a black hole more than 5. 4 times greater than the mass of the sun. it ' s the definitive confirmation of the existence of a black hole in this object. " " with this result we add a new piece to the study of the mass distribution of black holes. the shape of this distribution has very important implications for our knowledge about the death of massive stars, the formation of black holes, and the evolution of x - ray binary systems, " the iac astrophysicist adds. twelve years of observation : measuring the visible and the invisible the astrophysicists ' team at iac hadn ' t lost track of the stellar object since it entered an eruption stage in 1999, when they started to set up observation campaigns to follow its evolution. the researchers have combined the photometric measures from the isaac newton telescope ( int ) and the william herschel telescope ( wht ) in year 2000, and those from the nordic optical telescope ( not ) in 2008, with the spectroscopy carried out with the gtc in 2010, the first one ever published about this particular object. " due to the low brilliance of the system under observation, we needed 10 meter telescopes in able to obtain spectra. in this sense, having been able to make our observations from the gtc has been determinant, " corral - santana emphasises. the measurements at the gtc were carried out with the osiris instrument, which may be used as a camera or as a spectrograph in the visible range. the spectrograph decomposes the light emitted by a star into its different frequencies and allows detecting lines corresponding to the different chemical elements present in its atmosphere. these lines adduce information about the physical properties of the star and its movement. the photometric measures allowed determining the orbital period of the binary ( 6. 6 hours ), while the spectroscopy data also provided information about the speed of the star ' s orbital movement around the black hole. the combination of both of these parameters proved to be vital to calculate the mass of the back hole. the gran telescopio canarias ( gtc ), located at the roque de los muchachos observatory ( in la palma, canary islands ), is the biggest optical - infrared telescope of the world, with a 10. 4 metre diameter mirror. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : - j. m. corral - santana, j. casares, t. shahbaz, c. zurita, i. g. martinez - pais, p.


aug. 15, 2011 scientists at the scripps research institute have devised a much easier technique for performing a chemical modification used widely in the synthesis of drugs and other products. known as " trifluoromethylation, " the modification adds a cf3 molecule to the original compound, often making it more stable - - and, for a drug, keeping it in the body longer. with the new technique, chemists can perform this feat using a relatively simple, safe, room - temperature procedure and can even select the site of the modification on the target compound. " i ' ve been presenting this methodology at several pharma companies, and there ' s a lot of interest - - so much so that their chemists are starting to use it, " said scripps research professor phil s. baran, senior author of the new study, scheduled for publication the week of august 15, 2011, in an advance online edition of the proceedings of the national academy of sciences. standard procedures for trifluoromethylation involve gases and associated hardware, high heat, metal catalysts, and oxidants. " the procedures are often prohibitively complicated, and medicinal chemists often don ' t have the time or the resources to get into it, " said baran. inspired by frequent consulting visits to pharmaceutical companies, baran and his lab began to look for simpler ways to perform trifluoromethylation. after running more than 500 different reaction setups on a test compound, they found just one that delivered significant quantities of the desired reaction product. it was a simple setup that used a reagent known as sodium trifluoromethanesulfinate, an inexpensive chemical that is stable at room temperature. chemists had long believed that this reagent was unsuitable for trifluoromethylating a broad class of molecules frequently found in drug compounds, and also that the reagent required the use of catalyzing metal salts. but in this initial screening, the reagent, known as langlois ' s reagent for its discoverer, the french chemist bernard r. langlois, seemed to work even without such constraints. baran and his team began collaborating with fellow scripps research chemistry professor donna blackmond and members of her laboratory to study how langlois ' s reagent works and to optimize its use, including the selection of trifluoromethylation sites on target compounds using certain solvents. with the optimized


and members of her laboratory to study how langlois ' s reagent works and to optimize its use, including the selection of trifluoromethylation sites on target compounds using certain solvents. with the optimized technique, they showed that they could directly and easily trifluoromethylate a variety of test compounds, including the natural malaria drug quinine and the synthetic anti - smoking drug varenicline ( chantix ). " the collaboration with donna blackmond and her lab was crucial in enabling us to improve the procedure and to understand why certain modifications led to those improvements, " said baran. the new technique in principle makes it more feasible for pharmaceutical companies to modify and improve specific drug compounds of interest. it also means that these companies can expand the existing compound libraries they use for drug - discovery screening by making trifluoromethylated versions of these compounds quickly and easily. " in one instance, a chemist at pfizer told me that the trifluoromethylated compound we made in one step with our technique would have taken at least eight steps using standard techniques, " said baran. the baran and blackmond labs are now working on new reagents that may be used in this reaction and ways to enable fine control of trifluoromethylation sites. " the interplay of the two labs at the nexus of synthesis and mechanistic analysis is driving this project forward in new and exciting directions, " baran said. the two first authors of the paper, " innate c - h trifluoromethylation of heterocycles, " are yining ji and tobias brueckl of the scripps research baran lab. others who contributed are ryan d. baxter of the scripps research blackmond lab and yuta fujiwara, ian b. seiple, and shun su of the baran lab. the work was supported in part by a grant from the national institute of general medical sciences, part of the national institutes of health. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : - yining ji, tobias brueckl, ryan d. baxter, yuta fujiwara, ian b. seiple, shun su, donna g. blackmond, phil s. baran. innate c - h trifluoromethylation of heterocycles. proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 2011 ; doi : 10. 1073 / pnas. 110


june 11, 2012 in a pair of related studies, scientists from the florida campus of the scripps research institute have identified several proteins that help regulate cells ' response to light - - and the development of night blindness, a rare disease that abolishes the ability to see in dim light. in the new studies, published recently in the journals proceedings of the national academy of sciences ( pnas ) and the journal of cell biology, scripps florida scientists were able to show that a family of proteins known as regulator of g protein signaling ( rgs ) proteins plays an essential role in vision in a dim - light environment. " we were looking at the fundamental mechanisms that shape our light sensation, " said kirill martemyanov, a scripps research associate professor who led the studies. " in the process, we discovered a pair of molecules that are indispensible for our vision and possibly play critical roles in the brain. " in the pnas study, martemyanov and his colleagues identified a pair of regulator proteins known as rgs7 and rgs11 that are present specifically in the main relay neurons of the retina called the on - bipolar cells. " the on - bipolar cells provide an essential link between the retinal light detectors - - photoreceptors and the neurons that send visual information to the brain, " explained martemyanov. " stimulation with light excites these neurons by opening the channel that is normally kept shut by the g proteins in the dark. rgs7 and rgs11 facilitate the g protein inactivation, thus promoting the opening of the channel and allowing the on - bipolar cells to transmit the light signal. it really takes a combined effort of two rgs proteins to help the light overcome the barrier for propagating the excitation that makes our dim vision possible. " in the journal of cell biology study, martemyanov and his colleagues unraveled another key aspect of the rgs7 / rgs11 regulatory response - - they identified a previously unknown pair of orphan g protein - coupled receptors ( gpcrs ) that interact with these rgs proteins and dictate their biological function. gpcrs are a large family of more than 700 proteins, which sit in the cell membrane and sense various molecules outside the cell, including odors, hormones, neurotransmitters, and light. after binding these molecules, gpcrs trigger the appropriate response inside the cell. however, for many gpcrs the activating molecules have not yet


outside the cell, including odors, hormones, neurotransmitters, and light. after binding these molecules, gpcrs trigger the appropriate response inside the cell. however, for many gpcrs the activating molecules have not yet been identified and these are called " orphan " receptors. the martemyanov group has found that two orphan gpcrs - - gpr158 and gpr179 - - recruit rgs proteins and thus help serve as brakes for the conventional gpcr signaling rather than play an active signaling role. in the case of retinal on - bipolar cells, gpr179 is required for the correct localization of rgs7 and rgs11. their mistargeting in animal models lacking gpr179 or human patients with mutations in the gpr179 gene may account for their night blindness, according to the new study. intriguingly, in the brain gpr158 appears to play a similar role in localizing rgs proteins, but instead of contributing to vision, it helps rgs proteins regulate the m - opioid receptor, a gpcrs that mediates pleasurable and pain - killing effects of opioids. " we are really in the very beginning of unraveling this new biology and understanding the role of discovered orphan gpr158 / 179 in regulation of neurotransmitter signaling in the brain and retina, " martemyanov said. " the hope is that better understanding of these new molecules will lead to the design of better treatments for addictive disorders, pain, and blindness. " other social bookmarking and sharing tools : - y. cao, j. pahlberg, i. sarria, n. kamasawa, a. p. sampath, k. a. martemyanov. regulators of g protein signaling rgs7 and rgs11 determine the onset of the light response in on bipolar neurons. proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 2012 ; 109 ( 20 ) : 7905 doi : 10. 1073 / pnas. 1202332109 - c. orlandi, e. posokhova, i. masuho, t. a. ray, n. hasan, r. g. gregg, k. a. martemyanov. gpr158 / 179 regulate g protein signaling by controlling localization and activity of the rgs7 complexes. the journal of cell biology, 2012 ; 197 ( 6 ) : 711 doi :


