glenoid. figure 8b shows the biceps ( bi ) and labrum repaired to the labrum using a suture anchor. very rarely, a patient will have severe dislocation is multiple directions ( multidirectional instability or mdi ) and will require an “ open ” approach to the shoulder joint through and incision in the front ( or in very rare cases, in the back ) of the joint. this incision is made in such a way to access the joint without damaging the important deltoid or pectoralis muscles that are important for the shoulder ’ s power. the open surgical approach requires that one of the rotator cuff muscles be moved or split to access the joint and repaired after the procedure is completed. during this open approach, the capsule of the joint is tightened by repositioning the excess or loose ligament tissue into a more suitable position, akin to making a pleat in a pant. the indications for open shoulder stabilization procedures differ according to the degree of instability, and the comfort level and skill of the surgeon with arthroscopic approaches. at the conclusion of the procedure, any incisions are closed using absorbable or removable sutures. frequently, a surgeon will insert a temporary, easily - removable catheter ( a tiny, flexible plastic tube ) into the shoulder joint that is connected to an automatic pump filled with anesthetic solution. this “ pain pump ” can help considerably with postoperative discomfort, and is removed by the patient or their family 2 or 3 days after surgery. the patient ’ s shoulder is placed into a postoperative sling to protect the shoulder during the early postoperative period. the absorbable “ suture anchors ” or implants are gradually absorbed and the sutures attached are incorporated into the healing tissues. when metallic anchors are used ( a matter of surgeon preference ), these are buried in the bone, and do not affect the integrity of the bone or the shoulder joint. further surgery is not normally required to remove the suture anchors after healing. arthroscopic and traditional open shoulder stabilization procedures may be performed under a general anesthetic or under a brachial plexus regional block that makes the shoulder and arm numb during and for several hours after the procedure. the patient may wish to discuss their preferences with the anesthesiologist prior to surgery. length of arthroscopic shoulder surgerythe procedure takes approximately 2 to 2 1 / 2 hours, however, the preoperative preparation and postoperative recovery can easily


wish to discuss their preferences with the anesthesiologist prior to surgery. length of arthroscopic shoulder surgerythe procedure takes approximately 2 to 2 1 / 2 hours, however, the preoperative preparation and postoperative recovery can easily double this time. patients usually spend 1 or 2 hours in the recovery room. patients who undergo arthroscopic procedures almost always are comfortable enough to be discharged home. those undergoing more traditional open procedures may require one night ’ s hospitalization. pain and pain management recovery of comfort and function following shoulder stabilization procedures continues over a few months. initially, the shoulder must be protected from overuse or stressing the repair while the shoulder heals using a sling and a very strict rehabilitation program. ironically, many patients who undergo arthroscopic procedures feel very comfortable long before the healing has taken place, probably because the approach spares the patient from large incisions and dissection through the muscle tissues. immediately postoperatively, the patient is given strong medications ( such as morphine or demerol ) to help with the discomfort of swelling and the work of the surgery. frequently, at the end of the operation a surgeon can insert a temporary, easily - removable catheter ( a tiny, flexible plastic tube ) into the shoulder joint that is connected to an automatic pump filled with anesthetic solution. this “ pain pump ” can help considerably with postoperative discomfort, and is removed by the patient or their family 2 or 3 days after surgery. most patients are discharged to home with a prescription for oral pain medications ( such as hydrocodone or tylenol with codeine ) and an anti - inflammatory medication. after the “ pain pump ” is removed 2 or 3 days after the operation, the oral medications alone are sufficient for occasional discomfort. use of medicationsimmediately postoperatively, pain medications are given through an intravenous ( iv ) line. patients who require a hospital stay are placed on patient controlled anesthesia ( pca ) to allow them to administer their own medication as it is needed. most patients will go home with a “ pain pump ” catheter in place connected to an automatic pump that will administer pain medication directly into the shoulder at a constant rate for 2 or 3 days. oral pain medications are rarely required after the first week or two following the procedure. effectiveness of medicationspain medications are very powerful and effective. their proper use lies in the balancing of their pain - relieving effect and their other, less desirable


. oral pain medications are rarely required after the first week or two following the procedure. effectiveness of medicationspain medications are very powerful and effective. their proper use lies in the balancing of their pain - relieving effect and their other, less desirable effects. good pain control is an important part of appropriate postoperative management. important side effects the medication in the “ pain pump ” has a similar effect to the medications used by the dentist during dental procedures — it “ numbs ” the shoulder joint slightly so that the pain is minimal. these medications have few side effects, and do not cause drowsiness or gastrointestinal side effects. other pain medications ( taken through the iv or orally ) can cause drowsiness, slowness of breathing, difficulties in emptying the bladder or bowel, nausea, vomiting, itching, or allergic reactions. patients who have been on pain medications for a long time prior to surgery may find that the usual doses of pain medication are less effective. for some patients, balancing the benefits and side effects of medications is challenging. patients should notify their surgeon if they have had previous difficulties with pain medications or pain control. most patients will not require a hospital stay after a shoulder stabilization procedure, particularly if done through the arthroscope. generally, a person must spend an hour or two in the recovery room until the anesthetic medication has worn off. the instructions for the care of their shoulder, bathing, use of medications, and potential problems are explained to the patient and their family prior to discharge. recovery and rehabilitation in the hospital when the patient is ready for discharge they should have been explained : because fluid is used to expand the shoulder joint during arthroscopic procedures, the shoulder is frequently swollen for a few days following surgery. also, the incisions will “ weep ” fluid for a couple of days postoperatively, and the dressing can become damp. the patient is asked to refrain from using the shoulder and arm even if it feels good for 3 to 4 weeks after the procedure and remove the sling only to perform a strict set of limited exercises of the wrist, elbow and shoulder. these exercises will be explained prior to discharge. some patients find that finding a comfortable position to sleep can be difficult for the first few days. some tricks to help sleeping are to : for the first 3 or 4 weeks, a home program of rest and limited self - therapy is usually recommended. then, as healing has progressed, the arm is removed from the sling and a formal rehabilitation program is


some tricks to help sleeping are to : for the first 3 or 4 weeks, a home program of rest and limited self - therapy is usually recommended. then, as healing has progressed, the arm is removed from the sling and a formal rehabilitation program is started with the physical therapist, on an outpatient basis. some early motion is important after shoulder stabilization, but unrestricted motion can endanger the success of the procedure. for the first 3 or 4 weeks, the patient is scheduled to see a physical therapist once or twice per week to monitor the progress of healing and to reiterate the proper exercises. after a few weeks, the sling is removed, and a more comprehensive rehabilitation program is started. during this period, the therapist works closely with the patient to re - establish a normal range of motion. the therapist and patient work together, but the patient is expected to do “ homework ” on a daily basis so that constant improvement is achieved. once a normal range of motion is re - established, shoulder strengthening is started. it takes about 12 weeks before the shoulder is completely rehabilitated for the normal activities of daily living, and about 16 weeks before contact athletics, throwing, and overhead sports can be re - started. a good therapist can work with the patient on “ sports - specific ” training to re - train the muscles and shoulder for golf, tennis, throwing, and swimming. rehabilitation optionsthe results of physical therapy are optimized by a competent therapist, familiar with the procedure and the usual expectations, and a compliant patient, who is responsible to do home exercises and is motivated to improve. most surgeons have a standard “ protocol ” that they can give to a physical therapist to let them know how to rehabilitate the shoulder. it is important for a patient to find a therapist with flexible hours and in a convenient location because the therapy will become part of a routine for 3 to 4 months. the surgeon can recommend a therapist or therapy group with whom he or she is used to working and who is familiar with the procedure. therapy is generally done on an outpatient basis, with 2 or 3 visits per week so that the therapist can check the progress and review or modify the program as needed to suit the individual. patients are almost always satisfied with the range of motion, comfort and function that they achieve as the rehabilitation program progresses. the sense of “ apprehension ” or pain with overhead motions is usually eliminated. occasionally, persons will have slight decreases in their overall overhead mobility, as the shoulder has been tightened. these minimal decreases usually do not affect the


achieve as the rehabilitation program progresses. the sense of “ apprehension ” or pain with overhead motions is usually eliminated. occasionally, persons will have slight decreases in their overall overhead mobility, as the shoulder has been tightened. these minimal decreases usually do not affect the ability to perform overhead activities or prohibit a return to athletics at the same or a higher level. figure 9 shows a patient who presented with recurrent dislocations and subluxations after an initial traumatic shoulder dislocation. the figures show her range of motion following the repair of the stabilizing ligaments and rehabilitation of her right shoulder. despite her active lifestyle and rigorous occupation, she has not suffered any further events of shoulder instability. if the exercises remain or become painful, difficult, or uncomfortable, the patient should contact the therapist and surgeon promptly. risksthere are very few risks to appropriate postoperative therapy. if the therapist and surgeon are not in communication about what exactly what was done and what the short and long term expectations are following this procedure, the therapist can be too aggressive or alternatively too timid about the rehabilitation. this can result in failure of the procedure ( re - dislocation or subluxation ) or excessive shoulder stiffness. it is exceedingly uncommon for these problems to occur. duration of rehabilitationevery patient is slightly different. once the range of motion is acceptable and the strength has returned, the exercise program can be cut back to a minimal level. patients who have special needs, such as overhead athletes, swimmers, overhead laborers, and throwers may require sports - specific training with a therapist or athletic trainer. returning to ordinary daily activities in general, patients are able to perform gentle activities of daily living with the operated arm at the side starting 2 or 3 weeks after surgery. most persons who work at a desk job can return to work during this time. the patient is strongly encouraged to continue wearing the sling at all times for the first 3 to 4 weeks to remind themselves ( and others ) that the shoulder is injured and healing, and to limit overhead activities. driving should wait until the patient can perform the necessary functions comfortably and confidently, and the pain in the shoulder is at a minimum and pain medications are not required. a good question to ask a patient is “ would you want you driving if your 4 - year old child was in the car or playing in the street? ” in general it may take longer for a person to drive after the right side has had the procedure because of the increased demands on the right arm for shifting gears, etc. with the


