" orbiter was to be built largely from existing hardware. 36 during the spring of 1953 the united states national committee drafted a statement which the international council later adopted, listing the fields of inquiry which igy programs should encompass - oceanographic phenomena, polar geography, and seismology, for example, and, in the celestial area, such matters as solar activity, sources of ionizing radiations, cosmic rays, and their effects upon the atmosphere. 39 army ballistic missile agency, huntsville, alabama. at this point it is necessary to examine the course scientific thought had been taking among physicists of the national academy and american universities, for in the long run it was their recommendations that would most immediately affect governmental decisions about a satellite program. this phase of the story opens in spring 1950, at an informal gathering at james van allen ' s home in silver spring, maryland. the group invited by van allen to meet with the eminent british geophysicist sydney chapman consisted of lloyd berkner, head of the new brookhaven national laboratory on long island, s. fred singer, j. wallace joyce, a geophysicist with the navy buaer and adviser to the department of state, and ernest h. vestine of the department of terrestrial magnetism of the carnegie institution. as they talked of how to obtain simultaneous measurements and observations of the earth and the upper atmosphere from a distance above the earth, berkner suggested that perhaps staging another international polar year would be the best way. his companions immediately responded enthusiastically. berkner and chapman then developed the idea further and put it into form to present to the international council of scientific unions. the first international polar year had established the precedent of international scientific cooperation in 1882 when scientists of a score of nations agreed to pool their efforts for a year in studying polar conditions. a second international polar year took place, in 1932. berkner ' s proposal to shorten the interval to 25 years was timely because 1957 - 1958, astronomers knew, would be a period of maximum solar activity. 37 european scientists subscribed to the plan. in 1952 the international council of scientific unions appointed a committee to make arrangements, extended the scope of the study to the whole earth, not just the polar regions, fixed the duration at eighteen months, and then renamed the undertaking the international geophysical year, shortened in popular speech to igy. it eventually embraced sixty - seven nations. 38 in the international council of scientific unions the national academy of sciences had always been the adhering body for the united states. the council


undertaking the international geophysical year, shortened in popular speech to igy. it eventually embraced sixty - seven nations. 38 in the international council of scientific unions the national academy of sciences had always been the adhering body for the united states. the council itself, generally called icsu, was and is the headquarters unit of a nongovernmental international association of scientific groups such as the international union of geodesy and geophysics. the international union of pure and applied physics, the international scientific radio union, and others. when plans were afoot for international scientific programs which needed governmental support, americans of the national academy naturally looked to the national science foundation for federal funds. relations between the two organizations had always been cordial, the foundation often turning for advice to the academy and its secretariat, the national research council, and the academy frequently seeking financing for projects from the foundation. at the end of 1952 the academy appointed a united states national committee for the igy headed by joseph kaplan to plan for american participation. the choice of kaplan as chairman strengthened the position of men interested in the upper atmosphere and outer space. during the spring of 1953 the united states national committee drafted a statement which the international council later adopted, listing the fields of inquiry which igy programs should encompass - oceanographic phenomena, polar geography, and seismology, for example, and, in the celestial area, such matters as solar activity, sources of ionizing radiations, cosmic rays, and their effects upon the atmosphere. 39in the course of the year the science foundation granted $ 27, 000 to the igy committee for planning, but in december, when hugh odishaw left his post as assistant to the director of the bureau of standards to become secretary of the national committee, it was still uncertain how much further support the government would give igy programs. foundation resources were limited. although in august congress had removed the $ 15, 000, 000 ceiling which the original act had placed on the foundation ' s annual budget, the appropriation voted for fy 1954 had totaled only $ 8 million. in view of the foundation ' s other commitments, that sum seemed unlikely to allow for extensive participation in the igy. in january 1954 the national committee asked for a total of $ 13 million. scientists ' hopes rose in march when president eisenhower announced that, in contrast to the $ 100 million spent in 1940 on federal support of research and development, he was submitting a $ 2 - billion research and development budget to congress for fy 1955. hope turned to gratification in


president eisenhower announced that, in contrast to the $ 100 million spent in 1940 on federal support of research and development, he was submitting a $ 2 - billion research and development budget to congress for fy 1955. hope turned to gratification in june when congress authorized for the igy an over - all expenditure of $ 13 million as requested and in august voted for fy 1955 an appropriation of $ 2 million to the national science foundation for igy preparations. 40 thus reassured, the representatives from the national academy set out in the late summer for europe and the sessions of the international scientific radio union, known as ursi, and the international union of geodesy and geophysics, iugg. as yet none of the nations pledged to take part in the igy had committed itself to definite projects. the u. s. s. r. had not joined at all, although russian delegates attended the meetings. before meetings opened, lloyd v. berkner, president of the radio union and vice president of comite speciale de l ' annee geophysique internationale ( csagi ) set up two small informal committees under the chairmanship of fred singer and homes e. newell, jr., respectively, to consider the scientific utility of a satellite. the national academy ' s earlier listing of igy objectives had named problems requiring exploration but had not suggested specific means of solving them. for years physicists and geodesists had talked wistfully of observing the earth and its celestial environment from above the atmosphere. now, berkner concluded, was the time to examine the possibility of acting upon the idea. singer was an enthusiast who inclined to brush aside technical obstacles. having presented mouse the preceding year and shared in planning project orbiter, he was a persuasive proponent of an igy satellite program. newell of nrl was more conservative, but be too stressed to iugg the benefits to be expected from a successful launching of an instrumented " bird, " the theme that he incorporated in his later essay for the american rocket society. ursi and iugg both passed resolutions favoring the scheme. but csagi still had to approve. and there were potential difficulties. hence on the eve of the csagi meeting in rome, berkner invited ten of his associates to his room at the hotel majestic to review the pros and cons, to make sure, as one man put it. that the proposal to csagi was not just a " pious resolution " such as newton could have submitted to


of his associates to his room at the hotel majestic to review the pros and cons, to make sure, as one man put it. that the proposal to csagi was not just a " pious resolution " such as newton could have submitted to the royal society. the group included joseph kaplan, u. s. national committee chairman, hugh odishaw, committee secretary, athelstan spilhaus, dean of the university of minnesota ' s institute of technology. alan h. shapley of the national bureau of standards, harry wexler of the weather bureau, wallace joyce, newell, and singer. the session lasted far into the night. singer outlined the scientific and technical problem - the determination of orbits, the effects of launching errors, the probable life of the satellite, telemetering and satellite orientation, receiving stations, power supplies, and geophysical and astrophysical applications of data. newell, better versed than some of the others in the technical difficulties to be overcome, pointed out that satellite batteries might bubble in the weightless environment of space, whereupon spilhaus banged his fist and shouted : " then we ' ll get batteries that won ' t! " singer ' s presentation was exciting, but the question remained whether an artificial body of the limited size and weight a rocket could as yet put into orbit could carry enough reliable instrumentation to prove of sufficient scientific value to warrant the cost ; money and effort poured into that project would not be available for other research, and to attempt to build a big satellite might be to invite defeat. both berkner and spilhaus spoke of the political and psychological prestige that would accrue to the nation that first launched a man - made satellite. as everyone present knew, a. n. nesmeyanov of the soviet academy of sciences had said in november 1953 that satellite launchings and moon shots were already feasible ; and with tsiolkovskiy ' s work now recognized by western physicists, the americans had reason to believe in russian scientific and technological capabilities. in march 1954 moscow radio had exhorted soviet youth to prepare for space exploration, and in april the moscow air club had announced that studies in interplanetary flight were beginning. very recently the u. s. s. r. had committed itself to igy participation. while the american scientists in september 1954 did not discount the possible russian challenge, some of them insisted that a satellite experiment must not assume such emphasis as to cripple or halt upper atmosphere research by means of sounding rockets. the latter was an established


. while the american scientists in september 1954 did not discount the possible russian challenge, some of them insisted that a satellite experiment must not assume such emphasis as to cripple or halt upper atmosphere research by means of sounding rockets. the latter was an established useful technique that could provide, as a satellite in orbit could not, measurements at a succession of altitudes in and above the upper atmosphere, measurements along the vertical instead of the horizontal plane. nevertheless at the end of the six - hour session, the group unanimously agreed to urge csagi to endorse an igy satellite project. 41 during the csagi meeting that followed, the soviet representatives listened to the discussion but neither objected, volunteered comment, nor asked questions. on 4 october csagi adopted the american proposal : " in view, " stated of the great importance of observations during extended periods of time of extra - terrestrial radiations and geophysical phenomena in the upper atmosphere, and in view of the advanced state of present rocket techniques, csagi recommends that thought be given to the launching of small satellite vehicles, to their scientific instrumentation, and to the new problems associated with satellite experiments, such as power supply, telemetering, and orientation of the vehicle. 42 what had long seemed to most of the american public as pure jules verne and buck rogers fantasy now had the formal backing of the world ' s most eminent scientists. thus by the time the united states committee for the igy appointed a feasibility panel on upper atmosphere research, three separate, albeit interrelated, groups of americans were concerned with a possible earth satellite project : physicists, geodesists, and astronomers intent on basic research ; officers of the three armed services looking for scientific means to military ends ; and industrial engineers, including members of the american rocket society, who were eager to see an expanding role for their companies. the three were by no means mutually exclusive. the dedicated scientist, for instance, in keeping with theodore von karman ' s example as a founder and official of the aerojet general corporation, might also be a shareholder in a research - orientated electronics or aircraft company, just as the industrialist might have a passionate interest in pure as well as applied science, and the military man might share the intellectual and practical interests of both the others. certainly all three wanted improvements in equipment for national defense. still the primary objective of each group differed from those of the other two. these differences were to have subtle effects on vanguard ' s development. although to some people the role of the national academy appeared to be that of a johnny