7 when artists, anthropologists and neuroscientists gather at the brain unravelled in london through september 19, their creative efforts will range from paintings to performances to mixed - media works. in addition to the exhibition, which includes a children ’ s area, the event offers a daily program of film screenings, concerts, artist talks and lectures by renowned scientists. informed by the latest research, the speakers will delve into the relation between brains and minds, plumbing the deepest reaches of human experience : our consciousness. 9 charles darwin, in his 1871 book the descent of man, provoked his contemporaries by suggesting not only that our physical traits had evolved over time but also that our mental faculties had not always been as keen as they are today. at the conference evolution of brain, behaviour & intelligence in cambridge, england, international scientists will discuss advances made since darwin ’ s time, drawing on results from species as diverse as unicellular organisms and neandertals. darwin biographer james moore will deliver the keynote lecture. 12 in huntington ’ s disease, genetic mutations cause a protein known as huntingtin to become toxic to the brain, leading to movement disorders, problems swallowing and speaking, and eventually dementia and death. hundreds of researchers and clinicians will convene in vancouver at the 2009 congress on huntington ’ s disease to discuss advances in our understanding of the disorder as well as the latest results from experimental treatments. 24 will neuroscience transform national security? is a brain - dead person alive or dead? could new findings in brain science undermine moral and criminal responsibility? these are a few of the controversial questions that experts will take on at brain matters : new directions in neuroethics, a cross - disciplinary conference hosted by the novel tech ethics research team at dalhousie university. halifax, nova scotia 1 as many as half of us may suffer from a mental disorder at some point in our life. added to the burden of illness is the social stigma that people with mental health problems face. the scottish mental health arts and film festival, sweeping over the country until october 22, tries to raise positive awareness about these issues through a series of concerts, film screenings and theater performances. this will be the third year for the festival, which is the largest of its kind in the world. 8 ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience will collide at mind and life xix, a two - day conference presided over by the dalai lama himself. exploring the emerging intersections among their different fields, a panel of educators, scientists and contemplatives will discuss ways to


congresswoman lois capps. democrats on capitol hill want a hearing to examine the safety of nuclear power plants in the united states. a california congresswoman is asking whether the san onofre and diablo canyon nuclear power plants are tough enough to survive a big quake and its aftermath. the diablo canyon nuclear plant north of santa barbara operates in the district of democratic congresswoman lois capps. she has written to the federal nuclear regulatory commission to ask whether diablo canyon can withstand the “ sort of earthquakes scientists predict ” it could experience. capps says she ' s " been concerned for a while because since the last review of the licensing, there ’ s been a whole new fault discovered. so that on top of events in japan, i want a thorough review of their preparedness and their ability to respond. " capps says diablo canyon is built to withstand a 7. 5 - magnitude quake. pg & e, which operates the plant, says it was built on an 85 - foot bluff to protect it from tsunamis. one of the reactors at diablo canyon is 25 - years - old. pg & e has applied to renew its operating license for another two decades. but republican congressman brian bilbray of san diego cautions about jumping to conclusions when it comes to nuclear power plants in quake prone california. bilbray says there are geographic and design differences between san onofre and fukushima. " first of all, " he says, " our earthquake fault is inland, over about 80 - 100 miles, so a major earthquake would not create the tsunami on the san andreas the way the other ones, " he says. " the big difference is that our backup systems are in the hillside, sealed up, and even if they were breached, are designed to operate underwater. " bilbray points out that the japanese quake was 10 - times larger than the so - called “ big one ” in california, referring to the 1906 san francisco earthquake.


lifestyle changes help type 2 diabetics keep moving wednesday, march 28 ( healthday news ) - - weight loss and regular exercise help prevent disability in obese people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research. after four years, 21 percent of people enrolled in a lifestyle - intervention program focusing on diet and physical activity had severe disability compared with 26 percent of those enrolled in a diabetes support group. what ' s more, the lifestyle - intervention group had about half the risk of losing their mobility compared to the support group. " the lifestyle intervention combined caloric restriction and increased activity, " said study author, w. jack rejeski, a professor of health and exercise science at the wake forest university school of medicine, in winston - salem, n. c. " more of the lifestyle intervention group remained in the good - mobility category. and, that was with modest changes. just a 6 percent change in body weight helped to ward off an important outcome. " results of the study are published in the march 29 issue of the new england journal of medicine. the study included slightly more than 5, 000 overweight or obese adults who had type 2 diabetes. all were between the ages of 45 and 74, with an average age of 59. the researchers excluded anyone with a hemoglobin a1c ( hba1c ) above 11 percent. hba1c is a long - term measure of blood - sugar control, and the american diabetes association generally recommends that people with diabetes should aim for an hba1c of less than 7 percent. they also excluded people with very high blood pressure or high triglycerides ( a type of blood fat ). at the start of the study, just one - third of the study volunteers reported good mobility. that means around two - thirds had at least some type of mobility disability, according to the study. the volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. the first included lifestyle interventions to lose weight and get more physical activity. the goal in this group was to lose more than 7 percent of body weight and exercise more than 175 minutes a week, according to the study. the second group was a diabetes support and education program. to evaluate mobility, the researchers asked the study volunteers how well they could perform certain activities, such as running, lifting heavy objects, pushing a vacuum cleaner, playing golf, climbing a flight of stairs, bending, kneeling, stooping, walking more than a mile or walking one block. at the end of four years, those in the lifestyle intervention group


running, lifting heavy objects, pushing a vacuum cleaner, playing golf, climbing a flight of stairs, bending, kneeling, stooping, walking more than a mile or walking one block. at the end of four years, those in the lifestyle intervention group had a 48 percent reduction in mobility - related disability compared to the support group. almost 39 percent of the lifestyle intervention group reported good mobility at the end of the study compared to 32 percent of those in the support group, according to the study. for every reduction of 1 percent of body weight, there was a 7. 3 percent reduction in the risk of mobility disability. for every 1 percent improvement in fitness, there was a 1. 4 percent drop in the risk of mobility disability. but, rejeski pointed out that doing both interventions is best for your overall health. " if all you do is lose weight, the danger of losing muscle mass is greater. the message is that you need to lose weight and be active to enhance your function and not lose muscle mass, " he said. dr. joel zonszein, director of the clinical diabetes center at montefiore medical center, in new york city, said lifestyle changes are as important as medications. " papers like this continue to show how important lifestyle changes are, " zonszein said. " but, the issue always is in the implementation. we can tell patients to exercise and lose weight, but we don ' t have the resources to follow up as they do in clinical trials. " for people who want to make changes on their own, rejeski recommended trying to cut calorie consumption to about 1, 800 calories a day. then, he said, find a place to walk - - the mall, a walking path, a school track - - and get a walking buddy so that you can each keep the other one accountable. if you haven ' t exercised in a while, start by walking just a little bit, and then the next day add a few more steps. " eventually, you ' ll make progress. and, the lower your function was to start with, the more you ' ll notice the change, " he said. current u. s. government recommendations are to exercise at a moderate pace for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. learn more about how exercise can benefit you from the u. s. national institute on aging. sources : w. jack rejeski, ph. d., thurman d. kitchin professor, health and exercise science, wake forest


the drowned man represents any number of mythological or epic historical figures, and we ' ll go through them one by one. first off is the name the villagers assign him : esteban. who is this esteban? as it turns out, esteban is another name for estevanico, a slave from the early 1500s who was supposedly the first man born in africa to set foot in the americas. estevanico ( or esteban ) became a legendary figure in latin america, and was later given a set of incredible skills – he mastered dozens of languages, knew everything about medicine, was even considered by some to be a deity, or so the story goes. when the women of the village call the drowned man esteban, they might very well be referring to this estevanico. ( at the end of the story, the women imagine a captain speaking of esteban ' s village " in fourteen languages " ( 12 ). this may be a reference to the myth that estevanico spoke so many languages fluently. ) when the oldest women calls the drowned man esteban, marquez writes that some of the younger women hoped it might be lautaro. in the mid 1500s a war occurred in what today is chile between the colonizing spaniards and the native mapuche people. in this conflict, lautaro was a military leader of the natives. the drowned man ' s handsomeness and sheer masculinity inspires the young women to fantasize that he is this famed leader. there are some interesting questions to consider here : why is it that the older women ' s thoughts turn to the esteban, while the younger women think of lautaro? and why is it that, once they get a better look at the drowned man, everyone agrees that it is esteban, rather than lautaro? many scholars have also pointed out that the drowned man is a shade of quetzalcoatl, an aztec god. the drowned man in many ways takes on the role of a deity for the villagers. he arrives from some other world ( the sea ), is essentially worshipped by the villagers, and permanently changes their lives. mythology in this story isn ' t limited just to the drowned man. the entire tale is rooted in mythological history ; even the villagers take on mythological roles themselves by the end of the narrative. when the women weep for the drowned man at his funeral, marquez writes, " some sailors who heard weeping from a distance went off course and people heard of one who had himself tied to the mainmast, remembering


by the end of the narrative. when the women weep for the drowned man at his funeral, marquez writes, " some sailors who heard weeping from a distance went off course and people heard of one who had himself tied to the mainmast, remembering ancient fables about sirens " ( 12 ). this comment is an allusion to greek mythology. some background on the sirens. the sirens were half - women, half - bird creatures who lived on an island. they used to sing in beautiful voices to lure sailors off their course. the sailors would head towards the voices and then crash their ships on the jagged rocks, which pretty much meant death. when odysseus was sailing by the siren ' s island, he made the rest of his men plug up their ears and tie him to the mainmast. this way, he got to hear the beautiful sound of their voices without being driven to suicide. here in " the handsomest drowned man, " the women weeping over lautaro are compared to the sirens, and some sailor going by ties himself to the main mast in an attempt to mimic odysseus. the point is that through the drowned man, the villagers enter the realm of the mythological themselves. the allusions to esteban, lautaro, quetzalcoatl, and odysseus ' s sirens illustrates the magical realism we ' ve been mentioning. ( if you haven ' t read " genre " yet, go ahead and take a look. ) " the handsomest drowned man in the world " is exploring this mingling of the real ( a little fishing village ) with the mythological ( a magnificent dead man ).


