the benefits of creative arts therapy for kids written by chera prideaux step into seattle art therapist mineko takada - dill ’ s studio and you ’ ll find an array of paints, clay, pastels, charcoal and textured papers. she uses these materials to help her clients let their guard down and experience the therapeutic benefits of art. who hasn ’ t felt relaxation, focus and a sense of accomplishment while working on a creative project? for a child with special needs, the therapeutic benefits are much greater. creative arts therapy is a broad field that includes visual arts, music, dance, poetry and drama. the arts are an increasingly popular way for children with special needs to overcome difficulties and take pride in a new skill. takada - dill finds that the visual nature of art therapy is especially beneficial for kids who have trouble communicating in other ways. some of takada - dill ’ s favorite projects include creating storybooks, masks and collages. this is an effective method for getting kids to identify and deal with difficult emotions such as anger, frustration and sadness. music therapy for kids children who aren ’ t as visual may find that music therapy is helpful for improving speech, cognitive development, motor skills and communication. “ music therapy helps children of all ages and disabilities, especially children who are particularly auditory, ” says jennifer hastings, a seattle neurologic music therapist. though some people may think they need natural talent to play music, hastings disagrees. “ i became a music therapist because i wanted to make music accessible to everyone, ” she says. she has helped make music an approachable way for kids with special needs to gain skills they may not pick up in a traditional school setting, including communication and social skills. hastings works with several kids who are more comfortable expressing themselves with music rather than verbally. “ an improv music session is very similar to the back - and - forth nature of a social interaction, ” she says. anne powers ’ stepdaughter, who has autism, worked individually with a music therapist. powers, a lake stevens mom, saw tremendous gains from the one - on - one attention her stepdaughter received. “ music kept her very focused and trained her brain to stay on task and filter out distraction, ” says powers. “ we saw improvement in her problem - solving ability, frustration tolerance, creative expression and dexterity. she can now play some of her favorite songs and she can express her moods with her playing, something she cannot do verbally. ” best of all,


we saw improvement in her problem - solving ability, frustration tolerance, creative expression and dexterity. she can now play some of her favorite songs and she can express her moods with her playing, something she cannot do verbally. ” best of all, says powers, music became part of her stepdaughter ’ s routine. “ music therapy was absolutely the highlight of her week. ” children ' s dance therapy music and dance can be a powerful combination. according to the american dance therapy association, dance therapy has been around for more than 50 years and helps connect the body and mind. it ’ s also effective for individuals with developmental, physical, social, psychological or physiological impairments. emerald ballet theatre ( ebt ) in bellevue offers dance classes for kids with special needs. today, most of these children are successfully integrated into classes with the other dancers. this gives the “ exceptional dancers, ” as they call them, a way to interact with others and feel included. “ it ’ s remarkable how well the integration works, ” says sarah jacobsen, an ebt instructor. “ we expect all of our students to strive to be inclusive, and it ’ s really been worth the effort. ” amina condel ’ s daughter, who is autistic, has thrived during her participation in classes at emerald ballet theatre. “ even though the dance classes are not technically ‘ therapy, ’ they have been very therapeutic, ” says condel, who reports that her daughter has improved her gross motor function, memory, social skills, speech and cognitive skills. “ she loves being a part of the production and feels valued, ” she says. rosalie frankel, an arts therapist at seattle children ’ s hospital, says that finding an arts therapist in seattle may be difficult compared to other places in the country, but worth the effort. “ it ’ s really beneficial for so many kids. ” children with disabilities often possess creative gifts that they aren ’ t able to express until they are put in the right environment. “ the arts are a magical place where these kids can really shine, ” says jacobsen. chera prideaux is a seattle freelance writer and mother. creative arts therapy resources for kids american music therapy association seattle children ’ s hospital emerald ballet theatre evergreen art therapy association american dance therapy association


a history of the tonto apache in may 1926, the director of the state museum on the campus of the university of arizona, tucson, answered a letter of inquiry from a mrs. matthews in san francisco about the tonto apaches. in his reply was this comment, " regarding the tonto apaches, i fear i can be of very little help to you. i know of nothing that has been written upon this group. they are now mixed into the other groups in the white mountain ' s tribe at fort apache and at san carlos. but i know of no one who has traced their history. " if i were to answer mrs. matthews i would have to give the same answer today. much research has been done on the war waged by euro - americans against the apaches, and there have been numerous studies of prehistoric settlement in the territory later occupied by the tonto apache. but no one has gathered the available information and provided us with a written history of the small tribe called tonto apache. the reason so little has been written about this fascinating subject can be readily understood. when the european culture began its migration westward across america, arizona was essentially a bridge to california gold. as the pacific connection grew, so did the necessity for better trails to connect the vast stretches of the continent. as trails became roads and then railroads, they followed routes along the gila river in the south and across the colorado plateau in the north. in either case, they skirted the wilderness of central arizona and left out the territory of the tonto apache. the terrain, with its rugged canyons, ridges and mountains lay in a northwest by southeast direction, and created an impossible barrier for east - west travel. the apaches who lived in these basins and mountains were, therefore, the last arizona natives to be threatened by the settlement of those they called " white - eyes. " this moniker originated because the white of caucasian eyeballs contrasts with the coffee color of indian eyeballs. as for the apache people, they refer to themselves as " the people. " in their language it is nde, pronounced en - dah, and implies a people set apart and superior to other peoples. when the california gold rush was over and miners began to prospect in the central mountains of arizona, word got out about the lush grazing lands and the abundance of game waiting to be exploited by ranchers and miners, and those who serviced them. once these americans settled in arizona they began to encroach on tonto apache lands. settlers became prime targets for


about the lush grazing lands and the abundance of game waiting to be exploited by ranchers and miners, and those who serviced them. once these americans settled in arizona they began to encroach on tonto apache lands. settlers became prime targets for apaches and the various pai groups, who stole livestock for food. this created the need for a military presence to protect the settlers, and it was the beginning of the end for the old way of life among the tontos. as we shall see, however, they are " the people who would not be conquered. " their story deserves to be told, and honor given to their history. as i attempt to put together the exciting and dramatic story of these people who live in the rim country and verde river valley, credit must go to many who have helped me over the years. the original research of alan ferg, nicolas p. hauser, keith basso, george s. esper and thomas hinton are among those to whom i am deeply indebted. also the archives of the arizona historical society of tucson, the sharlot hall museum library in prescott ; the fort verde state park museum in camp verde ; the cline library at northern arizona university, flagstaff ; the colter library of the northern arizona museum, flagstaff ; the hayden library, special collections, at arizona state university, tempe ; and the arizona historical foundation in that same location ; the department of library archives and public records at the state capitol in phoenix ; the smithsonian institution in washington and the national archives and records administration in washington, d. c. and in laguna niguel, calif. in the payson area, journalist carroll cox did much over the years to gather information about the tonto apaches and publish it from her several journalistic positions. she deserves much credit for being the first person to systematically write a simple history of the tonto apaches, and publish it in a 1987 series in the mogollon advisor. i hope the reader will be inspired and enlightened by this story, and that young tonto apaches will be encouraged to embrace the heritage they have all but lost. if i were a tonto apache and could speak in the tongue of the ancestors, i could better tell the odyssey, the joy, the struggle, and the terror of their story. however, i am white - eyes, and i write as white - eyes. all i can do is ask forgiveness from the people i have come to appreciate so heartily. next week :


hematemesis ( vomiting blood ) in dogs by : dr. bari spielman read by : pet lovers coagulopathies or bleeding disorders should be considered, especially if there is evidence of bleeding from other body sites as well. there are many different types of clotting disorders that can cause hematemesis. hematemesis is the presence of flakes, streaks or clots of fresh blood in the vomitus, or the presence of digested blood in the vomitus. digested blood is often described as looking like coffee grounds. hematemesis may be the only clinical sign, or it may be accompanied by other clinical signs. it is sometimes difficult for the pet owner to distinguish between true hematemesis, which involves bleeding within the gastrointestinal tract, from secondary hematemesis, which involves the vomiting of swallowed blood. sneezing or coughing blood, and / or blood dripping from the mouth are signs of bleeding that may be swallowed into the stomach, and then secondarily vomited. a careful history and thorough physical examination will help distinguish between them. true hematemesis usually indicates a serious underlying disease, and generally warrants hospitalization, extensive diagnostic testing, and supportive care. it is best to determine the underlying cause, and treat the specific problem, rather than attempting only symptomatic therapy. there are many potential causes for hematemesis. the most common causes are usually diseases or disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract, although in some cases, clotting disorders ( coagulopathies ) may result in bleeding even though the gastrointestinal tract is essentially healthy. hemorrhagic gastroenteritis ( hge ) is a syndrome seen in dogs whose cause is unknown. the dog usually experiences acute bloody diarrhea, although vomiting and / or hematemesis is may be seen as well. gastrointestinal ulcerations or erosions are one of the more common causes of hematemesis. these ulcers can occur with many different disorders, such as : the overproduction of stomach acid from stress and certain tumors infiltrative diseases of the wall of the stomach or upper intestines, such as inflammatory bowel disease chronic inflammation of the esophagus, especially with regurgitation of acidic stomach contents chronic inflammation of the stomach, especially from bacteria such as helicobacter metabolic diseases, such as kidney failure, chronic liver disease and hypoadreno