year old child was in the car or playing in the street? ” in general it may take longer for a person to drive after the right side has had the procedure because of the increased demands on the right arm for shifting gears, etc. with the consent of their surgeon, a patient may return to activities such as swimming, golf and tennis between 4 and 6 months following the procedure. more extreme sports ( wrestling, pitching, rock climbing, etc ) should only be undertaken when the shoulder is extremely comfortable, and the strength is within 90 % of the opposite side. long - term patient limitationspatients must avoid impact activities ( chopping wood, contact sports, sports with risk of falls ) and heavy lifting ( overhead labor, lifting heavy weights ) until after the strength has returned to normal. occasionally, the extremes of motion overhead and behind the back or head may be limited because the shoulder joint has been tightened. these limitations almost never affect daily activities and usually do not impact a return to sports at or above the level achieved before the shoulder became unstable. the surgeon and therapist should provide the information of the usual cost of the rehabilitation program. most insurances will cover the costs of some or most of the rehabilitation, except perhaps a “ copay ” that the patient must pay at each visit. careful adherence to the home exercises between visits will usually decrease the overall number and frequency of visits required. summary of arthroscopic shoulder surgery for shoulder dislocation, subluxation, and instability the five things one needs to know about arthroscopic or open shoulder stabilization / capsulorraphy or surgery for the dislocating / subluxing shoulder


science still catching up on ddt harms two recent studies report new evidence of the harms of a very old pesticide. it ' s that pesky, persistent and infamous chemical, ddt. nearly 40 years after its use in agriculture was banned in many countries around the world, it ' s still present in our environment, food and bodies at levels that harm human health. and children, once again, are especially vulnerable. according to researchers in spain, when mothers are exposed to higher levels of ddt breakdown products during pregnancy, their babies are more likely to develop lung infections in their first year. and scientists in korea report that exposure to ddt remnants may cause vitamin d deficiency, which is in turn linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. ddt has been largely phased out around the world. small amounts are still used in some countries as a tool for malaria control, but because of ddt ' s persistence and toxicity — and the availability of safer ways to control malaria — efforts are underway through a global treaty called the stockholm convention to help all countries shift away from reliance on ddt. since ddt can last for decades in the environment and remnants from its use 40 years ago are still affecting infant health, this seems like a very good idea. science plays catch - up in an interview with reuters health about the spanish study, dr. barbara cohn, director of child health and development studies at the public health institute in california, noted the enthusiastic optimism about ddt when it was in widespread use in the ' 50s and ' 60s : people thought it was a miracle compound. nobody really knew what might be happening. eventually, the science catches up. now history seems to be repeating itself — on a slightly tighter timeline — as new evidence emerges about the health harms of the latest batch of " safe " pesticides, pyrethroids. shouldn ' t we know better by now? in the words of another spaniard, philospher and poet george santayana, " those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. " in this case, our failure to pay attention to history is putting our children ' s health at risk.


5 - year olds get their own standardized tests october 16, 2012 five - year olds are getting their own standardized tests, mandated in over 25 states, in a new race to the top requirement. ( and a way to get federal dollars. ) what is a standardized test anyway? the basic definition for a standardized test is a test that administered and scored in a standardized way, commercially prepared to measure a student ’ s performance level as compared to others. according to reuters, in some cases, kindergarteners are given an hour - long multiple choice test while other tests are one - on - one with a teacher. education experts, parents, and teachers feel concerned about these tests for a number of reasons : - stressful for kids - too narrow of a view of a child ’ s ability - lack of a post - test to measure growth in some cases ( fl & tx ) those parents and testing proponents ( politicians and test makers? ) that are in favor of the test are so because : - they want their children in an academic kindergarten - it gives a way to evaluate the preschool programs unbelievably ( or maybe not, ) parents can buy a kindergarten test study system! seven sessions of 30 minutes each for $ 50. if you thought the government heard your complaints about over - testing, you would be wrong. apparently, there can always be more tests. are you concerned? comment here. melissa taylor is a freelance writer, an award - winning educational blogger at imaginationsoup, an award - winning teacher with a m. a. in education, and a mom of two children, ages 6 and 9. follow taylor on twitter or find her on facebook. subscribe to class notes blog posts in rss. you might also like : join mom congress on facebook for updates on the 2012 mom congress conference, breaking education news, advocacy resources, and exclusive offers.


“ i ’ ve always tried to be aware of what i say in my films, because all of us who make motion pictures are teachers — teachers with very loud voices. ” based on the classic story of a young man ’ s battle with the forces of evil, george lucas ’ s 1977 film star wars introduced a modern myth to a new generation. a primal tale set in a distant galaxy, star wars revolutionized special effects, forged new frontiers in sound design, and brought audiences to movie theaters in record numbers. the two sequels to star wars, the empire strikes back and the return of the jedi, along with lucas ’ s adventure trilogy of indiana jones movies, are among the most popular films ever made. coming of age in modesto, california in the early 1960s, george lucas loved to write and considered becoming an english major until a childhood friend suggested he apply to the cinema school at the university of southern california. even in his student days, his experimental films walked away with top honors at student film festivals. in 1973 lucas had his first feature - length hit with american graffiti. american graffiti was produced by francis ford coppola, a friend and mentor of lucas since his days in film school. sweeping up america in a wave of nostalgia for the summer nights of teenage innocence, american graffiti was one of the most profitable movies ever made. its success gave lucas both the following and economic resources to begin an even bigger project. lucas spent the next four years hard at work on the first in a series of science fiction movies. star wars ( 1977 ) was one of the first movies to take advantage of the advances in special - effects technologies. the movie created an entertaining fantasy world where important moral and ethical decisions were constantly intertwined with everyday life. speaking of star wars, lucas said, “ there was no modern mythology to give kids a sense of values, to give them a strong mythological fantasy life. westerns were the last of that genre for americans. nothing was being done for young people with real psychological underpinnings. ” in the writing of anthropologist joseph campbell, lucas had learned about the myths that pervade many disparate cultures, and it is this mythology that gives lucas ’ s space age epic its timeless resonance. both of the sequels and the one prequel continued in the same vein and with equally successful. in 1981, lucas ’ s work took a step in another direction, with the production of raiders of the lost ark. raiders of the lost ark was a 20th - century adventure story about a swashbuckling archeologist


and with equally successful. in 1981, lucas ’ s work took a step in another direction, with the production of raiders of the lost ark. raiders of the lost ark was a 20th - century adventure story about a swashbuckling archeologist, indiana jones. played by harrison ford, a long - time lucas associate, jones became one of the best loved heroes of the 1980s. for raiders of the lost ark, lucas teamed up with another major figure, steven spielberg. spielberg had had great success with jaws ( 1977 ) and close encounters of the third kind ( 1977 ), and brought his sense of suspense to the collaboration. it proved one of the most successful pairings of in hollywood history. raiders of the lost ark was followed by two more exceptional pictures in the series and a popular television show featuring the indiana jones character. in the late 1970s lucas formed the production company, lucas films ltd. in northern california, lucas ’ s 2, 700 - acre state - of - the art production center and “ think tank, ” skywalker ranch, is home to the empire. there, lucas presides over his vast entertainment company, which now includes thx, skywalker sound, and industrial light and magic. in many ways, skywalker ranch is the beating heart of the entertainment industry. constantly at work developing new and higher - quality production methods, lucas films ltd. has a significant influence on many of the most successful contemporary films. today, with the second star wars trilogy setting box office records, george lucas remains one of the most popular filmmakers of all time. for the past few decades, he has been at the forefront of american culture and creative technology both predicting and creating our popular aesthetics. he has collaborated with some of the greats of the industry and has been nominated for 44 academy awards ( winning 16 oscars ). more than anyone working today, george lucas has expanded the visual and technological possibilities of the popular cinema, and he continues to delight audiences around the world.


