-old Shubha. This habitual avoidance is seen not only in schools, but more so in the household set-up.
Dr Dherendra Kumar, child psychologist based in Delhi, says that a lot of it has to do with the socio-economic standing of the individuals. “If they come from a rural set-up, they may not have the tools or the understanding to explain such concepts to children effectively.” However, he does stress on the importance of sex education in schools and classes from a very early age. “Sex education should be termed ‘sexuality’ education. That way it might help to remove the stigma that is attached to it,” he explains, “and it should be treated as a necessity, not a burdensome responsibility.”
He goes on to say that sex ed should be introduced in the curriculum from the primary classes that way they can only be taught what they can handle at that age. “The idea of a good touch versus a bad touch should be taught to them at a very early age. Making it a routine will normalise the idea of sex education. As they grow, they can then learn about menstruation, sexually transmitted diseases and so on and so forth. But the understanding of the body is imperative for the healthy development of an individual,” says Kumar. He stresses how important it is for school children to understand that this is not a one-dimensional taboo subject. Understanding their sexuality is much broader and includes a lot of aspects, in terms of safety, choice, identity and much more.
Even the schools that have adopted measures to implement such sessions, skirt around the subject of intercourse and neglect the properly explanation of how to be safe. With the access to Internet and our window into global media, teenagers these days are sexually active. And when they do not know how to navigate such situations, owing to the fact that they were never taught or told, the responsibility for those transgressions does fall partly on the shoulders of the adults in their lives.
Dr Surabhi Verma, Director of Sparsh for Children, also speaks of the difference in the teachings due to socio-economic factors. She also believes that a healthier dialogue is opening up between parents and children. “I get calls almost every week, with parents asking me to speak to their children because they suspect that their son or daughter is in a romantic relationship and they want their child to be safe. A few years ago, I hardly ever got such calls.” According to Verma, most sex ed sessions are restricted to Biology classes. And even then, there is a stigma of body image attached to menstruation. “People make very big deals out of the fact that a girl may bleed and stain her clothes, when it’s a completely normal bodily process, and they shouldn’t be made to feel less than, or shameful, if their body is functioning in a healthy manner!”
She goes on to say that children are becoming more exploratory by nature, which is why sex ed is even more important now. “If they are consuming information, would it not be better if they consume the right information?” she asks. Differing from Kumar slightly, Verma says that sex education should be implemented from the sixth or seventh grade. Ensuring that they are open about their bodies and understand the concepts related to sexuality “are now a priority,” she says. It’s no longer an idea we are toying with, it has become our reality. “Especially after the judgement. There are articles about same sex couples in magazines and papers, and so many are opening up about their lifestyles. It’s very heart-warming.” According to her, comprehensive sex education should not, and cannot be ignored for much longer, simply because that would entail denying the children an entirely urgent and holistic education.
While Verma agrees that the Section 377 ruling was definitely a step in the right direction, and “set us up for a good start.” There is plenty to be done at a systemic level to normalise and implement sex education in Indian schools. The 2005 lists strategies for the same, which include “awareness building, co-curricular activities, integration in the school curriculum and development of life skills.” A wholesome and structured teaching such as this, would surely make a difference and simplify the understanding of the several aspects of growth and sexuality, if appropriately taken up by the schools. |
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Robert Burns The Bard
January 25th is known throughout Britain as Burns' Night, when the birthday of Robert Burns, Scotland's favourite son, is celebrated. Burns became known for his ballads and his poetry, most people are familiar with at least one of "Rabbie" Burns' works, the song "Auld Lang Syne". He is considered the pioneer of the Romantic Movement, and his style influenced other later poets including Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Wordsworth.
Robert Burns was born at Alloway near Ayr in 1759. This birthplace was a thatched cottage built by his father which now houses the Burns Museum. Although his father was a poor nurseryman and later a struggling tenant farmer at Mount Oliphant, Robert did get some education at local schools. However he was largely self-taught through books. When Robert Burns reached adulthood he had a good knowledge of English, French and literature.
In 1777 the family moved to Lochlea and Burns worked as a farm labourer and then as a flax-dresser in nearby Irvine, writing poems in his spare time. Here he met the first of many loves, Nelly Kirkpatrick, who inspired him to try his hand at writing poetry.
After his father's death in 1784, Robert and his brother Gilbert moved to a farm at Mauchline where he was a member of the Lodge of Freemasons.
In some financial difficulty, Burns decided to emigrate and to fund his passage to Jamaica, he published his poems with a firm of Kilmarnock publishers in 1786. His first volume was "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect" which contains some of his best-known works.
Robert Burns' writings were a resounding success, so much so that he abandoned the idea of emigrating and moved instead to Edinburgh where he enjoyed the cultural city life. Burns worked for a publisher, James Johnson, writing and editing Scottish songs.
During this period Burns fathered 8 children to five different women, one of whom was Jean Armour who he finally married. They moved to a farm at Ellisland. When the farm failed, they moved to Dumfries in 1791 where Burns worked in Excise. Burns' favourite pub was the Globe Inn which is still open for business on the Dumfries High Street.
Burns continued to write songs but received very little payment. Inspired by the French Revolution, in 1795 Burns turned to more political writings to appeal for human equality.
Sadly at the age of just 37, Burns contracted rheumatic fever and died, leaving his wife in childbirth with their ninth child. He was buried in the local St Michael's churchyard in Dumfries in 1796.
As with many artists and writers, Robert Burns only really achieved fame and fortune after his death. Many of his songs and poems written in the Scottish dialect have since been recognized internationally. Some of his original manuscripts can be seen at Burns House in Dumfries and at Broughton House in Kirkcudbright.
Burns' Night is a national night remembered by Scots all over the world. "Haggis, neeps and tatties are traditionally served; tatties are potatoes and neeps are mashed turnips. Before the supper, bagpipes are played and Burns' famous work the "Address to a Haggis" is recited.
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For most, protecting your eyesight is not the first thing you think of when it comes to buying sunglasses. Young people especially are more likely to think about the style of the sunglasses, whether they are in fashion and whether they look good or not.
Ultraviolet Rays Eye Sore: Protecting Your Eyesight
Ultraviolet Rays
Sunglasses are there to help you see when the sun shines in your eyes, but they are also to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. Just like you apply sun cream to protect your skin, you should wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV radiation from the sun. Short and long term exposure to UVA and UVB rays, which is emitted from things other than the sun, such as tanning machines, can damage your eyes and affect your vision.
Short Term Effects
Over exposing your eyes to excessive amounts of UV rays in a short period of time can cause photokeratitus, which is a temporary inflammation of the cornea. It usually results in a gritty feeling in the eyes, sensitivity to light, redness and tearing.
Long Term Effects
Exposure to small amounts over a long period of time can increase the risk of cataracts and cause irreversible damage to the retina. Repeated exposure can increase the risk of chronic eye disease, and long term exposure can increase the risk of pterygium, which is a growth, and pinguecula, which is a lesion on the white of your eye.
Choosing Sunglasses
For the best protection, choose sunglasses that are really dark and have large lenses, if not the wrap around variety. Look for sunglasses that carry a CE mark or British Standard BSEN 1836:1997.
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Our Perfectly Placed Planet
There is an off shoot of the Argument by Design that a surprisingly large number of Christians still use. The claim is that the Earth is perfectly placed by God to support life. Those who espouse this argument state that if the Earth was just one degree closer to or further away from the Sun, all life as we know it would not exist. This is true. If the Earth was just one degree closer to or further away from the Sun than all life as we know it would not exxist. Does this fact prove that the Christian God put the Earth in exactly the right place for life? No.
I find this argument particularly interesting because it was refuted rather well and rather publicly two hundred and fifty years ago and yet Christians today are still using it. This argument doesn’t just show an ignorance of science and an ignorance of logic, but also shows an ignorance of literature.
In 1759, French satirist Voltaire published his masterpiece, Candide. This book is considered by most to be a classic. It is even on many High School reading lists. In the book, the master teacher of metaphysico-theologo-cosmolonigology, Pangloss, explains that:
Now obviously the nose was not formed for spectacles. Obviously people made spectacles to fit the nose, just as it is obvious that life on Earth arose because of our placement in the solar system and not the other way around. So while it is true that if the Earth was one degree closer to or further away from the Sun, all life as we know it wouldn’t exist, that isn’t to say that some other form of life (as we may not know it) couldn’t exist nor does it say that life must exist at all. If the Earth was in a different position, perhaps no life would exist on Earth just as no life exists on so many other planets. Voltaire understood this and joked about it with his over the top teacher who claimed that God made stones so that we can build castles. It seems rather obvious that if there were no stones, than we would have built a structure out of something else that was there. This claim that the Earth was put into the perfect position for life is just backwards thinking.
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• Chris
Slight correction, the “habitable zone” is actually about 37%, not 1%. that’s several billion meters, and almost out to the martian orbit.. if Mars were only a little closer, we might have started an interplanetary war by sending probes :)
• http://www.dangeroustalk.net Staks
Thanks for the educated fact Chris. I was just going by what Christians tell me and as we both know, science isn’t exactly their strong suit. 37% makes much more sense.
• Mr. X
You should check out the YouTube video series, “Why Do People Laught at Creationists?”, by the user Thunderf00t. He deals with this and many other “creationism-vs.-science” topics in more depth.
Also, he just had an informal debate with Ray Comfort! I haven’t finished watching it, but that’s posted up there too.
• ProgRockGirl
If the earth really were purposely placed by a creator, why are all these other planets hanging around? They’re kind of superfluous.
• http://myspace.com/scott888 Scott
I have seen Christians try to use this argument before. As some have said, the habitable zone is quite big so the probability of a planet being located there seems reasonable. Earth also has to be a certain size to do plate tectonics.
On Earth, if we get too much CO2 in the atmosphere, the ice caps melt and the higher water levels increase the frequency that the CO2 that gets into the water gets chemically combined into the rocks. Then CO2 gets removed from the atmosphere and earth can cool down again. If it gets too cool then photosynthesis is reduced along with the amount of water to absorb CO2 into rocks so what happens is that volcanoes will eventually release the CO2 stuck in the rocks and eventually warm the earth up.
This is why during the ice ages we had 3 interglacial periods. In fact, right now we are in a 4th interglacial period and an upcoming ice age looms ahead in the future unless global warming happens.
Anyhow, the carbon cycle means that earth regulates it’s temperature to be around the 70 degree F mark and it would really have to be moved out of position to boil the oceans away or freeze the oceans solid.
And as the post above me said, there are 100s of other planets and moons around without life? Why did God make those? Sure, Mars and Venus are future terraforming projects, Jupiter protects us from stray objects and sling shots our space probes faster but then what else? Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune could support sky cities and their moons could be farmed for He3 but we know Christians could care less about the space program. Truth is that we will find uses for the other planets no matter what kind of planet they are for it’s the nature of our species to make the best of what we have and we do a pretty good job of it.
Perhaps the ecological role we will play is that we will bring life from one planet and put it on all our planets. Much the African Savanna depends on megaherbivores to turn dry deciduous forest into moist savanna to support the grazers, other animals will depend on our constructs to exist through the entirety of the solar system whether it be thru terraforming, bioengineering, or moon base type colonies that exist under domes. It might even be mechanical life that becomes the end result.
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• Kat
It still comes down to the one question(to anyone of any RELIGION) “What are your beliefs based on?” I never get a straight answer..If you quote the bible, they say “oh..well..that was written for the times..that’s just a guideline…or some will say “It’s the Word of God, you just have to believe it, no matter what”… Science has already disproved Genesis
Why DO we have Science? Why Do we explore? Why Do we want to know what the sun is made of, how many stars and solar sytems there are? How the earth has changed? Evolution? If God made it all, why aren’t we just happy with what he made and leave it at that?
Does anyone really, really believe in God..or do they just WANT to believe? Because it seems to me Man has spent a lot of time on disproving God and has done a pretty good job of doing it…but you still have …what? 80-90% saying they believe in God? I think they lie.
• http://myspace.com/scott888 Scott
Good points. This is pretty much it, people still fear death so they want to believe in a god. They also have been indoctrinated into churches which is now the foundation of their social structure so they cannot leave it. What it comes down is that complex explanations don’t satisfy the masses. I have learned that Christian or not, nearly every single person with Asperger’s syndrome follows science because they have a high attention to detail and complex explanations is quality food for their brains. So with that knowledge, it really comes down to the masses being stupid. The role of the masses is the same as it always was: to be sheep that need to be herded by the smarter people.
Go back to the blog “In The Image of God” and you will see a Christian (Matt) that threw logic out the window after I made my post to counter his. He has yet to respond, otherwise, I win the debate ;) .
• http://about.us- scammer iorga eugeniu laurentiu
• Allie
It’s not backwards thinking.. It’s giving the glory to God because we know He created everything. True believers in Christ don’t try to “prove” God’s existence because we know that His existence is only spiritually discerned. No matter how much “proof” one had; they would not believe in a creator until their eyes were opened by God to see.
• http://skepticink.com/dangeroustalk Dangerous Talk
No, it’s backward thinking just as Voltaire said. Just as the nose wasn’t perfectly designed so that people can wear glasses, the Earth was not perfectly designed for human life.
• Allie
Thank you for being kind in your response. I guess I just wanted to give my perspective on it. Have a blessed day.
• http://biblicalscholarship.wordpress.com Jayman
I assume you mean nature of reality. You seem to be saying that if someone believes science cannot answer all questions about the nature of reality then they are “abandoning” or “rejecting” science. But you haven’t constructed a valid case for that conclusion. Where is the logical connection between not believing science can answer all questions about the nature of reality and rejecting science?
• http://skepticink.com/dangeroustalk Dangerous Talk
You have constructed a strawman argument and I tried to cut that strawman in half before you made it. But I have failed apparently because you didn’t even acknowledge what I said. Instead, you just barreled on with your strawman.
Let me attempt to clear this up. The scientific method allows us to understand the world around us. If a claim is made about reality, we can use the scientific method to evaluate that claim. When someone asserts a belief in deities, they are making a claim about reality. They are saying that a deity exists in reality and that the deity actually created reality. There are many more claims about reality that follow from this, but I’ll leave it at that for now.
So, is there evidence for the claim that a deity exists?
• http://biblicalscholarship.wordpress.com Jayman
OK, I see no reason to accept this statement. |
August 2005
In this edition we have two brainteasers
Brainteaser #1 - Arrow in Flight
Imagine an arrow in flight toward a target. For the arrow to reach the target, the arrow must first travel half of the overall distance from the starting point to the target. Next the arrow must travel half of the remaining distance.
For example, if the starting distance was 10m, the arrow first travels 5m, then 2.5m, then 1.25 ...
If you extend this concept further, you can imagine the resulting gap to the target getting smaller and smaller. How does the arrow ever reach the target?
Answer: The sum of an infinite series can be a finite number. In this instance 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + ... =1 and the arrow hits the target.
Relevance: Some times in project management it seems like the number of action steps is an infinite series. No matter how many steps we have taken ... we still have an infinite number of steps to go ... and each step yields ever diminishing progress.
Take the series ... and flip it. Think about projects from the end backwards ... what is the last thing that happens ... contact with the target. What happens right before that ... and right before that ... and right before that. This is especially relevant in highly complex or uncertain situation.
Brainteaser #2 - You are in a dark room with a candle, a wood stove and a gas lamp. You carry only one match, so what do you light first?
Answer: The match.
Relevance: Often times in launching a new project or other business venture we overlook the most obvious.
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Quick answers
What is RFID technology?
Radiofrequency identification technology (RFID) manipulates data not through barcodes, but through electronic chips incorporated in RFID labels (tags). This information can be read on a range of a few meters through radiowaves. The use of RFID tags reduces considerably the time and cost of reading information.
Since the beginning, RFID created a lot of stirring. Over 30 years ago RFID was presented as the revolutionary technology that would change the efficiency of production lines and distribution chains. RFID made its contribution, indeed, in various proportions, to the success of big companies and large retail groups worldwide.
Today, RFID labeling on individual items is still an intention, due to high costs involved. Instead, RFID labeling of collective boxes and pallets is widely used, with great benefits that overcome investments made in equipments, training and implementation.
RFID technology becomes more and more integrated in the distribution and retail groups. Large retail companies use RFID applications for a long time now. |
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TY´NDARIS (Τυνδαρίς, Strab.; Τυνδάριον, Ptol.: Eth. Τυνδαρίτης, Eth. Tyndaritanus: Tindaro), a city on the N. coast of Sicily, between Mylae (Milazzo) and Agathyrna. It was situated on a bold and lofty hill standing out as a promontory into the spacious bay bounded by the Punta di Milazzo on the E., and the Capo Calavià on the W., and was distant according to the Itineraries 36 miles from Messana. (It. Ant. p. 90; Tab. Peut.) It was a Greek city, and one of the latest of all the cities in Sicily that could claim a purely Greek origin, having been founded by the elder Dionysius in B.C. 395. The original settlers were the remains of the Messenian exiles, who had been driven from Naupactus, Zacynthus, and the Peloponnese by the Spartans after the close of the Peloponnesian War. These had at first been established by Dionysius at Messana, when he repeopled that city [MESSANA]; but the Spartans having taken umbrage at this, he transferred them to the site of Tyndaris, which had previously been included in the territory of Abacaenum. The colonists themselves gave to their new city the name of Tyndaris, from their native divinities, the Tyndaridae or Dioscuri, and readily admitting fresh citizens from other quarters, soon raised their whole population to the number of 5000 citizens. (Diod. 14.78.) The new city thus rose at once to be a place of considerable importance. It is next mentioned in B.C. 344, when it was one of the first cities that declared in favour of Timoleon after his landing in Sicily. (Id. 16.69.) At a later period we find it mentioned as espousing the cause of Hieron, and supporting him during his war against the Mamertines, B.C. 269. On that occasion he rested his position upon Tyndaris on the left, and on Tauromenium on the right. (Diod. xxii. Exc. H. p. 499.) Indeed the strong position of Tyndaris rendered it in a strategic point of view as important a post upon the Tyrrhenian, as Tauromenium was upon the Sicilian sea, and hence we find it frequently mentioned in subsequent wars. In the First Punic War it was at first dependent upon Carthage; and though the citizens, alarmed at the progress of the Roman arms, were at one time on the point of revolting to Rome, they were restrained by the Carthaginians, who carried off all the chief citizens as hostages. (Diod. xxiii. p. 502.) In B.C. 257, a sea-fight took place off Tyndaris, between that city and the Liparaean islands, in which a Roman fleet under C. Atilius obtained some advantage over the Carthaginian fleet, but without any decisive result. (Poly. 1.25; Zonar. 8.12.) The Roman fleet is described on that occasion as touching at the promontory of Tyndaris, but the city had not yet fallen into their hands, and it was not till after the fall of Panormus, in B.C. 254, that [p. 2.1247]Tyndaris expelled the Carthaginian garrison and joined the Roman alliance. (Diod. xxiii. p. 505.) We hear but little of Tyndaris under the Roman government, but it appears to have been a flourishing and considerable city. Cicero calls it “nobilissima civitas” (Verr. 3.43), and we learn from him that the inhabitants had displayed their zeal and fidelity towards the Romans upon many occasions. Among others they supplied naval forces to the armament of Scipio Africanus the Younger, a service for which he requited them by restoring them a statue of Mercury which had been carried off by the Carthaginians. and which continued an object of great veneration in the city, till it was again carried off by the rapacious Verres. (Cic. Ver. 4.39-42, 5.47.) Tyndaris was also one of seventeen cities which had been selected by the Roman senate, apparently as an honorary distinction, to contribute to certain offerings to the temple of Venus at Eryx. (Ib. 5.47; Zumpt, ad loc.; Diod. 4.83.) In other respects it had no peculiar privileges, and was in the condition of an ordinary municipal town, with its own magistrates, local senate, &c., but was certainly in the time of Cicero one of the most considerable places in the island. It, however, suffered severely from the exactions of Verres (Cic. Verr. ll. cc.), and the inhabitants, to revenge themselves on their oppressor, publicly demolished his statue as soon as he had quitted the island. (Ib. 2.66.)
Tyndaris again bore a considerable part in the war between Sextus Pompeius and Octavian (B.C. 36). It was one of the points occupied and fortified by the former, when preparing for the defence of the Sicilian straits, but was taken by Agrippa after his naval victory at Mylae, and became one of his chief posts, from which he carried on offensive warfare against Pompey. (Appian, App. BC 5.105, 109, 116.) Subsequently to this we hear nothing more of Tyndaris in history; but there is no doubt of its having continued to subsist throughout the period of the Roman Empire. Strabo speaks of it as one of the places on the N. coast of Sicily which, in his time, still deserved the name of cities; and Pliny gives it the title of a Colonia. It is probable that it received a colony under Augustus, as we find it bearing in an inscription the titles of “Colonia Augusta Tyndaritanorum.” (Strab. vi. p.272; Plin. Nat. 3.8. s. 14; Ptol. 3.4.2; Orell. Inscr. 955.) Pliny indeed mentions a great calamity which the city had sustained, when (he tells us) half of it was swallowed up by the sea, probably from an earthquake having caused the fall of part of the hill on which it stands, but we have no clue to the date of this event; (Plin. Nat. 2.92. s. 94.) The Itineraries attest the existence of Tyndaris, apparently still as a considerable place, in the fourth century. (Itin. Ant. pp. 90, 93; Tab. Peat.
The site of Tyndaris is now wholly deserted, but the name is retained by a church, which crowns the most elevated point of the hill on which the city formerly stood, and is still called the Madonna di Tindaro. It is 650 feet above the sea-level, and forms a conspicuous landmark to sailors. Considerable ruins of the ancient city, are also visible. It occupied the whole plateau or summit of the hill, and the remains of the ancient walls may be traced, at intervals, all round the brow of the cliffs, except in one part, facing the sea, where the cliff is now quite precipitous. It is not improbable that it is here that a part of the cliff fell in, in the manner recorded by Pliny (2.92. s. 94). Two gates of the city are also still distinctly to be traced. The chief monuments, of which the ruins are still extant within the circuit of the walls, are: the theatre, of which the remains are in imperfect condition, but sufficient to show that it was not of large size, and apparently of Roman construction, or at least, like that of Tauromenium, rebuilt in Roman times upon the Greek foundations; a large edifice with two handsome stone arches, commonly called a Gymnasium, but the real purpose of which is very difficult to determine; several other edifices of Roman times, but of wholly uncertain character, a mosaic pavement, and some Roman tombs. (Serra di Falco, Antichità della Sicilia, vol. v. part vi.; Smyth's Sicily, p. 101; Hoare's Classical Tour, vol. ii. p. 217, &c.) Numerous inscriptions, fragments of sculpture, and architectural decorations, as well as coins, vases, &c. have also been discovered on the site.
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Elderly Health Care
5 Common Physical Changes Associated with Aging
As much as we know about human biology, scientists have yet to provide a concise explanation for why the human body starts to deteriorate after a certain age. Beginning around age 35, humans begin experiencing subtle physical changes associated with aging that do not become readily noticeable until age 45 or 50. Biologists do understand that these intrinsic changes affect mechanisms meant to maintain a cell’s health but are not sure what triggers this reduction in cell metabolism.
Because human physiology experiences a gradual shutting-down of all systems during the aging process, all humans are affected by five common physical changes associated with aging that mainly affect sensory organs and their systems.
1. Hearing: In addition to hearing, the inner ear also helps maintain our balance. As we age, functioning of the eardrum and its various structures starts to deteriorate because of the thickening of the tiny bones comprising the eardrum. This affects fluid balance as well, which is why elderly people easily lose their balance. Individuals older than 55 may also experience problems with hearing high-pitched sounds, a condition known as presbycusis. In addition to a slow but progressive decline in auditory nerve functioning, the aging brain becomes less efficient at decoding sounds into comprehensible information resulting from signal reduction in the temporal lobe. Hearing problems due to aging may also be attributed to accumulation of impacted ear wax as well.
2. Vision: People in their 40s may begin to notice problems with vision that they may not have experienced in the past. This is because the eye’s lens is not as flexible as it once was and lacks the ability to quickly accommodate focusing on objects from a distance. Peripheral vision is also curtailed due to reduced eyeball flexibility, causing older people to turn their heads in order to see objects appearing at the side of them. Cataracts may also start forming and eventually need to be surgically removed as well. The ability to see certain colors also decreases, with green and blue becoming more difficult to discern than orange, red, and yellow. Age-related macular degeneration is another common vision problem afflicting senior citizens, causing blurry or restricted vision due to weakening blood vessels.
3. Smell and Taste: While aging tends to cause some sensory reduction in most people, the degree of smell and taste loss is dependent on several factors. Chronic smokers will experience more smell and taste problems as they age than those who do not smoke. Other conditions such as poor oral hygiene, untreated allergies, nasal polyps, medications, and early onset of Alzheimer’s disease can produce noticeable loss in smelling and tasting ability. In addition, optimal functioning of olfactory nerves help to enhance taste so when olfactory bulb fibers start to disappear during the aging process, taste is affected as well.
4. Skin Sensitivity: As we age, the skin becomes, drier, less elastic, and noticeably more wrinkled because of decreased collagen production. The efficiency of blood circulation diminishes also, causing sensitivity to cold. Dwindling sweat gland production further exacerbates dry skin that already lacks sufficient collagen to prevent the easy tearing of the skin that many seniors experience. Additionally, thinning skin no longer protected by an insulating layer of fat and capillaries that break easily combine to produce the large, purplish bruising common to older individuals.
5. Stiffening Joints: Aging processes affecting cellular functioning inhibits calcium and mineral absorption by the skeleton, resulting in decreased bone density. Joint fluid called synovial fluid is not as plentiful and is frequently affected by medical conditions common to older people such as arthritis or osteoporosis. Spinal vertebrae start to grind against each other as the tissues in between them gradually become desiccated and harden. This causes those over 60 to lose height and bend over slightly when standing or walking. Even the arch of the foot loses flexibility and begins to straighten, which contributes to a shorter height |
Better Health
Live Your Life to the Fullest
Naturally Lower Your Cholesterol Through the Food You Eat
November 27, 2011
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oats and oatmeal for cholesterol, reduce cholesterol with food1. Oats/Oatmeal-
Oats are part of the whole grain group of food and should be consumed on a daily basis. Oats are one of the best sources of soluble fiber. It is recommended to consume 20-35 grams of fiber a day, with 5-10 grams being soluble fiber. Due to the switch to highly processed flour and refined grains, which are cheaper and easier to produce, Americans are taking in less fiber and our cholesterols are rising because of it. Soluble fiber is important in lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) also known as bad cholesterol. Soluble fiber works by reducing both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. So eat a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat based cereal to boost your fiber intake and lower your cholesterol. Also include oat bran, barley and other whole grains n your diet to reduce your risk for heart disease.
beans to reduce cholesterol, foods for cholesterol2. Beans-
Beans are another source of valuable soluble fiber. Therefore eating 1/2 cup of beans a day can reduce your cholesterol. Additionally beans fill you up and take a long time to be digested by the body. This is why beans are a perfect food to lower cholesterol. Plus there are so many different choices of beans such as navy, kidney, pinto, lentils, garbanzos, black eye peas, etc.
nuts reduce cholesterol, foods for cholesterol3. Nuts-
Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and some pine nuts are great for lowering LDL cholesterol and raising good HDL cholesterol. Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, which keep the blood vessel to the heart healthy. These fats make LDL cholesterol unable to oxidize therefore reducing the plaque build up in arteries, which can cut off blood flow to the heart. By reducing plaque build up you reduce your risk for heart disease. Nuts are high in calories so limit your intake to about a handful or 1.5 ounces a day and avoid salted or sugar coated nuts.
olive oil reduces cholesterol, foods for cholesterol4. Olive oil-
Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, which lower LDL cholesterol. Olive oil is also rich in phenolics, a plant substance that makes blood less likely to clot. Because olive oil is high in calories, limit your intake to 2 tablespoons a day. To reap all the heart health benefits of olive oil use it in place of butter, lard, or shortening. To get even better cholesterol lowering effect use extra virgin olive oil because the oil is less processed and contains more antioxidants. Other vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower and safflower oil also provide cholesterol-lowering benefits to the body.
fish reduce cholesterol, foods for cholesterol5. Fish-
Fish, especially fatty fish are a heart healthy addition to ones diet. Fatty fish have high levels of omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce blood pressure, and development of blood clots. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream, which lowers LDL cholesterol and keeps blood vessels clear and healthy. Fish should be consumed at least 2 times a week. Examples of fatty fishes include salmon, halibut, mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, and albacore tuna. The best way to consume fish is by baking or grilling it. Omega 3’s and fish oils are available in supplementation, however fresh fish have additional nutrients such as selenium that you will miss out on when taking the pills.
blueberries reduce cholesterol, foods for cholesterol6. Fruit-
Fruit is a great food for a healthy body. In addition to their vitamins they are low in calories and should consume 4-6 servings of a day. Fruits such as apples, grapes, strawberries, and citrus fruits are rich in pectin a soluble fiber that helps to lower cholesterol. Blueberries have been called a superfood because of its nutritional benefits to the body. Blueberries lower LDL cholesterol in the blood, which reduces plaque build up in the arteries. Blueberries help support liver function by removing cholesterol from the system more quickly. Avocadoes are also a heart healthy fruit, full of monounsaturated fats. Avocadoes lower LDL cholesterol and remove triglycerides from the blood stream. Avocadoes are high in calories so limit your intake to a few slices per serving.
tomatoes reduce cholesterol, foods for cholesterol7. Vegetables-
Vegetables are very healthy for the body as a whole. They are full of vitamins and minerals are very low in calories and you should consume 6-8 servings of vegetables a day. Tomatoes are full of lycopene, which inhibit LDL production. Lycopene lowers LDL cholesterol and breaks down artery clogging plaque. Asparagus, beets, okra, carrots, eggplant, green beans, and cauliflower also help to lower cholesterol. When these vegetables are served steamed it improves their cholesterol fighting abilities. Steaming these vegetables helps to bind bile acids, therefore the liver requires more LDL cholesterol to make bile, further lowering LDL cholesterol. |
Iran’s 1979 Revolution: 40 Years Onward
Written by Minahil Nawaz
In February of 1979, the tide of Middle Eastern history turned forever as a theocracy headed by Ayatollah Khomeini was established in Iran. 40 years later, Iran remains a nation of interest in the international community, calling for “Death to America” and supporting militant proxies across the Middle East. Yet, inside Iran, society has changed in often imperceptible ways, with Iranians carving out spaces for themselves and subtly defying rules and customs imposed by the regime.