corporate social responsibility ( csr ) refers to the relationship of corporations with society as a whole, and the need for corporations to align their values with societal expectations in order to avoid conflict and reap tangible benefits. multinational enterprises ( mnes ) are an important part of the international economy. through international direct investment, they bring substantial benefits to home and host countries in the form of productive capital, managerial and technological know - how, job creation and tax revenues. at the same time, public concerns remain about the social, economic and environmental impact of mne activities on the societies in which they operate. these concerns have led to a proliferation of initiatives at the company, industry, national and global levels, including the development of codes of conduct, monitoring and reporting initiatives, and social labelling schemes covering a broad range of issues, including labour standards. among these are three key multilateral initiatives aimed at encouraging corporations to make a positive contribution to economic and social progress, and to minimize and resolve the difficulties to which their operations may give rise. the ilo ' s tripartite declaration of principles concerning multinational enterprises and social policy is the universal basic reference point for social responsibility in the world of work. it sets out principles, developed through tripartite dialogue, in the fields of employment, training, working conditions, and industrial relations. the effect given by governments, employers and workers ' organizations and multinational enterprises ( mnes ) to the principles of the declaration is monitored through a periodic survey. the ilo has also produced a useful guide to the tripartite declaration that offers practical suggestions on building relationships in global markets among business, government and labour that balance the goals of profitability, the protection of workers ' rights and socio - economic development. the oecd ' s guidelines for multinational enterprises ( pdf 1. 75 mb ) are recommendations from governments to multinational enterprises. they set out voluntary principles and standards for responsible business conduct, consistent with domestic and international laws, in areas such as human rights, information disclosure, employment and industrial relations, environmental stewardship, combating bribery, consumer rights, science and technology, competition and taxation. countries adhering to the guidelines are required to set up a national contact point ( ncp ) that is responsible for promoting the guidelines and contributing to the resolution of issues that arise in relation to the implementation of the guidelines in specific cases. ncps are expected to operate in accordance with the core criteria of visibility, accessibility, transparency and accountability. the labour program participates in canada ' s national contact point, an interdepartmental committee


cultural world heritage sites in hungary hungary is a country very rich in what one would call natural and cultural wonders. the country lies in the carpathian basin, a region with favorable climate. it is partly due to this that from the dawn of civilization many peoples choose to area for a place to settle. all these peoples, migratory or settled have left some mark on the land and have left memories for us, their followers to know that they were here. i believe that the unesco world heritage sights below are some of these marks, left by our forefathers to remember them and honor their memory even if we do not quite know who they were and what they did. banks of the danube and buda castle quarter in budapest on the western side of the danube river on the hilltop stands the buda fortress with the royal castle within. inside the hill you can find a labyrinth while on the surface centuries old architectural and cultural memories were preserved. the labyrinth of the castle hill was made by the nature and used as storage room, hiding place or fleeing path. it can only be visited with a guide as one can easily get lost in the complex tunnel systems. above the tunnels the baroque castle also offers an amazing lookout to the whole city. the surrounding area is an amazing walking spot with the old houses and gates built in different periods of history from the medieval era with various influences from turkish to habsburg. the andrassy avenue and the heroes ’ square in budapest both the avenue and square were designed and built at the turn of the 20th century. the avenue fringed with trees is a set of imposing buildings, many of them currently serves as embassies of foreign countries. the rest of this iconic boulevard is made up or villas, universities and some notable places such as the famous house of terror museum or the hungarian state opera house. the heroes ’ square commemorates the one thousandth anniversary of the arrival of the seven hungarian tribes to the carpathian basin. it features the statues of the seven leaders of the tribes in the middle and the statues of other notable figures of the hungarian history. on the two sides of the square you can find the palace f arts and the museum of fine arts. it is grand and beautiful, something you must see while in the city! the early christian necropolis in pecs in the 4th century ad the city of sopianae, now called pecs gave home to an extended old christian community. the tombs, burial chambers and memorial chapels they built in their cemetery are extremely well preserved and can only be compared to the ones found in italy. the


the city of sopianae, now called pecs gave home to an extended old christian community. the tombs, burial chambers and memorial chapels they built in their cemetery are extremely well preserved and can only be compared to the ones found in italy. the walls are decorated with colored murals depicting biblical and other christian themes. partly underground, partly on the surface, these buildings – apart from being breathtaking – give you a better understanding of the life and faith of the late - roman age ’ s people. to be there is like traveling back in time. benedictine abbey of pannonhalma the first benedictine monks arrived to hungary in 996 ad to convert the hungarians to christianity. they have first built a chapel and then founded the country ’ s first school and library and other buildings. they have also started the now extensive wine production that now also marks the area. the monastery is beautiful, some of the buildings were founded a thousand years ago and the surrounding forest and the botanical garden are also worthy of a visit. try the local wine and take a tour in the monastery that features different architectural styles from gothic to classicist. hope this article of cultural world heritage sites in hungary made you want to visit the country even more. there are a lot of hidden gems in this small central european state that more and more tourists seem to notice on the map every year. trust unesco and be one of the visitors to uncover the magical places of this small country.


in moscow, drivers reported an average delay of two - and - a - half hours when asked to report the length of the worst traffic jam they experienced in the past three years. but they ’ re not alone. cities everywhere are battling an increase in demand and an inability to build sufficient infrastructure to cope. for example, in the u. s., as population grew nearly 20 % between 1982 and 2001, traffic jumped 236 %. the recent ibm commuter pain study ( us ) paints a grim picture of metropolitan - area commuters in many cities struggling to get to and from work each day, often with negative consequences. for example, 57 percent of all respondents say that roadway traffic has negatively affected their health, but that percentage soars to 96 percent in new delhi and 95 percent in beijing. ibm commuter pain index ibm compiled the results of the survey into an index that ranks the emotional and economic toll of commuting in each city on a scale of one to 100 ― with 100 being the most onerous. the index reveals a tremendous disparity in the pain of the daily commute from city to city. for example, the commute in beijing is four times more painful than the commute in los angeles or new york, and seven times more painful than the commute in stockholm, according to the index. here ’ s how the cities stack up : the survey was conducted to better understand consumer thinking toward traffic congestion as the issue reaches crisis proportions nationwide and higher levels of auto emissions stir environmental concerns. these events are impacting communities around the world, where governments, citizens and private sector organizations are looking beyond traditional remedies like additional roads and greater access to public transportation to reverse the negative impacts of increased road congestion. improving mobility for the 21st century ibm chairman samuel j. palmisano addresses members of the intelligent transportation society of america about the opportunities for a smarter transportation system. traffic systems are part of a larger system rethinking how we get from point a to point b means applying new technology and new policies to old assumptions and habits. it means improving the drivers ' experience, not just where and when they drive. and it could lead to advances in the cars we drive, the roads we drive them on, and the public transit we might take instead. for example, seeing a city ' s traffic in a consolidated, real - time view can help anticipate problems, alleviate congestion and decrease emergency - response times. ibm intelligent transportation ( us ), a compliment to the intelligent operations center for smarter cities, enables advanced analysis of


science may have the solution : a chemical " hydrogel " coating made from chitosan, derived from the shells of crabs and shrimp. chitosan is already sprayed on lots of other fruits and vegetables to kill bacteria and keep produce fresh. and on wednesday, xihong li of tianjin university presented data at a meeting of the american chemical society showing that it can work to delay banana ripening - - bad news for fruit flies, good news for you. " we found that by spraying green bananas with a chitosan aerogel, we can keep bananas fresh for up to 12 days, " li said in a statement wednesday. " such a coating could be used at home by consumers, in supermarkets or during shipment of bananas. " like other fruits, bananas don ' t die when they ' re picked. they respire through their skin, taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. increased respiration means quicker ripening. the chitosan coating used by li and his colleagues slowed down respiration enough to keep the fruit fresh. bananas also release a compound called ethylene, which encourages ripening. so leaving a bunch of bananas in a bag will trap a lot of ethylene gas in there, which makes them ripen faster. other fruits and vegetables produce ethylene too, so keeping your banana in the same bowl as a bunch of apples will hasten its progress toward gooey oblivion. chitosan, with its seafood origin, could possibly pose problems for strict vegetarians and vegans, but it wouldn ' t be the first food additive that flew under the radar. shellac, which you might primarily think of as something to polish furniture, is also applied to apples to replace natural waxes lost during the cleaning process. it ' s also made from a resin secreted by the female lac bug. starbucks caught flak from its crunchier customers after it was revealed that the coffee giant was using crushed beetle shells to color its strawberry frappuccinos. still, if you ' re not squeamish about animal products, chitosan could be a good way to keep good bananas from going bad.


