potential dengue fever treating antibody - proved effective for japanese encephalitis viral infections clec5a is a c - type lectin expressed on the cell surface known to be a receptor which is used by the dengue virus ( dv ) to attach themselves to of the host cells during infection. it also induces massive proinflammatory cytokines subsequently in an infected host. the blocking of the clec5a interaction with dv has been one of the research interests in dr. shie - liang hsieh ’ s group. in the continuing study of clec5a, the team ( see fig. 1 ) has also revealed clec5a ’ s role in japanese encephalitis ( je ), which is a viral infection caused by mosquitoes bites. severe je viral infection ( jev ) usually is marked by quick onset, headache, high fever, neck stiffness, and all sorts of damaged neural cells related symptoms. and, there is no specific therapy for it currently. therefore, the study which has been published online in the plos pathogens journal at april 19th, has paved a way for a possible strategy to control neuroinflammation during viral encephalitis. je happens more often in asia, with up to 35, 000 cases and 10, 000 deaths reported each year. according to dr. szu - ting chen, first author of this paper, their observation has led to two major findings. first of all, they have demonstrated that jev activates macrophages and microglia via clec5a, and the blockade of clec5a can reduce bystander neuronal damage and jev - induced proinflammatory cytokine secretion from macrophages and microglia. secondly, an antibody administered in - vivo to mice shows that it not only inhibits jev - induced bbb ( blood brain barrier ) permeability change, but also reduces the numbers of activated microglia and immune cells infiltration into the central neural system. bbb is a natural insulation to the brain so that outside infections usually are barred. once bbb is broken, it is like open house invitations, so jev and all kinds of immune system cells can all slip in and create chaos ( see fig. 2 ). the research has shown significant differences between jev infected mice with and without treatment at day 7. ( see fig. 3 ) it is likely that the antibody has the effect of protecting brain


transatlantic climate bridge addresses common challenge for decades, americans and europeans have joined forces successfully to address key challenges. today, an opportunity exists to tackle the common challenge of climate change and energy security - together. a stable climate and sustainable, reliable, and affordable sources of energy are crucial to the world ’ s economies. a joint commitment to invest in newer, cleaner sources of energy can create new jobs and world - class industries, clean up the environment and protect the climate, improve standards of living and enhance global security. germans and americans are already promoting a variety of innovative approaches to tackling climate change and enhancing energy security. a variety of regional initiatives are being implemented in the united states, and the us government is making efforts to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency development. germany has its own ambitious targets for reducing green house gas emissions, and its renewable energy sector already employs about 340, 000 people. working together, germans and americans can be a powerful motor for transatlantic and broader global cooperation on climate and energy policies. so to build on the existing transatlantic relations between germany and the united states, the german foreign office and the german environment ministry successfully launched a ‘ new era in transatlantic climate and energy politics ’ at an international conference in berlin in september 2008. the transatlantic climate bridge initiative works to connect all those who seek to make a difference — at the local, the state and the federal level. the aim is to support platforms and partnerships that help americans and germans exchange their know - how and to pave the way for joint solutions. successful energy and climate policy enlarge image wind turbines are visible in both german and american landscapes. ( © colourbox ) germany has an important story to tell about how taking action on climate change can produce economic benefits. germany ' s integrated energy and climate policy is successfully addressing its energy, climate and economic goals. it has put the country on a path of less energy dependence, it is creating a low carbon society, and it has also created a new industrial sector and new jobs. german stakeholders are interested in exchanging their experiences and best practices with their american counterparts, and the hope is that the transatlantic climate bridge will facilitate this exchange throughout the united states.


the view - master is a toy which people of all ages remember vividly from their childhood. it ' s one of those rare high - tech inventions that has maintained massive appeal across multiple generations and this month it is celebrating its 65th anniversary. despite numerous new media devices entering its domain since it first hit the market in 1939, its appeal remains strong and the view - master has now sold more than a billion units. with just a glimpse through a view - master viewer, people have been able to see 3 - d images of some of the world ' s most popular people, places and events, both real and imaginary, past and present. " view - master has secured itself as a classic toy that continues to fuel the imaginations of children around the world, " says chuck scothon, senior vice president of marketing, fisher - price. " it is truly a phenomenon that has transcended the toy box to achieve pop culture status. " it all began in 1938 when william gruber, a piano tuner by trade and a stereo photographer by hobby, invented the view - master. soon after the idea took shape, gruber created the first view - master viewer and introduced it in portland, oregon in 1939. however, it wasn ' t until the following year at the 1940 new york world ' s fair that the world began to pay attention. no one could have predicted the tremendous public response, given the stereograph had been around in various forms for 80 years prior. though gruber did not invent the stereographic viewer, the view - master found a form factor which significantly improved on the traditional stereograph and also took advantage of another breakthrough technology - the high resolution and rich colour of kodak ' s then new kodachrome film process. throughout its history, view - master viewers have played a variety of roles. during world war ii, viewers were used in training for the u. s. military. after the war, public demand for view - master viewers and reels skyrocketed. during the 1950s, the company mainly produced reels of various national parks and scenic attractions across the country, intended as souvenirs for adults. in 1951, due to the acquisition of its only competitor, view - master obtained the license to use disney characters and quickly gained momentum in the children ' s market. ever since, view - master reels have featured some of the most popular cartoons, superheroes and fairytales that have become the mainstays of any view - master reel collection. the design and development of view