overview - spellread build it! software spellread for smart table software extends the proven success of the spellread program into collaborative technology with three games for the smart tablet interactive learning center. each of the games draws on content derived from spellread and presents it in an interactive, engaging format for additional practice, effective with or without the implementation of the spellread program. the games leverage spellread ' s phonics activities to help students practice building, pronouncing, and identifying words, and are easily integrated into any reading curriculum. when combined with the spellread program, spellread for smart table extends the program into a blended learning solution. the games offer additional practice with words and word parts presented in the spellread program and can supplement the learning that is already taking place in this established, proven - effective program. spellread for smart table software is also appropriate for use alongside any classroom reading curriculum or intervention program, as it reinforces phonemic awareness, phonics, word - building, pronunciation, and word identification skills. the use of the smart table encourages engaged, collaborative, small - group learning. the smart table is optimized for multitouch functionality and can interpret up to 120 distinct touches, whether from fingers, elbows, styluses, or other implements, enabling its use as assistive technology for students with physical limitations. once the software is loaded onto the smart table, the applications allow two to four students to compete or collaborate in interactive, touch - controlled games. each game includes three levels of difficulty, and features appealing visual design and movement as well as audio cues. a classroom integration guide pdf includes game play instructions, word lists, and tips for integrating the games into spellread or any reading intervention program. a progress monitoring module within the teacher area enables teachers to create student users and groups. progress monitoring data includes time which words built, pronounced, and identified were correct, and which were incorrect. teachers determine the level of difficulty yfor each session. the levels reflect the phases in spellread. level a focuses on one - syllable words, level b focuses on two - syllable ywords, and level c focuses on three - syllable words. smart table activities in spellread build it! students compose words using cards with vowel and consonant sounds or syllables. the game can be played competitively, with individual scores and stars awarded to individual players for speed, or cooperatively, with a cumulative team score and bonus points awarded when all players submit correct answers.


overview - adptd classics tm - quiet on the wstrn frnt rl 5 - 6 accessible classic literature and literary masterpieces. appeal to students of all abilities with the high - interest titles in these series. the books are adaptations at various reading levels of classic literature, plays, novels, and stories. each title is a concise book that retains the integrity and tone of the original work. features easy - to - understand text and engaging illustrations. pacemaker classics reading level 3 – 4. each 48 - page study guide offers 35 reproducible project sheets, background information about the author and time period, plot summaries, character descriptions, teaching suggestions, and answer keys. adapted classics reading level 4 +. the teacher ’ s resource manual includes cooperative learning activities and reproducible writing worksheets. | • 20, 000 leagues under the sea • a christmas carol • a tale of two cities • adventures of huckleberry finn • adventures of sherlock holmes • adventures of tom sawyer • all quiet on the western front • anne frank • call of the wild • frederick douglass • grapes of wrath • great expectations • gulliver ’ s travels • helen keller • julus caesar • o. henry • phantom of the opera • red badge of courage • romeo and juliet • tales of edgar allan poe • the canterbury tales • the scarlet letter • treasure island


do you want to know more about parkinson ' s? pdf ' s materials provide information about symptoms, medications, resources & more. news in brief people who are carriers of the genetic mutation in a gene known as gba have at least five times the normal risk of developing parkinson ’ s disease ( pd ), according to a report in the october 22, 2009, issue of the new england journal of medicine. mutations in the same gene, which provides instructions for producing the enzyme glucocerebrosidase, have been shown to cause the rare disorder known as gaucher ’ s disease. clinicians had long noticed an association between gaucher ’ s disease and pd. in rare cases, people with gaucher ’ s disease developed pd - like symptoms ; more recently, scientists noted that relatives of people with gaucher ’ s disease had an increased incidence of pd. gaucher ’ s disease develops when both copies of the gba gene are mutated. normally a person has two working copies of the gene. a mutation in one copy of the gene causes no symptoms and was long thought to be harmless. these and other observed links between the diseases prompted lead investigator ellen sidransky, m. d., of the national human genome research institute to study how frequently people with pd carry the genetic mutations known to cause gaucher ’ s disease. dr. sidransky organized a consortium of 64 researchers at 16 institutions around the world, who were already analyzing the genetics of people with pd. in total, the study involved about 10, 000 people. the researchers focused on studying two common variants of the gba gene, from among the nearly 300 mutations identified by scientists ( and carried by about one in 100 americans ). in an ethnically diverse group of 5, 691 people with pd, they found that 3. 2 percent of the group had at least one of these variants, compared to 0. 6 percent in a similar group of healthy people. since mutations in the gba gene are more common among ashkenazi jews ( one in 15 people is a carrier ), researchers studied this sub - group and found the incidence of one or more of these variants was 15. 3 percent in people with pd and 3. 4 percent in healthy people. since these tests only focused on two common gba mutations, the scientists also examined the full gene in 2, 000 non - ashkenazi individuals living with parkinson ’ s. they found that nearly seven percent of people with pd had a gba gene mutation. still, this limited test missed nearly


of uric acid had a slightly reduced risk of needing to take levodopa for their pd than those individuals with lower uric acid levels. this indicated a statistical trend in people in the high end of the normal range for uric acid, towards slower pd progression. the relationship between uric acid and pd progression is not yet fully understood. many researchers believe that oxidation plays a role in pd, and uric acid participates in oxidation reactions. researchers suspect that uric acid could be a specific marker of pd, but this hypothesis needs further exploration. a clinical trial is now under way to test the safety of the dietary supplement inosine, which the body converts into urate. to learn more about this trial, visit www. pdtrials. org. it is emphasized the uric acid levels in this study were all within the normal range. researchers caution that raising the uric levels in the body by supplements or diet could result in gout, kidney stones, as well as hypertension and heart disease. this study was conducted with funding from pdf, as part of the advancing parkinson ’ s treatments ( apt ) innovations grant, which funds innovative programs that facilitate the movement of treatments from “ bench to bedside. ” * * * azilect®, a medication already approved and on the market for symptomatic relief of parkinson ’ s disease ( pd ), showed mixed results in a study investigating its potential for protecting the brain cells that die in parkinson ’ s. the report appeared in the new england journal of medicine on september 24, 2009. lead investigator c. warren olanow, m. d., and his colleagues conducted a multi - center study known as adagio ( attenuation of disease progression with azilect given once daily ) to examine the effects of rasagiline ( azilect ) on the progression of clinical signs of parkinson ’ s. the study was sponsored by teva pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of azilect. since the beginning of large - scale clinical trials for parkinson ’ s, researchers have attempted to distinguish between these two aims : ( i ) does the drug reduce the symptoms of pd? ; and ( ii ) does the drug slow the progression of pd? to date, no study design has successfully proven that a drug that reduces the symptoms also provides a neuroprotective effect. this study attempted to investigate whether rasagiline is neuroprotective for people with pd by using a “ delayed - start ” treatment design. the researchers looked at over 950 people living with parkinson ’


provides a neuroprotective effect. this study attempted to investigate whether rasagiline is neuroprotective for people with pd by using a “ delayed - start ” treatment design. the researchers looked at over 950 people living with parkinson ’ s, and studied the effects of two doses of rasagiline, one - milligram ( mg. ) and two - mg. daily. within each dosage group, one group of people with parkinson ’ s got a nine - month head start in treatment, while the other group received treatment that was delayed by nine months. researchers followed up with all participants throughout the study to track the progression of their pd symptoms, using the unified parkinson ’ s disease rating scale. assuming that the drug reduced the symptoms of pd ( e. g., tremor, rigidity, slowness ) by an equal amount in each group, any differences in outcome would be assumed to come from the delayed start, and suggest the possibility of neuroprotection. unfortunately, the study gave a conflicting result : those participants who received a daily one - mg. dose of rasagiline had a superior outcome when the drug was started nine months earlier. this supports the idea that the drug may have an effect on disease progression. by contrast, those receiving a daily dose twice as large, two - mg., did not show this benefit, which does not support the claim of neuroprotection. in the end, the researchers of this study concluded that the effect of neuroprotection remains unproven, and that more study is needed. “ the results have been fairly reported with appropriate caution on interpretation, ” says christopher goetz, m. d., director of the pdf parkinson ’ s disease research center at rush university medical center in chicago. “ clearly, if one focuses on the results with the one - mg. dose, we would want to recommend early intervention as opposed to holding off on treatment to reserve it for later. if one focuses on the results with the two - mg. results, we would not have any reason to promote early treatment, since the outcomes achieved with the extra duration of treatment did not meet the outcome measures predicted. more research is needed and a longer follow - up on these patients since pd lasts far longer than 18 months. ” * * * for the latest in parkison ' s science news, visit pdf ' s science news page.