despite the official end of war, the democratic republic of congo continues to be plagued by violence, with civilians falling victim to widespread killings, rape forced displacement and other crimes. ictj provides technical assistance to government and civil society institutions in the drc to advance an informed national debate on transitional justice and to implement specific accountability initiatives. laurent kabila ’ s 1996 – 1997 campaign to depose the dictator mobutu sese seko set off a violent civil war and the extended presence in eastern congo by rwandan and ugandan armies. the conflict involved to varying degrees over a dozen african countries. while the conflict officially ended with a peace agreement in 2002, human rights violations and international crimes continue at very high levels in complex conflicts in the country ’ s east. the successive wars in the drc have been described as the deadliest since world war ii. an estimated 5. 4 million people died from war - related causes between august 1998 and april 2007. in addition to the country ’ s immense mineral wealth, the dynamics in the east include local land disputes, inter - ethnic tensions, and widespread unemployment. these factors drive continued conflicts in the region, where the state fails to protect the congolese people amidst widespread insecurity. members of government forces, foreign and national armed groups and armies have all targeted civilians in flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. these include murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, forced displacement, recruitment of child soldiers, and forced labor. but for a handful of cases, perpetrators remain unpunished successive congolese governments have made limited progress with transitional justice efforts. a flawed truth and reconciliation commission ( trc ) — which failed to investigate atrocities or hold public hearings to establish the truth about the conflict and the mass killings — operated during the transition from july 2003 to february 2007. in 2004, the congolese government invited the international criminal court ( icc ) to investigate and prosecute war crimes that had occurred since july 2002. the icc issued arrest warrants for thomas lubanga dyilo, germain katanga, and mathieu ngudjolo chui — whose trials have been underway in the hague since 2009. an arrest warrant against bosco ntaganda was issued in 2006 and unsealed in 2008 — but he remains at large in the drc. ictj works on several different transitional justice fronts in the drc.


in rural and developing areas of africa, there is a lack of expected comforts that other areas of the world take for granted, such as light and energy. sometimes building or receiving these necessities help to stimulate communities and raise the quality of life for families. to help encourage these struggling areas, undergraduate students from the university of kwazulu - natal, school of electrical, electronic and computer engineering, in south africa, will be designing and building a solar photo - voltaic lamp that is portable and suitably priced for rural households. the lamp will have additional functions such as an am / fm radio and the capability to charge mobile phones. with further enhancement, it would also be capable of including a miniature multi - media device. the project will involve 4th year students at the university. the work of the students will be guided and mentored by ieee member edward chikuni, along with a senior academic, who will insure that they learn design skills and other necessary knowledge associated with their degree program. most importantly, students will learn to work in teams and serve their community. they will collaborate with “ family literacy project, ” a non - profit organization with strong activities in education and literacy among rural dwellings. the university students will interact with high school students at qalimfundo primary school for feedback on the project. at the beginning of 2011, data will be collected from rural areas to determine the specifications of the lamp design. during the students first semester, they will work in groups to come up with conceptual designs to compare with one another. by the end of 2011, a detailed prototype and design should be ready. the construction and deployment of these lamps will happen in 2012, when the project is evaluated and refined through government participation. the ultimate goal of this project is to enhance the educational experience of rural families, and encourage students to serve these communities with their engineering backgrounds. with more available access to the functions of the lamp, young children can start, from a young age, to learn and increase their literacy. in turn, it will empower them to find greater opportunities for more educational endeavors.


presentation : " the aging workforce : challenges and opportunities " by susanne bruyere and judy young workplace considerations for employees with non - visible disabilities people with disabilities comprise a significant percentage of our society. when we think about " disability " we often picture obvious disabilities such as someone who uses a wheelchair or who is blind. but actually a large proportion of individuals with disabilities actually have non - visible disabilities such as learning disabilities or psychiatric impairments. these individuals have a unique set of needs and issues, as well as potential challenges they may encounter in the workplace. this program will explore society ' s view of people with non - visible disabilities and how that can be reflected in the workplace. it will also explore issues around defining disability, disclosure, and confidentiality in the workplace. specifically, this program will enable participants to : • explore issues around defining what a disability can be and increase their knowledge about different types of disabilities ; • consider what affects the decision to disclose a disability and what the employer ' s obligations and options are for responding and addressing the needs of an employee who is disclosing having a non - visible disability ; • discuss how to navigate performance management issues that involve someone with a non - visible disability ; and • learn best practices around interacting and communicating with employees with disabilities and how to create a disability inclusive workplace. this informational seminar provides basic information pertaining to eligibility for and claiming the earned income tax credit as well as information pertaining to the veterans administration benefits using lecture, powerpoint and opportunity for question and answer. online polling will be used to test participant knowledge. a preparatory reading assignment will be provided and is required. home | about edi | contact us 201 dolgen hall, ithaca, new york 14853 - 3201 voice : 607 - 255 - 7727 | fax : 607 - 255 - 2763 | tty : 607 - 255 - 2891 cornell university | ilr school | employment and disability institute


from 4th century b. c to fourth century a. d a number early empires emerged in the indian subcontinent. the earliest of these was the mauryan empire ( c - 324 - 187bc ). then there came satvahanas ( c - 324 - 250 a. d ), kushanas ( c. ad - 50 - 320 ), and guptas ( c. ad320 - 570 ) successively. kushanas, originally a central asian nomadic tribe, established a huge empire with bactrian ( balk in north afghanistan ) as its main centre. under kanishka 1 ( c. ad100 - 123 ) this empire extended over a large area by encroaching extensive areas of north india up to champa or bhagalpur in the east, the lower indus valley and gujarat in the west, chinese turkistan and areas lying to the north of the river oxus. the successors of kanishka 1 had little control over the areas to the east of matura. the economy of kushana empire can be best known from literature, epigraphy and numismatics, various archaeological sites explored and excavated in the later period also acts as good source for the study of the economy of the kushana empire. the kushana period was remarkable as kushana monarchs issued a large number of coins. besides, there were numerous inscriptions, most of which are donatives in nature. some of the indian literatures like the jatakas, the angavijja, and the lalitavistara highlights on the economy of the period. very little is known about the land system under the kushanas. during kushana reign agriculture was given due importance. no evidence can be put forward to prove this statement ; in the north western part of the kushana empire a survey conducted by different scholars helped them to locate remains old canals, agricultural lands on the river courses and plain areas on the terraces of hills with means to canalized rain water from top to bottom. it is evident from, archaeological evidences that agriculture was not the principal source of income in the kushana reign. trade was given utmost importance both internally and externally huge amount of resources were mobilized through trade. besides crafts production mining and different kinds of taxes were imposed on the subjects carved bone and ivory products, potteries excavated from different areas within the kushana realm shows influence of ancient matura and taxila art. movements of ideas and people in the form of merchants ’ artists inside the kushana empire


on the subjects carved bone and ivory products, potteries excavated from different areas within the kushana realm shows influence of ancient matura and taxila art. movements of ideas and people in the form of merchants ’ artists inside the kushana empire resulted in exchange of ideas related to culture, art and literature. besides internal trade, external trade both over land and maritime played a great role in the kushana economy. roman empire had trade links with china. there was a great demand for chinese silk in roman market. the famous silk road from loyang in china reached the two mediterranean parts of antioch and alexandria by passing through central asia, west asia and eurasia. chinese silk had a great demand not only in the roman but also ion the european markets besides indian wares, crafts, gems and spices were sold in the overseas markets. better knowledge and utilization of the monsoon wind system through the red sea cannels gave a fresh impetus to the flourishing trade during the kushana period. to maintain overseas trade with european countries two major parts of north india known as barbaricum at the north of the river indus and barygara on the mouth of the river narmada played a vital role and it was quite evident from perilous and ptolemy ’ s geography. the city of matura was a major political center. in case of trade with central and west asia the cities of taxila and pushkalavati acted as gateways. large scale commercial prosperity during the kushana period led to extensive monetization of the whole economy. kushana gold coins found in ethiopia proves the value of kushana gold coins in international arena. these gold coins were mainly used in the overseas trade. the kushanas themselves struck silver coins only in the lower indus area. large number of copper coins were also struck and used copper coins and bartend system which were very much in practice indicate that the impact of monetization ran parallel with system of exchange of goods on the basis of needs. with the expansion of trade proliferation of crafts also took place. crafts in practice during the kushana period were varied in nature and form. there were different occupations like constructions ( navakarmikah ), actors ( sailakah ), carpenters ( vaddhaki ), perfumers ( gamdhika ), goldsmith ( suvarnakara ), clothmakers9pravarika ), ironsmith ( lohakara ), jewelers ( manikara0 etc. the mining industry was directly under the state control


english | children ' s literature l390 | 15888 | kanwit / horrocks / stanton / wadewitz l390 15888 children ’ s literature 10 : 10a - 11 : 00a mw ( 150 students ) 3 cr., a & h. the field of children ’ s literature presents a wealth of texts that are both linguistically satisfying and theoretically rich. children ’ s literature raises profound questions, including those about life, death, and marriage. indeed, our focus in this course is not teaching literature to children, but why children ’ s literature is so powerful and why, therefore, we do teach it to children. we will study three themes in particular : conceptions of learning and education ; children and adventure ; and children, cruelty, and violence. we will examine fairy tales, picture books, childhood poems, nursery rhymes, film adaptations of children ’ s literature, and longer readings by such authors as lewis carroll, r. l. stevenson, l. frank baum, madeleine l ’ engle, j. m. barrie, lois lowry, and lemony snicket. course requirements are careful reading, weekly written responses to the texts, reading quizzes, two longer essays ( 5 - 6 pages ), two exams, and thoughtful participation in


