development of a stem cell - based transplantation strategy for treating age - related macular degeneration early translational i stem cell use : adult stem cell age related macular degeneration ( amd ) is a blinding disease of the elderly affecting nearly one in three individuals over the age of 75. central vision is lost in amd, severely impairing the ability to read, watch television, or drive. the epicenter of amd is the retinal pigment epithelium ( rpe ), a single layer of cells in the retina adjacent to the photoreceptor cells. a recent breakthrough in amd research showed that this disease is caused in about 50 % of cases by the innate immune system ( complement system ) inappropriately attacking rpe cells. specifically, amd results when regulators of the complement system, which normally protect the rpe, are weakened by mutations. this sickens and later kills the rpe, causing secondary degeneration of photoreceptors in the central retina ( macula ). the goal of this proposal is to develop a strategy for transplanting stem - cell derived rpe cells into the eyes of patients with amd. in the past, transplantation of rpe cells from postmortem donors yielded encouraging initial therapeutic effects that subsequently failed due to immune rejection. current stem - cell technology offers the opportunity to avoid this complication. we plan to generate functional rpe cells from stem cells of the ciliary margin zone ( cmz ) in the eye, or pluripotent stem cells induced from skin fibroblasts ( ips cells ) taken from the same amd patient who will later receive the induced rpe cells as a transplant. the study of inherited blindness has benefited greatly from mouse genetic models, where new potential therapies can be tested and developed. one aim of this proposal is to produce rpe cells from mouse and human cmz - and ips - cell precursors. to establish that these cells are functional, we will test for two hallmarks of a fully differentiated rpe : ( i ) the ability to convert vitamin a into visual chromophore for photoreceptor - opsin pigments, and ( ii ) the ability to phagocytose photoreceptor outer - segments. in a later aim we will transplant these induced rpe cells into the eyes of two genetic “ knockout ” mice that lack the ability to synthesize visual chromophore. we will test for rescue


photoreceptor outer - segments. in a later aim we will transplant these induced rpe cells into the eyes of two genetic “ knockout ” mice that lack the ability to synthesize visual chromophore. we will test for rescue of the biochemical defects, and correction of the blindness in these mutant mice. in another experiment, we will add to the induced rpe cells a gene that protects from inappropriate complement activation. these cells will be transplanted into the eyes of two other knockout mouse - models of amd that exhibit abnormal activation of the complement system. we will study these mice to establish correction of the immune defect. finally, we will test the safety of cmz - and ips - derived rpe cells by transplanting them into immune - deficient mice to confirm no tumor formation. at the end of the grant period, we expect to have a new and well - tested stem - cell based transplantation strategy that will be ready for phase - one clinical trials in amd patients. statement of benefit to california : this proposal is to develop a stem - cell based transplantation approach for treating age - related macular degeneration ( amd ). amd is a severe and common disease of the elderly that causes central blindness. the prevalence of amd increases with advancing age. by 75 years, approximately one in three individuals have some degree of visual loss due to amd. thus amd is significantly more prevalent than alzheimer disease. patients with amd lose the ability to drive, read, watch tv, and recognize faces. with advancing visual impairment, amd patients lose the ability to care for themselves and others. thus, amd imposes a large social and economic burden on our society. as the population in california ages, this burden is expected to increase. the stem - cell based transplantation strategy in this proposal offers the real potential of slowing or arresting the progression of blindness in amd patients. this alone would represent an important benefit to the people of california. further, the project would advance innovative technology in stem cell therapy. this technology has application to other neurodegenerative diseases. the project will train new stem - cell researchers in california. as the project enters the clinical phase, it will engage new scientists and physicians and attract funding by the federal government. further, the opportunity to treat a hugely prevalent disease like amd will undoubtedly attract biotechnology investment in california. this stem - cell based transplantation approach to treat a major disease like amd is well - aligned with the broad mission of cirm


on december 10, 1948 the general assembly of the united nations adopted and proclaimed the universal declaration of human rights. it has been translated into more than 350 languages worldwide, and more than 100 african languages. the full text of its 30 articles in english can be found by clicking the subsequent links. whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations, whereas the peoples of the united nations have in the charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, whereas member states have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the united nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge, the general assembly, proclaims this universal declaration of human rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of member states themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.


a 25 - year - old prediction of water scarcity in the southwest holds true, study finds in 1986, environmental journalist marc reisner published cadillac desert : the american west and its disappearing water, a landmark book surveying water use in the american southwest. having interviewed hundreds of people about the southwest and learned the history of the region ’ s water infrastructure, reisner concluded that more water was being pulled out of the west ’ s waterways than could be naturally replenished. he said the southwest was due to run short on water, soon. nearly 25 years later, a group of researchers has put reisner ’ s assertion to the test, checking to see if there is any scientific truth behind it. armed with modern data from across the southwest, the group, led by ecologist john sabo from arizona state university, found that many of reisner ’ s claims were legitimate, and still hold true today. “ we asked, is it really as bad as [ reisner ] said it is in the book, and are we still where we were in 1986? ” explains sabo, who assembled a group of experts to assess water, dams, fish, soil and crops across the southwest using modern techniques. “ now we know the answer to both those questions : yes. ” the findings from the new study have been published online in the proceedings of the national academy of sciences ( pnas ). revisiting the cadillac desert water levels in lake mead, pictured here in november 2008, reached a record low in october 2010. credit : flickr / wenzday01. in his book, reisner claimed that humans were consuming most of the water from southwestern streams and rivers. the new review of watersheds shows that water users in the southwest are already drawing on 76 percent of the available surface water to support more than 50 million people living in the region. moreover, says sabo, water usage could climb to as high as 86 percent if the population doubles in the southwest. like all cities, those in the west and southwest import water for people to use in their homes and businesses, as well as for industrial purposes. but this only accounts for a small portion of the total. farming in arid states like california, arizona, colorado, and new mexico requires a remarkably large amount of water compared to farms in eastern states. according to the study ’ s findings, it is this water - intensive agriculture that makes los angeles, las vegas and phoenix the three largest water - consuming cities in the country. after surveying the great western water reservoirs, such as lake


in eastern states. according to the study ’ s findings, it is this water - intensive agriculture that makes los angeles, las vegas and phoenix the three largest water - consuming cities in the country. after surveying the great western water reservoirs, such as lake mead and lake powell, reisner also claimed that the build - up of sediments would eventually ruin the lakes for water storage and perhaps even electricity generation. the new study, however, found that sediment isn ’ t accumulating fast enough in these reservoirs to fill them completely in the next 100 years, although sediment has already reduced the ability of these lakes to deliver water to cities and farms. sabo and his collaborators also found that, true to reisner ’ s original conclusions, the buildup of salt in the soil is particularly damaging to crops in the southwest. though salt accumulation is a potential threat to agriculture in many parts of the world, the study found that the southwest is more vulnerable than other parts of the u. s. looking at a broader scale, the study estimates that farming revenue losses are ten times higher in the american west compared to the east — on the order of about $ 2. 5 billion each year. the already limited water resources in the southwest have been further stressed over the past decade, during which a persistent drought has affected the region. in october 2010, lake mead in nevada reached a record low level and is currently only about eight feet higher than the designated level of a critical water shortage. with the region so prone to drought, and potentially even more dry weather in the coming decades as the climate continues to change, sabo says it ’ s important to find a way to cut back on the amount of water the southwest is using. many computer models project further drying in the southwest as a consequence of global climate change. “ the message is that this is a regional problem, ” says sabo, “ and that leaders from six u. s. states need to work together to make sure we keep more water running in the rivers. ” reclaiming sustainable water in the southwest the original lesson from cadillac desert is familiar to southwesterners, who have heard warnings about water scarcity for years. these new findings lend further credibility to the idea that the region ’ s population is living beyond its water limits. but according to peter gleick, president of the pacific institute and a long time researcher of global water resources, identifying the problems in the southwest hasn ’ t lead to the implementation of enough solutions over the past two decades. in a companion paper published in the same issue of p


the canadian military history gateway is an online service providing access to websites and digitized resources about canada ' s military history. the gateway was developed by the directorate of history and heritage at department of national defence ( dnd ) as an initiative supported by the national defence on - line ( ndol ) programme and the department of canadian heritage ' s canadian culture online program. the goal of the gateway is to " provide the public with free access to the collective military history resources of canadian museums, libraries, archives and other heritage organizations through a single, dynamic and intuitive gateway ". in drawing the sources of canada ' s military heritage together, the gateway provides an opportunity for all canadians to learn about a history that has shaped their country. to realize this goal, the leading institutions responsible for the collection and digitization of cultural resources related to canada ' s military heritage have formed a partnership to work together in building and maintaining this story of canada. these institutions are : the gateway is designed to be the authoritative source for quality - controlled information on canada ' s military history. it provides several ways to discover, access and exploit online military history resources, including a graphical interactive timeline, enhanced search and guided navigation. it also provides a concise military history of canada from 1000 - 2000 a. d. through the online presentation of the three volume canadian military heritage series ( by bernier and chartrand ). site visitors can access : more partners will be engaged over time to enrich and expand the story further. we gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance provided by :


