democracy and volunteerism : a viewpoint 09 january 2009 democracy and volunteerism are perhaps the most fundamental components of the united nations system and the development of humankind. democracy was created for international peace and security, hence improving friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equality and self actualization. democracy is the only way to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character. it is crucial in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. volunteerism aids democracy as it increases access to opportunities and services. it leads to better delivery of services, greater inclusion and participation in development, and the mobilization of communities. for society to function properly there has to be both democracy and volunteerism as each aspect acts as a catalyst of the other. in democracy, leaders volunteer to serve people ; and in volunteerism people volunteer to serve people. both their primary goals are to improve the living conditions of the nation at large. both give forums for the active participation of people, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and mutual understanding of the societal issues that exist. people are not discriminated against based on race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth. there is social inclusion for all people that exist in society. people who bear the fruits of volunteerism and democracy are all people, including people at the grassroots level, because there is active participation of people from the top to the bottom. democracy and volunteerism are peace - building mechanisms. they act as early warning systems as inhabitants can identify societal problems before they spiral out of control. this helps to build legal and human rights institutions as well as fair and effective governance and conflict resolution mechanisms. this is possible because there is careful and participatory planning, coordination among various stakeholders, sustained commitments by democratic leaders, volunteers and society at large - hence more sustainable peace. according to democratic peace theory, democratic states don ’ t attack each other. as more countries democratize this will pave a way for volunteerism and this will also reduce conflict between tribes, ethnic groups and family members and hence lead to a peaceful society. this will increase the number of volunteers who want to serve humankind and who can focus more on developmental issues rather those humanitarian issues, hence improving the living conditions of the majority of people. this will also accelerate the achievement of the millennium


- a & e - business & science eighty years ago, people were allowed to walk up with children in tow and feed the bears in yellowstone. fifty years ago, seat belts in cars were looked at as a suggestion rather than the rule. fifteen years ago, bicycle helmets were rare, and the children who wore them were often teased. but today, of course, no one with any sense feeds the bears, skips fastening their seat belts, or sends their children out onto the streets without a bicycle helmet. these obvious safety provisions have prevented a lot of terrible things from happening. so why is that we in america are so stubborn about our fireworks? perhaps it ’ s because the fireworks display is so closely associated with the celebration of american independence, or perhaps it ’ s because people just don ’ t like being told what they shouldn ’ t ( or can ’ t ) do. but the fact is that fireworks are not just another toy, and anything which involves an open flame deserves to be regulated. take sparklers, for instance. most estimates indicate that a common sparkler ( those little, white - hot sparking sticks that children wave around and use to write their names in the air ) can run anywhere from 1, 200 to 2, 000 degrees fahrenheit. they burn at the same heat as a soldering gun, an item which most adults would agree does not belong in the hands of children. the utah state fire marshal ’ s office has stated that “ only persons over age 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type, ” yet utah emergency rooms fill up around the summer holidays with children bearing sparkler wounds on the hands and arms ( sleeves often catch fire ), feet ( burned shoes are a common problem ) and eyes. according to the national fire protection association, the risk of fireworks injuries to children was more than double the risk to adults. with larger backyard fireworks displays, common sense seems to be occasionally lacking. this is not to say that every neighborhood firework - lighter is ignoring the necessary precautions, but it only takes one person in each neighborhood to mess things up for everyone else. we ’ ve all been present when “ that individual ” plays with homemade fireworks and illegal explosives, all under the guise of “ celebrating their independence. ” fireworks, like medicine or heavy machinery, should only be used as intended, and when they are altered and modified, their use becomes illegal. not frowned upon and not discouraged. illegal. the unlawful use of fireworks should be reported to the police department because it isn ’ t funny


heavy machinery, should only be used as intended, and when they are altered and modified, their use becomes illegal. not frowned upon and not discouraged. illegal. the unlawful use of fireworks should be reported to the police department because it isn ’ t funny, and it isn ’ t individualistic. it ’ s a crime. it goes without saying that alcohol and fireworks are not a great mixture. drinking and summer barbecues are a great combination and a more appropriate way to celebrate the nation ’ s independence than lighting things on fire, but please “ designate ” someone to abstain from drinking if fireworks are also on the menu. according to the national fire protection association, on any given independence day ( or any other holiday during which fireworks are legalized ), reports of fires are far more frequent with 2 out of 5 fires being caused by fireworks. this is an avoidable risk. in fact, the easiest way to prevent firework fires is to attend community - sponsored public fireworks shows, which are far better regulated and observed by local fire officials. when playing with fireworks, it can be easy to lose the sense of their potential for harm. but, just like with the bears in yellowstone, seat belts in cars and bike helmets on kids, enough people got wise and made the necessary changes to not only keep participating in the activity they enjoyed, but significantly decrease the chances of an accident while participating.


mountain state flora : rhododendron, our state flower by rose sullivan recently, the beautiful and showy rhododendron maximum celebrated the centennial of its designation as west virginia ' s state flower. there are many names for this state treasure and member of the heath family that is characterized by its large dark evergreen leaves and delicate pale pink or white blooms. the many common names for this shrub include rosebay, rosebay rhododendron, big laurel, great laurel, great rhododendron and white rhododendron. the rhododendron maximum was selected by the legislature to be our state flower in 1903 and was the result of a vote by public school students. the range of rhododendron extends along the appalachians from georgia north to new england, and also in parts of canada. in 1736, peter collinson and john bartam introduced rhododendron maximum to england, selling plants to gardeners in london with hopes of financing future plant expeditions. bartam later became the king ' s botanist in america. however, his laurel never became a favorite of gardeners in england because of its small flowers. the rhododendron is characterized by having rose pink or white showy flowers that form large round clusters and bloom in june to july. its leaves are simple, alternate, up to nine inches long, elliptical in shape and have a leathery texture. the fruit is a sticky capsule. rhododendron are found in ravines, shaded hillsides in cool moist locations, and favor acidic soils. they often grow in dense thickets that can become impenetrable. these thickets may cast so much shade that other species of plants and trees are eliminated from the understory. though not a commercial product, the wood is used in making small craft items such as briar pipes. it easily regenerates through root suckers, sprouting from stumps, or from layered stems after it has been cut or even burned. rhododendron exhibit an unusual and distinctive adaptation to cold temperatures. the leaves droop and roll lengthwise. the colder it gets the tighter the roll gets until the leaves have the shape of hollow slender cylinders. this may be a way for the tree to minimize water loss, especially in dry winter winds. since the use of common names leads to confusion we need to address another beautiful member of the heath family that can be confused with rhododendron maximum. kalmia latifolia is


how to build green on a budget the notion of building or remodeling to deep green standards is daunting. a 2011 survey by the national association of homebuilders found that 60 percent of professional builders thought environmentally sensitive housing was too expensive for low - income people and 30 percent said even the middle class couldn ’ t afford it. but modern pioneers — from owner - builders in british columbia to designers challenging the harsh conditions of the aleutian islands — are showing that green building on a budget, even to the most exacting standards, is possible with enough creativity and planning. in a family way ann and gord baird hand built what jason mclennan, who developed the living building challenge ( lbc ), has called “ the greenest modern house in the world. ” the lbc is the most far - reaching green - building program in existence. it requires, among other things, that a building use only the water and energy available on the site, use materials responsibly, and be healthy and beautiful. the bairds met most of the requirements of the lbc, and they did it themselves on a tight budget. but they didn ’ t do it alone. ann and gord pooled their resources with ann ’ s parents to buy the land in victoria, british columbia, and build a durable 2, 100 square foot house with two semi - independent residences. the bairds and their two kids live in one and ann ’ s parents are in the other. they save costs by sharing the heating, plumbing, and electrical equipment along with the phone, freezer, and washing machine, while still maintaining most of the autonomy of a single - family home, including two separate kitchens with a pass - through between them. the baird residence is the first permitted load - bearing cob structure in north america. cob is a mix of straw and earthen materials, similar to adobe. “ mud is pretty cheap, ” says ann, and the cob construction naturally regulates the humidity and temperature of the house. in an area where the average cost of a low - end conventional house is $ 190 to $ 250 per square foot, the baird ’ s house cost $ 148 per square foot, including solar pv and hot water systems and a reasonable price for ann and gord ’ s labor. in addition to inexpensive cob construction, and shared walls and equipment, they went with used materials when they could. addressing another aspect of the lbc, the bairds estimate they use about 40 liters of water per person


the winning design by a team of three young architects from madrid, spain, was a reinterpretation of the classic quonset hut, a form that mclennan says appears in remote locations because it is easy and repeatable. the designs that did the best emphasized simplicity and ease of construction, with a lot of flexibility in details. all of that contributes to affordability. if the housing authority learns a particular detail doesn ’ t hold up in the climate or is too expensive, they can try another option. the competition allowed the aleutian housing authority to learn from all the best ideas, and provided a wealth of design strategies and details to work with as they move forward. a phased approach saving energy is a key consideration for any organization focused on affordable housing. “ we ’ re facing stagnant revenues along with increasing utilities and operation costs, ” explained ben gates of central city concern ( ccc ), a nonprofit in portland, ore., that helps people affected by homelessness, poverty, and addictions to achieve self - sufficiency. ccc is on a tight budget, but the possibility of dramatic reductions in operating costs inspired the group to aim high. according to gates, it ’ s big ambitious goal - setting like lbc that supports big accomplishments — even if the goal isn ’ t fully reached, or is achieved over time. ccc is rehabbing a turn - of - the - century 160 - unit apartment building in portland to “ passive house ” standards. like the lbc, passive house takes green design to the extreme, but focuses only on energy. passive house design can reduce heating - energy use by 90 percent through a virtually airtight, superinsulated building that relies almost entirely on the sun and occupants to keep the building warm. ccc doesn ’ t have the funds to do a full retrofit all at once, so they ’ re taking a phased approach. they emphasized efficiency during the design phase, and they ’ re building in key improvements as they rehab various parts of the structure. “ normally you wouldn ’ t put triple - paned windows in a poorly insulated structure, ” gates says, “ but the next phase will have an exterior insulation wrap. ” “ as an institutional owner, we ’ re likely to have these buildings for another 100 years, ” gates says. typically rehabs happen every 15 to 20 years. “ everyone has to rehab — you always have components that are aging out, so as long as we ’ re spending money on rehab that ’ s along the lines