our directory is intended as a resource for people with peanut and nut allergies. it contains foods, helpful products, and much more. - what is a peanut allergy - foods to avoid - the allergic reaction - recognizing and treating anaphylaxis - epinephrine auto - injectors - medical id bracelets - support groups peanut free and nut free other food allergies soap and toothpaste could be causing rise in childhood food allergies researchers at johns hopkins children ' s center believe they have uncovered a factor contributing to the dramatic rise of childhood food allergies over the past two decades. they believe that antibacterial chemicals in soap, toothpaste, and other products may be leading to an increase in allergies and asthma. this finding supports the “ hygiene hypothesis ” which suggests that children in developed nations grow up in environments that are too clean, and don ' t enable their immune systems to get used to the presence of bacteria and germs. as a result, the immune system overreacts when faced with a potential allergen. results of new research the study involved 860 children. researchers measured the presence of antibacterial chemicals in their urine, and found that children with higher levels of the chemicals were more likely to have ige antibodies in their blood. these antibodies are related to the immune systems, and levels are higher in people with allergies. lead study author jessica savage announced in a press release, “ the link between allergy risk and antimicrobial exposure suggests that these agents may disrupt the delicate balance between beneficial and bad bacteria in the body. ” the researchers concluded that there may be a link between allergies and children being exposed to antibacterial chemicals in toothpastes, soaps, mouthwash, and other personal care products. source : global post


health issues in dogs dogs can suffer from a whole host of diseases and other serious health problems. some of these conditions are inherited, while others are caused by viruses ; still others are related to lifestyle and environmental influences. because veterinary costs can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, current and prospective dog owners alike need to be well - informed about the various medical maladies that can strike a seemingly healthy dog at any moment. beyond these financial factors, a beloved family companion could end up suffering terribly from these serious illnesses and disorders, and anyone who cares about the health and welfare of their four - legged friend needs to know about all the dangers that may be lurking. genetic conditionsin purebred dogs in particular, there are a number of genetic time bombs that may be lying in the weeds waiting to manifest in any dog unfortunate enough to have lost the genetic lottery. when acquiring a dog from a breeder, it is important to try and find a responsible seller who can provide genetic information about the parents, and even the grandparents of every dog they are offering for purchase. if a breeder is not able to provide such information, then he or she should not be considered a trustworthy merchant and anyone buying a dog from such a person is likely to find themselves with an animal that will suddenly begin to develop significant health problems later on. no matter what precautions dog owners try to take, however, it is inevitable that genetic disorders of many types will continue to express themselves, causing pain and suffering to dogs and many worrisome moments for their caring human companions. one of the most well - known and notorious genetic disorders is hip dysplasia, which is found in many larger breeds of dogs in particular. hip dysplasia is a misalignment of the hip socket that causes degeneration of the joints, eventually leading to painful arthritis that makes it difficult for dogs suffering from this condition to move about. this disorder is extremely painful, and it is one of the primary genetic conditions that breeders try to screen out before they breed dogs and put their offspring up for sale. dogs suffering from hip dysplasia may be treated with canine arthritis drugs ( usually by way of injection ), and in some extreme cases they may need hip replacement surgery to restore their mobility. von willebrand ’ s disease is a condition that can strike many breeds. dogs with this condition lack a protein factor that interferes with the body ’ s ability to form blood clots. it is not unlike hemophilia in humans. dogs with von will


’ s disease is a condition that can strike many breeds. dogs with this condition lack a protein factor that interferes with the body ’ s ability to form blood clots. it is not unlike hemophilia in humans. dogs with von willebrand ’ s disease can suffer significant blood loss or even bleed to death if they are cut or suffer some kind of internal injury. canine atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disorder that causes extreme itchiness for dogs so inflicted. labrador and golden retrievers are especially vulnerable to atopic dermatitis, as nearly 50 % of these dogs will suffer from this inherited disorder. there are a number of medications available from veterinarians that can be used to help dogs deal with the severe itching associated with atopic dermatitis. viral diseasesdistemper is probably the greatest disease threat that dogs face. up to 80 % of all puppies who are infected with this disease perish, which is why all dogs should be vaccinated against distemper as soon as possible after being brought home. distemper shows up as symptoms that imitate a cold or the flu, but eventually this virus will attack the nervous system leading to seizures that resemble an epileptic fit or a stroke. this is a highly contagious disease that can be passed from dog to dog by saliva, or through contact with fecal matter and urine. heartworm has an interesting pattern of development. it starts out as micro larvae in the body of dogs, which can be passed to mosquitoes and then back to dogs again when the mosquitoes feed. these larvae will hatch in the body of the mosquito, and when they are passed back to the dog they gravitate toward the heart as they grow into worms that can reach lengths of 14 inches. untreated heartworms can damage the heart and other organs and ultimately bring death to an infected dog. tests exist for heartworm, so it can be caught and treated during periodic check - ups. canine parvovirus dates to only to the late 1970s. this relatively new virus can be easily passed from dog to dog through contact with fecal waste, and it is a fast - acting virus that can cause death in two or three days. a vaccine has been developed that has reduced the ravages of this terrible affliction, but there are still areas of the country where canine parvovirus represents a significant threat. diseases related to lifestyle and environmentas a result of poor diet, obesity, inactivity, and


reduced the ravages of this terrible affliction, but there are still areas of the country where canine parvovirus represents a significant threat. diseases related to lifestyle and environmentas a result of poor diet, obesity, inactivity, and old age, dogs can develop the same kinds of conditions that human beings experience – cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis and so on. healthy diet, exercise, and vitamin supplements can help reduce the incidence of these diseases, and help those afflicted with them recover to live a healthy and active life. dogs have a lot of skin problems as a result of exposure to and infestation by parasites like fleas, ticks and mites. there are a number of products available in pet stores or from veterinarians that can help treat these disorders ; but there is a good chance that most dogs will face attack by parasite on multiple occasions throughout their lives. constipation and diarrhea are common in dogs, just as they are in humans. processed foods lacking moisture can lead to problems with the former, while a dog eating something he shouldn ’ t – which is unfortunately a frequent occurrence – can lead to the latter. prevention is the best defensethis is just a sampling of the kind of health problems that plague dogs and bedevil dog owners. regular medical check - ups, vaccinations and genetic records acquired from breeders are the primary weapons that dog owners have at their disposal to try and combat these health problems. however, almost every dog will suffer from some health problems during his or her lifetime, and anyone planning to get a dog should be prepared emotionally and financially to deal with this reality.


who are the chechens? the chechens are a muslim people who have lived in the caucasus mountains for more than a millennium. it took czarist russia 30 years to overcome fierce resistance and conquer them in 1864. after the 1917 revolution, the soviets needed seven years to regain control of the area. the chechens revolted against stalin twice. they have been fighting the expansion of russia for nearly 200 years. so when the soviet union fell apart three years ago, it was not a surprise that the chechens, led by their president, dzhokhar m. dudayev, declared independence. what was the russian response? for two years the russians left the chechens alone. still, many in moscow felt an independent chechnya represented a threat to their control of the oil pipelines that flow through chechnya and neighboring republics. there was also a feeling that moscow needed to reestablish its authority in the russian federation — they had been collecting only 20 percent of the taxes owed, and few regions had been complying with the draft — by making an example of chechnya. last summer the secret police set things in motion by trying to overthrow dudayev by arming his opponents, but they failed. then the secret police convinced yeltsin that the army should be brought in. why did yeltsin go along? yeltsin has been losing political support and has become increasingly disillusioned with democracy as a solution to his problems. the economy has not turned around. the americans have not come to his aid. by invading chechnya, he thought he would get a quick victory and regain some of his earlier popularity. now he has lost control of the situation. he twice issued orders to stop the bombing of grozny, the chechen capital, but the army and secret police ignored him. they were intent on continuing the bombing because they did not want to launch a mass frontal assault and risk thousands of casualties and the public wrath that would ensue. if the army is not listening to yeltsin, then who is in charge? yeltsin still has overall authority, but he is not prepared to enforce it. he might be able to end the war tomorrow by firing some of his generals, but that doesn ' t mean they would go. and if they stay, their solution may be to remove him. will chechnya be the russians ' vietnam? i would say it ' s their afghanistan in the media age. when the soviets invaded afghanistan in


doesn ' t mean they would go. and if they stay, their solution may be to remove him. will chechnya be the russians ' vietnam? i would say it ' s their afghanistan in the media age. when the soviets invaded afghanistan in 1979, there was strict government control of all news outlets. but now the russians see television reports every night about chechnya, and they are horrified by what their government is doing. polls suggest that 75 percent of the russian people are opposed to the invasion. has yeltsin taken this opposition to heart? if he were a true supporter of democracy, he would fire his immediate entourage, call for parliamentary elections and offer to negotiate with the chechens. but that is not likely to happen. i expect he will stick with the secret police and stand by as grozny is destroyed. but the russians will then discover you can ' t decapitate the chechens. their country is mountainous, and they can resist for a very long time. lots of russian boys will be coming home in body bags or, as they call them, overcoats of lead. how has the invasion of chechnya affected relations between the u. s. and russia? so far the clinton administration has done nothing except express concern about whether yeltsin will survive or not. that ' s the wrong tack. it is a mistake to focus on yeltsin as if he were an unchanging beacon of light. the question is, how do we react as russian policy changes? yeltsin today is not the one of a year ago. he has moved to the right. our failure to criticize him removes one of the most important constraints on his behavior and undermines any belief in our moral authority around the world. what constructive action should the u. s. be taking? we need to make very clear that we want to cooperate with russia but only if it lives up to international law and agreements. how can we cooperate with a government that has leveled an all - out assault on its own people? how do you think the war in chechnya will play out? the real problem is going to begin after grozny falls. terrorism will follow, and it may expand into a guerrilla war, spreading across neighboring republics. this will send fault lines across russia and could tear russian society apart. do you think there will be a return to communism? no. what we are seeing now is a move toward authoritarianism, toward a much tougher, less democratic regime in moscow. war has