this archived web page remains online for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. this page will not be altered or updated. web pages that are archived on the internet are not subject to the government of canada web standards. as per the communications policy of the government of canada, you can request alternate formats of this page on the contact us page. department of english, university of victoria " symbols are what unite and divide people. symbols give us our identity, our self - image, our way of explaining ourselves to others. symbols in turn determine the kinds of stories we tell ; and the stories we tell determine the kind of history we make and remake. " - - mary robinson, inauguration speech as president of ireland, december 3, 1990 in recent years museums, archives, and libraries have become known increasingly as " memory institutions, " a phrase reflecting our growing awareness of what is called cultural or collective memory. originally coined by maurice halbwachs, " collective memory " distinguishes group memory from individual memory, and refers to both the collection of memories shared in a common culture, as well as the mechanisms by which a community or group remembers key events as part of larger narratives of identity and belonging. the questions associated with collective memory have come to preoccupy researchers across a broad range of disciplines including cultural theorists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, linguists, geographers, sociologists and economists. historiographers and political scientists also recognize, through their different disciplinary lenses, how significant collective memory has been in shaping the ways by which people come to know and identify themselves. this knowledge of who we are - - individually and collectively - - seems so inextricably bound up with memory, that questions about how collective memory is constructed, shared, narrated, performed and transmitted across groups and generations resonate far beyond the academic realm. politically, issues of collective memory and identity face policy makers who confront national, ethnic and religious divides. in the world of business, heritage tourism commercializes and creates collective memory, as do advertisers, media conglomerates and marketers. at its most philosophical, the inquiry into collective memory is founded on two perennial riddles : the ontological question, " who am i? " and the epistemological puzzle, " how do i know what i know? " this ever - growing field of inquiry acknowledges that far from being fixed and stable, the symbols and narratives shaping collective memory and cultural identity originate in an ever - shifting assortment of heritage objects and events. in shared spaces - - virtual as well as geographic


" this ever - growing field of inquiry acknowledges that far from being fixed and stable, the symbols and narratives shaping collective memory and cultural identity originate in an ever - shifting assortment of heritage objects and events. in shared spaces - - virtual as well as geographic - - events, landmarks and monuments, communal rituals, public celebrations, visual images, sounds, music, texts, and more recently, key films as well as radio and tv broadcasts, are invested with shared symbolic significance. they are becoming, in pierre nora ' s resonant phrase, " lieux de memoire " or " sites of memory, " around which shared memories and associated identities are woven, consolidated and communicated. contemporary irish experience exemplifies the dynamic and contingent nature of collective memory. ireland ' s recent cultural, social and economic dislocations have resulted in widespread public debate challenging received wisdom about the country ' s collection of memories, its heritages and its national narratives. new " sites of memory " are under construction and these sites underpin new narratives of collective identity celebrating ethnic and sectarian diversity, urban as well as rural cultures, class - based and gendered heritages, and collective memories of emigration and of the irish diaspora. few institutions in western culture have been as affected by this turn to collective memory as our " memory institutions, " those archives, museums and libraries that are the official repositories of memory, entrusted with the task of collecting and preserving cultural heritage. in the past, national memory institutions have been closely identified with the preservation and production of national memory and with questions of what to include and even more importantly ( in the words of french historian ernest renan ) what to forget. today ' s digitized collections may increase the range and quantity of symbolic objects that memory institutions store and represent, but the old questions of organization, of taxonomy and of the constructed narratives inherent in these digital objects are more problematic than ever. what is to be included and what is to be excluded? how do we navigate these collections? what organizational principles are at play? whose collective narratives, histories, identities are being constructed, by whom and for whom? for generations of immigrant - emigrant communities, including canadians of irish origin, these questions are neither new nor academic, but critical in adapting to a new canadian homeland. however clumsy, sentimental or self - serving it may appear in its various iterations, collective memory in diasporic communities provides a necessary bridge between old and adopted cultures, constructing, in mary robinson ' s words, the symbols that create identity, the


is the standard method used by scientists to determine the age of certain fossilized remains. as scientists will often claim something to be millions or billions of years old ( ages that do not conform to the biblical account of the age of the earth ), christians are often left wondering about the accuracy of the carbon - 14 method. the truth is, carbon - 14 dating ( or radiocarbon dating, as it ’ s also called ) is not a precise dating method in many cases, due to faulty assumptions and other limitations on this method. has a weight of twelve atomic mass units ( amu ’ s ), and is the building block of all organic matter ( plants and animals ). a small percentage of carbon atoms have an atomic weight of 14 amu ’ s. this is carbon - 14. carbon - 14 is an unstable, radioactive isotope of carbon 12. as with any radioactive isotope, carbon - 14 decays over time. the half - life of carbon 14 is approximate 5, 730 years. that means if you took one pound of 100 percent carbon - 14, in 5, 730 years, you would only have half a pound left. created in the upper atmosphere as nitrogen atoms are bombarded by cosmic radiation. for every one trillion carbon - 12 atoms, you will find one carbon - 14 atoms. the carbon - 14 that results from the reaction caused by cosmic radiation quickly changes to carbon dioxide, just like normal carbon - 12 would. plants utilize, or “ breath in ” carbon dioxide, then ultimately release oxygen for animals to inhale. the carbon - 14 dioxide is utilized by plants in the same way normal carbon dioxide is. this carbon - 14 dioxide then ends up in humans and other animals as it moves up the food chain. there is then a ratio of carbon - 14 to carbon - 12 in the bodies of plants, humans, and other animals that can fluctuate, but will be fixed at the time of death. after death, the carbon - 14 would begin to decay at the rate stated above. in 1948, dr. w. f. libby introduced the carbon - 14 dating method at the university of chicago. the premise behind the method is to determine the ratio of carbon - 14 left in organic matter, and by doing so, estimate how long ago death occurred by running the ratio backwards. the accuracy of this method, however, relies on several faulty assumptions. carbon - 14 dating to be accurate, one must assume the rate of decay of carbon - 14 has remained constant over the years. however, evidence indicates that the opposite


ratio backwards. the accuracy of this method, however, relies on several faulty assumptions. carbon - 14 dating to be accurate, one must assume the rate of decay of carbon - 14 has remained constant over the years. however, evidence indicates that the opposite is true. experiments have been performed using the radioactive isotopes of uranium - 238 and iron - 57, and have shown that rates can and do vary. in fact, changing the environments surrounding the samples can alter decay rates. the second faulty assumption is that the rate of carbon - 14 formation has remained constant over the years. there are a few reasons to believe this assumption is erroneous. the industrial revolution greatly increased the amount of carbon - 12 released into the atmosphere through the burning of coal. also, the atomic bomb testing around 1950 caused a rise in neutrons, which increased carbon - 14 concentrations. the great flood which noah and family survived would have uprooted and / or buried entire forests. this would decrease the release of carbon - 12 to the atmosphere through the decay carbon - 14 dating to be accurate, the concentrations of carbon - 14 and carbon - 12 must have remained constant in the atmosphere. in addition to the reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph, the flood provides another evidence that this is a faulty assumption. during the flood, subterranean water chambers that were under great pressure would have been breached. this would have resulted in an enormous amount of carbon - 12 being released into the oceans and atmosphere. the effect would be not unlike opening a can of soda and having the carbon dioxide fizzing out. the water in these subterranean chambers would not have contained carbon - 14, as the water was shielded from cosmic radiation. this would have upset the ratio of carbon - 14 to carbon - 12. to make carbon - 14 dating work, dr. libby also assumed that the amount of carbon - 14 being presently produced had equaled the amount of carbon - 12 – he assumed that they had reached a balance. the formation of carbon - 14 increases with time, and at the time of creation was probably at or near zero. since carbon - 14 is radioactive, it begins to decay immediately as it ’ s formed. if you start with no carbon - 14 in the atmosphere, it would take over 50, 000 years for the amount being produced to reach equilibrium with the amount decaying. one of the reasons we know that the earth is less than 50, 000 years old is because of the biblical record. another reason we can know this is because the amount of carbon - 14 in the atmosphere is only


equilibrium with the amount decaying. one of the reasons we know that the earth is less than 50, 000 years old is because of the biblical record. another reason we can know this is because the amount of carbon - 14 in the atmosphere is only 78 % what it would be if the earth were libby and the evolutionist crowd have assumed that all plant and animal life utilize carbon - 14 equally as they do carbon - 12. to be grammatically crass, this ain ’ t necessarily so. live mollusks off the hawaiian coast have had their shells dated with the carbon - 14 method. these test showed that the shells died 2000 years ago! this news came as quite a shock to the mollusks that had been using those shells until just recently. we ’ ve listed five faulty assumptions here that have caused overestimates of age using the carbon - 14 method. the list of non - compliant dates from this method is endless. most evolutionists today would conclude that carbon - 14 dating is – at best – reliable for only the last 3000 to 3500 years. there is another reason that carbon - 14 dating has yielded questionable results – human bias. if you ’ ve ever been part of a medical study, you ’ re probably familiar with the terms “ blind study ” and “ double - blind study ”. in a blind study, using carbon - 14 dating for example, a person would send in a few quality control samples along with the actual sample to the laboratory. the laboratory analyst should not know which sample is the one of interest. in this way, the analyst could not introduce bias into the dating of the actual sample. in a double - blind study ( using an experimental drug study as an example ), some patients will be given the experimental drug, while others will be given a placebo ( a harmless sugar pill ). neither the patients nor the doctors while know who gets what. this provides an added layer of protection against bias. that do not fit a desired theory are often excluded by alleging cross - contamination of the sample. in this manner, an evolutionist can present a sample for analysis, and tell the laboratory that he assumes the sample to be somewhere between 50, 000 years old and 100, 000 years old. dates that do not conform to this estimate are thrown out. repeated testing of the sample may show nine tests that indicate an age of 5000 to 10, 000 years old, and one test that shows an age of 65, 000 years old. the nine results showing ages that do not conform to the pre - supposed theory