another 100 years, ” gates says. typically rehabs happen every 15 to 20 years. “ everyone has to rehab — you always have components that are aging out, so as long as we ’ re spending money on rehab that ’ s along the lines of what other affordable housing agencies are doing, we can make the argument that it ’ s a good use of funds. ” for example, by investing in windows that will last 50 years, instead of replacing a low - cost window in 20 years, they can focus on other things in the next rehab cycle. rebuild at home a phased approach is helpful for single - family homes too. while mclennan has sparked a revolution through the lbc, in his home life he ’ s not all that different from many other homeowners. “ i ’ m typical of a person who doesn ’ t have a lot of time nor huge buckets of money to throw at my house, and i bought an existing house. ” he takes his time, but the lbc framework informs everything he does. “ every year i do a small project. sometimes it ’ s just ensuring the investment in materials is respected — making sure the house doesn ’ t leak. ” 6 ideas for sensible homes small, supportive, affordable, recycled — and you can build your own. mclennan ’ s house was built out of all salvaged materials in the ’ 70s, and he is continuing that legacy of reuse and adaptation. it can be as straightforward as taking the shingles off the exterior wall where mclennan was building an addition and using them on the new wall. one of the trickiest parts of the challenge for professional architects is avoiding the hazardous chemicals on lbc ’ s list, but that doesn ’ t stop mclennan. “ i ’ m pretty darn strict about what chemicals i bring into my house, ” he said. still, that can mean ikea ’ s low cost furniture, since the company has relatively rigorous policies about hazardous materials, rather than premium priced options. “ like everyone else i just do the best i can. ” changing the game the story isn ’ t just about what people can do now ; it ’ s about making way for others. “ our real goal with the lbc is not to certify buildings, but to actually change the market so doing the right thing is the natural course of business, ” says mclennan. and that ’ s starting to happen. it ’ s also the changes quietly and not so quietly being introduced into the codes that define


but to actually change the market so doing the right thing is the natural course of business, ” says mclennan. and that ’ s starting to happen. it ’ s also the changes quietly and not so quietly being introduced into the codes that define what people can and cannot build that make things easier for the rest of us. “ it will never be more expensive than the first living building, ” says mclennan, because those first buildings are creating the templates for a new approach and teaching others. if these pioneers are making living buildings on a budget, the rest of us can too. jennifer atlee wrote this article for making it home, the summer 2012 issue of yes! magazine. jennifer is a researcher, writer, gardener, and engineer. research director for buildinggreen, she has focused on system - wide sustainability since she thru - hiked the appalachian trail at 18. - real homes : small, frugal, and green with 5 million houses in foreclosure, we are rediscovering that living sustainably includes living affordably. - cheaper together : how neighbors invest in community cooperative financing and community land trusts keep rents affordable and homeownership within reach. - how i found happiness ( in 130 square feet ) photo essay : think you don ' t know how to build your own house? neither did 23 - year - old ella jenkins, before she picked up the tools and started. that means, we rely on support from our readers. independent. nonprofit. subscriber - supported.


first of all, our warning. coaches who teach by being negative or intimidating can really hurt your kids ’ confidence and enjoyment of sports. no, these coaches do not toughen up your young athletes, as they might insist. they don ’ t improve kids ’ performance, either. actually, coaches who bully — either with harsh words or physical harm — can hurt young athletes ’ self - esteem, undermine their social skills and make it hard for them to trust. in some cases, these coaches can make kids feel anxious and depressed. what ’ s more, coaches who use such negative feedback are generally focused too much on one thing : winning the game or competition. they give kids the message that winning is everything. that makes kids focus too much on outcomes — such as the score or win. it can prevent them from reaping the social and emotional benefits of taking part in sports. focusing too much on the score or win also can hurt kids ’ performance. they often develop fear of failure. that means they stop taking risks and they play too tentatively. that ’ s because they ’ re afraid the coach will yell at them. watch for signs that your sports kids are being bullied. they may be afraid of the coach, focus too much on trying to impress the coach, and they may be afraid of going to practice. they may say they want to quit the team. you, as parents and coaches, can do a lot to help kids who are bullied by their coaches. if you see or hear about a coach who yells at, intimidates or insults kids, you should take action. if you merely sit back and complain, you ’ re part of the problem. instead, you need to begin by talking to the coach. you can gently suggest that his or her behavior may hurt kids ’ confidence. if that doesn ’ t work, you can file a complaint with the coach ’ s superiors in the league. if nothing else works, you should consider finding a new team for your young athlete. want to learn more about coaches who bully in sports? we recently completed an article about this topic. if you ’ re already a kids ’ sports psychology member, you can access it here : at kids ’ sports psychology, we offer loads of resources designed to help improve your sports parenting skills and your young athletes ’ enjoyment of sports. for example, members can download these e - books : - appreciate your talents : how to stop making comparisons - 12 pre - game tips to help kids trust what they learned in practice - 7 strategies to help sports


posted : jan 15, 2013 7 : 00 am by robert preidt tuesday, jan. 15 ( healthday news ) - - flu vaccination rates among u. s. children were lower than expected over a recent five - year period, a new study reports. the findings were released in the midst of the current flu season, with 47 states now reporting widespread illness, according to the u. s. centers for disease control and prevention. health officials recommend that all children 6 months and older get the flu vaccine. for the new study, wake forest baptist medical center researchers reviewed data on more than 8, 000 children younger than 5 in three counties in ohio, new york and tennessee between 2004 and 2009, and found that less than 45 percent of them received a flu shot. " our research showed that one in six children under age 5 who went to an emergency department or clinic with fever and respiratory symptoms during the peak flu seasons had the flu, " study author dr. katherine poehling, an associate professor of pediatrics and epidemiology, said in a wake forest news release. " many of those illnesses could have been prevented by vaccination, the best known protection against the flu, " she added. children younger than 6 months of age had the highest hospitalization rates with flu, the study authors noted. " parents should include a yearly flu shot to protect themselves and their children, " poehling said in the news release. " the best way to protect infants too young to receive the influenza vaccine is for pregnant women, the infant ' s family members and contacts to get the shot, too, " she added. the study was published in the online edition of the february issue of the journal pediatrics. the u. s. centers for disease prevention and control has more about children, the flu and the flu vaccine. source : wake forest baptist medical center, news release, jan. 10, 2013 copyright ( c ) 2012 healthday. all rights reserved.


click here to see proper thermostat settings administrative procedure - environmental issues / bulletin 3523 may 27, 2003 environmental guidelines ( thermostat settings ) when we are notified of suspected poor indoor air quality ( iaq ) in a building, we first contact the building ' s principal and attempt to obtain some specific information relative to the complaint. the main objective of that conversation is to try to ascertain if there is a specific area and / or person affected by the concern. we then research the work order system for any outstanding equipment repair requests. the next step is sending one of the inspectors to the facility to " check things out ". the inspector checks to ensure that all the equipment is running, and checks the condition of the filters, for room temperature and co2 levels. operator errors are discussed on - site with the building supervisor and equipment operator and that information is noted on the associated report. work orders are made for needed repairs not already requested. the inspector monitors the problem until it is resolved. there is a computer program used to track and update iaq issues. we ' ve discovered that most poor iaq concerns are related to equipment problems. equipment maintains good air quality - proper indoor air quality provides a good learning environment and ensures the health and safety of all building occupants. - in order to provide the proper air quality, all equipment must be operated. unit ventilators and other air handling equipment introduce fresh outside air into affected spaces when thermostats are satisfied. generally this fresh outside air appears cold ( 60 - 65 degrees ), but it is mixed with heat and will warm again when the thermostat ( s ) call for heat. when the equipment is operating as indicated above, it is running properly and should not be turned off. building occupants should dress according to the season. problems / concerns - initial problems and / or concerns should be reported to the school ' s building supervisor. the building supervisor will check the equipment and initiate work orders if needed. - if the equipment is operating properly and there is still an air quality concern, it should be reported to the principal. the environmental office should be notified and the concern will be investigated. any problems found will be addressed and the affected area monitored until corrections are made. the environmental office phone number is ( 301 ) 952 - 6500