first olympic appearance : 1896 ( men ) ; 2000 ( women ) by john gettings and mark zurlo it ' s impossible to put an exact date on the first weightlifting competition, but to give you an idea, ancient chinese texts and greek statues commonly depict the feat. not much about the sport has changed since then. the winner is still the man — and finally the woman — to lift the most weight. women ' s weightlifting made its first olympic appearance in 2000. both men and women must complete two different lifts in this event. in a " snatch lift ", the barbell is pulled from the platform to above the head in one continuous motion. in a " clean - and - jerk " the lift is done in two motions. first, the bar is pulled up to the shoulders as the lifter goes into a squat and follows that with a burst into an upright position. once there, with the bar resting on their chest, the lifter must extend his / her arms and raise the bar above their head and wait for the referee ' s signal. the maximum weights the lifter is able to successfully lift using both techniques are added together to determine the winner. if you want to keep track of how much each competitor is lifting it ' s easy because the plates at either end of the bar are color coded according to their weight : red 25 kg / 55 lbs ; blue 20 kg / 44 lbs ; yellow 15 kg / 33 lbs ; green 10 kg / 22 lbs ; white 5 kg / 11 lbs ; black 2. 5 kg / 5. 5 lbs ; silver 1. 25 kg / 2. 75 lbs ; record disks. 25 kg /. 55 lbs. and don ' t forget the bar - the men ' s bar weighs 44 pounds and the women ' s bar weighs 33 pounds. men compete in eight weight classes, and the women seven. the maximum weights for each of those classes were new in 2000, therefore, each gold medallist automatically established a new olympic record in their weight class. the weightlifting competition at the beijing games will feature 170 men and 90 women and will be held at the 5, 400 - seat beijing university gymnasium. information please® database, © 2007 pearson education, inc. all rights reserved.


featured mp3 podcast " scalp bounties were the payment of a fee for proof of death of an indian, any indian, on a graduated scale. at the top of the scale they would pay the highest amount for proof of death by way of the production of a scalp, or bloody red skin - origin of the term ' red skins ' - of an adult male indian. half that fee would be payed for proof of death by the same means of a adult female, quarter to be payed for proof of death of a child, child being defined as as a human being under 10 years of age down to and including a fetus.. every single colony on the east coast, every state of the union and territory of the united states within the confines of the 48 contiguous states, had in place, in some period of its history, a scalp bounty - removed usually when there were no longer sufficient number of indians left to kill to warrant its continuation.. that ' s as absolutely clinical a genocidal policy as is possible to envision, they weren ' t interested in any particular indians, any indians would do and they would pay for proof of death - they wanted all of us dead. " american indian scholar, activist in the struggle for liberation of indigenous peoples in america genocide of indigenous peoples in north america, action for social and ecological justice on december 2, 2001, in burlingotn, vt [ 50min / 11mb ]


peripheral arterial disease what is it? in peripheral arterial disease ( previously called peripheral vascular disease ), not enough blood flows to the legs. the condition usually is caused by fatty deposits called plaques that build up along the walls of blood vessels. this buildup shrinks the size of the passageway and reduces the amount of blood that can flow through. this is a condition called atherosclerosis. the risk factors for getting peripheral arterial disease are similar to the risk factors for coronary heart disease, and include : - smoking cigarettes or using other forms of tobacco ( such as snuff and chew ) - an abnormally high level of cholesterol ( hypercholesterolemia ) - an abnormally low level of high - density lipoprotein ( hdl, the good cholesterol ) - high blood pressure ( hypertension ) - family history of cardiovascular disease - physical inactivity ( too little regular exercise ) - kidney disease - race ( blacks appear to have a higher risk of developing the disease ) the most common symptom of peripheral arterial disease is intermittent claudication - - pain or cramping in the legs or buttocks that starts when you exercise and goes away when you rest. often the pain is described as a deep ache, especially in the calf muscle. the pain may extend to the foot or up toward the thigh and buttock. sometimes, there is just numbness in the leg or a sense that one leg gets tired when you walk. a foot or toes also may feel cold or numb. if the arteries are severely narrowed, you could experience leg pain at rest, when you are not exercising. if blood flow stops completely ( usually because a blood clot forms in the narrowed vessel ), parts of the leg may become pale or turn blue, feel stone cold to the touch and eventually develop gangrene. your doctor will review your personal risk factors for atherosclerosis and your family history. your doctor will ask if you or any family members have heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure or any other circulation disorder. during the physical examination, your doctor will feel the pulse in your upper leg ( near the groin ), on the inside of your ankle, the top of your foot and the back of your knee. any weakness in a pulse may be a sign of narrowed arteries. usually the doctor can diagnose peripheral arterial disease based on your symptoms, risk factors, the examination of your legs and the strength of your pulses. your doctor may measure


your knee. any weakness in a pulse may be a sign of narrowed arteries. usually the doctor can diagnose peripheral arterial disease based on your symptoms, risk factors, the examination of your legs and the strength of your pulses. your doctor may measure the blood pressure in your legs and compare it to the blood pressure in your arm to calculate the ankle - brachial index, or abi. the ratio the blood pressure measured at your ankle is compared to the blood pressure measured at your elbow. normally blood pressure is the same or a little higher in the legs so the ratio is 1. 0 or higher. a ratio of less than 0. 95 in either leg indicates narrowing of the arteries in that leg. people who have symptoms of peripheral arterial disease usually have a ratio of 0. 8 or less. your doctor may order ultrasound of the legs to measure blood flow. the test is non - invasive and painless, using sound waves to create the pictures. if your doctor suspects that you need a procedure to help open a blocked blood vessel, you may need a magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) scan of your arteries or an angiogram, which is an x - ray test that uses dye in the narrowed arteries to reveal the pattern of blood flow and spot blockages. once you have peripheral arterial disease, your arteries usually will remain narrowed. however, even though your arteries are narrowed, your symptoms can decrease and even go away with treatment. you can help to prevent peripheral arterial disease by modifying your risk factors : - don ' t smoke. this a major risk factor that you can control. - maintain a healthy weight. obesity, especially a concentration of body fat around the waist, has been linked to unhealthy blood levels of cholesterol and other fats, which can build up inside your arteries. - eat a healthy diet. your diet should be loaded with vegetables and fruits, and it should be low in saturated fats. - exercise regularly. ideally, you should exercise 45 minutes or more every day. - lower your blood pressure. medications may be necessary if maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not enough. treatment for peripheral arterial disease includes : - modifying risk factors. quitting smoking can reduce the symptoms of intermittent claudication and decrease the likelihood that the disease will get worse. it is also important to lower your cholesterol levels if they are high, keep blood pressure in the normal range, and keep your diabetes well - controlled. talk to your doctor about the best way to do this. - exercise programs. studies have shown


is also important to lower your cholesterol levels if they are high, keep blood pressure in the normal range, and keep your diabetes well - controlled. talk to your doctor about the best way to do this. - exercise programs. studies have shown that people who exercise can nearly double the distance they can walk before they start feeling leg pain. try to exercise at least 30 minutes every day. you may need frequent breaks if your legs hurt. even if you have to stop every few minutes, don ' t give up. any activity is very beneficial. most people choose walking, and find that walking on a track or a treadmill is easier than walking on pavement. you could also try bike riding ( stationary or standard ) and swimming. - medications. even if you exercise and modify your risk factors, medications can help you to better relieve symptoms and may help to slow the progression of the disease. your doctor probably will advise you to take aspirin every day, or to take another blood - thinning medication, such as clopidogrel ( plavix ). medications, such as cilostazol ( pletal ) and pentoxifylline ( trental ), also can help to decrease the symptoms of intermittent claudication. - revascularization procedures. the goal of revascularization is to improve circulation, either by opening narrowed arteries or by bypassing the narrowed section of the artery. these procedures include surgical and nonsurgical techniques and are used in people who have severe or progressive symptoms, or whose leg pain occurs at rest. the most common nonsurgical procedure is percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, also called balloon angioplasty. in this procedure, a catheter is inserted into the narrowed artery and a small balloon at the tip is inflated to open the narrowed vessel. often, a metallic implant called a stent is used as a scaffold to support the wall of the artery after it is opened with the balloon. in some people, the narrowed vessel must be bypassed surgically using either a section of vein taken from the leg or a synthetic graft. when to call a professional call your doctor if you consistently suffer from cramps, aching, numbness or disproportionate fatigue in your leg muscles or buttocks when you exercise. call immediately if you have these symptoms at rest or when any part of your leg or foot suddenly turns numb, cold, pale or a bluish color. in most people with peripheral


