down on mars. instead, it will rely on odyssey, a spacecraft in orbit around mars, to relay information back to earth. odyssey will be orbiting above curiosity when it lands, but there ' s still a chance it won ' t be able to relay information on the rover ' s status back to earth on its first pass, which means we may not know if curiosity ' s landed safely until a couple hours after its projected landing time. good news : odyssey is where it needs to be! however, just because odyssey is in position doesn ' t mean it will be able to relay curiosity ' s signal. fingers crossed, people. 22 : 15 pt | altitude : 1140 miles | time to atmosphere entry : 09 : 00 curiosity ' s cruise stage has separated. we ' re less than 9 minutes to entry, and around 16 minutes away from touchdown. curiosity has reached a velocity of 11, 650 miles per hour, and she ' s still gaining speed. mars is looking pretty big right now. 22 : 19 pt | altitude : 599 miles | time to atmosphere entry : 05 : 32 just under 6 minutes. " heartbeat tones " are curiosity ' s way of telling us everything is as it should be. we won ' t be able to start receiving data from odyssey until shortly after atmospheric entry, just before curiosity ' s parachute opens. 22 : 25 pt update : curiosity has entered mars atmo, traveling 13, 100 miles per hour! cue the seven minutes of terror. 22 : 26 pt update : we have a connection with odyssey, and are receiving data! 22 : 28 pt update : parachute has deployed and curiosity is decelerating. we ' re half way there. 22 : 30 pt update : nasa has made radar contact with the ground, traveling at 86 meters per second 22 : 32 touchdown confirmed! we are safe on mars! 22 : 36 update : we ' ve got images from mars! a great view of the thumbnails, via boingboing : more via nasa, a picture of curiosity ' s shadow in gale crater.


ircan ’ s scientific goals when the data on epidemiology and pathophysiology are analyzed, aging is usually perceived as a process that results from the combined influence of constitutional or so - called « genetic » factors, life - style associated factors and external events. gerontobiology looks into all the specific medical and biological features of aging on the scale of the human body and develops concepts such as « harmonious » aging, « vulnerable » and « hypercatabolic » states, illustrating the highly heterogeneous characteristics of the aging process. the extreme heterogeneity of aging can be illustrated for a given age by a residual life - expectancy that varies considerably from one individual to another and by the onset, or not, of degenerative disorders, especially cardiovascular and neurological diseases, bone and joint disorders, diabetes and also neoplasms, pathologies in which constitutional determinants and other external factors play a role as they do in aging. the concept of cell aging, or senescence, differs from the aging of an organism as a whole and its features can be observed in primary somatic cell cultures. after a certain number of divisions the cell cycle permanently shuts down and a senescent phenotype is observed in which major changes have taken place both in the cells themselves and in their genetic expression program. this is known as replicative senescence and is caused by the unrelenting shortening of the dna that forms the end of the chromosomes ( or telomeres ) each time the cell divides. the erosion of the telomeres is paced by the cell cycle and can be considered as a mechanism that acts as a “ mitotic clock ” ; the cells count the number of divisions rather than chronological time. if this counting mechanism is deregulated to compensate for the shortening of the telomeric dna, due to the up - regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase or other alternative mechanisms that lengthen the dna ( a mechanism known as alt for example ) the cells end up by becoming immortal, which is what usually happens in cancer. a noteworthy comment here is that elisabeth blackburn, carole greider and jack scoztack, were awarded the noble prize for medicine in 2009 for their work in this area, showing the medical community ’ s awareness of the importance of these phenomena. more generally, the destiny of a cell in a eukaryotic organism obeys precisely set rules of homeostasis when it is proliferating, differentiating or during apoptosis


medical community ’ s awareness of the importance of these phenomena. more generally, the destiny of a cell in a eukaryotic organism obeys precisely set rules of homeostasis when it is proliferating, differentiating or during apoptosis and senescence. however, all the factors that are required to regulate each of these stages are coded by a set of identical genetic material in each cell, which is identically reproduced each time the cell divides. this is why a special mechanism known as ddr ( short for dna damage response ) is required to maintain the integrity of the genome and fine - tune the structure of the dna. this structure, chromatin, ensures that specific gene expression programs are expressed at each stage of the cell cycle and each cell state. the mechanisms involved are often known as “ epigenetic ”, although they do not always involve inheritance of the chromatin state. studying the dna damage response and chromatin is one of the most promising avenues of research in terms of the biology of aging, because time, together with constitutional and environmental factors, has a direct influence on the integrity of the dna in the chromosomes ( mutations ) and their chromatin organization ( epimutation ). the characteristic heterogeneity of the aging of the body is probably directly related to chromatin regulation mechanisms and many degenerative disorders are largely influenced, if not directly caused, by genetic or epigenetic dysfunctions. amongst these disorders, malignancy is also heterogeneous and is one of the best - known deregulations of cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and senescence. surprisingly, senescence protects the cells against malignancy. in agreement with the increase in the incidence of cancer with age, cell senescence can also facilitate the development of cancer, making the relationship between aging and cancer even more complex. as in all the physiological mechanisms of homeostasis, the regulation and balance between ageing and cancer in superior eukaryotes and in humans in particular, is extremely complex. on the scale of the cell, accumulated dna damage seems to be a common cause of aging and the development of cancer, but the p53 - dependent adaptive response illustrates the phenomenon of antagonistic pleiotropy, because increasing the anti - tumoral cell response leads to premature ageing. on the scale of an organism, the inhibition of the igf - 1 and gh dependent channels induces a reduction in cell metabolism, whilst protecting against oxidative stress, aging and the


- tumoral cell response leads to premature ageing. on the scale of an organism, the inhibition of the igf - 1 and gh dependent channels induces a reduction in cell metabolism, whilst protecting against oxidative stress, aging and the development of malignancies. from this work, it emerges that aging is a way for the body to attempt to escape from cancer, but the attempt remains vain because cell damage builds up as time goes on. cell senescence may thus prevent us from dying of cancer young, whilst ageing our body which, in return, increases the likelihood of malignancy as we get older. going into more detail of the understanding of these multiple interconnections requires synergy between many areas of molecular, cellular or biomedical experimental biology or biology more generally dedicated to the study of systems modeling ageing and cancer. this is the goal that ircan ( institute of research on cancer and aging in nice ) has set for itself. the research carried out at ircan involves major areas of basic research in biology, public health ( oncology, geriatrics, age - related disorders such as diabetes, renal failure, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disease ) and sustainable development to improve our understanding of the body ’ s response to environmental stress.


software > multidimensional scaling description | pros and cons | applications | details | usage hints | references small, h. : visualizing science by citation mapping, 1999. small examined 36, 720 multidisciplinary documents for a 15 - year sampling window from 1981 through 1995. a combination of fractional citation counting and co - citation clustering via multidimensional scaling ( mds ) was used to extract four nested levels of clustering via single and complete linkage. the documents have been arranged in 2d using an order - dependent, geometric triangulation process that produces a unified ordination of a hierarchical arrangement of documents. multidimensional scaling ( mds ) attempts to find the structure in a set of proximity measures between objects. this is accomplished by assigning observations to specific locations in a conceptual low - dimensional space such that the distances between points in the space match the given ( dis ) similarities as closely as possible. the result is a least - squares representation of the objects in that low - dimensional space, which, in many cases, will help you to further understand your data. see http : / / www. analytictech. com / borgatti / mds. htm for an example input of distances between cities and the resulting mds plot. mds attempts to arrange " objects " ( e. g. major cities ) according to their distances in a space with a particular number of dimensions ( e. g. two - dimensional ) so as to reproduce the observed distances. as a result, we can " explain " the distances in terms of underlying dimensions ( e. g. geographical dimensions : north / south and east / west ). note that the actual orientation of axes in the final solution is arbitrary ( i. e. you can rotate the geographic map, the distances between cities remain the same ). thus, the final orientation of axes in the plane or space is mostly the result of a subjective decision by the researcher, who will choose an orientation that can be most easily explained. thus, mds moves given objects around in the space defined by the requested number of dimensions, and checks how well the distances between objects can be reproduced by the new configuration. it uses a function minimization algorithm that evaluates different configurations with the goal of maximizing the goodness - of - fit. the more dimensions we use in order to reproduce the distance matrix, the better is the fit of the reproduced matrix to the observed matrix ( i. e., the stress is smaller ). in fact


of maximizing the goodness - of - fit. the more dimensions we use in order to reproduce the distance matrix, the better is the fit of the reproduced matrix to the observed matrix ( i. e., the stress is smaller ). in fact, if we use as many dimensions as there are variables, then we can perfectly reproduce the observed distance matrix. however, the goal is to reduce the observed complexity of nature, that is, to explain the distance matrix in terms of fewer underlying dimensions. see ( statsoft, 2001 ) for details. pros & cons the " beauty " of mds is that we can analyze any kind of distance or similarity matrix. these similarities can represent people ' s ratings of similarities between objects, the percent agreement between judges, the number of times a subjects fails to discriminate between stimuli, etc. for example, mds methods used to be very popular in psychological research on person perception where similarities between trait descriptors were analyzed to uncover the underlying dimensionality of people ' s perceptions of traits. they are also very popular in marketing research, in order to detect the number and nature of dimensions underlying the perceptions of different brands or products ( statsoft, 2001 ). note that no relationships ( links ) are displayed. - cartia themescape. newsmaps. com - author co - citation analysis in information science ( white & mccain, 1998 ) - 12 key journals between 19972 and 1995 were analyzed and indscal ( individual differences mds ) was used to identify trends in terms of top - cited authors. - map of science ( small, 1999 ) - see figure. - xgvis : interactive data visualization with multidimensional scaling ( guja et al., 1998 ). source code & link to arcview available. by wojciech basalaj ( jan 2001 ) proximity visualization of abstract data - website devoted to visualization of abstract data collections, like graphs, multivariate data tables, or sets of multimedia objects. icons representing objects from a collection are positioned such that proximity relationships within the collection are preserved, i. e. icons for similar objects are clustered, and separated from the dissimilar ones. examples used include mds ( multidimensional scaling ). - interactive visualization of hierarchical clusters using mds and mst ( kim et al., 1998 ) code - multidimensional scaling for group memory visualization ( mcquaid et al., 1999 ) mds demo, university of arizona http : / / ai