european integration has been marked by the major issues and objectives which it has itself enunciated. these include the debate over federalism versus nation - state sovereignty ; the debate over politics versus economics ; the importance of the franco - german motor, of peacekeeping, and how to maintain economic prosperity, among others. a common market and a common currency have made of europe a world - competitive economic zone. today, the integration of a common european area for knowledge, science, and innovation represents the next vital step in the construction of a political union. the scientific community is already doing its share to build a european research area by setting up pan - european cooperative research organisations, developing european scientific associations, and participating in european programs of technological research and development. this issue of cnrs thema is a tour of europe in 100 pages. it travels beyond the boundaries of eu member states while spanning three axes of investigation : europe as a research area, research in europe, research on europe. the section " europe as a research area " takes a broad look at the initiatives and measures being taken by governments, institutions, or research organisations. the section " research in europe " reveals the involvement of research scientists in the " european machine " through concrete examples taken from the scientific departments of the cnrs. its subject is " in vivo " science at the european level, where france plays a leading role. the section " research on europe " gives researchers from the social sciences the opportunity to put european integration under the microscope. legal scholars, economists, sociologists, political scientists, philosophers, historians, linguists and other experts analyse the complex european union edifice while not neglecting to take into account the other countries making up europe. european integration has been widening steadily since it began in 1951, and the year 2004 mark the entry of ten new member states into the european union. europe as a common area for knowledge is also continually growing wider and richer, as a number of articles in this issue demonstrate. our hope must lie in the ability of an integrated european research area to work with the political and social forces of europe to address the many pressing questions facing european integration all levels, national, european, and international. mireille vuillaume this issue was conceived, coordinated, and produced by the editorial staff of cnrs thema, who would like to thank in particular the following individuals : monika dietl and clarissa amilhat, for their warm welcome in brussels anne d ' albis and claude - isabelle chauvel, for their help and encouragement joelle busut


geoscientists are employed in a variety of sectors. these include : - industry geoscientists are employed in oil & gas or mining companies, where they interpret geologic data to guide exploration and extraction of economic materials. - consulting firms employ geoscientists to support environmental, engineering, and hydrological decision making in a community. - the government employs geoscientists in federal and state labs and geological surveys to aid in their mission of science supporting society. - geoscientists employed in education teach in k - 12 settings or higher education institutions. colleges and universities are an important setting for cutting - edge research leading to many important discoveries about our planet. with a strong educational foundation in the geosciences, career possibilities are endless. here are just a few examples of careers for geoscientist : - archeological geologist - atmospheric scientist - economic geologist - engineering geologist - environmental geologist - glacial geologist - marine geologist - petroleum geologist - planetary geologist - soil scientist - structural geologist the job market for geoscientists has a bright future. a large percentage of the current geoscience job force is approaching retirement, which means that job vacancies and needs will be increasing in coming years. renewed interest in domestic exploration for oil and gas, metals and uranium is creating new jobs throughout the u. s. technological advances in remote sensing, geographic information systems ( gis ), and geologic modeling are forming a new computer - based niche for geoscientists. many geologists can successfully find fulfilling careers upon completion of an undergraduate program. many will also choose to continue to graduate school to pursue higher degrees. the four corners region has a wealth of opportunities for geoscientists. the san juan basin south of durango is one of the nation ' s most active oil and gas basins where companies large and small explore and compete for limited resources. western colorado contains a significant portion of domestic uranium supplies, and mining efforts are ramping up to meet rising prices and demand. wherever development occurs, consulting firms are busy surveying terrain to guide proper planning. and durango is close to two national laboratories in new mexico where geoscientists play an active role in basic research, engineering advancements, and national security. for more career options please visit our geoscience resources page.


volume 9, number 5 — may 2003 first evidence of aedes albopictus ( skuse ) in southern chiapas, mexico to the editor : the mosquito aedes albopictus ( skuse, 1894 ) was first identified in the americas in texas in 1985 ( 1, 2 ). that year, this newly introduced species had dispersed widely in texas and was implicated in the transmission of dengue virus ( 3 ). later, the first states in mexico that were infested by ae. albopictus were along the northern mexican border : coahuila, nuevo leon, and tamaulipas ( 4, 5 ; j. p. martinez - munoz, thesis ). in 1997, this species was reported farther south in veracruz ( 6 ). although ae. albopictus was expected to spread to southernmost mexico, this mosquito has never been reported there until now. we have confirmed ae. albopictus in the city limits of tapachula, southern chiapas, mexico. on september 13, 2002, one of the authors, who resides in tapachula, was bitten by a mosquito. he collected the specimen, which was later identified as ae. albopictus by the centro de investigacion de paludismo ( cip ). nearby larval habitats were then comprehensively searched to collect the immature stages of the species ; the sampling area was located at 14° 55 ' 22. 5 " north and 92°15 ' 05. 7 " west at an altitude of 220 m along the periphery of tapachula. we found the following containers with larval stages of mosquitos : five water containers, two discarded tires ( containing 300 – 3, 000 ml of water ), one thermal bottle ( 250 ml ), one plastic bottle ( 50 ml ), and one bucket ( 2, 500 ml ). larvae were placed in plastic bags and transported to cip laboratories, where they were allowed to emerge to adults during 17 days. the fourth instar larval and pupal exuvias were fixed and identified to species according to darsie ( 7 ) and superintendencia de campanhas de saude publica ( 8 ). twenty - five female and male ae. albopictus from these collections are available from cip laboratory upon request. additional field collections are being conducted to establish the distribution range of this species along the chiapas coastal plain, to determinate the entomologic levels of infestation, and to determine its su


are available from cip laboratory upon request. additional field collections are being conducted to establish the distribution range of this species along the chiapas coastal plain, to determinate the entomologic levels of infestation, and to determine its susceptibility to insecticides. considering the epidemiologic relevance of this discovery, we have notified the proper health authorities to take necessary control measures to reduce the possibility of increased dengue transmission and to prevent other arboviruses, such as west nile virus ( 9 ), from being spread by this new species in southern mexico. - centers for disease control. aedes albopictus introduction — texas. mmwr morb mortal wkly rep. 1986 ; 35 : 141 – 2. - centers for disease control. aedes albopictus infestation — united states, brazil. mmwr morb mortal wkly rep. 1986 ; 35 : 493 – 5. - moore cg, francy db, eliason da, monath tp. aedes albopictus in the united states : rapid spread of a potential disease vector. j am mosq control assoc. 1988 ; 4 : 356 – 61. - ibanez - bernal s, martinez - campos c. aedes albopictus in mexico. j am mosq control assoc. 1994 ; 10 : 231 – 2. - rodriguez - tovar ml, ortega - martinez mg. aedes albopictus in muzquiz city, coahuila, mexico. j am mosq control assoc. 1994 ; 10 : 587. - secretaria de salud. 2000. available from : url : http : / / www. ssaver. gob. mx / servicios _ de _ salud / boletinepidem / boletines / 2000 - 26 / page17. html - darsie rf jr. the identification of aedes albopictus in the neartic region. j am mosq control assoc. 1986 ; 2 : 336 – 40. - superintendencia de campanhas de saude publica. resumo dos principias caracteres morfologicos diferenciais do aedes aegypti e do aedes albopictus. brasilia : sucam / min. da saude ; 1989. - holick j, kyle a, ferraro w, delaney rr, iwasecz


the woman who discovered printing t. h. barrett - price : £18. 99 - add to basket - publication date : - 15 feb 2008 - 192 pages : 216 x 138 x 22mm - 6 b & w illustrations this beguiling book asks a set of unusual and fascinating questions - why is early chinese printing so little acknowledged, despite anticipating gutenberg by centuries? why are the religious elements of all early printing overlooked? and why did printing in china not have the immediate obvious impact it did in europe? t. h. barrett, a leading scholar of medieval china, brings us the answers through the intriguing story of empress wu ( ad 625 - 705 ) and the revolution in printing that occurred during her rule. linking asian and european history with substantial new research into chinese sources, barrett identifies methods of transmitting texts before printing and explains the historical context of seventh - century china. he explores the dynastic reasons behind empress wu ' s specific interest in printing and the motivating role of her private religious beliefs. he also deduces from eighth - and ninth - century chinese records an explanation for the lesser impact of the introduction of printing in china than in europe. as renaissance europe was later astonished to learn of china ' s achievement, so today ' s reader will be fascinated by this engaging perspective on the history of printing and the technological superiority of empress wu ' s china. t. h. barrett is professor of east asian history at the school of oriental and african studies, london. among his books are taoism under the t ' ang ; li ao : buddhist, taoist or neo - confucian? and, with peter hobson, poems of hanshan. he lives in cambridgeshire, england. '... fascinating and makes us gasp at the early chinese civilisation for both their progressive thinking and their cruelty. we in the west need to look with fresh eyes at the world social history and thankfully yale university press is at the forefront of this. ' bill spence, yorkshire gazette and herald ' the real thrust of his [ barrett ' s ] beautifully compact but formidably well - researched book lies in its thoughtful investigation of wu and her milieu. indeed so literate is the woman who discovered printing that it belongs immediatley to that fine tradition of english writing about chinese initiated by arthur waley. ' justin wintle, the independent