the type of treatment is dependent on the underlying cause for the symptoms. oxygen is sometimes necessary if the rabbit has trouble breathing ; using a humidifier can also help open airways. other ways to improve respiratory function include washing the affecting area and removing any environmental irritants, especially known allergic items. antibiotics may help with cases of rhinitis or sinusitis due to bacterial infections. often, secondary bacterial infections cause many of the clinical signs associated with these two conditions. and because certain topical nasal decongestants cause some symptoms to worsen, they are not commonly recommended. in these cases, your veterinarian may prescribe antihistamines. living and management animals should be provided with a proper, well - balanced diet including a wide selection of fresh greens such as cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, dandelion greens and spinach. recovering rabbits need plenty of fluids at this time, in addition to regular follow - up appointments. this will ensure that the long - term treatment is successful. rabbits with the chronic bacterial form of sinusitis are less likely to completely eliminate all symptoms. however, it is possible to control the disease ' s clinical symptoms with proper care and education. a medical condition ; occurs when the sinus becomes inflamed a cavity within a bone ; may also indicate a flow or channel a special type of tissue that exudes mucus term used to imply that a situation or condition is more severe than usual ; also used to refer to a disease having run a short course or come on suddenly. the ability to create a disease where a disease might not normally be found, usually due to an ill timed or unlikely weakness


corn snakes make fascinating pets for adults and children of all ages. they are easy to keep and care for once set up in a correct environment. they are easy to handle and following regular handling will become fairly tame. corn snakes can grow to 1. 5m long and will often live for around 20 years so will be a long term commitment for anyone thinking of keeping one. these snakes are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk, so they will hide and sleep during the daytime when the light is switched on and will then come out when the lights are turned off, also they tend to be terrestrial meaning they spend most of their time on the ground, however they will enjoy climbing around the vivarium given the chance. corn snakes do not have the same needs for companionship as most mammals do, so are happily kept on their own. at times it is advised to keep singularly as aggression can be shown between individuals ; it would never be advised to try keeping different species together at any time. corn snakes come from the americas and are typically found in the south - eastern united states. in the wild they tend to live in over - grown fields, pine forests and areas of agriculture. like most reptiles, they are normally housed in an enclosed cage with glass doors, known as a vivarium. they have specific requirements, therefore it ' s essential that the environment within the vivarium is controlled precisely and monitored at all times. young corn snakes should not be housed in large vivariums as this can be stressful for them and they can be less inclined to eat. corn snakes are not highly active and do not need huge enclosures. a medium sized vivarium will house your snake comfortably. as a rough guide, the vivarium can be half to thwo - thirds the length of the snakes total body length. snakes are excellent escape artists, so care must be taken when planning their enclosure. make sure your vivarium has a tight fitting lid and tightly fitting doors. snakes are very strong and can push a loose fitting lid from a vivarium. there are many options in regards to substrate that you can keep your snakes on. we would advise cage carpet, aspen bedding or dried bark chips. the substrates are very easy to keep clean, which is paramount in order to stop possible health issues. corn snakes do not tend to be aggressive and are not venomous. once used to regular handling they will very rarely bite due to their relaxed and passive nature. they are rather inquisitive and they will move all around their viva


posted by bruce kahl on december 10, 1999 in reply to : re : " push the envelope " posted by arthur smith on december 10, 1999 : : i will accept the premise that " push the envelope " : : originated with airline pilots, but i would like to : : know in exactly what context : the actual practical : : mechanics of flying as in the use of the controls : : relative to a certain aspect of aircraft performance, : : the theory of flight as in aerodynamics or the : : efficiency with which the aircraft performs relative : : to outside forces, or some other practical : : explanation? this expression comes out of the us air force test pilot program of the late 1940 ' s. the envelope refers to a plane ' s performance capabilities. the limits of the planes ability to fly at speeds and altitudes and under certain stresses define what is known as its performance envelope. it ' s an " envelope " in the sense that it contains the ranges of the plane ' s abilities. " pushing the envelope " is a good example of how jargon - - the specialized or technical vocabulary of a group or profession - - gradually enters general usage. " pushing the envelope " comes from the jargon of test pilots, and has actually been around since the end of the second world war. the " envelope " involved is a sort of visual metaphor for the technical limits of a high - performance aircraft. a graph of such an aircraft ' s performance would appear as a rising slope as the craft approaches its limits of speed and stress, then fall off rapidly ( putting it mildly ) when the plane exceeds its capacity and the pilot loses control. safety, relatively speaking, lies within these limits, or " inside the envelope. " a pilot who " pushes the envelope " and tries to exceed the known capabilities of the aircraft risks what engineers delicately term " catastrophic system failure, " otherwise known as a crash. because " pushing the envelope " had such a esoteric origin, it took a best - selling book - - tom wolfe ' s " the right stuff " in 1979 - - and later the popular movie " top gun " to introduce it to the general public. since then it has begun to crop up in increasingly non - technical contexts, to the point where it is now a currently trendy metaphor for simply " pushing it, " or testing the limits of what is permissible in a given situation.


each year, nearly 7 million children die before reaching their fifth birthdays, according to the world health organization. more than half of these deaths are caused by conditions that are preventable or treatable, including pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and malnutrition. to put it bluntly, every day 20, 000 children are killed by conditions that could be prevented or cured with simple, affordable remedies — vaccinations, bed nets, food, clean drinking water, and antibiotics. pih strives to eliminate this unnecessary suffering and death by providing free comprehensive health care for children and their families and by working to ensure that children have access to the basic rights — vaccinations, health care, education — that are key to a healthy, productive life. preventing the transmission of hiv to infants each day, about 1, 000 infants are born with hiv, the vast majority of whom reside in poor countries. most of these infants could be protected from hiv infection through effective hiv testing and treatment for prevention of mother - to - child transmission of hiv ( pmtct ). these interventions have nearly eliminated mother - to - child transmission in wealthy countries, unaids reports. in haiti, pih began offering pmtct and hiv counseling to pregnant mothers in 1995, just one year after it became available in the united states. pih ’ s hiv equity initiative has provided antiretroviral therapy ( art ) free of charge for thousands of haitian children living with hiv since 2000. hiv care for children is fully integrated into other basic health services, also provided at no cost. in 2005, pih began implementing this model first in rwanda and later malawi and lesotho. creating access to health and education in peru, pih ’ s socios en salud sucursal program serves children in the deeply impoverished communities of carabayllo in northern lima. the program targets both health and education for children living in the carabayllo slums. to improve health, pih manages community health posts where staff promote health, prevent the spread of disease, and provide primary health care. these activities address issues of gender, equity, community participation, and social empowerment that have a significant effect on health. pih ’ s education activities aim to organize the community to promote the rights of children and adolescents. pih identifies community leaders who follow children in their education, providing support to families that helps address social barriers that prevent many children from completing their education. in haiti, pih supports 39 community primary schools and


plants of the pine barrens of the several thousand species of plants native to new jersey, only about 550 species were known to occur in the pine barrens in the early 1900 ’ s. witmer stone, the foremost authority on the vegetation of the pine barrens at that time, indicated that a good many of these were present only because people had amended the soil in the villages and industrial sites. he put the number of “ true ” pine barrens species at 386. the flora of the pinelands national reserve is a more complicated matter. it contains most of the historical pine barrens ecosystem, but also considerable coastal areas and some delaware bay shore area. also, the influence of people on the vegetation communities of the pinelands region has increased exponentially. here we offer brief sketches of a few true pine barrens plants. pine barrens gentian, bog asphodel, and swamp pink are wetland flowers that are threatened or endangered globally and nationally, yet are locally abundant in the pinelands. unknown to many, the pinelands is home to a delightful array of wild orchids. several, such as rose pogonia and grass - pink, are very abundant and easily found along the pinelands streams and in wet meadows and open swamps. other orchids range from the rare to the imperiled, the most critically endangered being spreading pogonia, yellow fringeless orchid, and lace - lip ladies ’ - tresses. the pinelands also hosts several species of carnivorous plants, including pitcher plants, sundews, and bladderworts, that have evolved their own unique ways to capture and consume insects and other tiny animals. since the soil contains so few nutrients, the plants use the nitrogen obtained from their prey to supplement their diet. pine barrens trees woody plants can be divided into groups such as trees, shrubs, subshrubs, and vines, but some woody plants blur these distinctions. for general purposes we can think of trees as typically tall perennial woody plants with a single stem ( trunk ). there are only about twenty tree species native to the pine barrens. learn more there are about 68 species of shrubs native to the pinelands. learn more ferns & fern allies the pine barrens is not particularly rich in ferns, but it does have several prominent and beautiful species. learn more there are over 250 native pinelands plants in this informal category ( excluding the grasses, sedges, and rushes, q. v. also, see the separate category for the orchids. ) learn more aquatic herb