a red, red rose questions bring on the tough stuff - there ’ s not just one right answer. - should burns ' s strange spellings ( e. g. " luve " ) be modernized, changed, or altered? what are the advantages and disadvantages of modifying the spelling? - how do you think the fact that burns was a farmer affected his poetry? what about this poem in particular? - how do you feel about a poet rhyming the same word ( e. g. " luve " and " luve " in the fourth stanza, " dear " and " dear " in the third stanza )? is that taking the easy way out? or is there another way to spin it? - why do you think the poem ' s first line — " my luve is like a red, red rose " — has remained popular for so long? - what does it really mean to compare love to a rose? to a " melodie "? - isn ' t this just a standard love poem? what ' s so great about it? - if burns took these lines from old scottish tunes, how come we call this a burns poem? isn ' t it just a rehash of other folks ' stuff? next page : best of the web previous page : quotes


simply sql is a practical step - by - step guide to writing sql. you ’ ll learn how to make the most of your data using best - practice sql code. rather than bore you with theory, it focuses on the practical use of sql with common databases and uses plenty of diagrams, easy - to - read text, and examples to help make learning sql easy and fun. sql is the language used by all major database systems today. sql has been around for about 30 years, but is enjoying a real renaissance in the 21st century, thanks to the tremendous success of database - driven web sites. whether your web site is written in php, asp, perl, coldfusion, or any other programming language, and no matter which database system you want to use — mysql, postgresql, sql server, db2, oracle, or any of the others — one fact is almost certain : if you want to have database - driven content, you ’ ll need to use sql. sql is a simple, high - level language with tremendous power. you can perform tasks with a few lines of sql that would take pages and pages of intricate coding to accomplish in a programming language. who should read this book? if you ’ re a web designer or developer looking for guidance in learning sql for your web projects, this book is for you. in the early days of the web, everyone was a web developer. nowadays, the field has matured to the point where many different disciplines exist. two broad categories emerged : - web designers are responsible for what web site visitors see. this includes the design, graphics, and layout of the site. it also includes designing the functionality of the site, how it works, with considerations for the usability of site features. if you ’ re a web designer, you can benefit from learning sql — at least at a rudimentary level — because it will help you design better user interactions. understanding how sql works means that you can make life simpler for the developers who will im plement your designs : by ensuring that the web site is organized in a way that not only serves the web site visitor, but also allows for simple sql and good database design. we ’ ll cover both sql and database design in this book. web developers are the primary audience for the book. using several simple web application examples, we ’ ll explore all aspects of sql and database design that are required by web developers to develop efficient and effective web pages. the sample applications in this book really are quite simple,


the primary audience for the book. using several simple web application examples, we ’ ll explore all aspects of sql and database design that are required by web developers to develop efficient and effective web pages. the sample applications in this book really are quite simple, and you may already be familiar with one or more of them, just by using them on the web. of course, database use goes beyond dynamic web sites. for example, databases are also used in desktop and network applications. so even if you ’ re working with a non - web - related application, the chances are good that you ’ re still working with a database that uses sql. the sql you learn in this book can be applied in all situations where a database is used. who is the author? rudy limeback is an sql consultant living in toronto, canada. his sql experience spans 20 + years, and includes working with db2, sql server, access, oracle, and mysql. he is an avid participant in discussion forums, primarily at sitepoint. his two web sites are http : / / r937. com / and http : / / rudy. ca /. this book comprises the following chapters. in the first eight chapters, we ’ ll learn about sql, the language, its various statements and clauses, and how to use sql to store and retrieve database data. these chapters are organized to provide first an introduction to the sql language, then an overview of the select statement, followed by an examination of each of the select statement ’ s clauses. in the last three chapters, we ’ ll learn how to design databases effectively, taking into consideration column data types, table relationships, primary and foreign keys, and so on. why this separation? why do we postpone learning about designing tables until well after the select statement has been thoroughly dissected? because effective database design requires an understanding of how sql works. you must walk before you can run. if you ’ re new to sql, you ’ ll want to focus on learning sql first, rather than be prematurely sidetracked on the whys and wherefores of database design issues. no - risk money - back guarantee of course we ’ re so confident that you ’ ll treasure this book for years to come that we ’ re happy, as always, for you to try it risk - free for 30 days. if you purchase a copy of simply sql and you think it fails to be everything you wanted, we would like you to have your money back. simply contact us and we will see to


, for you to try it risk - free for 30 days. if you purchase a copy of simply sql and you think it fails to be everything you wanted, we would like you to have your money back. simply contact us and we will see to it that you receive a prompt and courteous refund of the full purchase price. what could be fairer than this? how to order this book ‘ simply sql ’ is provided as a download in adobe pdf, amazon mobi and epub formats, so you can begin reading it within minutes of making your purchase on almost any device you own. and of course, it ' s so easy to carry a whole library of pdfs with you ( on a laptop or pen drive ) that you ' ll never need to be caught without a solution to a problem again. this title is not available in hard copy, printed format. the digital epack for this book contains three formats ( adobe pdf, kindle ' s mobi and epub, which you are welcome to use on any device you own. all credit card transactions are processed by worldpay. please direct all questions to our customer support department. our promise to you... order direct from sitepoint. com and receive : - the very latest editions of all our books - exclusive offers only available to direct customers - lightning - fast shipping world - wide - 30 day money - back guarantee


do you know which language is the official language of 21 countries in the world, spanning four continents? it ' s spanish ( or espa - ol ), of course! spanish is not only the official language of spain and mexico, but also of many countries in south and central america. which other countries can you name? did you know that it ' s also the official language of a country in africa? equatorial guinea lies on the western coast of africa and its two official languages are spanish and french. not all spanish sounds the same and not all spanish words mean the same thing in each country. many spanish words have been incorporated into the english language. did you know that the word " burrito " actually means " little donkey? " have you ever heard of someone naming a car " won ' t go? " not many people would want to buy that car. that ' s exactly why the chevrolet nova didn ' t sell in spain and latin america. " no va " means " won ' t go " in spanish. the united states territory puerto rico means " rich port. " the central american country costa rica means " rich coast. " the state of colorado ' s name is actually from the spanish word meaning " red. " nevada means " snowy " or " snowed upon " in spanish. do you know what state ' s name comes from an old spanish term meaning " earthly paradise? " california. can you think of any other common names that stem from the spanish language? have you heard the saying " mi casa es su casa? " it ' s a sign of hospitality that means " my house is your house. " in english we might more commonly say " make yourself at home. " in some parts of india, a salary is called " pagar, " which in spanish means " to pay. " many names are actually spanish words as well. for example, a " bandera " is a flag so the actor antonio banderas ' name means " flags. " geraldo rivera ' s last name means " riverbank " or " riverside " in spanish, as does the name of the great mexican artist diego rivera. " rivera " looks like the word " river " in english but the word for " river " in spanish is actually " ri -! " spanish is all around us. what other words of spanish origin can you find? - - gwendolyn gallace, spanish teacher, jefferson, maine. * * * try to figure out what the spanish poem, la boda ( right ), says! ho


around us. what other words of spanish origin can you find? - - gwendolyn gallace, spanish teacher, jefferson, maine. * * * try to figure out what the spanish poem, la boda ( right ), says! hoy en este amanecer, suenan las campanas sin cesar, los musicos tocan su musica, porque la boda ya va a empezar. la gente se levanta, al ver la novia entrar, con su vestido blanco, y con una alegra que no puede dejar. atras de ella, los pajes tiran flores, con sus caritas peque - as, y sus vestidos de muchos colores. al fin la novia para, y atras voltea, por su novio espera. el novio ahora camina, hacia su novia bella, nervioso y feliz, pero siempre pensando en ella. mientras la ceremonia sigue, un angel del cielo viene, les da amor y felicidad, de la que el tiene. el angel les dice, que vivan felices y llenos de alegra, y que el amor siempre encuentren, dia tras dia. - - por marian urias, 11 a - os de edad, mexicana, 6th grade, el paso, texas.