On Thursday, February 7th, a panel of five experts on Iran convened as part of the MacMillan Center’s Iranian Studies Program, bringing fresh perspectives on Iran 40 years down the road.
Moderator Abbas Amanat, the Sumner Professor of History at Yale, began the discussion by outlining how domestically, the composition of Iranian society, economy and culture changed in 1979. Today, we can gauge the results of the revolution by analyzing the situation in the US. The revolution triggered Anti-Americanism in Iran, and such sentiments contributed to President Trump’s victory.
Professor Asef Bayat, the Bastian Professor of Global and Transnational Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, continued the conversation by discussing the key slogans of the revolution: independence, freedom and an Islamic Republic. In that regard, the most important achievement of the revolution was that it allowed Iran to gain independence from the US. However, eventually, this idea of independence became the government’s pretext for restraining freedoms. To Iranian citizens, azaadi (freedom) meant the freedom of expression, the freedom to be included in political processes, and to be free from fear. The spring of 1979 was the spring of azaadi, but it ended soon with the hostage crisis and invasion of Iran by Iraq. Following these events, a broader process of individuation in Iranian society began, as people began to prioritize individual liberties over strict adherence to faith and loyalty to the concept of an Islamic Republic.
Following this discussion of the historical details of the Iranian revolution, Professor Mohsen Kadivar of Duke University focused on what went wrong in Iran due to the implementation of a theocracy with a misunderstanding of Islam and law. According to Kadivar, Iranian theocracy so far has been based on the ruler’s command, not the rule of law. As a result, the regime has used the slogan of Islam as the solution to everything. They have denounced the ideals of democracy, human rights, social science and empirical decision making as products of the West, and thus inapplicable to Iran. To Kadivar, Islamic thought in Iran needs deep reform, as Shariah law should be understood in a ritual-based, not law-based framework.
Focusing on the cultural shifts in Iranian society due to the revolution, Nahid Siamdoust, a cultural historian and journalist, spoke about the societal results of Iran’s independence from the West. She pointed out that 98% of the Iranian population voted in favor of establishing an Islamic Republic in a referendum back in March 1979. Since the referendum though, an exodus of nearly 5 to 6 million Iranians has taken place, large segments of the population have been disenfranchised, cinemas have been burnt down, professors have been fired from universities, and women have been marginalized. However, despite 40 years of Islamic governance, Iranians have managed to create new spheres for themselves in Iranian society, outside of the theocracy’s influence. One example is the recent campaign on social media that began with the hashtag #WhereIsYourChild, calling out Iranian leaders for chanting “Death to America” while their children study and work there. Social media in particular has become an alternative public sphere, allowing citizens to engage on a national level, but outside of state control. A new cultural revolution is taking place, as according to Siamdoust, the “politicization of Islam has damaged it as a way forward for Iran.”
These personal perspectives and understandings of Iranian society were then followed by Robin Wright’s commentary on the United State’s relationship with Iran today. According to Wright, for Iran, the US will continue to be a subtext for what plays out in domestic politics. The deepest diplomatic split in the world since World War II, is our policy on Iran. As a result of such tensions, particularly the reversal of the US stance on the Iran Nuclear Deal, Iran’s presence in the Middle Eastern region is much wider and deeper than it was before 2003. For the past four decades, the US and Iran have been completely out of sync, and as Wright points out, Iran has been a nemesis for seven US Presidents, and in turn, the US has been Satan for 7 Iranian Presidents.
40 years down, though Iran has achieved independence from the US and established an Islamic Republic, it has come at the cost of individual freedoms, as well as a dislike of the politicization of Islam as the rule of law. Tensions between Iran and the rest of the world will in part determine how the revolution plays out in the country over the next decade. One thing is for certain though, according to Siamdoust: if asked again in a referendum, no Iranian would vote for an Islamic Republic today. And in that sense, one might say with a hint of sarcasm, that Iran is ahead of the game in the Middle East.
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Lesson 3.5 - GO Math 2nd grade
Use the strategies you have learned in class to solve the story problem. Use the or the . 1. Show your work by drawing a picture. 2. Write the number sentence that answers the question. 3. Write the answer. Don't forget to complete all 3 important parts of the story problem.
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Post Stroke Changes In Your Personality: What Happens?
After a stroke, a patient often experiences behavioral and emotional changes. This happens because the stroke affects the brain, and the brain is responsible for controlling a person’s emotions and behavior. An injury caused by a stroke can make an individual confused, forgetful, careless or irritable. Other than that, some stroke survivors may also experience depression, anxiety or anger.
An individual’s personality described as a combination of feelings, behaviors, and thought patterns.Personality change refers to a shift in the way a person thinks, acts or feels. It may be noticeable only to that person, or it may be evident to people close to them.You may have often observed that people who know you well may occasionally predict how you will react to something or finish your sentence.
A stroke can lead to changes in a person’s personality, and that person may seem unpredictable and different to others. At times the person’s character traits can be reversed, for instance – if the person was calm by nature before the stroke, they may now be more aggressive. Or, if someone has always been outspoken and loud, they may now be timid and less expressive. However, in most cases, the existing personality traits are exaggerated. The patient might be unaware that their personality is different and live in denial. On the other hand, the patient’s friends and family are usually more aware of how different they have become. There are many ways a patient’s personality can change after stroke treatment. Some of the most commonly reported personality changes are:
• Becoming irritable and impatient
• Becoming introspective and withdrawn
• Showing more stress and anger
• Becoming aggressive, either physically or verbally
• Showing loss of inhibitions, for instance, swearing or making unsuitable comments
• Showing loss of interest in aspects of the life they once enjoyed
• Becoming impulsive – making sudden, sometimes rash and unpredictable decisions
Are These Changes Permanent?
Personality changes after stroke can be distressing for survivors as well as their family members and friends. However, they are not always permanent as it depends on what the personality change is.In most cases, the patients tend to get better with time.Moreover, with the array of anti-depressant drugs and the increasing accessibility of support groups and talk therapies, these situations can be avoided.In a condition involving inappropriate behavior or impulsiveness, behavioral intrusions may help, for example, constantly reminding the survivor to behave well.
The personality changes that are caused by a stroke can be intense for every individual concerned, and there is no assurance that the changes will go away. Of course, this situation is full of guilt, despair, anger, shame, and depression — and not just for the survivor, but also people who are close to them. It’s best for a stroke patient to stay active and always be surrounded by people who can manage their personality changes without being reactive.
At times, the difference in stroke patient’s behavior is aimed only at the individuals who are closest. This is quite normal as it is human nature for people to only reveal the more difficult parts of themselves to the individuals they are closest to. This is because people who are close to an individual tend to be more forgiving than strangers. However, if the behavior is extreme, it can isolate the stroke patient. In cases where stroke survivors do not realize that their personality has changed, it becomes difficult for them to cope up with the changes and are unable to lead a healthy life.
After experiencing a stroke, every patient needs to find their own way of coping with personality changes. Sudden changes in personality are not always permanent, and there are things that a person can do control them.The most significant thing a patient can do is get a brain stroke treatment from leading hospital offering world-class healthcare services. Hospitals like Max Healthcare provide the best stroke treatment and promise a speedy recovery. The dedicated staff also informs about the possible changes in the personality that the patient may experience post-treatment to keep them alert. |
The Electoral College Must Remain
Written by Elad Hakim
Rep. Steve Cohen, (D-Tenn.), recently introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate the Electoral College. This was obviously done in response to the fact that Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 election despite winning nearly 3 million more votes than President Trump. According to Cohen, the Electoral College is outdated and distorting.
In a recent Fox News article, Cohen was quoted as saying, “Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office. More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators. It is past time to directly elect our President and Vice President.”
The second reason, however, is still relevant. Generally speaking, the number of electorates in a given state directly correlates to the number of congressional representatives in the state. The minimum number of electorates for a given state is three. Therefore, the “value” of a vote in a smaller state with a lower population would “count” more than it would in a state with a higher population. For example, if a state had 90,000 votes and had three electorates, each electorate would represent 30,000 votes. On the other hand, a large state with 10,000,000 votes and 54 electorates would mean that each electorate would represent approximately 185,000 votes. Therefore, this system was initially used to appease the smaller states.
Moreover, Cohen’s proposal would likely be rejected by smaller states because it could invalidate the importance of their votes and dissuade people from voting. It could also allow a small number of densely populated cities to determine the outcome of an election. According to BrilliantMaps, in the 2016 election, Trump won approximately 2,600 counties to Clinton’s 500, or about 84% of the geographic United States. Clinton, on the other hand, won 88 of the 100 largest counties (including Washington, D.C.). Without these, she would have lost by 11.5 million votes. These numbers are consistent with historical trends. Many of the densely populated metropolitan areas in states like New York and California tend to vote for Democratic candidates. This explains why Cohen and other Democrats would push for an amendment to abolish the Electoral College.
While Cohen’s proposal may find support from Democratic colleagues, it is unlikely to succeed. First, the Electoral College is established in Article II of the Constitution. Therefore, to abolish or ratify it would require a two-thirds majority in the House and the Senate and three quarters of the states. Given the potential impact on various states, including smaller ones, this is unlikely. In addition, there are alternatives to abolishing the Electoral College, such as eliminating the “winner take all” system, which deals with the method of how the states vote for the Electoral College and not with the Electoral College itself. Finally, if the popular vote decided an election, what would happen if a candidate didn’t win a popular majority (more than 50%) and won only the plurality? Given the prevalence of third-party candidates, this is quite likely, as was the case with Bill Clinton, who won only a plurality (43%) of the popular vote, and Hillary Clinton, who also won a plurality (48%) of the votes. Would we then elect our president based on plurality, as opposed to a majority vote? This could lead to problems down the road.
Mr. Hakim is a writer, commentator and a practicing attorney. His articles have been published in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Western Journal, American Thinker, and other online publications.
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Draw and Make
WP3 uses WWU’s extensive experiences to use sketchmaps as modality for creating and interacting with land tenure information in the context of land administration systems. Sketch maps are a suitable tool as conventional scientific cartographic and geospatial knowledge is usually limited in the case areas. This WP differs from previous work on sketchmapping, undertaken by WWU (i.e. SketchMapia), as:
1. the type of map differs (rural land tenure maps instead of urban survey maps) which influences relevant cognitive aspects,
2. the specific application of exploring land tenures specific spatial concepts and terminology, and
3. capturing semantic information (labels and annotation) is important in this context, whilst previous work (i.e. SketchMapia) only focused on purely spatial information. |
Artillery: September 19, 2004
In the seven months after World War II ended in Germany, American troops suffered 52 combat deaths (according to the 1947 Statistical and Accounting Branch of the Office of the Adjutant General's Final Report.) The troops were dealing with a population (the American Sector) about the same size of that in modern day Iraq. There were also many more U.S. troops in Germany, than in Iraq today, although most of them were in the process of leaving during the period. Fewer than 100,000 military police and combat troops were destined for a long term occupation force. American troops, in seven months after the Iraqi army was defeated, suffered 304 combat dead. Unlike Germany, where the foe were some diehard nazis and well armed gangsters, Iraq is undergoing a civil war. Germany also had just undergone a five year war, and the loss of about eight percent of its population to combat and non-combat deaths. Iraq has experienced three weeks of combat and a few thousand deaths. The German police and civil servants were more efficient, and less corrupt, than those found in Iraq. That helped keep the death toll down as well.
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Dalit Panther Movement (1972-1977)
Bhagwat Jhadhav, Dalit Panther Supporter Killed as the Group Marched Through a Mumbai Neighborhood, ca. 1973 Image Ownership: Public domain
Educated youth from the slums of Mumbai, India started the Dalit Panther Movement (DPM) in June 1972, inspired by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and the U.S. Black Panthers. Dalits (“downtrodden”) are the lowest “untouchable” caste in Hinduism. Hinduism views Dalits as sinners in their prior lives who can only redeem themselves by being good servants of the high castes.
In the 1920s Ambedkar, a Dalit who was a primary author of the Indian Constitution, tried to end Dalit oppression by giving them political power. In writing the draft of the Indian Constitution in 1933, Ambedkar reserved a portion of all elected positions for Dalits and only Dalits could vote for these positions. Mohandas (Mahatma) Ghandi, a high-caste Hindu, opposed political power as a solution to Dalit oppression. He protested Ambekdar’s work by going on a hunger strike which precipitated the slaughter of thousands of Dalits. Afraid of more deaths, Ambedkar backed down and eliminated this provision of the Constitution. Because of continued Hindu oppression of Dalits, Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in 1956. His conversion led to mass conversions of other Dalits to Buddhism.
Given their lack of political power, most Dalits continue to have very menial or degrading jobs such as removing human waste, dead animals, or sweeping streets. Dalits comprise 18% of the Indian population, and they face ongoing segregation in schools and restaurants, police violence, sexual violence, and even lack access to drinking water.
DPM selected the name “Dalit Panthers,” after reading about the U.S. Black Panthers in Time magazine. The DPM combined the work of Ambedkar with the militancy and self-defense of the Black Panthers to combat atrocities against Dalits. DPM co-founders Namedo Dhasal, Raja Dhale, J. V. Pawar, and Arun Kamble were poets and writers. Their anti-establishment poetry and short stories published in Dhasal’s magazine Vidroh (“Revolt”) were powerful realistic descriptions of the oppression of Dalits and their revolutionary struggles for change. DPM also used self-defense in response to atrocities against Dalits, held election boycotts, demonstrated against the ruling Congress Party, and attacked Hindu deities to protest Dalit caste oppression.
In 1973 the DPM published their manifesto integrating Marxist capitalist exploitation with Buddhism, identifying Dalit enemies as landlords, capitalists, money-lenders and the government controlled by ruling castes. They also expanded the term Dalits to include other oppressed peoples such as low (Scheduled) castes, neo-Buddhists, landless and poor peasants, and exploited women. The notoriety of the DPM’s poems, short stories, and street protests led to the rapid growth of over 30 loosely organized groups of the DPM in Mumbai.
In 1974 the DPM leaders Dhasal and Dhale disagreed about having a Marxism-Buddhism ideology versus a strictly Buddhist identity. Outside pressures on DPM included intense police surveillance and Indira Gandhi’s State of Emergency from 1975- 1977. On March 7, 1977 Dhasal and Pawar announced the dissolution of the DPM as a result of this infighting and political repression.
DPM’s legacy is seen in Dalit literature and politics. The writings of DPM poets and writers helped establish Dalit literature as a major literary form, and Dhasal became one of India’s leading poets. The DPM has also had a lasting impact on Indian politics. Shortly after the dissolution of the DPM, Kamble and other DPM leaders formed the Bharatiya Dalit Panthers (BDP) when Emergency Rule ended in March 21, 1977. The BDP expanded across India to nearly 20 states, and was most active near the India-Nepal border and in Tamil Nadu in southern India. In Tamil the party is known as the DPI. It is now the major Dalit political party in Tamil fighting against Dalit oppression.
Michael Collins, “Writing Dalit assertion: Early Dalit Panther politics and legal advocacy in 1980s Tamil Nadu,” Contemporary South Asia, 25, (2017); Janet Contursi, “Political theology: Text and practice in a Dalit Panther community,” The Journal of Asian Studies, 52, (1993); B. Krishnaiah (Ed.), Dalit Movements and Literature (New Delhi: Prestige Books International 2011); JV Pawar, Dalit Panthers: An Authoritative History, (New Delhi: Forward Press, 2018) excerpt in Hindustan TimesJanuary 19, 2018 https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/excerpt-dalit-panthers-an-authoritative-history-by-jv-pawar/story-llJqyQ3CVRrMrJ3byvbBBP.html; Anupama Rao, The Caste Question: Dalits and the Politics of Modern India (Los Angeles: Univ. of California Press, 2009). |
Who Is the Laughing Buddha? Zen's Artistic Heritage
John C. Weber Collection, New York.
Is that the "Laughing Buddha"? Yes and no. This jolly character got his start in tenth-century China. A Chinese Zen text dated 988 tells of an eccentric monk who "wandered around with a cloth sack," asking for food and playing with children. His nickname was "Cloth Sack" -- Budai in Chinese, Hotei in Japanese. Entering popular culture, he became the Laughing Buddha or the Fat Buddha. The painting above is Japanese, so I'll use Hotei (pronounced hoe-tay).
In Buddhism, Hotei is distinguished from Buddhism's founder, who lived in India in the fifth century B.C. His many names include Shakyamuni, the Buddha, the historical Buddha. Shakyamuni is almost always depicted as slender. You can't tell a Buddha by his belly, but you can tell the Buddha by his lack of one.
Zen played a central role in East Asian art and culture for nearly a thousand years. Painting, calligraphy, poetry, gardens, Nō drama, the tea ceremony, and other arts were valued as expressions of Zen. The image above is a scroll by one of Japan's greatest painters, Kanō Masanobu (1434-1530). Kanō's synthesis of Chinese and Japanese elements influenced Japanese painting for centuries.
The scroll shows a stocky, somewhat underdressed man traveling on foot. A huge sack hangs from a walking stick over his shoulder. His robe is -- or was -- the robe of a monk. His right hand touches his ample belly. Turning his head, he laughs.
Kanō's skill as an artist deserves a closer look. His brush strokes are rough on Hotei's robe and bag, meticulous on the face and body. Two flow lines add energy: the upward line from Hotei's elbow to the end of his staff, and the downward line from his elbow to the end of the robe. The bag and the belly seem to be in balance. The background is completely empty.
This fellow would certainly stand out in a crowd. His forehead is elongated -- a sign of a sage, according to Daoism. His earlobes are also elongated -- in Buddhism, a mark of spiritual attainment. His eyes are twinkly, his nose slightly askew. Some aspects of the painting are cartoonish.
Call it what you will -- contentment, happiness, freedom -- Hotei seems to have found it. If he is carrying everything he needs in that sack, he is not burdened by belongings. If he knows his mind, he is not burdened by thoughts. Zen's sense of humor usually involves some combination of spontaneity, playfulness, irreverence, and insight. Kanō's Hotei embodies those, too.
The painter brings his subject to life by zooming in to a specific moment. Has Hotei just heard the voices of children? Or smelled some food? Maybe he's laughing at himself. In images of Hotei by other artists, his joy is so radiant that it must be the joy of enlightenment. A scroll by Mokuan Reien (d. 1345), though faded, captures this elusive quality:
Sen-oku Hakuko Kan, Kyoto (detail).
Like a temple bell or a cogent haiku, Hotei keeps resonating. Exposing his belly is symbolically equivalent to manifesting his true nature, his selfless Self. In that case his sack holds the whole universe. Nothing is lacking; everything is bearable. The Japanese Zen master Hakuin (1686-1768), also an artist, painted pictures of himself as Hotei, calling them "self-portraits" - in other words, a Selfie.
We have identified two Buddha-level figures: Shakyamuni the founder, and Hotei the traveling monk. To appreciate Hotei's full dimensions, we need to revisit traditional Buddhist cosmology. Mahayana Buddhism, which emerged around the first century AD, ushered in many new buddhas and bodhisattvas (near buddhas). One of these, Maitreya (my-tray-a), was in line to be the Buddha of the next cosmic cycle, billions of years in the future.
Chinese Buddhists revised this scenario, shortening the time of Maitreya's arrival to the near future, if not the here-and-now. Cloth Sack, the tenth-century monk, linked himself to Maitreya in a final poem. Might the future Buddha already be keeping an eye on things, incognito? Was Hotei an avatar? From that time on, if you encountered a wandering monk, you had to wonder.
In China, Hotei/Maitreya became a symbol of hope for a better world. On the serious side, revolts in the name of Maitreya erupted sporadically for centuries. On the lighter side, Hotei metamorphosed into the Laughing Buddha. In Japan, he became a god of good fortune.
What about the belief that rubbing a Buddha's belly brings good luck? Does the belly-touching gesture of Kanō's Hotei allude to that? Ritual rubbing probably has prehistoric roots. Fortunately, it is almost impossible to rub a Buddha the wrong way.
Within Zen, great masters are criticized with surprising severity. Insults such as "blind donkey," "dreg-slurper," or "broken-toothed barbarian" are not uncommon. Even the Buddha doesn't get a pass: one Zen monk famously tossed a wooden Buddha figure into a fire, just to stay warm. It seems un-Buddhist, to say the least.
Sometimes this eye-catching iconoclasm is praise in disguise. But its more important function is to restrain the impulse to glorify religious/spiritual heroes. The Buddha's humanity, Hotei's earthiness, and the Laughing Buddha's availability are reminders that the joy of enlightenment is not beyond the reach of ordinary people. |
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The Day That Made Cosmic History
The Day That Made Cosmic History
This past summer, thousands of scientists worked together in the first observation of a neutron star merger. Here’s how it went down.
Image credits:
Abigail Malate, Staff Illustrator
Rights information:
Copyright American Institute of Physics (reprinting information)
Friday, October 20, 2017 - 15:30
Yuen Yiu, Staff Writer
(Inside Science) -- Aug. 17, 2017. It started as an ordinary morning in southern Louisiana. The air was hot and humid as the sun rose above the Mississippi River. Brian O'Reilly, one of the lead scientists at the Livingston location of the gravitational wave detection facility known as LIGO, was just beginning his day. It was barely 8 o'clock when his phone rang.
"I have twin babies -- they're a year and a half -- and I was actually changing my daughter at the time," said O'Reilly. "That's when my phone started beeping in my pocket."
Minutes later, he was in a phone conference with fellow astrophysicist Gabriela Gonzalez from Louisiana State University, as well as scientists thousands of miles away at LIGO Hanford in the state of Washington.
Aerial photos of LIGO Livingston in Louisiana, LIGO Hanford in Washington, and Virgo in Italy.
Credit: LIGO/MIT/Caltech/Virgo
GCN excerpt.PNG
An excerpt from the original alert sent out at 8:21 a.m. local Livingston time. Bold text added for emphasis.
"If the phone call had been 10 minutes later, I would have been in my car on the way to work and I might have missed the whole thing," he said. That “whole thing” turned out to be a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
At 7:41 a.m. local Livingston time that morning, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, LIGO Hanford and the Virgo gravitational wave detector in Europe had all detected two incredibly dense objects called neutron stars smashing into each other -- an event some astronomers thought they would have to wait years or even decades to see.
But they needed LIGO Livingston's data to confirm the signal. Due to a computer glitch, the data couldn't be processed automatically -- the glitch needed human intervention. O'Reilly and his colleagues promptly fixed the problem and ran the algorithm again.
Immediately, the probability that the signal was a false alarm went way, way down, O'Reilly said. He now knew the detections were not from a random noise, or a fault in the instruments -- this was for real.
At precisely 8:21 a.m. local Livingston time, Reed Essick, a doctoral student from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sat in front of his computer and posted a message to the Gamma-ray Burst Coordinates Network, or GCN, a confidential communication network that distributes information on fleeting cosmic events that give out enormous explosions of gamma rays, like the neutron star merger had.
It was the first time in history that humans had detected such a merger. But the data from the gravitational waves and gamma ray detections alone could not pinpoint the exact location of the collision. It was now time for optical telescopes around the world to take over the night sky.
Start spreading the news
Shortly after the GCN message went out, Mansi Kasliwal, an astrophysicist from Caltech in Pasadena, also got a phone call.
"It was a completely automatic, robotic call from the software system I have [set up] to listen to alerts that were sent out by LIGO and Virgo," said Kasliwal. She is in charge of GROWTH, a global relay network for alerting and coordinating observatories around the world.
To observe certain astronomical events, especially ones that only last for a short period of time, observatories around the world need to coordinate with each other so that somebody is always watching on the dark side of the planet, said Kasliwal. GROWTH makes sure that when one telescope is blinded by daylight, another one further to the west will take over the observations, almost like an empire where the sun always sets.
But even with 18 telescopes around the globe, the GROWTH network still doesn't cover the entire night sky. A few hours after the initial detection by LIGO and Virgo, the source of the neutron star merger had been localized to an area roughly the size of 150 full moons, or about the size of your palm if you stick it as far away from your eyes as possible. The area was in the southern sky, near the Hydra constellation. As Earth rotated westwards, the next possible telescope that could observe it would be in South America, where unfortunately GROWTH does not have a presence.
Kasliwal quickly alerted astronomers at the Carnegie Institute for Science, which operates a number of telescopes in Chile. They had also seen the GCN alert and were discussing the plan of action.
It was now their turn to shine.
Sunset at Las Campanas Observatory on Aug. 16, 2017, visible in the foreground is the Swope telescope.
Courtesy of Josh Simon.
A new glint in the southern sky
Nearly 8,000 feet above sea level in the Atacama Desert in Chile, the weather at the Las Campanas Observatory was cool, the air was crisp, and there was still some snow left on the ground from a storm just a few days prior. But most importantly, the sky was clear.
"We didn't get the list of galaxies to look at until -- I think it was 18 minutes before the start of the night," said Josh Simon, one of the astronomers observing that night. Having stayed up the three previous nights, Simon was now on his last night shift.
Even with the precise localization provided by LIGO and Virgo, the key patch of sky still contained about a hundred galaxies that needed to be scanned. Limited by the short time window between sunset and when the area of interest dipped below the horizon, Simon and his colleagues had little more than an hour to look over all the candidates.
About 10 minutes into the night, at 8:33 p.m. local Chilean time, Natalie Ulloa, a master’s student from the University of La Serena in Chile, became the first human to set eyes on a neutron star merger. She was stationed in front of the Swope telescope -- the smallest and oldest of the four telescopes at the observatory. A few minutes later, Simon double-checked the signal with the much larger and newer Magellan telescope on the next hill over. The signal was coming from a host galaxy named NGC 4993, located 130 million light-years from Earth.
Less than two hours after the sun set on the Atacama Desert, NGC 4993 too dipped below the Chilean horizon. Within the next 24 hours, as the night sky swept west, observatories In Hawaii, Australia and South Africa would each make their own observations, piecing together a movie of the first neutron star merger ever observed.
Changing color time-lapse of GW170817, first visible as a blue dot and later as a red dot in the upper left hand side of the host galaxy NGC 4993, located in the center of the video. Credit: European Southern Observatory
The dying of the light
During the initial burst of light, the neutron star merger shone a bright blue hue, then gradually faded and became redder over time, finally disappearing from the visible spectrum about a week after the first burst of gamma rays. But the neutron star merger did not go gentle into that good night -- it went on to shine across a wide range of wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum for weeks to come.
At one point the X-ray astronomers were puzzled, since they didn't see the X-rays they were expecting from a neutron star merger, based on theoretical predictions. It was as if the neutron star merger, sometimes referred to as a kilonova, had somehow forgotten about them. After eight days of fruitless searching, the X-ray astronomers were ready to give up.
"My team decided to use Chandra to look at the kilonova one more time," said Eleonora Troja, a research scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, during a press conference held Oct. 16 to announce the big discovery. "That's when we saw that the X-ray light had just turned on, and it was amazing."
According to Troja, the X-ray signal, spotted nine days after LIGO’s first detection, would've been too faint for any other X-ray telescopes to see.
Another week would pass before the Very Large Array radio telescopes in New Mexico detected the first radio signals from the merger. That was the last piece of the puzzle, and also the last of the messengers sent to Earth from the spectacular collision 130 million light-years away. In all, observations were made by astronomers from every continent on Earth, including Antarctica.
A pot of gold
A paper detailing the wealth of data collected in those last few weeks of August and early September was published on Oct. 16, along with at least five other major papers about the same merger. The study was the accumulation of work by approximately 3,600 credited authors -- by one estimate more than 10 percent of all the astronomers in the world. According to some researchers, it has provided unequivocal evidence that neutron star mergers are a major source for almost half of all the elements heavier than iron. From the uranium inside a North Korean nuclear bomb to the gold on your grandfather's watch, heavy elements were likely once produced by two neutron stars smashing into each other at nearly the speed of light.
The wide spectrum of light observed from the merger was something like a rainbow, said Andy Howell, an astronomer from Las Cumbres Observatory in Goleta, California, during the Oct. 16 press conference. Unable to contain his smile, Howell let out a smirk as he delivered the rest of his opening speech.
"So there really was a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow."
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify a description of the setting in the first paragraph and to correct the number of credited authors on the paper.
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Rigid-flex PCB
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Rigid-flex PCB
Rigid-flex PCB is a balanced combination of advantages from both flexible and rigid printed circuit board (FPC and PCB respectively).
Rigid-flex PCB is originated in developed countries like US, Europe, and Japan. It gets popular in China currently. It is mainly used in the following applications and industries, consumer electronics, medical appliances, automotive electronics, precision instruments, and space flight and aviation.
Rigid-flex PCB is a new type of high durability and adaptability printed circuit board that can be applied to 3D cubic packaging. It can effectively reduce the size of electronic products, prevent from linking error, and realize lightness, intelligentization, and compatibility. Furthermore, it strengthens flexibility of assembling. Nowadays it has been widely used and got a great amount of attention. Its application includes but is not limited to business and industries of space, military, mobile communication, laptop, computer peripheral and digital camera.
Production Flow
Due to its feature of combination, the manufacturing of Rigid-flex PCB needs both FPC and PCB production facility. As the first step, the electronic engineer needs to draw the circuit and outline of the board based on requirement. Then the prototype is sent to the qualified factory and it will be processed and programmed by CAM engineer. FPC and PCB will be produced respectively. When the flex and rigid boards are manufactured, the FPC and PCB will be pressed in seamlessly. There is a series of detail steps. Last but not least, there is one more important step. Since it is a difficult task to produce a Rigid-flex PCB and the product is costly and features details, a full inspection before delivery is necessary.