what is it? the cervix is a tubelike channel that connects the uterus to the vagina. cervical polyps are growths that usually appear on the cervix where it opens into the vagina. polyps are usually cherry - red to reddish - purple or grayish - white. they vary in size and often look like bulbs on thin stems. cervical polyps are usually not cancerous ( benign ) and can occur alone or in groups. most polyps are small, about 1 centimeter to 2 centimeters long. because rare types of cancerous conditions can look like polyps, all polyps should be removed and examined for signs of cancer. the cause of cervical polyps is not well understood, but they are associated with inflammation of the cervix. they also may result from an abnormal response to the female hormone estrogen. cervical polyps are relatively common, especially in women older than 20 who have had at least one child. they are rare in girls who have not started menstruating. there are two types of cervical polyps : - ectocervical polyps can develop from the outer surface layer cells of the cervix. they are more common in postmenopausal women. - endocervical polyps develop from cervical glands inside the cervical canal. most cervical polyps are endocervical polyps, and are more common in premenopausal women. cervical polyps may not cause any symptoms. however, you may experience : - discharge, which can be foul - smelling if there is an infection - bleeding between periods - heavier bleeding during periods - bleeding after intercourse if you have a cervical polyp, you probably won ' t be able to feel it or see it. cervical polyps are discovered during routine pelvic exams or evaluations for bleeding or while getting a pap test. sometimes a polyp will come off on its own during sexual intercourse or menstruation. however, most polyps need to be removed to treat any symptoms and to evaluate the tissue for signs of cancer, which is rare. visit your doctor for an annual pap test and for regular pelvic exams. a direct examination is the best way to identify cervical polyps. cervical polyps are removed surgically, usually in a doctor ' s office. the doctor will use a special instrument, called a polyp forceps, to grasp the base of the polyp stem and then gently pluck the polyp with a gentle


polyps are removed surgically, usually in a doctor ' s office. the doctor will use a special instrument, called a polyp forceps, to grasp the base of the polyp stem and then gently pluck the polyp with a gentle, twisting motion. bleeding is usually brief and limited. nonprescription, mild pain medication such as acetaminophen ( tylenol and others ) or ibuprofen ( advil, motrin and others ) can help to relieve discomfort or cramping during or after the procedure. the polyp or polyps are sent to a laboratory for examination. you may receive antibiotics if the polyp shows signs of infection. if the polyp is cancerous, treatment will depend on the extent and type of cancer. large polyps and polyp stems that are very broad usually need to be removed in an operating room using local, regional or general anesthesia. you will not need to stay in the hospital overnight. cervical polyps may grow in the future from different areas of the cervix, usually not from the original site. regular pelvic examination will help to identify and treat polyps before they cause symptoms. when to call a professional if you experience vaginal discharge, bleeding after intercourse, or bleeding between periods, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible for a pelvic exam. the outlook is excellent. the vast majority of cervical polyps are not cancerous. once removed, polyps usually don ' t come back. american college of obstetricians and gynecologists p. o. box 96920 washington, dc 20090 - 6920


genetic testing guide amyotrophic lateral sclerosis amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genetic testing basics amyotrophic lateral sclerosis what is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( als )? amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( als ) is more commonly known as lou gehrig ' s disease. it was named after a famous baseball player who contracted the disease. als causes destruction of the nerve cells responsible for coordinating communication between the brain, spinal cord and muscles. when muscles no longer receive information from the spinal cord, they begin to shrink. people with als lose the ability to control their muscles. the disease does not affect a person ' s mental abilities. als is a progressive disorder because it continues to get worse over time. people with als typically experience the following symptoms : - muscle weakness - muscle twitching - muscle wasting - poor coordination or clumsiness - muscle cramps - difficulty speaking or swallowing - increased or decreased reflexes ( caused by unhealthy nerves ) - muscles that become more rigid only about 5 % to 10 % of als cases are inherited. the other 90 % not caused by genetics are called sporadic. the average age for someone to first see symptoms of sporadic als is 56. people with als that is genetic ( it runs in the family ) often see their symptoms start 10 or more years earlier. symptoms for both causes of the disease may appear earlier or later in life. although als does not occur in distinct stages, the symptoms are progressive, meaning they get more severe over time. symptoms depend upon which nerve groups have been damaged or destroyed. - early stages the first signs of als are often clumsiness or weakness of the hands and arms or weakness of the muscles that control speech and swallowing. - later stages the leg muscles become weak and poorly coordinated. other muscles, such as those that control speech and swallowing, may become impaired. - long term the entire body begins to weaken and shut down. vital muscle functions, such as breathing, become impaired. this typically leads to death. in most cases, als causes death a few years after symptoms begin. with inherited als, the disease may progress more slowly. how common is als? every year, between one and three people out of 100, 000 are diagnosed with als. the disease affects men slightly more than women ( about four men for every three women ). in a country the size of the united states, about 3, 000 to 9, 000 new cases per year are reported. who is at risk of als? in most cases


men slightly more than women ( about four men for every three women ). in a country the size of the united states, about 3, 000 to 9, 000 new cases per year are reported. who is at risk of als? in most cases of als, there is no way to tell if someone is at risk. about 90 % of als cases are sporadic, meaning the affected person does not have a family history of the disease or anything else that would put him or her at increased risk. in the other 10 % of als cases, called familial, the disease runs in the family. researchers do not know the cause of sporadic als or why it has genetic and non - genetic varieties. is my ethnic background the key to my risk? no. both forms of als ( sporadic and familial ) occur among people of every ethnicity and race. is my family history the key to my risk? it ' s not the key, but it is one factor. almost 90 % of cases occur in people who do not have a family history of the disease. predicting who will get the sporadic form is impossible. if you have a family history of als, figuring out your risk is not easy. different families have different genes that may make different family members more or less likely to get als. - dominant inheritance. you only need to get one copy to be affected. for example, if one of your parents had als caused by a dominant gene, you would have a 50 % chance of inheriting the changed gene from that parent. - recessive inheritance. you need to get one changed gene from each parent to be affected. if you only get one changed gene, you will be a carrier. carriers do not have the disease ; they have one normal copy of the gene and one altered copy. if you ' re a carrier, one or both of your parents must have been carriers. this also means your brothers and sisters have at least a 50 % chance of having inherited the gene from one of your parents. - x - linked inheritance. the x and y chromosomes make a person male ( xy ) or female ( xx ). when a man inherits a change in a gene on the x chromosome, he most likely will be affected by that disease. in the same situation, a woman will be just a carrier because she has a " backup copy " of the gene on her other x chromosome. is there a cure? no. however, people with als may benefit from technologies for example, motorized wheelchairs and electronic communication devices


a woman will be just a carrier because she has a " backup copy " of the gene on her other x chromosome. is there a cure? no. however, people with als may benefit from technologies for example, motorized wheelchairs and electronic communication devices to compensate for their disabilities. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis the gene for als what goes wrong with this gene? a handful of genes have been associated with als. the best - understood gene is called superoxide dismutase - 1 ( sod1 ). this gene provides the instructions to make a protein called superoxide dismutase. the sod1 gene is important for the survival of nerves that send electrical signals from the brain to the muscles. some scientists believe that the lack of sod1 leaves cells more vulnerable to " programmed cell death, " a process used throughout the body to remove cells that are not functioning properly. with this type of " self - destruct " program around, the cell needs some checkpoints to prevent programmed cell death from happening in normal cells. sod1 could be one of those checkpoints. when you don ' t have sod1, nerve cells that should stay alive might be killed off. when the nerves die, the muscles stop working. researchers have described more than 100 changes throughout the sod1 gene. one change is associated with a more rapid progression of the disease, while another change is associated with a slower progression. most of the changes in sod1 cause dominant als, meaning you only need to inherit one copy of the change to develop the disease. changes in sod1 account for about 20 % of inherited als cases. genetic testing is only available for the sod1 gene. a small proportion of other inherited als cases is caused by changes in one of three genes : fus ( ~ 5 % of cases ), tardbp ( 2 to 6 % of cases ), and ang ( less than 1 % of cases ). still, for most cases of inherited als, no specific genetic change would be found after testing these four genes. should you be tested? what types of tests are available? if you have als, you can obtain a dna test to determine whether the disease is caused by a change in the sod1 gene. even if you have als, your chance of having a change in the sod1 gene depends on your family history. remember, most cases of als are not related to a change in the sod1 gene. work with your doctor to help you decide whether genetic


have als, your chance of having a change in the sod1 gene depends on your family history. remember, most cases of als are not related to a change in the sod1 gene. work with your doctor to help you decide whether genetic testing makes sense for you. if you have no symptoms of als, a pre - symptomatic test may tell you how likely you are to get the disease in the future. if you have a close family member, such as a parent or a sibling, who has a change in the sod1 gene, the dna test can identify whether you share the same change in your sod1 gene. pre - symptomatic testing is controversial because the test cannot determine when you will start having symptoms of als or whether you will develop the disease. if you have a change in the sod1 gene, it does not necessarily mean you will get als. with few exceptions, to qualify for testing you must either have symptoms of the disease or have a close relative ( parent or sibling ) who has been diagnosed with the disease. pre - symptomatic testing of children for als is discouraged. according to generally accepted guidelines for genetic counseling, children under 18 should not be tested for a disease that begins in adulthood unless there is specific benefit to the child. if you are concerned about your risk for als, speak with a medical professional who is knowledgeable about the disease to find out if testing is appropriate for you. carrier testing / prenatal testing if you have a family history of als, carry a change in one of the als genes mentioned above and have a baby on the way, you might be curious to find out whether your child carries the same change. but even if both you and your future child have a change in one of these genes, it does not mean that either one of you will develop als. understanding test results and options how do you make sense of the results? the results of dna testing for als are complicated and rarely provide definitive answers. that ' s why testing is designed only for people who already have symptoms of als. you should have your results reviewed by a medical professional familiar with the test. he or she can explain how the results apply to you. what does a positive result mean for me? if you have symptoms of als and test positive for one of the genes, you already know how challenging the disease can be. if you do not have symptoms and you learn that you have inherited a genetic change found in a relative who has als, you might start developing