the children ' s market. ever since, view - master reels have featured some of the most popular cartoons, superheroes and fairytales that have become the mainstays of any view - master reel collection. the design and development of view - master products was handled by several different corporations during the 1970s and 1980s. in april 1997, tyco toys, which had purchased view - master in 1989, merged with mattel. as a result of the merger, the view - master line was assigned to fisher - price, where this american classic continues to thrive. to celebrate view - master ' s 65th anniversary, fisher - price is releasing a limited edition view - master boxed set that includes a specially - decorated classic viewer and eight reels, one for each decade of the view - master ' s existence, featuring scenes from the apollo moon landing and the first american full - length animated movie, snow white, to indiana jones and spongebob. additionally, fisher - price will release the view - master time capsule assortment, which allows parents to take their kids back in time with nostalgic view - master viewers and reels featuring favorite cartoon characters of the past. the view - master has not been available on the australian market for several years but will be relaunched in q1 2005. just enter your friends and your email address into the form below for multiple addresses, separate each with a comma


american counseling association the american counseling association, a professional and educational organization that represents professional counselors in various journal of psychology find many articles related to the field of psychology at the american journal of psychology web site. psychological societies and associations discover a comprehensive collection of psychology web resources. psychological association the american psychological association ( apa ), in washington, dc, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the united states and is the world ' s largest association of psychologists. internet crossroads in the social sciences explore this site with over 650 annotated links to data - related resources on the internet. mental help net look for numerous resources on the mental health net site. resources include mental health topics, professional resources, and a reading room. administration on aging find out about the administration of aging ' s programs for our nation ' s older americans. clearinghouse for drug and alcohol information use this site for additional alcohol and drug information. online dictionary of mental health there are no definitions here, but there are links to many sites offering different viewpoints on issues in mental health, which are organized by using the a - z links, or a subject index. use this comprehensive resource index for psychology, support, and mental health issues. this web site contains a wealth of psychology - related information for students and teachers of psychology. resources include careers in psychology, information about sports psychology and lists of different journals. tutorials and demonstrations learn as you navigate through hypertext tutorials in psychology. this psychology resource is for students, teachers and professionals for up - to - date information on the interactive world of psychology via the internet. narrow your search by using this psychology - specific search engine. psychology on the web the web site of the department of psychology at the state university of new york at albany for psychology - related information.


a directory is a kind of file that contains other files entered under various names. directories are a feature of the file system. emacs can list the names of the files in a directory as a lisp list, or display the names in a buffer using the ls shell command. in the latter case, it can optionally display information about each file, depending on the options passed to the this function returns a list of the names of the files in the directory directory. by default, the list is in alphabetical order. if full - name is non - nil, the function returns the files ' absolute file names. otherwise, it returns the names relative to the specified directory. if match - regexp is non - nil, this function returns only those file names that contain a match for that regular expression — the other file names are excluded from the list. on case - insensitive filesystems, the regular expression matching is case - insensitive. if nosort is non - directory - filesdoes not sort the list, so you get the file names in no particular order. use this if you want the utmost possible speed and don ' t care what order the files are processed in. if the order of processing is visible to the user, then the user will probably be happier if you do sort the names. ( directory - files " ~ lewis " ) ⇒ ( " # foo # " " # foo. el # " ". " ".. " " dired - mods. el " " files. texi " " files. texi. ~ 1 ~ " ) an error is signaled if directory is not the name of a directory that can be read. this is similar to directory - filesin deciding which files to report on and how to report their names. however, instead of returning a list of file names, it returns for each file a list ), where attributes is what file - attributeswould return for that file. the optional argument id - format has the same meaning as the corresponding argument to file - attributes ( see definition of file - attributes ). this function expands the wildcard pattern pattern, returning a list of file names that match it. if pattern is written as an absolute file name, the values are absolute also. if pattern is written as a relative file name, it is interpreted relative to the current default directory. the file names returned are normally also relative to the current default directory. however, if full is non - nil, they are absolute