1. Combines features of both FPC and PCB
2. Can be shaped to fit where no other design can
3. Package size and weight reduction
More manufacturing procedures lead to more material and manpower investment. Thus it is more expensive and needs a longer production period.
Its hybrid feature decides Rigid-flex PCB can be used in all applications and industries that FPC and PCB can do. Name a few.
Mobile phones
Display Screen
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Shark Camouflage in Australia
29 August 2013
This week, we have a final show from Perth in Western Australia. Chris Smith and Victoria Gill find out how camouflage wetsuits might help protect surfers from sharks, hear about a new development in muscular dystrophy treatment, how sea sponges can be used to mend fractures and whether the chemicals that a cell produces just before death can help us reverse the damage caused by stroke. In the news, why money makes the world go round, the comet that will be lighting up the skies in November, the eniromentally green military flares that could result in clearer firework displays and the scientists that have produced the world's most accurate clock.
In this episode
01:12 - Why Does Money Make the World Go Round?
Money may ensure that large societies of strangers can work together...
Why Does Money Make the World Go Round?
We only have to look at the effect of the financial crisis recently to know that Chocolate Moneymoney makes the world go round. But Gabriele Camera and her colleagues considered in PNAS this week why exactly money is essential for the functioning of modern society.
Modern society involves us interacting and co-operating with hundreds and thousands of strangers, whereas our ancestors very survival depended on working with small groups of people, all of whom you would know and trust intimately. The researchers were interested in whether money played a role in facilitating this co-operation with people we have no knowledge of.
First participants took part in a control task. Paired up with anonymous strangers each was randomly assigned the role of Producer or Consumer. Producers were given the option to share some of their good with Consumers (who would be rewarded for the transaction), on the presumption that when the roles were reversed others would happily do the same in the future. Researchers found that as the group size increased, the co-operation decreased. When only two people were in a group 70% of meetings resulted in co-operation, but in a group of 32 it was only in 28.5% of meetings that people were willing to give away their goods, trusting in a future return. So we can see that in large unfamiliar societies, like we have today, co-operation would be low, but does money help to change that?
Next researchers introduced tokens to the scenario. There were purely symbolic and couldn't be exchanged for either goods or real life money. Now when pairs met they had the option of giving away their goods, not doing anything or asking for a token in exchange for their goods. When both of the pairs decisions matched a transaction took place. The team found that the introduction of tokens, even though they were only symbolic, increased the number of people willing to co-operate in large groups. In the group of 32, co-operation increased from 28.5% in the control test to 51.7%.
These results imply that money, is an evolutionary stable way of allowing large groups of strangers, like the modern day societies we have today, co-operate and therefore plays a key role in how modern societies function. However it does have a down side. When tokens were introduced, although co-operation stabilised, no-one was willing to offer their goods as a gift anymore.
05:14 - How are comets like cats?
Earlier in the year, some hoped that a comet as bright as the Moon might be visible this autumn, but now many are more doubtful.
How are comets like cats?
with Robert Massey, Royal Astronomical Society
Earlier in the year, astronomers were making predictions that a very bright Comet McNaughtcomet will be visible in the night sky in November and December. But over the past few months, it hasn't been brightening quite as much as some people were hoping. Many people are now rather doubtful about how spectacular it might be. But why are comets such unpredictable objects? To find out, Dominic Ford caught up with Robert Massey from the Royal Astronomical Society
Robert - It's contentious. The object that we were looking forward to at the end of the year I think still are is comet ISON. It was discovered by robotic network of telescopes in Russia and it's been named after that, although to be fair, there are actually a couple of scientists who probably need to be credited for it as well. But this object was thought, because it was coming very close to the sun and also, was very, very active a long way from the sun, the supposition was, that when it got close into the inner solar system, it would become very bright and certainly once it passed by the sun and was heading out in space again.
Now, there is some debate as to whether that's still likely to happen because the activity levels that was on the comet haven't lived up to expectations. Now, this is actually nothing unusual with comets. Quite often, they can be active when they're far out particularly if they haven't come in to the solar system before and that looks like it might be the case for ISON, and then the activity can fall off a bit and that seems to be happening here. So, it may not be quite the object that people were expecting and there's always been an unfortunate tendency for these things to be hyped. But that said, it can still be quite a nice comet as these things go. It could still be visible to the naked eye late in the year, particularly in the northern hemisphere. So, we in the UK might get a really good view of it in the last couple of weeks in the year. But we'll just have to wait and see. It's one of those things where comets are a bit like cats. The description is that they have tails and they do exactly what they want.
Dominic - What does that tell us about the structure of the object?
Robert - The difficulty in understanding their activity is that they can have a variety of materials. I mean, they have ices, mostly frozen water and other gases as well inside. But when they get close to the sun, that stuff heats up and it goes straight from being ice to gas because you need some kind of atmospheric pressure for a material to become liquid, so it doesn't go through that phase. Now, the determining factor is really, how much of it is exposed. If the comet has quite a thick rocky crust or debris crust or dusty crust then it's much harder for the heat of the sun to reach inside and then also, there are fewer vents for the material to come out. If that's thinner then you'd expect more of the material inside to come out. So probably, those factors, the exact proportion of water ice and all those things determine how active the comet is likely to be.
Dominic - From memory, when ISON makes its closest approach to the sun in November, it's going to be actually incredibly close, that will be a very extreme environment that those ices will be exposed to.
Robert - Well, ISON is going to go within about 1.1 million kilometres from the sun's surface. Given that the sun is 1.3 million kilometres across, that's really a very close approach indeed. Now, there's again, a lot of debate about exactly what will happen because there is another object, comet Lovejoy that made a similar approach a couple of years ago and turned out to be quite robust. It actually came though it quite well.
There was a paper by the astronomer Royal of Scotland, John Brown on this around the same time and he pointed out that you have to consider that although it's a hot environment being that close to the sun quite clearly, there isn't much in the way of the solar atmosphere at that point so objects can pass through it. The ones that plunge directly onto the sun's surface clearly, are going to be destroyed, but further out, it's a lot harder to tell. So, I think the jury is out on whether it will survive. If it does survive, it may turn out to be a very nice comet indeed we just don't know.
08:57 - Quick Fire Science: Nuclear Power
An expert has said that he’s deeply worried about cooling water leaks at Fukushima. But how does nuclear power work?
Quick Fire Science: Nuclear Power
This week, nuclear expert Mycle Schneider, formerly an adviser to the French and German governments has said that he's deeply worried about contaminated cooling water leaking from tanks at the site of the Fukushima nuclear reactors...
- Huge amounts of energy can be released by joining or fusing small atoms together to make larger atoms, or by splitting apart larger atoms like uranium.
- In nuclear reactors, atoms such as Uranium 235 and Plutonium 239 are bombarded by neutrons which causes them to split in two, a process called fission.
- When atoms undergo fission, they often release more neutrons, which can go on to hit another atom, creating a chain reaction.
- A kilogram of uranium in a nuclear reaction can release more energy by fission than 10 000 tonnes of coal, gas or oil, and all without releasing any greenhouse gases.
- In a nuclear bomb, all of the energy from several kg of uranium or lutonium are emitted within a single microsecond, creating an immensely destructive burst of energy.
- The first controlled release of nuclear energy was in a reactor built in 1942 under the stands in a chicago university american football stadium. But it wasn't producing power, just plutonium to build America's second nuclear bomb.
- The first commercial nuclear power station was Calder Hall in Cumbria. It was built in 1956 and generated 60 megawatts of power.
- Unfortunately many of the atoms left over after fission are unstable and can release some of their remaining energy over days and years in the form of high energy particles and gamma rays, known as radiation.
- This radiation can damage the DNA in cells which can cause cancer, or in very large doses radiation sickness.
- On average less than a third of 1% of your annual radiation exposure is due to nuclear bombs and nuclear power. Between a third and a half of your exposure is due to medical procedures such as X-rays and the rest is due to natural radiation.
- Today in the uk 19% of electricity is produced by nuclear power compared to 4.6% by renewables and the percentage is dropping as older plants are being decommissioned.
- The last nuclear power plant to be built in the UK was Sizewell B, completed in 1995...
11:14 - When Will Greenland's Ice Sheet Melt?
If Greenland's ice sheets melted global sea-levels could rise by several meters. But how hot will it need to get for that to happen?
When Will Greenland's Ice Sheet Melt?
with Anthony Payne, University of Bristol
Greenland is home to some of the largest ice sheets in the world, and if those melt, they could cause global sea-levels to rise by as much as several metres. For low-lying parts of the world, including Cambridge, that could be very bad news...
So, how much of a rise in global temperatures would be required for those ice sheets to melt? Anthony Payne, from the University of Bristol, has built computational simulations to find out, which he presented in the journal PNAS this month.
Anthony - Greenland represents one of the major sources of freshwater in the world and is the second greatest potential contributor to future sea levels with something like 7 or 8 meters worth of potential sea level rise. So that's why a lot of research is centred on understanding what's happening in Greenland over the last decade.
Dominic - You've looked at two mechanisms by which this melt can occur - both the melting itself and also, sliding of that ice. How do you separate those two effects?
Anthony - We did two separate sets of experiments. One, where just looked at the effects of melt by itself. We incorporated results from recent climate models on how air temperatures were warmer in Greenland and how that will affect the amounts of ice melt in Greenland. Then in the second set of the experiments, we allow that additional melt water to interact with the flow of ice sheets, with the idea being that if there's more melt water around, then potentially, the flow of the ice sheet could be lubricated and therefore, the ice sheet would flow faster.
Dominic - How do you go about doing those experiments though?
Anthony - Well, the experiments are performed using ice sheet models that run on supercomputers and typically take 2 or 3 days to run. You give the model information on the geometry of the ice sheets, how much ice there is there, or where it is on Greenland, you give information on things like future climates, how much warming is there like to be over Greenland, how much melt will there be over Greenland, and how much snowfall will change over Greenland. The most important part of our work has been to develop a mathematical relationship that depicts how increased amounts of melt water could affect lubrication and therefore, the flow of the ice sheet.
Dominic - I'm imagining that lubrication must be a very difficult thing to model because there must be all sorts of factors affecting how stable that ice is.
Anthony - What we have done is to take a shortcut and using empirical field data to parameterise the effect, which means that we treat the effect as a black box and we use field data to say, "There's this amount of imput i.e. melt water. This is what the observation suggest the output would be." In particular, what we've used is information on the seasonal speedup of the flow of the ice sheet. So, they use GPS receivers scattered over the ice sheets, that record the velocity of ice flow, and then you can look at the records from those recorders and they'll show that the ice flow speeds up in the summer or most likely, the early spring, and then slows down in the winter. So, what we assume is that the winter flow is with no lubrication and the summer flow is lubricated. So, if we look at the ratio of those two, we get a handle on how important the melt water effect is.
Dominic - Are you validating those models in comparison with your observational data from the ground?
Anthony - So, the validation that we have attempted is to compare observations of ice flow against what the models predict. On the whole, they do a fairly good job.
Dominic - And obviously, you're also very dependent on these models of the future climate to know how this melt will proceed in the future. Where are you getting this from?
Anthony - For our particular study, we cooperated with Zavio Satweis who works in the University of the Age and does regional climate modelling of Greenland. But I think the important thing to say is that, when you compare his models to other models that have been used to predict what's going to happen in Greenland, his model falls pretty much in the middle of the group. The results we get are so strong that we think we could use any climate model and get similar set of results.
Dominic - Often, with these questions of climate change, you find yourself in what we call very nonlinear processes where suddenly a process reaches some critical point where it takes off. How do you know that as the climate changes, we're not going to move in to a very different regime which your models aren't covering?
Anthony - The modelling wasn't intended to be a prediction of the future. It was intended to assess whether a particular set of effects, those related to basal lubrication of melt water availability were going to be important. So, while there may be lots of other thresholds in the system that we're currently unaware of or weren't the subjects of the particular paper that we've written, we're after understanding what affect this particular effects and whether this particular effect is going to be important or not.
Dominic - And what's the conclusion? What kind of sea level rises might we expect to result from this?
Anthony - We found that there was very little sea level rise associated with this particular effect. Our ballpark figure is roughly 8 millimetres by 2200 which in comparison to other sources of sea level rise over the next century is fairly minimal.
16:43 - Green Flares for the Military
An enviromental improvement in military flares could also result in clearer fireworks display...
Green Flares for the Military
A discussion about green flares might bring to mind the colour, but the military Flaresalso cares about their pyrotechnics environmental credentials. 'You might not think the military and environmentally friendly go together,' explains Jesse Sabatini from the US Army's Picatinny Arsenal, 'but they really do.'
As regulation surrounding soil and groundwater contamination increase, the simple act of training on a military range can have wide reaching implications. Sabatini and colleague Jared Moretti are working to make the tools of the military a little more green and in their most recent work have replaced the perchlorate salts in flares with the cheap and widely used 5-amino tetrazole (5-AT). The goal, stresses Sabatini, was to match the performance of in-use formulations, not just meet the minimum required.
Perchlorate salts have been widely used as an oxidiser in explosives and pyrotechnics because they're stable but supply a large amount of oxygen when burnt. And because perchlorate salts are so widely used and easy to make, they are also cheap. However, concerns surrounding the role of perchlorate salts in human health are growing and the US now has stringent limits on the amount of perchlorate allowed in drinking water (15 parts per billion federally, although some states have set their limits even lower). That's led to some military ranges being closed for clean-up and troops being unable to train extensively with the flares they might have to use in combat.
Sabatini has already come up with a solution to the problem, or rather two, by replacing the perchlorate with high nitrogen salts of strontium and barium for red and green flares respectively. This proved that pyrotechnics can work with high nitrogen compounds instead of perchlorate salts, something already established in propellant and explosives research. But, says Sabatini, there are a number of drawbacks to using such specialised compounds. 'You've got a big cost issue because, number one, you've got two different syntheses you have to do and neither of them are commercially available. That obviously adds to the cost,' he explains, adding that qualifying ingredients and new formulations also adds to the cost.
Energetic punch
So Sabatini teamed up with his colleague Moretti to look for a cheaper alternative that was still high in nitrogen. Nitrogen-rich compounds don't release large amounts of oxygen, like perchlorate does, but instead release large amounts of energy as they break down to release nitrogen gas. That energetic punch can kick-start combustion.
After trying various compounds that looked like they might do the job, the pair settled on the small molecule 5-AT, which is used in explosives, airbags and the pharmaceutical industry. That large market means the compound is much cheaper than Sabatini's metal salts. By tweaking the formulation, Sabatini and Moretti made perchlorate free flares using 5-AT that matched the performance of two currently used flares, the red M126 A1 and green M192.
'I'm always impressed with the work that Sabatini does,' says Thomas Klapötke of the University of Munich, Germany, who also works on energetic materials. 'Not only is it scientifically sound but he also has the right feeling to make it applicable. There's no point in replacing perchlorate with something less toxic if the price goes up.'
Of course, as always there's a long way to go from lab success to seeing the new formulation replacing the old. A host of tests still await the new flares before they are ready to go in the field.
But if the new formulations work as well in tests then there are many other pyrotechnics that could also be reformulated to remove perchlorate, including noise generating pyrotechnics and fireworks. For those applications, adds Klapötke, there could be an unexpected benefit - 5-AT generates clear nitrogen gas instead of smoke. 'If you go out on bonfire night and look at the fireworks it's often quite smoky. If you produce large amounts of N2 you can increase the visibility of the firework,' he adds. It's a long way to go, but perhaps the general public as well as the military will benefit from this new approach.
Alarm Clock
19:30 - The world's most accurate clock
Researchers at the National Institute for Standards and Technology have built a clock which is accurate to one second in ten billion years
The world's most accurate clock
Ytterbium atomic clockResearchers at the National Institute for Standards and Technology have built the most accurate clock ever made, which is accurate to one second in ten billion years.
The clock works by precisely monitoring the frequency at which atoms of ytterbium naturally vibrate, producing light waves of very characteristic frequencies and colours.
The key to making any clock as accurate as possible is to build a system that ticks or vibrates at the steadiest frequency possible. In a pendulum clock, friction between the clock's parts and with the air around the pendulum bob interferes with its steady swing and make it swing unpredictably.
Atomic clocks, on the other hand, are able to achieve much better accuracy than clocks with larger swinging mechanisms, because it's much easier to put single atoms in very controlled laboratory environments, away from external interfering influences.
The difficulty, however, is that the electromagnetic vibrations produced by atoms typically have frequencies of billions, or even millions of billions, of cycles per second. Counting those cycles to keep track of time requires some of the fastest electronics in the world. Although ytterbium atoms are known to be very stable, it hasn't been possible to use them in an atomic clock until now because of the high frequency of the light they produce.
Using time standards like these allow scientists to make very precise measurements of how long processes take. For example, the Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours, and that is what gives us day and night. But movements of landmasses and ice sheets can trigger minute variations in the Earth's rotation, which can only be measured with the world's best clocks, but which can tell us about the structure of our own planet.
Physicists want to test Einstein's theory of relativity, which predicts that clocks should run slow when moved at very high speeds, but the effect is so tiny that it can only be measured with incredibly good clocks.
23:58 - Camouflaging Wetsuits
Research on Shark vision has inspired the design of a wet suit that will camouflage surfers to sharks...
Camouflaging Wetsuits
with Professor Nathan Hart, University of Western Australia
Last year there were eight shark attacks recorded around near Perth in Western Great white sharkAustralia, almost double the annual average over the last decade. Seven of those eight were attacks from the infamous great white shark.
Now a team of researchers from the University of Western Australia has come to the rescue. Professor Nathan Hart's research on shark vision has inspired the design of a wet suit that should be less visible to sharks or may even be shark-repelling. He spoke to Victoria Gill
Nathan - Well, there are actually two suits which have been designed based on the science we've done. The first is a black and white banded suit which is really designed to mimic a sea snake. So, it's warning coloration. There's anecdotal evidence that certain species of shark don't like eating sea snakes although we know that some do. There's also a camouflage design which works on the same principles as camouflage you see army people running around in, but in this case, specifically designed for the underwater light environment.
Victoria - The warning suit then is essentially you're disguising people as sea snakes.
Nathan - That's the idea, yeah. There's obviously some disruptive element to that pattern as well. What we did was to take our knowledge of the shark's spacial resolution, in other words their ability to resolve detail, to set the banding widths and that information was taken by the company who were designing the suits.
Victoria - So, what we're essentially looking at is quite a stripy suit.
Nathan - That's right. It's a stripy suit. We wanted to make sure that it would be visible to the shark from a certain distance away. Although sharks have very sensitive eyes for brightness, they're not actually acute in their vision. So, we're used to being able to discern very fine print in a book for example. Sharks have nowhere near that kind of ability and have very coarse vision, if you like. Because obviously, if you make the bands too small, the black and white eventually, just merge into grey at a certain distance. So, we needed to make sure it was very bold pattern and the sort of allied technology was really making sure that it resembled the sea snake. So, we needed to make sure that it was biologically proportionate.
Victoria - If we move on to the camouflage suit then, can you describe what that looks like first of all?
Nathan - If you think of a usual camouflage pattern, you might see someone in army gear. You normally have slightly different shades of green. In this case, it's slightly different shades of blue that are woven together in fairly large sort of swirls of colour. This specific pattern of the camouflage has come up with in concert with a wetsuit designer. So, it obviously has to be fashionable. But the different colours used are designed to match the light environment you see underwater.
Victoria - And what do you know about the shark's vision in order to understand how this camouflage would work for their visual system?
Nathan - So, although suits to us look blue. To a shark, they'll probably actually look like shades of grey because it turns out that sharks are probably colour blind. Now, we've looked at a range of shark species from things like bull sharks to carpet sharks and we're currently working on tigers and white sharks. But we expect they're going to be all very similar, basically that they have a single type of cone in their retina which makes them cone monochromats and then probably colour blind. So, the task then becomes matching brightness against the background rather than worrying about colour.
Victoria - So, these cones, these are pigment sensitive sensors in our eyes. So, we have three and if the shark only has one, then it would not be able to discern the different shades of colour that we can see. How did you discover that?
Nathan - So, we used a couple of different techniques. The first is a photometric technique where we actually take a piece of retina out the back of the shark's eye. We lay it flat and shine a very narrow beam of light through individual photoreceptor cells at the back of the eye, scan through the spectrum and find out what parts of the spectrum they're most sensitive to, and we think that's what colour they'd be most sensitive to. Doing that, we found that by surveying the retina, there was only one type present and we confirmed that using genetic techniques which is a way of screening what's expressed in the eye in terms of a protein or gene and we could confirm there was only one cone pigment there.
Victoria - Once you have made that discovery, did you immediately jumped to being able to take advantage of what you knew of the limitations in a shark's vision in order to camouflage people and prevent them from shark attacks? How did the work progress from there?
Nathan - That kind of connection was an application that's obviously always been there, but we're actually quite coincidentally approached by a company here who was interested in the space after the spate of shark attacks in WA. They sort of put their heads together and thought, "We must be able to design some sort of wetsuit that's harder for sharks to see or that scares sharks away." They found our group here UWA and so, it was very timely, based on the discoveries that we'd made.
Victoria - How do you test a shark proof wetsuit? It sounds like it could potentially be a very terrifying test.
Nathan - Well, we have lots of PhD students who are willing to swim with these suits on (just joking!). Really, it is very hard, in actual fact for all shark deterrents to test these things. Limited testing can be done in the lab, but ultimately, you have to take the product out into the wild, try and induce sharks to come up and investigate. Then you have to see how effective it is. We're at the very early stages of helping the company to test their wetsuit and it would be really nice to validate it and see if the science really works. There's likely to be no downside of the suit, but it would be really nice to know whether it decreases your chances.
Victoria - Does that really involve putting dummies in different wet suits underwater and inducing sharks to come and investigate and see what happens?
Nathan - Well obviously, there are ethical problems in putting either a person or even just an entire wetsuit, a mannequin in the water. So, we have to do it in a slightly more controlled way which is to use a piece of the wetsuit material, wrapped around something which doesn't resemble a human because obviously, we have to be very careful that we don't want to make any association between humans and food in an area where there are sharks.
29:51 - Muscular Dystrophy Treatment
A team of researchers from Murdoch University discuss how their research has led to clinical trials for a new muscular dystrophy treatment.
Muscular Dystrophy Treatment
with Steve Wilton, Sue Fletcher, Murdoch University
A breakthrough for the disease muscular dystrophy now, thanks to two Murdoch Duchenne muscular dystrophyUniversity researchers Steve Wilton and Sue Fletcher...
Sue - Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a life-limiting neuromuscular disease that results in losing the ability to walk by the age of 12 and they don't usually survive beyond their early 30's. The gene responsible for the disease is on the X chromosome, so it mainly affects boys but about 1 in 50,000 girls has the disease. Mutations in this gene prevent the synthesis of a protein called dystrophin which is a very important structural protein in muscle and that's in all muscles - heart, skeletal muscle, and in the smooth muscle of the gut.
Chris - So, when an individual has muscular dystrophy, what goes wrong in their muscles? What would a person notice about them?
Sue - Boys with muscular dystrophy do not reach the same motor milestones as other children. Typically, the boys are not walking until perhaps the age of 2. They don't climb stairs very well. They have to hold on to someone to climb stairs. They don't jump with both feet up off the ground and they don't run as other children do, they struggle to rise from the floor and that's very characteristic in this disease.
Chris - And if I were to take a little piece of muscle away and look at it under a microscope, how would it differ to a person who doesn't have muscular dystrophy?
Sue - Somebody with normal muscle, if you take a piece of muscle and you cut across the muscle, it looks like a bundle of straws. The muscle fibres are nice, regular, they're much the same size. When somebody has muscular dystrophy, the muscle is disorganised. It's full of fat and connective tissue and lots of little inflammatory cells chewing up damaged muscle. In advanced disease, it doesn't look like muscle at all.
Chris - Do we know why, not having that dystrophin protein working properly in the muscle makes that happen?
Sue - Dystrophin provides strength and stability to the muscle during muscle contraction. So, when the protein is missing, the muscle gets little tears when it's under strain, when it contracts. And gradually, inflammatory cells start to chew up the muscle because it looks like damaged tissue and the body cleans it up. So, the muscle is gradually replaced with fat and scar tissue.
Chris - Steve, what can we do about this?
Steve - One of the ways we've been trying to treat this disease is changing the expression of the defective dystrophin gene. The dystrophin gene is the largest known gene. It makes up almost 0.1% of our genetic makeup. 2.3 million letters in this one gene. It's been estimated that the enzyme that starts making the RNA copy takes 16 hours to get from one end to the other. It's like a book with 79 chapters. The first few chapters code for the attachment point at one end. The last few chapters are important at the other end. So, what happens in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, there's a spelling error somewhere in the chapters. And so, there's a part of chapter 16 that says, "Stop reading at this point." So, the shock absorber is made up to chapter 16 and then the rest of the message is lost. So, we have a defective shock absorber. It's not going to work. You're getting weak muscle fibres.
Chris - So, can we persuade muscle cells when they're reading this book to skip over the chapter that's got this instruction so that it would carry on through to the end?
Steve - That's is exactly what we're doing. We've designed genetic band aids that can stick at or near the defective chapter. And so that, imagine a book with the 79 chapters, it's sticking all the pages together of one chapter. So, it's chapter 15 is joined to chapter 17 rather than having chapter 16 which is the disease causing part.
Chris - Can you just explain exactly what these genetic band aids are? How do they work?
Steve - They're called anti-sense oligonucleotides. They're short genetic fragments that will stick to the dystrophin message. Now, the dystrophin message is called the sense strand and the fact that these are complimentary to the sense strand makes them anti-sense.
Chris - So, they're effectively the genetic mirror image of the gene that is in the cells that's gone wrong. So, how do they make the cell stick the chapters together?
Steve - What happens is that the cell machinery recognises parts of the gene message that have to stitch one chapter to the next. So, we're interfering with the recognition of a chapter. It essentially sort of tapes all those pages of defective chapter together.
Chris - So, when your genetic band aid is stuck on, it effectively crow bars the cell's machinery and says, "Ignore this bit and go on with the next bit."
Steve - I actually use the analogy of a spanner. We're dropping a spanner into this splicing machinery so it clogs up that part of the process and it skips over it completely.
Chris - Have you got to the stage where you've got evidence this is actually working?
Sue - Well, we've had closer than 20 years of animal experimentation and cell experimentation, showing that we can do this in a dish with cells and we can do it in mice. But a mouse is a very small animal. The longest muscle in a mouse is about a centimetre long. So, we have a lot of evidence showing that if we treat young mice, we can abrogate the onset of the disease. We can stop the disease process beginning in these mice by making the muscles and that's all the muscles, make dystrophin. So these mice, their muscle looks like normal muscle.
Chris - So, how do you get Steve's genetic band aids into the mice?
Sue - We inject them into the mice. It's very simple. We dissolve the compounds in saline, salty water, and inject them into the mice. And we've been working with a company that has taken this to human trials and they do exactly the same thing. They dissolve the anti-sense oligos in saline and they inject it intravenously over about an hour, and there are 12 boys have been treated. In the current clinical trials, there have been some previous trials. They have now been treated for over 80 weeks and they have stabilised. So, they measured the distance the boys can walk in 6 minutes and over 80 weeks, those who have been treated are essentially walking the same distance 80 weeks later. And the natural history of the disease tells us that these boys, many of them would've been expected to stop walking by now. And one of the clinicians working on the trials says that in the history of this disease, this is unprecedented.
Chris - And this requires regular therapy. They would come and see someone in the clinic say, what, every week for a top up of the genetic band aid.
Sue - At present, the boys are being treated every week. We don't know if this is the optimum treatment, but this is what clinical trials are for, to first of all prove that the drug is safe. Secondly, to prove that the drug does what it's supposed to do. In other words, preserve the muscle, restore muscle function, and ultimately, there will be additional trials to determine how often and how much of the treatment is required to keep the boys well.
36:50 - Healing Fractures with Sea Sponge
How an ordinary trip to the beach inspired a new treatment for osteoporosis...
Healing Fractures with Sea Sponge
with Professor Ming Hao Zheng, University of Western Australia
Professor Ming Hao Zheng from the University of Western Australia is leading a Sea Spongeresearch project that began with a walk on the beach, when he kicked a dried up piece of sea sponge.
He immediately noticed how much its porous structure looked like human bone. And he's now created sea sponge implants to treat osteoporosis that are now undergoing animal trials, as he explained to Victoria Gill.
Ming - This sea sponge powder once implanted into a pouch of muscle, we can see on the inside of the muscle, they induce the sea sponge to become bone tissues. So, that tells us that these sea sponge have osteo conductivity to actually attract stem cells to form bone tissues.
Victoria - So, it's actually forming bone tissue in the animal's body that would never grow bone.
Ming - Exactly, yeah. So, that is what we can use because this scientific experiment proved that this sea sponge may be able to use in patient for the induction of bone formations.
Victoria - We're looking now at a piece of the sea sponge and this is actually the same species that you kicked upon the beach in Margaret River. So, what did you notice about it that inspired your research?
Ming - The first thing I noticed about this - what I kicked away was probably a piece of animal bone that's left by dog, but after I look at it, no, this is sea sponge. So I said, "How come the sea sponge look like animals bone?" But the more I look at it, this is not animal bone. It's a sea sponge. So, I analysed them and found that the sea sponge first of all, their morphology is almost identical to the normal bone tissue and secondly, when we analysed this, the sea sponge contained collagen. We found that collagen is very conservative though evolution. So, in other words, what we're seeing of collagen in a sea sponge is probably very much identical from the collagen like we see in humans. So, as a result, this inspired me that the sea sponge may be bio-comparable, maybe about to be implanted into the human tissue.
Victoria - And it's this very porous structure that you can see these tiny little holes in it that made you think of that bone scaffold, is it?
Ming - Yeah. There are all these tiny holes and all these holes are connected to each other. It's very much like what we see in human bone tissues.
Victoria - You've brought some of the paste along. So, in this dish here, what do we have?