##bes which feed on hydrocarbons. " this whole notion that that stuff is weathering away is really questionable, " said jim cowan, a professor in louisiana state university ' s department of oceanography and coastal sciences. " what dispersed oil does is eventually dissolves into sea water and the ultimate fate of that is ultimately undetermined. " tarballs from the 1979 ixtoc blowout are still washing up on texas beaches. while the oil may float initially, it will sink once mixed with sand or sediment and then get kicked back up again during storms, he explained. " what this has turned into now is the potential for a long term chronic problem, " he said in a telephone interview. " chronic impacts are always more difficult to deal with from an ecosystem standpoint. " the toxic mix of oil and chemical dispersants could decimate fish populations by killing off vulnerable larvae and reducing the reproductively of those which survive. " it ' s a race between the microbes eating it and everything else being exposed to it, " said larry mckinney, executive director of the harte research institute for gulf of mexico studies. " microbial action comes at a cost. they ' re organisms. they use oxygen. " the gulf was already under stress from coastal erosion and a massive " dead zone " created when agricultural runoff from the mississippi river feeds algae, which sucks the oxygen out of the water. " we will likely have a pretty severe impact, " mckinney told afp, adding that the real concern is that the oil spill could be the final tipping point for an already stressed ecosystem. " you can only be knocked down so many times before you can ' t get back up again. " marine conservationist rick steiner, a retired university of alaska scientist, said it ' s far too soon to hazard a guess at the true impact of the spill. " what we ' re hearing is they don ' t think the damage will be as bad as they initially thought, " steiner said. " we have to remember that the same thing was said after the exxon valdez. but much of the damage didn ' t become apparent until the second or third year. " herring stocks have still not returned more than 20 years after the valdez ran aground in prince william sound, alaska. and oil is still seeping out of underground pockets on that rocky shore when it rains. first published : sunday, august 08, 2010, 09 : 24


among the causes of the spread of crude from the leak caused by an explosion of the deepwater horizon rig were that the federal government was in no position to assess the size of the problem or properly give advice on how to solve it. these are among the conclusions of a report by the national commission on the bp deepwater horizon oil spill created by the administration. the report does praise the efforts by early responders to the disaster, but adds “ these remarkable efforts were necessary, however, because of a lack of advance preparation by industry and government. ” the attack on the efforts to fix the problem contains two other critical observations – ” the government was unprepared to oversee a deepwater source control effort ” and “ underestimates of the flow rate appear to have impeded planning for source - control efforts ” to completely cap the leak. the criticisms may not be entirely fair. it is impossible for the federal government to anticipate every potential disaster that might occur. that would mean federal authorities would have to deploy tens of thousands of people to watch for and analyze everything from large fires in national parks to massive mine collapses that could kill hundreds of miners. the idea that government agencies can anticipate and solve such a huge number of potential troubles is naive. the second issue raised by the commission is that bp and government officials on site early could have properly measured the flow of oil from the leak. it needs to be remembered that estimates for the spill varied wildly for weeks after the catastrophe. there were even interactive maps of the effects of the spill that showed oil moving up the eastern seaboard of the us and well into the atlantic. it is easy for a commission to look at a problems in retrospect about how deepwater horizon might have been handled differently. it is another matter to consider what the real world considerations were as the trouble progressed. douglas a. mcintyre


wednesday, november 4, 2009 : 8 : 05 am convention center, spirit of pittsburgh ballroom bc, third floor soil is the most complicated biomaterial on the planet due to complex soil architecture and billions of soil microbes with extreme biotic diversity. soil is potentially a source of human pathogens, which can be defined as : geo - indigenous ; geo - transportable ; or geo - treatable. such pathogens cumulatively can and do result in multiple human fatalities annually. a striking example is helminths, with current infections worldwide estimated to be around two billion. however, soil can also be a source of antibiotics and other natural products that enhance human health. soilborne antibiotics are used to treat human infections, but can also result in antibiotic resistant bacteria. natural products isolated from soil resulted in 60 % of new cancer drugs between the period 1983 – 1994. soils are also crucial to human health through their impact on human nutrition. finally, from a global perspective, soils are vital to the future well - being of nations through their impact on climate change and global warming. a critical review of soil with respect to public health leads to the conclusion that overall soil is a public health savior. the value of soil using a systems approach is estimated to be $ 20 trillion, and is by far the most valuable ecosystem in the world.


a retriever is a type of gun dog that retrieves game for a hunter. generally gun - dogs are divided into three major classifications : retrievers, flushing spaniels, and pointing breeds. | retrievers were bred primarily to retrieve birds or other prey and return them to the hunter without damage. although spaniels and some pointing breeds routinely retrieve game, and many retrievers are skilled in finding game, retrievers are distinguished in that non - slip retrieval is their primary function. as a result, retriever breeds are bred for soft mouths and a great willingness to please, learn, and obey. a soft mouth refers to the willingness of the dog to carry game in its mouth without biting into it. hard mouth is a serious fault in a hunting dog and is one that is very difficult to correct. a hard - mouthed dog renders game unpresentable or at worst inedible. view printer friendly version of flat coat retriever article. listen to article listen to audio version of flat coat retriever article. hot key : + + flat coat retriever facts the name of the domestic breed... the area where the animal first came from... how long ( l ) or tall ( h ) the animal is... the measurement of how heavy the animal is... how long the animal lives for... the domestic group such as cat or dog...


robinson crusoe has made a profound impression on readers as well as on whole cultures. samuel johnson, a demanding critic, gave it the highest praise, " was there ever yet any thing written by mere man that was wished longer by its readers, excepting don quixote, robinson crusoe, and the pilgrim ' s progress? " ( 1776 ). jean - jacques rousseau regarded it as " the one book that teaches all that books can teach. " in emilius and sophia : or, a new system of education ( 1762 ), he wanted emilius to read only robinson crusoe during his formative years, because it would " guide his development to a state of reason " and teach him to judge everything by its usefulness. according to john robert moore, crusoe created not only a new literary form ( the novel ), but also a new reading public. crusoe can also be appreciated by unsophisticated or novice readers and has even been memorialized in children ' s culture by a nursery rhyme : poor old robinson crusoe! poor old robinson crusoe! they made him a coat of an old nanny goat ; i wonder how they could do so! with a ring a ting tang, and a ring a ting tang, poor old robinson crusoe! what explains the almost universal appeal of crusoe? why do so many people, regardless of age, social class, intellectual level, and culture, admire crusoe? even a partial list of the explanations offered is lengthy : - the thrill of adventure lures us into identifying with crusoe and his triumph over mishaps, particularly since the specific details of defoe ' s portrayal make his experiences real for us. this view does not account for the enthusiasm of sophisticated readers like johnson and rousseau. - english readers often see crusoe as the typical ( really idealized? ) englishman – manly, self - reliant, courageous, heroic, and resourceful. this narrow chauvinistic response excludes all non - english readers, yet crusoe transcends national, religious, and cultural boundaries. the french, in particular, have had a longstanding affection for crusoe. they admired him as a man of heroic stature, a man who overcame dire adversities. during the french revolution, crusoe ' s courage, independence, and determination reflected the spirit and values of the revolution. to emphasize their similarity, the novel was partially rewritten : friday patriotically refused to leave


who overcame dire adversities. during the french revolution, crusoe ' s courage, independence, and determination reflected the spirit and values of the revolution. to emphasize their similarity, the novel was partially rewritten : friday patriotically refused to leave his home for europe, and crusoe praised nature, not god, for the barley. gerard grandville ' s illustration for an 1840 edition of crusoe represented the french view of crusoe as a larger - than - life figure. crusoe was so well known in france that, until the 1930s, a large umbrella was called un robinson. - john j. richetti expanded the view of crusoe as the typical englishman, seeing him rather as the archetypal " personage of the last two hundred and fifty years of european consciousness. " obviously this view is eurocentric and excludes non - europeans. but crusoe seems infinitely adaptable and travels well to other cultures. in a nineteenth century eskimo translation published in greenland, one illustration depicted friday bowing to crusoe. friday wore a loincloth, and crusoe was dressed like an eskimo in furs, with a harpoon in the background ; the scenery consisted of palm trees, dense bushes, and a partially snow - covered - coleridge saw crusoe in universal terms, as " a representative of humanity in general ; neither his intellectual nor his moral qualities set him above the middle degree of mankind.... " he is " the universal representative, the person for whom every reader could substitute himself. but now nothing is done, thought, or suffered, or desired, but what every man can imagine himself doing, thinking, feeling, or wishing for. " he rises only where " in religion, in resignation, in dependence on, and thankful acknowledgement of the divine mercy and goodness " ( 1832 ). - for james beattie, " robinson crusoe, though there is nothing of love in it, is one of the most interesting narratives that ever was written ; at least in all that part which related to the desert island : being founded on a passion still more prevalent than love, the desire of self - preservation ; and therefore likely to engage the curiosity of every class of readers, both old and young, both learned and unlearned " ( 1783 ). - the division of labor and industrialization have cut off modern men and women from simple tasks ; we no longer know the whole process of basic activities, like growing wheat, milling flour, and baking


both learned and unlearned " ( 1783 ). - the division of labor and industrialization have cut off modern men and women from simple tasks ; we no longer know the whole process of basic activities, like growing wheat, milling flour, and baking bread. this was true in defoe ' s time also, though to a lesser extent. so the details of crusoe ' s everyday life fascinate us, as we watch him recreate civilization alone. he makes us look at the activities and necessities of everyday life in a new way, and we enjoy each discovery with crusoe. - walter allen sees in crusoe the dramatization of " the inescapable solitariness of each man in his relation to god and the universe. " edward gordon craig, a modern illustrator, gives a personal and modern spin to allen ' s suggestion : " we secretly enjoy loneliness through him. " in writing crusoe, defoe created a character who speaks to something deep in the human psyche and essential to the human condition. this is the reason, i suggest, that crusoe can be assimilated into diverse cultures, that the meanings assigned him change to reflect changes in a society, that he can be given conflicting meanings, and that he reaches into the private souls of individuals. it is these qualities that make crusoe a mythic or an myth originates in the effort of primitive people to explain some practice, belief, institution, or natural happening. myths are anonymous and accepted as true. " broadly speaking myths and mythologies seek to rationalize and explain the universe and all that is in it. thus, they have a similar function to science, theology, religion and history in modern societies " ( bernard doyle, encyclopedia mythica ). common types of myth are creation myths or stories which explain how the gods, the world or a phenomenon came about. a mythic figure is a heroic figure involved in events which have a significant effect on the universe or society. other kinds of myths and uses for myth developed as society became more sophisticated. plato, for instance, created myths or narratives of supernatural beings to speculate about open - ended subjects, that is, topics for which absolute certainty is impossible. william blake created a private mythology in his poetry, saying " i must create a system or be enslaved by another man ' s. " a myth may be a false belief, e. g., the myth of progress. or it may be a fictional, fully developed setting for a literary work