hierarchical clusters using mds and mst ( kim et al., 1998 ) code - multidimensional scaling for group memory visualization ( mcquaid et al., 1999 ) mds demo, university of arizona http : / / ai. bpa. arizona. edu / go / viz / mds. html the mds procedure is as follows : - determine all objects and their distances. - use mds to produce a scatterplot of the objects in a n - dimensional space ( typical 2 - d ). - interpret the dimensions keeping in mind that the actual orientations of the axes from the mds analysis are arbitrary, and can be rotated in any direction. in addition, look for clusters of points or particular patterns and configurations ( such as circles, manifolds, etc. ). recently, the code by morrison et al. ( 2003 ) was integrated into the repository. you can use spss ' s multidimensional scaling. load data and choose from the menus : analyze - > scale - > multidimensional scaling. as an example, you may use mds to visualize the slis - courses. sim matrix created via lsa. - morrison, a., g. ross, and m. chalmers ( 2003 ). fast multidimensional scaling through sampling, springs and interpolation. information visualization, 2, 68 - 77. - buja, a., swayne, d. f., littman, m. l., dean, nathaniel. ( 1998 ) xgvis : interactive data visualization with multidimensional scaling. http : / / lib. stat. cmu. edu / general / xgobi / - kim, sung soo, kwon, sunhee, and cook, dianne ( 1998 ) interactive visualization of hierarchical clusters using mds and mst. pdf - kruskal, j. b. ( 1964 ) multidimensional scaling : a numerical method. psychometrica, 29, 115 - 129. - kruskal, j. b. and m. wish ( 1978 ) multidimensional scaling. beverly hills, ca : sage - mcquaid, m., ong, t., chen, h., & nunamaker, j. f. ( 1999 ) multidimensional scaling for group memory visualization. decision support systems, 27, 163 - 176. - statsoft ( 2001 ) multidimensional m. ( 2000


h., & nunamaker, j. f. ( 1999 ) multidimensional scaling for group memory visualization. decision support systems, 27, 163 - 176. - statsoft ( 2001 ) multidimensional m. ( 2000 ) nonmetric multidimensional scaling ( mds ) software, http : / / boreas. psych. indiana. edu / matlab / nonmetricmds. htm - small, h. ( 1999 ) visualizing science by citation mapping. journal of the american society for information science, 50 ( 9 ), 799 - 813. - white, h. d. and mccain, k. w. ( 1998 ) visualizing a discipline : an author co - citation analysis of information science, 1972 - 1995. journal of the american society for information science, 49 ( 4 ), 327 - 355. - young, f. w. & hamer, r. m. ( 1987 ) multidimensional scaling : history, theory and applications. new york : erlbaum. matthew chalmers and alistair morrison provided the fast non - linear mds algorithm. the code was integrated into the xml toolkit by sriram raghuraman. visualization cyberinfrastructure @ slis, last modified january


chicago & north western railroad bridge | highways, byways, and bridge photography | c & nw saint croix river crossing | | • structure id : | | river mile 17. 4. | | • river elevation : | | union pacific railroad. | | • daily traffic count : : | | 5 trains per day. | | • bridge type : | | steel truss with swing span. | | 3, 922 feet ( estimated ). | | • navigation channel width : | | • height above water : | | • date built : this is a bridge that i know very little about. it was built by the chicago, milwaukee, saint paul, and omaha railroad, which became the chicago & north western, which is now the union pacific railway. the railroad bridge at this location dates back to 1872, but likely has been upgraded or replaced since then. the bridge is still in operation, and it frequently opens and closes in the summertime. this bridge is located in an area of the saint croix where sandbars naturally occur. the bridge is located close to the minnesota shore, and connects to a long causeway built across a relatively wide part of the saint croix river. on the wisconsin side, the causeway branches off into two different wye - configurations. one branch of the second wye runs along the river shore, crossing a dam that holds back a tributary of the river forming lake mallalieu. the river crossing paths vary from 3, 150 feet to as much as 4, 550 feet. only one path currently has rails, which supports the union pacific mainline. that path is approximately 3, 922 feet. each of the four paths coming out of the two wye junctions has a small bridge where it connects to the wisconsin shore. the photo above was taken from the old us - 12 causeway that is part of the old highway toll bridge that once connected minnesota and wisconsin. the view is looking northwest towards the minnesota shore on the west side of the river. the photo below is looking north towards the swing span as seen from a riverside park on the minnesota side of the saint croix river. these two photos are views looking southeast from the edge of the river bluffs just off of minnesota highway mn - 95. the photo above is the swing span, which is in the open position. the photo below are the two fixed bridges spans. the larger is a through truss, while the shorter span is a pony truss. the land directly behind the bridge is a natural sandbar. the causeway in the background is the roadway leading to the old


the photo below are the two fixed bridges spans. the larger is a through truss, while the shorter span is a pony truss. the land directly behind the bridge is a natural sandbar. the causeway in the background is the roadway leading to the old us - 12 these two photos are more views from the river bluffs on the minnesota side of the river. the photo above is an overview of the bridge spans. the photo below is a view of the railroad causeway leading leading to the bridge from the wisconsin side of the river. these two photos are views of c & nw railroad bridge at hudson as seen from the walnut street causeway. the causeway leads to the site of the old toll bridge that once carried highway us - 12 over the saint croix river. the photo above is a view looking north at the west end of the swing bridge, which crosses the river navigation channel. the photo below is looking northwest towards the swing span and the two smaller truss spans at the east end of the structure. the bridge is a little hard to see in this view given that the late fall background is nearly the same color as the bridge structure. the photo above is the north side of the c & nw bridge as seen from the marina that is located about a mile north of the bridge. the photo below is a smaller side channel bridge on the wisconsin side of the river crossing. it carries the railroad mainline into the north end of hudson, where it will gradually climb out of the saint croix river valley and head towards roberts, hammond, baldwin, and menomonie. these two photos are a road bridge on saint croix street leading to an island in the river where the railroad once had y - track. at one time, this was a railroad trestle, but is now used as a driveway leading to the railroad property on the island. the photo above is looking west down the length of the bridge, while the photo below is looking northwest towards the south face of the structure. the photo above is a building located at the east end of the railroad trestle on saint croix street. this building might have been an old railroad building, but i suspect that it is likely a well house for the city of hudson. the photo below are the remains of a trestle located just south of the bridge on saint croix street. this branch of the railroad crossing over the saint croix river once fed a route heading to river falls, wisconsin. thse two photos are an old railroad trestle on yet another branch of the saint croix river railroad crossing. this one leads north from the y


branch of the railroad crossing over the saint croix river once fed a route heading to river falls, wisconsin. thse two photos are an old railroad trestle on yet another branch of the saint croix river railroad crossing. this one leads north from the y - track at the east end of the river crossing. this bridge crosses the mouth of lake mallalieu where it flows into the saint croix river. this line led to industries in north hudson, and may possibly have headed north out of the city. the photo above is looking north along the east side of the bridge, while the photo below is looking north down the length of the bridge deck. these two photos are additional views of the railroad bridge over the mouth of lake mallalieu. the photo above is looking north along the west side of the bridge. the photo below is looking northwest towards the east side of the bridge from across the lake. the photo above is a dam that controls the waterflow between lake mallalieu ( to the right ) and the saint croix river ( to the left ). note the railroad trestle just to the right of the dam. the photo below is a bridge on bridge street leading to the dam. there is a small dam under the bridge, which is another outlet for lake mallalieu.


proceedings of the international astronomical union ( 2005 ), 2004 : 4748 cambridge university press nowadays, more than one hundred extra - solar planets are known, and about a dozen of multi - planetary systems have been discovered. most of them have been detected by the radial velocity ( rv ) method. the recovery of orbital parameters from rv data leads to several problems. usually rv data cover irregularly a short time interval which is frequently shorter than the orbital period of the most distant planet. moreover, observations contain a noise due to the instabilities of the star. the distribution of this noise is unknown. a precise determination of the dynamical state of a multi - planetary system is important for understanding its stability and evolution. in most cases observers determine the orbital parameters for multi - planetary systems just fitting a sum of keplerian orbits. the parameters obtained in such a way are in most cases the only accessible data about an extra - solar system because the observes very rarely publish their observations. however, the parameters from a multi - keplerian fit as it has already been observed by many authors, cannot be interpreted as the osculating elements for actual planetary orbits. moreover, these parameters can be considered as keplerian elements of : relative, barycentric or jacobi orbits. one can find arguments that the interpretation of parameters from a multi - keplerian fit as elements of keplerian orbits in the jacobi coordinates is the most proper one, see [ lee and peale, 2002 ; godziewski et al. 2003 ]. our first aim was to determine how badly a multi - keplerian fit determines osculating orbits. to this end, we performed several numerical simulations. for a chosen planetary system with two planets we generated a synthetic rv observations using the newtonian three body problem. then we fitted to these observations the keplerian model and compared the obtained keplerian elements with the true osculating elements of orbits. then we changed the semi - major axis and the eccentricity of one planet and repeated all calculations. in this way we obtained maps of differences between the true and the fitted keplerian elements ( relative, barycentric and jacobi ) for a given system with two planets. the conclusions from these experiments are following. even for a quite big separation of planets ( 2 au ), multi - keplerian fits are bad. the errors appear mainly in the positions of planets in their orbits and can achieve 60 deg and more. the errors in eccentricities and semi - major axes achieve a few percent, but they can be bigger for bigger masses