symptoms of als and test positive for one of the genes, you already know how challenging the disease can be. if you do not have symptoms and you learn that you have inherited a genetic change found in a relative who has als, you might start developing symptoms around the same age as they did, but it could be many years later. the type of mutation may tell you if the disease is more likely to progress quickly or not, but these predictions are not perfect. what does a positive result mean for my family? if you test positive, your brothers, sisters and each of your children have a 50 % chance of having inherited the gene. your brothers and sisters may want to be tested to find out whether they carry an als gene. according to generally accepted principles of medical ethics, children under 18 should not be tested for adult diseases such as als unless there is an immediate benefit to the child. could i get a positive test result, but not carry the disease gene ( a " false positive " )? yes. sometimes testing uncovers a change in the gene that has not been seen before. when this happens, the laboratory may not know if this change causes the disease or not. once a new change is seen in several people with als, but not seen in healthy people, the laboratory can say that the change causes the disease. could i get a negative test result, but actually have the disease ( a " false negative " )? yes. because more than one gene can cause als, not having a change in one of the four genes mentioned earlier only tells you " there ' s not a change in one of those four genes. " you may still get als after a negative test because 90 % of als cases are sporadic. how will i cope if the test shows i might develop als? learning that you are affected by a serious illness is difficult. no formal research has been done on the psychological effects of genetic testing for als. research on people with huntington ' s disease, another disorder that gets progressively worse, has shown that people receiving test results tend to accept the news after a period of adjustment. people who receive negative test results also may need to cope with new feelings. some report that they feel guilty that they did not get the disease, especially when one of their brothers or sisters was found to carry the gene. ultimately, everyone will deal with the information in his or her own way. most importantly, people who undergo testing should have support available, including friends, family and professional counselors. if i have the als gene, can i have


carry the gene. ultimately, everyone will deal with the information in his or her own way. most importantly, people who undergo testing should have support available, including friends, family and professional counselors. if i have the als gene, can i have children who don ' t have the gene? yes. if you have a change in the sod1 gene, or one of the three other genes mentioned earlier, you have a 50 % chance of passing it on to each child you have. if i don ' t have the als gene, can i have children who do have the gene? yes. if you and your partner do not have a change in the sod1 gene, or one of the three genes mentioned earlier, then your child cannot inherit the change from you, but it is possible that your child could have a new genetic change that has not been in the family before. nobody knows exactly how often this happens, but the odds are against it. how does the test work? the als test requires a blood sample. a lab obtains dna from the blood and looks at the genes associated with als : sod1, fus, tardbp and ang. the test can be ordered as a " panel " that looks at all four genes, or as an " a la carte " test for any one ( or more ) of the four genes. if the lab notes any changes from the normal sequence, the test will be reported as " positive. " if you decide to be tested for als, you should do it at a medical center that has experience with presymptomatic genetic testing. if you ' re thinking about being tested, you probably have a family member with als. the neurologist caring for your family member can refer you to a testing center. a center has neurologists, geneticists and counselors with experience in dealing with the complicated issues related to genetic testing. you will have to sign a consent form indicating that you understand and agree to the test. what do the tests cost? the test costs about $ 500 to $ 900 for a single gene ( depending on which gene ), or about $ 1, 500 to get all four genes at once. costs vary slightly depending upon which lab does the testing. does insurance pay for the test? most health - insurance companies pay for " diagnostic testing, " which means the test is being done to confirm a diagnosis in a person who already has symptoms. however, there are many different plans, and you should check whether diagnostic genetic testing is a


? most health - insurance companies pay for " diagnostic testing, " which means the test is being done to confirm a diagnosis in a person who already has symptoms. however, there are many different plans, and you should check whether diagnostic genetic testing is a covered service before having the test performed. many insurance companies will not pay for a predictive test ( a test for a person who does not have symptoms ), especially if there is nothing that can be done to prevent the condition ( no change in patient management ). if you are considering this test, call your insurance company and ask about its coverage. how long does it take to get results? the results of dna testing for inherited als take about six to eight weeks. the results will not be reported directly to you. instead, the laboratory provides the results to the medical center that ordered the test. you need to return to the center for another appointment to discuss the results. this way, your family and friends can be there for support when you receive the results. can a health - insurance company raise my rates or drop me from coverage if i test positive? in 2008, the u. s. government passed a law called gina ( genetic information nondiscrimination act ). this law prohibits discrimination by health insurers and employers on the basis of genetic information. learn more here. also, this may depend on whether you have group insurance or are self - employed. both federal and state laws usually cover people with group insurance, while state laws only cover people who are self - employed. also, the federal health insurance portability and accountability act ( hipaa ) of 1996 prohibits health insurance discrimination based on any " health status - related factor " ( including genetic information ) by group health plans. unfortunately, this act does not apply to the self - employed. some states have enacted legislation to cover the gaps. most states prohibit health - insurance companies from using genetic information to deny coverage. other states require specific justification for the use of genetic information in denying a claim. texas bans the use of genetic information by any group health plans, and alabama prohibits discrimination based upon predisposition to cancer. life insurance, long - term care and disability insurance are generally not covered by these laws. people with life and disability coverage provided by their employers are unlikely to have this insurance affected by a genetic test result. for information about laws in individual states, click on the following links : learn more about life insurance, disability insurance, and long - term care insurance laws. learn more about health insurance laws. last updated


mental nerve is a general somatic afferent ( sensory ) nerve which provides sensation to the anterior aspects of the chin and lower lip as well as the buccal gingivae of the mandibular anterior teeth and the premolars. it is a branch of the posterior trunk of the inferior alveolar nerve, which is itself a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve ( cn v ). the nerve emerges at the mental foramen in the mandibula, and divides beneath the depressor anguli oris muscle into three branches : • one descends to the skin of the chin. • two ascend to the skin and mucous membrane of the lower lip. these branches communicate freely with the facial nerve. the mental nerve can be blocked with local anesthesia, a procedure used in surgery of the chin, lower lip and buccal mucosa from midline to the second premolar. in this technique, local anesthetic is infiltrated in the soft tissue surrounding the mental foramen. what is mental nerve neuralgia? mental nerve neuralgia is a painful disorder of the mental nerve, which may be damaged or not function properly. mental nerve neuralgia can have many different causes. the most common cause is a complication of dental treatment. if this is not the cause, the disorder may be the first sign of a ( general / systemic ) malignancy. mental nerve neuropathy ( mnn ) or “ numb chin syndrome ” is a clinical symptom of metastatic carcinoma to the mandible. mnn is defined as numbness or paresthesia localized to the chin or lower lip, and it is often accompanied by an abnormal sensation of “ thickening ” of the lip similar to the experience of dental anesthesia. most cases that are not dental in origin are associated with diffuse metastatic disease, particularly with underlying lymphoproliferative disorders. the mandible is an uncommon site for metastatic carcinoma but when it is involved, the primary tumour commonly originates in the breast, lung, prostate, kidney, thyroid, ovaries or testicles. in 47 % of cases, mnn precedes diagnosis of the primary tumour, and in patients with a history of cancer, mnn often indicates recurrence or progression of the disease. when mnn develops in patients with underlying carcinoma, survival is typically less than one year. mnn is a symptom caused by dysfunction of the


a history of cancer, mnn often indicates recurrence or progression of the disease. when mnn develops in patients with underlying carcinoma, survival is typically less than one year. mnn is a symptom caused by dysfunction of the terminal sensory branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. mnn is commonly due to compression of the mental or inferior alveolar nerve from a lesion present in the mandible or skull. initially, the altered sensation is unilateral, but this may progress and cause bilateral mandibular symptoms. glaser and colleagues described anesthesia and pain as the main symptoms of metastatic mandibular disease, and patients generally report paresthesia or dysesthesia in the peripheral distribution of the inferior alveolar and mental nerves. this symptom is the most consistent finding when a neoplasm is located in the ramus and body of the mandible, as was the case with our patient. the pain associated with a metastatic mandibular lesion can be severe and intense, and it may mimic a toothache, temporomandibular joint discomfort, osteomyelitis or atypical trigeminal neuralgia. mnn may also be associated with local trauma, cysts, inflammatory disorders, mandibular atrophy or iatrogenic nerve injury by dental anesthesia. other systemic causes of mnn include neurological disorders, diabetes mellitus, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis and sickle cell anemia. the literature review by laurencet and coworkers suggests that lymphoma and adenocarcinoma of the breast are the primary tumours most likely to metastasize to the mandible. in patients with suggestive symptoms, mandibular x - rays or panoramic films may be diagnostic. a standard mandible series includes a right and left lateral oblique, posterior - anterior ( pa ) view, reverse towne ’ s and submental vertex radiographs. the panoramic view is a valuable screening method because it has tomographic effects and visualizes the entire mandible, both temporal - mandibular joints, and maxillary sinuses on one film, allowing for more reliable comparison of anatomic structures. in patients with a history of carcinoma, radiographic evaluation should include a ct scan of the mandible, basal skull, head and neck if possible. ct provides images of thin sections of both hard