separated from the lower peninsula by the straits of mackinac, the upper peninsula ( or simply, the “ u. p. ” ) is characterized by dense forests and rugged lakeshores. bordered by northern wisconsin, southern ontario, and three of the great lakes, the upper peninsula makes up almost one - third of michigan ’ s land mass. steep highlands in the western portion of the peninsula give way to flatter lands of the great lakes plain in the east. marquette is the largest city on the upper peninsula, and is a major port on lake superior for shipping center for iron ore. the city is also home to northern michigan university. sault ste. marie is michigan ’ s oldest city, and is separated by its twin city of sault ste. marie, ontario by the waters of the st. mary ’ s river. the soo locks, which allow ships to pass between lake superior and the lower great lakes, are located here. economy and industry whereas mining was once the predominant industry in the upper peninsula, tourism drives the economy of the region today. the unique geography and remote beauty of the u. p. bring in thousands of visitors from the lower peninsula and wisconsin every year. with huge stretches of land and low population densities, the peninsula is a prime spot for camping, hiking, fishing, boating, snowmobiling and hunting. logging also remains a key business for the u. p. as well. sometimes referred to as “ the mitten ” or “ the hand ” because of its shape, the lower peninsula of michigan is generally flat and comprises two - thirds of michigan ’ s land mass. the lower peninsula is often divided into the sub regions of northern michigan, west michigan, mid - michigan, southeast michigan and the flint / tri cities area ( also known as “ the thumb ” ). the peninsula is marked by many lakes, marshes and inland rivers. detroit is the largest city in michigan and is famous as both the motor city and motown. detroit is also the only u. s. city that bordered by a canadian city on the south. grand rapids is the second largest city in michigan and the primary urban center in the western half of the state. the city has long been a major manufacturing center. lansing is michigan ' s capital city and is home to michigan state university. the area is an important center for government, educational and research institutions. best known as the home of the university of michigan, ann arbor is a known for high tech industry and a vibrant arts and entertainment scene. dearborn the hometown of


state university. the area is an important center for government, educational and research institutions. best known as the home of the university of michigan, ann arbor is a known for high tech industry and a vibrant arts and entertainment scene. dearborn the hometown of henry ford and is the location of the ford motor company ’ s headquarters. known as the nation ’ s center for the automobile industry, michigan is also a leader in information technology, business and manufacturing. mining remains important in the state, in particular limestone, salt, and iron ore. the vast majority of michigan ’ s farmlands can be found in the lower peninsula. among the most important crops in the state are corn, soybeans, wheat and sugarbeets. the state ’ s lakes and waterways provide ample opportunity for fishing and boating, and in the summer thousands flock to beaches and lake front resorts. outdoor enthusiasts enjoy 99 state parks and thousands of miles of hiking and bike trails. hunting is a major pastime in michigan, and peninsulas offer excellent opportunities to hunt big game, small game, waterfowl and upland game birds. michigan is also a fantastic place for golfers, with over 900 golf courses ( more than any other state ) long summer hours and a persistent autumn season. all of the major professional sports leagues have a team that call michigan home, and heated college rivalries keep sports fans entertained all year long. each winter michigan transforms into a snow covered landscape ideal for winter sports. michigan boasts some the midwest ’ s best downhill skiing and snowboarding resorts, miles of cross - country and snowmobile trails and even the u. s. national ski & snowboard hall of fame and museum. all told, some 840 runs, and 40 terrain parks can be found within michigan ’ s peninsulas. michigan also boasts world - class educational institutions, outstanding museums and extensive public libraries throughout the state. there are at least 7 symphony orchestras in the state, and many cities host individual concert seasons. over 45 wineries can be found in michigan, located in some of the most beautiful areas of the state.


redistricting 2010 : reforming the process of distributing political power publication date : february 2009 publisher ( s ) : public affairs research council of louisiana, inc. author ( s ) : ann williamson - heath keywords : apportionment ; redistricting the u. s. constitution requires that a national population census be taken every 10 years to determine how many congressional representatives each state should have. thereafter, census data are reported to the u. s. president and individual states as required by federal law. those data provide the basis for drawing congressional and state legislative district maps. the next reapportionment and redistricting cycle will be significant for louisiana. since the last census count in 2000, louisiana has lost a significant amount of its populace to other states. further, residents who have remained in louisiana have moved away from the once densely populated new orleans area toward other parts of the state. the state ' s inability to maintain population or grow as fast as its peers in the new millennium, combined with the devastating storms of 2005, has all but ensured the loss of one congressional seat in 2010 and the transfer of some state legislative power from the new orleans area to faster growing parishes. drawing district lines in 2010 will be politically charged ; because of population changes, protecting minority districts and balancing political power will be bigger issues than they have been in the past. along with 15 other states, louisiana ' s district maps must be pre - approved by the u. s. department of justice or federal courts before taking effect. the state ' s history of voting inequities for minorities creates an air of mistrust in government and the state ' s redistricting process. completely eliminating political influence or potential abuse of power from the process is not likely. however, louisiana can transform its redistricting model into one that will have less potential for conflict of interest, be more transparent and accountable to the public, and place greater controls on those who have the power to move district lines. reapportionment is the redistribution of congressional representatives among the states based on each decennial census, while redistricting is the redrawing of the states ' congressional and legislative district maps to reflect population changes. at the federal level, each state is guaranteed two u. s. senate seats and one u. s. house seat. the remaining 385 house seats are reapportioned every 10 years based on each state ' s population in proportion to the nation overall. like 27 other states, louisiana relies solely on its state legislators for congressional and legislative redist


s. house seat. the remaining 385 house seats are reapportioned every 10 years based on each state ' s population in proportion to the nation overall. like 27 other states, louisiana relies solely on its state legislators for congressional and legislative redistricting and gives them great power over the process, which is loosely defined by state house and senate rules. in louisiana, district lines for members of the board of elementary and secondary education ( bese ), public service commission ( psc ) and state supreme court also are determined by the legislature. yet few legislative practices offer greater potential for conflict of interest or less accountability to the people than redistricting. the u. s. supreme court has said that even the most fundamental rights are illusory if the right to vote is compromised. as such, government works to ensure that all persons are afforded an equal opportunity to vote and participate in government. for the election process to be genuine it must be competitive, where any person has the chance to run for office and be elected. it is easy to overlook or misunderstand the impact that redistricting can have on electoral competition. however, decisions made during the mapping process can shape citizen representation and political control far into the future. although modern redistricting has been made more objective through the use of consultants and redistricting software, bodies responsible for redistricting still have great power to affect the types of people who can be elected by crafting districts that favor some more than others. it is imperative that redistricting be entrusted to those who are not directly affected by its outcomes and that the process be well controlled to limit the freedom that line drawers are given. certain redistricting models are better than others in terms of independence from political manipulation. in an effort to depoliticize the process, one state entrusts redistricting to nonpartisan legislative staff, 13 states give primary responsibility to appointed boards or commissions and eight states use commissions in an advisory or backup role. nationwide, there is a growing interest in removing legislatures from the redistricting process. since 2005, 18 of the 28 states that use only their legislatures for redistricting have tried to create independent redistricting commissions or to expand the duties of existing state commissions ( used for other purposes ) to include the task of redistricting. redistricting commissions are not necessarily more or less effective than legislatures in terms of avoiding litigation. creating maps that no group will challenge is unlikely. regardless of who participates in the line drawing process, litigation can take several years to resolve


redistricting. redistricting commissions are not necessarily more or less effective than legislatures in terms of avoiding litigation. creating maps that no group will challenge is unlikely. regardless of who participates in the line drawing process, litigation can take several years to resolve and redistricting bodies may spend as much time justifying their plans as they did creating them. however, given louisiana ' s past treatment of minorities, current population shifts and recent battles over ethics reform, redistricting stakes will be higher this time. the state should seize this opportunity to upgrade its business - as - usual approach to drawing district lines. entrusting redistricting to an independent body that will not benefit directly from the lines drawn clearly is a better option in terms of enhancing citizen confidence and building a legacy of public trust. further, implementing a more definitive, tightly controlled and transparent process can significantly increase the chance for the state ' s plans to survive future legal scrutiny. this report offers an overview of redistricting processes nationwide and recommends the following improvements to louisiana ' s redistricting method : recommendation 1 : assign the task of congressional and legislative redistricting to an independent commission, whose powers, duties and redistricting principles are firmly established in law. recommendation 2 : require all commission meetings, documents, communications and work product to be subject to louisiana ' s open meetings and public records laws, as well as posted and archived on the commission ' s web site. recommendation 3 : begin the assignment of redistricting power immediately to ensure a ready and able commission for the next redistricting cycle.