testing of the sample may show nine tests that indicate an age of 5000 to 10, 000 years old, and one test that shows an age of 65, 000 years old. the nine results showing ages that do not conform to the pre - supposed theory are excluded. this is bad science, and it is practiced all the time to fit with the evolutionary model. the shroud of turin, claimed to be the burial cloth of christ, was supposedly dated by a blind test. actually, the control specimens were so dissimilar that the technicians at the three laboratories making the measurements could easily tell which specimen was from the shroud. this would be like taking a piece of wood and two marbles and submitting them to the lab with the instructions that “ one of these is from an ancient ponderosa pine, guess which. ” the test would have been blind if the specimens had been reduced to carbon powder before they were given to the testing laboratories. humans are naturally biased. we tend to see what we want to see, and explain away unwanted data. perhaps the best description of the problem in attempting to use the carbon - 14 dating method is to be found in the words of dr. robert lee. in 1981, he wrote an article for the anthropological journal of canada, in which stated : troubles of the radiocarbon dating method are undeniably deep and serious. despite 35 years of technological refinement and better understanding, the underlying assumptions have been strongly challenged, and warnings are out that radiocarbon may soon find itself in a crisis situation. continuing use of the method depends on a fix - it - as - we - go approach, allowing for contamination here, fractionation there, and calibration whenever possible. it should be no surprise then, that fully half of the dates are rejected. the wonder is, surely, that the remaining half has come to be accepted …. no matter how useful it is, though, the radiocarbon method is still not capable of yielding accurate and reliable results. there are gross discrepancies, the chronology is uneven and relative, and the accepted dates are actually the selected dates. ” accuracy of carbon - 14 dating relies on faulty assumptions, and is subject to human bias. at best, radiocarbon dating is only accurate for the past few thousand years. as we ’ ve seen though, even relatively youthful samples are often dated incorrectly. the biblical record gives us an indication of an earth that is relatively young. the most reliable use of radiocarbon dating supports that position. this method of dating, overall


thinkfirst : injury prevention for kids cottage rehabilitation hospital, the home of the santa barbara county chapter of thinkfirst for kids and teens, has presented the thinkfirst for kids and teens injury prevention program to approximately 10, 000 students since 1993. crh offers the program as community outreach at no cost. healthcare professionals who treat patients with traumatic injuries have developed and implemented “ thinkfirst ” over the last 20 years in an attempt to prevent young people from sustaining brain and spinal cord injuries. young people take risks and, consequently, disproportionately sustain brain and spinal cord injuries. four common causes of brain and spinal cord injuries are : - motor vehicle crashes think first for kids and teens educates elementary and secondary school students to think first, to use good judgment to minimize risk of injury, as they play, explore, and choose activities. during one - hour presentations, healthcare professionals explain the anatomy and the vulnerability of the brain and spinal cord, the risks and consequences of brain and spinal cord injury, and simple injury prevention strategies. accompanying the healthcare professionals are “ vips ” ( voice for injury prevention ), individuals who have sustained brain or spinal cord injuries themselves, who share their experiences and discuss the physical, social, and emotional effects of their injuries. the simple message they urge their young listeners to take home is that it is possible to have a fun - filled, exciting life, without hurting yourself if you think first and use your mind to protect your body. last year, the orfalea fund, through a generous grant, made it possible for team members from cottage rehabilitation hospital and rehabilitation hospital foundation to meet with brian sarvis ed. d., superintendent of santa barbara school district, and his staff to propose implementation of the “ thinkfirst ” program in the district. as a result, the program will offer 30 “ think first ” assemblies and classroom presentations in the elementary and junior high schools in the santa barbara school district during calendar year 2008.


webmd medical news laura j. martin, md oct. 21, 2011 - - frequent hand washing will keep those nasty bugs at bay, right? not if you ’ re using a public bathroom. paper dispensers, hand dryers, door handles - - all the things you touch after scrubbing - - are contaminated with all sorts of menacing microbes, sometimes too many to count. " we documented extensive bacterial contamination of high ‐ touch environmental sites in 22 public restrooms and aircraft, " says researcher lennox archibald, md, phd, of the college of medicine, university of florida, in gainesville. translation : bathrooms in restaurants, resorts, hospitals, and even libraries are crawling with bugs that can cause everything from diarrhea to wound infections. " you can go paranoid thinking about it, " archibald tells webmd. there ' s been virtually no research into how many bacteria, and how many different types of bacteria, lie in wait in public restrooms, he says. so from december 2010 through february 2011, his team descended on restrooms inside four commercial aircraft and 18 public places, including a mall, a hospital, offices, a lecture hall, a conference center, department stores, restaurants, an airport, and a resort. they swabbed and cultured what archibald calls " high - touch " areas - - faucets, paper dispenser levers, and doorknobs and handles. the researchers hit the microorganism jackpot. they recovered staph, which can cause everything from boils to antibiotic - resistant infections. they found e. coli. they cultured enterococcus, a fecal bug that can cause urinary tract infections and wound infections. and more. cultures of high ‐ touch sites in three hospital restrooms yielded seven bugs that are responsible for two ‐ thirds of hospital ‐ associated infections. the findings were presented at the annual meeting of the infectious diseases society of america ( idsa ) in boston. for archibald, one solution is to hold it in. " i only use bathrooms on very long - distance flights, " he says. for those times when you have to go, carry paper towels or tissues to protect your hands after washing, he says. william schaffner, md, chair of idsa ' s immunization work group and head of preventive medicine at vanderbilt university medical center in nashville, has a more bug - friendly viewpoint. some bacteria boost our immune system, he tells webmd. " we don ' t live in


idsa ' s immunization work group and head of preventive medicine at vanderbilt university medical center in nashville, has a more bug - friendly viewpoint. some bacteria boost our immune system, he tells webmd. " we don ' t live in a sterile world, " schaffner says. " you don ' t want to obsess. on the other hand, you want to be hygienic, " he says. his tip : carry a little vial of hand sanitizer where ever you go. these findings were presented at a medical conference. they should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the " peer review " process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal. sources : 49th annual meeting of the infectious diseases society of america, boston, oct. 20 - 23, 2011. lennox archibald, md, phd, hospital epidemiologist, college of medicine, university of florida, gainesville. william schaffner, md, chair, preventive medicine, vanderbilt university medical center, nashville. here are the most recent story comments. view all the views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of cw arkansas the health news section does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. see additional information.


learning german is worth the effort! why? because... - german is an important language in international communication. over 101 million people in the world speak german, around 20 million people throughout the world are learning german. in europe alone, 100 million people speak german as their mother tongue, not only in germany, but also in austria, switzerland, luxembourg and liechtenstein. this puts german amongst the twelve most commonly spoken languages in the world : 2. 1 % of the world population. within europe, german is the most widely spoken mother tongue. - german is an important language for trade. germany is a nation of global export significance. it has a strong economy and is the most important industrial and trading partner of indonesia within the european union. in the last 10 years, german has become a regional lingua - franca in the countries of central and eastern europe. as internationality and intercultural competence are key qualifications for successful business today, german language proficiency helps you to open up new markets and to be successful in global business and in the international labour market. - german occupies a firm place in science and the humanities. german, as the language of science and technology, plays an important role in research and education. in the 19th century, german, as the language of science and the humanities, occupied an important position in the world, more important than french, and even, in certain respects, english. nowadays, english is the dominant international language for science and the humanities. but in the global network of interdisciplinary and international co - operation german is still in high demand as a language in these spheres. modern german society is based on science : science and research occupy a firm place in public life in germany. - german, as a cultural language, opens up intellectual horizons. german culture manifests itself in different forms : from literature and music, through the theatre and films, and right on to architecture, painting, philosophy and art. knowledge of german enables you to get to know one of the great european cultures in the original. whether in the world of literature - goethe, schiller, kafka, grass -, the world of music - bach, mozart, beethoven, wagner -, that of philosophy - luther, kant, schopenhauer, nietzsche -, or of psychology - freud, adler, jung - or also the world of research and science - kepler, einstein, rontgen, planck – german is the language for great minds! - german opens the door to german university courses. although international courses at german universities enable you to study