someone is spreading rumors about me. what can i do? there is this girl at school, and we don ' t really get along. she keeps spreading rumors about me and people are turning against me. what should i do? some people spread rumors as a way to intimidate others and gain status or popularity. but spreading rumors as a way to turn people against someone is a form of bullying — and it can have serious consequences for the person doing it. spreading unkind gossip in person or online is not a decent or mature way to act. it hurts the person being talked about, and it intimidates other people. sadly, when other people see this kind of thing going on, they don ' t always stand up for what ' s right. they may become less friendly to the person who is being talked about because they ' re afraid of becoming the next target. it doesn ' t mean they don ' t care. in fact, seeing someone else getting bullied makes other people feel bad. bullying is like meanness pollution. it affects everyone in the environment. we don ' t have to be good friends with everyone — or even like everyone. but not liking another person doesn ' t give someone the right to spread rumors, gossip, or putdowns. acting like this shows a lack of courage. it ' s a false way to gain popularity or status in the group. real popularity comes from feeling comfortable with ourselves. people who are truly well liked treat everyone with respect and fairness. they don ' t put other people down or try to gain power by having " followers. " they ' re confident and sure of themselves, so they don ' t have to resort to this kind of behavior. so what can you do if you find yourself the target of rumors and social bullying? turn to a trusted adult for support. talk to someone you can confide in, like a parent, teacher, school counselor, or coach. let that person know what you ' re going through. keep him or her up to date on what ' s going on, even as things start to get better. a trusted adult confidante can help you feel more supported and less alone. plus, adults can take steps to put a stop to the rumors and gossip. find your friends. find a friend or two who will stick by you and who won ' t listen to rumors. if you want, share how you feel with those friends. don ' t dwell on the situation, though. spend time and energy having fun with your friends and


a friend or two who will stick by you and who won ' t listen to rumors. if you want, share how you feel with those friends. don ' t dwell on the situation, though. spend time and energy having fun with your friends and doing activities you enjoy. speak up. consider speaking to the girl who ' s spreading rumors. if you can, approach her. calmly say something like, " i know we don ' t get along. you don ' t have to like me, but you need to stop spreading rumors about me and talking behind my back. " don ' t be angry or mean. avoid yelling. just say what you want calmly, clearly, assertively, and maturely. after you ' ve said what you want, you can simply walk away. there ' s no need to wait for her to say anything back. leave her to think about what you said. before you try talking to the girl, though, talk with an adult about what to say and how to approach her. every situation is different, and you want to make sure things don ' t turn into more meanness, yelling, or fighting. it can also help to have a friend stand with you when you talk to the girl. care for yourself. do things that strengthen your confidence and positive feelings. going through a situation like this can be difficult and painful. gather your inner strength, get support from people who care, focus on positive things, and believe in yourself. these things can help you go through a difficult situation and come out stronger.


tabby cats are mutants, study finds cat owners, call professor x and ask him to let your feline friend join the x - men because a recent study shows that some tabby cats are mutants. dr. stephen o ’ brien, a geneticist at the st. petersburg university of russia, has discovered a new gene in felines called taqpep as well as another gene that they have dubbed edn3, which controls the hair color in a cat ’ s coat pattern. the taqpep gene is common to both wild cheetahs and domesticated felines but is a mutation of a gene that produces the cheetah ’ s spots and a tabby ’ s stripes. taqpep ’ s mutation is responsible for a blotchy stripe pattern in both domesticated cats and a rare breed of big cat called the king cheetah, who are often found in south africa. as for their house cat cousins, more tabbies in europe have the mutation, while felines in the us are striped. in order to study regular cats and their wild cousins, the researchers used dna and tissue samples from feral cats in northern california. they also took a tiny amount of skin and blood samples from captive and wild cheetahs in south africa. dr. o ’ brien ’ s work is not done yet, however. he says that he and his team still have to look at gene samples from both wild and domesticated felines in order to properly figure out the pathways involved in both pattern formation and pigmentation on the animals ’ fur. now if they can only find a permanent cure for shedding.


laguna hills, ca 92653 pdt essentially has three steps. first, a light sensitizing liquid, cream, or intravenous drug ( photosensitizer ) is applied or administered. second, there is an incubation period of minutes to days. finally, the target tissue is then exposed to a specific wavelength of light which then helps activate the photosensitizing medication. • 1. application of photosensitizer drug • 2. incubation period • 3. light activationalthough first discovered around 1913, pdt in the modern sense is a fairly new, evolving science whereby varying incubation times of a light sensitizing drug are used in combination with varying types of available light sources depending on the target tissue. the basic premise of pdt is selective tissue destruction. although the photosensitizer may be absorbed all over by many cells, atypical or cancerous cells preferentially take up more of the drug and also may retain the drug for longer duration than normal tissues. at present, the primary limitation of available pdt techniques is the depth of penetration of the light and ability to target cells within at most 1 / 3 of an inch ( approximately 1cm ) of the light source. therefore tumors or atypical growths must be fairly close to the skin or treatment surface for pdt to work. what is photodynamic therapy used for? pdt is currently used in multiple medical fields including oncology ( cancer ), dermatology ( skin ), and cosmetic surgery. in oncology, it is fda approved for non - small cell lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and pre - cancerous changes of barrett ’ s esophagus. its use is also being further investigated through clinical trials in general oncology for conditions including cancers of the cervix ( mouth of uterus ), prostate gland, brain, and peritoneal cavity ( the abdominal space that contains the stomach, liver, and internal organs ). in dermatology, pdt using levulan kerastick® ( 20 % delta - aminolevulinic acid hcl ) became fda approved in 2001 for the treatment of pre - skin cancers called actinic keratosis ( ak ). the initial approval was specifically for normal ( non - hyperkeratotic ) actinic keratosis of the face and scalp with a specified 14 to 18 hour drug incubation time, and 1, 000 seconds ( 16 minutes and 40 seconds ) of


approval was specifically for normal ( non - hyperkeratotic ) actinic keratosis of the face and scalp with a specified 14 to 18 hour drug incubation time, and 1, 000 seconds ( 16 minutes and 40 seconds ) of activation by a proprietary blue light source. since 2001, pdt has also received many other non - fda approved ( also called “ off - label ” ) uses including acne, rosacea, skin cancer, sun damage, cosmetic skin improvement, oily skin, enlarged sebaceous glands, wrinkles, rejuvenation ( anti - aging ), warts, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis, and many other skin conditions. at least 3 currently fda approved photosensitizers are available including photofrin ( porfimer sodium ), levulan ( 5 - aminolevulinic acid or ala ), metvix ( methyl aminolevulinate ( maop ) ). more drugs are undergoing trials and may become available in the near future. photofrin is used intravenously ( iv ) for internal cancers while levulan and metvix are applied topically for skin therapy. pdt can essentially use many types of light sources. these include laser, intense pulsed light, light - emitting diodes ( leds ), blue light, red light, many other visible lights, including natural sunlight. photosensitizer drugs may become activated by one or several types of applied light depending on the ideal wavelength for the particular drug used and target tissue. the light source needs to be directly applied to the target tissue for a specific amount of time. for surface skin treatments, the light is easily directly applied to the area of the skin where the photosensitizer drug has been applied ( such as face, scalp, arms, etc. ). for internal cancers, delivering the light to the desired area is more challenging. the light may be delivered through small fiber optic cables into the body cavity or area being treated. sometimes endoscopes ( a thin lighted elongated tube which is inserted into a body space ) are used to deliver the light into the lungs, stomach, or bladder. pdt works by direct injury to the target cells and tissues. while all of the exact mechanisms are not fully known yet, the basic pathway seems to involve an activated oxygen molecule that has the ability to injure or destroy nearby or specific cells. aminolevulinic acid is then incorporated into the body ’ s natural heme ( blood


exact mechanisms are not fully known yet, the basic pathway seems to involve an activated oxygen molecule that has the ability to injure or destroy nearby or specific cells. aminolevulinic acid is then incorporated into the body ’ s natural heme ( blood ) biosynthesis pathway and activated to form protoporphyrin ix, a potent photosensitier. protoporphyrin ix then becomes excited to an activated singlet state. this active singlet state is then directly toxic to cells. no, pdt causes a temporary sensitivity to light, including natural sunlight and some indoor lights. the light sensitivity resolves with time depending on both the photosensitizer drug and dosage used. intravenously given porfimer may make the body including the skin and eyes sensitive to light for about 6 weeks after treatment. proper protection including long sleeves and sunglasses may be required. topically applied aminolevulinic acid ( levulan ) or methyl aminolevulinate ( metvix ) may cause skin sensitivity only on the treatment areas for approximately 24 - 72 hours. these do not usually cause sensitivity on other body parts other than where the drug was directly applied. your physician will need to discuss with you the required sun and light avoidance period required after your particular treatment. pdt using levulan ( 5 - aminolevulinic acid or ala ) and a proprietary blue light is currently fda approved for the treatment of skin pre - cancers called actinic keratosis ( rough scaly spots generally on sun exposed skin in more fair skin individuals ). photo sensitizers are chemical compounds that become activated only when exposed to light. what is aminolevulinic acid or levulan? 5 - aminolevulinic acid also called levulan or ala for short is a naturally occurring protein in the body. it is found in small quantities as part of the normal heme ( blood ) synthesis pathway. in larger quantities, it is a substance known to increase sensitivity to certain wavelengths of light. how does pdt work? by preferentially attacking the active or abnormal cells, pdt combines a very high success rate with good preservation of normal skin without significant risks for scarring. once the areas have healed following pdt, the areas are re - examined to see if additional treatments or possible biopsies are needed. pdt is special because it is a targeted treatment to preferentially target more rapidly dividing cells and atypical skin growths. with regular or traditional cryosurgery ( freezing with liquid nitrogen