term : january 21, 1879 - january 16, 1883 born : june 8, 1830 died : december 1, 1892 henry martyn hoyt was the third straight civil war general to serve in the state ' s highest office. hoyt was born june 8, 1830, on a farm in kingston, luzerne county, to a presbyterian family with connecticut roots dating back to about 1629. his father, ziba hoyt, was a farmer who had fought at lake erie during the war of 1812, and his mother, nancy herbert, is believed to have been related to general william t. sherman. hoyt was educated at old wilkes - barre academy, wyoming seminary, lafayette college, and williams college ( massachusetts ). after graduating in 1849 from williams, hoyt taught school at the towanda academy, followed by a school in memphis, tennessee, and then was professor of mathematics at wyoming seminary. at the same time, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1853. on september 25, 1855, he married mary loveland and raised one son and two daughters. hoyt was active in the whig party, ran for district attorney, and campaigned in 1856 for the whig presidential candidate, john fremont. when the civil war broke out, he became the colonel in charge of the 52nd pennsylvania volunteers, but was imprisoned during the expedition against charleston, south carolina. on july 3, 1864, hoyt led about 1, 000 troops by boat on the james river to fort johnson where they successfully entered the fort. however, union reinforcements did not arrive in time. hoyt ' s men could not hold the fort and hoyt was captured. an attempt to escape was thwarted when bloodhounds ran him down, but later, a prisoner exchange allowed him to return to the 52nd until the end of the war when he was brevetted brigadier general. after returning to his law practice, hoyt resumed his climb on the political ladder. he was first elected to the school board of wilkes - barre in 1866 and then appointed as a law judge of luzerne county in 1867, but lost an election for the same position after being nominated by the republicans. in 1869, he was appointed collector of internal revenue for luzerne and susquehanna counties. in 1875 - 76, he served as state republican chairman, which, along with his civil war hero status, helped position him to be nominated as governor. the republican influence was weakening with the economic downturn that dated back to the panic of 1873. after the republicans lost control of both the general assembly


chairman, which, along with his civil war hero status, helped position him to be nominated as governor. the republican influence was weakening with the economic downturn that dated back to the panic of 1873. after the republicans lost control of both the general assembly and a u. s. senate seat, it appeared as though the democrats might win the governor ' s race. the democrats, however, were counting on a coalition with the new national - greenback party, a party that appealed to the huge voting block of farmers and labor. in the end, republican party bosses robert mackey and matthew s. quay convinced the greenback party to back off from supporting the democratic candidate, andrew h. dill, and instead put forth their own candidate, samuel r. mason. hoyt won by 22, 000 votes. hoyt ' s administration did not begin smoothly. in the spring of 1879, public outcry met the passage of the general assembly ' s " riot bill " that appropriated four million dollars to compensate pennsylvania railroad for property damages in the riots of 1877. allegheny county had responsibility for the damage, but pittsburgh politicians and special interests succeeded in placing the burden on all of pennsylvania ' s taxpayers. a legislative investigation concluded that at least eight persons, including three members of the general assembly, were guilty of criminal solicitation on behalf of the bill. the legislators were sent to jail, but the attorney general pardoned them. a second scandal involved matthew quay, by then serving as secretary of the commonwealth. quay ' s choice for state treasurer, samuel butler, turned out to be an embarrassment for quay and the former treasurer, amos noye. butler proved to be a high - minded individual who demanded a strict accounting of state funds. he found that quay and the former treasurer had engaged in speculation with state funds, which led hoyt to cut his ties to the quay machine. the constitution of 1874 prohibited the governor from succeeding himself, but otherwise permitted reelection in the future. however, hoyt ' s move toward independent republicans resulted in alienation from the quay - cameron machine, thus his political career ended with his one term as governor. even so, hoyt ' s administration still managed a number of accomplishments. under hoyt ' s governorship, state debt was reduced by one and half million dollars ; mitigation reformed the cruel pennsylvania solitary confinement prison system ; the charters of " diploma mill " medical schools were revoked ; a state medical board was established ; delinquent taxes were collected ; and railroads were prosecuted for rate schedules that were disc


evolution in the light of intelligent design - new entries appendix ( human appendix ) - despite it ' s name, no longer considered superfluous or rudimentary ( tyler ) acritarchs - oldest known protists ( tyler ) the picture emerging of the late archaean is one that includes prokaryotes and eukaryotes, photosynthesis, an oxygenated atmosphere and lots of biological activity. this is a big contrast from the picture even 10 years ago. the significance for our thinking about origins is that the eons of time demanded by darwinian processes are not available. archaea - horizontal gene transfer - review of the archaea ' s tale ( tyler ) he presents evidence that darwinian evolution does not go back to the beginning of life. when we compare genomes of ancient lineages of living creatures, we find evidence of numerous transfers of genetic information from one lineage to another. in early times, horizontal gene transfer, the sharing of genes between unrelated species, was prevalent. it becomes more prevalent the further back you go in time. - freeman dyson butterfly sex ratios in samoa - and natural selection ( tyler ) sex ratios are distorted by the presence of a maternally inherited bacterium which has the effect of selectively killing male embryos. the authors report ratios of > 99 % female to nearly 1 : 1. these were different on different islands and at different times. the genetics of this shift of sex ratios is summarised in one paragraph with some supporting online data. there is not enough information here for anyone to either confirm or challenge their conclusions. cell - molecular recognition - advantages of cellular key - lock not being an exact fit. ( tyler ) so, something that could have been interpreted as evidence for tinkering evolution is discovered to have advantages after all. furthermore, it has potential for the design of human systems operating in noisy environments. by invoking " evolutionary selection ", the authors suggest an evolutionary context for their work. however, there is no evidence that evolutionary selection was involved, and the link with evolutionary theory is gratuitous. central dogma ( tyler ) casual observers might say they find chaos in the emerging picture of the genome, but systems biology is tracking down extraordinary sophistication at the molecular biology level, indicating that theories ( like darwinism ) that are undirected and stochastic have little to offer 21st century biology. exoplanets - atmospheres ( tyler ) gecko - feet a standard for adhesion ( tyler )... the gecko does


like darwinism ) that are undirected and stochastic have little to offer 21st century biology. exoplanets - atmospheres ( tyler ) gecko - feet a standard for adhesion ( tyler )... the gecko does not demonstrate just a single trait with enhanced performance. there are issues of adhesion and delamination, self - cleaning, and achieving a sustained adhesive performance. what we have in the gecko is exquisite design and, for that, biomimetics needs a methodology that can relate well to intelligent engineering design concepts. molecular recognition in the cell ( tyler ) protists - oldest known protists ( tyler ) sensory perception - advanced perception in permian amniotes ( tyler ) the discovery of a highly - evolved auditory apparatus in middle permian parareptiles even further emphasizes that the entire groundplan for the impressive evolutionary history of amniotes was already largely in place by the end of the paleozoic ; what followed was in fact only a subsequent tinkering of earlier inventions. " darwinism needs time, but the fossil record no longer provides it. stasis - tribolites ( tyler ) trilobites - variation and stasis as a pattern the research documented both rapid morphological variation and subsequent stasis.... one hypothesis is that radiations occur because organisms are designed to vary, but the process results in genetic impoverishment that leads to stasis. variation - tribolites ( tyler )


the first thing to note about the psqlodbc driver ( or any odbc driver ) is that there must exist a driver manager on the system where the odbc driver is to be used. there exists a free odbc driver for unix called iodbc which can be obtained via http : / / www. iodbc. org. instructions for installing iodbc are contained in the iodbc distribution. having said that, any driver manager that you can find for your platform should support the psqlodbc driver, or any other odbc driver for that matter. to install psqlodbc you simply need to supply the - - enable - odbc option to the configure script when you are building the entire postgresql distribution. the library and header files will then automatically be built and installed with the rest of the programs. if you forget that option or want to build the odbc driver later you can change into the directory src / interfaces / odbc and do make and make install there. the installation - wide configuration file odbcinst. ini will be installed into the directory / usr / local / pgsql / etc /, or equivalent, depending on what - - prefix and / or - - sysconfdir options you supplied to configure. since this file can also be shared between different odbc drivers you can also install it in a shared location. to do that, override the location of this file with the - - with - odbcinst option. additionally, you should install the odbc catalog extensions. that will provide a number of functions mandated by the odbc standard that are not supplied by postgresql by default. the file / usr / local / pgsql / share / odbc. sql ( in the default installation layout ) contains the appropriate definitions, which you can install as follows : psql - d template1 - f location / odbc. sqlwhere specifying template1 as the target database will ensure that all subsequent new databases will have these same definitions. psqlodbc has been built and tested on linux. there have been reports of success with freebsd and with solaris. there are no known restrictions on the basic code for other platforms which already support postgres.


pascal is an influential imperative and procedural programming language, intended to encourage good programming practices using so called structured programming and data structuring. : what is the reason for this problem? if i leave pascal doing anything : in loop, after ~ 30 secs loop is runiing slower than before, but loop returns at normal speed when i move mouse or press a... : hi there : i ' m using turbo pascal for windows 1. 5, and using wincrt in my program. : 1. how can i use color text or color background? i try to use : textcolor ( 1 ) ; textbackground ( 4 ) ;, but it... : when using this code : : procedure tform1. applicationevents1message ( var msg : tagmsg ; : var handled : boolean ) ; : if ( msg. message = wm _ keyup ) or ( msg. message = wm _ keydown ) then there are a lot of applications where speed is a critical factor - - such as real - time programs. ms windows and unix are not real - time operating systems, so speed is not all that... is there any way in pascal ( or asm ) to shut down the computer ( you know, as in windows - you press shut down and its turning itself off power ). i ' d be grateful.