rare indeed is the person who has never had a skin rash, by far the most common complaint in any creature with a skin - covered body. although skin rashes have hundreds of causes, their common feature is an area of irritated or swollen skin, which may be characterized by redness, bumps, scaly patches, crusty patches, or blisters. skin rashes can develop instantaneously, over the course of several days, or over several months. if your rash has developed in less than one or two weeks, it may be easier for you — or your doctor or dermatologist — to determine its cause. the site of your rash may also offer some clues : for example, if you have a rash on your face, it could be acne or rosacea. if it occurs on your feet, it could be athlete ' s foot. if you see a rash around your waist, it could be shingles, a reactivation of the chicken pox infection you had as a child. perhaps most significantly — because it might affect your ability to work — would be a rash on your hands, wrists, or arms, which could be a sign of either irritant contact dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis. if your skin rash isn ' t limited to a specific area but affects large portions of your body, it could be the result of a drug reaction ; an immune system reaction, such as hives ; or an infection from various bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, such as scabies. home treatment for skin rashes if you notice a rash, it ' s important to determine its cause. in some cases, the cause may be easily identified. if you ' ve recently worked in a weedy area and you develop a red, itchy rash or leathery patches of skin, for example, you may have allergic contact dermatitis caused by poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. if you ' ve just started taking a new medication and you develop a widespread rash, it could be an allergic drug reaction. in other cases, however, the cause of a rash may not be so obvious. if your skin is irritated or swollen from a rash, first try these self - care strategies : - avoidance. if you ' ve identified the offending substance, take steps to avoid coming in contact with it. - a zero - scratch policy. scratching makes any rash worse. cover a rash with bandages — especially cool, wet compresses — they ' ll soothe the itching


identified the offending substance, take steps to avoid coming in contact with it. - a zero - scratch policy. scratching makes any rash worse. cover a rash with bandages — especially cool, wet compresses — they ' ll soothe the itching so you won ' t want to scratch as much. other strategies include trimming your nails and wearing gloves while you sleep. - soothing baths. the irritation and itching of a rash often respond to soaks in bathwater containing baking soda, uncooked oatmeal, or oatmeal - based products such as aveeno. - comfortable clothing. choose smooth - textured fabrics such as cotton and silk, and launder clothes with mild, unscented detergents and fabric softeners. - anti - itch medications. topical over - the - counter products such as calamine lotion and 1 percent hydrocortisone, or oral over - the - counter antihistamines such as benadryl, may provide temporary relief. medical treatment for skin rashes if self - care strategies fail to clear up your rash, consult your doctor or dermatologist. also seek medical care if your rash is painful or infected, if it causes you to lose sleep, or if you suspect it ' s job - related. the treatment of a skin rash depends on its cause. based on your diagnosis, your doctor may recommend additional self - care measures or prescribe topical medications to combat bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitical infections. if your rash is severe, oral antibiotics and corticosteroids may be prescribed. although some skin rashes are inevitable — given that we ' re covered in skin — these nuisances can usually be countered with home remedies. persistent skin rashes can be effectively evaluated and treated by medical professionals.


by mark st. john erickson, firstname. lastname @ example. org | 757 - 247 - 4783 february 10, 2013 no one could mistake the intent of the british warships that appeared at the mouth of the chesapeake bay early on the frosty morning of feb. 4, 1813. just one of the immense 74 - gun ships in this advance squadron boasted more firepower than all the cannons defending the elizabeth river in norfolk — and within weeks the number of tall masts and union jacks commanding the waters between lynnhaven bay and old point comfort would multiply many times over. not for several days, however, did the nature of the threat become clear to mariners, shopkeepers, farmers and militiamen sizing up his majesty ' s might from afar. about noon on feb. 8, a lookout aboard the hms maidstone spotted a sail approaching from the northwest. an hour later, after eluding several smaller british ships, the six - gun schooner lottery out of baltimore found itself becalmed off old point and beset by a swarm of enemy vessels. that ' s when the first cannon shots rang out, signaling the start of the war of 1812 in hampton roads. heard as far away as norfolk, the ferocious two - hour battle sparked a panic as residents loaded carts with furniture and raced to escape a feared invasion. but the thundering sound was merely the first salvo in a campaign of fire, plunder and fear that would terrorize tidewater and the bay for two years. bent on punishing the united states for declaring war the previous june, the royal navy would seize or burn hundreds of vessels, launch scores of hit - and - run raids and pillage untold numbers of farms and towns in an iron - fisted answer to the times of london ' s demand that " america must be beaten into submission! " " the war of 1812 is a forgotten war — but it shouldn ' t be, " says newport news historian j. michael moore, a contributor to the forthcoming book " tread of the tyrant ' s heel : virginia ' s war of 1812 experience. " " for two years, the british raided up the james river as far as lawnes creek and jamestown. they raided warwick county. they attacked norfolk. they burned and plundered hampton. they marauded up the bay, attacking maryland and baltimore and burning washington. " in the chesapeake bay, the british showed they could do just about anything they wanted. and if it wasn ' t for the civil war, this is the war we '


they marauded up the bay, attacking maryland and baltimore and burning washington. " in the chesapeake bay, the british showed they could do just about anything they wanted. and if it wasn ' t for the civil war, this is the war we ' d be talking about today. " a narrow escape designed to blunt the american invasion of canada by attacking the chesapeake, the advance elements of the british expeditionary force appeared without warning. among those who saw it first was capt. charles stewart of the frigate uss constellation, which had arrived from annapolis the night before and anchored off hampton roads. early the following morning, stewart woke to hear that british warships had entered the bay. but not long after weighing anchor and setting course to investigate, he came about and raced back for the channel at old point, straining to escape a lopsided clash with two ships of the line, three frigates, a brig and a schooner. when the tide and wind turned against him, the constellation seemed lost. but stewart doggedly dragged his becalmed frigate out of reach by kedging across hampton roads : hauling in the anchor, carrying it forward by rowboat and then dropping and hauling it in again and again. his crew labored for hours, struggling to pull themselves out of harm ' s way. even after grounding in the mudflats at the mouth of the james river, they toiled on, lightening the constellation until it refloated on the evening tide and found refuge under the guns of fort norfolk. " it was a pretty close call, " says williamsburg historian stuart l. butler, retired assistant branch chief of the national archives ' military archives division and author of the new book " defending the old dominion : virginia and its militia in the war of 1812. " " he almost didn ' t escape — and he knew he could never take on a force like that in battle. " a call to arms that was the same conclusion lt. col. henry howard of york county reached after debriefing a cavalryman who had seen the british fleet come in and assemble some 8 miles from his post at buckroe. sizing up his volunteers from elizabeth city, york and james city counties in the face of this dire threat, howard warned gov. james barbour on feb. 5 that the " situation is truly alarming. " the militia of the 115th regiment ( are ) not half of them armed and without a cartridge to defend themselves … " he reported. " i do not know of a single barrel of powder that can be procured on


is truly alarming. " the militia of the 115th regiment ( are ) not half of them armed and without a cartridge to defend themselves … " he reported. " i do not know of a single barrel of powder that can be procured on any terms. " despite such widespread unpreparedness, barbour called out some 2, 000 militiamen on feb. 6, ordering them to muster at williamsburg and smithfield before deploying to defend hampton and norfolk. in addition to riflemen from elizabeth city, york and james city counties, the force included gloucester artillery and williamsburg cavalry as well as units from isle of wight, nansemond, norfolk, princess anne and as far as orange, patrick, pendleton and culpeper counties. though poorly trained, equipped and provisioned, these farmers, tradesmen and shopkeepers would defend hampton roads largely without regular army troops, who president james madison decreed couldn ' t be spared from the invasion of canada. " it can ' t be expected that i can defend every man ' s turnip patch, " madison insisted. still, under brig. gen. robert barraud taylor, a prominent norfolk attorney born in smithfield and educated at the college of william and mary, the american defenses at norfolk became more organized and formidable than expected. working closely with stewart and his crew, taylor reinforced the artillery batteries overlooking the elizabeth river at forts norfolk and nelson with a third series of guns at craney island commanding the river ' s mouth. then stewart bolstered this new position by transforming the constellation and 19 gunboats into a floating wall that blocked both the channel and the flats. guns and gunners from the frigate made craney island still stronger, as did army corps of engineers capt. walter k. armistead, who improved the earthworks at taylor ' s invitation. " it would have been a disaster if the british had taken norfolk, " butler says. " but taylor was quite an organizer, and he had great oratorical skills. the governor thought he was the perfect man for the job — and it seemed that he was. " blockade, raid and burn looking on from as close as newport news point, the british fleet continued to grow, adding four more massive ships of the line as well as numerous frigates and sloops of war to a force that all but shut down american shipping. so effective was their blockade that virginia ' s exports collapsed, dropping from an annual figure of $ 3 million to $ 17, 000. " not a vessel can pass from hampton roads, either


war to a force that all but shut down american shipping. so effective was their blockade that virginia ' s exports collapsed, dropping from an annual figure of $ 3 million to $ 17, 000. " not a vessel can pass from hampton roads, either up or down the bay without being intercepted, " the richmond enquirer reported. " not a vessel bound for sea can escape capture. " still, as the british commanders learned from their frustrating failure to capture the constellation, their largest, most heavily armed ships faced strict handicaps in the shoal waters of the chesapeake, making it impossible to exploit their firepower near the shores. they also discovered right away that the bay ' s shifting sands made it tricky as well as shallow. " the utmost possible endeavors and perseverance were exerted night after night by all the boats of the squadron to find and buoy off … the channel into elizabeth river, " reported rear adm. george cockburn, whose charts were all outdated or mistaken. " but so intricate and difficult is it that all our efforts proved vain. " cockburn soon invented the weapon he needed, however, to begin carrying out the raids that led to the burning of havre de grace, md., and washington, d. c., as well as the " rape of hampton. " loading as many as 2, 500 royal marines and infantrymen into scores of shoal - draft boats — each one bristling with oars — he soon found himself commanding a dangerous amphibious attack force that could strike virtually anywhere it wanted. " this was an unusual concept back then, " says historian gordon b. calhoun of the hampton roads naval museum, describing the fear that gripped the countryside as the assaults began. " but the british were here to raid and burn — and cockburn was the perfect person to prosecute that kind of offensive. coming in june — a bloody battle on the york online : go to dailypress. com / warof1812 to a gallery of images from the war. copyright © 2013, newport news, va., daily press