Ming - So, we took the sea sponge and processing in the lab and make this become a sea sponge paste. We now do this paste implant into an animal to examine osteo conductivity. Some of the study found that this sea sponge paste can induce bone formations in the muscles.
Victoria - Osteo conductivity, so that means, causing bone to grow, inducing bone to grow.
Ming - Yeah.
Victoria - So, it looks a little bit like wallpaper paste. It's peach and it sort of has these fine granules in it. It's got a rather sort of sticky kind of claggy consistency. What exactly is in there?
Ming - Well, what we do is that we process this. The key is to actually remove all the DNA in the cells from the sea sponge and then we just preserve the collagen component and some of the mineral components. And then we mix with some of the chemicals to actually make a paste-like structure that we can make a different shape according to the shape of the bone and then do the implant.
Victoria - The implant could be shaped for the fracture, for the damage, for the specific bone that you're using it for.
Ming - Yeah. Sometimes we can put it in as a strip or in some solid bone or we can make it injectable.
Victoria - So, from a simple walk on the beach to this, which could be used in human clinical trials within - how long do you think before this comes into the clinic?
Ming - At the moment, the key is that we have to finalise a so-called agriculture good manufacture practice to ensure that the starting material of sea sponge is not sea sponge they can pick up from the beach. It's actually a sea sponge that goes through a quality control production and then we can use in the patient and this is why it's holding me for so long, but I hope in the next 2 or so years. With potential partner, we're able to translate this idea into patient use.
Victoria - So, you'll get your steady supply of sea sponge and then hopefully, get this into the clinic, and it will be able to help heal some very problematic fractures.
Ming - Absolutely.
42:20 - Cells Between Life and Death
A new way of profiling all the chemicals made by cells when they are injured could help us reverse the damage caused by stroke.
Cells Between Life and Death
with Garth Maker, Ian Mullaney, Murdoch University
What do you get if you mix a pharmacologist - a drug specialist - with a Neuronschemist? Well if you are Murdoch scientists Garth Maker and Ian Mullaney then the answer is a totally new way of profiling how cells respond to toxic - or therapeutic - substances.
They've been profiling all of the chemicals made by cells - both when they are healthy and when they are injured - in order to develop a way to find new drugs that can reverse the damage done by a stroke. But their system has also enabled them to look at pesticide chemicals we used to think were safe...
Ian - Well, one of the problems that's been interesting me for a long time is, what happens when cells get injured. It's clear that when cells get injured either by some sort of mechanical trauma or chemical, or rather exogenous trauma, the cells won't immediately die. They're go into a period of being sick and then into a protective mode. In stroke for example, the stroke infarct, the area of dead tissue, a round about that becomes an area called the penumbra which are cells which are susceptible to damage. What we think there is there's a window of opportunity for example to actually protect those cells.
Chris - So, there is this period after a cell is injured when it maybe destined to die if there's no intervention, but not necessarily. And if you can work out what's going on when it goes into this mode, upstream of dying, you may be able to turn the tables and reverse the death process.
Ian - That's right. What seems to happen is that the cell starts to release compounds when they've been compromised. One of the major ones that they releases is a compound called glutamate and glutamate is ultimately a cell killer. But it seems that in these early stages, the glutamate is actually acting as a protector.
Chris - Garth, you're trying to do this by looking at what chemicals are in cells and come out of cells during these injury processes and the recovery processes. How are you actually doing that?
Garth - The basic principle of metabolomic analysis is that we want to profile as many of these small molecule metabolites - things like amino acids, sugars, fatty acids in a single sample as we can. So, we take the cells, we extract the metabolites, and we then use a combination of chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques in order to profile not only identifying which compounds are present in the sample. But also, how the levels change from one sample to another, which we can then use to actually see which changes are occurring in a specific sample that are due to the treatment or due to the toxic event.
Chris - So, Ian hands you some cells which he has made sick and you can then put the cells through your analytical process and come up with a profile. Not just at that moment in time, but I presume you could look at different points in time to work out how processes biochemically are changing around these cells as they go through this injury process.
Garth - Absolutely and that's one of the key advantages of the technology is that we get these very large amounts of data that tell us exactly what's going on in a whole range of biochemical pathways at both multiple time points and also, over a range of doses as well. So, we can get a true picture of the pharmacology or the toxicology of these compounds.
Chris - So, what is this is actually showing you, Ian?
Ian - What we're able to do is to take that data and then we can look at the data produced from the healthy cells and then compare it to the data produced from the cells that have been insulted. What we then actually end up with is actually a pictorial representation of the data. It makes it very easy to see the changes then. In the graft that we've produced, we can see a little hot spot of important chemicals which give us a normal condition and then we can see a shift in the graft. By looking at the shift, that gives us an indication of the damage and then we can maybe try and reverse that damage by adding protective drugs, to see if we can take the shifted pattern back to the normal pattern.
Chris - So, it's not just a question of saying, "Can we look for drugs that will stop this happening?" But you could also ask, "Why do some drugs cause damage? Or even, do they cause damage?" Because if you've got a new drug no one has ever seen before, you could put it into that kind of assay and see if the cells produce a metabolic profile in Garth's tests that are similar to the ones that are produced by known toxic agents. If they do, you know immediately this new drug may be harmful.
Ian - That's right. We've got quite a load of data now looking at methamphetamine and we can actually show when we treat the cells with methamphetamine, we can see these characteristic shifts from the well cell pattern to the sick cell pattern. And that could be extended to other drug of abuse and that's something that we're interested in at the moment anyway.
Chris - Obviously, if you can work out why some things cause bad things to happen, that may give you an insight into how to make good thing happen.
Ian - Yes, that's right. One of the things that again, we're interested in as actually screening compounds as neuroprotectants. What we have is a number of compounds planned to investigate. We make the cell sick. We can look at the pattern of the sick cells and then try and reverse that to make the cells healthy again.
Chris - Sounds so obvious. Now we're all having the sort of conversation doesn't it, to think you put a chemist like you Garth with a pharmacologist like you Ian, and you can do this. Why is no one doing this?
Garth - The technology for metabolomics is really only taken off in the last decade. I think it's the beautiful thing that we get in science which is where we have people with different skills coming together and realising that actually, we can combine these new skills and new technologies in exciting ways to look at things that we haven't been able to previously do.
Chris - And is it just drugs Ian or could we look at other things as well? People are quite worried about environmental contamination, that kind of thing.
Ian - No. Of course, we can actually look at any factor which has caused damage in these cells. So for example, we have a number of projects looking at pesticides - short term and long term exposure and we find changes in the metabolite profile of these cells which mimic normal damage that we've seen in cells.
Chris - Dare I ask, which insecticides you're seeing damage from?
Garth - So far, we've focused on ones that people will be commonly exposed to, primarily Permethrin which is found in a lot of flea treatments for household pets and also Malathion which is found primarily in head lice treatments. And we see not only do we have biochemical effects at very high concentrations as you might see during an accident, an exposure, but also chronic low level effects, and effects where we see a single one off event that then has a lasting effect within the cell over an extended period of time.
Chris - These compounds that are in common use because we regard them as safe. You're saying that in your assays, you can detect changes in cells biochemically which mirror changes caused by known very bad toxins.
Garth - And obviously, there's going to be a threshold whereby this will see some low level biochemical effects which are not in the long term toxic. At certain levels of exposure over certain periods of time, we will pass that point and we will see long term toxic exposure due to these compounds and that's something that I think we don't have enough data as to the long term effects of these compounds which are so prevalent in our environment.
Chris - So, what are the implications then for these things that are ubiquitously used in the environment - the coatings on the insides of the tin can that baked beans come out of? There must be all kinds of chemicals that this sort of level of scrutiny has never been done for.
Ian - That's absolutely, right. I think one of the problems that I think they've faced in the past is that we haven't been able to detect the changes at the low levels that these compounds are present in these products. And it's only now with the technologies, the mass spectrometry in particular that we can actually find effects caused by varied levels of exposure to these compounds.
Chris - Obviously, we've talked about brain cells a lot, but if you could probably do this for any bit of the body, couldn't you Garth?
Garth - Absolutely and our next focus is going to be on liver cells since these are the cells that are primarily going to deal with a lot of these toxic or potentially toxic compounds as they enter the body and indeed any other cell type that we are interested in, we could culture the cells and look at the effects of them using the same system, absolutely.
50:09 - Why do we dream? Why do we have nightmares?
We find out what's going on in our brains as we sleep. What are dreams? And why do we have nightmares?
Why do we dream? Why do we have nightmares?
Hannah - Thanks, Elisa. So, is there a biological reason for dreaming? We turn to the sleep and dream expert, Dr. Valdas Noreika based at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. He starts by debunking some sleeping myths.
Valdas - You may think that your brain switches off when you sleep, but no. In fact, the regions of your brain that process what we see and feel are just as active when we dream as when we are awake. But instead of using external stimuli such as what we see or hear is brain regions process with things we've learned and remember during the previous days. This means that we dream. But because when we dream we don't consciously choose a single memory to process, different memories can merge together in a spontaneous and rather unsystematic way. This means, we can create whole new worlds and people in our dreams.
Hannah - Thanks, Valdas. So, our dreams are the result of processing memories which can happen chaotically to integrate people, places, and times to create an incoherent dream world. Do we know why these dreams sometimes turn into nightmares though?
Valdas - As well as the memory part of your brain being active during dreaming, the motion processing part is also active including the fear processing limbic system. This might partially explain why negative emotions and feelings are much more common in dreams than in waking life and result in nightmares because what's in our dreams depends on memories of what we experience when we are awake. It's perhaps unsurprising that you've be experiencing high levels of stress in your day to day life, you're more likely to have nightmares. While there is no evidence of universal meaning of different contents of dreams, we certainly have a personal psychological meaning by bringing up traumatic experiences or perhaps by simply reminding us of old friends.
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Q & A: Perspectives on AI in the data center, by Ajay Gulati
How can AI be used to automate and streamline data centers?
AI can be used to predict and automate several challenging tasks in a datacenter, such as:
1. Finding anomalies in the behavior of devices and monitoring stats. For example, AI can be used to indicate a security breach by figuring out the typical rate of network data transmit and then raising an issue if that changes dramatically.
2. Detecting when a device might fail before it actually happens.
3. Predicting load spikes and automatically scaling out services before they happen.
What are the potential benefits that can be obtained with AI data center automation?
AI techniques can significantly reduce problem resolution time, because they can monitor for and identify issues before they get worse and have a broader impact. AI can also help human operators do their jobs more effectively. By helping to resolve problems quickly, AI can help avoid long downtimes for applications, and it can lessen the impact of security breaches by detecting attacks.
What types of data centers most stand to benefit from AI?
Virtualized or cloud enabled data centers are most likely to benefit from AI. These data centers have high degrees of consolidation and utilization. Also, in these data centers, resources are
pooled together to create automated, API-driven infrastructure. The rate of change in such data centers is much higher and the environment is highly dynamic. This makes these data centers most suitable for AI-based automation and problem-solving.
What’s the best way to begin using data center AI automation?
AI must be implemented gradually to build trust. IT administrators can start with a tool or solution that uses AI but gives the final conclusions or recommendation to a human. A human can then apply those recommendations after verifying that they make sense. Another way to start is to use AI to analyze data and give meaningful insights. Right now, most tools show a lot of data, but the analysis is left to infrastructure admins and operators.
What are the pitfalls to look out for?
Don’t trust any AI-based system blindly: these systems can also learn the wrong things based on bad data. It’s important to wait to get the system trained on enough data samples and to track a metric to measure the accuracy of predictions or false positives/negatives.
What’s the long-term outlook for AI-based data center automation?
AI is going to be more and more prevalent in data centers. We are using AI in so many other domains like transportation, finance, medical science, so it is only natural that we use it for data centers and machines that are used to do AI themselves. This is a simple recursion, which is well-known in computer science.
Final thoughts
The main criteria for developing AI-based solutions is to collect meaningful data in one place. Currently the data is distributed across customers and device vendors, which makes it harder to develop effective AI-based solution due to lack of data. Some startups are going in the direction of aggregating data from a large number of clouds or data centers in one place, so that they can build good AI models on top. At ZeroStack, we are on a similar mission and have already been collecting data for more than a year. This is one of the key requirements for success in this area. Beyond collecting data, it will be good if there are techniques to anonymize and share stats, metrics and other information across public and private data center deployments.
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According to Acts 17:1-9, Paul visited a Synagogue and engaged the congregation in discussions about Jesus as the Messiah. This meant there was probably a large Jewish community here at the time. Even in 1936, the British travel writer, H. V. Morton, could write, "A feature of [Thes]Salonica that impresses the visitor are newspapers and advertisements printed in Hebrew characters. There is an enormous Jewish colony in the port, but I am told that it has decreased since the Greek occupation. In Turkish times Solonica was often called a Jewish city." (In the Steps of St. Paul, p. 283) By 1956, however, another travel writer, Robert Kinsey, wrote, "If Paul were to return to Salonica, he would find today very few Jews; during the German occupation of the Second World War, most of the Jews fled and have never returned." (With Paul in Greece, p. 55) Actually, our guide told us, the Nazi's deported the Jews to concentrations camps.
As a result of Paul's preaching, a few of the Jewish men, many of the leading women and numerous "god-fearing" Greeks were persuaded by Paul's message. Gaining adherents made the established community jealous so they recruited some local thugs to make trouble. They couldn't find Paul and his companions, so the mob dragged some of his followers before the authorities and accused them of "turning the world upside down . . . acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus." (17:7). To avoid the trouble, Paul's friends helped him slip away in the night after only about three weeks in town.
From reading Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, written in 51 from Corinth, not long after leaving Thessalonica, it seems that he must have been there longer than three weeks and that most of his converts were working class pagans. He settled in and found work, "For you remember our labor and toil, brethren; we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God ( I Thess. 2:9)." He congratulates the assembly on their "work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope (1:3)" and reminds them of their pagan past, how they "turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God. (1:9)."
Thessalonica was the site of many cults, reflecting the cosmopolitan mix of the population. Archeology has uncovered places for worship of the Greek Pantheon, the Emperor, and cults such as those of Isis, Serapis, Osiris or Mithra. Adherence to the belief systems and ritual practices of these cults gave people identity, meaning and value. Shifting their allegiance "to serve a living and true God" meant, according to Neil Elliott, refusing "to participate in the intricate web of local cults that gave sacred legitimization to the empire." (Liberating Paul, p. 196) It seems like it would have taken an extended stay to establish a permanent community with deep commitments in such a social and religious environment.
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Glossary terms
Here is a very comprehensive glossary of both common and not so common terms used in the computer industry..
After Receipt of Order.
Access time
Time interval between the instant that a piece of information is requested from a memory device and the instant the information is supplied by the memory device.
The area of the RAM that stores the bits. The array consists of rows and columns, with a cell at each intersection that can store a bit. The large rectangular section in the center of the die where the memory is stored.
Ball Grid Array.
Bare board
A printed circuit board (PCB) that does not have any components on it.
Block diagram
A circuit or system drawing concerned with major functions and interconnections between functions.
The process of exercising an integrated circuit at elevated voltage and temperature. This process accelerates failure normally seen as "infant mortality" in a chip. (Those chips that would fail early during actual usage will fail during burn-in. Those that pass have a life expectancy much greater than that required for normal usage.)
An electronic traffic lane through which electrical signals are carried through one chip to another chip. For example, the address bus between an SDRAM and a DRAM controller takes the electrical signals which define a certain address and transfers them to the SDRAM memory.
Column-address-strobe. The signal which tells the DRAM to accept the given address as a column-address. Used with RAS and a row-address to select a bit within the DRAM.
Column Address Strobe Before Row Address Strobe. A fast refresh technique in which the DRAM keeps track of the next row it needs to refresh, thus simplifying what a system would have to do to refresh the part.
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. A process that uses both N- and P-channel devices in a complimentary fashion to achieve small geometries and low power consumption.
Clock rate
The number of pulses emitted from a computer's clock in one second; it determines the rate at which logical or arithmetic gating is performed in a synchronous computer.
One of the major units in a computer that interprets and carries out the instructions in a program.
Dual In-line Package.
Dynamic Random Access Memory. A type of memory component used to store information in a computer system. 'Dynamic' means the DRAMs need a constant 'refresh' (pulse of current through all of the memory cells) to keep the stored information. (See also RAM and SRAM.)
Date code
On boards: The date of preliminary release (the date that a printed circuit boards are approved for fabrication.) On component: The date of manufacture. In Test area: The code (on the part) showing the year and work week the part was marked.
An individual rectangular pattern on a wafer that contains circuitry to perform a specific function. The internal circuitry is made of thousands of tiny electronic parts. 'Die' refers to a semiconductor component or part that has not yet been packaged (also known as 'IC' (Integrated Circuit) or 'chip').
Die size
The physical measurements of the die.
Direct memory access
A computer feature that allows peripheral systems to access the memory for both read and write operations without affecting the state of the computer's central processor.
Dry pack
The process of preparing product for shipment in moisture vapor barrier bags. This process includes tubed or reeled product and a clay desiccant, and an HIC(Humidity Indicator Card), vacuum-sealed in a moisture vapor barrier bag.
Type of RAM (Random Access Memory). To keep data in the D(ynamic)RAM memory, this data needs to be 'refreshed' (recharged). The electric charge fades out of a DRAM like air seeps out of a balloon. Because of this change, it is called 'Dynamic.'
Electrically Erasable PROM.
Electrically Erasable Programmable Logic Device. A CMOS PLD made by using EEPROM technology. It can be erased and reprogrammed.
Electrically Erasable, PROgrammable, read-only Memory chip. EEPROMs differ from DRAMs in that the memory stays in even if electrical power is lost. Also, the memory can be erased and reprogrammed.
Erasable PROM.
Electrostatic discharge. The dissipation of electricity. ESD can easily destroy the semiconductor product.
The process of applying a cured-plastic protective housing to components. A mold compound. An Assembly step.
A process using a chemical bath (wet etch) or a plasma (dry etch) that removes unwanted substances from the wafer surface.
A local area network allowing several computers to transfer data on a communications cable.
Failure rate
Description of the rate at which parts fail, usually expressed as percent per 1,000,000
Fall out
Material that fails various tests within the component manufacturing process.
Flash memory
Flat panel display
The computer and display used at each die attach machine to display the map and/or messages pertaining to the map or the lot.
A Teflon Polyurethane wafer holder used to transport individual wafers. Flatpacks can be stacked to carry and protect several wafers at a time.
A flat, rectangular IC package type with leads sticking out from the sides of the package.
Indicates Goldstar as manufacturer (see also LGS)
Indicates hitachi as manufacturer.
Heat sink
A structure, attached to or part of a semiconductor device that serves the purpose of dissipating heat to the surrounding environment; usually metallic. Some packages serve as heat sinks.
Integrated Circuit. A tiny complex of electronic components and their connections that is produced in or on a small slice of material (as silicon).
Integrated Device Technology.
Indicates Lucky Goldstar as manufacturer.
The metal extensions from an IC package or discrete component that connects the component to the PCB. The leg or contact point of the component that is either physically soldered to a PC board or placed within a socket for connection.
A metal structure that is part of the device. The die is attached to the leadframe.
Leads or Legs: The official name for the metal 'feet' on an IC. Also called 'pins.' The part of the lead assembly that is formed after a portion of the lead frame is cut away. The part's connection to the outside world.
Linear circuit
A circuit that produces a voltage output approximately proportional to the input voltage, generally over a limited range of voltage frequency.
Locator pin
A pin in the mold which locates the leadframe in the correct position on the mold for processing.
Logic circuit
An integrated circuit which provides a fixed set of output signals according to the signals present at the input.
Logic gate
Several individual device functions on an integrated circuit chip.
Amount of memory equal to 1,048,576 bits of information. (Abbreviated Mb.)
Indicates Mitsubishi as manufacturer.
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor. Layers used to create a semiconductor circuit. A thin insulating layer of oxide is deposited on the surface of the wafer. Then a highly conductive layer of tungsten silicide is placed over the top of the oxide dielectric.
One million binary pieces (bits) of information.
Memory configuration
Memory cycle
Memory types
Cache Data SRAM: quick-access chip. DRAM dynamic random access memory. EPROM: erasable, programmable, read-only memory. PROM: programmable, read-only memory. RAM: random access memory. ROM: read-only memory (permanent memory that cannot be changed). SRAM: static random access memory.
Contained on one chip or substrate, as a microprocessor system including not only the logic but also memory or input/output circuits.
N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor. This pertains to MOS devices constructed on a P-type substrate in which electrons flow between N-type source and drain contacts. NMOS devices are typically two to three times faster than PMOS devices.
nanosecond (ns). One billionth of a second; used to measure the speed of the parts (e.g., -07 nanoseconds).
Non-Volatile Random Access Memory.
Literal: One-billionth (10 to the -9). Diffusion: A tool used to measure the thickness of a film on a wafer.
One billionth of a meter.
One billionth of a second. Light travels approximately 8 inches in 1 nanosecond.
Nonvolatile memory
A memory that retains information if power is removed and then reapplied.
Operating system
Programmable Array Logic. A device that can be programmed to do certain logic functions. Then a fuse inside of the device can be blown so the programmed information can never be changed. Sometimes called a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) Language.
Printed Circuit Board; board upon which there are layers of printed circuits where DRAMs can be attached with solder so that memory can be accessed.
Pin Grid Array.
Programmable Logic Array. An array of logic elements that can be programmed to perform a specific logic function. It can be as simple as a gate or as complex as a ROM and can be programmed (often by mask programming) so that a given input combination produces a known output function.
Programmable Logic Devices. Devices with 10-100 times higher level of integration than a TTL; called programmable because they can be customized in software rather than in hardware.
Plastic Quad Flat Pack. A square, flat package with 18-52 gullwing leads located around all four sides of the package.
Page mode
Mode in which if RAS is kept low and the DRAM is given a column-address without being given a new row-address, the chip will remember which row it was on the last time and automatically stay on that row. It is like saying that all the bits along one row are all on the same 'page,' and the part will assume the same page is intended until a different page is specified.
Part number
The number used to identify the family, capacity, and special characteristics of the part (e.g., 4C4001: 4 = DRAM, C = CMOS, 4001 = memory density (1 million bits) and how it is accessed (4 access lines).
Passive device
A device incapable of current gain or switching such as a resistor or capacitor.
Populated board
A PCB with components.
Power down
To turn the system's power OFF.
Power up
To turn the system's power ON.
Quad flat pack
QFP: A flat, rectangular, integrated circuit with its leads projecting from all four sides of the package without radius.
Row-Address-Strobe: the signal that tells the DRAM to accept the given address as a row-address. Used with CAS and a column-address to select a bit within the DRAM.
Reduced Instruction Set Computing. The design methodology is usually associated with microprocessors. RISC chips use simpler instructions, or commands, than CISC chips. However, they need to use more steps to perform many functions that CISC chips perform in one step. SPARC and MIPS chips are based on RISC.
Returned Material Authorization; required if a customer desires to return products. Also refers to parts that have been returned from a customer.
Read time
The amount of time required for the output data to become valid once the read and address inputs have been enabled; generally called access time.
Row address
The number of the row where a particular bit is stored.
Describes how many rows are on a wafer map in the X direction. (X = left to right. Y = top to bottom).
Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory. Delivers bursts of data at very high speeds using a synchronous interface.
Synchronous Graphic Random-Access Memory.
Single In-line Memory Module: a high-density DRAM package alternative consisting of several PLCCs connected to a single printed circuit board. A small PCB designed to mount in a socket on a larger PCB providing a large memory upgrade in a small space. One of the products of Micron.
Single In line Package. A component or module that has one row of leads along one side. Many resistors come in SIP form.
Small Outline J-lead package. A rectangular package with leads sticking out of the side of the package. The leads are formed in a J-bend profile, bending underneath and towards the bottom of the package. Lead counts range from 20 to 44 leads.
(Static Random Access Memory) An integrated circuit similar to a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) with the exception that the memory does not need to be refreshed.
An element, such as silicon, that has intermediate in electrical conductivity between conductors and insulators, which conduction takes place by means of holes and electrons.
A reduction in die (chip) size. A reduction in the size of the circuit design resulting in smaller die sizes that increases the number of possible die per wafer.
Speed grade
Static RAM
Unlike volatile memory, static memory retains its contents even when the main current is turned off. The trickle of electricity from a battery is enough to refresh it.
An input that allows parallel data to be entered a synchronously.
The actual structural material on which semiconductor devices are fabricated, whether passive or active. The term applies to any supportive material, such as the materials used in the fabrication of printed circuits.
Surface-mount package
A J-leaded or Gullwing package (DJ, TG, RG, G, EJ, etc.) that can be mounted directly on the surface of P.C. Boards (as opposed to through-hole packages).
Indicates Texas Instruments as manufacturer
Indicates Toshiba as manufacturer.
Thin Small Outline Package. It is thinner and slightly smaller than an SOJ and with gullwing-shaped leads. Our TSOP is 1.2mm in height. Height distinguishes the TSOP from the SSOP. A thin, rectangular package with leads sticking out the sides of the package. Lead counts range from 20 to 40 leads.
An electrical process every product goes through which tests the parts for parametric, speed, and functional failures.
Video Random-Access Memory.
Indicates Western Digital as manufacturer.
Write-Enable; WE must be pulsed low when data is written to the chip.
Write time
Time expended from the moment data is entered for storage to the time it is actually stored.
Zig-zag In-line Package. |
(Image: Club Logo) HCC
The Television-like display of a computer usually termed today as the monitor.
A program used to help prevent monitor burn-in. Burn-in occurs if the same image is left too long on a computer monitor. After a designated time period, the screesaver places random images on the screen, or moves one or more images around, which prevents stationary-image burn-in. Some screensavers also blank the screen to black.
Small Systems Computer Interface. A type of controller used with various hardware devices such as SCSI hard drives.
To transmit data one bit at a time, as opposed to parallel which transmits all bits in a byte simultaneously.
A set of instructions that directs the computer to perform some function. Also known as a program.
Source Code:
A set of instructions written as people read & write. This is then compiled or interpreted by a program to perform various actions.
A word coined from the luncheon meat, it refers to unsolicited advertisements.
A program generally used to store numerical information in rows and/or columns for mathematical computations. Some use spreadsheets to organise text data, as well.
Storage Sevice:
Any peripheral that stores information, such as a disk, tape, CD-ROM, flash drive, etc. for for future retrieval.
A directory within a directory. Subdirectories typically are used to hold related files of a given subject.
A list of commands or options that opens up after selecting a top-level menu item. It in turn will contain more menu items.
The grammar method of a computer - essentually its language.
System Prompt:
An indicator on the screen of a command line operating system or in a command-line window of a graphic operating system. It usually is shown as a flashing cursor preceeded by a drive letter and other characters. This indicator tells the user the system is ready to accept input. The best known command-line systems are DOS and Unix.
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What Is Alabama Rot? Here's Everything Pet Owners Need to Know About the Deadly Dog Disease
It's also called "Black Death" disease—and vets aren't sure how it spreads.
It's been over three decades since the alarming dog disease Alabama Rot first made headlines. The illness, which was discovered in racing greyhounds in Alabama in the 1980s, has now cropped up in the U.K. where it's spreading across the country.
While vets and experts don't fully understand the illness, which is usually fatal, there are a few steps pet owners can take to protect their pups. Here's everything dog owners around the globe need to know about the sickness.
What is Alabama rot?
The disease, formally called Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), damages blood vessels in the kidney and skin often leading to kidney failure and skin sores and cuts, according to .
Unfortunately, there is little known about the disease including the cause and best treatment, but experts have noticed a pattern in cases developing more often in the spring and autumn. "It is quite scary partly because we don’t understand it and it is very serious if a dog gets it," Dr. Huw Stacey, a vet and the director of clinical services at , tells Ikaroo.info.
What are the symptoms?
The first sign of the sickness is typically the development of wounds or lesions on the skin, and/or signs of kidney failure including lethargy, vomiting, and decreased appetite. The abrasions associated with Alabama Rot look similar to ulcers or burns, and may cause swelling. Several days after showing these early symptoms, damage to blood vessels in the kidney leads to kidney failure. A small percentage of dogs also experience fever, diarrhea, bloody stools, seizures, and even jaundice, according to .
Where is it spreading?
There's cause for concern in the U.K. right now where the disease has killed over 126 dogs in recent years with 22 deaths reported since the beginning of 2018. There are no known cases in the U.S. right now, though that could change. "It’s still rare," Dr. Stacey tells Ikaroo.info. "There’s no evidence to suggest it could or will spread to other countries, but that’s not to say it couldn’t."
alabama rot map
Google Maps
What causes it?
Experts aren't sure what causes the disease, nor do they understand how it spreads, but they believe it may be contracted through puddles or bodies of water containing harmful bacteria.
There could also be a link between the disease and woodland or forested areas. "That would appear to be an association, but it’s hard to say that’s a definite association at the moment," Dr. Stacey says. "It's common, but some dogs will walk in those areas and get the disease, but then some dogs who get the disease haven’t."
What are the best practices for prevention?
While the disease is serious, there's no reason for dog owners to panic yet. "This shouldn’t alter any person’s plans to take their dog out for a walk or do anything they want to do with them," Dr. Stacey says. "The best advice is just to be aware of it and be vigilant."
Vets recommend cleaning your dog after they walk through puddles or mud. "My advice, which I am undertaking with my own dogs, is not to walk in woodland and to always wash the mud off your dog after a walk," Graeme Pack, the clinical director at Purton Veterinary Group, told .
What are the best treatment options?
If you suspect your dog may be sick, you should take him to see their vet as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment could save their life. "When a dog does have it, it’s very serious even with the best medical care," Dr. Stacey says. "Only about two in 10 dogs pull through with everything we can do for them."
There's no vaccine for the illness yet, but there are some treatment options for ailing dogs. "If your dog seems unwell or you see any wounds on their limbs or anywhere on the body you can’t be certain you can explain, definitely get it checked out with your vet," Dr. Stacey says.