additional treatments or possible biopsies are needed. pdt is special because it is a targeted treatment to preferentially target more rapidly dividing cells and atypical skin growths. with regular or traditional cryosurgery ( freezing with liquid nitrogen ) or burning, only the visible pre skin cancers are treated thereby leaving ones that aren ’ t as apparent ( sub clinical or hidden ) lesions undetected. photodynamic therapy allows for field or blanket treatment of an entire area of sun damage thereby reducing the chance that undetected pre skin cancer cells will be left untreated. photodynamic therapy is usually scheduled in the doctor ’ s office because of the required photosensitizing prescription / physician applied medication and the special light activation equipments. currently pdt procedures are generally performed with the patient waiting in the office during the 30 minute to several hours incubation time before the application of the light source. what is a typical skin pdt session like? you may be given a written procedure consent form to read and sign before your first treatment. the medical staff may take some before photography prior to applying the photosensitizer medication. the treatment area is then washed off and sunscreen applied before leaving the office. instructions and an appointment for follow up may then be given on how to care for the improved skin. • how much improvement can i expect? no two individuals are the same and results may vary. as with any medical procedure, some conditions can improve dramatically in some patients and not respond in others. to achieve maximum improvement of pre - cancerous ( actinic keratosis ) sun damage, skin tone and texture, on average a series of 2 - 3 treatments 2 - 6 weeks apart may be quite effective. some patients with milder actinic keratosis are happy with one treatment. more treatments can be done at periodic intervals in the future to maintain the rejuvenated appearance of the skin. photodynamic therapy for skin therapy is usually comfortably performed in an outpatient setting like a doctor ’ s office and without any sedation or anesthesia. the skin center offers this treatment in south orange county, laguna, mission viejo, and the surrounding areas. you are generally in the medical office for several hours ( average 1 1 / 2 hours ) on the day of your photodynamic therapy. facial pdt may take 10 minutes to apply the medication, 30 - 60 minutes to allow proper skin incubation, and 15 - 20 minutes for light application. other areas may require


hours ) on the day of your photodynamic therapy. facial pdt may take 10 minutes to apply the medication, 30 - 60 minutes to allow proper skin incubation, and 15 - 20 minutes for light application. other areas may require longer incubation times and you may leave the office and come back when it is time to have the light. many patients prefer to schedule their treatment later in the afternoon so they may go directly home after the treatment. it is not usually advised to have any sun exposure such as from running errands or driving around after the treatment. what kind of physician can perform photodynamic therapy? most skin pdt is performed only by specially trained dermatologists and their medical staff. other physicians including oncologists, family physicians, internal medicine doctors, plastic surgeons, or ear, nose and throat ( ent ) surgeons and their medical staff who are trained and may also perform photodynamic therapy. the skin center is a memeber of the national organization called the american society for photodynamic therapy ( aspdt ). you may check the website for members of this group at http : / / www. aspdt. org. there are many other photomedicine interest groups and societies dedicated to this evolving field. some dermatologists and oncologists have received special residency or post graduate training for photodynamic therapy. many other physicians may be trained by companies that manufacturer the photosensitizing material and / or the light source. • is skin pdt only for pre - cancerous growths? no, photodynamic therapy is a widely used method of treating many conditions including pre - cancers ( actinic keratosis ), some types of superficial skin cancers, acne, rosacea, warts, sebaceous hyperplasia ( enlarged oil glands ), fine wrinkles, psoriasis, and other cosmetic indications. it is currently not used to remove malignant melanoma or deeply invasive cancers. it is not used to remove moles or birthmarks. the greatest advantage of pdt is the ability to selectively treat an entire area of skin damage and pre - cancers ( blanket or field treatment ). pdt generally decreases the likelihood of lighter or darker skin spots ( post - inflammatory hyper or hypo pigmentation ) caused by routine freezing with liquid nitrogen. additionally, pdt frequently may facilitate smoother skin and an overall improved appearance, tone, color, and enhanced skin texture. in


or darker skin spots ( post - inflammatory hyper or hypo pigmentation ) caused by routine freezing with liquid nitrogen. additionally, pdt frequently may facilitate smoother skin and an overall improved appearance, tone, color, and enhanced skin texture. in several studies, pdt has been preferred by many patients for ease of use and recovery as compared to alternative treatments including freezing and chemotherapy creams like fluorouracil ( efudex ). the pdt side effects may be milder with less down time than with fluorouracil. for patients with many skin lesions, pdt may be generally more effective than repeated spot treatment with topical liquid nitrogen. some patients are unable to tolerate the prolonged treatment required with fluorouracil ( efudex ) or imiquimod ( aldara ) because of the irritation, redness, and possible downtime with these topical creams. no two people ’ s skin is exactly the same and therefore individual results and number of required treatments vary. on average, most patients may benefit from 1 to 3 pdt treatments for an area and annual touch up treatments. while the face tends to respond faster and to fewer treatments, areas like the forearms and legs are much harder ( resistant and tough skin ) to treat and may require many more treatments. there is no way to reliably predict ahead of time exactly how many treatments your condition will require. photodynamic therapy physicians always strive to treat your condition in as few treatments as possible without causing a severe burn. • can i go out in the sun right after pdt? no. there are very specific strict sun restrictions for the treated area after photodynamic therapy. you may not go out in the sun even with sunscreen for usually 24 - 48 hours after pdt especially after facial treatment. arms, legs, chest or back pdt may be much easier since you can wear high spf protective clothing and sunscreen to protect the areas during the post - procedure period.. it is important to follow your own physician ’ s instructions for wound care and sun protection. no, at present photodynamic therapy is usually not for mole removal. moles are usually removed by standard or traditional surgery. the best candidates for pdt may be those with lighter or fair skin with sun damage. you may not be a good candidate for photodynamic therapy if you have darker skin that tends to turn brown or discolor with certain light or laser treatments. you may also not be a good candidate for pd


or fair skin with sun damage. you may not be a good candidate for photodynamic therapy if you have darker skin that tends to turn brown or discolor with certain light or laser treatments. you may also not be a good candidate for pdt if you are very sensitive to light, burn extremely easily, would be unable to stay out of sunlight for the required 24 - 48 hours, or on taking medications which may make you very sensitive to sunlight or light based therapies. your decision on the best treatment choice may depend on different factors such as the location and type of skin lesions, your past treatments, your overall health, and level of comfort. your physician can help you sort through the different treatments and assist in your shared decision making process. however, the right decision for you is always yours and your doctor ’ s to make. what if i have other health issues? generally, there is not much of a problem with other health issues and pdt is safely performed in many thousands of people annually worldwide. your photodynamic therapy physician needs to know of any other medical conditions that may affect your procedure or overall wound healing. you would want to make sure to tell your physician beforehand if you have any extreme sensitivity to light based treatments, take medications which make you very sensitive to light, have had a problem or bad effect from prior pdt, have lupus, or suffer from a condition called porphyria. your photodynamic therapy physician needs to know if you have had a history of “ staph ” or other skin infections in the recent past. you will want to advise your physician if you have a history of frequent cold sores ( herpes virus infections on your face ). in that case, you ay be prescribed an antiviral tablet ( cold sore prevention pill ) to take before and after your procedure. you may be asked to wash with a special antibiotic soap or wash like hibiclens ( chlorhexidine ) the night or morning before your procedure to help reduce the number of bacteria on your skin. patients may need to also advise their physician of any drug allergies such as to topical anesthetics or other photosensitizers. additionally, the surgeon may need to know of any bleeding or bruising tendencies, hepatitis, hiv / aids, or pregnancy. what areas are treatable by photodynamic therapy? essentially any area of the body may be treated by pdt. photodynamic therapy is used primarily for the treatment of head and face


, hepatitis, hiv / aids, or pregnancy. what areas are treatable by photodynamic therapy? essentially any area of the body may be treated by pdt. photodynamic therapy is used primarily for the treatment of head and face pre cancers and acne. it is particularly useful for areas with a large number of pre - skin cancers in difficult areas such as the face. it is also used on hands, feet, forearms, chest, back, legs and anywhere where there are ak ’ s. however, some of those areas may not be as responsive and may require longer incubation and or light treatment times for effectiveness. what growths is pdt not good for? photodynamic therapy is not as effective for thick skin pre - cancers called hypertrophic actinic keratosis ( hak ). this may be due to the inability of the photosensitizer drug to penetrate the thick skin. these growths may need to be frozen or surgically removed or thinned using a curette prior to pdt. pdt may also not be very useful for more advanced skin cancers like morpheaform or sclerosing basal cell carcinoma, moderately to poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas, recurrent tumors ( tumors that were previously removed and have re - grown at the same site, or lesions in previously radiated ( x - ray or radiation treatments ) sites, and malignant melanoma. what are possible complications of photodynamic therapy? as with any surgery or procedure, photodynamic therapy is associated with some possible minor risks and complications. while it is overall a very safe and effective minor in office treatment, there are some possible uncommon complications. since an exaggerated light sensitive reaction is expected by definition of pdt, most patients understand and expect some type of a sunburn or red reaction after skin pdt. not everyone gets a sunburn reaction and in fact some patients may have no visible reaction or redness. possible risks and complications of photodynamic therapy include ( but are not limited to ) burning, skin discoloration, skin redness, broken blood vessels called telangeictasia, pain, infection, cold sore ( herpes ) activation, blisters, scabs, unsightly scar, keloid ( raised, thick scar ), cosmetic disfigurement, skin discoloration, eye injury or swelling, allergic reactions, reaction to topical anesthesia, pre - cancer or cancer recurrence, need