absolute also. if pattern is written as a relative file name, it is interpreted relative to the current default directory. the file names returned are normally also relative to the current default directory. however, if full is non - nil, they are absolute. this function inserts ( in the current buffer ) a directory listing for directory file, formatted with lsaccording to switches. it leaves point after the inserted text. switches may be a string of options, or a list of strings representing individual options. the argument file may be either a directory name or a file specification including wildcard characters. if wildcard is non - nil, that means treat file as a file specification with wildcards. if full - directory - p is non - nil, that means the directory listing is expected to show the full contents of a directory. you should specify twhen file is a directory and switches do not contain ‘ - d ’. ( the ‘ - d ’ option to lssays to describe a directory itself as a file, rather than showing its contents. ) on most systems, this function works by running a directory listing program whose name is in the variable insert - directory - program. if wildcard is non - nil, it also runs the shell specified by shell - file - name, to expand the wildcards. ms - dos and ms - windows systems usually lack the standard unix program ls, so this function emulates the standard unix program lswith lisp code. as a technical detail, when switches contains the long ‘ - - dired ’ option, insert - directorytreats it specially, for the sake of dired. however, the normally equivalent short ‘ - d ’ option is just passed on to insert - directory - program, as any other option.


emacs lisp uses two kinds of storage for user - created lisp objects : normal storage and pure storage. normal storage is where all the new data created during an emacs session are kept ( see garbage collection ). pure storage is used for certain data in the preloaded standard lisp files — data that should never change during actual use of emacs. pure storage is allocated only while temacs is loading the standard preloaded lisp libraries. in the file emacs, it is marked as read - only ( on operating systems that permit this ), so that the memory space can be shared by all the emacs jobs running on the machine at once. pure storage is not expandable ; a fixed amount is allocated when emacs is compiled, and if that is not sufficient for the preloaded libraries, temacs allocates dynamic memory for the part that didn ' t fit. the resulting image will work, but garbage collection ( see garbage collection ) is disabled in this situation, causing a memory leak. such an overflow normally won ' t happen unless you try to preload additional libraries or add features to the standard ones. emacs will display a warning about the overflow when it starts. if this happens, you should increase the compilation system _ puresize _ extra in the file src / puresize. h and rebuild emacs. this function makes a copy in pure storage of object, and returns it. it copies a string by simply making a new string with the same characters, but without text properties, in pure storage. it recursively copies the contents of vectors and cons cells. it does not make copies of other objects such as symbols, but just returns them unchanged. it signals an error if asked to copy markers. this function is a no - op except while emacs is being built and dumped ; it is usually called only in preloaded lisp files. the value of this variable is the number of bytes of pure storage allocated so far. typically, in a dumped emacs, this number is very close to the total amount of pure storage available — if it were not, we would preallocate less. this variable determines whether defunshould make a copy of the function definition in pure storage. if it is non - nil, then the function definition is copied into pure storage. this flag is twhile loading all of the basic functions for building emacs initially ( allowing those functions to be shareable


5 tech tips for post - production plant quality an essay from syngenta flowers ' jamie gibson. december 9, 2011 1 choose the right varieties properly selected varieties grown in similar greenhouse environments limit the need to adjust cultural conditions and will reduce the risk of leggy plants, disease, insect pressure and irregular flowering. 2 grow in the right conditions reducing light levels to 250 to 700 foot - candles can lower air temperature and water usage. reducing temperatures by 5 to 8°f slows growth and flowering, enhances tissue color and brightens petals. additionally, proper ventilation and space prevent disease and air - pollutants. 3 listen to experts adhere to production guidelines from breeders, trial managers and technical service experts for each variety. it ' s also important to apply plant growth retardants during production for stronger, greener and more compact plants, and reduced post - production water demand. 4 manage water closely reduced watering prevents internode elongation, undesirable stretch and root rots. another good reminder is to select a rooting substrate with sufficient water - holding capacity and proper drying time for optimal growth. 5 value your growing media a properly constructed growing medium can optimize the air - water relationship, supply the proper ph and enhance post - harvest performance. growing media containing a controlled - release fertilizer or supplying the required amount of nutrition through soluble salts monitoring will improve sell - through at retail.