, saying " i must create a system or be enslaved by another man ' s. " a myth may be a false belief, e. g., the myth of progress. or it may be a fictional, fully developed setting for a literary work, like thomas hardy ' s myth of wessex or faulkner ' s yoknapatawpha county. ( 1 ) an archetype is the original or prototype who sets the pattern for similar beings, for example, frankenstein ( monster ) or hercules ( hero ). ( 2 ) a basic concept in jungian psychology, the archetype is a pattern of thought or an image which is passed down from one generation to the other, a process which jung called the " psychic residua of numberless experiences of the same type. " the collective unconscious thus holds the same images as humanity ' s primitive ancestors, like the good mother, the wise man, the magician, the vampire, and the monster archetypes appear in the myths, religion, literature, art, and fairy tales of most, perhaps all societies. common archetypes are the death - rebirth motif, going to the sea, the fatal woman, cinderella - stories, and the sacrificial hero or god. | day 1 ( w, sept. 4 ) | day 2 ( m, sept. 9 ) | | defoe, robinson crusoe, “ preface ” - " i build my fortress " overview of daniel defoe overview of robinson crusoe the sources of robinson crusoe | day 3 ( w, sept. 11 ) | | defoe, robinson crusoe, " the journal " - " i am very seldom idle " increase mather, remarkable | day 4 ( t, sept. 17 ) defoe, robinson crusoe, " i make myself a canoe " - " i see the wreck... " | day 5 ( w, sept. 18 ) defoe, robinson crusoe, " i hear the first sound... " - " we quell... " religion in robinson web paper due | day 6 ( m, sept. 23 ) defoe, robinson crusoe, " we seize the ship " - " i revisit my island " robinson crusoe as


the ngorongoro conservation area which lies between the serengeti and the lake manyara national parks boasts the largest unbroken, inactive, and unflooded caldera in the world. perhaps having once been about the same size as mount kilimanjaro, when the volcanic activity subsided, it collapsed inward resulting in a crater 18 kilometers ( 11 miles ) across. surrounded by very steep walls 610 meters ( 2000 feet ) deep, this natural amphitheatre covers an area of about 260 square kilometers ( 100 square miles ) and is home for up to 25, 000 larger mammals. nearly half of those being zebra and wildebeest while other species found are buffalo, gazelle, eland, hartebeest, warthog, and the elusive black rhino. lion, hyena, cheetah, and leopard are among the predators within the crater. lake magadi, a soda lake centralized on the crater floor, is prolific with flocks of flamingoes in such great quantities, they may even be visible as a pink - colored mass from vantage points on the crater rim. ostrich and kori bustard are the distinctive grasslands birds although the swamps, ponds, and rivers support an ever present population of water birds. the conservation area includes a wide variety of habitats such as highland forest, swamps, lakes, rivers, woodlands, and extensive grasslands. it is quite common to see masai grazing their herds of cattle throughout the region. due to the extremely steep and scarce roads traversing in and out of the crater, only 4 - wheel - drive vehicles are allowed onto the crater floor. ngorongoro crater highlands : the crater highlands are part of the ngorongoro conservation area. this is a reserve where the local communities live alongside the wildlife. the highlands consist of a range of volcanoes – not all extinct – rising steeply from the side of the great rift valley in northern tanzania. hence, along with the ngorongoro crater, the highlands encompass a number of impressive peaks with steep escarpments, crater lakes, dense forest and grassy ridges, streams and waterfalls. one particular volcano, the ol - doinyo lengai ( 2878meters / 9440 feet ) is even active! this vicinity is also home to many masai people who have grazed cattle on the grasslands here for hundreds of years. most walking is done around the 3000 meters ( 9840 feet ) mark


last winter was unusually harsh in the charente – maritime. in february the temperatures were under zero for about two weeks and fell as low minus 17 degrees centigrade. i was resigned to the fact that i would lose a large number of plants unaccustomed to this severe weather. one of the plants that i had little hope would survive was my magnolia grandiflora. as the temperature rose i ventured into the garden for damage assessment. there was ice on the surface of the magnolia leaves which was being rapidly melted by the bright sun. not good! a plant has difficulty accommodating such rapid changes in temperature. to my surprise it has survived unharmed and i have been able to take these photographs over the last few days. my magnolia grandiflora was an early edition to the garden. i felt it would be an appropriate tree to have in a french garden as i had seen magnificent specimens of old large magnolias in france. however, i have now discovered that magnolias are not natives of europe but of the southern states of the united states, the only french connection is that they have been named in honour of the french botanist pierre magnol ( 1638 - 1715 ). the obvious attraction of the magnolia grandiflora is its flowers. an even greater attraction for me is their perfume. the perfume is distinctive with a slight citrus hint and appears perfect to attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. another false assumption! the genus magnolia evolved long before bees and butterflies had made their appearance and the magnolia had already forged its pollinator relationship with beetles. this has never changed over the ensuing millions of years so it is not a tree to attract bees and butterflies into the garden. the magnolia flower is short lived and only lasts for a day. the tree will produce several blossoms at one time, replacing the faded blossoms on a daily basis and the number of flowers produced will depend on the size of the tree. the flowers are followed by a candle - shaped seed head but if i see them i snap them off to encourage the tree to produce more flowers and avoid a waste of resources on the part of the tree. so for me the magnolia is a very valuable ornamental tree in the garden giving me beautiful perfumed flowers and leaves that stay green and glossy even in the heat of summer. an addition benefit of magnolia grandiflora is that it is evergreen and in winter it continues to ornament the garden with its glossy green leaves last year was the first year my magnolia flowered and i was overjoyed with my


in 1955 the new york state mental hospitals undertook a large - scale program of tranquilizing drug therapy which during the first full year of its operation reached 27. 9 % of all cases ( 2 ). this was a 250 % increase of use of somatic therapy in one year and was followed by a reduction of 500 in patient population, reversing a long - term increase of some 2, 000 per year. the data for that year were analyzed and were compared with that of the year preceding when the population had increased by 2, 500 and the conclusion reached that the addition of drug therapy was the only significant identifiable change which had occurred in the treatment conditions of the department and that the favorable change was attributable in major degree to the use of chlorpromazine and reserpine. another 3 years have now passed and the fall has continued. the population on march 31, 1959 was 4, 100 below the figure of 4 years before and this apparently represents a well - marked trend. it is, however, no longer possible to say that circumstances have remained essentially the same as they were before the use of drug therapy was undertaken ; a whole series of progressive changes have occurred ; a sweeping program of liberalization of hospital policy has developed ; open hospital techniques, encouragement of admissions other than by judicial certification and the organization of a number of experimental programs have been undertaken. intensification of treatment for newly admitted patients has been secured through assignment of additional personnel for admission services and special geriatric and continued treatment programs have also been set up. in spite of this, the pattern of change has not deviated significantly from that already identified when drug therapy was the only new modality. a significant increase of amount of change has, however, taken place but it becomes quite impossible to assign a quantitative role to each factor ; what seems certain is that all these elements are mutually interdependent and reinforce each other. it now becomes important to analyze the trends for their significance with regard to future plans for mental hospitals, especially as many mental hospitals in various parts of the world have noted a decreased pressure for hospital beds or an outright fall in population. in some quarters these changes have been discounted as cyclical and unimportant and in others the attitude has been that it is now a matter of a relatively short time before mental hospitals will be empty and that the problem of hospital psychiatry has at long last been solved. our own data lead us to take a position somewhat between these two extremes and considerably toward the conservative side. the persistence of reduction


of a relatively short time before mental hospitals will be empty and that the problem of hospital psychiatry has at long last been solved. our own data lead us to take a position somewhat between these two extremes and considerably toward the conservative side. the persistence of reduction for 4 successive years seems to rule out any cyclical variation and the fact that the reduction of population is limited to functional cases and most marked in schizophrenics points to the action of a specific therapeutic influence rather than a general change of policy. in new york during the last 5 years the number of cases actively carried on somatic therapy at all times has jumped from 4, 000 to over 40, 000, the number released from hospitals has gone from 14, 362 in 1955 to 19, 334 in 1958, and, in addition, the atmosphere of the state mental hospitals has been virtually revolutionized. restraint and seclusion have been reduced to an eighth of their previous level and a series of liberal policies has been facilitated beyond what might have been dreamed of on such a scale 5 years ago. however important these changes may be from the point of view of the mental hospital as a therapeutic organization, there are other facts which tend to support a more conservative attitude with regard to the extent that the present change may be projected into the future, and especially the projection of any factor of acceleration in the present process. although there has been a 34 % increase in patient releases in new york state during the first 3 years of drug use, admissions were up about 12 % and information from other hospital systems here and abroad indicates that this is a general phenomenon. the number of schizophrenic patients released has increased 39 % during the 3 years for which data are available and the release percentage of chronic cases of up to 10 years ' hospital residence has been increased strikingly, yet a simple review of the present mental hospital population indicates that there still are a considerable number of cases on the way to becoming chronic hospital residents ; the number of 2 - 4 year cases, for instance, has been reduced by 27 % but this gives secure promise to reduce the eventual permanently chronic group by this amount. furthermore, mental hospital operations involve far more than schizophrenics. there are many other categories of cases and in our hospitals these have either remained stationary in numbers or have continued a long - term increase. finally, there is a small but very significant group of cases, especially in the age group below 16, which have been coming rapidly to the fore in the past few years. numbering less than 400 in