reliable comparison of anatomic structures. in patients with a history of carcinoma, radiographic evaluation should include a ct scan of the mandible, basal skull, head and neck if possible. ct provides images of thin sections of both hard and soft tissues without superimposition. if no traumatic etiology or systemic disease is apparent, physicians should look for dental disease. odontogenic infections and abscesses can present as intra - oral or facial swelling, which may be firm or fluctuant, with or without discharge, erythema and heat. patients will often complain of spontaneous and increasing pain that is aggravated by heat, cold or chewing. clinical exam may reveal tooth decay, dental restorations or both in the affected tooth. periodontal infections may present with similar symptoms. in such cases, the gingiva may appear erythematous and edematous with deposits of plaque ( white, thin ) or calculus ( yellow to brown or black ) around the necks of the teeth. patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction or myofascial pain syndromes often present with intermittent or constant dull pain that may be associated with mastication ( e. g., temporalis or masseter use ). in these cases, cheek, temporal and periauricular pain are common, and patients may report a history of grinding, clenching and reduced jaw excursion. patients may also have experienced their jaw “ locking ” open or closed in the past. trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by sharp, often excruciating pain that is stimulated by a trigger ; the patient often identifies the specific area and action that stimulates their discomfort. signs and symptoms patients complain of numbness of their cheek and lower lip, in combination with neuropathic pain. how is mental nerve neuralgia diagnosed? the first thing that must be done is a neurological examination of the cheek and lips. you will always be given a thorough examination by a dentist. if necessary, and if the problems did not result from dental treatment, further examinations are done to exclude other causes. do i need additional examinations? • diagnostic examination for other non - physical factors important for your pain, have already been done by yourself trough filling out your pain questionnaires. • if the doctor suspects other causes, he or she will refer you to an internist. what are my treatment possibilities? depending on the cause of your pain, your pain specialist will decide whether or not to embark on physical treatment. based on the results of the completed pain


caganrud ( caganirud in farroki, the seventh and last right - bank tributary of the oxus or amu darya, rising in what in medieval islamic times were known as the bottaman mountains and flowing southwards through the principality of caganian into the oxus just above the important crossing - point of termed ( modern termez ). hence it flows from what is now the gissarski ( from hesar ) khrebet on the borders of the tajik and uzbek ssrs but has the greater part of its course in the surkhandar ’ inskaya oblast of the easternmost part of the uzbek ssr ; its upper course is now known as the qaratag darya and its lower one ( below denau, from deh - e now, the medieval caganian town ) as the sorkan darya. of the classical islamic geographers, maqdesi ( moqaddasi ; p. 22 ), calls it the anhar al - saganian ( the plural “ rivers ” presumably referring to its separate headwaters ) ; ebn rosta ( p. 93, tr. wiet, p. 103 ) calls it the ramid, thus confusing it with the kafernehan river to the east. see also barthold, turkestan3, p. 72. farroki sistani, divan, ed. m. dabirsiaqi, tehran, 1363 s. / 1984, p. 189. hodud al - ʿalam, tr. minorsky, 6. 11, p. 71, cf. comm. p. 209. le strange, lands, pp. 436, 440. j. marquart, wehrot und arang, leiden, 1938, pp. 89 - 94. bol ’ shaya sovetskaya entsiklopediya3 xxv, 1976, p. 93a. ( c. edmund bosworth ) originally published : december 15, 1990 last updated : december 15, 1990 this article is available in print. vol. iv, fasc. 6, pp. 615 - 616


hitler has become an iconic figure in asia in recent years, and his book mein kampf is being sold in bookstores across the continent. israel has decided to work against that trend by inviting educators from india, korea, singapore, new zealand and australia to guide them in holocaust studies. for the first time a group of 20 school principals and teachers from india recently arrived in israel to learn about the holocaust at the international school at yad vashem ( israel ' s national holocaust memorial and museum ). dressed in traditional garb, the indian guests were taught about the true horrors of the holocaust as a background for ethics and history lessons at schools and universities in their own country. some of the participants represented school systems that oversee the education of over two million students all the way from kindergarten to university. the indian delegation was invited by the foreign ministry ' s department for combating anti - semitism and by yad vashem, both of which hoped the visit would spark increased study of the holocaust throughout asia. this month will also see the first visit by a group of 23 educators from new zealand. recently, a group of 20 teachers from australia and another delegation from singapore arrived for background lessons on the holocaust. " this demonstrates how the topic of the holocaust remains of interest and is still relevant to the 21st century, " said gideon baker, director of the department for combating anti - semitism. " in 2013, we will expand the study of the holocaust to countries that have not yet studied the subject in any organized manner, such as south korea and cyprus, as well as establish mobile training teams in india, " baker added. there is no anti - semitism in india. mein kampf sells in local bookstores and there is general admiration of hitler as being a " strong man, " but the public is mostly ignorant about who hitler truly was and what he did to six million jews. " precisely for this reason it is important to teach the holocaust in this country, " said baker. asia in general does not have an anti - semitism problem. but nazi symbols are widely used and hitler is often idolized without true understanding of what this means to the jews. israeli diplomats in asia say that this phenomenon most often occurs as a result of ignorance and with no hostile intentions. " a lot of people in asia are aware of what happened in europe in general. unfortunately, many people think that hitler was a hero, not a monster, so it is important to strengthen the memory of the holocaust, " explained the foreign ministry.


more than three decades ago, vietnamese refugees began to settle in versailles, a then - isolated community in eastern new orleans. by the early 2000s, this working - class enclave was home to 8, 000 residents. but although the community had accomplished material successes, it remained divided between older immigrants and american - born youth. many versailles residents felt like perpetual outsiders in greater new orleans, ignored by the local government. a village called versailles is the incredible story of this little - known, tight - knit community in the aftermath of hurricane katrina. when the storm devastated new orleans in august 2005, versailles residents rebuilt their neighborhood faster than any other damaged neighborhood in the city, only to find themselves threatened by a new toxic landfill slated to open just two miles away. forced out of vietnam by the war 30 years ago, many residents felt their homes were being taken away from them once again. by january 2006, more than half of the neighborhood has been rebuilt, financed by friends and family, with no help from fema. community leaders put together an ambitious redevelopment plan for versailles, including its own senior housing, a cultural center, and a community farm and market. but new orleans mayor ray nagin exercised his emergency power to open chef menteur landfill mere miles from versailles for toxic debris disposal from katrina — without getting an environmental impact study first. outraged, versailles fought back. residents protested at city hall and crowded public hearings by the hundreds, making the vietnamese community ’ s presence felt in new orleans for the first time. as elders and youth fought side by side — chanting in english and vietnamese — versailles finally won a political voice. - s. leo chiangproducer / director


spoon - billed sandpiper “ headstarting ” success 04 october 2012 | news story with only about 100 breeding pairs remaining in the wild, the spoon - billed sandpiper ( eurynorhynchus pygmeus ) is in crisis. to help save this species from extinction, sos – save our species, in which iucn is a partner, is supporting an innovative conservation project to boost the numbers of juvenile spoon - billed sandpipers at their summer breeding grounds in chukotka, russia. wildfowl and wetlands trust ( wwt ) an iucn member, working in partnership with moscow zoo and birds russia has achieved incredible success by hatching, rearing and releasing nine spoon - billed sandpiper chicks, a species listed as critically endangered on the iucn red list of threatened species™. the nine chicks hatched from 11 eggs carefully taken from breeding grounds on the tundra of the chukotka region in eastern russia. next they were carefully monitored, hatched and nourished in the nearby village of meinypil ’ gyno before being released. this intense phase in the project required constant attention and coordination from the team as they worked ceaselessly to give the hatchlings every opportunity for survival. fledglings gained strength living in a purpose - built open - air aviary designed to shelter the birds from predators with the added protection of a guard who kept vigil night and day. from russia the birds will begin an 8, 000km migration to south east asia to their inter - tidal wintering grounds. this pioneering work is all the more remarkable considering that in the wild just three spoon - billed sandpipers, out of every 20 eggs laid, survive long enough to start the migration. “ we worked around the clock to keep the chicks alive and healthy, ” said roland digby, project manager, wildfowl and wetlands trust. “ it was wonderful to release them and watch them as they found their way into the wild, but it was definitely tinged with anxiety, knowing the terrible threats they face. ” their journey is made more difficult by the loss of inter - tidal habitats along the route which provide important re - fuelling points. arriving in southeast asia, the spoon - billed sandpiper faces further threats from human hunters forced by economic pressures to hunt shorebirds. wwt and partners continue to work on strategies to develop longer - term economic and environmental solutions to help people in the south east asia region give up their reliance on such destructive forms of hunting while extending protection to the spoon - billed sandpipe