a field guide to supernova spectra both types exhibit a wide variety of subclasses. type ia is of no interest because these stars don ' t emit neutrinos. types ib and ic are thought to undergo core collapse like type ii supernovae and, therefore, should emit neutrinos. as maurice gavin explains in " the revival of amateur spectroscopy ", low - resolution spectra of objects as faint as magnitude 13 or thereabouts are accessible to modest amateur equipment. ( a few superposed 20 - minute exposures with a 12 - inch telescope or so should produce an adequate image. ) but what will supernovae spectra look like especially shortly after the outburst begins as captured by small telescopes and low - resolution spectrographs? here ' s your field guide. to prepare it, we started with high - resolution, calibrated spectra supplied by alexei filippenko ( university of california, berkeley ). then, to simulate gavin ' s ccd results, we degraded the spectra to a resolution of 50 angstroms per pixel. finally, and with dramatic results, we changed the intensity along each spectrum to reflect variations in the unfiltered sensitivity of popular ccd chips the kaf - 0400 from kodak and the icx055bl from sony. thus, what you see here is what you will get! ( astrophotographers using panchromatic emulsions will record spectra that look much like the originals. )


life cycle approach to child and adolescent health add to your conference / group add your comments : insert youtube videos inside your slideworld presentation copy and paste the video url from youtube, choose where to insert the video, and press “ submit ”. the video will play in your slideshow after sometime. enter youtube video url enter slide no where you want to insert youtube videos on dec 18, 2011 says : its valuable content & greatful if you please can you make mor concern in psychological problems for these age group on apr 15, 2009 says : normal growth and development of adolescence post a comment post comment on twitter post comment on slideworld subscribe to follow - up comments slideworld will not store your password. slideworld will maintain your privacy. subscribe to follow - up comments, favourited this 1 years ago. slide 1 : life cycle approach to child and adolescent health eva kudlova charles university of prague slide 2 : overview health is indivisible, requiring holistic approaches throughout the individual ' s life. healthy outcome at one point in the life - cycle, provides a positive determinant for health elsewhere in the cycle. the presentation describes main environmental and socio - cultural challenges for each of the stages of child and adolescent life. both, prevention of ill health and care for illnesses are important at all times but the balance between them shifts over time during the childhood and adolescence. main actions necessary to meet the child and adolescent needs are described as well. slide 3 : slide 4 : life course approach healthy outcome at one point in the life - cycle, provides a positive determinant for health elsewhere in the cycle. what happens in pregnancy and the very early stages of childhood will have a profound impact on child and adolescent development. growth and development of young children enhances the possibilities for development during the school age period and in adolescence. this will be carried through into adulthood and old age. health and development of the 0 - 19 age group links intimately, at both ends of the range, with reproductive health. health during childhood is in part determined by the health of the mother, in turn affected by factors such as the nutrition of adolescent girls and the avoidance of early pregnancy. these factors, in turn, are influenced by healthy growth and development in childhood. an investment early on will result in a lifetime of economic, social and personal benefits. both, prevention of ill health and care for illnesses are important at all times but the balance between them shifts over time during the childhood and adolescence in relation to in risks encountered during the particular life - stage


a lifetime of economic, social and personal benefits. both, prevention of ill health and care for illnesses are important at all times but the balance between them shifts over time during the childhood and adolescence in relation to in risks encountered during the particular life - stage. slide 5 : some health problems are phase - specific ; others continue from birth to adulthood unwanted / mistimed pregnancies asphyxia birth trauma preterm birth, low birth weight sex selective abortions, infanticide neonatal tetanus, sepsis, mtct of hiv infectious diseases : pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles, meningitis, hiv asthma helminthiasis emotional disorders, depression, suicide substance use ( tobacco, alcohol and other harmful drugs ) eating disorders unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions injuries : burns, falls, poisoning, drowning accidents : household road traffic inter - personal violence malaria & other endemic tropical diseases tuberculosis malnutrition & micronutrient deficiencies malformations & disabilities infectious diseases : sexually transmitted infections, incl. hiv © who slide 7 : global initiatives addressing child and adolescent health & development slide 8 : external factors influencing outcomes of the mother and child health cycle slide 9 : physical environment our health is determined to a very considerable extent by the physical environment in which we live - the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the built environment all exact their toll. young children are particularly susceptible to environmental threats : rapid development of immune, respiratory and nervous systems, development of metabolic functions. any irritants encountered during the early stages of growth may permanently impair the development of vital organs. children breathe more air, drink more water and eat more food than adults do per unit body weight, and this higher rate of intake results in greater exposure to pathogens and pollutants. small children learn by exploring their world ( put their hands and objects in their mouths, crawl and play on the ground ) and are at risk from pathogens and pollutants from these surfaces. close parental care and supervision is crucial to the safe and healthy development of young children. slide 10 : social factors the social circumstances in which children and adolescents grow to maturity are of paramount importance. peer pressure, family values, mass communication, the school environment, and social and gender norms all exert a considerable influence on lifestyle. over the past decades, many countries in the european region have experienced rapid socio - political change, economic hardship, increased insecurity, conflict and even war. the health - related behaviour


social and gender norms all exert a considerable influence on lifestyle. over the past decades, many countries in the european region have experienced rapid socio - political change, economic hardship, increased insecurity, conflict and even war. the health - related behaviour of adolescents is a function of all these pressures. differences in the health experience of boys and girls are apparent in all countries due to : lower socioeconomic status of women in some settings, differences in biology, or to social behaviours and gender norms. slide 11 : nutrition a balanced diet that provides optimum nutrition, together with a clean water supply, are crucial to every stage of development from pre - conception through to later life. poor nutrition is associated with a reduced resistance to disease, impaired physical and psychological development, and infant morbidity and mortality. an inadequate diet can lead to deficiency disorders and / or contribute to civilization diseases. in recognition of the food ' s essential role in promoting and protecting health the european states endorsed the first action plan for food and nutrition policy. slide 12 : poverty poverty is a major determinant of health. inequities related to economic situation affect both physical and mental health. poor children grow up in less healthy environments and are more likely to suffer the effects of pollution. overcrowded housing is associated with a lack of safe areas for play. accidents and crime are more prevalent ; a poor diet and lack of physical activity are more likely. poverty places maternal and newborn health at risk and has a deleterious impact on mental health. relative poverty within countries may be even more important than absolute poverty. relative poverty is growing at a more rapid rate in europe and central asia than anywhere in the world. in some european countries as many as 26 % of children live in relative poverty. slide 13 : pregnancy a healthy start to life is essential. a woman ’ s health directly influences the health and development of her child. access to timely and responsive health services, including skilled birth attendants at the time of delivery, is essential. maternal mortality varies enormously across the european region, ranging from 6 per 100, 000 live births in switzerland to 41 per 100, 000 in some eastern countries. slide 14 : main risks of pregnancy slide 15 : main risks of pregnancy : unsafe abortions the starting point in the life - course of health and development is : every baby should be a wanted baby. unwanted pregnancies may lead to : unsafe abortions, child neglect, malnutrition, disease, and social problems. this implies effective contraceptive advice and availability as young people


health and development is : every baby should be a wanted baby. unwanted pregnancies may lead to : unsafe abortions, child neglect, malnutrition, disease, and social problems. this implies effective contraceptive advice and availability as young people approach puberty and during their reproductive years. slide 16 : main risks of pregnancy : malnutrition and anaemia inadequate nutrition in the very early stages of development can have an impact throughout an individual ' s life. in many european countries, micronutrient deficiency diseases co - exist with disorders of energy excess that result from a lack of fruit and vegetable intake. malnutrition and anaemia, in pregnant women in low - income countries are a significant threat, as they can severely impact a foetus ’ growth and development and result in long - term consequences. eliminating malnutrition among pregnant women would reduce disabilities among their infants by almost one third. slide 17 : main risks of pregnancy : congenital abnormalities congenital abnormalities are the second leading cause of death in high - income countries. in the us, these anomalies, along with sudden infant death syndrome and premature birth, account for > 50 per cent of all infant mortality. about 3 - 10 % of these cases have been attributed to exogenous and environmental agents. exposure during the early months of pregnancy can lead to an increased likelihood of mental retardation and development disabilities. the scope for reducing unnecessary disability and ill health is also considerable, through the application of interventions that are already known to be effective such as : vaccination against rubella ( causes birth defects in 90 % of children if contracted early in pregnancy ), avoiding alcohol and stopping smoking. slide 18 : main risks of pregnancy : infections mothers can be the vectors for transmitting communicable diseases to their babies. although the absolute numbers remain relatively small, mother - to - child transmission of hiv has increased dramatically in eastern europe. in the ukraine, for example, infection rates in pregnant women rose from 0. 005 per 10 000 in 1996 to 17 per 10. 000 only four years later. for the child, infection is the major killer during pregnancy and after birth, as well as low birth weight due to intrauterine growth retardation and / or pre - term birth. slide 19 : neonatal period the first 28 days of life are critical. during this time the child is at highest risk for death. of the approx. 10 million children under 5 years of age, who die each year, about one - third die in the neonatal period.


the first 28 days of life are critical. during this time the child is at highest risk for death. of the approx. 10 million children under 5 years of age, who die each year, about one - third die in the neonatal period. ninety - eight percent of all neonatal deaths occur in developing countries. perinatal conditions, many of which are significantly influenced by environmental conditions, account for 20 per cent of the under - five mortality rate worldwide. slide 20 : slide 21 : main risks of neonatal period slide 22 : improving neonatal health improving newborn survival will dramatically reduce infant mortality worldwide. neonatal health is largely a product of : socio - economic circumstances, access to appropriate services at the time of delivery as well as during the antenatal period, and parental education. success in reducing neonatal mortality requires many components : caring families, availability of adequate healthcare, ability to recognize when a sick child needs professional care, good nutrition, and support from communities. slide 23 : early childhood each year more than 10 million children in low - and middle - income countries die before they reach their fifth birthday. seven in ten of these deaths are due to just five preventable and treatable conditions : pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles, and malnutrition, and often to a combination of these conditions. over 40 % of the global burden of disease is attributed to environmental risks that affect children under five, although this age group only accounts for 10 % of the world ' s population. many biological environmental factors associated with this high toll, among them the lack of clean water and sanitation, as well as environmental - related diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. slide 24 : slide 25 : main risks of early childhood slide 26 : main risks of early childhood : poor nutrition and growth inappropriate nutrition is a major cause of poor health outcomes. globally 27 % of children under 5 years are underweight and there are wide variations also between the european countries. appropriate feeding practices : stimulate psycho - social development, lead to improved nutrition and physical growth, lead to reduced susceptibility to common childhood infections and better resistance to cope with them. much has already been done to promote breastfeeding. increasing breastfeeding prevalence rates are reported from a number of countries. continuing great concern led who to develop a global strategy for infant and young child feeding ( iycf ). slide 27 : main risks of early childhood : poor development it is essential to provide a stimulating environment for psychosocial development. the development of intelligence