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The Ethiopians love to celebrate, whether important events in their history, major landmarks in the religious calendar or simply special family days. Best clothes are worn, food and drink are plentiful, musicians play and people dance and sing . Generally three types of festival; social like coffee ceremony [every ethiopian practice every day], cultural like bull jumping and stick fight in the omo valley and Other religious festivals are a Fasika (Easter), Inkutatash (the New Year in mid-September) and Genna (Christmas in early January). All the Islamic holidays are also celebrated according to the lunar cycle of shifting dates as in other countries Timket (Ethiopian Epiphany) But it is the major Ethiopian Orthodox festivals that represent the people at their most colorful and festival.
Timkat usually falls on the January 19 and20, 12 days after Christmas according to the Julian calendar. Festivities take place the day before as well as the day after. This date varies by a day during leap years. The festival is celebrated throughout the Ethiopian highlands in Orthodox Christian strongholds, but nowhere is it quite as spectacular as in Lalibela, an isolated mountain town in the arid north of the country. It is a colourful three-day festival celebrating Epiphany and it is marked by the procession of the tabots (the replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, the original of which is said to be in the chapel at Axum) around the towns, draped in heavy embroidered materials. People bathe in the lakes and splash water over onlookers.
After the ceremony, the tabots are taken back to the churches in procession, accompanied by singing, drumming, the ringing of bells and blowing of trumpets. Festivities continue throughout the day and into the night. More religious ceremony takes place the following day, dedicated to the Archangel Mikael, after which the priests are fed by their parishioners and young people continue to celebrate into the night. This is the most colorful event in the year when churches parade their Tabots to a nearby body of water.
Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year)
Maskal [foundation of true cross]
Genna (Christmas)
Christmas, called Lidet, is not the primary religious and secular festival that it has become in Western countries. Falling on 7 January, it is celebrated after 43 days fasting known as Tsome Gahad (Advent) , by a church service and spectacular procession that goes on throughout the night, with people moving from one church to another. Traditionally, young men played a game similar to hockey, called genna, on this day, and now Christmas has also come to be known by that name.Best place to witness this festival: Lalibela Traditionally, young men play a game called Genna that is similar to the European hockey.
Hidar Tsion in November
The Virgin Mary is one of the most venerated of all religious figures in Ethiopia. About 33 days are annually dedicated to different celebrations in the commemoration of Mary “ Hidar Tsion” is associated with the presence of the Ark of the Covenant in Axum and belief that the Ark itself is a symbolism to her womb.
Best place to witness this festival: Axum
If you want to receive the whole lists of religious festivals, please send us your request. Sheik Hussein Besides the globally celebrated Muslim Festivals, the Celebration in honor of this Muslim cleric is observed in the shrine among most of the Ethiopian muslims that come from all over the country |
S disease patients&39.
The Mount Sinai study outcomes revolve around synapses, the gaps between nerve cells. Within healthful nerve pathways, each nerve cell sends an electric pulse down itself until it gets to a synapse where it triggers the discharge of chemicals known as neurotransmitters that float over the gap and trigger the downstream nerve cell to ‘fire’ and spread the message. The theory is these sticky clumps actually interfere with synaptic structures and disrupt mechanisms that maintain storage circuits' fitness. ‘Considering that cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease is considered to start years before symptoms show up, we believe our outcomes possess broad implications for preventing Alzheimer's dementia and disease.Health benefits as an antioxidant was exhibited with regards to preventing both cardiovascular diabetes and attack. Benefits of black tea have already been well documented as time passes, and because its flavor is appealing, people adjust to daily intake easily. Several factors should be considered before raising intake of daily tea. For instance, sweetened tea is preferred by many. If tea intake is increased on a regular basis, blood sugar levels would exceed normal limits. High doses of caffeine may lead to high blood pressure and anxiety. |
Hole in My Life Test | Mid-Book Test - Medium
Jack Gantos
Buy the Hole in My Life Lesson Plans
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to Section 1: Chapter 3, Gantos dedicated the first section of his four section journal to _________.
(a) Inspired ideas for books.
(b) Passages from books that inspire him.
(c) Vocabulary practice.
(d) Daily entries.
2. Jack Gantos attended a school that was a renovated _________.
(a) Church.
(b) Prison.
(c) Hospital.
(d) Train station.
3. Tim Scanlon promised to help Gantos by going in with him to buy ____________, which they could sell.
(a) Opium.
(b) Marijuana.
(c) Baseball cards.
(d) Broken cars.
4. To what was the third section of Gantos' journal dedicated?
(a) Daily entries.
(b) Vocabulary practice.
(c) Inspired ideas for books.
(d) Passages from books that inspire him.
5. What did Jack's friend Tim Scanlon need when he arrived in town?
(a) Money for drugs.
(b) Place to stay.
(c) To use his car.
(d) To borrow a book.
Short Answer Questions
1. What had Jack Gantos dreamed of being since he was young?
2. Gantos's father believed Rik to be a __________.
3. After locating a translator on board, what did the Japanese on the fishing vessel agree to give Hamilton and Gantos?
4. Where was Ernest Hemingway born?
5. What did the Japanese send back to Hamilton in return for his thank you gift?
Short Essay Questions
1. How does Gantos describe his journal and its divisions in Section 1, Chapter 3?
2. How is Gantos's lack of experience illustrated in Section 2, Chapter 3? How is Hamilton's experience illustrated?
3. How is Hamilton's knowledge of Gantos and his fears described in Section 2, Chapter 3?
4. Describe the beginning of Gantos's journey in Section 2, Chapter 2. Where did he first sail?
5. What did Gantos learn from Hamilton along the journey in Section 2, Chapter 3?
6. What led Hamilton and Gantos to follow the Coast Guard in Section 2, Chapter 3?
7. Describe Gantos's low point in Section 1, Chapter 4. What did Gantos do during this time?
8. How does the author describe St. Croix upon his arrival in Section 2, Chapter 1?
9. How was Gantos inspired by the writing of Jack Kerouac in Section 1, Chapter 4?
10. Where did Gantos live the remainder of his senior year in high school? Where was his family?
(see the answer keys)
This section contains 925 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
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Hole in My Life from BookRags. (c)2019 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Brain Cancer Prognosis
Cancer » Brain Cancer » Brain Cancer Prognosis
Brain cancer is a life threatening disease which occurs when the malignant tissues attack the cells of the brain. This results into unwanted growth of cells in the brain. Later, these cells start attacking other parts of body through the bloodstream and so this tumor spreads. Person suffering from brain cancer finds it difficult to balance the body and maintain its equilibrium. This disease generally happens in old age and is mostly seen in people in the age group of 40 to 65 years. A medical study conducted by New York University of Clinical cancer states that more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with this cancer every year. It further states that 5 in every thousand people are able to recover from this cancer successfully. This concludes that the survival rate of brain cancer is very low. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and nutrition therapy are the commonly used treatments on this cancer. Brain cancer prognosis is the course of action taken to cure the disease and the outcome of this disease.
Brain cancer prognosis depends upon the following considerations
• Location, size and type of cancer
During prognosis, it is very important to consider the location, size and type of brain cancer as it gives a brief idea about the tumor. It also makes the doctor realize how big the tumor was and how fast has it spread throughout the body.
• The stage of cancer
Stage of brain cancer gives the doctor a brief idea about the spread of the malignant cells in the body.
• How quickly the cells tend to grow and spread
This helps to understand the time span taken by the tumor to spread throughout the body.
• Age of the person, his medical condition and kind of treatment he is going through
It is very important to understand these factors while conducting brain cancer prognosis as it gives a brief idea about the medical history if the patient and the seriousness of the disease.
Brain cancer prognosis can be defined as an opinion of the doctor on the basis of facts that are found out during the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the ability of the patient to recover from this life threatening disease.
Brain Cancer Prognosis It also helps the family members and relatives of the patient to understand the importance of the disease and plan the finance that will be needed for the treatment purpose. On the other hand, it also helps assist other individuals who are suffering from this disease to get knowledge about the experience, treatment and changes which are necessary for a person going through brain cancer. While discussing prognosis of a patient, various factors that affect the treatment are considered. It also acts as a form of information for researchers and other people suffering from the disease.
While reading prognosis, it is important to keep in mind that brain cancer prognosis is just a prediction about the disease and so the doctor cannot be sure of the results if the same kind of treatment is followed on the other person.
Brain cancer prognosis information of other patient can also prove to be dangerous as the statistical data can frighten and confuse the patient and can reduce his confidence which is extremely important for recovering from this disease.
Brian cancer prognosis tends to change if the tumor reoccurs or if it gets into the advanced stages. It can also change if the patient is able to recover fully from the disease due to successful treatment.
While following prognosis of a certain patient, one should keep in mind that seeking prognosis information is a personal decision and so it is up to them to decide how much information they want to know and follow for recovering from this disease. life expectancy is roughly equal to brain cancer prognosis rate and is different for different stages of the disorder. Thus, the above article helps us to understand all important information regarding brain cancer prognosis. It also highlights the importance of this disease.
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Icelandic genome study yields new disease genes
Nature Medicine study focuses on the probability of developing Alzheimer’s
A new genetic sequence which seems to pose a major risk of developing Alzheimer's is among the findings of a landmark, population-wide genomics study in Iceland.
The finding is described in one of four scientific papers published in Nature Medicine which provide some of the first indications of the power of the initiative, which is being spearheaded by Amgen subsidiary deCODE Genetics.
The project has been ongoing for years and has now collated whole-genome sequence data from more than 100,000 people - out of Iceland's total population of about 323,000 - which can be linked to family trees to see how genes behave across generations.
The work provides invaluable insights into "the history of our species and for contributing to new means of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease," said deCODE founder Kari Stefansson, who told the BBC that the company now has the ability to find all the women in Iceland with the BRCA breast cancer mutation "at the touch of a button."
The data is currently anonymised, so moving to that next step will require considerable debate about how this sort of data can be used - something that is also a major consideration of other national genomics programmes such as the UK's 100,000 genomes project and the recently-started Precision Medicine Initiative in the US.
"This is very much more than a molecular national selfie," he stressed, pointing out that the research is already helping to find more accurate diagnostics for rare diseases and identifying new risk factors and drug targets.
Among the other findings of the programme is the identification of more than a thousand human 'knockout' cases - in which genes have been switched off due to rare mutations - which can be used to study their role in health and other traits.
A study of the Y chromosome has also provided an estimate of the last common ancestor of all humans by looking at the rate of mutation in the male Y-chromosome, while other findings include mutations that seem to predispose people to develop atrial fibrillation as well as liver and thyroid disease.
"These results provide a strategy for the analysis of the full spectrum of genetic variation in any population and raise questions about how society should implement the knowledge gained," says a lead editorial in Nature Genetics.
Article by
Phil Taylor
26th March 2015
From: Research
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Biological Background of Block Periodized Endurance Training: A Review
Block periodized (BP) training is an innovative and prospective approach that is drawing increasing attention from coaching scientists and practitioners. However, its further dissemination and implementation demands serious scientific biological underpinnings. More specifically, the fundamental scientific concepts of homeostatic regulation, stress adaptation and the law of supercompensation determine the biological essence and content of appropriate block mesocycles, i.e., the accumulation, transmutation and realization cycles, respectively. Such a separation is intended to prevent conflicting physiological responses and provide a favorable interaction for training effects. Several studies have evaluated the metabolic effects of various training programs, and the superiority of the BP model has been confirmed in terms of significant gains of maximal oxygen uptake, maximal power output and positive trends in athletic performance. It was found that the endocrine status of athletes is strictly dependent on appropriate blocks such as voluminous extensive workloads combined with resistance training (accumulation), lower-volume intense training (transmutation), and event-specific precompetitive training (realization). Evidence from molecular biology indicates the major regulators that determine meaningful adaptive events within specific block mesocycles. Specifically, voluminous extensive accumulation blocks stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and protein synthesis in slow-twitch muscle fibres, whereas lower-volume intense workloads of the transmutation blocks evoke adaptive modifications in fast-twitch glycolytic and oxidative-glycolytic muscle fibers. Furthermore, such a training program causes a remarkable elevation of myonuclear content in muscle fibers that enables athletes to regain previously acquired abilities. The precompetitive realization block produces accentuated expression of stress-related and myogenic genes that affect protein synthesis and increase muscle glycogen. In addition, such a program stimulates and increases the size, force and power of fast-twitch fibers.
Autor / Fonte:Vladimir B Issurin Sports Medicine 2018 November 8
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40279-018-1019-9 |
California Pre-kindergarten Standards for Music
Prekindergarten Standards -
From the California Standards Introduction - "Dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts have endured in all cultures throughout the ages as a universal basic language. The arts convey knowledge and meaning not learned through the study of other subjects. Study in and through the arts employs a form of thinking and a way of knowing based on human judgment, invention, and imagination. Arts education offers students the opportunity to envision, set goals, determine a method to reach a goal and try it out, identify alternatives, evaluate, revise, solve problems, imagine, work collaboratively, and apply self-discipline. As they study and create in the arts, students use the potential of the human mind to its full and unique capacity. The visual and performing arts are a vital part of a well-rounded educational program for all students.
For each arts discipline the content standards are grouped under five visual and performing arts strands: artistic perception; creative expression; historical and cultural context; aesthetic valuing; and connections, relations, and applications. At each grade level, prekindergarten through grade eight, content standards are specified for each strand.
Visual and Performing Arts Strands:
Read and Notate Music
Listen to, Analyze, and Describe Music
1.2 Identify the sources of a wide variety of sounds.
1.3 Use body movement to respond to dynamics and tempo.
Creating, Performing, and Participating in Music
Apply Vocal and Instrumental Skills
2.2 Use the voice to speak, chant, and sing.
Compose, Arrange, and Improvise
Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Music
Diversity of Music
3.1 Use a personal vocabulary to describe music from diverse cultures.
Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works of Music
Derive Meaning
4.1 Create movements in response to music.
4.2 Participate freely in musical activities.
Connections and Applications
5.1 Improvise songs to accompany games and playtime activities.
Careers and Career-Related Skills
National and State Subject Matter Content Standards
California Subject Matter Content Standards |
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Students use creative tools in the Seesaw app or website to complete classroom activities like "Australian Coins - W…"
Kathryn Watkins
Student Instructions
Australian Coins - Ways to Make $1.00
1. Use the coins to show different ways to make $1.00 2. Click the button 3. Take a of your coins showing different ways to make $1.00 5. Can you add a number sentence to explain the way you worked out that the total of each of your groups was $1.00 4. Use the to share the the strategies you used to work out different ways to make $1.00 5. Click to upload your completed work.
1st Grade, 2nd Grade, Math
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In learning the West Frisian language I'm amazed at how, after learning the pronunciation of the Frisian alphabet, how closely related is English and Frisian grammar and vocabulary. So much so that Frisian, I think, can be called a 'cognate language' to English. And having gone to sea for nearly twenty years and been exposed to many different languages, it occurs to me then that what we call 'the English language' is not age-modified Anglo-Saxon. Instead, I believe true 'English' is really a lingua-franca, a trade language consisting mostly of Frisian interspersed with Saxon, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Flemish words and phrases.
There is no way for me under the present StackExchange scheme of individual websites for specific languages to ask questions, provide answers, or to comment on multi-(Germanic) language questions related to, for example, the possibility that a 16th or 17th (or even earlier) "pidgin-English" trade language existed in and around North Sea and English Channel ports, harbors, and countries engaged in trade and commerce with each other, and that lingua-franca gave rise to or ultimately became the 'common' English language.
Would not implementing a provisional StackExchange "Germanic languages and dialects" Q&A website provide such a forum?
• 1
What about the existing Linguistics site? – Mithrandir Mar 22 '17 at 14:31
• For the Germanic languages alone there at the very least 200 to 400 additional Germanic language-specific tags that would be required to cover the various Germanic languages and regional dialects from pre-Roman through modern times. I would think that the precedent of adding "Germanic languages" to "Linguistics" would necessarily lead to additions of many other language groups, and their own language/dialect-specific tags, to the "Linguistics" website as well, wouldn't it? And if so, it's easy to see that doing so would create a nightmarish mess even if only grammar tags were added. – К. Келлогг Смиф Mar 23 '17 at 2:04
• Tags are only added if they are needed; that is, if there are multiple questions on a site about a certain subject. – sumelic Mar 23 '17 at 21:48
• @sumelic: How then can a user cite and use an SE tag that is not listed in a website's own list of available tags? Are you telling me that SE users, on their own volition and for any whim or reason, can create and add tags at will into this proposed SE website's list of tags? – К. Келлогг Смиф Mar 24 '17 at 2:13
• Any user with enough reputation on a site can create a tag. For a beta site like Linguistics, the "Create Tags" privilege requires 150 reputation. – sumelic Mar 24 '17 at 4:08
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Natural antidepressants - Definition
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An antidepressant is a molecule that goes against the depressive state. A natural antidepressant is part of the category of alternative medicine and promotes the well-being of people suffering from mild depression. Plants like St. John's wart, rhodiola, and Bach flowers alleviate fatigue, anxiety, or insomnia. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, light therapy, or acupuncture can permit a person with depression to regain balance. Physical activity and a balanced diet are also considered natural antidepressants. |
Decimal() instead of float?
Terry Reedy tjreedy at
Sat Nov 18 00:24:16 CET 2006
"Michael B. Trausch" <fd0man at> wrote in message
news:1163800304.5107.179.camel at pepper...
> Let's say that I want to work with the latitude 33.6907570. In Python,
> that number > can not be stored exactly without the aid of
> decimal.Decimal().
> >>> 33.6907570
> 33.690756999999998
> >>>
> As you can see, it loses accuracy after the 6th decimal place.
No, it loses accuracy in the 15th decimal place, which is the 17th digit.
This is far more accurate than any measured latitude could be.
If the above is a measurement, it represents anything from 33.69075695
to 33.69075705. The conversion error would have to be multiplied by some
number of millions before it would be visible in the 7th decimal place
(your last).
Any trigonometric calculations will use an *approximate* value of pi and
polynomial *approximations* of the theoretical functions.
Perhaps you have been given impossible conditions to fulfill.
Terry Jan Reedy
More information about the Python-list mailing list |
Unilever Name
Name: Nicky van BelleClass: IB1CDelivery time:
The contents
TOC o “1-3” h z u Geen inhoudsopgavegegevens gevonden.
The role of marketing in organisations
The role of marketing is very important. Large and small organisations are striving for the same market. In this assignment I will explain which marketing techniques Unilever use to market a product in an organisation. First I will explain which techniques Unilever use and then the organisation which I choose. What Unilever is doing, is that they market their products from business to business. Examples are Lipton which I describe later in this assignment, Becel, Axe, Ola, Vaseline, Knorr ,Rexona etcetera. Also is Unilever the manufacturer of 400 companies.
The marketing techniques which Unilever use are communicate with their clients, that Unilever very responsible is for advertisement and marketing , the brand awareness, the marketing in food, for children and they are promoting things like healthy body images.
Communicating with clientsUnilever use websites, channels, special phone lines or numbers so that they can help their customers online. They support the consumer to show what the substances are and if the substances in it are right so they have the right information with understatements so that there is no risk for their consumers.
Advertisement and marketing Unilever is a global company so that means that they have to make good advertisements and a good marketing for their consumers. They show that to make different brands who matter and advertisements. Unilever make marketing and advertisements all over the world, like on television, show the famous logos on billboard during a soccer match .
Brand awareness Brand awareness is very important for the consumers but also for the company, also for the business on social media. Consumers will buy products when they recognize the well-known logo because it is famous and they know it’s a good quality like Coca-Cola or Nespresso. For the company is the brand awareness important because if a company has a new product or a new service, the consumers can decide which product better is ,so there coming competitions between companies. It also improve the lives of the consumers.
Marketing in food and children Since 2003, Unilever started to apply their own kind of marketing for food products. Unilever is responsible for the children who look at the advertisements so they have to act that everything of Unilever is right. What Unilever also does is that if you buy an product for water, then your money goes to a charity for the people who don’t have clean drink water. One of the principles that Unilever has to show is that they have to say how their products
LiptonI choose Lipton, because I think that this is a good example for marketing in organisations.I would like to explain the business aim and objectives, marketing aims and objectives, marketing concept, Ansoff analysis, branding strategy and costumer relationship marketing concept (CRM).
Business aims and objectives Business aims and objectives means that the goals a business sets to increase productivity and sales. The business objectives of Lipton in the private sector will survival and grow. In the private sector , companies make a profit. When the businesses set objectives, they have to make sure that these are SMART.
Marketing aims and objectives The marketing aims are different from a business objectives. Both use SMART, but marketing is based on factors other than growth and survival.
Market leadership
Marketing strategies and techniques Lipton has chosen a niche market, that means that they go for large share of a few products, but the people of Lipton think that it has to change for new products. The target group of Lipton is basically ranging from 15 to 60 years. So Lipton has focused on the middle class and the upper class, because the special tastes are not for everyone. It is especially for the classy people who would like to have a great lifestyle. But nowadays, the target group of Lipton is for the people who are hip and trendy. The Lipton products have a high price , because the quality of Lipton tea is also very high. Lipton would like that their consumers have comfort and pleasure when they drink their tea. For years of any problems , it’s been solved of drinking a cup of tea as example: in families and between husband and wives. So the aim of Lipton is to add sunshine to your day with the first sip of goodness. The product of Lipton can you buy in stores, supermarkets and offices.
Ansoff Matrix
The original Ice tea pack Ice tea green, mint lime, raspberry
Ice tea zero The tea bags and glass |
Today, many scholars and media experts have began studying how various problems fall into play when users become oversaturated with the consumption of media. These problems include loss of confidence, lack of communication, and the destruction of creativity. Many of these become evident when users turn to social media for entertainment but instead, unintentionally start to rely on their phones so much so that it becomes a normality. This results in studies of how social media plays a part in a person’s emotions and thinking process. Unfortunately, some obstacles are presented with the study of media because you can’t box majority of consumers into variable factors such as age, educational ranking, or socio-economic level. While considering these obstacles, social media experts have established that the use of media does play a role in the problems listed above.
One factor to consider when discussion the effects of social media is how accessible it is to a user and what role accessibility plays in a teenagers self judgement. For those from a different generation, the idea of posting a “selfie” online or posting very personal information such as locations, circle of friends, and emotional/family problems seems very unusual. But for the teenagers and young adults today, these events are frequently seen and it is evident that many users of social media strive to be accepted regardless of the cost. At first glance, this search for self worth seems like a harmless fad but with critical analysis it can be drawn to why a teenager feels discouraged or unaccepted. More often than not this search for kinship results in a loss of confidence as opposed to feelings of empowerment which again leads to the topic of self-confidence.
Confidence is a key component in a person’s everyday life regardless if they are male or female. Modern social media effects a user’s confidence level as many reluctantly admit to a loss of confidence. A major reason for their low confidence levels sprouts from the urge the average boy or girl has to look skinnier. This urge is largely caused by the correlation between being thin and being attractive is formulated inside social media sources. According to a recent study of social media by the Dove self esteem project “82 percent of women feel the beauty standards set by social media are unrealistic,” according to the Dove study (DOVE). And “almost three quarters of men and women believe social media comments that critique their appearances are destructive to their self-esteem” (DOVE). Upon analyzing the Dove study, one can conclude that social media does produce feelings of negativity. As stated in the data, more than 8 out of 10 women emphasize that they feel unacceptable in society post social media exposure. Data and numerical studies such as those conducted by dove should not be overlooked when discussing the pros and cons of social media. Unfortunately, the chance of discussing topics such as the effects of social media on self confidence are very slim given the fact that many intellectual discussions are seen as not important to American standards of living. Furthermore, I have concluded that if Americans wish to boost confidence in themselves as well as end these false depictions of beauty, those who use social media must realize that they should not feel unattractive just because someone in their timeline is portrayed as more attractive. Creativity is another trait that is affected by media usage. One’s ability to think creatively is directly proportional to how intelligent the person is. Based on years of firsthand experience as well as the research I have done on the effects of social media, I insist that the creative nature of a teenager is quickly drained when a teenager spends majority of their time on outlets such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. An example of this drainage can be seen when a teenager doesn’t think twice about checking these outlets. In reality we all know someone that is constantly on there phone the moment they become bored even if other forms of entertainment are accessible. With that someone in mind, consider the other options that person has to cure there boredom. Whether it is opening up more conversation with loved ones, or engaging in a sport to pass the time, or shaving off a few minutes of phone usage to pick up a musical instrument, the opportunities are endless. A teenager’s tendency to substitute these opportunities depends on the outlook a child’s parent has on social media usage. Unfortunately a teen’s parent usually doesn’t intervene usually because they are unaware that social media actually threatens their child’s creativity.
Another teenage trait that is affected by media is communication. Based on my eye-witness knowledge as well as the picture above, I conclude that a family’s communication is negatively affected by media on a daily basis. With that being said I believe that a large part of a teen’s poor communication is caused by the parents in America not sitting their child down and forming a concrete amount of time their child can use media. A piece of evidence explaining why parents should encourage their teens to use less time on media can be found on a CNN article regarding this issue. According to Kelly Wallace’s CNN post “On any given day, teens in the United States spend about nine hours using media for their enjoyment, according to the report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focused on helping children, parents and educators navigate the world of media and technology” (CNN). This statement places a large number on the well known extreme teenage media usage, nine hours! This astronomical amount of time just goes to show how much time social media steals from communication, and this number does not include the time a teen uses their phone for educational purposes which proves to pale in comparison with media usage. Another statement found on the same article saying “Texting is so much less empathetic than having a conversation in person and looking somebody in the eye and having physical or at least a verbal presence with them” (CNN). This quote brings empathy into the conversation of teenage communication saying that using media makes it even harder for a person to develop communication skills. I can give my affirmation on teenage lack of communication through a story about my cousin(s). One time my family and I were visiting my aunt Julie’s house for a holiday reunion. When we rang the doorbell we were greeted by only my aunt and her husband and my cousins were nowhere to be found. Shortly after we entered, my aunt said “Yea, the kids don’t want to come down they have been in there rooms for the past three hours go get them.” Then I went to my cousin Matthew’s room and him and his sister were glued to their phones until I told them to come downstairs. Even the whole time we were there my cousins were hardly interacting with my family and I. It got so bad that we had to ignore that they were even there because their presence was non-existent. Situations like these will only grow and scale with our technological race. This is our problem and I hope the use of media in teens dwindles slowly but surely thus, resolving our problem.
Upon taking the time to read my paper, I hope the explanations and reasoning throughout this text have achieved their goal of bringing my concerns of modern media to light. I sincerely believe that in order for America to prosper we the people have to start discussing the negatives media brings an individual, even if media as a whole is not entirely negative. First comes recognition of the negatives, then comes the effort to transform these negatives into positivity. A positivity that will clear up an individual’s social media mirage allowing them to fix their absence of creativity, communication and confidence. Pretty soon, I believe society will become over-encumbered with the problems media brings and we will no longer be able to ignore these problems. In the meantime, I strongly advise taking the measures listed within the body of my paper if you wish to circumscribe the negative effects social media has on our lives. Thank you for reading my propositions and taking the time to interpret my work. Remember that media as well as all things negative can only interrupt you if you allow it to.
Works Cited
CNN, Teenage Media usage article, index.html, November 3, 2015
I chose this article because it cooperates with my standpoint on teenage communication and provides the readers of my essay with evidence as to why I believe that media affects families negatively. I felt that the article on CNN presented good research and factual evidence that would contribute to my paper’s logos. It also helped me bring up the conversation of child cell phone usage and gave me factual numbers that come up in the body of my paper.
CSM, Common Sense Media Census,, 2015
I included the Common Sense Media Census website in my essay because It got the ball rolling for my research and presented me with a good approach towards my topic of self confidence and how it is affected by media. I found this website and its proposals very factual and it is evident that the website contains contributors and sponsors with good credibility and degrees along the topic of social media and teenage development.
Dove, University of Florida, Dove self-esteem project, January 2016
The Dove self-esteem project, established and proposed in January of the year 2016 by the University of Florida is an elaborate project that has emphasis on almost everything I have wrote about in my paper so it would be irrational for me not to include this into my bibliographies. The project has contributed to the vast study of how media affects teenage development and is now focused on how the use of media and social media at a young age affects both teens and adults’ self esteem negatively.
Dr. Patti M, Valkenburg, Jochen Peter, and Alexander P. Schouten. CyberPsychology, 2007
I included this article because it sparked interest in me and fueled some aspects of my essay such as some of my solutions that I stated would help out the users of social media etc. I assume that this article is trustworthy in this field because it was published by CyberPsychology which is a branch of study focused on developing solutions and awareness for the upcoming technologically bound generation
Livingstone S, Parental mediation. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. 2008
This Journal was used in my paper because I used it to get a background on the other forms of media such as broadcasts on TV and radio stations which allowed me to contrast the outcomes of these sources with the ones listed in my paper. I deemed this as a credible source because I did not find any flaws in what I was reading in the article. |
Chapter 3: Relational Database Model
relational model
based on predicate logic and set theory
predicate logic
Used extensively in mathematics to provide a framework in which an assertion (statement of fact) can be verified as either true or false.
set theory
A part of mathematical science that deals with sets, or groups of things, and is used as the basis for data manipulation in the relational model.
In the relational model, a table row.
attribute domain
range of permissible values for an attribute.
primary key
In the relational model, an identifier composed of one or more attributes that uniquely identifies a row. Also, a candidate key selected as a unique entity identifier. See also key.
One or more attributes that determine other attributes. See also superkey, candidate key, primary key (PK), secondary key, and foreign key.
The role of a key. In the context of a database table, the statement “A determines B” indicates that knowing the value of attribute A means that the value of attribute B can be looked up.
functional dependence
Within a relation R, an attribute B is functionally dependent on an attribute A if and only if a given value of attribute A determines exactly one value of attribute B. The relationship “B is dependent on A” is equivalent to “A determines B,” and is written as A → B.
full functional dependence
A condition in which an attribute is functionally dependent on a composite key but not on any subset of the key.
Any attribute in a specific row whose value directly determines other values in that row. See also Boyce-Codd normal form (BCNF).