- about us two people see a thing that an individual does not see. note : this can be taken on a superficial, physical level such as when people elicit the help of others to find a lost object or person. on another level, this seanfhocal refers to the deeper understanding which can be obtained when multiple people examine ( consider ) a problem or situation. " two heads are better than one " as they say. the sharing of ideas and perspectives among a group of people can often develop insights which would otherwise have been missed by an individual. note also : in normal " running " speech, neutral vowel sounds tend to get " swallowed up ". for instance, although the speaker here is pronouncing the words here deliberately and distinctly for your benefit, conversational speech would sound somewhat different. for example, the vowel sound at the end of the word " duine " and the vowel sound at the begining of the word " amhain " would overlap and be pronounced as a single sound. as a result the two words would sound almost like one word, " duin - a - mhain. " this change is proper in irish, and is not in any way equivalent to slurring in english. in general, neutral vowels tend to fall off the end of words that are followed by words beginning with another vowel.


definitions for byzantineˈbɪz, -, ˈbaɪ zən -, bɪˈzæn tɪn random house webster ' s college dictionary byz • an • tineˈbɪz, -, ˈbaɪ zən -, bɪˈzæn tɪn ( adj. ) of or pertaining to byzantium or the byzantine empire. category : western history of or in the style of architecture developed in the byzantine empire, characterized by masonry construction, round arches, low domes on pendentives, and the extensive use of mosaics. ( sometimes l. c. ) extremely complex or intricate. characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue, esp. to obtain political advantage. category : common vocabulary ( n. ) a native or inhabitant of byzantium. category : ancient history origin of byzantine : 1590 – 1600 ; < ll byzantinus of byzantium ; see - ine1 a native or inhabitant of byzantium or of the byzantine empire of or relating to the eastern orthodox church or the rites performed in it " byzantine monks " ; " byzantine rites " of or relating to or characteristic of the byzantine empire or the ancient city of byzantium byzantine, convoluted, involved, knotty, tangled, tortuous ( adj ) highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious " the byzantine tax structure " ; " byzantine methods for holding on to his chairmanship " ; " convoluted legal language " ; " convoluted reasoning " ; " the plot was too involved " ; " a knotty problem " ; " got his way by labyrinthine maneuvering " ; " oh, what a tangled web we weave " - sir walter scott ; " tortuous legal procedures " ; " tortuous negotiations lasting for months " a native of byzantium ( modern - day istanbul ) belonging to the civilization of the eastern - roman empire, between 331 a. d. when the capital was moved to constantinople ( now istanbul ) and up 1453 when it was conquered by the turks. overly complex or intricate. of or pertaining to byzantium. of a devious, usually stealthy manner, of practice. origin : from late byzantinus itself from byzantium a gold coin, so called from being coined at byzantium. see bezant of or pertaining to byzantium a native or inhabitant of byzantium, now constantinople ; sometimes,


definitions for ultra - gaseous matter the standard electrical dictionary gas so rarefied that its molecules do not collide or very rarely do so. experiments of very striking nature have been devised by crookes and others to illustrate the peculiar phenomena that this matter presents. the general lines of this work are similar to the methods used in geissler tube experiments, except that the vacua used are very much higher. when the vacuum is increased so that but one - millionth of the original gas is left the radiant state is reached. the molecules in their kinetic movements beat back and forth in straight lines without colliding, or with very rare collisions. their motions can be guided and rendered visible by electrification. a tube or small glass bulb with platinum electrodes sealed in it, is exhausted to the requisite degree and is hermetically sealed by melting the glass. the electrodes are connected to the terminals of an induction coil or other source of high tension electrification. the molecules which come in contact with a negatively electrified pole are repelled from it in directions normal to its surface. they produce different phosphorescent or luminous effects in their mutual collisions. thus if they are made to impinge upon glass, diamond or ruby, intense phosphorescence is produced. a piece of platinum subjected to molecular bombardment is brought to white heat. a movable body can be made to move under their effects. two streams proceeding from one negative pole repel each other. the stream of molecules can be drawn out of their course by a magnet. the experiments are all done on a small scale in tubes and bulbs, resembling to a certain extent geissler tubes. [ transcriber ' s note : these effects are caused by plasma - - ionized gas and electrons. ] use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography : " ultra - gaseous matter. " definitions. net. stands4 llc, 2013. web. 19 may 2013. < http : / / www. definitions. net / definition / ultra - gaseous matter >.


the american chemistry council and 57 other plastics associations around the world recently reported on the progress they ' ve made on the global declaration of the plastics associations for solutions on marine litter. the declaration was originally announced in march 2011 at the 5th international marine debris conference. the progress report lists more than 140 education, research, policy, best - practices, recycling / recovery, and pellet containment projects to prevent marine litter, and their current status. the projects include efforts in education, global research, eco - efficient waste management, and litter prevention. by far the majority consists of education, so many of these are still ongoing. several policy and research projects have been completed, such as an australian study on the environmental impact of various degradable plastics, and a canadian study on agricultural plastics recovery. although it might not be immediately obvious what agricultural plastics research has to do with plastic pollution in the oceans, as much as 80 percent of marine litter comes from land - based sources. about 70 percent of overall litter ends up on the ocean floor, and about 30 percent remains in suspension or floats. the report also provides details on the global declaration itself, and the six commitments made under it by the plastics associations. the six commitments are areas of engagement that target sustainable solutions. they are focused on public - private partnerships to prevent marine litter, research, public policy, sharing best - practices, plastics recycling / recovery, and plastic pellet containment. after coming up with this list, declaration signatories identified specific actions to fulfill the declaration, and agreed to track and report their progress on those actions. according to the report, the declaration was " a public commitment by a global industry to work with partners to tackle a global problem : plastics in the marine environment. " it provides case studies of specific projects, and ideas about using the results of those projects to prevent marine litter in other regions of the world. the report can be accessed from a link in the press release on this page. we ' ve reported on the clean oceans project ( tcop ), which has as its primary goal the cleaning up of plastic from the pacific gyre, also known as the great pacific garbage patch. the non - profit organization aims to locate, remove, and recycle plastic marine debris, in part by helping to develop new technologies. for example, tcop is working with japan - based plastic - to - fuel system maker blest and e - n - ergy, a blest distributor, to develop a shipboard plastic - to - fuel conversion system that can transform plastic


i have seen several forums on which engineers listed their favorite engineering movies. of course they place " apollo 13, " " the flight of the phoenix, " and others at the top of the lists. if you missed the two - part public broadcasting service show, " azorian : the raising of the k - 129, " you ' re in for awe - inspiring engineering experience. in my opinion, this film would receive the number - one position on a list of engineering films. on 8 march 1968, the russian submarine k - 129 sank in the north - central pacific, likely as a result of an accident, although the cause remains unknown. the russians could not locate the sunken sub, but us acoustic sensors detected its implosion, and triangulation placed the sunken sub within a 5 - mile - square area. given the known location of a possible treasure trove of raw information, us intelligence experts mounted project azorian, which would attempt to raise a portion of the sunken submarine. the cia hoped to obtain codebooks, and secure communication equipment, undamaged ballistic missiles ( the sub carried three ), and torpedoes. the pbs film " azorian " documents the construction of the equipment needed to raise a sunken russian submarine. the pbs film documents the construction of the equipment needed for the effort, and explains how the various components would work. interviews with historians and people involved with the project provide insight into operations that published stories lack. the russian sub was about 3 miles underwater, so the government turned to companies with experience in deep - water drilling. even for them, the project was a gigantic and risky operation. i was astounded by the types and size of the equipment used, and how engineers came up with so many ingenious devices for the salvage work. eventually, the salvage ship glomar explorer, ostensibly built for reclusive and eccentric billionaire howard hughes and his business empire, sailed to the salvage site in 1974. i won ' t spoil the conclusion for you, but it almost seemed anticlimactic. the engineering work stole the show. the scale of this project is difficult to comprehend, and although details have leaked over the years - - and various theories abound about the sub, it ' s demise, and the salvage - - the pbs film provides the only comprehensive examination of the project. it includes photographs and film taken contemporaneously to document the project, and includes animations that illustrate the salvage operations and how the giant equipment worked. it ' s such a fascinating engineering story.