nucleic acid binding proteins are required for many processes in living organisms. transcription factors play an important role in regulating transcription of dna by binding to specific recognition sites on the chromosome. this regulation is required for cell viability, differentiation and growth ( 1 ). the ability to detect and confirm the interaction of such proteins with various nucleic acid targets provides valuable information about the cell signaling cascades that govern the ability of a cell to divide, migrate, interact with its neighbors, develop and maintain specialized functions, and terminate viability at the appropriate time. two common techniques used to detect the interaction of nucleic acid binding proteins with nucleic acids are the electrophoretic mobility shift assay ( emsa ) and fluorescence anisotropy assay ( 3 ). emsa involves binding protein to a radiolabeled dna probe followed by resolution on a polyacrylamide gel. due to the increase in mass, protein : probe complexes migrate slower than free probe, allowing comparison of free versus bound probe. the specificity of such complexes is determined using competition experiments with unlabeled specific and nonspecific oligos. this method works best with purified protein and can be quite labor intensive, particularly when numerous samples are being processed. in fluorescence anisotropy, a dna binding protein is bound to a dna substrate containing a fluorophore. polarized light is shined onto the sample and then the emitted light is detected. because a dna : protein complex tumbles in solution more slowly than the free dna, there is less deflected light. this method works best with purified protein and requires special equipment. protein chips have emerged as an approach for identification of dna : protein interactions ( 5 ). functional protein microarrays are composed of arrays containing full - length functional proteins or protein domains. fluorescently labeled dna is used to probe the array and identify proteins that bind to that specific probe. protein microarrays provide a method for high - throughput identification of dna : protein interactions. however, microarrays are not easily adaptable. the halolink™ protein array system offers solutions to these challenges, as described in following paragraph, and certain issues have been specifically addressed. these include preventing false positives. the halolink™ array system is an alternative approach for analysis of dna : protein interactions. this system captures nucleic acid binding proteins on a slide surface ( figure 1 ) and previously has been shown to be a successful method for studying protein : protein interactions and enzymatic reactions


system is an alternative approach for analysis of dna : protein interactions. this system captures nucleic acid binding proteins on a slide surface ( figure 1 ) and previously has been shown to be a successful method for studying protein : protein interactions and enzymatic reactions ( 8 ). the system requires the generation of a fusion protein between the dna - binding protein and the halotag® protein ( 8 ). the halotag® protein is a 34kda modified hydrolase enzyme that can form a rapid, specific and covalent bond with its chloroalkane ligand ( 10 ). synthesizing the halotag® fusion - dna - binding protein in cell - free systems adds to the speed and flexibility of the assay. the halolink™ protein array slides are hydrogel - coated glass slides containing immobilized halotag® ligand. fifty individual wells are created by adding a silicon gasket to the slide. the expressed fusion protein can be bound to the surface covalently, allowing stringent washing and subsequent analysis of dna binding by adding a dna probe. this technique is rapid, requires no purified protein, provides a moderate data set ( n = 50 ) and is adaptable to different throughputs. we used the rel / nf - κb transcription factor, p50 ( 11 ), as a model dna binding protein to show that the halolink™ protein array slide provides a tool for analyzing dna - binding protein : dna interactions. dimers of nf - κb proteins regulate transcription by directly binding enhancer sequences, referred to as κb dna sequences, which are located in the regulatory regions of numerous genes. halolink™ protein array experimental design figure 1 outlines the experimental design of the halolink™ protein array system. a halotag® fusion protein is expressed with a cell - free expression system and then covalently attached to the slide surface through the halotag® protein ’ s interaction with the halotag® ligand ( see supplementary information for details ). after washing and drying, the slide is processed to determine protein concentration, and is then used to analyze the dna : protein interaction. to detect the halotag® fusion protein, certain wells of the slide are probed with anti - halotag® antibody ( cat. # g9281 ). after a second wash followed with a drying step, the slide is probed with alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit antibody and analyzed on a typhoon® 9410 slide scanner to detect the halotag® fusion protein. in addition, other wells


after a second wash followed with a drying step, the slide is probed with alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit antibody and analyzed on a typhoon® 9410 slide scanner to detect the halotag® fusion protein. in addition, other wells have a fluorophore - labeled dna probe added to them. after incubation, the slide is washed, dried, and scanned to detect the dna : protein interaction. halotag® - p50 binds to the halolink™ protein array slide and has dna binding activity. two human p50 proteins were expressed as n - terminal halotag® fusion proteins in a high - yield wheat germ cell - free protein expression system. one p50 protein contains the dna binding domain, dimerization domain, and the nuclear localization sequence of the human p50 protein, while the second p50 protein ( – dna bd ) has the dna binding domain removed. expression of the correctly sized fusion proteins was verified using the halotag® tmr ligand ( cat. # g8251 ) ( 12 ) followed by sds - page ( figure 2, panel a ). figure 2. halotag® - p50 fusion protein attaches to the halolink™ protein array slide and shows dna binding activity. panel a. tmr - labeled sds - page of halotag® fusions. one microliter of both halotag® - p50 and halotag® - p50 ( – dna bd ) fusion proteins expressed in a cell - free system was labeled with the halotag® tmr ligand and separated using sds - page. a marker was used to assay for size. panel b. halolink™ protein array slide. the numbers correspond to wells, and the letters correspond to columns. column a : wells 1 – 10, 5μl of halotag® - gst standard protein at 0, 1. 3, 2. 6, 5. 2, 10. 5, 21, 42, 83, 166, and 332nm, respectively, was added to each well. each well was then probed with anti - halotag® pab followed by alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit igg antibody. column b : wells 1 – 3, 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - p50 fusion protein was added to each well ; wells 5 - 7, 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - p50 ( – dna bd ) fusion protein was added to each well.


bound halotag® protein ( figure 2, panel b ; column a ). a titration series of wild - type - dna ( wt - dna ) and mutated - dna ( mut - dna ) both containing alexa fluor® 647 was added to the slide. following scanning, the fluorescence intensity of each well was determined and plotted ( figure 2, panel c ). the halotag® - p50 protein bound the wt - dna to near saturation levels, and did not significantly bind the mut - dna. the halotag® - p50 ( – dna bd ) protein had no detectable dna binding activity. probing with a 32p - labeled nucleotide gave similar results ( data not shown ). this experiment shows that the halolink™ protein array slide is able to bind halotag® - fusion proteins and is capable of analyzing dna : protein interactions. to test further the specificity of the halotag® - p50 / wt - dna interaction, we performed a competition assay using unlabeled wt - dna. replicates of the halotag® - p50 protein expressed in a wheat germ cell - free protein expression system and the halotag® - gst standard protein ( 20μg / ml ) were bound to a halolink™ protein array slide ( figure 3, panel a ). the slide was then probed with alexa fluor® 647 - labeled wt - dna and mixed with increasing amounts of unlabeled wt - dna. the binding signal decreased as the amount of unlabeled competitor increased. a plot of the fluorescent intensity of each halotag® - p50 well versus the percent of competitor dna shows a linear decrease in signal ( figure 3, panel b ). the halotag® - gst standard protein did not bind the wt - dna. this competition assay shows that the halotag® - p50 interaction is specific for the wt - dna and that competition assays can be performed on the halolink™ protein array slides. iκbα interferes with the dna binding activity of halotag® - p50 iκbα is an ankyrin repeat protein that inhibits nf - κb transcriptional activity by sequestering nf - κb outside of the nucleus in resting cells. iκbα forms a very stable complex with nf - κb by binding tightly to the nuclear localization sequence ( nls ) and weakly to the dna - binding domain


13 ) figure 4. ikappabalpha inhibits the binding of p50 to dna. panel a. western blot analysis of lysate expressing both halotag® - p50 fusion protein and iκbα. iκbα contains a t7 epitope tag, which was used for analysis. panel b. halolink™ protein array slides. three slides were imprinted identically with halotag® - gst standard protein and lysate expressing either halotag® - p50 or halotag® - p50 + iκbα proteins. column a : wells 1 – 9, 5μl of halotag® - gst standard protein at 0, 2. 6, 5. 2, 10. 5, 21, 42, 83, 166 or 332nm, respectively, was added to the wells. column b : wells 1 – 9, 0, 0. 039, 0. 078, 0. 156, 0. 3125, 0. 625, 1. 25, 2. 5 or 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - p50, respectively, was added to the wells. column c : rows 1 – 9 had 0, 0. 039, 0. 078, 0. 156, 0. 3125, 0. 625, 1. 25, 2. 5, or 5μl lysate expressing halotag® - p50 + iκbα, respectively, was added to the wells. slide 1 was then probed anti - halotag® pab followed by alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit igg antibody. slide 2 was probed with anti - t7 antibody followed by alexa fluor® 647 anti - mouse igg antibody. slide 3 was probed with wt - dna ( 100nm ). panel c. dna binding of halotag® - p50 fusion protein with and without iκbα was plotted. densities for each well were determined using genepix® software. the concentration of the halotag® - p50 fusion protein in each well was determined using a calibration curve of halotag® - gst standard protein. the concentrations were plotted versus the density of each well. the dna binding signal of halotag® - p50 + iκbα proteins was normalized to that of halotag® - p50 fusion protein alone to compensate for the small decrease in halotag®® - p50 in column c. halotag® -


of halotag® - p50 + iκbα proteins was normalized to that of halotag® - p50 fusion protein alone to compensate for the small decrease in halotag®® - p50 in column c. halotag® - p50 binds wt - dna with a greater affinity than halotag® - p65 to compare the binding of a similar dna binding protein, p65, to p50, we expressed p65 ( amino acids 19 – 325 ) and p50 as halotag® fusion proteins in a cell - free protein expression system. expression of the correctly sized fusion proteins was verified using the halotag® tmr ligand followed by sds - page ( figure 5, panel a ). to test the ability of these proteins to bind dna while bound to the halolink™ protein array slide, we first added lysates expressing halotag® - p50 or halotag® - 65 to the slide ( figure 5, panel b ). three wells for each protein were probed with anti - halotag® pab followed by alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit igg antibody to verify that each protein was properly bound to the slide ( figure 5, column b, wells 1 – 3 for halotag® - 50 and wells 5 and 6 for halotag® - p65 ). the concentrations of the halotag® - p50 and halotag® - p65 proteins were calculated to be nearly identical on the slide. varying concentrations of wt - dna were added to the slide as shown in figure 5. after scanning the slide, the densities of each well were determined and fit to a graph. both proteins bound the wt - dna, with halotag® - p50 binding about twofold better than halotag® - p65. these results agree with those reported previously ( using fluorescence anisotropy and emsa ) ( 13 ) figure 5. binding affinity of p50 and p65 proteins for wildtype dna. panel a. tmr - labeled sds - page of halotag® fusion proteins. one microliter of both halotag® - p50 and halotag® - p65 fusion proteins expressed in a cell - free expression system was labeled with the halotag® tmr ligand and separated using sds - page. a marker was used to assay for size. panel b. halolink™ protein array slide. column a : wells 1 – 10, 5μl of halotag® - gst standard protein at 0