An attribute whose value is determined by another attribute.
composite key
A multiple attribute key.
key attributes
The attributes that form a primary key. See also prime attribute.
An attribute or attributes that uniquely identify each entity in a table. See key.
candidate key
A minimal superkey; that is, a key that does not contain a subset of attributes that is itself a superkey. Based on full functional dependency. See key.
entity integrity
The property of a relational table that guarantees each entity has a unique value in a primary key and that the key has no null value.
The absence of an attribute value. Note that a null is not a blank.
foreign key
An attribute or attributes in one table whose values must match the primary key in another table or whose values must be null. See key.
referential integrity
A condition by which a dependent table’s foreign key must have either a null entry or a matching entry in the related table.
secondary key
A key used strictly for data retrieval purposes. For example, customers are not likely to know their customer number (primary key), but the combination of last name, first name, middle initial, and telephone number will probably match the appropriate table row. See also key.
Special codes implemented by designers to trigger a required response, alert end users to specified conditions, or encode values. Flags may be used to prevent nulls by bringing attention to the absence of a value in a table.
relational algebra
A set of mathematical principles that form the basis for manipulating relational table contents; the eight main functions are SELECT, PROJECT, JOIN, INTERSECT, UNION, DIFFERENCE, PRODUCT, and DIVIDE.
Short for relation variable, a variable that holds a relation. A relvar is a container (variable) for holding relation data, not the relation itself.
A property of relational operators that permits the use of relational algebra operators on existing tables (relations) to produce new relations.
In relational algebra, an operator used to select a subset of rows. Also known as RESTRICT.
In relational algebra, an operator used to select a subset of columns.
In relational algebra, an operator used to merge (append) two tables into a new table, dropping the duplicate rows. The tables must be union- compatible.
Two or more tables that have the same number of columns and the corresponding columns have compatible domains.
In relational algebra, an operator used to yield only the rows that are common to two union-compatible tables.
In relational algebra, an operator used to yield all rows from one table that are not found in another union-compatible table.
In relational algebra, an operator used to yield all possible pairs of rows from two tables. Also known as the Cartesian product.
In relational algebra, a type of operator used to yield rows from two tables based on criteria. There are many types of joins, such as natural join, theta join, equijoin, and outer join.
natural join
A relational operation that yields a new table composed of only the rows with common values in their common attribute(s).
join columns
Columns that are used in the criteria of join operations. The join columns generally share similar value.
A join operator that links tables based on an equality condition that compares specified columns of the tables.
theta join
A join operator that links tables using an inequality comparison operator (<, >, <=, >=) in the join condition.
inner join
A join operation in which only rows that meet a given criterion are selected. The join criterion can be an equality condition (natural join or equijoin) or an inequality condition (theta join). The inner join is the most commonly used type of join. Contrast with outer join.
outer join
A relational algebra join operation that produces a table in which all unmatched pairs are retained; unmatched values in the related table are left null. Contrast with inner join. See also left outer join and right outer join.
left outer join
In a pair of tables to be joined, a join that yields all the rows in the left table, including those that have no matching values in the other table. For example, a left outer join of CUSTOMER with AGENT will yield all of the CUSTOMER rows, including the ones that do not have a matching AGENT row. See also outer join and right outer join.
right outer join
In a pair of tables to be joined, a join that yields all of the rows in the right table, including the ones with no matching values in the other table. For example, a right outer join of CUSTOMER with AGENT will yield all of the AGENT rows, including the ones that do not have a matching CUSTOMER row. See also left outer join and outer join.
In relational algebra, an operator that answers queries about one set of data being associated with all values of data in another set of data.
data dictionary
A DBMS component that stores metadata— data about data. Thus, the data dictionary contains the data definition as well as their characteristics and relationships. A data dictionary may also include data that are external to the DBMS. Also known as an information resource dictionary. See also active data dictionary, metadata, and passive data dictionary.
system catalog
A detailed system data dictionary that describes all objects in a database.
homonym (DB context)
The use of the same name to label different attributes. Homonyms generally should be avoided. Some relational software automatically checks for homonyms and either alerts the user to their existence or automatically makes the appropriate adjustments. See also synonym.
synonym (DB context)
The use of different names to identify the same object, such as an entity, an attribute, or a relationship; synonyms should generally be avoided. See also homonym.
composite entity
An entity designed to transform an M:N relationship into two 1:M relationships. The composite entity’s primary key comprises at least the primary keys of the entities that it connects. Also known as a bridge entity or associative entity. See also linking table.
linking table
In the relational model, a table that implements an M:M relationship. See also composite entity.
An ordered array of index key values and row ID values (pointers). Indexes are generally used to speed up and facilitate data retrieval. Also known as an index key.
unique index
An index in which the index key can have only one associated pointer value (row)
In data modeling, the construct used to organize and describe an attribute’s set of possible values.
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Great Instruction on Research Paper Writing
10th January 2018
When a student has to analyze and interpret his/her findings on a certain topic, he/she completes a research. Such kind of academic work can have different names. It can be a doctoral dissertation, master’s thesis or a term paper. Anyway, it should be based on the original research of an author on a certain topic. A+ research papers are not hard to write if you follow the instructions below. A good plan is a half of the success.
Step by Step Instruction on How to Write a Research Paper
1. Topic Choice
The topic of your research should be absorbing for you. Inspiration comes easier if you are interested in the theme. Narrow your topic from a general one a specific in order to ease the research process. For example, world religion topic can transform into Buddhism. Check whether there are enough materials to study and research your topic and ask your teacher or adviser for the approval of it. Remember, that you should start grounded research only after the topic confirmation. In the other way, you can do a lot of vain work.
2. Study the Requirements
Each time when you are wondering “How to write a good research paper”, you should realize that good papers are those, which meet all the professor’s requirements. For this reason, you should re-read the instructions and requirements sheet to your assignment once again before you start the research of your topic. Do not hesitate to ask for clarification if you do not understand some aspects, as every misunderstanding can result in vain efforts lately.
3. Information Research
The Internet is the first and the most available source of the research paper information search. All you should do is to look through the most reliable sources and URL-s to select the material, which suits your topic most. It is important to be selective here, as far not all sites are trustworthy. The best way is to choose the ones with gov., edu., and org. name extensions. As a rule, they belong to government, educational and non-profit organizations. The sites with com. name extensions can contain many advertisements and should be critically analyzed before becoming a research paper source. Net. name extension should provoke even more distrust.
4. Thesis Statement Writing
Each kind of academic work contains thesis statement. It is like a declaration of its author’s belief about the researched topic. A thesis can’t contain any citation of other authors. A good thesis can be written only when all of the researched materials are worked up in details. You should collect, organize and analyze the data you have picked up in order to formulate a strong, interesting and educative one sentence thesis, which will demonstrate your position concerning the topic. Moreover, the whole body of your research should provide arguments and evidence of its rightness. For this reason, introduction of a paper is the best place for thesis statement.
5. Outline and Body Writing
Make the notes of your outline to find the course to writing a research paper of high quality. As a rule, the body of the research should contain such sections as materials and methods, results and discussion. It is always easier to start writing with the thesis and the body of the research and only then continue with introduction and conclusion to it. Explain the methods, which you have used to complete your research, present the results and outline the perspectives and limits for the further studies.
6. Introduction and Conclusion Writing
These parts of the paper are mostly reread by the professors as they should be creative and grounded at the same time. Introduction aims to introduce the topic, point at the research purpose and present the thesis to the readers. Conclusion should restate the thesis and summarize all the arguments provided in the body. Try to be concrete and informative in these parts of your research.
Writing a research paper is not such a difficult academic assignment as you may think at first. A right and wise approach to its completion is a key to its success. Follow the instructions above and you will cope with it easily. |
Education, Nutrition
Why Bone Health is Important
For starters, the skeleton is not like the frame of your house—a bunch of dead wood holding together all those rooms. Bones, hard and strong as they may feel, are actually living, growing organs comprised of a lot of minerals besides calcium. Bones are constantly remodeling, so it’s important to keep them well nourished. It’s probably too late for you now, but among the top determinants of postmenopausal osteoporosis is your peak bone mineral density when you were a late adolescent. That means you’ll want your children to drink calcium drinks like milk (or dairy alternatives like almond milk and soy milk fortified with at least as much calcium as dairy milk) and eat leafy green veggies, seeds and nuts, which contain calcium and magnesium.
You Need More Than a Calcium Supplement
Struggle to get your family to drink milk or eat their daily leafy greens? This is where supplements come in. But, perhaps surprisingly, a calcium supplement isn’t all you need. “Calcium is important,” says Taylor Wallace, a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at George Mason University. “But vitamin D helps pull calcium into bones, and magnesium is also important.” Wallace says the body can absorb only about 500 to 600 mg of calcium at a time. Additionally, calcium, magnesium and several other minerals compete for absorption. So when you look for a supplement to buy, don’t take more than about 500 mg (combined) of calcium and magnesium at a time. For maximum effect, spread out that amount through the day.
Magnesium: The "Master Mineral"
Here’s why magnesium is becoming known as the “master mineral.” It’s responsible for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, from relaxing muscles to maintaining heart health. "In America, while more people are deficient in calcium than magnesium," says Wallace, "there’s also concern that some may be getting too much calcium and not enough magnesium." According to Andrea Rosanoff, PhD, director of research at the Center for Magnesium Education & Research in Hawaii, the average calcium-to-magnesium intake of people consuming the standard American diet is above 3:1. “In that population, if you give them more magnesium their [rates of] cadiovascular disease seems to go down," says Rosanoff. "For women taking a lot of calcium supplements, the average ratio is 4:1 or higher. If you don’t have adequate magnesium, then calcium can’t place itself properly in bone. It goes into the soft tissues instead of hard tissues.” That imbalance manifests as hypertension, sticky blood platelets that can lead to strokes or heart attacks, heart palpitations, diabetes, PMS, sleeplessness, depression and high anxiety. “If you have adequate magnesium, your body could handle all kinds of calcium and sodium,” says Rosanoff. “But if you’re low in magnesium, you exacerbate a bad situation, especially if you load up with calcium and sodium—and we are doing both.”
How Much Magnesium Should You Take?
Rosanoff recommends 400 mg a day of magnesium as “a very good place to start.” If you experience diarrhea from taking magnesium, simply back off the dose to find the level that best suits your body. Considering Wallace’s insight that the body can take in only up to 600 mg at a time of both calcium and magnesium, look for a supplement at this lower dosage level, and with a ratio closer to 1:1 calcium:magnesium (rather than the traditional 2:1). Then also look for vitamin D—the more the merrier; 1,000 IU is a decent dose, though vitamin D researchers say 2,000 IU a day is more appropriate. And vitamin K2 has recently been discovered to help remove calcium from arteries (the buildup of which is called atherosclerosis—the number- one cardio killer) and puts it in bones. A 2015 study found 180 mcg of K2 daily could actually reverse arterial stiffness.Seek out a full-spectrum supplement—starting with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D—which will more closely approximate food sources of these nutrients and mirror what your bone matrix contains. Your bones will give you the thumbs-up. |
Online Maths Help and Resources
Online Maths Help and Resources
Online Maths Help and Resources
Maths is an interesting subject for many students. However, for the few, understanding the mathematical equations and theorems is a nightmare. Students are often found confused with mathematical techniques. They juggle through developing mathematical concepts such as geometrical proofs, logarithms, and deviation. The struggle is so much hard for them that they began to lose interest in the subject.
To keep the student interest intact, there are many new ways developed by the educational organization. Many educational portal and sites have developed educational games through which learning has become fun and easy. Games like "SumDog" and "Skoolbo" help students learn maths while playing. Students can log in to these education- cum- gaming sites and start playing games and understand the concept in fun way.
Not just Games, the institutes have come up with interesting videos, audios, and graphics that comprehend the concept in the most easy way. All these are available 24*7 online for the students. Students can visit and revisit these online portals, as and when they need, to learn and revise the concept.
For students, though, the thorough, research we have developed a list of available online resources for maths. These educational sites provide resources in the form of videos and audios. Some of them help through Homework while some just provide problems to practice. But, surely, If students learn maths through these sites, they will surely start enjoying the subject
List of Online Maths Resource
For mathematical concept development, here, is a list of few sites that explains the concept in the most easy way:-
1. AAA Math
This site provides many interactive sessions. It covers almost every arithmetic concept such as addition, equations, fraction and estimations etc. Students can sort the subject topics according to their educational level. The students from the Kindergarten to the eighth-grade level can learn maths in a fun way through this site.
2. Aplus Maths
This sites is mainly for the K-as grades students, thus covering only those topics which are relevant to their maths curriculum. To make maths interesting, the site has flashcards and games. The site also offers maths homework help to the students.
3. Maths Reference Table
This mainly includes, general maths, algebra, and geometry. This is good to learn, number notation, addition, fraction and measurements. The added advantage of this site is that it can be translated into the Spanish language, Thus helpful for Spanish students as well.
4. Elementary Mathematics
The site has been developed and organized grade wise with the understanding that each grade requires a different kind of conceptual understanding. For Example, Grade 1 curriculum mainly focuses on basic math operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Where as the course of grade 5 includes graphs, angles, and dispersion.
Educational Math Games Online
1. Cool Math Games
The site is full of challenging math games. These games help students strengthen their skills utilized in mathematics concepts such as number, logic, strategy, and memory.
2. Funbrain
This is another gaming site for the mathematics learners. It has arcade games with maths as a base. The games like maths baseball make it interesting for the students to practice maths.
3. Math Playground
Helps to unfold different levels of mathematics in a fun way by way of games. This is best to practice Cartesian coordinates with Zogs and Gecko game.
4. Online Math Learning
This site has innovated different mechanism of learning maths for the students. On this site students learns maths through video games rather than the conventional way of learning.
Algebra Resources
1. Algebasics
The basic maths concepts such as basic algebra, ratio, and proportion, absolute values etc. are explained through fun videos. The videos keep engaging students actively throughout with the fun elements.
2. Algebra-Class
It mainly focuses on helping students with the equations. Students can learn, writing, solving and graphing various equations along with inequalities and exponentials.
3. Algebra.help
It helps students on the equation, simplification, distribution and trinomial etc. The site offers students with easy mathematics tips and study help.
4. College-Cram
The drop-down on the site provide a various choice from algebra to practice. The features, problem-solving options, worksheets, quizzes, flashcards and concept videos.
Geometry Resources
1. Class Zone
The site is best for those who find it difficult to learn geometry. It includes basic geometry with the theorems and their proofs, along with circles, surface area, volume, and transformation etc.
2. edHelper.com
This offers free geometry worksheets that students can print and practice on. It also has answer keys for middle school and high school students curriculum.
3. Math League
This site clearly defines the basic concept such as angles, polygons, area, perimeter, and coordinates etc.
4. SparkNotes
As the name suggests provides notes that are very easy to understand and retain. They are defined in so simple way that anyone can learn the difficult concept with ease. It has all – theorems, proofs, for example, practice question – that a student requires developing the subject understanding.
Trigonometry Resources
1. Dave’s Short Trig Course:
This site covers sixteen topics listed in its ‘table of content’. The site has been developed such that students can easily navigate through and learn the concept in the most easy way.
2. S.O.S. Mathematics: Trigonometry
This site is known for covering almost each and every concept of the subject in the most easy way. It has detailed explanation about the subject, supported by relevant examples.
3. Trigonometry Help
It provides the comprehensive resource for the Trigonometry students. The basic concepts are explained in details with diagrams and graphs. It also showcases a brief history of the subject and how to pick right tutor for the subject.
Resources on Differential Equations
1. Interactive Differential Equations
This site covers all the topics in relation to the differential equation. It has content on boundary value problem, Fourier series, and various order differential equations. The uniqueness of this site is it is very interactive and actively engages the visitor.
2. S.O.S. Mathematics: Differential Equations
This site provides study help on the first-order differential equation and second order differential equation. It also covers topics such as Laplace Transform and Fourier series.
Pre-Calculus Resources
1. CliffNotes: Pre-calculus
This site is for learning, inverse functions, composing function and exponential functions. Students facing difficulty in understanding, relation and function can also check this site. It has detailed information on the subject.
2. Graphing Calculator Help
This is an extension of Prentiss Hall’s website. The portal helps the students select one calculator from the various one and teaches how to use it to solve the problems.
3. Texas Instruments
This site has been equipped with the tutorial explaining how to use graphing calculators. It has practice problem sets and test devices for the students.
4. Tulyn: Math For All –
This mainly focuses on delivering learning through videos, worksheets and problem solutions. This also has interactive discussion panel where students can ask their specific queries in relation to the subject.
Calculus Resources
1. Calculus Help
This site provides the explanation of concepts like chain rule, Simpson’s Rule, and integration. It has calculus tools such as the anti-derivative calculator, limit calculator, summation calculator etc.
2. Calculus-Help
This site provides students with audio tutorials on Limits and continuity etc. It provides the solution to the problems with some learning tips.
3. The Calculus Page
It offers step by step solution to the calculus problems on derivatives, exponents, and logarithm etc. It has the glossary of terms which define the different concept which students can go through as and when required.
4. S.O.S. Mathematics: Calculus
It gives the detailed explanation to the maths students about the sequence, series, integration, etc, with the help of examples. For practicing it provides problems that students can do, to know how well they have understood the concept.
5. Visual Calculus
As the name suggests, this site imparts learning through the way of visual such as videos graphics and animation. It also covers the wide range of calculus topics like sequence and series, limits and integration. Etc.
Apart from study resources for the various concept development, there are many online sites that are providing help to the students with their Homeworks. Completing the Homework and college assignment at times become very challenging for the students. To ease their burden, there are many organizations that are providing homework solutions to the students. Few of them are
1. PhotoMath
The app provides the student with step-by-step solution for their math’s questions. The students can post their questions in the form of photo and get the solution to the difficult homework questions.
The app is great for offering study help to the students. However, the educators are unhappy with this, as they believe this is not assisting students but hampering their learning by providing ready solutions.
2. Wolfram Alpha
Like PhotoMath, this app also provide solutions to the math’s questions posted by the students. The college students widely use this app for getting solutions for their difficult questions on topics such as vector and differential equations. Unlike, the PhotoMath, this is a paid app, that is, students have to pay nominal fees to get answer
3. Myscript Calculator
It is available for both iOS and Android compatible devices. This app is good who have practice of writing down equation on pen and paper rather than framing it into calculator. The app comes with handwriting recognition mechanism, which understands the handwritten transcript and evaluate it for the user. The system is good for arithmetic, trigonometric, and logarithm.
4. Mathspace
This app has been introduced to replace the physical textbook with the digital books. These books have detailed explanation with an interactive session for engaging students for long. At present app has 20000 maths problem that students can practice. This app provides adaptive learning with feedbacks. It covers almost all mathematics topics, such as, algebra, geometry, graphing and statistics. It covers the complete curriculum of Australia, US and UK students. Students can take advantage of this app through minimum subscription of $7.99.
5. Mathway
It is a free app for both iOS and Android devices. The app is not just a math calculator but also a teacher as it does not showcase just the answer but also the steps through which solution has been derived. This helps students understand the calculation of the problem. Though the app is free, however it charge monthly rental of $20 for step-by-step solution.
6. Free Graphing calculator
It is iOS free graphing calculators for the algebra students. Students can put their equations and get the graph instantly. For Andriod users the app is called Algeo Graphing calculator.
7. MathRef
This is iOS and Andriod enabled app which has compiled all the math formula at one place. It is said that the app has more than 1400 math formula that students can refer at the time of solving the math question. The app can be used with a minimum pay of $2.99. The formulas on algebra, calculus, trigonometry all at one place make it easy for the students to learn.
The technological advancement has revolutionized the way of learning. The education can now be attained everywhere and anywhere through online mode. Many organization are students help in their learning by providing resources, guiding and advising as and when required via online platforms. Some of these institutes have innovated the whole process of learning. They have developed videos and audios to make learning easy and fun, for the students. Many others have animated the concept to make them interesting. Some of them have really gone ahead and developed games, based on the subject, for practicing. By means of the game, the students don't lose interest in the subject and keep involve till the end. This way of learning is slowly and steadily making the conventional lecturer based training redundant. |
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Ikea’s innovation lab unveils a plan to help people cash in on solar energy
Ikea’s innovation lab debuts SolarVille, a blockchain-powered solar microgrid, which points toward the furniture giant’s sustainability ambitions.
It’s undeniable that humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels needs to change if we are going to mitigate the disastrous impact of climate change. One of the best alternative energy sources is solar power because it is so plentiful–to meet the Earth’s current energy needs, we would only need .025% of the energy the sun emits every year. It’s also cheap: If you can put the infrastructure in place to collect and store it, the solar energy itself is free.
But incentivizing people to build that infrastructure remains a challenge. Ikea’s innovation lab Space10 is envisioning a new prototype for how solar energy could be installed in local communities and then shared on a small microgrid. The microgrid would enable people to sell their excess energy to others on a blockchain-powered platform. Called SolarVille, the idea came about because Space10 decided to do research into how solar energy might change people’s lives in the future. But it’s hard not to see the lab’s research in the context of Ikea’s larger sustainability goals and initiatives. For instance, one segment of Ikea’s business, a franchise called Ingka that runs Ikea stores in 30 countries, has pledged to bring affordable solar technology to homes in all of these markets by 2025. Ikea has also been selling solar panels in the U.K. since 2013 and launched a battery and solar panel kit in 2017, also in the U.K.
Right now, SolarVille is a 1:50 scale model village, where the homes are decked out with mini solar panels that harvest energy from the sun. All the buildings are hardwired together, creating a microgrid that enables everyone to share their energy. In the concept, some people will generate excess energy either by using less energy themselves or by installing more solar panels. A blockchain technology platform will enable them to sell that extra energy to their neighbors without any intermediary–instead, the transactions between neighbors are logged in a secure and transparent ledger. Space10 says that the design is meant to be easy to use and install, and all the software that runs the blockchain is free.
Part of the project is meant to lower the cost of energy, since the blockchain platform wouldn’t require a company in the middle. “Centralized energy systems are often too slow and economically inadequate to reach the billion people who remain locked in energy poverty,” Bas Van De Poel, creative director at Space10, tells Fast Company in an email, referring to the higher costs of traditional electricity and the infrastructure that would be required to bring it to under-powered areas. “SolarVille showcases that, when working in tandem, technologies such as solar panels, microgrids, and blockchain open new opportunities: off-grid systems allowing people to leapfrog traditional grid electricity.”
The working prototype, consisting of a tiny village of wooden houses that were designed by the Danish architecture firm SachsNottveit, currently lives at Space10’s new gallery and will soon go on a global tour, where the public can play around with it. To demonstrate the flow of energy, the designers embedded tiny LED lights that glow when energy is moving from one place to another. You will also be able to look under the hood to see how the energy transactions between neighbors are being recorded through a visualization of the blockchain technology that underlies the system.
There are currently real-world projects that operate using these same principles as SolarVille: the Brooklyn Microgrid, for instance, is an experimental local grid that harvests solar energy that’s distributed to and traded between neighbors using the blockchain. Similarly, a startup in Bangladesh is trying to create a similar peer-to-peer system, both using solar energy and more traditional energy sources. But questions remain about how to replicate these models across many communities.
With the support of a megacorporation like Ikea, which is known for its ability to produce inexpensive but well-designed products, solar energy could become more accessible. And with the company’s innovation lab putting forward ideas around solar microgrids, it’s not too much of a stretch to think that Ikea itself might one day adopt a similar idea. After all, for more people to embrace this emerging technology, solar panels and the infrastructure necessary to set up a peer-to-peer system should be as simple to build as assembling a flatpack bookshelf.
Katharine Schwab is an associate editor based in New York who covers technology, design, and culture. Email her at kschwab@fastcompany.com and sign up for her newsletter here: https://tinyletter.com/schwabability More
Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/90316821/ikeas-innovation-lab-unveils-a-plan-to-help-people-cash-in-on-solar-energy |
Wright Brothers, Wrong Story
How Wilbur Wright solved the problem of manned flight.
Wright Brothers Wrong Story Book Cover
Wilbur Wright was responsible for designing the first successful airplane. That’s the conclusion drawn by veteran journalist and best-selling author William Hazelgrove in “Wright Brothers, Wrong Story” (Prometheus Books), which makes a pretty convincing case that Wilbur was the Wright brother predominantly responsible for unlocking the secrets of manned flight.
Hazelgrove contends it’s a myth that Wilbur and Orville were more or less equal contributors to the endeavor—and equally responsible for the results. Among other things, he reminds us that Wilbur died an early death in 1912 (from typhoid fever), so Orville was free to convey his version of events to Fred Kelly, who published the first biography of the Wright Brothers—“A Biography Authorized by Orville Wright”—in 1943.
But it’s Wilbur’s voluminous correspondence with the leading aeronautical scientist of the day, Octave Chanute, which is the veritable “smoking gun,” according to Hazelgrove. Indeed Wilbur and Chanute exchanged hundreds of letters (available in The Papers of Wilbur and Orville Wright volumes one and two). Those letters feature detailed discussions of technical challenges related to solving the problem of flight, and it’s quite revealing that it’s Wilbur (not Orville) that does all the talking, so to speak.
“Wilbur and Orville both participated in the building of the Wright Flyer but Orville was the mechanic while Wilbur was the designer,” elaborates Hazelgrove. “It is telling that upon Wilbur’s death … Orville would sell his interest in the company they formed three years later. Without Wilbur the Wright Brothers ceased as an entity driving the science of powered flight forward.”
Having written a longform look-back at “the remarkable achievements of the Wright Brothers” titled Get Your Wings—published in Failure in 2003 to correspond with the centennial of first flight—I couldn’t resist the prospect of further exploring Hazelgrove’s line of thinking. Hence the following Failure Interview, which includes discussion of my favorite insight from the book—about a relatively little-known turning point in Wilbur’s life, which occurred when he had his jaw shattered with a hockey stick by Oliver Haugh, a future serial killer, who, decades later, would be executed for killing members of his own family.
What inspired you to explore the Wright Brothers’ story?
One reason I wrote the book is because I read David McCullough’s [2016] book, “The Wright Brothers” (Simon & Schuster). I like McCullough; I read “1776” and a lot of his other books and I think he’s a good historian. But when I read “The Wright Brothers” it left me flat. I thought, ‘Wow, there’s nothing new here.’
So I asked: ‘Who are these guys? Who are these guys, really?’ And I saw that no one had written a biography of these guys that departed from the Wright Brothers myth.
The Wright Brothers myth is that Wilbur and Orville were exactly the same and that they both contributed equally to inventing the airplane. Also, it was very normal that they dropped out of high school and stayed at home their whole lives and never had sex. They were like these stick figures—mannequins. I was like, ‘This is simply not true—there is a real story here.’
So that was my motivation. When I wrote my book proposal it was sorta vague, ’cause I said ‘I think there’s a real story here, but I’m not sure what it is yet.’ But my view was these guys were flesh and blood and they weren’t the same.
So I got “The Papers of Wilbur and Orville Wright”—two huge volumes—and I started going through them. Right away what jumped out at me is the fact that Wilbur Wright was the guy—that this was his quest. He was this very intelligent man who had an interesting mind that could pick up on technologically complex engineering concepts. It wasn’t Orville, who was mechanically inclined and had his own kind of brilliance, but wasn’t [responsible for] the bolt that allowed somebody to go where no one had gone before. It was Wilbur who orchestrated the whole thing from the beginning. And it was through a strange set of circumstances that he started to think about solving the problem of flight, when in fact he had no training at all.
Since you mentioned that strange set of circumstances, let’s talk about Wilbur suffering a broken jaw and lost teeth when he was hit in the face with a hockey stick—by a future serial killer, no less. What happened and how did the incident change Wilbur physically and mentally?
Oliver Haugh was a psychopath and a bully in the neighborhood who would later become a mass murderer and be executed. At the time of the incident Wilbur was seventeen years old, very popular in high school and headed for Yale, but he was playing hockey with Haugh—who was hopped up on cocaine tooth drops, among other things—and Haugh took his stick and shattered Wilbur’s jaw.
There was a lot of physical pain involved, but the incident also affected Wilbur psychologically. It’s almost like evil came into his life for the first time. Also, Wilbur’s mother was dying. He became his mother’s nurse and went through a deep, three-year depression.
But during this period he started to read about flight and decided that he wanted to solve the problem of flight. He’s the one who wrote to the Smithsonian and said, ‘I want to know everything you know about flight.’ And he’s the one who contacted the weather bureau to find a place where there would be constant wind. He’s the one who contacted Kitty Hawk and he is the one who built the first glider and the Flyer. Yes, there was some assistance from Orville but it was his project and he initially went down to Kitty Hawk by himself. So this horrible incident led to a total alteration of his life, at which point he took on this incredible quest to solve the problem of flight, which no one up until then had been able to do.
What accounts for the Wright Brothers’ history being passed on to us as it has?
First, historians generally repeat themselves. Also, the Wright Brothers became these august figures. It became blasphemous to say what my book says, which is that Wilbur Wright invented the airplane. He was the one who corresponded with Octave Chanute—they exchanged hundreds and hundreds of letters—and he worked out the head-cracking physics of the lift coefficient for wings.
But for a long time after Wilbur died, no one wrote anything about how the plane was invented. John Kelly, who was very good friends with Orville, finally got the go-ahead, though Orville insisted on approving every single page. So Kelly had to write a book that was pleasing to Orville, and the first thing he had to say was that everything was 50/50. The book, which was published in 1943, became the bible of the Wright Brothers and it [essentially] said that the brothers were identical. In fact, [it hinted that] Orville Wright may have even been more talented because he flew on the plane on December 17, 2003. He was seen in that famous photo that showed Orville in the air [and led people to believe] that he was the one who invented the plane. This was handed down to historians and nobody deviated, including David McCullough.
Many of the other pioneers of aviation died pursuing their quest. How did Wilbur—and Orville—avoid that fate?
They avoided it by going to Kitty Hawk and taking it one step at a time. Also, Wilbur didn’t fly very high; he kept low, because he was cognizant of the men who had tried to fly and killed themselves.