concern led who to develop a global strategy for infant and young child feeding ( iycf ). slide 27 : main risks of early childhood : poor development it is essential to provide a stimulating environment for psychosocial development. the development of intelligence, personality and social behaviour occurs most rapidly in humans during their first three to four years. parents are the children ’ s earliest teachers. strengthening the ability of the mother and all family members to care for and stimulate their children and encourage them to learn can set the stage for adult success. slide 28 : main risks of early childhood : frequent illnesses many of the childhood communicable illnesses can be avoided through the efficient organization and management of immunization programmes. world health organization ( who ) and unicef addressed the care for illnesses in young children by developing a strategy “ integrated management of childhood illness ” ( imci ). imci is an integrated approach to child health that focuses on the well - being of the whole child. it aims to reduce death, illness and disability, and to promote improved growth and development among children under 5 years of age. slide 29 : slide 30 : main risks of early childhood : frequent illnesses – prevention and care both, prevention and care for illnesses are very important for young children, and both focus primarily on the mother and other caretakers. prevention in early childhood includes important issues about : breastfeeding and the appropriate introduction of complementary foods, hygiene practices, immunization, and caring behaviours that contribute to the healthy development of the young child. slide 31 : main risks of early childhood : abuse and neglect child abuse and neglect manifest themselves during the first years of life in every country. sixty per cent of children in europe and central asia say they face violent or aggressive behaviour at home. the health consequences can be : physical, sexual and reproductive, psychological and behavioural, long - term, chronic disease. slide 32 : main risks of early childhood : injury accidents and unintentional injuries become more prevalent as the child increasingly starts to explore his or her environment, often without the necessary coordination or awareness of hazards. drowning, falls, fires, accidental poisoning and traffic accidents account for some of the disability and deaths in this age group. slide 33 : early school age globally, most deaths among school children are due to diseases that can be prevented, but that can also be treated easily. an appropriate and timely health care is essential. for some of the childhood diseases, vaccines protect a child, other diseases, such as diarrhoea and hepatitis a can be prevented by good


can be prevented, but that can also be treated easily. an appropriate and timely health care is essential. for some of the childhood diseases, vaccines protect a child, other diseases, such as diarrhoea and hepatitis a can be prevented by good hygiene and sanitary practices. childhood cancers are a major concern in developed countries. in the us, cancer is the second biggest killer of children after accidents, with the median age of child victims of cancer being six years old. acute leukaemia is the most common type of cancer found in children, and its incidence appears to be rising in some developed countries. among the environmental factors that may play a role are tobacco smoke, radon, asbestos, ultraviolet light radiation, hazardous waste and some pesticides. slide 34 : main risks of early school age slide 35 : main risks of early school age : poor nutrition, growth and development poor nutrition remains globally a major contributor to childhood diseases and deaths. in countries with plentiful food provision, the cheapest form of food energy comes regrettably from fats, oils and sugar. consumption of these energy - dense foods, together with lack of physical activity, results in increasing prevalence of obesity among children. slide 36 : main risks of early school age : injury new health challenges emerge as children become increasingly exposed to the wider physical and social environment. injuries, usually road traffic injuries, falls and drowning, are now the number - one killer of children aged five to 14 years in developed countries. additional factors such as exposed cooking set - ups, dangerous tools and equipment, open sewers, construction or electrical sites and hazardous chemicals pose threats in developing countries. slide 37 : main risks of early school age : helminth infections helminth diseases, which are caused by intestinal worms found in soils and vegetables, are one of the common health problems among school age children in developing countries. these children commonly carry large loads of helminths, which can cause anaemia and other debilitating conditions. these illnesses can result in impaired learning, poor school performance and more absences from school. slide 38 : social factors in early school age parental lifestyle increases its impact as the child develops. attitudes to health - related behaviours such as smoking and physical activity are formed, and eating patterns become established. as social interaction beyond the family develops : school environment, peer pressure and the mass media become increasingly influential in establishing the child ’ s values, attitudes and behaviour patterns. school is an important place for bringing about behavioural changes, promoting better health for students, and teaching about


the family develops : school environment, peer pressure and the mass media become increasingly influential in establishing the child ’ s values, attitudes and behaviour patterns. school is an important place for bringing about behavioural changes, promoting better health for students, and teaching about caring for the community environment. for this age group, both prevention and the appropriate care of illness are essential. as a child moves through the school - age years and into adolescence, prevention of behaviours that can lead to health risks takes on a greater importance. slide 39 : adolescence one in every five people in the world is an adolescent – defined by who as a person between 10 and 19 years of age. out of 1. 2 billion adolescents worldwide, about 85 % live in developing countries. every year, an estimated 1. 7 million persons between ages of 10 and 19 lose their lives. there are relatively few deaths due to illnesses. many adolescents die prematurely due to other causes such as accidents and risky behaviour. many habits and lifestyle choices that start during these critical years contribute greatly to the overall health of an adult. the who estimates that 70 % of premature deaths among adults are largely due to behaviour initiated during adolescence. slide 40 : main risks of adolescence slide 41 : main risks of adolescence : poor nutrition sound nutrition remains a foundation stone for good health as the child progresses towards adulthood. in many countries, overweight and obesity in children and adolescents is increasing, often co - existing with micronutrient deficiencies. type ii diabetes, previously a disease of middle age, is now increasingly being reported among young people in european countries. slide 42 : main risks of adolescence : chronic conditions chronic conditions include non - communicable diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, juvenile diabetes, epilepsy, juvenile arthritis sickle - cell disease, and mental disorders. in developed countries, asthma is the leading chronic disease among children. air pollution, both indoor and outdoor, is one of the triggers for asthma episodes. over the last decades, asthma and allergies have increased throughout europe. in western europe, the symptom rate is up to ten times that in eastern countries. chronic conditions typically require comprehensive, ongoing care. other factors such as family, school or college situations, as well as the health and social services available, determine how a chronic condition is managed. slide 43 : adolescence and hiv the hiv / aids pandemic is one of the most important and urgent global public health challenges. it is estimated that 50 % of all new hiv infections are among young people. in the


a chronic condition is managed. slide 43 : adolescence and hiv the hiv / aids pandemic is one of the most important and urgent global public health challenges. it is estimated that 50 % of all new hiv infections are among young people. in the eastern part of european region, 84 % of new cases are under 30 years of age, compared to 31 % in the west, and three quarters of them are injecting drug users. adolescents are at the centre of the pandemic in terms of : transmission, impact, and potential for changing the attitudes and behaviours that underlie this disease. focusing on young people is likely to be the most effective approach to confronting the epidemic. slide 44 : hiv prevalence among female antenatal attendees aged 15 - 19 in southern african countries © who slide 45 : main risks of adolescence : mental disorders pre - existing mental health issues may worsen as the adolescent undergoes this demanding phase of emotional and physical maturation. impaired mental health is a precursor or consequence of many health - risky behaviours. adolescence is also a peak age of onset for serious mental illness. in the european region : the incidence of psychological ill health and mortality increases as a consequence of the breakdown of traditional social and family structures, particularly in communities experiencing significant societal, political and economic change. about 10 % to 20 % of children have one or more mental or behavioural problem. slide 46 : main risks of adolescence : injury and violence physical and emotional development accelerates with the arrival of puberty. the young adolescent becomes ever more subject to cultural influences, perceived social norms and pressure from friends although the family support continues to be of significance. it is a normal part of adolescent development to : take on new responsibilities and roles which can incur risks, renegotiate relations with adults in the family and community and with peers, experiment with things symbolic of adult life. growing independence is associated with increased risk - taking. accidents, violence, and suicide are among the three most common causes of death in adolescence. slide 47 : traffic accidents & adolescents slide 48 : teenage pregnancy ( patterson et al, 1989 ) cycle of violence slide 49 : main risks of adolescence : drug abuse adolescence is a period of experimentation and rebellion against authority. this is the age when the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs can become established habits. their use is a major contributing factor to accidents, suicides, violence, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among young people in many countries. there is an urgent need to create safer and more supportive environments within which young people can


established habits. their use is a major contributing factor to accidents, suicides, violence, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among young people in many countries. there is an urgent need to create safer and more supportive environments within which young people can develop. adult role models, positive peer influence and initiatives such as health promoting schools all have an important part to play in healthy adolescent development. slide 50 : main risks of adolescence : unwanted pregnancy with adolescence comes reproductive maturity. preventing teenage pregnancy is a concern for every country. the rates in western european countries mostly range between 13 and 25 per 1000 young women aged 15 to 19 years. unwanted pregnancies may lead to serious health consequences for young women, including the risks associated with dangerous or illegal abortions. young mothers under the age of 20 years are more likely to deliver a low birth weight baby. low birth weight is associated with reduced health prospects for the child. in this way, the child and adolescent life circle of one generation concludes and evolves into the life cycle of the next generation and thus interventions in one generation will bring benefits to successive generations. slide 51 : references beasley r, ellwood p, asher i. beasley r, ellwood p, asher i international patterns of the prevalence of pediatric asthma the isaac program. pediatr clin north am. 2003 jun ; 50 ( 3 ) : 539 - 53. carnegie task force : starting points : meeting the needs of our youngest children carnegie corporation of new york, new york 1994, 150p. european health for all database http : / / www. euro. who. int / hfadb ( accessed 28 may 2008 ). faustman, e. m. silbernagel, s. m., fenske, r. a., burbacher, t. m., ponce, r. a. : mechanisms underlying children ’ s susceptibility to environmental intoxicants. 2000 environ health perspect. 108, suppl 1, 2000, 13 - 21. kramer ms, chalmers b, hodnett ed et al. promotion of breastfeeding intervention trial ( probit ) – a randomized trial in the republic of belarus. jama, 2001, 285, 4, 413 – 420. kudlova, e., rames, j. : [ evaluation of nutrition of prague ’ s infants according to criteria recommended by who ] cs. pediat,. 55, 1, 2000, 16 - 20. natural resources