numbers or have continued a long - term increase. finally, there is a small but very significant group of cases, especially in the age group below 16, which have been coming rapidly to the fore in the past few years. numbering less than 400 in 1950, these now are being admitted at the rate of 700 to 800 per year, and that figure would be higher if our facilities were more adequate. these cases must have more than double the hospital space of adults and much more personal service. those who fail in therapy may look forward to a long life in hospital or a long career of behavior disorder in the community. some feel that these should be elsewhere than in a mental hospital but society seems to have decided otherwise and we have been for several years subjected to unremitting pressure for their care and treatment, and whatever else one may say it must be admitted that the problem is a psychiatric one. another group which warrants comment is the so - called character disorders. patients in this group increased from 1, 293 in 1955 to 1, 804 in 1958. to a large extent this group overlaps the teen - age problem just described but some of them are adults. although here, too, the battle rages as to the proper function of a state hospital, the result is still to send a larger group for such care. in the main, they, too, represent a type of psychiatric problem, although this is far from saying that every case of acting - out is properly classified in a mental hospital. what we are discussing here is the fact that an increasing proportion of such cases actually are coming to us and must be considered in our plans. still in the same category are the alcoholics whose number increased somewhat in the last few years from 3, 693 to 3, 960. in the past, the mental hospitals have made but a limited contribution in this field, taking an almost neutral attitude in the rehabilitation of such individuals. this was justified only so long as we could do no better. as our facilities improve, a greater interest must be taken in this disorder. alcoholism has long been identified as a psychiatric problem and whatever treatment has been available has tended to be in mental hospitals. it is inevitable that we shall be called upon to take a more positive role in this situation which is said to involve some 3, 000, 000 americans. up to the present, much of this has been forced into the category of a sort of " deferred business " due to sheer lack of facilities. it seems inevitable that as soon as any space becomes available


science fair project encyclopedia - green algae - land plants ( embryophytes ) - non - vascular embryophytes - vascular plants ( tracheophytes ) - seedless vascular plants - seed plants ( spermatophytes ) plants are a major group of living things ( about 300, 000 species ), including familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, and ferns. aristotle divided all living things between plants, which generally do not move or have sensory organs, and animals. in linnaeus ' system, these became the kingdoms vegetabilia ( later plantae ) and animalia. since then, it has become clear that the plantae as originally defined included several unrelated groups, and the fungi and several groups of algae were removed to new kingdoms. however, these are still often considered plants in many contexts. indeed, any attempt to match " plant " with a single taxon is doomed to fail, because plant is a vaguely defined concept unrelated to the presumed phylogenic concepts on which modern taxonomy is based. - see main article at embryophytes most familiar are the multicellular land plants, called embryophytes. they include the vascular plants, plants with full systems of leaves, stems, and roots. they also include a few of their close relatives, often called bryophytes, of which mosses are the most common. all of these plants have eukaryotic cells with cell walls composed of cellulose, and most obtain their energy through photosynthesis, using light and carbon dioxide to synthesize food. about 300 plant species do not photosynthesize but are parasites on other species of photosynthetic plants. plants are distinguished from green algae, from which they evolved, by having specialized reproductive organs protected by non - reproductive tissues. bryophytes first appeared during the early palaeozoic. they can only survive in moist environments, and remain small throughout their life - cycle. this involves an alternation between two generations : a haploid stage, called the gametophyte, and a diploid stage, called the sporophyte. the sporophyte is short - lived and remains dependent on its parent. vascular plants first appeared during the silurian period, and by the devonian had diversified and spread into many different land environments. they have a number of adaptations that allowed them to overcome the limitations of the bryophytes. these include a cuticle resistant to desiccation, and vascular tissues which transport water throughout the organism. in many the sporophy


land environments. they have a number of adaptations that allowed them to overcome the limitations of the bryophytes. these include a cuticle resistant to desiccation, and vascular tissues which transport water throughout the organism. in many the sporophyte acts as a separate individual, while the gametophyte remains small. the first primitive seed plants, pteridosperms ( seed ferns ) and cordaites, both groups now extinct, appeared in the late devonian and diversified through the carboniferous, with further evolution through the permian and triassic periods. in these the gametophyte stage is completely reduced, and the sporophyte begins life inside an enclosure called a seed, which develops while on the parent plant, and with fertilisation by means of pollen grains. whereas other vascular plants, such as ferns, reproduce by means of spores and so need moisture to develop, some seed plants can survive and reproduce in extremely arid conditions. early seed plants are referred to as gymnosperms ( naked seeds ), as the seed embryo is not enclosed in a protective structure at pollination, with the pollen landing directly on the embryo. four surviving groups remain widespread now, particularly the conifers, which are dominant trees in several biomes. the angiosperms, comprising the flowering plants, were the last major group of plants to appear, emerging from within the gymnosperms during the jurassic and diversifying rapidly during the cretaceous. these differ in that the seed embryo is enclosed, so the pollen has to grow a tube to penetrate the protective seed coat ; they are the predominant group of flora in most biomes today. algae and fungi the algae comprise several different groups of organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis. the most conspicuous are the seaweeds, multicellular algae that often closely resemble terrestrial plants, found among the green, red, and brown algae. these and other algal groups also include various single - celled creatures and forms that are simple collections of cells, without differentiated tissues. many can move about, and some have even lost their ability to photosynthesize ; when first discovered, these were considered as both plants and animals. the embryophytes developed from green algae ; the two are collectively referred to as the green plants or viridaeplantae. the kingdom plantae is now usually taken to mean this monophyletic group, as shown above. with a few exceptions among the green algae, all such forms have cell walls containing cellulose and chlor


viridaeplantae. the kingdom plantae is now usually taken to mean this monophyletic group, as shown above. with a few exceptions among the green algae, all such forms have cell walls containing cellulose and chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, and store food in the form of starch. they undergo closed mitosis without centrioles, and typically have mitochondria with flat cristae. the chloroplasts of green plants are surrounded by two membranes, suggesting they originated directly from endosymbiotic cyanobacteria. the same is true of the red algae, and the two groups are generally believed to have a common origin. in contrast, most other algae have chloroplasts with three or four membranes. they are not in general close relatives of the green plants, acquiring chloroplasts separately from ingested or symbiotic green and red algae. unlike embryophytes and algae, fungi are not photosynthetic, but are saprophytes : they obtain their food by breaking down and absorbing surrounding materials. most fungi are formed by microscopic tubes called hyphae, which may or may not be divided into cells but contain eukaryotic nuclei. fruiting bodies, of which mushrooms are the most familiar, are actually only the reproductive structures of fungi. they are not related to any of the photosynthetic groups, but are close relatives of animals. the photosynthesis and carbon fixation conducted by land plants and algae are the ultimate source of energy and organic material in nearly all habitats. these processes also radically changed the composition of the earth ' s atmosphere, which as a result contains a large proportion of oxygen. animals and most other organisms are aerobic, relying on oxygen ; those that do not are confined to relatively few, anaerobic environments. much of human nutrition depends on cereals. other plants that are eaten include fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. some vascular plants, referred to as trees and shrubs, produce woody stems and are an important source of building material. a number of plants are used decoratively, including a variety of flowers. simple plants like algae may have short life spans as individuals, but their populations are commonly seasonal. other plants may be organized according to their seasonal growth pattern : - annual : live and reproduce within one growing season. - biennial : live for two growing seasons ; usually reproduce in second year. - perennial : live for many growing seasons ;


commonly seasonal. other plants may be organized according to their seasonal growth pattern : - annual : live and reproduce within one growing season. - biennial : live for two growing seasons ; usually reproduce in second year. - perennial : live for many growing seasons ; continue to reproduce once mature. among the vascular plants, perennials include both evergreens that keep their leaves the entire year, and deciduous plants which lose their leaves for some part. in temperate and boreal climates, they generally lose their leaves during the winter ; many tropical plants lose their leaves during the dry season. the growth rate of plants is extremely variable. some mosses grow less than 1 μm / h, while most trees grow 25 - 250 μm / h. some climbing species, such as kudzu, which do not need to produce thick supportive tissue, may grow up to 12500 μm / h. plant fossils include roots, wood, leaves, seeds, fruit, pollen, spores and amber ( the fossilized resin produced by some plants ). fossil land plants are recorded in terrestrial, lacustrine, fluvial and nearshore marine sediments. pollen, spores and algae ( dinoflagellates and acritarchs ) are used for dating sedimentary rock sequences. the remains of fossil plants are not as common as fossil animals, although plant fossils are locally abundant in many regions worldwide. early fossil plants are well known from the devonian period, including the chert of rhynie in aberdeenshire, scotland. the best preserved examples, from which their cellular construction has been described, have been found at this locality. the preservation is so perfect that sections of these ancient plants show the individual cells within the plant tissue. the devonian period also saw the evolution of what many believe to be the first modern tree, archaeopteris. this fern - like tree combined a woody trunk with the fronds of a fern, but produced no seeds. the coal measures are a major source of palaeozoic plant fossils, with many groups of plants in existence at this time. the spoil heaps of coal mines are the best places to collect ; coal itself is the remains of fossilised plants, though structural detail of the plant fossils is rarely visible in coal. in the fossil forest at victoria park in glasgow, scotland, the stumps of lepidodendron trees are found in their original growth positions. the fossilized remains of conifer and angiosperm roots, stems and branches may be locally abundant in lake and inshore sedimentary rocks from