and beautiful species. learn more there are over 250 native pinelands plants in this informal category ( excluding the grasses, sedges, and rushes, q. v. also, see the separate category for the orchids. ) learn more aquatic herbaceouslearn more though all of our orchids are terrestrial herbaceous plants, they are so distinctive and so well - loved, we have given them a special place here. learn more rushes are often confused with grasses and sedges because of superficial similarities, but they are quite distinct. learn more routinely overlooked by some, the sedges ( cyperaceae family ) are a ubiquitous and, ecologically, highly important component of the pinelands flora. learn more wildflower enthusiasts who disregard the grasses are certainly missing a big part of the show. the flowers produced by grasses are indeed small, but they are quite spectacular when viewed with a 10x hand lens. learn more any plants with long, trailing or climbing stems are commonly considered vines. some are woody and others are herbaceous. we have about 16 such plants native to the pinelands. learn more pinelands native plant resources brochures, fact sheets, links and a list of retail and mail order native plant nurseries. learn more special plants of new jersey fact sheets these fact sheets give identification details, conservation status, habitat descriptions, and additional information for each of the rare plant species listed below. the fact sheets were created by the partnerships for new jersey plant conservation, a group of scientists and citizens committed to saving new jersey ' s incredible botanical heritage, and the new jersey natural heritage program. please use and distribute these fact sheets! learn more plants of the pine barrens ( georgian court university ) descriptions in this section are from new jersey wild plants by mary hough


the silk museum in soufli presents all the phases and the stages of the pre - industrial process of rearing silkworms ( sericulture ) and of silk processing ( silk manufacturing ) within the socio - economic context that made the region a major silk - producing centre in greece ( late 19th – mid - 20th century ). the silk museum ' s ground floor, where the old exhibition used to be housed, is now dedicated to the section on the history of silk. at the same time, the projected documentaries produced by piop help the visitor to put sericulture and silk manufacturing into a specific space - and time - frame. on the first floor the exhibition ' s scenario on sericulture is developed. the visitor ' s itinerary follows the cycle of sericulture. it begins with the production and hatching of the silkworm seed ( eggs ), the mulberry and the silkworm. it continues with the silkworm ' s different stages of development ( instars ) and the weaving of the valuable cocoon ( mounting of the branches and harvesting ). this is followed by the cocoons ' cleaning and sorting. the silkworm ' s life cycle ends with the process called stifling. the next section is dedicated to silk manufacturing ( reeling, i. e. unwinding the cocoon ' s silk filament, dyeing and weaving of silk yarn, with particular mention to the givre silk mills ). the authentic exhibits are accompanied by audiovisual material. lastly, the section « traditional costumes in soufli » presents unique accessories and items of traditional attire in this region.


history of mathematics from : ( michael a. stueben ) in the interest of historical accuracy let it be known fibonacci ' s daughter was not named " bunny. " michael rolle was not danish, and did not call his william horner was not called " little - jack " by his the " g " in g. peano does not stand for " grand. " rene descartes ' middle name is not " push. " isaac barrow ' s middle name is not " wheel. " there is no such place as the university of wis - cosine, and if there was, the motto of their mathematics department would not be " secant ye shall find. " although euler is pronounced oil - er, it does not follow that euclid is pronounced oi - clid. franklin d. roosevelt never said " the only thing we have to sphere is sphere itself. " fibonacci is not a shortened form of the italian name that is actually spelled : f i bb ooo nnnnn aaaaaaaa it is true that august mobius was a difficult and opinionated man. but he was not so rigid that he could only see one side to every question. it is true that johannes kepler had an uphill struggle in explaining his theory of elliptical orbits to the other astronomers of his time. and it is also true that his first attempt was a failure. but it is not true that after his lecture the first three questions he was asked were " what is elliptical? " what is an orbit? " and " what is a planet? it is true that primitive societies use only rough approximations for the known constants of mathematics. for example, the northern tribes of alaska consider the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle to be 3. but it is not true that the value of 3 is called eskimo pi. incidentally, the survival of these tribes is dependent upon government assistance, which is not always forthcoming. for example, the canadian firm of tait and sons sold a stock of defective compasses to the government at half - price, and the government passed them onto the northern natives. hence the saying among these peoples : " he who has a tait ' s is lost. "


language issues : proposed recognition of south african sign language as official language, sepedi / sesotho sa leboa issues : briefings by deaf sa, crl commission, pan south african language board the deaf federation of south africa ( deafsa ), addressed the committee on the need to recognise south african sign language ( sasl ) as an officially recognised language under the constitution. it was a real language, and recognition would mean that institutions would be required to accord it full weight, and allow for it to be taught to children in schools, promoted as part of the language policy of the sabc, and require that interpreters be made available for deaf people, for instance. deafsa stressed that at present the department of education did not recognise it as a medium of instruction, which was akin to forcing children to be taught via a medium that was completely foreign to them, similar to the situation with schools in 1976. this request had been made prior to 1994 and again in 2007, when a task team should have been set up. the third parliament had approved the report of the previous committee that sasl be recognised as an official language, and deafsa therefore appealed to this parliament to take the matter further. the commission for the promotion and protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities ( crlc ), addressed the committee on whether sepedi or sesotho sa leboa ( northern sotho ) should be listed as an official language in the constitution. the interim constitution had designated sesotho sa leboa as an official language, but this was replaced in the final constitution with sepedi. some communities complained to the commission that sepedi was in fact a dialect of sesotho sa leboa, not a language on its own, and would prefer their children to be taught in sesotho sa leboa. the pan south african language board ( pansalb ) indicated that it had done research also into this issue, and had reached the conclusion that sepedi was indeed a dialect of sesotho sa leboa. pansalb recommended that the committee should do some more research and consult with a broader community before any final decision was taken on the issue. it also recommended that there must be more consultation on whether to recognise sasl as an official language. members asked why deafsa wanted the language to be recognised officially, asked if other countries had accorded their sign language official or protection status, asked how south african sign language was aligned to


more consultation on whether to recognise sasl as an official language. members asked why deafsa wanted the language to be recognised officially, asked if other countries had accorded their sign language official or protection status, asked how south african sign language was aligned to other international sign languages, and whether it was able to be used only by those who were educated. members indicated that although they were sympathetic to the request, there were some practical considerations, and that in fact many of the official languages were already not being accorded equal treatment, airing or resources. members indicated that they wished to hear ( perhaps not at this meeting ) the differences between the work of the pansalb and the commission, and why sepedi had been inserted as an official language in the final constitution. they were aware how difficult the issues were, being closely linked to identity. the committee asked whether pansalb could give recommendations, and the commission and pansalb indicated that there were a number of differing views that would require some sensitivity to reconcile. because there was no quorum, further deliberations would stand over to the next meeting. the chairperson recorded apologies submitted from members mr s holomisa ( anc ), mr a watson ( da - mpumalanga ) and ms b mncube ( anc - gauteng ). he noted that the committee did not have a quorum present, and thus no decisions would be made today, although it wished the institutions to make their presentations. deaf federation of south africa ( deafsa ) submission mr bruno druchen, national director, deaf federation of south africa ( deafsa ), addressed the committee on the need to recognise south african sign language ( sasl ) as an officially recognised language under the constitution. he noted that south african sign language was a real language. in february 2007, deafsa had also made a presentation to the committee in which it made out a case for sasl to be recognised as an official language. he explained that prior to 1994, deafsa was run by those without hearing difficulties, but since then it had been run by deaf people, and it was affiliated to the world federation of the deaf ( wfd ). at present south africa had 44 schools for the deaf, yet only ten had classes up to matric level. this was a major concern for deafsa. it had lobbied the department of education to use sasl as a medium of instruction in these schools, so that more learners could obtain their matric on a proper standard. it was therefore important that all


. this was a major concern for deafsa. it had lobbied the department of education to use sasl as a medium of instruction in these schools, so that more learners could obtain their matric on a proper standard. it was therefore important that all teachers also learn sasl. he went on to explain that sasl was a language on its own, and did not differ from one language group to another, although, just as there were different dialects within other languages, sasl also had different dialects. he added that it was a wrong perception that total communication ( spoken language with signs ) was the same as sasl. he explained further that uganda was the first country in africa that had approved sign language as an official language. after the last presentation had been made to parliament, a task team was supposed to be set up with deafsa and the department of arts and culture. this, however, had never taken place. after the presentation in 2007, deaf sa wrote to the speaker, who had promised to follow up on this issue. the third parliament had approved the report, which suggested that sasl be recognised as an official language. action, however, was now required. the deaf community was looking to this parliament to take the matter further. he concluded by emphasising that the deaf community did not want the spoken language enforced on them. commission for the promotion and protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities ( crlc ) mr wesley mabuza, chairperson, commission for the promotion and protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities ( crlc ), addressed the committee, following the powerpoint presentation attached to this report. he explained that the crlc was presently addressing the issue as to whether sepedi or sesotho sa leboa ( northern sotho ) should be an official language that would be listed in the constitution. he explained further that the crlc was a constitutional body, established in terms of chapter 9 of the constitution, and that it had received complaints from some communities about the fact that sepedi was accepted as an official language in south africa. these communities felt that sepedi was a dialect of sesotho sa leboa, and not a language on its own. it should therefore be replaced by sesotho sa leboa as one of the official languages. these communities were also unhappy that their children were being forced to learn sepedi and not sesotho sa leboa. he pointed out that in the interim constitution, seso