and separated using sds - page. a marker was used to assay for size. panel b. halolink™ protein array slide. column a : wells 1 – 10, 5μl of halotag® - gst standard protein at 0, 1. 3, 2. 6, 5. 2, 10. 5, 21, 42, 83, 166 or 332nm, respectively, was added to each well. each well was then probed with anti - halotag® pab followed by alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit igg antibody. column b : wells 1 – 3, 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - p50 was added to each. wells 5 – 7, 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - 65 was added to each well. wells 1 – 3 and 5 – 7 were then probed with anti - halotag® pab followed by alexa fluor® 647 anti - rabbit igg antibody. column c : wells 1 – 10, 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - p50 was added to each well. wt - dna was added at to the rows as 0, 1, 1. 9, 3. 9, 7. 8, 15. 6, 31. 25, 62. 5, 125 or 250nm, respectively. column d : wells 1 – 10, 5μl of lysate expressing halotag® - p65 added to each. wt - dna was added at the same concentrations as column c. the slide was scanned with a genepix® slide scanner at a wavelength of 635nm. panel c. the densities for each well were determined using genepix® software. the concentration of the dna was plotted versus the density of each well. the three main components of the halolink™ protein array system are cell - free expression, the halotag® protein and the halolink™ slides. all three contribute to the efficiency, robustness and overall speed of the assay. this system can also be used for functional characterization of purified recombinant protein. in a previous study, the halolink protein array system was used to study protein : protein interactions found in the nf - kb complex ( 17 ). we have shown that the halolink™ protein array system can be used to analyze protein : dna interactions using p50 and p65 transcription factors as model dna - binding proteins. first, cell - free translation systems, such as the


( 17 ). we have shown that the halolink™ protein array system can be used to analyze protein : dna interactions using p50 and p65 transcription factors as model dna - binding proteins. first, cell - free translation systems, such as the tnt® sp6 high - yield wheat germ protein expression system or the tnt® rabbit reticulocyte system, allow for rapid protein production directly from dna. in addition, protein can be produced in less than two hours using cell - free systems, versus days for production from e. coli - based systems. cell - free systems also eliminate the expression difficulties some transcription factors have in e. coli - based systems. this adds the flexibility of quickly expressing protein truncations, mutations, or fusions and testing them for activity. second, the halotag® protein enables covalent and oriented capture of proteins on solid surfaces directly from the cell - free expression system without any prior purification step. the halotag® protein forms a covalent bond with its halotag® ligand. a halotag® ligand with reactive end group is used to activate hydrogel - coated glass slides and, subsequently, to capture proteins of interest expressed as halotag® - fusion proteins in cell - free protein expression systems. this approach eliminates the need for protein purification, and allows the fused protein of interest to be oriented for maximum biological activity. third, polyethylene glycol ( peg ) - coated glass slides are known to resist nonspecific adsorption of unwanted protein and to prevent surface - induced denaturation of specific proteins. the low - background binding of the halolink™ slides allows the detection of low abundant binding proteins. a silicone gasket creates 50 wells on the glass slide, so that multiple assays can be performed manually on the same slide without any specialized equipment. this offers an improvement over emsa, which generally allows approximately 15 reactions per gel. using the halolink™ protein array system, we found that p50 bound wt - dna specifically, and p50 that is lacking its dna binding domain had no dna binding activity. this highlights one advantage of using cell - free lysates, truncation and expression is quick, and many different mutations can be tested. the dna probes used in the experiments were generated synthetically, adding to the speed of the assay. multiple dna probes can be tested quickly for binding to one protein, or multiple proteins can be tested for binding to one probe. the dna can be detected using a fluoro


experiments were generated synthetically, adding to the speed of the assay. multiple dna probes can be tested quickly for binding to one protein, or multiple proteins can be tested for binding to one probe. the dna can be detected using a fluorophore ( as shown in these experiments ) or a radiolabeled dna probe. both detection methods have similar sensitivity. using a mutated dna in a competition assay with wild - type, unlabeled dna, we showed that the interaction is specific and the halolink protein array slides have little background binding to the dna probes. furthermore, we compared the binding of two different dna binding proteins, p50 and p65 and showed that the halolink™ protein array slide has the sensitivity to show binding differences between different nucleic acid binding proteins and target binding sites, which agrees with previous studies ( 11 ) the halolink™ protein array slides also provide a platform to study protein : protein : nucleic acid binding. using the p50 protein and its inhibitor iκbα, we were able to show a decrease in p50 binding to wt - dna when the inhibitor was present and showed that the halolink™ protein array slide has the sensitivity to show binding differences between different nucleic acid binding proteins and target binding sites. this decrease in binding was previously observed ( 13 ). the halolink™ protein array slide system can be used to analyze the effect that one protein has on the dna binding activity of another protein. halolink™ protein array slides provide a medium - throughput assay for analyzing protein : protein, protein : nucleic acid, and protein : small molecule interactions. unlike conventional protein arrays, halolink™ protein array slides allow flexibility of content printing. the user can easily create protein mutations and truncations to assay important binding regions on a protein. using these slides, a user can screen quickly a number of different potential targets, determine important binding regions and determine the even amino acids required for the interaction.


dementia can also be caused by endocrine disorders. if hypothyroidism is left untreated, for example, dementia can appear, and aggressive thyroid replacement may not return a patient to his or her previous level of cognitive functioning. the dementia with untreated hypothyroidism is also accompanied by irritability, paranoia, and depression. cushing disease and addison disease may lead to dementia. hypoparathyroidism is the most common cause of basal ganglia calcification with dementia. hyperthyroidism and hyperparathyroidism may also lead to dementia. untreated vitamin b12 deficiency can lead to dementia in the absence of anemia or megaloblastosis. vitamin b12 replacement may improve cognition, but dementia may still continue. high - dose vitamin b supplements do not slow cognitive decline in patients with mild to moderate alzheimer dementia. 14 head trauma may cause dementia from diffuse axonal injury secondary to shearing forces, focal contusions, hemorrhages, lacerations, and hypoxic ischemia. symptoms include anterograde and retrograde amnesia, deficiencies in encoding and retrieval of new information, disorganized thinking, poor concentration, and fluent aphasia. dementia pugilistica, a syndrome caused by repeated head trauma in boxers, leads to a clinical picture of dementia and ataxia. a study of retired national football league players found that the incidence of diseases of memory ( dementia, alzheimer disease [ ad ], or other memory - related disease ) was higher in retired players than in the general population. 15 however, cognitive tests and neurological examinations were not completed, which significantly limits interpretation of these results. a chronic subdural hematoma may be caused by mild head trauma in elderly patients and can lead to a clinical picture of dementia. associated symptoms may include headache, slowed thinking, hemiparesis, change in personality, seizures, and aphasia. any patient with a subdural hematoma must receive immediate neurosurgical evaluation. surgical drainage may or may not be required, but an acute bleed can occur, and the pa - tient may have further neurological deterioration. 16 infectious processes can cause a clinical picture of dementia. neurosyphilis can cause dementia even after 20 years from the time of infection. general paresis, a subtype of neurosyphilis, may present as a progressive dementia, changes in speech, irritability, grandiose delusions, and hall


can cause dementia even after 20 years from the time of infection. general paresis, a subtype of neurosyphilis, may present as a progressive dementia, changes in speech, irritability, grandiose delusions, and hallucinations. 5, 17 the rapid plasma reagin test has a high false - positive rate and results may be negative in late syphilis. a fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test may be a better tool for diagnosis. hiv - associated dementia affects subcortical structures while sparing the cortex. forgetfulness, poor concentration, and slowed thinking are early symptoms. apathy and social withdrawal may arise, and psychosis occurs occasionally. patients with aids may have infections, cns malignancies, or systemic illness that may lead to cognitive impairment. toxins can cause a clinical picture of dementia. long - term alcohol ( drug information on alcohol ) use can lead to alcoholic dementia, which includes anterograde and retrograde amnesia. alcoholic dementia is mild and slowly progressive ; it is associated with impairments on initial letter fluency, fine motor control, and free recall. comprehensive treatment planning patients with dementia need a comprehensive treatment plan, including biological, psychotherapeutic, social, and family interventions ( table 4 ). biological interventions include treatment of any underlying medical disorders and the appropriate use of medications for target symptoms. psychotherapeutic interventions can be generally divided into 4 categories : although many psychotherapeutic interventions are commonly used in clinical practice, only a few of these interventions have undergone double - blind randomized evaluation. 7 social interventions include assessments of the patient ’ s living environment, his ability to drive, risk level for abuse and / or neglect, availability of daytime / nighttime supervision, and occupational therapy to ensure home safety. services such as a home health aide, a house cleaner, and meals on wheels may be needed to assist with basic activities of daily living. a discussion about financial / estate planning, health care power of attorney / advanced care directives, and long - term – care facilities may be needed as the dementia progresses. family interventions to help prevent caregiver burnout include supporting family caregivers with psychoeducation, respite care, and referral to local support groups through national associations. a list of print and internet resources that may be useful for those who care for patients with dementia is posted on www. psychiatrictimes. com in the online version of this article. table 5 highlights key clinical and neuropsychological features