, scotland, the stumps of lepidodendron trees are found in their original growth positions. the fossilized remains of conifer and angiosperm roots, stems and branches may be locally abundant in lake and inshore sedimentary rocks from the mesozoic and caenozoic eras. sequoia and its allies, magnolia, oak, and palms are often found. petrified wood is common in some parts of the world, and is most frequently found in arid or desert areas were it is more readily exposed by erosion. petrified wood is often heavily silicified ( the organic material replaced by silicon dioxide ), and the impregnated tissue is often preserved in fine detail. such specimens may be cut and polished using lapidary equipment. fossil forests of petrified wood have been found in all continents. fossils of seed ferns such as glossopteris are widely distributed thoughout several continents of the southern hemisphere, a fact that gave support to alfred wegener ' s early ideas regarding continental drift theory. references and further reading - thomas n taylor and edith l taylor. the biology and evolution of fossil plants. prentice hall, 1993. - tree of life - chaw, s. - m. et al. molecular phylogeny of extant gymnosperms and seed plant evolution : analysis of nuclear 18s rrna sequences ( pdf file ) molec. biol. evol. 14 ( 1 ) : 56 - 68. 1997. botanical and vegetation databases - e - floras ( flora of china, flora of north america and others ) - united states of america - flora europaea - ' dave ' s garden ' horticultural plant database the contents of this article is licensed from www. wikipedia. org under the gnu free documentation license. click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details


subscribe to print subscribe to digital give as a gift free product guide > > technical question ; i ' ve seen it both ways on woodworking shows. when gluing two pieces together, should you apply glue to both pieces, or is one enought? it ' s typically best to apply it to both pieces. a thin layer will do. i ' ve talked with the people at elmer ' s and it ' s suggested that way. however i can say there have been times when i ' ve only been able to apply it to one side and it still holds. a thin layer on both pieces normally works out great. be careful not to use to much though. only a small amount on each piece is needed. i just posted kind of the same question but do you have to have a routed edge like a t & g or can you actually glue just flat edges and it be strong without a routed edge or buiscut?? your best gluing surfaces are face grain and edge grain. end grain ( such as a butt joint ) is not suffciently strong enough because the end grain absorbes too much of the glue. if you have to use a butt joint, coat the end grain with glue, let it start to set up and then apply a second coat. now attach your two pieces together. however a half lap, bridle joint, or mortise and tenon are better jonts because you are using the face and edge grain of the wood to glue up. keep in mind a mortise and tenon, ( especially a haunched mortise and tenon ) are stronger because it can resist racking pressure more than a half lap or bridle joint. hi jim, i have been a woodworker and professional furniture maker for well over 35 years. i have found when edge gluing you can be a little more lax in your glue ups. i if in a hurry will apply plenty of glue to one part and then rub the 2 parts together before clamping. with that said i do prefer to use a glue joint when edge gluing for 2 reasons. first to get more surface area for glue but more importantly to line up panels for next to perfect glue joints. you should also know that using a glue joint does show the glue joint profile more than just a well prepared flat joint. when gluing butt ends i like to either use a finger joint or a reversed miter glue joint that i know of no one else doing. have fun with it


sunrise on mars anna mehler paperny august 7, 2012 – globe and mail with curiosity safely landed on mars, the real work begins. and this is where canadian expertise comes in. designed by a university of guelph professor, funded by the canadian space agency and built by canada ’ s macdonald dettwiler and associates ltd., the alpha particle x - ray spectrometer is a key part of gleaning information on mars ’ s ancient history, and maybe the secrets to life on other planets. nasa is hoping its $ 2. 5 - billion gambit to send its rover to mars will yield valuable information on a planet that may likely have once been hospitable to living creatures. scientists want to know whether that ’ s the case, what conditions supported life and what happened to make mars the apparently arid, acidic and inhospitable planet it is today. so for the next three months, university of guelph professor ralf gellert will be shuttling between guelph and the jet propulsion laboratories in pasadena, calif. as principal investigator behind the spectrometer, it will be largely his job to ensure the high - tech piece of equipment is working and to see what kind of information it yields. the apxs is about the size of a pop can and is attached to curiosity ’ s arm. but its small size is misleading : this device is designed to determine the chemical composition of rocks and soil. if that doesn ’ t sound terribly exciting, consider this : the bits of rock and dirt curiosity finds in its sojourn on the red planet will tell us whether there was life on mars, when there was life on mars and what happened afterwards. ultimately, scientists are looking for clay minerals. clay is formed when the atmosphere is warm and wet enough to support life. even if those conditions change, as the clay sets underneath multiple layers of rock over millions of years, it retains the same minerals that identified it before. “ that ’ s top on the list, ” prof. gellert said, “ to simply find these clay and then put it into context. ” curiosity has both a camera and a laser sensor on the lookout for anything interesting or out of the ordinary. once the rover ambles over and takes a closer look, its arm is equipped with a drill and shovel to extract bits of whatever catches its attention. the alpha particle x - ray spectrometer does a preliminary analysis : what ’ s in here? does it differ from other rocks in the area? if it


its arm is equipped with a drill and shovel to extract bits of whatever catches its attention. the alpha particle x - ray spectrometer does a preliminary analysis : what ’ s in here? does it differ from other rocks in the area? if it does, the rover packages the sample and puts it in its belly, where more instruments wait for further analysis. “ all the instruments together put a piece of the puzzle table, ” prof. gellert said. “ you put it together, and scientists figure out what happened on this place 3. 5 billion years ago. ” the whole process can take several days, prof. gellert says. and it ’ s hard work, even for a plutonium - and lithium - power robot. “ so it ’ s a balance : how do you get the biggest scientific bang for your buck? … you have to watch and look for the interesting spots ; you cannot simply take the nearest sample and hope there ’ s something you can see, ” he said. “ these instruments are so complex, and so energy - hungry. ” for curiosity ’ s first few days on mars, scientists are taking it slow as they check to ensure everything ’ s working as it should. in the spectrometer ’ s case, this means analyzing a rock brought from earth, to check something mundane and ensure its readings are still sound. eventually, the rover will head over to mount sharp – a 5 - kilometre - high crag rising up out of the crater the rover ’ s now in. if all goes well, the mountain will contain layers of rock detailing the planet ’ s geological history. for the next three months, prof. gellert will spend a couple weeks at a time in california, on mars time, before returning briefly to guelph and then back again. it was a thrill to watch the rover land sunday night, he said. but the fun is just beginning. “ being a scientist on such a mission is exciting science. but it ’ s [ also ] fun to do this detective work on another planet. ” mars rover curiosity panorama


this question juxtaposes the spiritual practice of prayer with the theological principle of universalism — the idea that all religious expression, indeed all creation, is encompassed within the divine. the bible gives expression to both the practice of prayer and the concept that god is drawing in all things. the book of psalms gives poetic voice to songs and prayers of praise and lament and supplication. these psalms echo the experiences of the people of the kingdoms of israel and judah as recounted in the books of samuel and kings. prayer is central to the stories of the life of jesus found in the gospels. and christians are urged to “ pray without ceasing ” in paul ’ s first epistle to the thessalonians 5 : 17. universal salvation, the drawing in and healing of all things, finds articulation in such biblical passages as isaiah 25 : 7 - 8 ( “ the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations, ” that is death, will be destroyed by god ) and isaiah 45 : 23 ( “ every knee shall bow and every tongue confess ” ). micah 4 : 1 - 2 speaks of peoples and nations streaming to “ the mountain of the lord. ” even in the judgment scene from matthew 25 : 31ff, neither the “ sheep ” nor the “ goats ” knew who was the “ son of man. ” the people were judged solely on whether they had shown care for “ the least of these. ” for christians, the biblical witness gives full warrant for praying that people of all faiths experience god ’ s healing and wholeness, god ’ s salvation, in their lives. david rice, first presbyterian church ( pcusa ) of anniston we are all children of god one of the most important things i have learned about prayer is that we can offer our prayers to god for any one we wish. as i wrote in a previous column, we need to remember that we are all children of god. we believe that god made everyone, therefore god must care about everyone. we are called to include others in our prayers because one of the ways we demonstrate our love for god is by how we show our love for others. and praying for others is one way we show that love. the catholic church has a great tradition of praying for people of other faiths. we believe that it is important to have both ecumenical ( inter - christian ) and inter - faith dialogue so that we can better understand each other. each year in january we have a week of prayer for christian


asian indigenous and tribal people - general resources by peoples, tribes, ethnicity, regions afghan people - ainu people - achang people - andhra pradesh people - bai people - bhils people - blang people - buryat people - dongxiang people - ewenki people - filipino people - gadulia lohars people - halakki people - hmong people - hui people - iban of sarawak people - kazakh people - khmer people - korean people - manchu people - mongolian people - mundas people - qiang people - pakistani people - pashtun people - punjabi people - shan people - siberian indigenous people - taiwan aborigines - tamil people - tatar people - tibetan people - uygur people - yakut people - zhuang people sometimes a minority people is not always at the bottom of the social structure. in the mid - seventeenth century, manchurian tribesmen invaded china, overthrew a corrupt ming state, and established the qing dynasty with a manchu ruling class. it lasted till early in the 20th century. category : manchus _ _ index of wikipedia articles related to the manchu people. - from wikipedia - http : / / en. wikipedia. org / wiki / category : manchus china ethnic minority : manchu people _ _ a brief overview. - from travelchinaguide. com - http : / / www. travelchinaguide. com / intro / nationality / manchu / encyclopedia : manchu _ _ general information about the manchu. - from nationmaster. com - http : / / www. nationmaster. com / encyclopedia / manchu manchu _ _ " the manchu empire originally was formed by three provinces, heilongjiang, jilin, and liaoning. the land that it occupied extended much farther than it does in present day china containing most of mongolia. " a good look at the manchu. text links take you to additional information. - from minnesota state university - http : / / www. mnsu. edu / emuseum / cultural / oldworld / asia / manchu. html manchu _ _ " the manchu ethnicity have largely been assimilated with the han chinese. the manchu language is almost extinct, now spoken only among a small number of elderly people in remote rural areas of northeastern china and a few scholars ;... " an encyclopedic article with links to related topics. - illustrated - from wikipedia - manchu alphabet _ _ " the manchu alphabet was commissioned in 1599 by the manchu leader nurhaci ( 1559 -