sympathetic to deafsa ' s plea for sasl to be made an official language, but wanted to know what this would mean in practical terms. she was not sure whether it would give any additional impetus or muscle to the language. the present eleven languages did not receive equal funding or usage. the constitution stated that provinces and municipalities had to use at least two languages, but it was necessary to consider and be sensitive to the practical issues. mr swepu indicated that if sasl were made into an official language, the different government departments would be compelled to use it. provinces and municipalities would also include it in their language policy. ms smuts noted that the presentation had given a figure of one million deaf people in south africa, but enquired whether perhaps this number was not higher. she had been informed that four million south africans were hard of hearing. mr druchen said that prior to 1994, deafsa had also lobbied for sasl to be declared an official language. the sabc had not put this into its language policy, because sasl was not listed as an official language. the department of education had also not accepted it for schools, because it was not listed as an official language. the department of transport had also not employed any interpreters, again because sasl was not an official language. he hoped that this illustrated that declaring sasl as an official language would compel departments to make these service available to people. he pointed out that new zealand, uganda, finland and spain had made sign language an official language. the other countries mentioned in the presentation had either protected sign language or had given it some form of recognition. he pointed out that sign language was possibly the oldest language, as cavemen had probably used it to communicate. the first documented signs occurred in the seventeenth century. he added that some people who were born or became hard of hearing and accepted sign language could communicate well with others. some people who became deaf later in life, however, did not want to accept sign language. he explained that the department of education still told deafsa that sasl was not a real language, and insisted that in the schools, total communication be used. the spoken language was therefore being enforced on deaf children. for the deaf community this was akin to people being forced to be educated in afrikaans in 1976. mr druchen explained to the committee that each country had its own sign language. there were different signs for the same words, but the grammar was the same. the wfd was aiming to have everyone adopt the same system


afrikaans in 1976. mr druchen explained to the committee that each country had its own sign language. there were different signs for the same words, but the grammar was the same. the wfd was aiming to have everyone adopt the same system. adjustments, however, could be made so that people could communicate. people who were illiterate still were able to use basic signs to communicate with others. ms digkale supported sasl being declared as an official language. this would enable more children to obtain their matric and find work, rather than becoming dependent on grants. mr a ainslie ( anc ) wanted to know what the difference was between the crl and the pansalb. mr ainslie asked why sepedi was made an official language in the final constitution. ms c digkale ( anc ) commented that sepedi was not a language on its own but rather a dialect. ms smuts suggested that the committee should not spend time discussing the difference between the crl and the pansalb, or how sepedi was made an official language, as this information could be obtained by members outside this meeting. ms smuts asked about the impartiality of pansalb, and said that it should give recommendations to the committee, since the committee was not able to consult with all communities. she added that pansalb had consulted with people within the da, and it had agreed with the recommendation originally made by pansalb regarding sepedi. she pointed out that it was only the zulu and english versions of the constitution that needed sepedi replaced by sesotho sa leboa. mr swepu responded that he did not think that it was necessary for pansalb to make recommendations as to what the committee should do, and it was up to members to say whether sepedi should be recognised as an official language or not. the mandate of the pansalb was to work with languages. parliament, however, had to decide what the status of those languages should be. he added that pansalb had consulted and had submitted a report to the department of arts and culture. it had also met with the chairperson of the previous committee. mr mabuza said that the crlc was under no illusion as to the seriousness of the issues around the use of sepedi. the commission had met with pansalb as well to discuss the matter. it was important that all sides be satisfied with the outcome. mr aubrey sedupane, acting


as to the seriousness of the issues around the use of sepedi. the commission had met with pansalb as well to discuss the matter. it was important that all sides be satisfied with the outcome. mr aubrey sedupane, acting manager, crlc, added that the commission had received submissions from all the dialects that fell under sesotho sa leboa. there had to be some sort of test that needed to be done so that the status of the languages could be determined. mr schmidt said that the issue around sepedi was very confusing and intricate. he referred to some of the dialects that ms digkale had mentioned, and asked where those fitted in. the chairperson said that these dialects were part of sesotho sa leboa. ms digkale said that the batswana and basotho fell into the same group, and this was the reason why sepedi should also fall into this grouping. the chairperson asked the organisations to give closing statements. mr swepu said that pansalb had found the discussion to be very valuable. he encouraged the committee to approach the sepedi language question with an open mind, in order to resolve the issues. he emphasised that there were other perspectives that needed to be taken into account. ms smuts ( da ) said that of all the issues in south africa, language was one of the most difficult to deal with, as it was linked to identity. she was not sure about the way forward. mr mabuza said that despite the difficulty involved in the sepedi language question, south africa had great people who could do great things. he warned that the committee should not spend too much time on this issue, as there were other important matters to attend to as well. it was important to use the important research that pansalb had done already, and to be fully informed on, and keep an open mind on the issues. mr druchen said that deafsa had faith that the committee would take the proper steps. the chair repeated that there was no quorum and therefore no decisions could be taken at his meeting, and would stand over to the next meeting. the meeting was adjourned.


antarah ( antar ) ibn shaddad ( 525 - 615 / najd ) ' antarah ibn shaddad al - ' absi was a pre - islamic arabian hero and poet ( 525 - 608 ) famous both for his poetry and his adventurous life. what many consider his best or chief poem is contained in the mu ' allaqat. the account of his life forms the basis of a long and extravagant romance. antarah was born in najd ( northern saudi arabia ). he was the son of shaddad, a well - respected member of the arabian tribe of banu abs, his mother was named zabibah, an ethiopian woman, whom shaddad had enslaved after a tribal war. the tribe neglected antara at first, and he grew up in servitude. although it was fairly obvious that shaddad was his father. he was considered one... more » click here to add this poet to your my favorite poets. popular poemsmore poems of antarah ( antar ) ibn shaddad » hiv vaccine awareness day observed annually on may 18 international museum day memory + creativity = social change happy birthday omar khayyam! ( 1048 - 1131 ) persian mathematician, poet, and philosopher happy birthday friedrich ruckert! ( 1788 - 1866 ) german poet, translator, and professor of oriental languages.


april 15, 2012 jumbo piston core speed 0. 8 knots location bransfield strait ( - 62. 56427333, - 55. 98799167 ) depth 253 meters yesterday we finished all scientific operations and we began our journey north back towards chile. we are slowly maneuvering through lots and lots of ice and hopefully we ' ll make it back home on time. from the picture below you can see where we ' ve been so far on this cruise. we are currently at the end of the red line headed back towards chile. it ' ll take us a few days to get there, maybe more if the ice continues to be heavy. jumbo piston core as i looked back over my blogs, i realized i hadn ' t shared one of the most interesting operations that the scientists have done. it ' s called a jumbo piston core ( jpc for short ) and it is made of 24 meters of solid steel. the jpc is lowered over the side of the boat and dropped to the seafloor to collect sediment. it can only be used in areas that have a lot of sediment and not a lot of rocks otherwise it will bend. because of the potential danger that can be caused by the wiring of the jpc, all of the outside decks have to be cleared. there are signs up on all the doors warning people not to pass through them. the jumbo piston core is slowly placed into the water on the side of the boat. a winch lowers the core until is about 50 meters off the bottom of the seafloor and then it is allowed to freefall into the sediment. at the bottom of the core is a small device that stops the sediments from leaking out as the core comes up. once it reaches the surface, it is raised back onto the deck using a crane. this jpc is full of mud and is so heavy the steel pipe is bending. once on deck, the inner core liner ( pvc pipe ) full of marine sediment is removed in pieces. it is pushed down from one end of the jpc and extruded on the opposite end. in order to get the tubes inside, at least two strong people must carry them. inside, they are labeled and stored in a cold room kept at 4°c. the tubes will be sent to a laboratory in florida where the team will be able to look at them more closely. the geology team was able to complete a jpc yesterday that contained almost 80 feet of mud! the depth of these cores gives the scientists


initdb creates a new postgresql database cluster ( or database system ). a database cluster is a collection of databases that are managed by a single server instance. creating a database system consists of creating the directories in which the database data will live, generating the shared catalog tables ( tables that belong to the whole cluster rather than to any particular database ), and creating the template1 database. when you create a new database, everything in the template1 database is copied. it contains catalog tables filled in for things like the built - in types. initdb initializes the database cluster ' s default locale and character set encoding. some locale categories are fixed for the lifetime of the cluster, so it is important to make the right choice when running initdb. other locale categories can be changed later when the server is started. initdb will write those locale settings into the postgresql. conf configuration file so they are the default, but they can be changed by editing that file. to set the locale that initdb uses, see the description of the the character set encoding can be set separately for each database as it is created. initdb determines the encoding for the template1 database, which will serve as the default for all other databases. to alter the default encoding initdb must be run as the user that will own the server process, because the server needs to have access to the files and directories that initdb creates. since the server may not be run as root, you must not run initdb as root either. ( it will in fact refuse to do so. ) although initdb will attempt to create the specified data directory, often it won ' t have permission to do so, since the parent of the desired data directory is often a root - owned directory. to set up an arrangement like this, create an empty data directory as root, then use chown to hand over ownership of that directory to the database user account, then su to become the database user, and finally run initdb as the database user. this option specifies the directory where the database system should be stored. this is the only information required by initdb, but you can avoid writing it by setting the pgdata environment variable, which can be convenient since the database server ( postmaster ) can find the database directory later by the same variable. selects the encoding of the template database. this will also be the default encoding of any database you create later,