emptiness of person is the emptiness of a subjective self, agent ( perceiver / controller / doer / thinker ), soul, being, within or apart from the five aggregates. one sees that the framework that " a seer is seeing the seen " is delusional, i. e. in seeing always just the experience of the seen, colours, shapes and forms without a seer. one realizes that a subjective self is illusory. emptiness of phenomena means each of the five aggregates does not have objective existence. there is no formness in form, no substance of thought, etc. so they are appearing but empty, illusory like a magician ' s trick, like a mirage, a dream. here is an excerpt from a buddhist glossary site on the definition of twofold emptiness : two emptinesses ( 二 空 ) include ( 1 ) emptiness of self, the atman, the soul, in a person composed of the five aggregates, constantly changing with causes and conditions ; and ( 2 ) emptiness of selves in all dharmas — each of the five aggregates, each of the twelve fields, and each of the eighteen spheres, as well as everything else with no independent existence. no - self in any dharma implies no - self in a person, but the latter is separated out in the first category. realization of the emptiness of self in a person will lead to attainment of arhatship or pratyekabuddhahood. bodhisattvas who have realized both emptinesses ascend to the first ground on their way to buddhahood.


upper gi series on this page : - what is an upper gastrointestinal ( gi ) series? - what problems can an upper gi series detect? - when is an upper gi series used? - how to prepare for an upper gi series - how is an upper gi series performed? - what is a double contrast study? - recovery from an upper gi series - what are the risks associated with an upper gi series? - points to remember - hope through research - for more information what is an upper gastrointestinal ( gi ) series? an upper gi series uses x rays to help diagnose problems of the upper gi tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. the duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. what problems can an upper gi series detect? an upper gi series can help detect - abnormal growths - scars or strictures — narrowings of the gi tract - hiatal hernia - diverticula — bulges in the wall of the esophagus or intestine - esophageal varices — enlarged veins in the esophagus when is an upper gi series used? an upper gi series can be used to help determine the cause of - abdominal pain - swallowing difficulties - gastroesophageal reflux — a condition in which food and digestive juices rise from the stomach into the esophagus - unexplained weight loss how to prepare for an upper gi series the upper gi tract must be empty prior to an upper gi series. generally, no eating or drinking is allowed for 8 hours before the procedure. smoking and chewing gum are also prohibited during this time. patients should tell their doctor about all health conditions they have — especially allergies to medications or foods — and about all medications they are taking. women should let their doctor know if they are pregnant. developing fetuses are particularly sensitive to x rays. special precautions can be taken to minimize exposure, or the doctor may suggest an alternate procedure such as upper gi endoscopy. how is an upper gi series performed? an upper gi series is conducted by a radiology technologist or a radiologist — a doctor who specializes in x – ray imaging — at a hospital or outpatient center. while sitting or standing in front of an x – ray machine, the patient drinks barium liquid, which is often white and has a chalky consistency and taste. the barium liquid coats the lining of the upper gi tract


or outpatient center. while sitting or standing in front of an x – ray machine, the patient drinks barium liquid, which is often white and has a chalky consistency and taste. the barium liquid coats the lining of the upper gi tract and makes signs of disease show up more clearly on x rays. x - ray video, called fluoroscopy, is used to view the barium liquid moving through the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. additional x rays and fluoroscopy are performed while the patient lies on an x - ray table. to fully coat the upper gi tract with barium liquid, the technologist or radiologist may press on the abdomen or ask the patient to change position. patients hold still in various positions, allowing the technologist or radiologist to take x rays of the upper gi tract at different angles. if a technologist conducts the upper gi series, a radiologist will later examine the images to look for problems. what is a double contrast study? the double contrast study gets its name from the combination of air and liquid barium working together to create a more detailed view of the stomach lining. the patient swallows gas - forming crystals, which are activated when they mix with the barium liquid. the gas expands the barium - coated stomach, exposing finer details of the stomach lining, and additional x rays are taken. recovery from an upper gi series patients may experience bloating and nausea for a short time after an upper gi series. not eating before the test and the test itself may cause one to feel tired. for several days afterward, barium liquid in the gi tract causes stools to be white or light colored. unless otherwise directed, patients may immediately resume their normal diet once they leave the hospital or outpatient center. what are the risks associated with an upper gi series? mild constipation from the barium liquid is the most common complication of an upper gi series. rarely, barium liquid causes bowel obstruction, a life - threatening condition that blocks the intestines. drinking plenty of liquids after an upper gi series flushes out the barium and helps reduce the risks of constipation and bowel obstruction. although infrequent, barium can cause an allergic reaction, which is treated with antihistamines. some barium liquids contain flavorings, which may also cause an allergic reaction. the risk of radiation - related damage to cells or tissues from an upper gi series is low. people who have recently undergone other


which is treated with antihistamines. some barium liquids contain flavorings, which may also cause an allergic reaction. the risk of radiation - related damage to cells or tissues from an upper gi series is low. people who have recently undergone other x - ray tests should talk with their doctor about potential risks. patients who experience any of the following rare symptoms should contact their doctor immediately : - severe abdominal pain - failure to have a bowel movement within 2 days after the procedure - inability to pass gas points to remember - an upper gi series uses x rays to help diagnose problems of the upper gi tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. - the upper gi tract must be empty prior to an upper gi series. generally, no eating or drinking is allowed for 8 hours before the procedure. smoking and chewing gum are also prohibited during this time. - an upper gi series is conducted by a radiology technologist or a radiologist at a hospital or outpatient center. - during the procedure, the patient drinks barium liquid and x - ray pictures and x - ray video, called fluoroscopy, are taken. - after the procedure, patients may experience bloating and nausea and feel tired. - possible risks of an upper gi series include mild constipation, bowel obstruction, an allergic reaction to barium, and cell and tissue damage from radiation exposure. hope through research the national institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases ( niddk ) conducts and supports basic and clinical research into many digestive disorders. participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. for information about current studies, visit www. clinicaltrials. gov. for more information fact sheets about other diagnostic tests are available from the national digestive diseases information clearinghouse at www. digestive. niddk. nih. gov, including - ercp ( endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ) - flexible sigmoidoscopy - liver biopsy - lower gi series - upper gi endoscopy - virtual colonoscopy publications produced by the clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both niddk scientists and outside experts. this publication was reviewed by m. brian fennerty, m. d., oregon health and science university. national digestive diseases information clearinghouse the national digestive diseases information clearinghouse (


researchers at the german aerospace center ( deutsches zentrum fur luft - und raumfahrt ; dlr ) have been instrumental in the preparation of a report by the world meteorological organization ( wmo ) regarding the development of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. based on estimates, by about the mid 21st century, the ozone layer will have the same thickness as it had in the early eighties. the latest evaluations of space - based measurements acquired by the dlr remote sensing technology institute, combined with model computations from the dlr institute of atmospheric physics support the statement that ‘ the regeneration of the ozone layer continues ’. “ measurements show that the ozone hole above antarctica in 2012 is one of the smallest in recent years, ” reports martin dameris from the institute of atmospheric physics. both the area of expansion and the reduction in ozone concentrations are small this year in comparison to the values observed in past years. “ this is a clear indication that the ozone layer is staging a good recovery, ” states dameris. based on climate chemistry models so far, climate chemistry model computations performed by the institute of atmospheric physics have been in line with observations. the models demonstrate that, if this trend continues, the ozone hole will close up and that the ozone layer will regenerate itself. these forecasts are based upon computational models that simulate the physical, dynamic and chemical processes in the atmosphere. the institute of atmospheric physics collaborated on the production of these climate chemistry models. to investigate the ozone layer, long - term simulations, starting, for example, in 1960 and extending beyond the simulation date, were conducted at the dlr institute. computational results for the past are compared against observational data, in part to assess the quality of the results from the model. it is only on the basis of well - evaluated models that it is possible to produce reliable estimates of future developments, such as that of the ozone layer. to understand atmospheric processes, atmospheric researchers use data from the dlr remote sensing data center. the scientists at this institute are primarily involved in the provision of data products derived from satellite measurements. these satellite data products are compared against other independent data to achieve the highest possible level of precision. the reduction in chlorofluorocarbon consumption is having a considerable and positive effect since the early eighties, the ozone hole has been observed at the start of the antarctic spring – from mid - september to mid - october. it is the consequence of high chlorine levels in the stratosphere, and is caused by the emission of chlor