420. kudlova, e., rames, j. : [ evaluation of nutrition of prague ’ s infants according to criteria recommended by who ] cs. pediat,. 55, 1, 2000, 16 - 20. natural resources defense council : our children at risk : the 5 worst environmental threats to their health. natural resources defense council, new york 1997. http : / / www. nrdc. org / health / kids / ocar / ocarinx. asp ( accessed 28 may 2008 ) schroeder, s. r. : mental retardation and developmental disabilities influenced by environmental neurotoxic insults. environ health perspect. 108, suppl 3, 2000, 395 - 9 unep, unicef, who : children in the new millennium : environmental impact on health. united nations environment programme, united nations children ’ s fund and who, geneva 2002, 142 p. unicef : sanitation for all : promoting dignity and humn rights. unicef, new york 2000. who / euro : the health of children and adolescents in who ' s european region. who european regional office, copenhagen 2003, 12p. who : adolescent health and development. http : / / www. who. int / child _ adolescent _ health / en ( accessed 28. may 2008 ) who : food and health in europe : a new basis for action. who regional office for europe, copenhagen 2002, 28 p. who : improving child health. imci : the integrated approach. who, geneva, 1997 12p. who : infant and young child nutrition. global strategy on infant and young child feeding. report by the secretariat. geneva, who, geneva 2002, 18 p. who : world health report 1999. who, geneva 1999, 121 p. who : world health report 2002. who, geneva 2002, 248 p. who : the first action plan for food and nutrition policy. who european region 2000 - 2005. copenhagen, who regional office for europe, 2001 ( document eur / 01 / 5026013, http : / / www. euro. who. int / document / e72199. pdf, ( accessed 28 may 2008 ) world bank : world development report 2000 / 2001 : attacking poverty. new york, oxford university press, 2001. wynn m, wynn a. new nutrient intake recommendations are needed for childbearing. nutrition and health, 2000, 13, 199 - 211. zahm, s. h., devisa, s. s


tanya lee stone ’ s search — for photos and facts — has led her in surprising and rewarding directions. “ to me, visual storytelling is as important as the text, ” stone has said, and that is certainly true of courage has no color : the true story of the triple nickles : america ’ s first black paratroopers ( candlewick, jan. 2013 ). through text and images the author paints a fascinating portrait of the african americans who trained as part of the 555th parachute infantry battalion under first sergeant walter morris. seventeen of those 20 men came from the all - black 92nd infantry division, whose roots could be traced back to the buffalo soldiers of the revolutionary and civil wars. the author spoke to curriculum connections about her research, and the triple nickles ’ extraordinary legacy. what attracted you to this topic? did it have any relationship to your work on almost astronauts : 13 women who dared to dream ( candlewick, 2009 )? these stories are related in that they are both about extraordinary people, relatively unknown individuals, whose work paved the way for others. change happens slowly — and it ’ s often due to individuals such as these. we owe them tribute. when you begin a nonfiction work, do you have a sense of where you ’ re going, or do you let the research guide you? the research did guide me, as did feedback from marc aronson and hilary van dusen, who said, as they did with almost astronauts, “ this story is too big for a picture book. ” i tend to think cinematically, so i ’ m looking at the story through the points - of - view of the triple nickles ’ and [ their leader, first sergeant ] walter morris. what are the margins that inform those perspectives? that helps me shape my boundaries. unfortunately, it took almost 10 years to write the book! you interviewed morris, as well as a number of the women represented in almost astronauts. it ’ s amazing to think that these events didn ’ t transpire that long ago. it wasn ’ t that long ago. i think we have come a long way — and have a really long way to go. that ’ s why it ’ s important to highlight these stories. we can be proud of our achievements — and have them motivate us to do a whole lot more. your notes on your work on the identities of the triple nickles who did not graduate, and how you resolved inconsistencies discovered in your research, were fascinating. that was so thrilling [ figuring out


smartdraw includes thousands of professional - looking examples like this tooth decay ( caries ) and cavity prevention that you can easily download, edit and customize to make your own in just minutes. text in this example : tooth decay & cavity prevention step one : floss use floss to remove germs and food particles between teeth. rinse. holding floss using floss between lower teeth. ease the floss into place gently. do not snap it into place — this could harm your gums. step two : brush teeth use any tooth brushing method that is comfortable, but do not scrub hard back and forth. small circular motions and short back and forth motions work well. rinse. to prevent decay, it ’ s what ’ s on the toothbrush that counts. use fluoride toothpaste. fluoride is what protects teeth from decay. brush the tongue for a fresh feeling! rinse again. food residues, especially sweets, provide nutrients for the germs that cause tooth decay, as well as those that cause gum disease. that ’ s why it is important to remove all food residues, as well as plaque, from teeth. remove plaque at least once a day — twice a day is better. if you brush and floss once daily, do it before going to bed. another way of removing plaque between teeth is to use a dental pick — a thin plastic or wooden stick. these picks can be purchased at drug stores and grocery stores. source : u. s. department of health and human services, national institutes of health, national institute of dental and craniofacial research lifeart collection images copyright © 1989 - 2001 by lippincott williams & wilkins, baltimore, md


its a scarlet tanager kind of yearwritten by george ellison “ the scarlet tanager flies through the green foliage as if it would ignite the leaves. you can hardly believe that a living creature can wear such colors. ” — henry david thoreau this seems to be a scarlet tanager kind of year. i ’ ve been seeing and hearing them at my house, along the blue ridge parkway, and in the great smokies. no bird in our region is more striking. jet black wings on a trim red almost luminescent body, the male is impossible to overlook. and it ’ s easy to recognize by both song and call. i almost never encounter the summer tanager ( whose entire body is rosy red ) in western north carolina, but the scarlet tanager is encountered every year — to a greater or lesser extent — during the breeding season ( mid - april to mid - october ) in mature woodlands ( especially slopes with pine and oak ) between 2, 000 and 5, 000 feet in elevation. the bird winters in northwestern south america, where it enjoys the company of various tropical tanagers that do not migrate. keep in mind that the female doesn ’ t resemble her mate except in shape. she is olive - green or yellow - orange in color. also keep in mind there is a variant form ( morph ) of the male tanager that is orange rather than scarlet in color. i suspect this variant is the result of something peculiar in its diet. my first and only encounter with an orange scarlet tananger was in the lake junaluska area several years ago. the call note used by both the male and female is a distinctive “ chip - burr … chip - burr. ” the male ’ s song is not pretty. he sounds like a robin with a sore throat ; that is, the notes in the song are hoarse and raspy. when gathering nesting material, the female sometimes sings a shorter “ whisper ” song in response to the male ’ s louder song. males in adjacent territories often engage in combative counter - singing and will, as a last resort, go beak - to - beak. on our property, a creek sometimes serves as a boundary — the line drawn in the sand, as it were. the males sing defiantly at one another across the water and sometimes make forays into enemy territory. meanwhile, the female is busy incubating her eggs. when not squabbling with a nearby male, her mate brings food.


a small news article from science has been taped above my desk for the last few years. i don ’ t remember who originally gave it to me, or why i even hung it up, but there it is, nestled between a couple xkcd cartoons. the article is titled “ the wine divide ” and it raises many questions about sustainability, inherent biases in conventional wisdom, and what the term “ local ” means in a global economy. and it ’ s about wine. the basic premise of the article is that, in general, the carbon - cost of shipping wine by freight ( as in, on a truck ) is greater than the cost of shipping by cargo ( as in, on a boat ). in wine, transportation outweighs all other aspects of production and distribution, so using the cost of transport, two scientists calculated the cost of buying wine from napa valley or bordeaux, france if you live in new york. shipping a 750 - milliliter bottle from bordeaux to new york city emits 1. 8 kilograms of carbon, whereas trucking one from the napa valley emits 2. 6 kg. they also calculated a napa - bordeaux line, which determines which region ( napa valley or bordeaux ) has the lower carbon cost for where you live. in a thorough review of the life cycle of a bottle of wine, colman and paster presented some surprising insights into the real cost of transportation. among the most counter - intuitive results is how dramatic the differences among ships, trains, trucks, and airplanes really are. this is scaled by the total amount of cargo shipped, so while the actual amount of fuel burned may be greater, the amount of goods transported is even larger. these data challenge the conventional assumption the local is better. for many goods, distance is significantly less important than the method of delivery, at least when looking at the cost of transportation. for someone living on the east coast of the united states, wine from bordeaux, france is more sustainable than the relatively closer wine from napa valley, california. tyler, colman, & paster, pablo ( 2009 ). red, white, and ‘ green ’ : the cost of greenhouse gas emissions in the global wine trad journal of wine researc, 20 ( 1 ), 15 - 26