unsightly scar, keloid ( raised, thick scar ), cosmetic disfigurement, skin discoloration, eye injury or swelling, allergic reactions, reaction to topical anesthesia, pre - cancer or cancer recurrence, need for further treatment including biopsy, radiation or plastic surgery, and rarely death. acne may need additional treatments and may not respond at all or sustain a long lasting response to the treatment. eye injuries and prolonged sun sensitivity may be possible with inadvertent exposure to the photosensitizer drug. minor, serious, or life threatening reactions can occur with the use of anesthetics or with medications given before, after or during a procedure. overall, most patients tolerate the minor procedure very well without any complications. shared decision making is very important in your treatment and you are involved in how you prefer to treat your condition. your photodynamic therapy physician may make some recommendations on how to proceed with further treatments.. the main goal with photodynamic therapy is to reduce the number of pre - skin caners and thereby potentially decrease the chance of future skin cancers. • is there scarring from photodynamic therapy? no, pdt usually does not leave scars in typical cases. overall when you undergo pdt, there will be some type of a red skin reaction and irritation for 3 - 10 days after the treatment. some people are more sensitive to pdt and the light treatment than others. similarly, some people heal better or faster than others. some residual redness may be more noticeable depending on the location and skin type. some people may have temporary skin discoloration that may last weeks to months. patients with darker skin types may have more skin discoloration after treatment. • what are alternatives for photodynamic therapy? it is important to understand that as with any medical treatment, there are alternative treatments and options to pdt. you may want to discuss alternative treatment options with your doctor at your consultation appointment. there are many options for treatment of actinic keratosis ( ak ’ s ) including but not limited to freezing ( cryotherapy or cryosurgery ), burning, chemical peels, lasers, chemotherapy creams like fluorouracil or efudex, immune modulator creams like aldara ( imiquimod ), local radiation, plastic surgery, curettage and desiccation ( scrape and burn ), surgical removal, no treatment, and other choices depending on the skin condition.


immune modulator creams like aldara ( imiquimod ), local radiation, plastic surgery, curettage and desiccation ( scrape and burn ), surgical removal, no treatment, and other choices depending on the skin condition. in acne, there are many alternatives to pdt including oral accutane ( isotretinoin ), oral antibiotics, topical washes, acne facials, and many acne creams. • what about insurance coverage and costs? photodynamic therapy is currently considered a medical service for the treatment of some conditions particularly for skin pre - cancers called ak ’ s. however, it may be considered cosmetic, off ’ label, or not medically indicated for many other conditions for which it is regularly used. currently, some insurance plans cover the procedure under their provided benefits. however, with the many changes in insurance plans, it is always advisable to contact your insurance carrier prior to scheduling any treatment and confirm your eligibility and benefits. photodynamic therapy, like any procedure, will result in additional procedure charges above the routine office visit fees. these fees may range from two to several hundred dollars depending on the area, number of treatments, and the type of insurance you purchase. the more number of treatments and greater the amount of photosensitizer medication required, the higher the cost. insurance benefits vary and reimbursement depends on what benefits you have contracted for with your company. currently, medicare generally typically covers 80 % of photodynamic therapy for pre cancers. if you have a secondary insurance plan, that may help take care of the remainder 20 % not covered by medicare. standard commercial or non - medicare insurances currently generally may cover a large percentage of pdt for pre - cancers unless you have to meet an out of pocket deductible first. you may want to get to know and understand your insurance benefits before having surgery. in many cases, you may also ask the billing office at the medical center or your insurance coordinator for an approximate estimate of your charges before scheduling the procedure. you may decide to have alternative treatments instead of pdt. alternatively, you may also choose a hybrid option where you have photodynamic therapy and additional other treatments. in some cases, the most effective treatment for certain conditions may utilize a combination treatment using two or more modalities to help team up and treat the condition. your personal physician and their medical personnel will likely let you know the pre - operative instructions specific for your condition. for many typical pdt


certain conditions may utilize a combination treatment using two or more modalities to help team up and treat the condition. your personal physician and their medical personnel will likely let you know the pre - operative instructions specific for your condition. for many typical pdt in a physician ’ s office, most patients are advised come in with a clean, washed area without any lotions or makeup. you may generally eat your regular diet on the day of their procedure and take all of your regular daily medications. your skin should be fully clean and free of all make - up, moisturizers, and sunscreens. bring a wide brimmed hat ( 6 inches ), sunglasses, and scarf when appropriate to the appointment. since you will be in the office for generally at least one hour ( and sometime more ), you may want to bring some personal snacks, drinks, and reading or knitting material. personal music headsets or ipods may also provide relaxation and help pass time during your pdt application, incubation time, and treatment. most patients continue all doctor prescribed medications including aspirin and any blood thinners unless specifically advised otherwise only by the pdt physician. can i smoke and drink alcohol before pdt? while there is no absolute contraindication, smoking may be discouraged for at least a few days before and 1 - 2 weeks after your procedure. as with any procedure, smoking can slow down wound healing and cause an increased risk of wound infections. heavy alcohol use is not advised at least a few days before pdt. heavy alcohol use can cause more bleeding and thin your blood. an occasional glass of wine or small cocktail may not cause severe bleeding. your physician will want to know of any factors that may affect your surgery or wound healing. • how is recovery? recovery is usually fairly easy and uneventful for 90 % or more of patients. many patients have mild dryness and a faint to mild sunburn of the treated area. a small percent of patients may have moderate or marked discomfort and a harder recovery because of more skin dryness, redness, or burning. some of these patients have had inadvertent sun exposure even as short as a minute or two during their immediate post treatment time casing a more severe reaction. a handful of patients have reported some minor sun exposing activities like briefly stepping out to fill their yard bird feeder or walk out for a moment to grab the mail from the mailbox. you will want to plan to stay indoors and avoid any sunlight for 24 - 48 hours as directed by your physician


sun exposing activities like briefly stepping out to fill their yard bird feeder or walk out for a moment to grab the mail from the mailbox. you will want to plan to stay indoors and avoid any sunlight for 24 - 48 hours as directed by your physician. overall, you may be able to resume all normal indoor activities the first day. most patients may resume going outdoor with proper sun protection including sunscreen and hat or cover up clothing 24 - 48 hours after this treatment. again, it is always advised to check your personal physician ’ s guide for this care. can i return to work or school? most patients are able to return to work or school the 24 - 48 hours after photodynamic therapy. avoiding direct sunlight for the first 1 - 2 days in crucial to avoiding getting an exuberant ( red ) response. your physician will need to let you know what activity precautions are required based on the area and size of your procedure. your skin may appear very red causing you to need to explain that you either had a pdt treatment or perhaps just say you went skiing all day and forgot to wear sunscreen. usually not much. no two individuals and their skin is exactly the same and therefore individual reactions and tolerance to discomfort levels vary. most patient report mild skin irritation including minimal to mild dryness and tight feeling of their skin after pdt. this discomfort is usually improved with frequent application of bland topical emollients or plain vaseline. a small number of patients may actually complain that they felt nothing and didn ’ t have any pain or peeling. less commonly, a small percentage of patients for various reasons may have significant pain, a very exaggerated sunburn response, moderate overall discomfort, and pain from the tightness and warmth of the skin. if there is pain, many patients find that they prefer to take something for pain at the first hint of discomfort instead of waiting until the pain builds up to an unbearable level. if you have mild or moderate pain, your doctor may advise you to take tylenol ( acetaminophen ) or another pain reliever over the counter. rarely, prescription pain medications may be required for severe pain. your physician will let you know what pain medications are recommended for your specific condition. how do i take care of my treatment area after photodynamic therapy? it is generally required to check with your doctor for their specific wound care instructions before your procedure. often, you will be asked to go home and stay indoors for the rest of the day, “ couch potato day ”. your physician


, cryosurgery ( specialized deep freezing ), photodynamic therapy, regular surgical excision, plastic surgery treatment, interferon injections, laser removal and surgery, and several prescription creams including aldara ( imiquimod ) and efudex ( fluorouracil ). for more information, please call ( 949 ) 582 - 7699 or visit the practice website at www. lagunaskincenter. com. laguna hills, ca 92653 information in this publication and site is not intended to serve as medical advice. individuals may use the information as a guide to discuss their treatments with their own physicians. this site does not promote nor endorse the unauthorized practice of medicine by non - physicians or state licensed health care providers. medicine is a constantly changing science and not all therapies are clearly established. new research changes drug and treatment therapies daily. the authors, editors, and publisher of these artciles have used their best efforts to provide information that is up - to - date and accurate and is generally accepted within medical standards at the time of publication. however, as medical science is constantly changing and human error is always possible, the authors, editors, and publisher or any other party involved with the publication of this article do not warrant the information in this article is accurate or complete, nor are they responsible for omissions or errors in the article or for the results of using this information. the reader should confirm the information in this article from other sources prior to use. in particular, all drug doses, indications, and contraindications should be confirmed in the package insert.