bay grasses in classes kicks off tenth season with teacher trainings in january 2007 - the bay grasses in classes ( bgic ) project is a joint partnership with the maryland department of natural resources ( dnr ) and the chesapeake bay foundation ( cbf ). since 1998, over 1, 404 classes and 36, 050 students have been involved with bay grasses in classes. during this time students have planted over 2. 75 acres of bottom surface in the bay with the 475, 000 plants grown in their classrooms. in 2004, for the first time, annual aerial surveys taken by the virginia institute of marine science ( vims ) have mapped healthy grass beds planted by students in the program. seventy - one returning teachers as well as 33 new teachers from 83 schools across the state of maryland participated in training sessions in january. during training, teachers were provided with the curriculum materials and introduced to online resources necessary to educate their classes on the importance of bay grasses. in addition, materials necessary to construct bay grass growth chambers in their classrooms including : aquarium equipment, sediment, and seeds or adult plants were distributed. over the course of the next few months, teachers will actively engage students in each phase of growing bay grasses : mixing the soil, setting up the aquaria, and planting seeds or vegetative material from adult plants. each week, teachers will lead students through monitoring growth of plants, collecting water quality data, and entering data into an on - line data entry system housed on the newly redesigned bay grasses in classes website ( http : / / www. dnr. state. md. us / bay / sav / bgic / ). later this spring, students will transport the grasses to one of four restoration sites throughout the state to plant the grasses, as well as take part in other educational activities including : seining and water quality activities designed to reinforce their knowledge of bay grasses. by studying the ecological importance of bay grasses and actively participating in restoration, students also gained a sense of stewardship of the bay. grasses ( also known as submerged aquatic vegetation, or sav ) are critical to a healthy chesapeake bay. they provide important habitats for young fish and crabs, serve as food for waterfowl, help protect shorelines from erosion, keep water clear, consume excess nutrients, and add oxygen to the water. current bay grass populations are less than 25 percent of historic levels, mainly due to excessive nutrient pollution ( mainly nitrogen and phosphorus ) and sediment resulting from human activities clouding the water and preventing sufficient sunlight from reaching the plants. bgic receives funding from


introduction to farsightedness : when parents take their child for an eye exam for any reason, they are likely to hear that their child has hyperopia. what does this mean? what should be done about it? what is farsightedness? rays of light that enter the eye are supposed to be focused by the cornea and the lens to land on the retina so that we can see clearly. in some children, the focal point is somewhere behind the retina. this situation is called farsightedness, or hyperopia. a child may be farsighted because the eye is shorter than average, because the lens or cornea bends light less than average, or because the lens is farther backward in the eye than average. farsightedness, like nearsightedness and astigmatism, is a type of refractive error. usually, farsighted children can see distant objects clearly, but closer objects may appear blurred. children are often able to accommodate for this with extra work of the eyes. then, near vision is still clear ; it just takes more work. who gets farsightedness? most babies are born farsighted. as the eyeball lengthens with growth, the farsightedness decreases until normal vision is achieved. that is why young children often leave the eye doctor with a diagnosis of developmental hyperopia, or hyperopia appropriate for age. hyperopia beyond that which is appropriate for age often runs in families. what are the symptoms of farsightedness? with mild hyperopia, there may be no symptoms. the child is able to accommodate for the farsightedness without much effort, and is comfortable with both near and far vision. the greater the degree of farsightedness, the more work that is required to accommodate for it. this may result in discomfort or mild headaches with prolonged reading or close work. eye rubbing and inflamed eyelids are common. sometimes lack of interest in reading is the only symptom. when hyperopia is even worse, near vision is blurry even with effort. is farsightedness contagious? how long does farsightedness last? how is farsightedness diagnosed? the degree of farsightedness can be measured accurately at any age, without cooperation from the child. the eyes often need to be dilated for the examination. in older children, farsightedness is sometimes measured by placing different strength lenses in front of the eye, and asking


| guinea pigs share a unique quality with human beings : the inability to synthesize ( create ) vitamin c for their bodies. because this is true, vitamin c must be supplied to guinea pigs through food or supplement intake. guinea pigs failing to receive adequate levels of vitamin c will develop the disease, that in people, is known as scurvy. what causes scurvy? in human history, scurvy was common among sailors who traveled long distances without access to fruits and vegetables containing vitamin c. in 1747, james lind, a scotsman, discovered that sailors suffering from scurvy were cured by eating oranges and limes. science has since shown that it was the vitamin c in the fruit that made the difference. symptoms of scurvy in your guinea pig indicators of a vitamin c deficiency in guinea pigs include loss of appetite, bleeding from the gums, joint stiffness, general lethargy, weight loss, poor tooth development and nasal discharge. avoiding vitamin c deficiency to help guinea pigs avoid a deficiency, vitamin c is often added to food pellets at the time of manufacture. under normal conditions the vitamin c in food pellets remains active for up to three months. under adverse conditions - too much heat or humidity for example - vitamin c may lose its effectiveness in much less time. buying food pellets one month at a time and properly rotating fresh food into the guinea pig ' s diet will help ensure that the vitamin c in the diet is at adequate levels. foods high in vitamin c feeding a guinea pig a diet with vitamin c rich fresh fruits and vegetables is also important. the following fruits and vegetables contain high levels of vitamin c : additional ways to provide your guinea pig with vitamin c - leafy greens such as kale, parsley, spinach and chicory - red and green peppers - dandelion greens ( no pesticides, fertilizer, or herbicides ) some suggest adding vitamin c to a guinea pig ' s drinking water. this can be helpful, but vitamin c in water breaks down in less than a day. new vitamin c and fresh water must be supplied daily with this method.


windows vista & xp glossary : d d3d score : the score that the windows experience index gives to your computer ' s ability to replicate 3d images. dat : digital audiotape ; a type of computer backup drive that copies data to a tape. ddr : double data rate ; a computer dimm memory module that ’ s still in general use. ddr2 : memory modules that double the data transfer rate between your ram and your motherboard. default programs option : a windows option that allows you to determine which program you want to run a certain task or open a certain file type. defrag ; defragment : the process that your computer uses to rearrange the pieces of files and applications on your hard drive so that they are positioned next to each other on the drive, improving performance speed. desktop : a type of computer made up of a pc console, monitor, mouse, keyboard, and any additional attachments. a desktop pc isn ’ t easily portable. desktop theme : a collection of settings that control the appearance and behavior of the various appearance settings in windows. details view : one of the viewing options in windows explorer that you can use to obtain detailed information about each file. device manager : a windows tool that shows you the status of all the hardware elements on your pc. dialup : a kind of computer internet connection that uses existing phone lines. digital : a means of storing, transmitting, manipulating, or reproducing data, images and sounds by using groups of electronic bits represented by 1 and 0. digital id : electronic certificates that you can use to verify the identity of the person with whom you ’ re communicating. dimm : dual inline memory module ; a standard type of computer memory module. directx : a driver used by games, graphics, and audio programs in windows. disk drive : a component of a computer that reads information from and writes information to a certain kind of disk. display : the information that appears on your computer screen. dns server : a computer that translates addresses you can understand, such as www. dummies. com, into addresses that the internet can understand, such as 184. 108. 40. 206. drive cage : a contraption used to hold a pc ’ s internal disk drives, an optical ( dvd ) drive, and a hard drive. driver : a special type of program that allows specific computer hardware to work. dsl : digital subscriber line ; a type of internet connection that takes advantage of unused frequencies in existing phone lines. dual - core


a lot of us in the san juan basin know what it is like to live next to gas and oil development. we have done it for years. or so we think. a drilling rig shows up, works all day and night for a week or so, the fracking equipment shows up for another week, then we have a pump jack as a neighbor and go on with our lives. we live with a huge, loud jet - like noise, and all the associated smells for a bit, but then just a pump jack after that. yet that is not the full story. with the advent of shale gas and oil, the drill rig may be drilling many well bores from the same pad, and the bores may be up to one - half - mile long, in the producing formation, rather than just a vertical hole. the drilling and fracking may last for months, even up to 18 months. the jet - like noise and smells may be a much more permanent neighbor. not what we are used to. the colorado oil and gas conservation commission, or cogcc, is currently in the process of an update to its regulations on setbacks from homes, schools and other occupied places. the debate is : how close is too close? the current rules are for 150 feet in rural areas ( to prevent harm if the drill rig falls ), and 350 feet in high - density urban areas. the cogcc proposal is for 350 feet everywhere. in the past, the argument against greater distances was based on a technological barrier to reaching the gas or oil if the well wasnit right over the target area. that is no longer a barrier ; horizontal drilling is now the norm. the new technology, which brings the longer times of noise and smells, also brings the means to move them farther from the people who live on the land being drilled. this technological advance must be used not only for the benefit of the industry, but for the people who have to live with the development as well. it is not just a matter of convenience. having a jet running next to your home, with all the exhaust and noise, is in itself enough to cause real harm. but gas and oil drilling does have accidents, and some of the exhaust can be harmful. the cogcc should adopt a setback of 1, 000 feet from homes and 1, 500 feet from high - occupancy buildings, recognize that all landowners within 1, 000 feet of the well pad are directly impacted and give them the right to fully participate in the permitting process.