air of authority - a history of raf organisation text links are shown below - home page - - about this site - - quick menu - - main menu - - members ' area - - what ' s new - - help needed - - online store - - reunions - - contact me - - sign guest book - - view guest book - - glossary - - bibliography - formed at hainault farm as a night fighter unit on 12 june 1918 by taking a flight from nos 44, 78 and 112 squadrons. the first flight moved to france on 16 june and ten days later the rest of the squadron was also in france. it operated camels in defence of british bases in the area and by the end of the war had destroyed 26 enemy aircraft. it also introduced the principle of night intrusion, when it made attacks against german bombers returning to their airfields. having returned to britain in february 1919, it disbanded at drem on 10 september. the squadron reformed on 4 august 1936 at north weald, equipped with gauntlets from a detachment of no 56 squadron. hurricanes began to arrive in december 1938 and conversion was completed in february 1939. unlike many hurricane units, it remained in britain on defensive duties, instead of going to france. it then covered the dunkirk evacuation and took part in most of the battle of britain, before moving to digby in september 1940. the following november, it was decided to transfer the squadron to the night fighting role and it moved to bramcote where it also received defiants. night operations were commenced in february 1941 from its base at wittering and a detachment at coltishall. in april 1942, mosquitos began to arrive and the hurricanes were immediately retired although it was july before the defiants left, leaving the squadron solely equipped with the mosquito. from april 1943, as a result of the declining night interceptions being made, the squadron moved to colerne, from where it began intruder operations. in october 1944, a move to castle camps led to it adopting the bomber support role and these were continued from east anglia until the end of the war. a few days later the squadron moved back to the west country, disbanding at weston zoyland on 10 october 1946. from 11 february 1949 until 14 september 1951, the squadron number was linked to no 23 squadron, but on the 15th, the squadron regained its independence, when it reformed at leuchars as a vampire night fighter unit. in april 1953 meteor nf mk 11s replaced the vampires and in july 1955, these were replaced by venom nf


, but on the 15th, the squadron regained its independence, when it reformed at leuchars as a vampire night fighter unit. in april 1953 meteor nf mk 11s replaced the vampires and in july 1955, these were replaced by venom nf mk 3s. the squadron ' s role changed in july 1957, when it became an all - weather fighter unit on re - equipping with javelins, these being retained until 19 september 1961, when the squadron disbanded, still being at leuchars. its final incarnation lasted from 1 january 1962 to 25 may 1963, when the signals command development squadron was given the number. bases at watton, this unit operated a range of aircraft including lincolns, hastings, varsities and canberras on radar research and development. the squadron was disbanded by being renumbered no 97 squadron. motto : foy pour devoir ( fidelity unto duty ) squadron codes used : - formed as a night fighter unit equipped with camels at rochford on 1 june 1918, it moved to france in october, but saw little action in the remaining three weeks of the war, returning to drem in february 1919, where it disbanded on 30 june. the squadron reformed at acklington on 1 october 1939 equipped with gladiators. conversion to spitfires began in january 1940 and this process was complete by february. initially retained in the north - east for defensive duties, it moved south in july 1940 to warmwell, where it remained throughout the battle of britain. it flew convoy patrols from portreath from april 1941 before moving to east anglia in august, from were it flew escort missions. in january 1942, it moved to northern ireland, in august it was back on convoy patrols from angle but in september it moved to wittering and began preparing fro embarkation overseas. the squadron took part in the allied landing in north africa in november and from the 14th of that month it moved onto airfields in algeria. during the early part of this campaign, it provided fighter cover to fighter - bombers supported 1st army ' s advance. march 1943 saw the squadron adopting the fighter - bomber role itself, which it conducted until the end of the campaign. in preparation for the landings on sicily, the squadron moved to malta in june 1943, moving onto the island in july and then italy in september. however, in november it was on the move to another operational theatre, when it was advised to transfer to india. arriving in december it re - equipped spitfire viiis and immediately began fighter patrols until april 1944 when it went back to


italy in september. however, in november it was on the move to another operational theatre, when it was advised to transfer to india. arriving in december it re - equipped spitfire viiis and immediately began fighter patrols until april 1944 when it went back to fighter - bomber operations. it was involved in the battle of imphal and continued to support 14th army for the rest of the war. following vj - day, the squadron moved to singapore, where it disbanded on 10 march 1946. two months later on 8 may 1946, no 136 squadron was renumbered 152. equipped with spitfire xivs, it received tempests in june but a spares shortage limited flying and the disbanded again on 15 january 1947. from 11 february 1949 until 31 may 1954, the squadron number was linked to no 19 squadron, but on 1 june 1954, the squadron regained its independence, when it reformed at wattisham as a meteor night fighter unit. it disbanded on 31 july 1958. however, on 29 september 1958, no 1417 flight was raised to squadron status as no 152 squadron. it was equipped with pembrokes and twin pioneers for communications duties in the persian gulf. it finally disbanded on 9 december 1967. motto : faithful ally squadron codes used : - there is no 152 squadron association but richard castle, 1 battle close, sarisbury green, southampton, hampshire, so31 7zf : tel 01489 601937 is in contact with some members ; e - mail : firstname. lastname @ example. org formed at hainault farm as a night fighter unit on 4 november 1918, but the armistice seven days later prevented the squadron becoming operational or receiving any aircraft, but it was 13 june 1919, before it actually disbanded. the squadron eventually formed on 24 october 1941 at ballyhalbert from ' a ' flight of no 256 squadron, which had moved there on 14 october from squires gate. it operated defiants on night fighter duties until may 1942 but in december, a blenheim arrived for training and in january the process of converting the squadron onto beaufighters began in ernest. following conversion the squadron continued to provide night defence of northern ireland until december when it moved to north africa. in north africa, the squadron provide night cover to allied forces as well as providing protection to convoys from a range of advanced bases. from july 1944, the squadron was bases in sardinia, from where it added night intruder operations to its duties. these were conducted against targets in southern france and northern italy and in august, the squadron received a few spitfires


a range of advanced bases. from july 1944, the squadron was bases in sardinia, from where it added night intruder operations to its duties. these were conducted against targets in southern france and northern italy and in august, the squadron received a few spitfires and hurricanes for use in dawn patrols, but on 5 september the squadron disbanded. the following month ( 7 october ), the squadron reformed at kirmington from a nucleus supplied by no 166 squadron as a lancaster equipped bomber unit, but almost immediately moved to scampton. until the end of the war, it operated as part of bomber command ' s main force and then carried out trooping flights to italy, disbanding on 28 september 1945. the squadron has far been reformed for one other period, 28 february 1955 to 2 july 1958. this was in its original role as a night fighter unit, being based at west malling with meteor nf mk 12 and 14s for the entire period. motto : noctividus ( seeing by night ) squadron codes used : - on 9 may 1918, it was proposed to form the squadron for deployment to france with bristol f2bs in october but these plans were cancelled on 4 july. its formation was immediately rescheduled to form on 3 august for deployment on 3 october, but this plan was suspended on 29 july. eventually the squadron was formed at chingford on 7 august for deployment on 29 october, but having received no aircraft, it was disbanded on 11 september. the squadron reformed at fowlmere on 17 november 1941, being declared operational in february 1942. equipped with spitfires, it moved to churchstanton in may for convoy escort duties and hornchurch in june where it began offensive operations over france. however, on 30 august, it flew its last mission and was taken off operations, moving to welligore the next day to prepare for movement overseas. the ground echelon left on 1 november by sea, whilst the air echelon flew out to gibraltar, operating from there until the two components were able to re - assemble in algeria on 21 november. the squadron provided air defence of the allied forces along the north african coast until the end of the campaign. after this it moved to malta, from where it supported the invasion of sicily, moving onto the island itself on 18 july 1943. in september the squadron moved to italy but in december it moved to palestine and the n cyprus, from where it took part in operations in syria. april 1944 saw te squadron operating from corsica and in august it provided


the island itself on 18 july 1943. in september the squadron moved to italy but in december it moved to palestine and the n cyprus, from where it took part in operations in syria. april 1944 saw te squadron operating from corsica and in august it provided cover for operation ' dragoon ', the allied invasion of southern france. it then remained in france provided air cover to the advancing allied armies until the end of september, when it returned to italy, disbanding at naples on 1 november 1944. two weeks late ( 16 november ), the squadron reformed at biggin hill, acquiring no 131 squadron ' s spitfire viis. these were used to provide long range bomber escorts, which was made easier from february 1945, when mustangs replaced the spitfires but on 31 march 1945, the squadron disbanded at its latest base of hunsdon. motto : his modis ad victoriam ( by this means to victory ) squadron codes used : - on 9 may 1918, it was proposed to form the squadron for deployment to france with dh9as in september and then october but these plans were cancelled on 4 july. its formation was immediately rescheduled to form on 6 september for deployment on 6 november, but this plan was suspended on 29 july. it eventually formed as a night bomber squadron at feltham on 14 september 1918, it received some dh9as but having failed to achieve operational status was disbanded on 7 december. no 155 reformed on 1 april 1942 at peshawar, equipped with curtiss mohawks, however it was september before the squadron became operational. it was involved in air defence operations and coastal patrols around madras, but the following month it was transferred to bengal, where it began to operate over burma. the squadron retained its mohawks on a vareity of operations including ground attack, recce and escort duties until january 1944, when it eventually received more modern equipment in the form of spitfires. with these it was employed on air defence as well as its previous roles. with the japanese surrender the squadron moved to singapore and then in may 1946 it moved to sumatra, where it disbanded on 31 october 1946. at the time of writing ( 2002 ), the squadron ' s final incarnation began on 1 september 1954, when it reformed at seletar as a whirlwind helicopter squadron. it flew these aircraft in the light transport and casualty evacuation roles during operation ' firedog ' supporting both the army and police in their fight against communist terrorist. however, on 3 june 1959, the squadron was disbanded when it was amalgamated with no 194 to