overweight women may be less likely to develop glaucoma according to new study findings from dutch researchers, overweight older women may be less likely than their thinner peers to develop glaucoma, a potentially blinding eye disease. to investigate, researchers followed nearly 4000 glaucoma - free adults aged 55 or older. over an average of 10 years, just under three percent developed glaucoma. researchers found that among women, each unit increase in body mass index ( roughly six pounds for a women of average height and weight ), was connected to a seven percent reduction in the risk of developing glaucoma. there was no evidence that other lifestyle factors, including smoking and drinking habits, were important in participants ' glaucoma risk. nor did education or income appear to play a role. the findings do not prove that extra pounds, themselves, are protective in women. but researchers say that one possibility is that there is some benefit from the higher estrogen levels that may be found in women with more body fat. while there appears to be a protective effect from extra body weight, researchers are not suggesting women pack on extra pounds as a way to ward off glaucoma. according to researchers, the best way to prevent vision loss from the disorder is to have regular eye exams and, if glaucoma is found, start early treatment. the findings, published in the archives of ophthalmology, back up a u. s. study published last august - the first of its kind to show a link between higher bmi and lower glaucoma risk in women. all research on this web site is the property of leslie beck and is protected by copyright. keep in mind that research on these matters continues daily and is subject to change. the information presented is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. it is intended to provide ongoing support of your healthy lifestyle practices.


begin the lesson by playing the ghost buster song! then, tell the students that they will be ghost busters and go on a ghost hunt for this writing lesson! here are the materials you need : tootsie pops, kleenex, string, and the ghost buster song ( optional ) : ) have the students make four ghosts by wrapping kleenex around the tootsie pops. tie string around the kleenex to keep it in place. when all the ghosts are ready, tell your little ghost busters to put their heads down and hang out at their desks. turn off the lights and play the music! have each child one at a time go hide their 4 ghosts somewhere in the classroom. when they are done, have them tap the next student on the shoulder. ( it took our class five minutes to do this - or, listening to the ghost buster song three times! ) after all ghosts are hidden, it is time to go for a ghost hunt! have the ghost busters go find 4 ghosts each. to start with writing part of this lesson, have the students write sentences, using prepositions, describing where the found or hid their ghosts. the ghosts were hiding inside of the green tree by my teacher ' s desk. the spooky ghost was hiding upon a large vase of apples or i found my ghost beneath a stack of red and green apples. finally, extend the lesson for homework! your students can be ghost busters at home, too! the parents hide the ghosts somewhere in the house and the children go and find the ghosts. students then write about where the ghosts were hiding.... under my bed, above the tv... you get the idea! click on the image to get the homework from google docs : click on the image to get the lesson from google docs : happy hunting!! : )


a volcano is a hole where melted rock called magma or rock and ashes are thrown up from inside the earth. volcanoes are commonly known around the world for bringing huge destruction as they erupt. when most people think of volcanoes they think of hot boiling lava. many people do not realize that instead of only erupting lava, it also erupts ash and gas. a volcano works in the following sequence. 1. melted rock called magma rises from deep within the earth to near the 2. some of it cools and becomes solid within the crust, but some erupts on the surface as lava. 3. when two plates with ocean crust move apart magma from the mantle bubbles up to the surface to fill it. because of this factor, the atlantic ocean is widening by three - fourths of an inch per year. the pacific is widening much, much more as well. is widening by eight inches every year. there are many different types of volcanoes. some volcanoes are dormant, some are active, and some are dead or extinct. volcanoes are very different ; they are responsible for shaping many of earth ’ s islands, mountains, and plains. they have also been responsible for changing weather, burying cities, and killing people who live near by. volcanic gases are deadly poisons. for example, in august 1986, a small eruption in lake nyons cameroon, located in west africa, signaled the release of a cloud of volcanic gases. the noxious fumes killed over 1, 700 people. are born in different ways ; hotspot volcanoes, though spectacular, are rather less violent. they erupt in different ways from cone shaped volcanoes. molten lava rises to the surface from deep within the earth ’ s mantle. it then pierces the plate like a blowtorch and erupts in a lava flow though it may seem that hotspots move with the plates, they do not. the hotspots stay still but the plates keep moving. eventually chains of islands, like hawaii, form. active volcanoes in hawaii will soon become dormant as hawaii moves off the hotspot. its important to know how to stay safe before a volcanic eruption, during a volcanic eruption, and after a volcanic eruption. before the eruption : - take red cross first aid, cpr, and fire safety classes. - call a family meeting and discuss where to go, what to take, where to meet if separated, and what to do about pets. - plan escape routes - one by foot and two by car. - know where to go and what


classes. - call a family meeting and discuss where to go, what to take, where to meet if separated, and what to do about pets. - plan escape routes - one by foot and two by car. - know where to go and what you will take in case of an evacuation. - store emergency supplies, food, and water. - post by every phone a number to call in case of a fire. - install portable smoke detectors outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, garage, and workshop. - use button to test smoke alarms twice a year. - store extra smoke alarm batteries. - keep fire extinguishers in the kitchen and hallways. test and replace immediately if faulty. - conduct fire drills, including walking or driving evacuation routes. - draw a floor plan and find two ways to escape from every room and conduct - get rope or chain ladders for upper stories and practice using. during the eruption : - turn off gas at the meter to avoid danger of explosion. - put on heavy shoes and protective clothing. - take your stored supplies and complete evacuation procedures. - listen to the radio for updates on the volcano. - do not return home until the eruption is declared over and lava flow and fires have stopped. - prepare to travel on a confirmed route. - if driving, use extreme caution and take only confirmed routes. abandon your car if lava and fire encroaches and take a route away from the fire. - assist others and render first aid as safety permits. - listen to the radio reports for confirmed information and instructions, including location of red cross disaster stations, shelters, and animal - use caution when going home. do not return unless advised by authorities that conditions are safe and roads are clear. - if driving is necessary, drive with caution. visibility may be poor if it is raining volcanic ash, and mud slides and landslides can occur. - avoid volcano damaged areas and lava flow areas. - go to the red cross disaster station for emergency treatment. - check your home ’ s exterior for damage and stability. if an earthquake has occurred, use due caution and follow procedures. - do not go inside if it appears unsafe. - if other family members are not there, follow your plan for locating one another, including calling your out - of - the - area contact person. - approach animals with caution and comfort and contain them as much as - check and repair fenced areas for animals. - temporarily contain pets and livestock. - beware of loose or dangling electrical wires. do not touch


aids are a very large problem around the world. there is no cure for aids but there is a treatment that consist of antiretroviral drugs. the most affective treatment is called harrt and this is when you take multiple drugs at once. this treatment is most affective because hiv is a virus that replicates, and when it does, it doesn ' t replicate the same way. so, one drug may not treat the replicates. how aids affects untreated poeple in africa unfortunately many people in africa don ' t have the treatments available or can ' t afford to get it. so people continue to live with aids. in the poorer parts of africa, many hospitals are running out of beds for people of all illnesses. due to the high demand of medical care for hiv or related diseases, hospitals are forced to only let patients in when their sickness gets terribly bad and they really need medical attention. - - living with slim. dir. sam kauffman. dvd. 2004. living with slim. dir. sam kauffmaliving with slim. dir. sa ( kauffman. dvd. 2004. living with slim. dir. sam kauffman. dvd. 20 ) - - pembrey, graham. " hiv treatment for children. " avert. org. 8 aug. 2007. 15 jan. 2008 < http : / / www. avert. org / hiv - children. htm >. - - " what is aids. " aids. org. 14 jan. 2008 < http : / / www. aids. org / info / what - causes - aids. html >. - - barrow, gregg. " case study : south africa. " bbc. org. 14 jan. 2008 < http : / / news. bbc. co. uk / hi / english / static / in _ depth / africa / 2000 / aids _ in _ africa / casestudy _ sa. stm >.


holding your baby you will spend lots of time holding your baby — to comfort her, to move her from one place to another, and just to enjoy being close to her. this is one of the ways you and your husband bond with your baby. go ahead and let friends and family hold your baby as well. it ' s important that she come to know all the people in her life from an early age. plagiocephaly is a condition in which a baby develops a flat spot on the back or side of her head from too much pressure there. this usually happens if a baby spends every night and too many hours of the day lying in any one position. to help prevent this, carry your baby using a variety of different holds and promote tummy time during play periods. if your baby does develop a flat spot, take her to the pediatrician right away. your baby will likely be given to you to hold close to your body as soon as she is born. this is because skin - to - skin contact with you has important benefits, including warming her and helping her to regulate her breathing. however, this contact is not only important on the day of birth ; its value holds true throughout infancy. so, take some time each day to hold your baby close to your bare skin during those first few months. your baby will enjoy the warmth of your body and the sound of your heartbeat, and you ' ll love the soft sensation of contact with your baby. dads should also take time to enjoy skin - to - skin contact with their babies. a mother already has a deep connection with her child from giving birth, and skin - to - skin contact can help a father establish a similarly strong relationship with the baby. in a parent ' s arms, a baby feels completely safe and comfortable. holding a baby comes quite naturally to most new mothers. it ' s likely that you will inherently know which body parts need the most support. however, there is more than one way to hold your baby. some holds are one - handed, allowing you to use your free hand for something else. some holds give the baby a view of the world around him, and others give him a direct view of your face. though you will surely discover other useful options through your experience as a parent, here are a few basic holds you can use with your baby : cradle hold : this position is commonly used for nursing. your baby ' s head goes in the crook of your arm, and you extend your forearm along the baby ' s back, supporting


here are a few basic holds you can use with your baby : cradle hold : this position is commonly used for nursing. your baby ' s head goes in the crook of your arm, and you extend your forearm along the baby ' s back, supporting her bottom with the palm of your hand. shoulder carry : this hold is great for calming a fussy baby. just rest your baby ' s head on your shoulder, hold the baby ' s lower back and bottom with that arm, and stabilize the baby ' s head with your other hand. football hold : with your dominant hand faceup and at your side, place the back of your baby ' s head in your palm and support her body with your forearm, holding her close to the side of your body. this is a great position for nursing after a cesarean because the baby is not hovering around your scar. hip carry : this position is for older babies who can hold up their own heads. rest your baby ' s bottom on your hip bone so she is facing outward and wrap that arm around the baby ' s body. this keeps your other arm totally free for another task. from the everything mother ' s first year book copyright © 2005, f + w publications, inc. used by permission of adams media, an f + w publications company. all rights reserved. to order this book go to amazon.