pgdata environment variable, which can be convenient since the database server ( postmaster ) can find the database directory later by the same variable. selects the encoding of the template database. this will also be the default encoding of any database you create later, unless you override it there. to use the encoding feature, you must have enabled it at build time, at which time you also select the default for this option. sets the default locale for the database cluster. if this option is not specified, the locale is inherited from the environment that initdb runs in. - - locale, but only sets the locale in the specified category. selects the user name of the database superuser. this defaults to the name of the effective user running initdb. it is really not important what the superuser ' s name is, but one might choose to keep the customary name postgres, even if the operating system user ' s name is different. makes initdb prompt for a password to give the database superuser. if you don ' t plan on using password authentication, this is not important. otherwise you won ' t be able to use password authentication until you have a password set up. other, less commonly used, parameters are also available : print debugging output from the bootstrap backend and a few other messages of lesser interest for the general public. the bootstrap backend is the program initdb uses to create the catalog tables. this option generates a tremendous amount of extremely boring output. specifies where initdb should find its input files to initialize the database system. this is normally not necessary. you will be told if you need to specify their location explicitly. by default, when initdb determines that an error prevented it from completely creating the database system, it removes any files it may have created before discovering that it can ' t finish the job. this option inhibits tidying - up and is thus useful for debugging. specifies the directory where the database system is to be stored ; may be overridden using the


dna typing is an invaluable forensic tool for associating biological evidence with its true source. generally dna technology affords the forensic scientist the ability to effectively eliminate individuals who have been falsely associated with a biological sample and to substantially reduce the number of potential contributors to a few ( if not one ) individuals. when it was initially developed, dna typing was used predominately to compare an evidence profile directly with the profile from a reference sample ( s ). many of these one - to - one comparisons have been extremely useful in assisting to solve crimes. more than a decade ago the capability of dna typing was substantially expanded by the creation of dna databases that contain profiles from convicted felons ( and now arrestees as well ) and profiles from evidence from unsolved cases ( 1 ). the dna profiles contained within the forensic indices can be compared, and candidate matches can be investigated further. indeed, dna database searching has become another routine way to develop new and often strong investigative leads. the success stories of dna database search leads are well known for identifying suspects ( ultimately perpetrators ) and are being used increasingly in post - conviction exoneration cases. initially, database searching was applied to direct profile comparisons to generate investigative leads. however, in 2003 – 2004 the forensic science service demonstrated that the database searching capabilities could be expanded by employing indirect comparisons via an approach known as familial searching ( 3 ). this type of search led to the identification of craig harman through an association with a first - order relative ’ s dna profile housed in the united kingdom dna database. the crime involved the heart attack death of a motorist due to a brick thrown through the windshield of the victim ’ s truck from a bridge above the roadway. a direct comparison of the dna profile from the brick and profiles in the national database did not result in any candidate matches. however, 25 similar dna profiles were identified, and at the top position on the list of candidates was a relative of craig harman. harman voluntarily submitted a reference sample, and his dna profile was a direct match with that of the evidence. he subsequently pleaded guilty to manslaughter. " there is good a priori reason to believe that familial searching would have some success. according to the bureau of justice statistics correctional populations in united states, 1996 report, at least 42. 8 % of inmates had close relatives who also have been incarcerated. " anecdotally, familial searching had been carried out previously to the harman case for years in one -


in united states, 1996 report, at least 42. 8 % of inmates had close relatives who also have been incarcerated. " anecdotally, familial searching had been carried out previously to the harman case for years in one - to - one comparison cases in which an evidence profile was sufficiently similar to the evidence. such similarities often prompted the forensic scientist to suggest to investigators to look for a relative of the suspect. however, the harman case was the first one in which a dna database was used to develop the investigative lead. today there are a number of documented cases where familial searching was successful in identifying the perpetrator ( 3 ) familial searching is based on the principle that first - order relatives, i. e., siblings, parents, and to a lesser degree even more distantly related relatives ( e. g., uncles, aunts and cousins ), will share features of their dna profiles ( i. e., alleles ) on average more so than do unrelated individuals. while there may be no direct matches when comparing an evidence dna profile with reference profiles in a dna database, there can be " near genetic matches " ( or better stated " associations " ) with convicted felon profiles, and one of these candidates may be a close relative of the true source of the crime scene evidence. familial searching is another tool in the arsenal for developing investigative leads from dna databases. there is good a priori reason to believe that familial searching would have some success. according to the bureau of justice statistics correctional populations in united states, 1996 report ( 5 ), at least 42. 8 % of inmates had close relatives ( i. e., father, mother, brother, sister, child ) who also have been incarcerated. since dna profiles of most inmates are entered in the codis system ( and, for example, the uk database ), familial searching has a great potential to assist law enforcement by identifying an individual in codis who may be a close relative of the true source of a forensic sample. typically, familial dna database searches are best suited for identification of an individual who could be a sibling of the true source of the evidence sample and identification of an individual who could be the parent or offspring of the true source of the evidence. use of familial searching can constitute a powerful law enforcement tool that should increase the number of suspects ( and thus perpetrators ) identified through forensic dna technology, and advocates say it already is a


parent or offspring of the true source of the evidence. use of familial searching can constitute a powerful law enforcement tool that should increase the number of suspects ( and thus perpetrators ) identified through forensic dna technology, and advocates say it already is a legitimate way to develop investigative leads ( 3 ). anecdotally, it appears that the use of familial dna searching in the uk that results in a conviction may be on a performance par with the use of codis to produce offender hits that result in conviction ( 3 ). bieber et al. ( 4 ) suggested that familial search analysis could increase the cold hit rate up to 40 %. even with its success in identifying true perpetrators via indirect associations in a dna database search, familial searching is not without its critics, who contend that familial searching simply is an invasion of privacy and merely a genetic fishing expedition by law enforcement. while those against familial searching acknowledge that convicted criminals should lose some privacy rights, they assert that relatives of convicted felons do not have an expectation of a reduced right to privacy. critics claim that these searches are even more troubling since they constitute an increased discriminatory scrutiny of the low - income and ethnic groups that are overrepresented in the database ( 6 ) the recent identification in california via familial searching of a serial killer suspect shows that this investigative tool could be beneficial to underprivileged groups ( 7 ). for more than 30 years, a serial murderer — the grim sleeper — in los angeles remained unidentified. the majority of victims were young african american females ( that clearly represented a low - income, minority population group ). yet familial searching linked franklin via his son who was entered into the california database for a felony weapons charge in recent years. to ensure that the association was a viable lead, the dna laboratory also typed the evidence and the son for y strs. barring mutation, a father passes his y str chromosome intact to his son. given the discrimination power afforded by current y str profiling kits is around 0. 999, most false indirect associations can be eliminated ( 9 ). thus, when using a y str match threshold, rarely would an investigator be incorrect in following up the lead provided by the dna association. the two y str profiles were the same, which strongly supports a paternal relationship between the source of the dna evidence and franklin ' s son. franklin ' s dna profile was a direct match to evidence


following up the lead provided by the dna association. the two y str profiles were the same, which strongly supports a paternal relationship between the source of the dna evidence and franklin ' s son. franklin ' s dna profile was a direct match to evidence in the murders over the past three decades. this is strong support of the power of y strs in this context. even with this success story the debate on the use of familial searching will likely continue. currently some countries and only two us states ( california and colorado ) are openly conducting familial searching ; few jurisdictions are moving towards conducting familial searching, and one state ( maryland ) has prohibited familial searching of criminal databases. as the debate continues additional questions will likely arise, including : - could one make a proportionality argument and that the seriousness of the crime warrants its use ( for example in the grim sleeper case )? - alternatively to the proportionality position, if it is acceptable under serial murder cases, should familial searching be appropriate in other “ lesser ” crimes? after all there is evidence that a large portion of violent criminals start out by committing lesser crimes. - should familial dna searching be made available to a convicted person who has been afforded post - conviction dna testing that has not yet “ exonerated ” him / her because the identity of the source of the forensic unknown dna profile has not been established, even after a codis search? - is familial searching any different than using partial information as is done in other settings? - does the aura of dna impede its use — i. e., should dna be treated differently than other forensic evidence? - is a one - to - one comparison case in which a familial association is indicated any different than a familial association obtained by a database search? - is legislation required prior to proceeding with a familial search? - is there accountability if a codis manager or a laboratory analyst discovers a potential suspect who partially matches the evidence and does not report the finding? - could the nonreported association constitute brady material? - what about the next victim who would not have become a victim if the analyst provided the information? - should database managers seek legal advice on what is proper action regarding partial matches or potential associations? - if a state or jurisdiction desires to implement familial searching, what are the best practices to apply? with regard to the last question, software is needed that effectively searches databases based on