a reader writes : " i struggle with reoccurring yeast infections. the doctor gave me an oral medication for them about 5 years ago and i didn ' t have them for a year. then my body started to be allergic to that medicine. " i ' ve always known i can change my diet, but you know how hard that is! i know i need to cut out refined sugar and starches. again not so easy! " can you give me some ideas as to what to eat for breakfast? it ' s hard to go to the store with four kids and actually read the labels. " dear reader, fascinating information out there about this condition. suffice it to say, some diet changes can help prevent yeast infections. but it may not be as drastic as you have been led to believe. here ' s why : yeasts are everywhere. they live in soil. they reside on the skins of fruit and berries. and they live in the body. some yeasts are good and others are not. the yeast most often responsible for infections in the body is candida albicans ( aka candida ). although a normal resident of the body, candida is considered an " opportunistic pathogen " which means it is only harmful if it is allowed to grow out of control. the most common cause of yeast infections? antibiotic use, say experts. antibiotics kill good bacteria ( which protect the body from yeast overgrowth ) as well as bad bacteria. other conditions that may promote the abnormal growth of yeast in the body include pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, diabetes and hiv infections. yeasts in food, however, are entirely different species from the pathogen candida albicans. nutritional yeasts are " friendly fungi " much like mushrooms and other " organisms " we add to food for one reason or other. saccharomyces cerevisiae ( abbreviated s. cerevisiae ) is a common yeast that has been used to make bread for thousands of years. other strains of saccharomyces are used to ferment grape juice into wine. kombucha is a fermented sweetened tea made with a nutritional yeast. some yeasts are even used to turn corn into ethanol fuel. but i digress. although the internet is full of diet advice on how to prevent yeast infections ( one site says you must eliminate everything but garlic, spices, herbs and vegetables ), here are some reliable remedies : increase your intake of lactobacillus acidophilus


is full of diet advice on how to prevent yeast infections ( one site says you must eliminate everything but garlic, spices, herbs and vegetables ), here are some reliable remedies : increase your intake of lactobacillus acidophilus ( l. acidophilus ). these good bacteria in the gut keep candida yeast cells from growing out of control. sorry, but you will need to look at food labels to find foods such as milk, kefir, or yogurt that contain lactobacillus acidophilus as an ingredient. keep up your defenses. protein - containing foods strengthen our immune system so it can thwart the growth of wayward yeast cells. include at least one of these at each meal : fish, poultry, meat, eggs, low - fat cheese, yogurt, milk, beans, nuts or nut butters. make half your plate vegetables. ( have we heard this before? ) cooked or raw, these foods feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut that keep the bad candida boys under control. add some raw garlic to your diet. garlic has proven anti - fungal and anti - bacterial properties. smash it up and add it to salad dressings and other fresh foods. consider taking a probiotic supplement that contains lactobacillus - the good guys shown to control the growth of candida. one trustworthy brand is culturelle which, contains lactobacillus gg. cut extra sugar from your diet. eat whole fruit and avoid excessive amounts of juice and other sugared beverages. this is a good recommendation for all of us. ideas for breakfast? try plain or low - sugar yogurt made with lactobacillus " live active " cultures. and sprinkle with some raw garlic... just kidding. bottom line : avoid the overuse of antibiotics. replenish your gut with good bacteria in the form of active live lactobacillus - containing foods. eat some protein at each meal. load up with vegetables. if you haven ' t already, let your doctor know about your symptoms so he can prescribe necessary medical therapy. and don ' t believe everything you read on the internet. ( barbara quinn is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the community hospital of the monterey peninsula. ©2012 the monterey county herald distributed by mclatchy - tribune news service. | printable version | | e - mail a friend |


far north within the arctic circle off the northern coast of norway lies a small chain of islands known as svalbard. these craggy islands have been scoured into shape by ice and sea. the effect of glacial activity can be seen in this image of the northern tip of the island of spitsbergen. here, glaciers have carved out a fjord, a u - shaped valley that has been flooded with sea water. called bockfjorden, the fjord is located at almost 80 degrees north, and it is still being affected by glaciers. the effect is most obvious in this image in the tan layer of silty freshwater that floats atop the denser blue water of the arctic ocean. the fresh water melts off land - bound glaciers and flows over the sandstone, collecting fine red - toned silt. in this image, the tan - colored fresh water flows northward up the fjord and is being pushed to the east side of the fjord by the rotation of the earth. glaciers here and elsewhere on spitsbergen are cold bottom glaciers, which means that they are frozen to the ground rather than floating on top of a thin layer of melt water. the glaciers are also land glaciers since their terminus ( end ) lies on land, rather than floating on the water ( a tidewater glacier ). land glaciers grow and retreat slowly, balancing fresh snow with the melting and draining of old ice. their rate of growth or retreat can be affected by global warming. in most cases, including the glaciers around bockfjorden, global warming has caused glaciers to retreat from increased melting. on the eastern side of svalbard, however, glaciers are growing from enhanced snowfall. the reason for this pattern remains only one of many intriguing unanswered questions of arctic science in the islands. the advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer, ( aster ) on nasa ' s terra satellite captured this false - color image on june 26, 2001.


the future of baseload power generation michael crumbliss for redorbit. com the annual mit energy conference has grown to be the premier energy conference of its kind, drawing participants from around the world to discuss the current and future state of energy production, use, and technology. the conference in its seventh year still entirely planned, managed, and led by students from the college. in my opinion the students ’ direct involvement keeps the conference honest, progressive, and productive. every talk or panel i attended was at full capacity with young inventors, entrepreneurs, and college freshman sitting beside ceo ’ s of multinational corporations and industry veterans of all types. the first panel of the mit energy conference met on friday march 16 on the mit campus to discuss “ the future of baseload power generation. ” included in the panel were representatives from large regional power companies, general electric in their capacity as a worldwide power generator, and academia. baseload power refers to the minimum amount of power that must be produced to maintain power to the grid at all times. baseload is what makes the lights come on when you hit the switch first thing in the morning after the typically low power use early in the am hours. the grid is constantly energized at a pre - determined minimum level. failure to maintain this level leads to brown - outs and black - outs. in almost all current cases baseload power is produced using coal, gas, oil, and nuclear facilities. these power plants are large and meant to operate with a stable output. increasingly as intermittent sources of power like wind and solar are added it becomes important for baseload plants to be capable of ramping production up and down more than in the past, and turning on and off in some cases. chief among concerns about these plants are known levels of pollution, especially in the case of coal upon which much of the world ’ s baseload depends. in the case of nuclear power, catastrophic meltdowns are possible. all these plants produce large amounts of toxic waste. providing fuels requires extensive and ongoing mining, drilling and transport. the members of the panel discussed the future of baseload under increased environmental scrutiny. all agreed that gas is the only near term solution with nuclear plants taking too long to build, and with coal is on the way to much reduced use. coal causes 40 % of harmful emissions in the us alone : the representative from the southern company spoke of a new 500mw coal plant in mississippi. this was the only new coal plant mentioned in the panel


is on the way to much reduced use. coal causes 40 % of harmful emissions in the us alone : the representative from the southern company spoke of a new 500mw coal plant in mississippi. this was the only new coal plant mentioned in the panel. southern is currently constructing the vogtle nuclear plants # 3 and # 4 in georgia. each of these two new units will produce 1100mw. the representative from pseg spoke of the company ’ s involvement with wholesale, retail, and renewable power in the northeast ( nj, pa, ny, de, md ). pseg uses nuclear, coal, and combined cycle plants, and relatively small but growing renewable input. pseg is building no more coal plants and closing down old ones. 1500 mw will be taken off - line in the near future. gas and possibly nuclear is the future for pseg. the proposed nuclear site is in southern new jersey. on a national scale the speaker states that 30 - 35 gw of coal will be retired. the representative from ihs used texas as an example of the future of energy consumption. texas has a separate power grid and can be seen as a single customer. texas has also led the way with integration of new power sources and updating of its grid and power management systems. this speaker confirmed mentioned that gas is going to replace coal in some large portion in the near future. he also spoke to the possibilities of emerging large - scale storage technology ( batteries ). the panel agreed that technology and fuel choice can effect carbon release in the united states and other developed countries, but have little or no confidence that china, india, and third world countries will make any effort at all in reducing emissions.


andre ’ s promisse mission extended esa astronaut andre kuipers will stay on the international space station for more than a month longer than originally planned. in addition to his normal routine he will spend some of the extra time conducting scientific experiments. the station partners have agreed that this expedition will be prolonged following a delay in the launch of the next soyuz crew ferry. routine testing revealed problems in the original soyuz spacecraft, requiring that it be replaced. the new date for andre and his crewmates to return to earth is 1 july – he will now stay on the space station for over six months. the extra time andre has in space does not mean he will have time for extra work because the science and maintenance activities continue regardless of which astronaut is available to do the job. owing to the delay, the space station will operate with only three crewmembers for a longer period than originally planned. andre has already completed some of his experiments. he was the tenth astronaut to follow the special solo diet to understand why astronauts lose bone density in space. for five days, andre ate only a third of the salt found in a normal diet. the results may offer insights into how bones age on earth and could be used to combat diseases such as osteoporosis. andre completed the dsc experiment in the european - built microgravity science glovebox, looking at temperature changes in mixtures of different fluids. the results of this experiment will contribute to improving computer models used in oil drilling. andre recently shared a picture from the space station wearing what looked like a bathing cap. worn for the neurospat experiment, it is actually a complex network of electrodes for measuring his brain waves. a total of 64 electrodes were carefully and precisely placed on andre ’ s head by colleague don pettit. the goal is to understand if the brain processes some tasks differently in space. andre has also finished the roald2 biology experiment on human immune cells. astronauts ’ immune systems work less effectively in space and scientists are trying to find out why. immune cells taken from volunteers on earth were chemically frozen on the space station at specific intervals. by looking closely at the cells once they return to earth, scientists hope to gain insight into the workings of the human immune system. there are many scientific experiments still to finish. maintenance work waits for no one so andre and his crewmates will be busy keeping the space station running smoothly. in the highly unlikely possibility that andre has time to spare, the scientists on earth have a set of ‘ back - pocket ’ activities available