the roots of pragmatics reach back to antiquity, especially to rhetoric as one of the three liberal arts. however, until the end of the 18th century proto - pragmatic insights tended to be consigned to the pragmatic, that is rhetoric, wastepaper basket and thus excluded from serious philosophical consideration. it can be said that pragmatics was conceived between 1780 and 1830 in britain, but also in germany and in france in post - lockian and post - kantian philosophies of language. these early ' conceptions ' of pragmatics are described in the first part of the book. the second part of the book looks at pragmatic insights made between 1830 and 1880, when they were once more relegated to the philosophical and linguistic underground. the main stage was then occupied by a fact - hunting historical comparative linguistics on the one hand and a newly spiritualised philosophy on the other. in the last part the period between 1880 and 1930 is presented, when pragmatic insights flourished and were sought after systematically. this was due in part to a new upsurge in empiricism, positivism and later behaviourism in philosophy, linguistics and psychology. between 1780 and 1930 philosophers, psychologists, sociologists and linguists came to see that language could only be studied in the context of dialogue, in the context of human life and finally as being a kind of human action itself.


language learning & technology vol. 2, no. 2, january 1999, pp. 28 - 30 review of language learning online : theory and practice in the esl and l2 computer classroom language learning online : theory and practice in the esl and l2 computer classroom janet swaffar, susan romano, philip markley, & katherine arens ( eds. ) us $ 29. 00 ( paperback ) ; us $ 9. 00 ( pdf printable, searchable ) ; free ( pdf read - only ) austin, tx, usa reviewed by jozsef horvath, janus pannonius university the communicative potential of networked language classes has recently become the focus of much scholarly attention ( e. g., see kern, 1995 ; warschauer, 1997 ). learning strategies and outcomes have been investigated and curricula developed in a number of countries in response to empirical research showing the benefits of networking ( horvath, 1994 ; ortega, 1997 ). language learning online not only presents the findings of this research, hypothesizing that networks contribute a unique element to learning and teaching, but also identifies areas of future research. the collection ( available in adobe acrobat pdf format at http : / / labyrinth. daedalus. com / llo ) includes studies conducted at the university of texas at austin where the dedicated software package daedalus integrated writing environment ( diwe ) was applied. diwe is a suite of applications developed primarily for computer - assisted classrom discussion ( cacd ) and writing. divided into four sections, the nine papers address issues arising in the spoken and written communication of esl and l2 students. after the introduction, the first chapter ( " the computer writing and research lab " by john slatin ) provides a historical account of diwe, discussing the problems of funding and the underlying principles of the use of the computer writing and research lab. - 28 - the second section presents three case studies, each investigating an aspect of writing instruction. the paper by nancy sullivan ( " developing critical reading and writing skills " ) focuses on the communicative needs and performance of african - americans, hispanics, and anglo - americans. it argues that by using the network facility to empower minority students, participants in the class were stimulated to explore topics by themselves. the second paper in the section ( " using computer - assisted class discussions " by dorothy m. chun ) reports on how interactive competence was enhanced by networking, including a typology of utterances produced via ca


were stimulated to explore topics by themselves. the second paper in the section ( " using computer - assisted class discussions " by dorothy m. chun ) reports on how interactive competence was enhanced by networking, including a typology of utterances produced via cacd over a two - semester period. the last paper in the section ( " empowering students " ) zooms in on the learner - centered nature of cacd. analyzing the volume of language output, philip markley suggests that such contexts facilitated asian students ' willingness to participate in discussions. data collected for the case studies include authentic e - mail message corpora, questionnaires, classroom observations, and student logs. as the number of students participating in the projects was limited, information on statistical significance and validity is not provided. in the third section, the papers deal specifically with the students ' evaluation of their learning. margaret healy beauvois ( " e - talk : computer - assisted classroom discussion " ) found that students appreciated the fact that they ( a ) could take time to think of what to say, ( b ) were under much less stress than in a traditional classroom, and ( c ) were involved in a process of discussion that enabled them to improve language accuracy. in the other paper in this section ( " learners ' and instructors ' attitudes " ), cristophe jaeglin compares, on the basis of interviews and an in - house questionnaire, learners ' and instructors ' attitudes to networked class discussions. he reports that even though students regarded the facility as positive, some tutors were concerned about the problems caused by the technology. the last section is devoted to classroom procedures with cacd applications. orlando r. kelm lists and describes a few e - mail applications ( " the use of electronic mail in foreign language classes " ), and concludes that further non - technocentric research should investigate the actual learning outcomes of these tasks. janet swaffar ( " assessing development in writing : a proposal for strategy coding " ) synthesizes discourse and strategy theory and provides a coding system to diagnose the content, quantity, morphosyntax, and the concepts of students ' scripts. the volume closes with swaffar ' s notes on what research areas should be explored in more detail : these include the linguistic, cultural, motivational, and cognitive features of spoken and written communication. swaffar points out the research dilemma that because networking involves variables that are hard to control, such as group dynamics, class management, and technical issues, new designs should


linguistic, cultural, motivational, and cognitive features of spoken and written communication. swaffar points out the research dilemma that because networking involves variables that are hard to control, such as group dynamics, class management, and technical issues, new designs should be sought. another call is made for longitudinal investigations. in the second section i would like to have seen more triangulation in the studies. for example, although session transcripts provide the reader with insight into how individual students performed on the tasks, more emphasis could have been given to participant observation. another shortcoming of this section is that the authors never say explicitly how the students ' contributions to sessions were procured for this volume : no acknowledgment is to be found. nevertheless, these papers will be useful for faculty and staff, especially in the u. s. where similar projects have already been developed : the themes, classroom procedures, and feedback types discussed may be trialled and adopted elsewhere. - 29 - in addition to swaffar ' s recommendations for future research, i would also be interested in learning more about the lexical and pragmatic traits of networking students ' offline and online scripts. ethnographic research design could also supplement the investigation of how networked discussion may enable esl and other l2 students to participate effectively in their respective future discourse communities. synthesizing relevant theory and identifying pedagogical implications, language learning online is a useful contribution to the field of computer - assisted language learning. it reports on the findings of current research and documents how classroom applications have informed institution - wide projects. the language of the papers is at times a little taxing, however, with all the abbreviations that have mushroomed in much of the literature. ( on page 57 alone, for example, there are seven different acronyms : ai, lan, esl, call, cmc, clp, and cacd. ) but the volume achieves its aim, identified in janet swaffar ' s introduction : to give an overview of " representative work on networking classes " ( p. 14 ), and thus generate future research. horvath, j. ( 1994 ). electronic penpal projects : a tesl - l experience. in j. kohn & d. wolff ( eds. ), new methodologies in foreign language learning and teaching ( pp. 182 - 185 ). szombathely, hungary : berzsenyi daniel tanarkepzo foiskola. kern, r. g. ( 1995


. ), new methodologies in foreign language learning and teaching ( pp. 182 - 185 ). szombathely, hungary : berzsenyi daniel tanarkepzo foiskola. kern, r. g. ( 1995 ). restructuring classroom interaction with network computers : effects on quantity and characteristics of language production. modern language journal, 79, 457 - 476. ortega, l. ( 1997 ). processes and outcomes in networked classroom interaction : defining the research agenda for l2 computer - assisted classroom discussion. language learning & technology, 1 ( 1 ) 82 - 93. retrieved november 22, 1998 from the world wide web : http : / / polyglot. cal. msu. edu / llt / vol1num1 / ortega / default. html. warschauer, m. ( 1997 ). computer - mediated collaborative learning : theory and practice. modern language journal, 81, 470 - 481. about the reviewer jozsef horvath teaches undergraduate and graduate writing courses at janus pannonius university in pecs, hungary. he has experience in using groupware applications, such as groupsystem, in hungarian university language education. he has served as co - editor of novelty, an english language teaching and cultural studies journal in hungary. - 30 - home | about llt | subscribe | information for contributors | masthead | archives


the concept of evil in principle, the concept of evil and its close relationship to suffering would not present a problem were there no concept of the good. the philosophical problem of evil has been addressed throughout the ages in both philosophy and religion ' s most fundamental writings. hinduism, for example, treats all reality monastically. evil only appears evil, yet it participates in the good of cosmic reality of the divine. evil is necessarily a relative term, its meaning becomes dependent on the kind of good which it negates or excludes. the problem which arises is the presence of contradictions on experience. the terms good and evil seem to be contradictory. the hypothesis resulting : how can we sense reality in such a way as to account for its seemingly contradictory manifestations of good and evil? if one looks at evil as an incomplete good, we begin to have a basis for philosophic inquiry. one aspect or group of aspects may be offensive ( evil ) whereas the whole is good. the problem that results is that from incompleteness alone, the goodness of the complete cannot be inferred ; some implied goods are in turn parts of an evil whole. this demonstrates that the proposed view can be granted only partial validity. evil, if seen as a necessary segment needed to serve an unknown good is conceivable but how can we know that the unknown is good? if in fact we have this unknown, does this unknown good make the known evil less evil for man? " the difficulty of accepting evil as a necessary ingredient of reality leads directly to concepts of malevolent supernatural forces. if evil need not be and should not be, if things have somehow gone wrong and evil has intruded into a world which could have been free from it, who could have been responsible " ( cavendish, 1993, p. 3ff since evil is seen as lying outside of man ' s human capabilities, its origin must he outside of the human domain. this origin therefore must reside in some supernatural manifestation, either the gods and goddesses of forgotten realms or the devils and demons of established religions. " at a deeper level, the powers of evil have not been thought out as much as recognized.... evil impulses which stir and whisper in the brain may feel alien to the person... as if they have been insinuated into his consciousness by something from outside " ( canvendish, 1993, p. 3 ). yet what if these assumptions on evil are erroneous, if in fact evil, and the sinister aspects of evil are