[Keep in mind that] Orville did not fly until 1902. Wilbur had made a hundred flights before that, so he was the real pioneer. He would launch off a big dune at Kill Devil Hills and catch the wind and go. But he would do it in a controlled fashion and didn’t get ahead of himself. A lot of guys who died in accidents assumed that each flight would allow them to fly higher and further. But they didn’t understand control. So when they would fly it would be a fluke and they would try to replicate it by going higher and further and would get themselves killed.
But Wilbur was very meticulous; he took nothing for granted and never let his ego get in the way. Kitty Hawk allowed him to experiment at low [altitudes] with constant wind and have soft landings because of all the sand. There were near-misses; in fact, there were a lot of close calls, but he didn’t go too high or get ahead of himself with his experiments.
On a related note, how did a lack of resources play to the advantage of Wilbur—and his brother—in terms of learning to fly?
Because Wilbur had no money he couldn’t hire people to help him. And most everybody else—including Samuel Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian, who received $50,000 from the government to build a plane—were focused on power and believed you needed a lot of power [in order to fly].
But from the outset, Wilbur understood why people hadn’t been able to fly—that it was a problem of control. To get that control you need a certain amount of lift, and to be able to move the wings. So he started looking at birds and at how their wings flex. Wing warping was part of the control problem.
So the fact he had no resources meant he could not go on any assumptions. What he discovered when he went to Kitty Hawk is that the lift coefficient was totally wrong [and he went forward with his own calculations].
In the book, you write about how Wilbur was on the verge of becoming a failure in the game of life, and that if he didn’t solve the problem of flight it would be another failure in a list of failures.
I don’t think he saw something for himself beyond that. It was all or nothing and that was the only way he could approach it. And if he didn’t solve the problem he wouldn’t know what to do with his life, because it’s what he dedicated his life to. In society’s eyes he had done nothing up to that point in time. Wilbur was like a writer who couldn’t get published and had spent ten years writing a novel. If at the end, he couldn’t get his book out everyone would say, “What did you do for ten years?”
So it was a high-risk, high-reward scenario he set up for himself. But he had to do it all-or-nothing because that’s what makes it happen. But he was looking at being almost 30 with no relationships and no real accomplishments, which for a guy like Wilbur could have been devastating. On the other hand, Orville would have been fine; he was more of a business guy.
Tell me about Wilbur’s quality of life between the time of first flight and his death in 1912?
It wasn’t great because he was constantly fighting—trying to prove that he had flown. Then [Wilbur and Orville] also had to get new prototype Flyers stable enough to monetize them and sell them to the Army and other countries. The early Flyers were very unstable so they had to keep working and conduct all these tests.
They also had patent wars. [The Wright Brothers] said ‘We are the guys who invented flight and everybody else who has a plane has to pay us a royalty.’ They finally got a court to agree with them, but enforcing that was impossible so he was in litigation with Glenn Curtiss up until the end. When he died Orville blamed Curtiss and others for stressing Wilbur out so much that it killed him.
So Wilbur’s happiest days were at Kitty Hawk. That was his laboratory. After that came a lot of stuff he didn’t like, including business and litigation and trying to monetize the airplane, which, of course, no one had ever done before. He died pretty exhausted.
What about Orville’s quality of life?
Orville became very wealthy and bought a big house but became a little reclusive after Wilbur died. He had a secret affair with his secretary, Mabel Beck. He lived the life of a famous man who was “hanging out”—living an inventor lifestyle and enjoying the fruits. But he was also in a big fight with the Smithsonian over who invented the airplane, and that took over his own life. |
Whalesharks - the gentle giants of the sea!
Class: Cartilaginous fishes (Chonrichthyes)
Order: Nursesharks (Orectolobiformes)
Family: Whaleshark (Rhincodontidae) Rhincodon
Species: Whaleshark (Rhincodon Typus)Field Marks
An unmistakable huge shark, one of three large filter feeding species, with a broad, flat head and truncated snout, immense transverse, virtually terminal mouth in front of eyes, minute, extremely numerous teeth, and unique filter screens on its internal gill slits, prominent ridges on sides of body with the lowermost one expanding into a prominent keel on each side of the caudal peduncle, a large first dorsal and small second dorsal and anal fin, lunate or semilunate caudal fin without a prominent subterminal notch, and an unique checkerboard pattern of light spots, horizontal and vertical stripes on a dark background.Geographical Distribution Circumglobal in tropical and warm tWhaleshark emperate seas, oceanic and coastal.
Western Atlantic: New York to central Brazil and including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.
Eastern Atlantic, Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde islands, Gulf of Guinea.
Indo-West and central Pacific:
South Africa and Red Sea to Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia (Kalimantan, Java, Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea, Australia (Queensland, Northern Territory), New Caledonia, Hawaiian Islands.
EasterPacific: Southern California, to northern Chile. TOPHabitat and Biology
Whaleshark An epipelagic oceanic and coastal, tropical and warm-temperate pelagic shark, often seen far offshore but coming close inshore and sometimes entering lagoons of coral, atolls. It is generally seen or otherwise encountered close to or at the surface, as single individuals or in schools or aggregations of up to hundreds of sharks. In the Indian Ocean it is common in Thailand, around the Seychelles, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Madagascar, Mozambique and northernmost Natal.
In the western Pacific it is common in the Kuroshio current in the fishing grounds for skipjack. It is reportedly abundant from Cabo San Lucas to Acapulco in the eastern Pacific, and in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean in the western Atlantic. It apparently prefers areas where the surface temperature is 21 to 25 C with cold water of 17 C or less upwelling into it, and salinity of 34 to 34.5 ppt; these conditions are probably optimal for production of plankton and small nektonic organisms, all of which are prey of the whale shark.
Whale sharks are apparently highly migratory, with their movements probably timed with blooms of planktonic organisms and changes in temperatures of water masses. They are often associated with schools of pelagic fishes, especially scombrids.
Whaleshark babies
Whaleshark Development uncertain, possibly oviparous or ovoviviparous. In 1953 a large eggcase, 30 cm long, 14 cm wide and 9 cm thick containing a nearly full-term 36 cm embryo whale shark was collected from the Gulf of Mexico, and the assumption was made that the species is oviparous. However, the rarity of 'free-living' whaleshark eggs, the extreme thinness and lack of tendrils on the only known case, the considerable yolk and partially developed gill sieve in the only known embryo, and the presence of umbilical scars on larger free living specimens 55 cm long suggests an alternative explanation, that the Gulf of Mexico egg was aborted before term, and that the whale shark is ovoviviparous. The type of ovoviviparity practiced by the whale shark would be a relatively Whaleshark simple sort very similar to that of the related nurse sharks (Ginglymostomatidae), with retention of the egg case in utero until the embryo hatches. Alternatively, the egg cases of the whale shark might be retained in utero for 'most of the development of their embryos, then ejected at a late stage of development. Hence the mode of reproduction of the whale shark must be considered uncertain, with ginglymostomatid-like ovoviviparity a distinct possibility. The smallest free-living whale sharks are from 55 to 56 cm long, the smallest of which has an umbilical scar (properly vitelline scar). One adult female whale shark was recorded as having 16 egg cases in its uteri.
General Information
The whale shark is a versatile suction filter-feeder, and feeds on a wide variety of planktonic and nektonic organisms. Masses of small crustaceans are regularly reported, along with small and not so small fishes such as sardines, anchovies, mackerels, and even small tunas and albacore as well as squids. The whale shark feeds at or close to the surface, and often assumes a vertical position with its mouth above. Phytoplankton often occurs in the stomachs of whale sharks, but whether this is a major component of the diet of this shark is rather doubtful. The suction-filter mechanism of the whale shark is more versatile than the dynamic filter mechanism of the basking shark in the range of prey species that can be taken. The basking shark, with its scooplike mouth, hydrodynamically 'clean' gillrakers, and huge gill slits, has little if any suction capacity and must depend on its relatively slow forward motion to carry animals into its mouth; this limits it to eating small planktonic crustaceans and other invertebrates. The whale shark is not dependent on forward motion to operate its filters, and can probably achieve relatively high intake velocities of water into its mouth, that enable it to readily ingest larger, active nektonic prey in addition to masses of planktonic crustaceans. A disadvantage of the suction plankton feeding of the whale shark over the dynamic method used by the basking shark is that the structures involved can filter a far smaller volume of water per unit time and hence are far less efficient in concentrating diffuse plankters.
Hence the whale shark may be more dependent on high concentrations of plankters than the basking shark to optimally utilized such food, but has the option of utilizing nektonic organisms for prey.
The whale shark is generally considered harmless, and very large individuals have been examined and ridden by divers without the sharks reacting aggressively, although they may show curiosity and approach divers to apparently examine them.
HELP is needed
However, there have been a few cases of whale sharks butting sport fishing boats, possibly after being excited and hooked fishes being played from the boats or by bait. More often human beings inadvertently assault whale sharks, by ramming them with ships and boats as they bask on the surface.
But now more and more we have to learn that whale sharks are slaughtered by fishermen. We should protect this rare creature as good as possible and put much more effort in gathering data of the whale shark. If you have seen one, report to us where and when, size, gender if possible, special marks etc.
We will collect these data and make them available to scientific researches, protection organizations or whoever has a need for it.
The whale shark has been kept in captivity in Japan; at the time of writing this account a good-sized individual has been housed in a large oceanarium tank in Okinawa for over a year, and feeds readily at the surface of the tank.
Size: Maximum total length uncertain, possibly to 18 m,. but specimens rare above 12 m; 13.7 m is often given as the maximum measured, 12.1 m the most recently accurately measured. Most reported are between 4 and 12 m. This is by far the world's largest fish.
Interest : to Fisheries: Apparently of relatively limited interest for fisheries. Small harpoon fisheries exist in Pakistan and India; it may also be taken in China, and has been captured and utilized in Senegal; it is eaten by people either fresh or dried salted and used to treat boat hulls in Pakistan.
Whale shark's companion: Cobia
Similar Fish: remora, Echeneis naucrates.
Where found: both inshore and near shore inhabiting inlets, bays, and among mangroves; frequently seen around bouys, pilings, and wrecks and as pilot fish for whale sharks and other big fishes.
Size: common to 30 pounds.
Florida Record: 103 lbs., 12 ozs.
Whale Shark as the 16th protected animal of Thailand.
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Genius, pt. XVIII
Aside from Mozart and Vienna’s other musical geniuses, Eric Weiner also researched about Sigmund Freud and other geniuses of Vienna’s second golden age. While looking into Freud’s research on cocaine, the author, once again, came across failure and how it affects genius.
He wrote about how it is true that geniuses “embrace failure,” but “it is also true that failures embrace failure. If anything, they embrace it more tightly. So, what is the difference between failure that leads to innovation and failure that leads to…more failure? The answer, researchers now believe, lies not in the failure itself but how we recall it or, more precisely, how we store it. Successful failures are those people who remember exactly where and how they failed, so when they encounter the same problem again, even if in a different guise, they are able to retrieve these ‘failure indices’ quickly and efficiently.”
I think this idea of failure and how people can either get better or worse depending on how they deal with it is also true when it comes to learning a language. I think I’ve written about it already before, but I have had different kinds of students and, as I said in one of our meetings in the cram school, it is the students’ attitude – their way of dealing with disappointments and mistakes and “slow” improvement – that separates the who give up and don’t get better from the ones who keep getting better and better. |
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The Crime Triangle
This concept simply states that in order for a crime to occur all three of the triangles elements must exist:
Victim, Criminal, & Opportunity
If we can eliminate any one of these elements (opportunity) a crime can not occur.
MVPD Crime Triangle
Let's break down the three elements.
1. Victim
There is always a victim when a crime committed. Typically, the victim is unaware that he or she may be the target. Criminals have a desire to committ crimes and we, as citizens, can not affect or remove a criminals desire to commit a crime. If someone really wants to commit a crime, they will.
2. Criminal
Typically, criminals do not care who the victim is or how it will affect their life. They will find a way to committ a crime. They can be thousands of miles away and use telephones, cell phones, the internet, and countless other ways in order to commit a crime. Physical impairment will stop some from committing crimes.
3. Opportunity
The criminals opportunity to commit crimes.
This is where we can take action to prevent crime. A lot of times, criminals will hunt for an opportunity to commit a crime, and by removing the opportunity for crime to occur we have broken the “Crime Prevention Triangle”.
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The tack saddles, bridles and bits worn by the horse.
Age in the horse is determined by the examination of its six incisor teeth. When all of the permanent incisor teeth have fully erupted, the horse is said to have a 'full mouth.'
The various means employed by the rider to transmit his or her wishes to the horse. There are two types - the natural aids (legs, hands, seat and voice) and the artificial (whip and spur).
Airs Above the Ground
The name given to schooling movements in which the horse jumps into the air. Examples are ballotade, croupage, courbette, captiole and levade.
Airs, Classical
The aim of classical equitation is to develop and perfect the natural movements of the horse. Exercises on the ground, of the kind required in dressage tests, range from walk, trot and canter.
Condition affecting the muscular system, also known as Monday-morning disease.
The name given to the table under which a jumping competition is judged. Table A covers jumping only, and Table C speed.
The alternate name for a jumo-off, in which horses with equal scores at the end of a competition compete against each other again. The resulrs can either be decided by the number of faults, time against the clock, or a combination of the two.
Bitless Bridle
A bridle without a mouthpiece, the horse being controlled by pressure on the nose. Its alternate name is a hackamore.
Blanket Clip
Removal of the coat from the neck, belly and the tops of the legs, leaving a blanket shape over the back.
A stable vice, when a horse paces endlessly around its stable.
The term applied when a horse strikes its fetlock with the shoe on the opposite foot. It is usually a result of faulty action.
When a horse kicks his or her hindquarters into the air, balancing on it's front legs while doing so.
Byerley Turk
An Arab stallion who was one of the three founders of the English Thoroughbred. The Byerley Turk was captured from the Turks at the siege of Budapest and brought back to England by Captain Byerley, hence the name.
Infection on the sole of the foot.
Captilli, Federico
(1868-1907) Italian cavalry officer who originated the chief modern style of riding, and introduced his celebrated Forward Seat to replace the accepted classical method of riding.
Sore shins or knee troubles in young Thoroughbreds, caused by overwork and strain.
When a horse is lying down in the stable, unable to get up, because it has somehow become wedged against the wall.
Small fence consisting of a squared off pole, supported at each end in an X shaped support. Cavalletti are used for schooling, either in the form of a grif or built up to make a fence.
Chopped up hay or oat straw. It is mixed with corn or bran to form a bulk feed.
Chef d'equipe
Term used in the horse world to describe a team manager. Show jumping teams and Eventing teams all have their chef q'equipe, whose role is organizational and strategical.
Small piece of horn on the inside of horse's legs. Also a coat color.
End of nail holding a shoe in place, visible round the front of the hoof. Known also as clench.
Name given to a stocky, short-legged horse, not much over or under 15.1 hands, with good bone and body and up to weight. The best ones are good rides and have the ability to gallop willingly and freely.
Any of the heavy horse breeds, or those tending towards heaviness.
Disorder in the horse's digestive organs, causing acute abdominal pain.
To pull a schooled horse together by creating impulsion with the legs and containing it with the hands. As a result, the horse brings its hing legs more under its body.
The first milk, containing bital antibodies, that a foal drinks from its dam.
Term used to descrive a young male horse under four years old.
Combined Training
A Dressage and Show Jumping competition, possibly including a Cross Country test, as in the Three Day Event.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, known previously as 'broken wind.'
A stud term - a mare is covered when she is mated.
Cow Hocks
A conformational weakness of the horse. The points and the joints of the hocks incline towards one another.
A stable vice, in which the horse gets hold of the door or manger with the incisors and swallows air. This leads to indigestion.
The offspring of the mating of two different breeds of horse.
Complete concentrated horse and pony feed, known also as nuts.
A prominence situated a hand's breadth below the point of the heck, caused by sprain of the calcaneometatarsal ligament. It is conspicuous when the horse is viewed from the side and is a serious blemish as far as a show horse is concerned.
Curb Bit
A bit consisting of a straight mouthpiece to which are attached two hooks. These hold the curb chain, which fits into the chin groove on the lower jaw.
Curry Comb
A large, flat metal comb used to clean the body brush - never the horse.
Mother horse.
Darley Arabian
The most important of the three founders of the English Thoroughbred, the horse was imported in 1700 to Britain from the east by a Mr. Darley.
Deep Litter
System of bedding in which only the surface soiled bedding is removed each day,and more clean bedding spread on top.
Derby (Jumping)
The prototype Show Jumping Derby was held in Hamburg in 1920. The course includes Cross Country type Show Jumping over a long course, which permanent fences such as banks, sunken coffin type fences, table fences, ditches and stone walls.
Convexed profile to a horse's face -- as in an Arabian.
Faulty action, in which the front feed move in an almost circular motion.
Two fences with only a short distance between them, which the rider has to jump as a combination.
Double Bridle
A showing bridle, also used by some riders in the hunting field and Dressage arena. It consists of two bits, a curb and a snaffle, each with separate cheek pieces an dits own rein.
Drag Hunt
A form of hunting gaining increasing popularitiy. Instead of chasing a live quarry, the hunters and hounds follow a scent which has been put down artificially, often using an aniseed trail laid by a runner.
Draw Rein
A rein fixed to the girth and passing through the rings of the bit to the rider's hand.
Dressing (the foot)
Trimming of the foot, done every four to six weeks by the farrier.
Dressing (the naval)
Application of antibiotic powder to the ruptured umbilical cord of a newly born foal.
Driving Competitions
The sport of Combined Driving, based on the ridden Three Day Event.
The term used to describe an ungelded horse.
Of, or pertaining to, the horse or horse family. It is the Latin name for horse.
Equus Caballus
The scientific name for the domestic horse.
Small horny growth on the skin of the back of the fetlock joints.
The name gicen toa young mare, under four years old. It is chiefly associated with racing.
First-stage Labor
Opening of cervix and emergence of amniotic sac during early labor.
Male or female horse or pony, up to one year old.
Born, as in 'foaled in 1946.'
Striking the sole of the fore foot with the toe of the hind foot.
V-shaped part of sole of foot which acts as a shock absorber during motion.
A gag snaffle bit has cheek piece which pass through holes in the top and bottom of the rings and lead right on to the reins. It is a severe bit and should only be used by a rider with good hands.
Areas on an unfit horse's body which have been rubbed raw by ill-fitting girths and saddles. They are a sign of bad horsemanship and stable management. Work should cease until the galls are healed and the skin has hardened.
Galvayne's Grove
A dark brown mark which appears on the corner incisor teeth when the horse is ten years old. It grows down the tooth as the horse grows older.
Gauze-covered cotton wool, used under stable and traveling bandages for warmth and protection.
Gastrophilus Intestinalis
Adult botflies - a horse parasite.
A casterated male horse or pony.
Girth Galls
Sores on the underbelly or behind the elbow, caused by girth rubbing.
Godolphin Arab or Barb
The third stallion to play a part in the foundation of the English Thoroughbred. The Godolphin Arab was bought in Paris in 1729 by a Mr. Edward Coke of Derbyshire.
Used to describe various state of the ground. Going can be soft, hard holding, (sticky mud) and so on.
Grand Pardubice
A grueling steeplechase in former Czechoslovakia, founded in 1874 by Count Octavian Kinsky and held annually on the second Sunday in October.
A bitless bridle.
Unit of measure eqyakubg 4 inches, used to estimate a horse or pony's height.
Hard Feed
Any type of corn or concentrated feed.
Haute Ecole
The art of advanced horsemanship.
Horses with afflictions of their respiratory organs can be cured by the Hobdaying operation. The operation consists of removing the paralyzed vocal cords, which inhabit breathing, from the larynx.
Any breed of Equus Caballus measuring 14.2 hands high or higher. See also Pony.
Term used to describe a horse breed originating in western or central Asia, such as the Arabian, Barb and Thoroughbred.
Hunter Clips
Removing all of the hair from a horse's body except for an english sadle mark and that on the legs.
Joint Measuring Scheme
A recognized scheme for measuring horses and ponies, approved and sponsored by various equestrian societies and associations.
Kentucky Derby
The most famous Thoroughbred race in the USA. It is held at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky for three-year-olds carrying 126 lbs. and run over 1 1/4 miles.
Loose Box
Self-contained indoor accommodation for horses and ponies.
The training of a young horse on a circle from the ground, using a long lungeing rein.
Lungeing Rein
A webbing rein, some forty feet long, which is attached to the bridle. It enables the horse to be schooled or exercised in circles around the user without actually being ridden.
A species of horse parasite that causes respitatory problems unless preventive treatment is given.
A circulatory disorder - inflammation of the lymph vessels.
A device designed to prevent a horse from raising its head to evade the bit.
Maryland Hunt Cup
Oneo f the oldest and most celebrated steeplechases in the USA, the Maryland Hunt Cup has been run annually since 1896 at Glyndon, some ten miles from Baltimore, over a permanent course built in natural hunting country.
A nappy horse refuses to do as the rider wishes, usually failing to move in the desired direction. Instead, te horse stands still and may try to buck or rear.
The term used to describe disobedience - shying, tossing the head, etc. - in a horse.
Native Ponies
Any of the pony breeds native to the British Isles - Exmoor, Dartmoor, Welsh Mountain, New Forest, Fell, Dale, Connemara or Shetland.
Navicular Disease
A chronic inglammation of the navicular bone in the foot, caused by concusion. Show Jumpers are particularly prone to it and are often denerved (the nerves cut) in order to prolong their active life.
The left side of your horse or pony.
New Zealand Rug
Heavy Waterproof rug with woolen lining, for horses or ponies out at grass in the winter.
A pad, usually made of sheepskin, the same shape as the saddle. It is placed under the saddle to prevent it from rubbing on the horses back.
Right side of a horse or pony.
Breeding period of a mare.
Fault action, in which the heel of the front foot is struck by the toe of the hind.
A harness horse who, instead of employing a true (trotting) pace, moves the near and the hind leg on the simultaneously same side. Such horses are frequently hobbled to encourage this type of movement.
A schooling movement consisting of a very rhythmic, collected, elevated, cadenced trot in which there is pronounced engagement of the quarters, an accentuated flexion of the knees and the hocks, and graceful elasticity of movement.
A bit which combined snaggle and curb in one mouthpiece.
A very collected trot on the spot asked for in dressage and schooling work. The horse's back should be supple and vibrating, which the hocks well engaged, so giving great freedom and lightness to the action of the forehand.
A schooling movement in which the horse turns a full circle in its own length.
Faulty action, in which the foot moves across and inwards to land more or less in front of the opposite foot.
Term used to descrive the differnt parts of a horse's anatomy. Also used in connection with color to describe the mane, tail and lower legs.
A stick and ball game on horseback for teams of four players. Polo probably originated in Persia, though it was played all over the East, particularly in China and India.
A game based on polo and lacrosse, particularly popular in Australia. It is less exclusive than polo because of its relative cheapness.
Any breed of Equus Caballus measuring less than 14.2 hands high.
Pulling (mane and tail)
The thinning of the hairs of the mane and top of the tail by carefully and selectively pulling them out.
Brief grooming, given before a horse is taken out on exercise.
Rasping (of feet)
Filling the outer hoof, done by the blacksmith as he trims the feet and re-shoes a horse.
A male horse with one or both testicles retained in the abdomen. An operation can enable them to descend; after this,the animal should be gelded, as the tendency can be hereditary.
Contagious skin disease, caused by a fungus. Hair loss occurs in little round patches.
Roman Nose
Convex profile to the face.
Saddle Galls
Sores on the back under the saddle, caused by an ill-fitting saddle, or one that rubs a sensitive back.
Shaped block of salt, fitted into a holder for a horse int he stable or paddock.
Second-stage Labor
Rupture of the amniotic sac, following by period of straining, ending with the birth of the foal.
Setting Fair (of bed)
Putting downa horse's bed before bedding down at night.
Setting Fair (of coat)
Superficial grooming to smooth the coat after removing rugs.
Sickle Hocks
A conformational fault. Seen broadside-on, the hocks are two concaved - literally like a sickle.
Side Reins
Part of breaking equipment. They are attached to the horse from the bit to the roller or saddle.
Single Bridle
Bridle with just one bit-most frequently a snaffle.
Father horse.
The simplest form of bit and the one in most frequent use. It consists of a straight or jointed mouthpiece and a ring at either end for the reins.
A bony enlargement on the lower inner aspect of the hock joint, caused by periostitis.
Speedy Cut
A wound inside the leg, around the knee, or cannon bone caused by the shoe on the opposite foot.
Inflammatory boney outgrowths involved in the small metacarpal or metatarsal or 'splint' bones. They seldom cause lameness when formed.
Sprained Tendons
Sprains usually affect the flexor or back tendones or horses used for fact work, such as racehorses or hunters. When the sprain is really serious, the horse is said to have broken down.
Stable Vices
Various bad habits acquired by horses, usually through boredom at being stabled.
Uncastrated male horse.
Indoor equine accommodations, where horses are kept in three-sided compartments, separated from one another by side walls.
An acute infectious disease of the lymph glands in the intermandibular cavity. Symptoms are fever, nasal discharge and abcesses, which may also develop in other glands about the head.
Thorough grooming of a stabled horse after exercise.
Strongylus Vulgaris
Migrating larvae of the horse parasite, the red worm.
A webbing band with straps and buckles which passes round the horse's girth. It is used to hold rugs in place.
Sweet Itch
A condition of the mane and tail, causing intense irritation.
Items of saddlery and equipment used in the riding and training of horses.
The normal temperature of a horse is 100.5 degrees F. It is taken by inserting a thermometer into the rectum, taking care to position it to one side to obrain an accurate reading.
One of the chief killers of unprotected horses. Infection usually comes from bacterial penetration of a puncture wound. Prevention is all important, as cures are rare. Regular injection of anti-tetanus toxin and regular booster doses should be performed.
Three-quarter Bred
Offspring of a Thoroughbred mare or stallion and Thoroughbred-cross mare or stallion.
An evil smelling infection or frog of the foot. It is caused by unhygenic stable conditions.
The removal of hair in line down the underside of the neck, the belly and the top of the legs.
Three fences in such close alignment that they are related and hae to be jumped as a combination.
Triple Bar
One staircase type fence of three bars progressive height.
A stick with soft rope attached, placed over the upper lip and twisted until the lip is firmly held. It acts as a restraint to a horse and is used for specific purposes, such as during clipping.
Failure to thrive in normal conditions.
Examination given to a horse by a vet to determine soundness, etc.
Horses possessing Arabian or Thoroughbred blood in their ancestry.
A stable vice, caused by boredom. A weaving horse rocks from side to side and loses condition through not getting adequate rest.
Synovial distension in the region of the fetlock joint. They are usually caused by working young horses too much on hard going.
A stable-vice usually associated with cribbing and caused by boredom. The horse grips the edge of the manger with its teeth, arches its neck, and gulps in great drafts of air.
Wolf Teeth
First premolar teeth, occurring usually in the upper jaw. They are often very sharp and can cause considerable pain.
Male or female horse between one and two years old.
Points of a horse
Leg Markings
Face Markings
English Saddle
Western Saddle
Points of a Hoof
Parts of a Snaffle Bridle
Emergency Bridle's
Emergency Halter's
Martingale and Breastplate |
Alphabet Filter:
Definition of grant:
1. A transfer of property by deed or writing; especially, au appropriation or conveyance made by the government; as, a grant of land or of money; also, the deed or writing by which the transfer is made.
2. The act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission.
3. The thing or property granted; a gift; a boon.
4. The yielding or admission of something in dispute.
6. To assent; to consent.
8. To give over; to make conveyance of; to give the possession or title of; to convey; - usually in answer to petition.
generate, reserve, commit, conceding, reach, parcel out, apportion, collapse, set aside, admit, cave in, have, sign over, leave, assigning, allot, kick in, earmark, permit, founder, make, lot, acknowledge, appointment, chip in, Duncan Grant, dish out, divide, give way, allow, mete out, Hiram Ulysses Grant, yielding, buckle under, apply, tolerate, shell out, harmonize, pass on, vouchsafe, bear, let, countenance, deed over, sacrifice, select, throw, agree, consecrate, harmonise, knowledge, affirm, concession, set apart, dedicate, surrender, subsidization, confer, Duncan James Corrow Grant, fess up, turn over, appropriate, relent, naming, law, confess, give in, alienate, subsidisation, fit in, accord, succumb, profess, allow for, Ulysses Simpson Grant, pass, award, knuckle under, make over, concord, hand, deal out, President Grant, fall in, return, dole out, administer, appoint, give up, yield, move over, Ulysses Grant, establish, soften, hold, break, duty assignment, portion out, Ulysses S. Grant, consort, open, destine, convey, take into account, designation, assignment, Cary Grant, alien, concede, deed, cede, afford, avow, distribute, own, ease up, portion.
Usage examples: |
Category Archives: Dental Emergencies
Common Habits Can Chip your Teeth!
Woman biting her nailsThough enamel is the hardest substance in your body, it can be damaged. Using your teeth to open bottles, tear tape, open packages or biting fishing lines can chip your teeth. Biting your nails or chewing on pencils can also damage your teeth.
Woman opening a package wih her teeth
Beware of chomping on seeds, popcorn kernels or even ice. Your teeth are for chewing food. They are not tools.
Woman opening a bottle with her teeth
So the next time you hear your mom say “don’t use your teeth to open the bottle,” thank her for the reminder.
Is Work Stressing Your Jaw?
TMD Pain Cycle
Night guard
No Need to Worry – It is Just a Root Canal
What is a root canal?Tooth anatomy
Why do I feel pain?
Why might I need treatment?Bone loss
What is root canal therapy?
What is involved in root canal therapy?
How will I feel after treatment?
Are there options to root canal therapy?
Athletes and Their Oral Health
Sports equipmentWhether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, protecting your mouth, face, head, and neck should be a priority when you participate in your favorite sport or activity. Taking the appropriate protective measures while on the court, field, rink, or ring can save you from serious injury and costly dental repairs.
What sports pose a threat to oral health?