10 new alien planets a diverse bunch, telescope shows artist ' s impression of the corot satellite. credit : cnes / active design a european space telescope has discovered 10 previously unknown alien planets, including two neptune - like objects that circle the same star, researchers announced today ( june 14 ). france ' s corot satellite detected the 10 alien planets, all of which are gaseous like saturn or jupiter. however, they exhibit a range of masses, densities, orbital characteristics and other properties, researchers said. the new discoveries highlight the diversity of worlds beyond our solar system and boost the confirmed count of extrasolar planets up to 565, they added. " ever since the early days of exoplanet astronomy, we ’ ve been amazed by the variety of planets that have been discovered : gaseous giants larger than jupiter and smaller, rocky bodies, down to masses comparable to the earth ’ s, " said malcolm fridlund, the european space agency ' s project scientist for corot, in a statement. [ photos : the strangest alien planets ] researchers announced the findings today ( june 14 ), at the second corot symposium in marseille, france. alien planet haul like nasa ' s kepler space telescope, corot searches for alien planets by what is known as the transit method. this technique looks for tiny dips in a star ' s brightness that could potentially be caused by a planet passing in front of it from our perspective. the 10 newly discovered alien worlds have all been confirmed by follow - up observations using ground - based telescopes. seven of the discoveries are so - called " hot jupiters, " gas giants that orbit extremely close to their parent stars. another one is smaller than saturn, and the other two are neptune - like siblings circling the same star. while all the newfound alien planets are gaseous, they make up a diverse group. their densities, for example, span a wide range, from values similar to that of saturn ( the least dense planet in our solar system ) to densities comparable to that of rocky mars, researchers said. one planet orbits a 10 - billion - year - old star, which is twice as old as the sun. another circles a star just 600 million years old. two of the exoplanets also lie on highly elongated orbits — a surprise to scientists, considering how unstable such paths are thought to be. a planetary zoo since the first planet beyond our solar system was discovered back in the 1990s, astronomers have discovered an astonishing diversity of alien worlds. " the new set of 10


— a surprise to scientists, considering how unstable such paths are thought to be. a planetary zoo since the first planet beyond our solar system was discovered back in the 1990s, astronomers have discovered an astonishing diversity of alien worlds. " the new set of 10 planets that we announce today are no exception, exhibiting as they do a rich list of very interesting properties, " fridlund said. to date, astronomers have confirmed at least 565 alien planets, and the kepler project has already identified 1, 235 more " candidate " planets that await in - depth follow - up study. researchers have predicted that at least 80 percent of kepler ' s planetary candidates will eventually be confirmed. since its launch in 2006, corot has detected several hundred candidate planet - hosting stars. the 10 new finds bring the satellite ' s total number of confirmed planet discoveries to 26. many more finds will likely follow — from kepler, corot and other instruments — helping astronomers better understand alien planets on a broader scale, researchers said. " although the study of exoplanets is relatively young, we have already reached a stage where we can characterize the details of worlds orbiting other stars, and corot is making a crucial contribution to this field, " fridlund said. " with hundreds of systems observed to date, we no longer have to worry about ' taming the beasts ' and we can dedicate our efforts to the ' zoology ' of exoplanets, which is enormously enhancing our knowledge about planetary systems. " more from space. com


teide national park the largest and oldest of the canary islands ' parks its landscape revolves around the largest volcano in spain : the teide, which last erupted in 1798. the volcanic cones and the lava outcrops form an extraordinary conjunction of colours and shapes, and are home to a wide diversity of flora of great biological value. the teide national park was created in 1954 in order to protect this spectacular landscape of great ecological value which lies at the foot of the colossal volcano. the teide is the volcanic formation located on an ancient and gigantic cauldron - shaped depression, formed by two semi - calderas separated by the roques de garcia rock formations. plant and animal species that are unique in the world live in the shadow of the teide. there is an astonishing diversity of plants : teide broom, red echium, blue echium, the guanche rose ( bencomia extipulata ), flixweed, rosalillo de cumbre ( pterocephalus lasiospermus ), silver thistle ( stemmacantha cynaroides )... the most important species in the park are the invertebrates. over 700 types of insects have been recorded, of which 50 % are endemic to the area. there are some species of reptiles ( such as the tenerife lizard ) and birds ( egyptian vulture, sparrowhawks, lesser kestrels, red kite ), and a few mammals, the most common of which are the mouflon, rabbits and five species of bat. 面 : 18. 990 ヘクタール 地 : it is situated in the heart of the island of tenerife, in the canary islands. 見 学 : there are two public bus routes : number 348, from puerto de la cruz, and number 342, from playa de las americas. there is a cable car that affords spectacular views, although it does not take you right to the top : you must walk the last stretch. a special permit is required to go to the highest cone on the summit of the teide. for more information, check the visitor centres on this page. more access information. : the primary interest of this national park is its flora, as it has 212 species of plants, of which 58 are endemic to the canary islands. one of these natural treasures is the teide violet, which has the honour of being the highest flowering species in the whole of spain. the park also stands out because of its


212 species of plants, of which 58 are endemic to the canary islands. one of these natural treasures is the teide violet, which has the honour of being the highest flowering species in the whole of spain. the park also stands out because of its volcanic landscape, and as a place for stargazing. 文 : the island of tenerife is one of spain ' s most important tourist destinations. its appeal lies in the excellent climate, its beaches, the teide, and a wide variety of cultural attractions. one of the best times to visit the islands is in february when the carnival festivities take place. the rest of the year you can find crowded and festive pilgrimages : san isidro, in la orotava ; san benito ; in la laguna ; and san roque, in garachico. regarding the gastronomy, traditional honey extraction is an important activity in the heart of the park, in the las canadas area. : you will find more information about the permits you need at the following links : access to the teide peak propuestas educativas, recorridos por el parque, montanismo, visitas guiadas park offices ( tenerife ) tel. : + 34 922922371 fax. : + 34 922244788 teide national park ててきること ての は 保 されています 。 turespana / segittur © 2013 サイトの : sociedad estatal para la gestion de la innovacion y las tecnologias turisticas, s. a. ( segittur )


| women ’ s suffrage in the uk | | women suffrage in the usa | | parliamentary reform | elizabeth cady stanton elizabeth cady, the daughter of daniel cady, a lawyer and politician, was born in johnstown, new york, 12th november, 1815. she studied law under her father, who later became a new york supreme court judge. during this period she became a strong advocate of women ' s rights. in 1840 elizabeth married the lawyer, henry bewster stanton. the couple both became active members of the american anti - slavery society. later that year, stanton and lucretia mott, travelled to london as delegates to the world anti - slavery convention. both women were furious when they, like the british women at the convention, were refused permission to speak at the meeting. stanton later recalled : " we resolved to hold a convention as soon as we returned home, and form a society to advocate the rights of women. " however, it was not until 1848 that stanton and lucretia mott organised the women ' s rights convention at seneca falls. stanton ' s resolution that it was " the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves the sacred right to the elective franchise " was passed, and this became the focus of the group ' s campaign over the next few years. in 1866 stanton, lucretia mott, susan b. anthony and lucy stone established the american equal rights association. the following year, the organisation became active in kansas where negro suffrage and woman suffrage were to be decided by popular vote. however, both ideas were rejected at the polls. in 1868 stanton and susan b. anthony established the political weekly, the revolution, and the following year the two women formed a new organisation, the national woman suffrage association ( nwsa ). the organisation condemned the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments as blatant injustices to women. the nwsa also advocated easier divorce and an end to discrimination in employment and pay. executive committee of the national woman suffrage association another group, the american woman suffrage association ( awsa ), was also active in the campaign for women ' s rights and by the 1880s it became clear that it was not a good idea to have two rival groups campaigning for votes for women. after several years of negotiations, the awsa and the nwsa merged in 1890 to form the national american woman suffrage association ( nawsa ). stanton was elected as nawsa first president but was replaced by susan b. anthony in 1892. elizabeth cady stanton, whose autobiography, eighty


and the nwsa merged in 1890 to form the national american woman suffrage association ( nawsa ). stanton was elected as nawsa first president but was replaced by susan b. anthony in 1892. elizabeth cady stanton, whose autobiography, eighty years and more, was published in 1898, died in new york, on 26th october, 1902. ( 1 ) editorial, time and tide ( 9th july, 1926 ) feminism, like any other great movement, proceeds at varying paces and in varying forms in different countries. few things are more enlightening than a study of the inter - reactions of the feminist movement in the two great english speaking peoples during the past seventy or eighty years. it is curious how closely related have been the movements on the two sides of the atlantic. each has continually learnt from the other. beginning with mary wollstonecraft in the late 18th century, the feminist movement owed its next big impetus ( in the eighteen forties and fifties ) to lucretia mott and susan b. anthony, of new england. it was lucretia mott and elizabeth c. stanton who organised the first equal rights convention which was held in new york in 1848 ; and it was lucretia mott who laid. down the definite proposition which american women are still struggling to implement today : ' men and women shall have equal rights throughout the united states. ' a few years later susan b. anthony, the pioneer suffragist, came into the american movement. it was not till the eighteen sixties that the political feminist movement came alive in great britain. dame millicent fawcett was even in those early days one of the leading names connected with it. the british suffragists pushed forward enthusiastically for some twenty years, but the failure to achieve success in 1885, when the third reform bill was passed giving the agricultural labourer the vote, seemed to take the heart out of our early suffragists, and the movement died down again. meanwhile, in the nineties the american women were full of life and enthusiasm, winning victory after victory in state after state. ' in 1902 susan b. anthony came to england and stayed with mrs. pankhurst in manchester. the result of that visit was far - reaching. all unwittingly the old pioneer handed back the torch to the british suffragists. ' it is unendurable, ' declared christabel pankhurst after her departure, ' to think of another generation of women wasting their lives begging for the vote. we must not