a variant of last year ' s pandemic influenza linked to fatal cases carried a mutation that enabled it to infect a different subset of cells lining the airway, according to new research. the study, due to be published next week in the journal of virology, suggests that the mutant virus could have impaired the lungs ' ability to clear out germs. the researchers behind the study, from imperial college london, the medical research council national institute for medical research and the university of marburg said the findings highlight the potential for deadlier strains of flu to emerge and spread. the 2009 pandemic of h1n1 influenza caused thousands of deaths worldwide, but the majority of cases were relatively mild. a variant of the virus carried a mutation termed d222g in a protein on the surface of the virus, and people infected with this variant were more likely to have severe and fatal illness. according to a world health organisation report, the d222g mutation was found in less than two in every hundred cases of 2009 pandemic flu, but was responsible for around seven in every hundred deaths. viruses infect cells by attaching to receptor molecules on the cell surface. different receptors are present on different cell types, and a virus can only infect cells that have the right receptors for the protein on its own surface. the new research shows that flu virus with the d222g mutation can bind to a broader range of receptors in the airway, including receptors that are present on cells called ciliated cells. these cells, found in the lining of the airway, have hair - like projections called cilia. the cilia sway back and forth to move mucus with trapped particles upward toward the mouth, and this is normally swallowed or coughed up. when ciliated cells become infected, the cilia stop moving and this vital clearance function is impaired. inhaled viruses and bacteria can then reach the lung more easily, where they can potentially cause pneumonia. the mutant virus has an increased capacity to infect ciliated cells, as shown by the collaborating group at the university of marburg. infection of the ciliated cells would sabotage the lungs ' clearing mechanism and could be one factor that made the d222g mutation more virulent, the researchers suggest. " this simple mutation, which swapped one building block of a virus protein for another, apparently resulted in a more virulent version of the h1n1 virus, " said professor ten feizi from the department of medicine at imperial college london


. " this simple mutation, which swapped one building block of a virus protein for another, apparently resulted in a more virulent version of the h1n1 virus, " said professor ten feizi from the department of medicine at imperial college london, who led the study. " we think this is at least partly due to the virus being able to bind to different receptors, which allowed it to infect ciliated cells and stop them from clearing out germs. " if the mutant virus were to acquire the ability to spread more widely, the consequences could be very serious. the study goes to show how important it is that the who global influenza surveillance network continues to monitor closely the emergence of new variants of the flu virus. even though the 2009 pandemic was relatively mild, it ' s vital that we handle outbreaks cautiously and stay vigilant. the virus is constantly evolving, and it ' s possible that a new form as dangerous as the 1918 pandemic could emerge. " professor feizi and her team study the receptor specificity of different flu viruses by attaching onto a glass surface a range of different carbohydrates, resembling the receptors present on the surface of airway lining cells. the virus is then incubated on top of the glass surface, and using a fluorescent dye, the researchers can see the receptors on the plate to which the virus binds. the study builds on earlier work by professor feizi and her colleagues which showed that compared with seasonal influenza, the 2009 pandemic virus could bind to a broader range of receptor types. the previous study showed that pandemic flu had some affinity for so - called alpha2 - 3 receptors, as well as the alpha2 - 6 receptors favoured by seasonal flu. now they have shown that this affinity for alpha2 - 3 receptors is substantially enhanced in cases of pandemic flu with the d222g mutation. whereas alpha2 - 6 receptors are found in the nose, throat and upper airway, alpha2 - 3 receptors are prevalent in the lung but also on ciliated cells throughout the respiratory system. the study was funded by the wellcome trust, the medical research council, biotechnology and biological sciences research council, the uk research councils ' basic technology initiative, epsrc ' s follow - on translational grant, and german grants from the von behring - roentgen foundation and loewe program ugmlc of the state of hesse. sources : imperial college london, alphagalileo foundation.


organic semiconductor devices for bioelectronics april 2, 2009 daniel bernards, postdoctoral scholar university of california, san francisco since the discovery of highly conductive polymers, a wide range of polymeric and small molecule semiconductors have been developed for devices including transistors, photovoltaics and light emitting diodes. organic semiconductors have many attractive properties, such as low cost, ease of processing, synthetically tunable properties, compatibility with a variety of substrates, and covalent integration of chemical and biological functionalities. sensors have recently emerged as a promising application of organic electronics since they benefit from the advantages of organics ( e. g. processing and cost ) and are not significantly impacted by the usual drawbacks ( e. g. performance and lifetime ). furthermore, increased development of biocompatible organic semiconductors and devices functional in aqueous environments make interfacing organic electronics with biology an attractive application. distinct from the majority of contemporary electronics, organic semiconductors have the unique ability to sustain mixed conduction of ionic and electronic charge at room temperature. in addition to conventional devices, a subset of organic electronic devices exhibit novel properties due to mixed conduction, such as electrically switchable surface properties, pumping of ions, and release of therapeutic molecules. a prime example of a mixed conductor device is the organic electrochemical transistor, which is analogous to a field - effect transistor with the dielectric replaced by an ionically conducting electrolyte. while its current - voltage characteristics are similar to a depletion mode transistor, these devices are electrochemical in nature unlike the electrostatic behavior of field - effect transistors. given mixed conduction in these devices, it is natural to incorporate electrochemical or ionic elements for sensing : two examples are enzyme - based sensing and ion channel - based sensing. for enzymatic sensors, sensing is mediated by enzymatic degradation of an analyte ( e. g. glucose oxidase for sensing glucose ). with appropriate enzyme selection, this class of devices is capable of sensing a variety of analytes over a wide range of concentrations. combining analytical models from electrochemistry and device physics, it is possible to model these enzymatic sensors and consequently optimize device design. a second sensor type utilizes lipid bilayers and ion channels, where device response is dictated by the behavior of the incorporated ion channels. this sensing mechanism has tremendous potential and is limited only by the stability of the lipid bilayer and the type of ion channels


history wars in north - east asia a revived spat between japan and south korea unsettles the united states it is that time of year again : the anniversary of the end of the second world war in north - east asia, when wound - opening patriots take the sticking - plaster laid over historical grievances and give it a hard tug. this year the top prize goes to the president of south korea, lee myung - bak. on august 10th mr lee visited dokdo, a group of islets in the sea of japan. here the welfare of fragile marine and bird life comes second to nationalist sensitivities in the face of a rival claim to the rocks by japan, which relinquished control of korea after its defeat in 1945. the islets ’ two permanent residents, an octopus fisherman and his wife, are joined by a supporting cast of coastguards, installers of mobile - phone masts, south korean tourists and planters of exotic trees — which for the purposes of territorial claims help distinguish an island from a mere rock. back on the mainland, mr lee berated japan for not redressing the grievances of korean women forced into military prostitution during the war. he also declared that the japanese emperor, akihito, “ did not need to come ” to south korea unless he apologised deeply for colonial rule ( this after extending the emperor an invitation in 2008 ). so much for the “ forward - looking ” diplomacy mr lee once said would help the region to end its historical rows. since then, the president ’ s popularity has slumped, and his party faces a tricky presidential election in december. tub - thumping over dokdo cuts across party lines. japan has often displayed a tin ear to south korean sensitivities over the island, which it calls takeshima, having acquired it in the process of annexing korea. yet since the democratic party of japan ( dpj ) came to power in 2009 japanese policy had been conciliatory. one dpj prime minister, naoto kan, offered a fulsome apology on the centenary of the korean annexation. the emperor has long been in the admirable habit of apologising for japanese aggression. more substantively, japan ’ s new defence white paper talks up the importance of regional security and co - operation. it identifies south korea as the country “ that shares the closest relationship with japan historically and in areas such as economy and culture ”. yet few senior south koreans have the courage to acknowledge this in public.


the importance of regional security and co - operation. it identifies south korea as the country “ that shares the closest relationship with japan historically and in areas such as economy and culture ”. yet few senior south koreans have the courage to acknowledge this in public. mr lee ’ s unprecedented stunt — no south korean president had ever visited the rocks — means that much of the dpj ’ s good work risks unravelling. on august 15th, the anniversary of japan ’ s surrender, two japanese cabinet ministers visited tokyo ’ s yasukuni shrine, where war dead, including condemned war criminals, are revered. these were the first visits by high - ranking officials in three years. in protest at the dokdo visit, japan recalled its ambassador to seoul. its foreign minister, koichiro gemba, said mr lee ’ s provocation gave japan little choice but to take the case to the international court of justice. the threat is hollow. the court will not adjudicate unless two sides agree that a dispute exists. south korea does not, just as japan says its claim over some other rocks, the senkakus, claimed by china ( which calls them the diaoyu islands ) is not in dispute. this week 14 hyperventilating patriots from china, hong kong and macau steamed to the senkakus, where japan ’ s coastguard promptly arrested them. through all this, america watches on. even as it wants a revamped presence in asia, it despairs that its chief regional allies cannot get on. it says the dokdo dispute is for the two countries to sort out. but that is to wash its hands of its own part in the saga. the 1951 san francisco peace treaty with japan deliberately overlooked the matter of dokdo ’ s sovereignty, for fear the islands might fall into the hands of the communist north in the korean war. acknowledging its role in the history wars, alexis dudden of the university of connecticut argues, might persuade all the protagonists that america really wants to foster a greater sense of asian regionalism.