few scholars ;... " an encyclopedic article with links to related topics. - illustrated - from wikipedia - manchu alphabet _ _ " the manchu alphabet was commissioned in 1599 by the manchu leader nurhaci ( 1559 - 1626 ), the founder of the manchu state. " learn its interesting history. - from omniglot. com - http : / / www. omniglot. com / writing / manchu. htm the manchu ethnic minority _ _ an essay style overview of the manchu people along with links to many additional resources. - from about. com - http : / / chineseculture. about. com / library / china / ethnic / blsethnic027. htm manchu language _ _ general information about manchu language in an encyclopedia entry. - from nationmaster. com - http : / / www. nationmaster. com / encyclopedia / manchu - language manchu minority - chinese nationalities _ _ a paragraph or two but some good photos. - from paulnoll. com - http : / / www. paulnoll. com / china / minorities / min - manchu. html manchu people _ _ multi - page article dealing with several aspects of the manchu people and culture such as food, clothing, history and more. - illustrated - from chinaculture. org - http : / / www. chinaculture. org / gb / en _ chinaway / 2007 - 02 / 08 / content _ 92604 _ 4. htm qing dynasty palace food and the full manchu - han banquet _ _ grab something to eat with and come on in. it may take a couple of days to go through all the courses. - illustrated - from chinavista. com - http : / / www. chinavista. com / experience / manchu / manchu. html shenyang imperial palace : the crown of manchu culture _ _ excellent article along with photos of the palace. a good tour and history. - illustrated - from china. org. cn - http : / / www1. china. org. cn / english / travel / 98497. htm share this page : more to explore


parkinsons disease is a debilitating brain disease characterized by tremors and other movement difficulties. as the disease progresses, the quality of life of the sufferer, surrounding family, and friends is diminished. despite being the subject of intensive research no predominant cause has been uncovered, though the disease is always associated with a lack of a particular neurotransmitter – dopamine. although the origin is not clear there are now several treatments that can alleviate symptoms and perhaps slow its progression, however research shows that early treatment is much more effective. diagnosing parkinsons at an early stage is very difficult since the physical symptoms are also similar to signs of aging and other neural disorders. surprisingly, some russian physicists have recently taken an interest in the diagnosis of parkinsons disease and have developed a fascinating approach, starting from the basis that it is signals from the brain that causes limb tremors and that the brain is a nonlinear system. they wondered if the powerful methods for analyzing nonlinear systems could be used to distinguish healthy brains from those suffering parkinsons disease. the finger tremors of a small group of parkinsons disease sufferers were measured under a variety of conditions ( e. g., medicated and unmedicated ). the intensity, frequency and rapidity of finger tremors were then analyzed in terms of nonlinear systems behavior to try and determine if the underlying system had been changed by the various medications and stimulants. they show that the underlying dynamics that drive tremors ( or lack of ) are clearly different between medicated and unmedicated patients. this result isn ’ t too surprising considering that the medication is designed to suppress symptoms. however, this analysis is far from complete and data taken from analyzing the whole body should be much more sensitive to changes in the underlying dynamic system. thus there is real potential to develop this into an early diagnosis for parkinsons disease, thereby increasing the effectiveness of treatment regimens.


a large and exceptionally well - preserved ancient roman floor mosaic, discovered in lod, israel, in 1996, and excavated in 2009, makes its final united states stop at the penn museum in philadelphia before traveling to the louvre in paris and eventually, to a new museum being built just for it in israel. in 1996, workmen widening a road in lod ( formerly lydda ), israel, made a startling discovery : signs of a roman mosaic pavement were found about three feet below the modern ground surface. a rescue excavation conducted immediately by the israel antiquities authority revealed a mosaic floor approximately 50 feet long by 27 feet wide. of exceptional quality and in an excellent state of preservation, the complete mosaic, comprising seven panels, is symmetrically divided into two large " carpets " by a long rectangular horizontal panel. to preserve the mosaic, it was reburied until funding was secured for its full scientific excavation and conservation in 2009. the mosaic floor is believed to come from the home of a wealthy roman living in the eastern roman empire at about 300 ce. because the mosaic ' s imagery has no overt religious content, it cannot be determined whether the owner was a pagan, a jew, or a christian. the exhibition features the three most complete and impressive panels found in what was probably a large reception room. within the central panelwhich measures 13 feet squareis a series of smaller squares and triangles depicting various birds, fish, and animals that surround a larger octagonal scene with ferocious wild animalsa lion and lioness, an elephant, a giraffe, a rhinoceros, a tiger, and a bull. such animals were well known to the romans since they appeared at gladiatorial games, where they were pitted either against each other or against human adversaries. it is indeed possible that the owner of the house was involved in the capture and trade of exotic animals for the games, which was a very lucrative profession during the empire. the mosaic may therefore represent the largesse that the owner had conferred by staging games with wild animal hunts. flanking the central panel to the north and south are two smaller, rectangular end panels. the north panel explores the same theme as the main panel with various creatures ; the south panel is devoted to a single marine scene, complete with two roman merchant ships. none of the mosaics contain human figures. the footprints of several workers involved in laying the floor about 1, 700 years agosome wearing sandals and others working barefootwere also found, and preserved to be shown in the exhibition. lod is


. none of the mosaics contain human figures. the footprints of several workers involved in laying the floor about 1, 700 years agosome wearing sandals and others working barefootwere also found, and preserved to be shown in the exhibition. lod is located near tel aviv, and the site was initially settled in the 5th millennium bce. its name appears in the written record as early as the 15th century bcein a list of towns in canaan that was compiled during the reign of the pharaoh thutmose iii ( 14791425 bce ) and also in the old and new testaments. in the 1st century ce, the inhabitants of lod were sold into slavery and subsequently the town was razed. a roman colony under the name of diospolis ( city of god ) was established there in 200 ce. unearthing a masterpiece relates both the history of the discovery and the story of the mosaic, its painstaking removal and conservation, told in original text, as well as a video created by the metropolitan museum of art ( new york ), who premiered the mosaic in september 2010, before it traveled to the legion of honor museum ( san francisco ), the field museum ( chicago ), and the columbus museum of art ( columbus, ohio ). the lod mosaic is on loan from the israel antiquities authority and the shelby white and leon levy lod mosaic center. penn museum is deeply grateful to the women ' s committee for lead sponsorship of unearthing a masterpiece : a roman mosaic from lod, israel, as well as for generous underwriting of the restoration of the upper kamin entrance doors. additional support is provided by alexandra and eric j. schoenberg, ph. d., and by the julian a. and lois g. brodsky foundation. renovations to the pepper gallery, where the lod mosaic is on display, were generously underwritten by an anonymous gift in memory of michel and nelly abemayor.


q : can cancer be caused by consuming too much alcohol? a : if alcohol abuse doesn ' t directly result in the development of liver cancer, it certainly contributes to it. the liver is one of the more complex and important organs for maintenance of good health. it has many functions associated with digestion, including breaking down nutrients absorbed by the small intestine to be used by the body. it also breaks down and removes waste products and foreign material from the bloodstream. the liver also produces about half the body ' s cholesterol. as you would imagine, the consequences of a diseased or damaged liver can be substantial, even life - threatening. that is certainly so with liver cancer. there are two forms of malignant liver tumors : tumors that originate outside the liver and have spread there from elsewhere ( metastasis ), and tumors that originate in the liver. metastatic liver cancer usually comes from the lung, breast, colon, pancreas and stomach. sometimes, leukemia can metastasize to the liver. treatment of metastatic liver cancer usually includes drugs, radiation and surgery to prolong life and relieve symptoms. hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of cancer that begins in the liver. early symptoms include abdominal pain, weight loss and enlargement of the liver that can be felt. many conditions and situations that contribute to liver damage can increase the risk of liver cancer. the most common causes of hepatocellular carcinoma are viral infections such as hepatitis b and c, exposure to certain cancer - causing substances ( carcinogens ) and chronic alcoholic cirrhosis. cirrhosis is the most common cause of liver damage and, in the united states, most cirrhosis is caused by alcohol abuse. among people 45 to 65 years of age, cirrhosis is the third leading cause of death. cirrhosis is medically defined as destruction of functioning liver tissue and development of nonfunctioning scar tissue around remaining healthy liver tissue. it is a progressive and irreversible disease. there is no cure. treatment is aimed at removing the cause of the problem and treating complications. if someone with alcoholic cirrhosis stops drinking, the scarring of liver tissue usually stops. however, the existing scar tissue does not go away. because liver damage can increase the risk of liver cancer, it is important to monitor liver function. this is especially true if a person is predisposed to alcohol abuse or has had hepatitis. the good news is that a number of simple blood tests