handed back the torch to the british suffragists. ' it is unendurable, ' declared christabel pankhurst after her departure, ' to think of another generation of women wasting their lives begging for the vote. we must not lose any more time. we must act. ' those words heralded the birth of the british militant movement. from that moment onwards british feminists went forward without pause till the outbreak of war in 1914 and when that time came ( although the actual bill was not passed until 1918 ) the first instalment of victory was virtually won. meanwhile in america by 1912 things had died down to very much the same state as the english movement has been in since 1918. votes had been achieved in a considerable number of states, the feeling was widespread that a partial victory was good enough for the moment and that complete victory would ' come all in good time without much further trouble. and then in 1912 alice paul, lit by the fire of the english militant movement, returned to america - and america woke up. it took the americans just eight years from that date to achieve complete political equality ; but they were under wise leadership ( alice paul will surely go down to history as one of the great leaders of the world ), and when they did achieve political equality they did not make the mistake of supposing that that was the end. they turned back to the ' declaration of sentiments ' laid down by lucretia mott in 1848 and they realised that political equality was only the first step on the path which they had chosen and that there could be neither halting nor relaxing their pace until they had come to the end of that path. ( 2 ) elizabeth cady stanton, speech at the woman ' s convention ( 25th may, 1851 ) the great work before us is the education of those just coming on the stage of action. begin with the girls of today, and in twenty years we can revolutionize this nation. the childhood of woman must be free and untrammeled. the girl must be allowed to romp and play, climb, skate, and swim ; her clothing must be more like that of the boy - strong, loose - fitting garments, thick boots, etc., that she may be out at all times, and enter freely into all kinds of sports. teach her to go alone, by night and day, if need be, on the lonely highway, or through the busy streets of the crowded metropolis. the manner in which all courage and self - reliance is educated out of the girl,


of sports. teach her to go alone, by night and day, if need be, on the lonely highway, or through the busy streets of the crowded metropolis. the manner in which all courage and self - reliance is educated out of the girl, her path portrayed with dangers and difficulties that never exist, is melancholy indeed. better, far, suffer occasional insults or die outright, than live the life of a coward, or never move without a protector. the best protector any woman can have, one that will serve her at all times and in all places, is courage ; this she must get by her own experience, and experience comes by exposure. let the girl be thoroughly developed in body and soul, not modeled, like a piece of clay, after some artificial specimen of humanity, with a body like some plate in godey ' s book of fashion, and a mind after the type of father gregory ' s pattern daughters, loaded down with the traditions, proprieties, and sentimentalities of generations of silly mothers and grandmothers, but left free to be, to grow, to feel, to think, to act. development is one thing, that system of cramping, restraining, torturing, perverting, and mystifying, called education, is quite another. we have had women enough befooled under the one system, pray let us try the other. the girl must early be impressed with the idea that she is to be " a hand, not a mouth " ; a worker, and not a drone, in the great hive of human activity. like the boy, she must be taught to look forward to a life of self - dependence, and early prepare herself for some trade or profession. woman has relied heretofore too entirely for her support on the needle - that one - eyed demon of destruction that slays its thousands annually ; that evil genius of our sex, which, in spite of all our devotion, will never make us healthy, wealthy, or wise. teach the girl it is no part of her life to cater to the prejudices of those around her. make her independent of public sentiment, by showing her how worthless and rotten a thing it is. it is a settled axiom with me, after much examination and reflection, that public sentiment is false on every subject. yet what a tyrant it is over us all, woman especially, whose very life is to please, whose highest ambition is to be approved. but once outrage this tyrant, place yourself beyond his jurisdiction, taste the joy


sentiment is false on every subject. yet what a tyrant it is over us all, woman especially, whose very life is to please, whose highest ambition is to be approved. but once outrage this tyrant, place yourself beyond his jurisdiction, taste the joy of free thought and action, and how powerless is his rule over you! his sceptre lies broken at your feet ; his very babblings of condemnation are sweet music in your ears ; his darkening frown is sunshine to your heart, for they tell of your triumph and his discomfort. think you, women thus educated would long remain the weak, dependent beings we now find them? by no means. depend upon it, they would soon settie for themselves this whole question of woman ' s rights. as educated capitalists and skilled laborers, they would not be long in finding their true level in political and social life. ( 3 ) elizabeth cady stanton, speech ( 20th february, 1894 ) the point i wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul - our protestant idea, the right of individual conscience and judgment - our republican idea, individual citizenship. in discussing the rights of woman, we are to consider, first, what belongs to her as an individual, in a world other own, the arbiter other own destiny, an imaginary robinson crusoe with her woman friday on a solitary island. her rights under such circumstances are to use all her faculties for her own safety and happiness. secondly, if we consider her as a citizen, as a member of a great nation, she must have the same rights as all other members, according to the fundamental principles of our government. thirdly, viewed as a woman, an equal factor in civilization, her rights and duties are still the same - individual happiness and development. fourthly, it is only the incidental relations of life, such as mother, wife, sister, daughter, which may involve some special duties and training. in the usual discussion in regard to woman ' s sphere, such men as herbert spencer, frederick harrison and grant alien uniformly subordinate her rights and duties as an individual, as a citizen, as a woman, to the necessities of these incidental relations, some of which a large class of women never assume. in discussing the sphere of man we do not decide his rights as an individual, as a citizen, as a man, by his duties as a father, a husband, a brother or a son, some of which he may never undertake. moreover he would be


the sphere of man we do not decide his rights as an individual, as a citizen, as a man, by his duties as a father, a husband, a brother or a son, some of which he may never undertake. moreover he would be better fitted for these very relations, and whatever special work he might choose to do to earn his bread, by the complete development of all his faculties as an individual. just so with woman. the education which will fit her to discharge the duties in the largest sphere of human usefulness, will best fit her for whatever special work she may be compelled to do. the isolation of every human soul and the necessity of self - dependence must give each individual the right to choose his own surroundings. the strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities for higher education, for the full development of her faculties, her forces of mind and body ; for giving her the most enlarged freedom of thought and action ; a complete emancipation from all forms of bondage, of custom, dependence, superstition ; from all the crippling influences of fear - is the solitude and personal responsibility of her own individual life. the strongest reason why we ask for woman a voice in the government under which she lives ; in the religion she is asked to believe ; equality in social life, where she is the chief factor ; a place in the trades and professions, where she may earn her bread, is because of her birthright to self - sovereignty ; because, as an individual, she must rely on herself. to throw obstacles in the way of a complete education is like putting out the eyes ; to deny the rights of property is like cutting off the hands. to refuse political equality is like robbing the ostracized of all self - respect, of credit in the market place, of recompense in the world of work, of a voice in choosing those who make and administer the law, a choice in the jury before whom they are tried, and in the judge who decides their punishment. shakespeare ' s play of titus and andronicus contains a terrible satire on woman ' s position in the nineteenth century - " rude men seized the king ' s daughter, cut out her tongue, cut off her hands, and then bade her go call for water and wash her hands. " what a picture of woman ' s position! robbed other natural rights, handicapped by law and custom at every turn, yet compelled to fight her own battles, and in the emergencies of life fall back on herself for protection.


the united states and the united nations officially refer to macedonia by its provisional name, " the former yugoslav republic of macedonia, " pending the outcome of un - mediated negotiations between macedonia and greece. area : 25, 713 square km. ( slightly larger than vermont ). cities : capital - - skopje 600, 000 ; tetovo, kumanovo, gostivar and bitola 100, 000 + ( 2001 est. ). geography : situated in the southern region of the balkan peninsula, macedonia is landlocked and mountainous. climate : three climatic types overlap - - mediterranean ; moderately continental ; and mountainous - producing hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. population : 2, 022, 547 ( 2003 census preliminary data ). growth rate ( 2001 est. ) : 0. 43 %. ethnic groups : macedonian 64. 18 %, albanian 25. 17 %, turkish 3. 85 %, roma 2. 66 %, serb 1. 78 %. ( 2003 census ). religions : eastern orthodox 65 %, muslim 29 %, catholic 4 % and others 2 %. languages : macedonian 70 %, albanian 21 %, turkish 3 %, serbo - croatian 3 %, and others 3 %. education : years compulsory - - 8. literacy - - 94. 6 %. health ( 2001 est ) : infant mortality rate - - 12. 95 deaths / per 1, 000 live births. life expectancy - - males 71. 79 years ; females 76. 43 years. work force ( 824, 824 ) : employed 561, 341 : services - - 31. 3 % ; industry and commerce - - 44. 9 % ; agriculture - - 23. 8 % type : parliamentary democracy. constitution : adopted november 17, 1991 ; effective november 20, 1991. independence : september 8, 1991 ( from yugoslavia ). branches : executive - - prime minister ( head of government ), council of ministers ( cabinet ), president ( head of state ). legislative - - unicameral parliament or sobranie, 120 representatives ; ( 120 seats ; members elected by popular vote to 4 - year terms from party lists based on the percentage parties gain of the overall vote in each of the six election units ). judicial - - supreme court : republican judicial council ; constitutional court of the republic of macedonia ; public prosecutor ' s office ; public attorney. legal system is based on civil law system ; judicial review of legislative acts. subdivisions : 123 opstini ( municipalities ) plus the city of skopje. suffrage : universal