. maintenance work waits for no one so andre and his crewmates will be busy keeping the space station running smoothly. in the highly unlikely possibility that andre has time to spare, the scientists on earth have a set of ‘ back - pocket ’ activities available that could be conducted at short notice should the opportunity arise. image 1 : the soyzu tma - 03m spacecraft that bought esa astronaut andre kuipers and crewmates to the international space station in december 2011. andre will stay on the station for over six months as part of his promisse mission. credits : esa / nasa image 2 : some food that esa astronaut andre kuipers ate on the international space station during his promisse mission. he was the tenth astronaut to follow the special solo diet to understand why astronauts lose bone density in space. for five days, andre ate only a third of the salt found in a normal diet. the results may offer insights into how bones age on earth and could be used to combat diseases such as osteoporosis. credits : esa / nasa image 3 : esa astronaut andre kuipers is conducting many experiments during his promisse mission. here, andre is recording his brain waves through 64 electrodes as part of esa ’ s neurospat experiment. the goal is to understand if the brain processes tasks differently in space. credits : esa / nasa on the net :


when making a drive conversion or designing a new power transmission system, maintenance managers and design engineers have three broad options : roller chain drives, v - belt drives and synchronous belt drives. each has its own advantages and disadvantages, along with cost considerations that may not be immediately apparent. roller chain drives the popularity of chain drives stems from their ability to transmit high torque levels in a small package, at relatively low cost, while utilizing readily available stock components. while initial costs of standard roller chain drives can be quite low, the cost of maintaining them can be substantial. proper maintenance is essential for optimal roller chain drive performance and includes the following cost factors : according to chain industry estimates, roller chain drives operating without lubrication wear approximately 300 times faster than comparable drives that are properly lubricated. and yet, roller chain manufacturers estimate that 90 to 95 percent of all installed drives are either improperly lubricated or not lubricated at all. determining the type of lubrication method needed is a major design consideration with cost implications of its own. an oil - retaining chain housing, for example, can represent up to 75 percent of total chain drive system cost. in addition to lubrication, proper sprocket alignment and chain tensioning are critical to increasing roller chain life. another maintenance factor with cost implications is drive component replacement. a major weakness of a roller chain drive is chain wear, which results in stretching or elongation. manufacturers recommend roller chain replacement when elongation of approximately 3 percent occurs. most roller chain manufacturers also recommend replacing sprockets with each new roller chain because the metal - to - metal contact generates severe sprocket wear. power rating tables published within the roller chain industry are based on a theoretical design life of 15, 000 hours, assuming proper drive design, alignment, lubrication, maintenance, etc. but in a typical operating environment, actual drive life rarely approaches the ideal. unlubricated roller chain drives operating under harsh conditions can be as short - lived as 100 hours. the cost of the maintenance requirements noted above, added to the initial cost, approximates the true cost of a standard roller chain drive. however, beyond the cost of lubricant and drive component replacement is the labor expense of frequent retensioning, which requires shutting down the drive, resulting in production downtime. also, standard roller chain drives operate at 91 to 94 percent efficiency, depending on the application, so energy costs must be taken into account. maintenance and energy costs notwithstanding, roller chain drives offer


requires shutting down the drive, resulting in production downtime. also, standard roller chain drives operate at 91 to 94 percent efficiency, depending on the application, so energy costs must be taken into account. maintenance and energy costs notwithstanding, roller chain drives offer designers and users some advantages over v - belt or synchronous belt drive systems : versatility ( functional attachments can be added to convey products, trip switches, actuate levers, etc. ) the ability to create any length of chain with connecting links v - belt drives transmit power through friction between the belt and pulley. with efficiencies ranging from 95 to 98 percent at installation, these drives use energy more efficiently than roller chain drives, and somewhat less efficiently than synchronous belt drives. v - belt drives are an industry standard, offering a wide range of sizes at relatively low cost, along with ease of installation and quiet operation. v - belt drive replacement parts may be less costly than roller chain or synchronous drive components, but regular retensioning of v - belts can add to maintenance expenses. v - belts are manufactured in a variety of materials, cross - sections and reinforcement materials, and are often used singly, in matched sets or in joined configurations. they are well - suited for severe duty applications, such as those involving shock loads and high starting loads. standard v - belt drives operate best in applications of 500 rpm or greater, speed ratios of up to 6 : 1, and within an operating temperature range of minus - 40 to 130 degrees fahrenheit. because v - belts slip when overloaded, they help protect more expensive equipment from load surges. they also allow flexibility in the positioning of the motor and the load. in a suitable application, the service life of a properly installed and maintained v - belt drive ranges from 20, 000 to 25, 000 hours. the components of a simple v - belt drive are relatively inexpensive to purchase, install, replace and maintain. after they are installed properly and tensioned to the belt manufacturer ’ s recommended values, these drives require very little service, except for retensioning during the normal maintenance schedule. due to belt slippage, they lose up to 5 percent of their efficiency after installation. v - belts stretch as they wear, making slippage worse, which can decrease efficiency by as much as 10 percent unless corrected by periodic retensioning. cogged or notched v - belts can increase efficiency by 2 percent over standard designs. synchronous belt drives synchronous


slippage worse, which can decrease efficiency by as much as 10 percent unless corrected by periodic retensioning. cogged or notched v - belts can increase efficiency by 2 percent over standard designs. synchronous belt drives synchronous belts work on the tooth - grip principle. round, square or modified curvilinear belt teeth mesh with grooves on sprockets to provide positive power transmission on high - torque applications with high and low speeds. if drive size is a problem, many synchronous belt drive systems now have have an equivalent capacity to roller chain drives in the same width. the components of a synchronous belt drive system typically cost more initially than those of a comparable standard roller chain or v - belt drive. by contrast, synchronous belt drives don ’ t have the maintenance costs associated with roller chain drives. they require no lubrication and no lubrication system, only basic safety guarding. while roller chain requires frequent retensioning and v - belts require periodic retensioning, a synchronous belt typically requires no retensioning for the life of the belt. to illustrate the amount of elongation that can occur in a roller chain, recommended center distance take - up allowances for belt drives can be compared to center distance take - up needed for a roller chain in the same length. assuming a length of 100 inches, a roller chain, v - belt and synchronous belt can be compared as follows : roller chain : a roller chain will elongate approximately 3 inches ( or 3 percent ) over its life, requiring about 1. 5 inches of center distance take - up. v - belt : a v - belt requires 1. 5 to 2. 5 inches of center distance take - up over its life, depending on the cross section and belt manufacturer. synchronous belt : a synchronous belt typically requires only. 04 inches of center distance take - up over its life, depending on the belt type and manufacturer. chain and sprocket wear are significant cost factors in a roller chain drive. synchronous belts and sprockets experience dramatically less wear. in a synchronous drive system, for example, the belt outlasts a comparable roller chain on the order of 3 to 1, and the sprockets outlast roller chain sprockets 10 to 1. figure 1. required center distance take - up due to lifetime elongation ( in inches ). like roller chain drives, synchr


order of 3 to 1, and the sprockets outlast roller chain sprockets 10 to 1. figure 1. required center distance take - up due to lifetime elongation ( in inches ). like roller chain drives, synchronous belt drives are sensitive to misalignment and shouldn ’ t be used on systems where it ’ s inherent to the drive operation. misalignment leads to inconsistent belt wear and premature tensile failure due to unequal tensile member loading. and while a synchronous belt is resistant to abrasion, corrosion and the caustic washdown solutions used in the food handling / processing industry, it may not be suitable for certain highly corrosive environments where corrosion - resistant chain may be a better choice. one misconception about synchronous belts is that they are unsuitable for serpentine drives. design engineers may think roller chain is the only option when a load must be driven off both sides ; however, double - sided synchronous rubber belts offer many of the same cost - saving advantages over roller chain as their single - sided cousins. due to their high efficiency ratings ( as high as 99 percent on a continuous basis for some drive systems ), synchronous belt drives can also lower energy costs compared with roller chain or v - belt drives. when considered on a cost - of - ownership basis, a synchronous belt drive system can be more cost - effective than a comparable roller chain drive or v - belt drive system. while a synchronous drive system may initially cost an average of 30 percent more than a comparable standard roller chain drive, it has many cost - saving advantages for maintenance managers and design engineers. in the mro market, synchronous drives can greatly reduce day - to - day operational costs, and increase production output compared to the downtime and lost productivity resulting from the frequent maintenance and replacement of roller chain and v - belt drives. drive system design engineers who select a synchronous drive can give their products a competitive edge by providing better - performing, longer - lasting, cleaner, quieter and maintenance - free products that operate at a lower overall cost. this article was written by the power transmission product application department at gates corporation. to learn more about this subject, visit www. gates. com.