have been insinuated into his consciousness by something from outside " ( canvendish, 1993, p. 3 ). yet what if these assumptions on evil are erroneous, if in fact evil, and the sinister aspects of evil are just an illusion? the reality of evil may in essence be the product of the inner workings of the mind, projected into conscious reality. the collective unconscious of jung, although a psychological type, contains a definite psychological nature with a language. images, symbols and fantasies are the vocabulary of the language of the collective unconscious. the collective unconscious manifests in culture as a universal motif with our degree of attraction. in describing the collective unconscious, jung stated that it consisted of mythological motifs or primordial images which he referred to as archetypes. archetypes are not a priori ideas, but " typical forms of behavior which, once they become conscious, naturally present themselves as ideas and images, like everything else that becomes a content of consciousness " ( jung, 1969a, par. 435 ). the archetype ' s presence is felt as numinous that have a profound spiritual attribute. this mythological manifestation in turn must be given some meaning by the individual. " but, the discovery of meaning is at the same time an experience attended by numinosity and accompanied by a sense of the awesome, the mysterious and the terrifying which always connected to an experience of the divine, in whatever lowly, unacceptable, obscure or despised form it may appear " ( samuels, et al. 1987, p. 92 ). jung described numinosum as " a dynamic agency or effort not caused by an arbitrary act of will. on contrary, it seizes and controls the human subjects, who is always rather its victim than its creator. the numinosum what ever its causes may be is an experience of the subject independent of his will.... the numinosum is either a quality belonging to a visible object or the influence of an invisible presence that causes a peculiar alteration of consciousness " ( jung, 1969b, par. 6 ). the fact remains that evil has presented the twentieth century with the same questions that have perplexed humanity form the beginning of time : ' from whence did it originate? ' in man ' s attempt to progress, he has ignored the basic aspects of his humanity. good and evil have become just another by - product of our technological society, an illness that ' s roots are no longer important. society has projected all its negative side effects


' s attempt to progress, he has ignored the basic aspects of his humanity. good and evil have become just another by - product of our technological society, an illness that ' s roots are no longer important. society has projected all its negative side effects as the cost one must pay for advancement. material success is justified at the expense of ethics and morality. yet the question stills remains if evil is caused from within or by some supernatural force. if in fact it is mankind that has perpetuated the evils of the world, then to heal humanity one must first heal man. evil defined over time throughout the centuries, the enigma of evil has occupied the main stage in the human experience. evil knows no boundaries of time and space. " there has probably never lived a human being who did not at some time in his life wonder why the world, for all its beauty and wonder, should also be so replete with grief, sorrow, conflict and with madness " ( anders, 1994,. p. 2 ). in mans search to find the answers for these human frailties the concept of evil evolved. " for thousands of years, in other words, man has attempted to solve the mystery of evil by means of myth, legend, and philosophical speculation, leaving his progeny with little more than a legacy of lies and empty conjecture " ( anders, 1994 p. 2 ). dr paul carus states that there are no religions in the world where pain, misery or destruction are not represented by some demon or monster the shadow of darkness or evil ( 1996 ). in egyptian literature we find seth, bess and others that represent the dark powers. in buddhism mara the tempter is the personification of evil. the chaldeans see chaos ( tiamat ) as an evil monster. the tension between the existence of evil and the concept of good has plagued philosophers and theologians through out time. in their attempt to define evil they developed three types of evilness in the universe. first, there is natural evil, the natural world and its fallen state. second, there is moral evil. this type of evil is the result of the will of moral being. finally, according to peterson, there is metaphysical evil, consisting of the devil and demons ( 1986 ). every great writer of literary fiction has his or her own definition of evil and how he or she alone decides it will be presented to the reader. the evil represented in a novel may be as flagrant as murder or rape as in dostoevsky ' s the brothers karamazov


his or her own definition of evil and how he or she alone decides it will be presented to the reader. the evil represented in a novel may be as flagrant as murder or rape as in dostoevsky ' s the brothers karamazov or as the psychological manipulation of another character as in hardy ' s tess of the d ' urbervilles. " thomas hardy ' s tess of the d ' urbervilles is a novel in which his protagonist and other characters are confronted by an almost endless array of emotional and moral choices that the reader must ultimately define as good or evil " ( northrup, 1977, p. 225 ). to create the fingering, ever ominous theme of moral and psychological dilemma cast upon his characters, thomas hardy introduces the human attributes of greed, lust, pride, philosophical ideas and religion. he uses themes that require the reader to take a critical look at the character ' s situation, the character ' s thought process and its impact of the character ' s decision making. in order to better understand the concept of moral and physical evil, it must first be defined and separated from natural evil. natural evil refers to events linked to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. moral and psychological evil refers to the " evil things that people do to each other and themselves " ( alloway, 1974, p. 214 ). natural evil can be easily explained away by relying on religion or natural forces of the universe. moral and psychological evil are not that easy to rationalize. human beings make choices that affect every person around them. as hardy has so aptly pointed out in tess of the d ' urbervilles these are moral and psychological choices which can lead to not only physical, but psychological destruction as well. as lyall watson explains in his novel dark nature, " my intuition is that ' evil ', for all its dark and threatening aspects, is inevitable a sort of black hole in nature " ( 1995, p. 24 ). as rousseau puts it : " god makes all things good ; man meddles with them and they become evil.... [ a ] ll wickedness comes from weakness. the child is only naughty because he is weak ; make him strong and he will be good ; if we could do anything we should never do wrong " ( rousseau, 1986, p. 5 p. 33 ). that the failure is internal is expressed in plato, aristotle, the stoics, many [ but not all ] christians, and spinoza in modem terms it is expressed


wrong " ( rousseau, 1986, p. 5 p. 33 ). that the failure is internal is expressed in plato, aristotle, the stoics, many [ but not all ] christians, and spinoza in modem terms it is expressed by norton and midgley ( kekes, 1990 ). " as rousseau says, our weakness is the cause of the evil we do " ( kekes, 1990, p. 125 ). kant refers to the predisposition of human nature, which he divides into three forms. according to kant, the first is the predisposition for one to satisfy his basic physical and psychological. the second is the rational evaluation of one ' s satisfaction of the basic and culturally conditioned needs in relation to one ' s happiness. kant ' s third predisposition is to submit his will to the moral law. " all of these predispositions are not only good in negative fashion ( in that they do not contradict the moral law ) ; they are also predispositions toward good ( they enjoy the observance of the law ). they are original, for they are bound up with the possibility of human nature. man can indeed use the first two contrary to their ends, but he can extirpate none of them " ( kant, 1960, p. 23 ). although kant indicates that the individual ' s natural inclination is for good, he also makes it clear that there is also "... the propensity to evil in human nature... " ( kant, 1960. p. 23 ). the good according to kant is acquired whereas the evil is brought upon ourselves. " evil is possible only as a determination of free will, and since the will can be appraised as good or evil by means of its maxims, this propensity to evil must consist in the subjective ground of the possibility of the deviation of the maxims from moral law " ( kant, 1960, p. 24 ). therefore, individuals have a propensity to good, but through the exercise of free will one chooses between good and evil. " kant believes that human nature is basically good evil arises because we choose to subordinate our moral predisposition to that of self love " ( kekes, 1990, p. 131 ). in kant ' s synthesis, then man is not corrupt. he is "... still capable of improvement. for man, therefore who despite a corrupt heart yet possess a good will, there remains hope of a return to the good


131 ). in kant ' s synthesis, then man is not corrupt. he is "... still capable of improvement. for man, therefore who despite a corrupt heart yet possess a good will, there remains hope of a return to the good from which he strayed " ( kant, 1960, p. 39 ). evil then becomes a condition of the soul, which is in part a result of its unbalanced and incomplete quality. the incompleteness is a result of mans inability to keep the ego in balance with his true inner self. the extension of the ego is seen as the individual is being immersed in self love. this self love is in reality a state of emptiness in degree, an emptiness in inner being, a shadow ( self love ) and no reality of the soul itself this evil state then is a state which is negative, relative and transitory. it implies the absence of completeness, which is acquired during the souls evolutionary process, the knowing self. the metaphysical concept of evil concerns the contradiction between the religious assumptions in the good and omnipotence of god or supreme essences, and the reality of evil experienced in the world. the classification of the religions of the world addressed this problem with three possible solutions. the first is seen in the teachings of hinduism, where a monistic approach is offered according to which the phenomenal world is but an illusion or maya. it is in maya that evil exists an evil which is only illusionary. in the western world we see a mirror image of this concept in the teachings of christian science. " evil is but an illusion, and it has no real basis. evil is a false belief ' ( eddy, 1934, p. 480 : 23, 24 ). this may address the problem of evil, but makes no attempt to solve it. it leaves its consequences as unexplained. the second explanation is seen in persian zoroastrianism, where we find a dualistic approach to good and evil centered in two deities ahura mazdah and angra mainyu. zoroastrianism expresses this concept in its most extreme form as cosmic struggle between these deities. this approach to the concept of good and evil is not unique. plato ' s timaeus use this dualistic approach as does j. s. mill in ' attributes ', three essays in religion ( 1874 ) and edgar brightman in his a philosophy of religion ( 1940, chap. 8 - 10 ) the third explanation is found within christianity. " in the first centuries of christianity