Any sport that presents the chance of contact or collision with anotherColliding person, object, or surface can potentially cause injury to the teeth, jaws, and oral soft tissue. These sports include, but are not limited to, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, boxing, and lacrosse. Individuals who participate in sports, such as biking, inline skating, or skateboarding, also are at risk for injury.
How do mouth guards protect my mouth?
Mouth guard in hockey playerA custom mouth guard made by Dr. Marinic covers the upper teeth with a soft, flexible material that prevents serious injuries, such as broken teeth, jaw fractures, cerebral hemorrhage, and neck injuries, by decreasing the chance of the lower jaw jamming into the upper jaw or being pushed back into the temporomandibular (jaw) joint. Mouth guards also are effective in preventing laceration (cutting) and bruising of the lips and cheeks. Mouth guards may reduce the severity and incidence of concussions as well.
What other types of protection do I need?Hockey players equipment
Helmets are very important when participating in sports that involve speed and impact. Properly fitted helmets can prevent major head injuries, as well as facial and neck injuries. Helmets should always fit well and be fastened correctly. For certain sports, other protective gear, such as facemasks and body pads, also should be worn.
What do I do if I experience trauma to my mouth?
If you experience an injury to your mouth, including major lacerations to yourKobe Bryant injured lips, cheeks, or gums, seek medical attention immediately. If you break, chip, or lose a tooth, or experience minor injury to your gums, tongue or cheeks, contact Dr. Marinic immediately. If you seek treatment immediately after the injury occurs, Dr. Marinic often can save knocked-out teeth and repair minor chips and cracks with appropriate dental materials. Make an appointment to visit Dr. Marinic for evaluation if your tooth changes color, if you experience any dental pain, or if you notice any swelling in or around your mouth following trauma.
What should I tell Dr. Marinic about my physical activities?
Dr. Marinic talking to patientInform Dr. Marinic if you participate in sports or recreational activities. He can give you tips on how to best protect your mouth, face, head, and neck during these activities. Because mouth injuries can be painful and costly, Dr. Marinic recommends that all athletes take preventative measures at all times.
Dental Emergencies
ToothacheDental emergencies can be avoided by taking some simple precautions, such as wearing a mouth guard during sports and recreation and staying away from hard food such as candy that may crack a tooth. Accidents do happen however, and it is important to know what actions to take immediately.
Injuries to the mouth may include teeth that are knocked out (avulsed), forced out of position and loosened (extruded) or fractured. In addition, lips, gums or cheeks can be cut. Oral injuries are often painful and should be treated by Dr. Marinic as soon as possible.
What do I when a tooth is knocked out?knocked out tooth
Immediately call your dentist for an emergency appointment. Handle the tooth by the crown, not the root. Touching the root (the part of the tooth below the gum) can damage cells necessary for bone re-attachment. Gently rinse the tooth in water to remove dirt. Do not scrub. Place the clean tooth in your mouth between the cheek and gum to keep it moist. It is important not to let the tooth dry out. If it is not possible to store the tooth in the mouth of the injured person, wrap the tooth in a clean cloth or gauze and immerse in milk or saline solution.
What do I do if the tooth is pushed out of position?
Attempt to reposition the tooth to its normal alignment using very light finger pressure, but do not force the tooth. Bite down to keep the tooth from moving. Dr. Marinic may splint the tooth in place to the two healthy teeth next to the loose tooth.
broken toothWhat about when the tooth is fractured?
Rinse mouth with warm water and use an ice pack or cold compress to reduce swelling. Take ibuprofen, not aspirin, for pain. Minor fractures can be smoothed by your dentist with a sandpaper disc or simply left alone.
Restorative procedures can also be done to fix the tooth. In either case, treatTooth anatomy the tooth with care for several days. Moderate fractures include damage to the enamel, tissue and/or pulp. If the pulp is not permanently damaged, the tooth may be restored with a full permanent crown. If pulp damage does occur, further dental treatment will be required. Severe fractures often mean a traumatized tooth with slim chance of recovery.
What should I do when the tissue of my mouth is injured?
Injuries to the inside of the mouth include tears, puncture wounds and lacerations to the cheek, lips or tongue. The wound should be cleaned right away with warm water, and the injured person taken to a hospital emergency room for the necessary care. Bleeding from a tongue laceration can be reduced by pulling the tongue forward and using gauze to place pressure on the wound.
Can I somehow prepare for dental emergencies? Yes, by packing an emergency dental care kit including:
• Dentist’s phone numbers Emergency kit
• Saline solution
• Handkerchief
• Gauze
• Small container with lid
• Ibuprofen (Not aspirin – Aspirin is an anti-coagulant, which may cause excessive bleeding in a dental emergency.) |
Your are here: Countries in the World > List of Countries in Asia
Countries in Asia
Asia Overview
Northeast Asia is in the eastern hemisphere, bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean to the south, the Arctic to the north, and the Mediterranean and Black Sea to the west. In the ancient language, Asian means "sunrise." There are 48 Asian countries and regions with a population of 3.823 billion, accounting for 60.7% of the total world population. This population is mostly of Mongoloid or Asian ethnic origin. Asia comprises an area of 44,000,000 square meters, accounting for 29.4% of the world's land area. The native languages belong to Sino-Tibetan family of languages, including those languages of South Asia, Altai, North Korea, Japan and others. With Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, Asia was the cradle of three religions.
Asian History
Asia was one of the primary birthplaces of world civilization. Asian people have had, throughout the long river of human history, a brilliant culture. As early as 3000 BC, Asians had learned cooking and pottery, and used fire to smelt ore. The first phase of their transition from nomadic to settled life involved farming, irrigation, and domestication of livestock, and they later invented the wheel, paper, gunpowder, printing, the compass, and Arabic numerals. Before the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, most of the world's major technological achievements originated in Asia, and Asia has made great contributions to the world economy. In the 18th century, Western colonialism and imperialism led Western countries to invade many Asian countries, colonizing and semi-colonizing them. Since World War II, these countries have freed themselves from the yoke of colonialism, declaring their independence.
List of all countries and regions in Asia:
Map of Asia
Asian Terrain
Asia's high altitude base fluctuates in the middle of high terrain, surrounded by lowlands, uplands, and sunken white. The average altitude is about 950 m, with mountains, plateaus and hills about three-quarters of the total area. Asia has the world's highest peak, Mount Everest; the world's highest plateau, the Tibet Plateau; the world's lowest depression, the Dead Sea; the deepest lake, Lake Baikal; the world's largest lake, the Caspian Sea; the world's largest peninsula, the Arabian Peninsula; and the world's largest archipelago, the Marx and Lenin Islands .
Asia Climate
Parts of southeast Asia and East Asia are temperate and subtropical humid monsoon regions, while the rest of Southeast Asiaand South Asia area humid tropical monsoon areas and Central Asia, West Asia and East Asia are arid regions. Low winter temperatures predominate in most parts of Asia, with the average temperature of the coldest month below 0 ℃ in half the region. In the North, it is cold year-round, with less rainfall. The East has a temperate monsoon climate, with a hot and rainy summer and a cold and dry winter. Central and western Asia have a temperate continental climate, with less rainfall, more desert, and great differences between summer and winter day and night. In the southern tropics, it is hot year-round, with tropical monsoon and tropical rain forest climates. The western Mediterranean coast has the Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and dry winters.
Tibetan Valleys - Brahmaputra Canyon
The Grand Canyon is located in southeast China's Tibetan Brahmaputra River Great Bend and is the world's deepest, longest, and highest river canyon. Grand Canyon is a full 496 km long, with a maximum depth of 5382 meters and an average depth of 5000 meters. In addition to spectacular natural scenery, here the world's water resources are the most concentrated. Growing in the Grand Canyon are 3700 kinds of plants in their original state. From the equator to the Arctic, the various sub-regions have their own ecosystems and vegetation types; it is the world's most biologically diverse canyon valley.
Snowy Office Pa - Mount Everest
Nepal is located on the eastern border and north slope of the territory of Tibet, and the southern slope in Nepal. Rising 8844.43 meters above sea level, Everest is the highest peak in the world. It is known as Qomolangma in Tibetan, which means "Goddess Third." The Everest region has four peaks more than 8,000 meters high and 38 peaks over 7,000 meters high, known by reputation as the "Third Pole of the Earth.". Everest, the mountain, takes the shape of a pyramid, surrounded by very advantageous terrain, snowy peaks, and changing weather. Between the ridges and cliffs, dotted with hundreds of small glaciers, there are the beautiful magic Bing Talin. Nine or ten days every year in May are suitable for climbing Mount Everest. During this season, at 8000-9000 meters above the ground, the wind speed is less than 20 meters / second, and there is no falling snow. |
“American Buddhism” can mean a lot of different things, from silent retreats geared toward tech CEOs to longstanding congregations embedded in Asian immigrant communities. And ’twas ever thus: Historian Michael K. Masatsugu tells the story of how two different kinds of Buddhism came together, sometimes clashing, in 1950s California.
Starting in the late nineteenth century, Masatsugu writes, Japanese immigrant laborers brought their Buddhist faith to the United States. A majority of them were Jōdo Shinshū Buddhists, following a tradition that stresses the experience of ordinary laypeople rather than monastics.
For many Japanese-Americans, that faith was an important part of building an ethnic American identity. Faced with both racist discrimination and calls to convert to Protestantism, the immigrant communities worked to incorporate Buddhism into broader U.S. society.
By the 1910s, Masatsugu writes, ceremonies that had been organized around a lunar calendar in Japan were held on Sundays to conform to the religious schedule of a majority-Christian nation. Buddhists built temples in European-American architectural styles, including an elaborate brick building with a Roman façade built to house Buddhist institutions in San Francisco. Worshipers sat on temple pews rather than floor mats, listened to Buddhist religious songs accompanied by pipe organ, and addressed their priests as “reverends.” When World War II brought a wave of anti-Japanese racism, the North American Buddhist mission renamed itself Buddhist Churches of America, adopted an official English-language policy, and demanded loyalty oaths from its membership.
After World War II, a growing number of white Americans converted to Zen Buddhism as popularized by Japanese writer Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki. In the 1950s, many of these white converts congregated in the Bay Area. The self-taught psychology and religion writer Alan Watts was a particularly visible Zen enthusiast.
Masatusugu notes that Watts is also a good example of the Orientalist viewpoints of many converts, who looked at Buddhism as an exotic antidote to the dogmatism and hierarchical values of mainstream, white, Christian society. Watts wrote that Zen had “no doctrinal teaching, no study of scriptures, no formal program of spiritual development”—and maintained that position even when contradicted by Japanese Zen practitioners.
In the 1950s, Buddhist Churches of America organized conferences and study groups that brought Japanese-American Jōdo Shinshū Buddhists and white Zen converts together. Participants praised these efforts as fruitful cross-cultural dialogue, but Masatusugu writes that they also led to increasing tension. The Zen converts criticized Sunday temple services and the Jōdo Shinshū practice of devotional recitations as being too similar to Christian practices. One white writer declared that the Beat Generation was “not looking for a popularized watered-down version of Buddhism.”
Japanese-American writers responded by defending the temple-based community. As one Jōdo Shinshū priest wrote, the sect’s teachings “made difficult truths intelligible to minds of various capacities.”
A second-generation Buddhist named Taitetsu Unno wrote a critique of the Beat Buddhist vision, arguing the Beats failed to deeply engage with Buddhist teachings. Unno put it this way: “The earnest seek to go beyond this world of transiency and impermanence and realize their roots in a stable reality that is the ground of life. But so often they seek it in the wrong places.”
Pacific Historical Review, Vol. 77, No. 3 (August 2008), pp. 423-451
University of California Press |
From Wikiquote
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Entomology (from Greek, entomos, "that which is cut in pieces or engraved/segmented", hence "insect"; and -logia) is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was more vague, and historically the definition of entomology included the study of terrestrial animals in other arthropod groups or other phyla, such as arachnids, myriapods, earthworms, land snails, and slugs.
• "I suppose you are an entomologist"
External links[edit]
• Encyclopedic article on Entomology at Wikipedia
• The dictionary definition of entomology at Wiktionary |
Paper Recycling
Convey your mill broke paper scrap, pre-consumer waste, and post-consumer waste.
Market Overview
As the world continues to digital sources for information the newspaper and printing industries have declined. Despite this paper is still a large part of waste streams and paper is a big part of the recycling world. Recycled paper is used to make things like new paper, toilet paper, insulation and more.
Market Challenges
Paper is valued based on the type of paper and cleanliness of the product. Dirty paper, or paper mixed with other types of paper is not as valuable to paper mills and manufacturers using recycled paper. Keeping the different types of paper separate can be a challenge especially if it has been mixed together like is common in single stream recycling. Paper from post consumer sources and single stream can often have contamination from other types of material as well as dirt and liquid. All these things can reduce the value of paper.
Market Compliancy
The most common classifications for recycled paper is high grade, news / ONP, and mixed paper. It is important to keep high grade and newspaper from mixing with other types of paper because they hold a higher value. If too much of another type of paper are mixed in with high grade or news all the material will be downgraded to mixed paper which is less valuable. Contaminants like dirt and trash liquids can also soak into newspaper causing the value to be reduced or even rejection of an entire load. Paper coming out of single stream sorting facilities often will have a lower value because there is a higher possibility for contamination from other products mixed with the paper before it was sorted.
Fluent Conveyors Solutions
The best way to keep each paper stream clean is to keep it separate. Instead of using one conveyor for multiple types of paper using multiple conveyors can help keep the paper separate and at its highest value. Fluent Conveyors makes a wide range of conveyors like rubber belt slider beds, combination belt roller chains, and steel belt roller chain conveyors to fit every volume and every type of paper. If the paper is already mixed in with other types of recycled material Fluent offers a wide range of sorting systems to help recover the paper from the stream.
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29 Replies Latest reply on Mar 7, 2013 1:25 PM by Giannis Gennarakis
Problem with Revolving a Filled Area
Giannis Gennarakis
Hi there,
I want to make a solid hemisphere. I found the way to do it by making to hemicycles and drawing two lines joining them (as seen on the picture). Then, when I revolved the sketch by 180 degrees I realised the hemisphere to be hollow!! I then tried to find a way to make it solid. I went back to the 2-D sketch and filled the surface (Insert->Surface->Fill) inside the hemisphere. I saw some lines (which I don't know exactly why they appeared inside the surface) and I noticed that the hemicircle had become more of polygon (not an exact circle). I was OK with that since the difference was not that visible when I zoomed out, but then I had a problem revolving the sketch. I want to revolve it around a centerline but you can see on the picture the error that pops out. Any help and explanations on the above matter would be much appreciated!!! (as I have to fill many parts now that I realised that they are all hollow!!!)
P.S. I found online a video on how to make a bowl. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgH3C1HadvM ) But that procedure is way to long from where I am now, and I feel I'm close to making it solid!! |
Write For Us
Is Your Cat Sad?
Cats are more expressive than you might think. Learn how you can tell if your cat is sad and what you can do to cheer them up.
Cats show their emotions, you just need to learn how to identify them.
By Amy Shojai, The Spruce Pets
No one wants their cat to be sad but sometimes owners don’t know why their pet is depressed or how to cheer them up. Every cat has their own personality, with some being more outgoing than others, but when a typically social cat is suddenly reserved and quiet it can be concerning. By figuring out why your cat is sad you can help cheer them up or at least know that it may be temporary.
Signs and Symptoms of a Depressed Cat
• Vocal clues are very audible indications that your cat may be unhappy. These unhappy noises are usually low-pitched, mournful yowls. Purrs don't always indicate happiness and an unhappy kitty might also purr more as a way to comfort themselves as well. Other cats which are normally vocal may become quiet, while quiet cats can turn up the volume.[post_ads]
• Sometimes your cat’s body language can clue you in on their unhappiness and there are many eye, ear, fur, and body positions that can indicate this. Ears held back, tail tucked, hair standing on end and other body signs are all forms of silent communication that your cat may be sad.
• Sad cats tend to be more reactive and act out with aggression or fearfulness. If you notice behavior changes that result in your cat being scared or abnormally aggressive then they may be sad.
• A sad cat may lose interest in the activities that used to engage him, become reclusive and hide. More quiet cats can become clingy or demanding and the fear of strangers that all cats seem to share can become heightened when a cat is sad.
• Cats normally sleep a lot but sad or depressed cats sleep even more. If there have been changes in the location of a favorite nap spot this can also indicate sadness.
• Poor grooming can be a sign of unhappiness and ill health. Cats that don’t feel well or are depressed often stop grooming themselves leaving very unkempt looking coats.
• If your cat has stopped eating suddenly they may be unhappy about something. Sad cats may snub foods they previously enjoyed and may even lose interest in their favorite treats.
• A sad cat may use their own scent to feel better by urinating in inappropriate places. There are many reasons for urinating outside of the litter box but stress, depression, and sadness are high on this list. Your cat may urinate in "important" areas such as lookouts, your bedroom, or places where the scent of a deceased pet or missing human lingers in order to spread their own scent.
• If your cat is sad or depressed they may start scratching objects more so than usual to relieve stress and mark their territory.
Reasons Why a Cat Gets Depressed
• Illnesses can cause your cat to not feel well and even possibly be in pain. They may not be their playful selves if it hurts them to move around, they might feel nauseated, not want to eat, have a hormonal imbalance, or have no energy due to the illness. Conditions such as fatty liver disease, FIV, FeLV, upper respiratory diseases, diabetes, hypothyroidism, dental disease, and others are all serious health problems that can affect your cat’s happiness level. If you suspect your cat is depressed because they are sick you should schedule a visit with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
• Injuries may limit your cat’s ability to do things they once enjoyed, especially if they are major. Pain after an injury can also keep your cat from feeling as happy as they usually are. Make sure you are following your veterinarian’s recommendations regarding pain relief or if your cat seems to be in pain schedule an appointment to have them checked out. Even old surgeries and injuries can cause lingering pain or discomfort in your cat and may require chronic pain relief.
• Losing a family member is always tough for everyone involved and your cat is no exception. When a family member (human or animal) passes away or moves out your cat may grieve and become depressed. This is usually only a temporary emotion and with some time your cat will return back to normal. If your cat is depressed because another cat in the household has passed away they may benefit from a new cat or they may not so be cautious in adding to the family for this reason. Time is usually the best remedy for major family member changes but there are also natural remedies such as pheromones and nutritional supplements that can help your cat be happier in the meantime.
No matter the reasoning behind why your cat is sad or depressed, be sure to give them extra time and attention until you can improve their happiness level.
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New method for quantifying methane emissions from manure management
August 17, 2016
It is currently not possible to quantify emissions of methane from livestock manure. This is a significant problem, in particular at a time where the EU Commision requires Denmark to reduce drastically emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture. Without methods to quantify emissions, it is also not possible to document effects of changes in management.
A new research article, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, addresses this challenge and proposes a method which could be an important step towards quantifying methane emissions and degradation processes associated with manure management.
The specific challenge is that the mainly liquid manure (slurry) is collected in pits under animal confinements for up to a month before exported to an outside storage tank, or for treatment. During this period degradation of manure organic matter begins and may lead to emissions of both methane and carbon dioxide. However, animals in the house are also a source of both gases, and in practice emissions from livestock and their manure cannot be separated. As a result, the total emission of methane from manure in pits and outside storage tanks, and the degradation of manure organic matter, cannot be verified.
The new method proposed here is based on laboratory measurements of methane production in liquid manure samples collected on farms. A simple model is used to calculate daily emissions. This model can then be used to evaluate effects of changes in management or treatment of the manure, for example biogas treatment.
Methane is, after carbon dioxide, the most important source of greenhouse gases from agriculture, and the most important on-farm source. Here the largest single source is animal digestion, especially in ruminants such as cattle, whereas on pig farms manure is the main source. Since the residence time of methane in the atmosphere is short compared to other greenhouse gases, a reduction of methane will be particularly effective in the short term at reducing climate forcing. Moreover, methods to reduce methane emissions from manure are already available (biogas treatment, slurry acidification). For these reasons methane emissions from livestock manure is an obviouos target for greenhouse gas mitigation.
Degradation of manure organic matter leads to emissions of methane, but even larger emissions of carbon dioxide. Both methane and carbon dioxide contain carbon from manure organic matter that is degraded. This loss of organic carbon is critical for the biogas potential of manure which is directly related to the degradable organic matter left in the manure. For example, a shorter collection period would likely increase biogas production while at the same time reducing methane emissions, but currently these effects cannot be documented. The article discusses this synergy and concludes that a new method must also be able to quantify the emission of carbon dioxide, in order to estimate the loss of degradable organic matter from slurry pits. Plans to further develop the method have been described in a new research proposal in collaboration with research institutions in Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden, and a Swedish company.
Aarhus University
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Current Greenhouse gases News and Events
Current Greenhouse gases News and Events, Greenhouse gases News Articles.
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Carbon monoxide detectors could warn of extraterrestrial life
A UC Riverside-led team used computer models of chemistry in the biosphere and atmosphere to identify two intriguing scenarios in which carbon monoxide readily accumulates in the atmospheres of living planets. (2019-03-19)
Speeding the development of fusion power to create unlimited energy on Earth
A detailed examination of the challenges and tradeoffs in the development of a compact fusion facility with high-temperature superconducting magnets. (2019-03-19)
Microbes can grow on nitric oxide
Nitric oxide (NO) is a central molecule of the global nitrogen cycle. (2019-03-18)
Study reviews the potential impacts of future heat waves on humans and wildlife
Climate change is often talked about in terms of averages, like the goal set by the Paris Agreement to limit the Earth's temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius. (2019-03-12)
What's for dinner? Sushi, with a side of crickets
While insects have been consumed for centuries worldwide, many people still haven't warmed to the idea of a creepy-crawly on the tongue. (2019-03-11)
A new comprehensive study of climate change has painted over 5 million pictures of humanity's potential future, and few foretell an Earth that has not severely warmed. (2019-03-11)
Shifting away from coal is key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, PSU study finds
The United States could fulfill its greenhouse gas emission pledge under the Paris Climate Agreement by virtually eliminating coal as an energy source by 2024, according to new research from Portland State University. (2019-03-07)
'Goldilocks' stars may be 'just right' for finding habitable worlds
A new study finds a particular class of stars called K stars, which are dimmer than the Sun but brighter than the faintest stars, may be particularly promising targets for searching for signs of life. (2019-03-07)
Ice-free Arctic summers could happen on earlier side of predictions
The Arctic Ocean could become ice-free in the summer in the next 20 years due to a natural, long-term warming phase in the tropical Pacific that adds to human-caused warming, according to a new study. (2019-02-27)
'Upcycling' plastic bottles could give them a more useful second life
Scientists at the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory have developed a recycling process that transforms single-use beverage bottles, clothing, and carpet made from the common polyester material polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into more valuable products with a longer lifespan. (2019-02-27)
Capturing carbon from the air
Climate scientists predict disastrous consequences if greenhouse gases continue to accumulate at ever-increasing rates. (2019-02-27)
Montana State team discovers 'incredibly' diverse microbial community high in Yellowstone
Montana State University researchers Dan Colman and Eric Boyd published their findings from a Smoke Jumper Geyser Basin hot spring in the journal Nature Communications earlier this month. (2019-02-27)
Improving ecosystems with aquatic plants
Wetland restoration is critical for improving ecosystem services, but many aquatic plant nurseries do not have facilities similar to those typically used for large-scale plant production. (2019-02-27)
Coda waves reveal carbon dioxide storage plume
Pumping carbon dioxide into the ground to remove it from the atmosphere is one way to lower greenhouse gases, but keeping track of where that gas is, has been a difficult chore. (2019-02-26)
UBC researchers explore an often ignored source of greenhouse gas
In a new study from UBC's Okanagan campus, researchers have discovered a surprising new source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions -- bicarbonates hidden in the lake water used to irrigate local orchards. (2019-02-21)
Do volcanoes or an asteroid deserve blame for dinosaur extinction?
UC Berkeley scientists have obtained more precise dates for the Deccan Traps volcanic lava flows, linking peak activity more closely to the asteroid or comet impact 66 million years ago and the coincident mass extinction. (2019-02-21)
Two studies explore timing, influence of deccan trap volcanism in dinosaurs' demise
In two separate studies, researchers using different methods of high-precision dating attempted to illuminate the series of events that led to the demise of vast swaths of life on Earth nearly 66 million years ago. (2019-02-21)
Fossil fuel combustion is the main contributor to black carbon around Arctic
Fossil fuel combustion is the main contributor to black carbon collected at five sites around the Arctic, which has implications for global warming, according to a study by an international group of scientists that included a US team from Baylor University. (2019-02-20)
Climate-friendly labriculture depends on an energy revolution, says Oxford study
In a first-of-its-kind study from the Oxford Martin School, the climate-change impact of several production methods for lab-grown and farmed beef was assessed accounting for the differing greenhouse gases produced. (2019-02-19)
Climate goals of the Paris Agreement: Impact of land use
Significantly less than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times -- this is the temperature to which global warming should be limited, according to the Paris Climate Agreement. (2019-02-19)
Tiny satellites reveal water dynamics in thousands of northern lakes
In a finding that has implications for how scientists calculate natural greenhouse gas emissions, a new study finds that water levels in small lakes across northern Canada and Alaska vary during the summer much more than was assumed. (2019-02-14)
Undersea gases could superheat the planet
Geologic carbon and hydrate reservoirs in the ocean pose a climate threat beyond manmade greenhouse gases. (2019-02-13)
Carbon gas storage cavern is the best way to obtain clean energy from a fossil fuel
The Research Center for Gas Innovation is developing technology to separate CO2 and methane in oil and gas exploration and store it in offshore salt caverns. (2019-02-13)
Moving artificial leaves out of the lab and into the air
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have proposed a design solution that could bring artificial leaves out of the lab and into the environment. (2019-02-12)
BFU scientists developed tungsten-based hydrogen detectors
A team of physicists from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University together with their colleagues from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (NRNU MEPhI) developed a tungsten oxide-based detector of hydrogen in gas mixes. (2019-02-11)
New model predicts how ground shipping will affect future human health, environment
The trucks and trains that transport goods across the United States emit gases and particles that threaten human health and the environment. (2019-02-11)
Artificial intelligence can identify microscopic marine organisms
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) program that can automatically provide species-level identification of microscopic marine organisms. (2019-02-06)
Diffusing the methane bomb: We can still make a difference
The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, causing the carbon containing permafrost that has been frozen for tens or hundreds of thousands of years to thaw and release methane into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to global warming. (2019-02-06)
Forecast suggests Earth's warmest period on record
The forecast for the global average surface temperature for the five-year period to 2023 is predicted to be near or above 1.0 °C above pre-industrial levels, says the Met Office. (2019-02-06)
Earth's global surface temperatures in 2018 were the fourth warmest since 1880, according to independent analyses by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (2019-02-06)
How landscape plants have an impact on the carbon footprint
A new study provides a base of understanding of carbon footprint terminology and illustrates carbon footprint analyses using data from previous research that modeled nursery and greenhouse crop production systems and their life-cycle impact. (2019-02-06)
Study: Environmental regulations may have unintended consequences in energy production
Many countries have passed environmental laws to preserve natural ecosystems. (2019-02-04)
A warming world increases air pollution
The UC Riverside-led study shows that the contrast in warming between the continents and sea, called the land-sea warming contrast, drives an increased concentration of aerosols in the atmosphere that cause air pollution. (2019-02-04)
Everything in moderation
In efforts to curb our use of greenhouse gas-generating fossil fuels, plant-based biofuels are among the top contenders as alternative liquid energy sources for transportation. (2019-02-01)
Earth's largest extinction event likely took plants first
New evidence from the cliffsides of Australia suggests that Earth's largest extinction event -- a volcanic cataclysm occurring roughly 252 million years ago -- extinguished plant life long before many animal counterparts. (2019-01-31)
Cattle urine's planet-warming power can be curtailed with land restoration
The exceptional climate-altering capabilities of cattle are mainly due to methane, which they blast into the atmosphere during their daily digestive routine. (2019-01-29)
China's regulations unsuccessful in curbing methane emissions
China, already the world's leading emitter of human-caused greenhouse gases, continues to pump increasing amounts of climate-changing methane into the atmosphere despite tough new regulations on gas releases from its coal mines, a new Johns Hopkins study shows. (2019-01-29)
China not 'walking the walk' on methane emissions
In China, regulations to reduce methane emissions from coal mining took full effect in 2010 and required methane to be captured or to be converted into carbon dioxide. (2019-01-29)
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Review a Range of Different Assessment Methods Available and Explain the Ones You Would Use for Your Subject Area. Evaluate the Use of Assessment Methods in Different Contexts Including Reference to Initial Assessment.
Review a range of different assessment methods available and explain the ones you would use for your subject area. Evaluate the use of assessment methods in different contexts including reference to initial assessment. Justify the types of assessment records you would complete and why.There are many methods of assessment in teaching and they all fall into one or more of the following three categories: initial, formative and summative.
Initial assessment is carried out before a course starts or as it is just beginning, it is used to identify where a learner stands in relation to the aims and objectives of the course and to ascertain the learners needs. Examples of initial assessment include interviews, questionnaires, application forms, aptitude tests, practical demonstration, observation, psychometric tests and literacy and numeracy tests.
Formative assessment is ongoing throughout the course, it recognises the learner’s progress and achievements so far, identifies any problems or needs and helps the teacher and student to refocus and work towards the end goal. Formative assessments include feedback, assignments, reflective journals, portfolio building, questioning and answering, exams, individual learning plans, observation, tests, projects, practical demonstrations, appraisals and questionnaires.
Summative assessments are carried out at the end of a course and are a final measure of a student’s and teacher’s achievement in meeting the aims and objectives of the course. Summative assessment methods include exams, practical demonstrations, review, evaluation, completed portfolio, dissertations, skills tests, completed projects, observed practice, feedback, placements and suggestions for progression.
In self defence, a very practical subject, initial assessment could be carried out using an enrolment form asking for details of previous experience, questioning in a group situation could also be used to ascertain the learner’s knowledge and skills.... |
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