acting beyond boundaries to address urban water challenge “ you cannot optimize water in cities without looking at the natural water basin or catchment areas which are serving them ” said dr mark smith, director of the iucn water programme during a recent workshop at the un world water day conference in cape town. from 20 to 22 march experts and scientists met in cape town, south africa on the occasion of world water day to discuss solutions addressing the global urban water challenge. during the workshop, participants explored an integrated approach to providing access to water and sanitation in urban areas. in particular they focused on the urban connection with surrounding ecosystems, agriculture and industrial services, climate change and the role of business. “ cities, business and agriculture need to act beyond their own boundaries, to address shared risks and opportunities to optimize urban water and invest in building more resilient basins ” said joppe cramwinckel from the world business council for sustainable development ( wbcsd ). a range of stakeholders and perspectives were brought together, including water, energy, food, land use, social equity, climate change, utility management, ecosystem services and job creation. several examples of innovations and good practices were demonstrated. “ basins also need investment. in terms of factors like risk reduction and investment, we have to ask : what is the best mix of natural and built infrastructure? and we need to see shifts towards building the resilience of basins ”, said dr mark smith. this was echoed by jack moss from aquafed who commented that " the cost of ignoring the true economics of water is far greater than the costs of managing water properly ". the real number of people without access to adequate water and sanitation is increasing rapidly, and this is causing disease, loss of economic productivity and environmental damage. the challenge is not only an economic one. more taps and toilets are desperately needed. in addition to more infrastructure ‘ hardware ’, there is also a significant requirement for ‘ software ’ infrastructure. ownership needs to be created among all sectors across the value chain, and effective management and financing tools are needed. martin ginster from sasol, a petrochemical company, said that “ there is a growing realization that water is a core business, not just an add - on. we are moving beyond the factory fence to see how we can contribute to better management of water across the catchments within which we operate ”. marius van aardt, from private water operator senbcorp silulumanzi urged that “ business and water managers should innovate, but always start


contribute to better management of water across the catchments within which we operate ”. marius van aardt, from private water operator senbcorp silulumanzi urged that “ business and water managers should innovate, but always start with community involvement ”, highlighting the need for different stakeholders to collaborate. there is scope for the involvement of small and medium - sized enterprises. kevin wall from south africa ’ s council for scientific and industrial research ( csir ) stated that “ given the need for maintenance and jobs, it ’ s a no - brainer that small businesses involvement - if appropriately enabled and managed - could be an ideal vehicle. construction jobs are short - term, but maintenance jobs are for life. ” the workshop was convened by the wbcsd, aquafed, the international water association ( iwa ) and the south african national business initiative ( nbi ) key messages emerging from the session include : • the complexity is vast and the numbers related to urbanization and the urban water challenge staggering. but there are significant opportunities for business to help transform urban water, improve bio - capacity, manage ecosystems and find innovative sustainable solutions. • planning for providing energy, water and food should be integrated as early as possible, from top to bottom, and ‘ silo ’ thinking must be broken. • all parties - government, business, academics, communities and different sectors - must learn to speak the same language and commit to sharing information. • leading cities are already thinking ‘ out of the box ’ and looking for up - stream and down - stream solutions e. g. investing in eco - system services is usually more cost - effective than built infrastructure equivalents. • leading businesses are thinking in innovative ways, and investing ‘ outside the factory fence ’ across the catchment to ensure security of supply and shared benefits of water services e. g. in agriculture, ecosystems and urban water management. • there are great opportunities for job creation, provided that enabling environments are created e. g. the role of small and medium sized enterprises in urban infrastructure maintenance. for more detail, a report on the workshop event will be available early april 2011. what businesses can do : • conduct a ‘ water footprint assessment ’ • use the wbcsd ’ s ‘ global water tool ’ to map water use and assess risks. • encourage leadership to join the un ’ s ceo water mandate. for more information, please contact : mark smith, director iucn water programme


| scientific name : | | porcula salvania | | species authority : | | hodgson, 1847 | sus salvanius ( hodgson, 1847 ) | taxonomic notes : | | we follow funk et al. ( 2007 ) is removing this species from the genus sus and placing it in the monotypic genus porcula. | | red list category & criteria : | | critically endangered c2a ( ii ) ver 3. 1 | | assessor / s : | | narayan, g., deka, p. & oliver, w. | | reviewer / s : | | leus, k. & oliver, w. ( pig, peccary & hippo red list authority ) | listed as critically endangered because its population size is estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals, with all individuals in a single subpopulation, and it is experiencing a continuing decline. | range description : | | in the past, this species was confirmed from only a very few locations in northern west bengal and north - western assam in india, but is believed likely to have occurred in tall, wet alluvial grasslands extending in a narrow belt south of the himalayan foothills from north - western uttar pradesh and southern nepal to assam, possibly extending at intervals into contiguous habitats in southern bhutan ( oliver 1980 ). however, it is now confined to a very few locations in and around manas national park in north - western assam ( narayan and deka 2002, narayan and oliver, in press ). | regionally extinct : bangladesh ; nepal | range map : | | click here to open the map viewer and explore range. | | population : | | today, this species is at the brink of extinction, as only a few isolated and small populations survive in the wild. in fact, the only viable population of the species, with a few hundred individuals, exists in small grassland pockets of manas national park ( 500 km² ) and an adjacent reserve forest in the manas tiger reserve and nowhere else in the world ( narayan and deka 2002 ). sixteen captive - bred pygmy hogs were released in sonai rupai wildlife sanctuary in may 2008 and similar reintroductions have been planned in nameri and orang national parks of assam. there are about 75 animals in captivity in northwestern assam. | | habitat and ecology : | | the pygmy hog is the smallest and the rarest wild suid in the world. this species is dependent on early successional riverine communities, typically comprising dense tall


in captivity in northwestern assam. | | habitat and ecology : | | the pygmy hog is the smallest and the rarest wild suid in the world. this species is dependent on early successional riverine communities, typically comprising dense tall grasslands, commonly referred to as ' thatchland ', but which, in its pristine state, is intermixed with a wide variety of herbaceous plants and early colonizing shrubs and young trees ( oliver and deb roy 1993 ). there are many species of tall grasses, which dominate in different situations. the most important of these communities for pygmy hogs are those which tend to be dominated by saccharum munja, s. spontaneum, s. bengalensis, themeda villosa, narenga porphyrocoma and imperata cylindrical, which form characteristic associations of 1 to 4 m height, during secondary stages of the succession on well drained ground. these communities are not, therefore, maintained by prolonged inundation, though they may be maintained by periodic burning. however, as they also include some of the most commercially important thatching grasses, some of these areas ( including many of those in protected areas ) are harvested annually and virtually all of them are subject to wide - scale annual ( in some areas, twice - annual ) burning. although it has been suggested by ecologists that any burning be conducted at the beginning of the dry season ( in december or early january ) in alternate blocks ( demarcated by fire - lines ) and only once in 2 - 3 years, most of the grasslands continue to be burnt every year in the dry season, which deleteriously affects their floral and faunal diversity. it has been recognised that some amount of? early? burning may be required in order to preclude the possibility of later, uncontrolled ' hot ' burns, which are far more destructive, and possibly to delay natural succession of the grasslands in protected areas. however, early burning also may deprive hogs and other grassland dependant species of cover and other resources for a longer period prior to the regrowth of vegetation and has the same consequences of dramatically reducing floral and faunal diversity. | the main threats to survival of pygmy hog are loss and degradation of habitat due to human settlements, agricultural encroachments, dry - season burning, livestock grazing, commercial forestry and flood control schemes ; the latter as a result of the disruption of natural successions and the replacements of former


are loss and degradation of habitat due to human settlements, agricultural encroachments, dry - season burning, livestock grazing, commercial forestry and flood control schemes ; the latter as a result of the disruption of natural successions and the replacements of former grasslands by later stage communities or other developments. in assam, as elsewhere, most former habitat has been lost to settlements and agriculture following the rapid expansion of the human population ( oliver, 1980, 1981, 1989 ; oliver and deb roy, 1993 ). some management practices, such as planting of trees in the grasslands and indiscriminate use of fire to create openings and to promote fresh growth of grass, have caused extensive damage to the habitats the authorities intend to protect ( narayan and deka 2002 ). a combination of these factors has almost certainly resulted in the loss of all of the small populations of these animals in the reserve forests of north - western assam. these losses strongly reinforced the overwhelming importance of the largest and, by the early to mid - 1980 ' s, only known surviving population in the manas ( oliver, 1981, 1989 ; oliver and deb roy 1993 ). hunting for wild meat by tribes was not considered a major problem in the past but is now threatening the remnant populations ( narayan and deka 2002 ). the survival of pygmy hogs is closely linked to the existence of the tall, wet grasslands of the region which, besides being a highly threatened habitat itself, is also crucial for survival of a number endangered species such as indian rhinoceros ( rhinoceros unicornis ), tiger ( panthera tigris ), swamp deer ( cervus duvauceli ), wild buffalo ( bubalus arnee ), hispid hare ( caprolagus hispidus ), bengal florican ( eupodotis bengalensis ), swamp francolin ( francolinus gularis ) and some rare turtles and terrapins. the pygmy hog conservation programme ( phcp ) is a broad - based research and conservation programme for this highly threatened species and its equally endangered habitats ( narayan and deka 2002, narayan 2006 ). it is being conducted under the aegis of a formal international agreement, that was originally signed at new delhi in 1995 and later renewed as a memorandum of understanding in 2001, between iucn ssc pigs peccaries and hippos specialist group, durrell wildlife conservation trust ( dwct ), the forest department, government of assam, and the ministry of environment and forests, government