guide dogs nsw / act continually surveys people who use our services, and has identified road crossings as the greatest concern to clients. comments one client : " crossing the road is a matter of life or death for me. it ' s bad enough having bad eye sight, without having broken bones... " poorly designed or constructed road crossings are the single most hazardous aspect in the built environment for people who have impaired vision. to ensure that everyone in the community is able to cross a road safely, the following factors should be considered during road construction : when crossing a road, people who have impaired vision often use the kerb ramp to align themselves and then walk in a straight line to the other side. if the ramp does not align squarely with the kerb, it can lead people on an angle into the roadway, rather than directly across the street. it is important, therefore, that : - kerb ramps align squarely with the direction of road traffic ; - kerb ramps on either side of the road are directly aligned with each other ; - kerb ramps align with pedestrian refuge islands. a blended kerb is one in which there is no significant drop from the footpath to street level ; the path simply flows onto the road. this is an issue for people who are blind or have impaired vision. they rely on traditional kerbs and kerb ramps to indicate where the footpath ends and the road begins. with a blended kerb, they can find themselves in the middle of the road without knowing that they have left the footpath. while blended kerbs provide easy transition for sighted people with mobility difficulties, they create great problems and are very dangerous to people who have impaired vision. one way to improve safety in this scenario is to install tactile ground surface indicators ( tgsi ) between where the footpath ends and the road begins. this will alert people who have impaired vision that they are about to step onto a road. pedestrian refuge islands a pedestrian refuge island is a small concrete or paved island in the middle of a road that allows people to cross in stages. however, if the island is the same level and surface as the road, people who have impaired vision may be unable to identify where the refuge ends and the road starts. the nsw roads and traffic authority has developed specifications for the construction of refuge islands in nsw. tactile ground surface indicators ( tgsi ) provide information that enables people who have impaired vision to locate a refuge island either tactually or using their residual vision. audio tactile


developed specifications for the construction of refuge islands in nsw. tactile ground surface indicators ( tgsi ) provide information that enables people who have impaired vision to locate a refuge island either tactually or using their residual vision. audio tactile systems audio - tactile push - button signals ( ats ) are located at pedestrian crossings and are used to indicate when traffic lights have changed to a walk phase. these signals are particularly useful for people who are blind or have impaired vision. the tactile signal is detected through the plate immediately above the push button. when the pedestrian walk signal is red or in the " don ' t walk " phase, it emits slow beeps and the tactile plate pulses slowly. when the pedestrian walk signal is green or in the " walk " phase, the control emits faster beeps and the tactile plate pulses rapidly. the tactile information is useful when ambient noise levels are high, or when the person using the signal does not have good hearing. when installing the push button control on a pole, the pole should be placed within easy reach of the kerb ramp or crossing point wherever possible. the directional arrow on the push plate provides information to the person who is unable to see the direction of the crossing and therefore should be positioned within easy reach. if the push button is located away from the crossing, the audio signal may not be able to be heard. share this page with a friend


reviewed by brian dirck ( assistant professor of history, anderson univerity ) published on h - indiana ( may, 2000 ) most mediocre of all don carlos buell does not seem to have left much of a mark on the civil war ' s outcome, despite having performed adequately in some important tasks. as commander of the union army of the ohio from the beginning of the war through october, 1862, buell oversaw the capture of nashville. he is perhaps best known for having come to the rescue of a beleaguered ulysses s. grant at shiloh, and for stopping - - or at least getting in the way of - - braxton bragg during his invasion of kentucky. but when buell left the army under a cloud in late 1862 for his failure to pursue bragg after the battle of perryville, few seemed to care or even notice. he lacked the colorful eccentricities of william t. sherman or stonewall jackson, the solid record of success in critical moments like george s. thomas or james longstreet, or even the spectacular failures of ambrose burnside. buell seemed like the civil war equivalent of tapioca pudding, a man who " had only participated in, not contributed to, the military conquest of the confederacy " ( p. 350 ). this relative obscurity is one reason why, until now, buell did not have a biography. another reason is the relative paucity of sources. he left behind no diary, and his personal correspondence is of such a dry, official nature that it reveals little about the man himself. despite these handicaps, stephen d. engle has taken on the difficult task of trying to write a biography of this colorless and in many ways inaccessible man. on paper buell had all of the necessary qualifications to be a good general. raised in a strict presbyterian household in southern indiana, he learned personal discipline and attention to duty at an early age. these values helped make him a decent, if not outstanding, west point cadet and regular army officer. he distinguished himself for bravery under fire during the mexican war, receiving a serious chest wound which nearly killed him. unlike so many of his contemporaries who left the army as soon as the excitement ended, buell stayed on after the war, apparently unperturbed by the tedium and low pay of the peacetime army. " the army defined his life, " engle points out, " indeed, it became his family " ( p. 64 - 65 ). when the civil war broke out, bu


by the tedium and low pay of the peacetime army. " the army defined his life, " engle points out, " indeed, it became his family " ( p. 64 - 65 ). when the civil war broke out, buell ' s west point pedigree and solid military resume landed him a division in the army of the potomac, and eventually command of the entire department of the ohio, encompassing large portions of kentucky and tennessee. he held one of the most important posts in the union army, and was in a perfect position to distinguish himself. however, he failed to seize the initiative in the western theater. buell was a good organizer and a firm disciplinarian, but he was unwilling to move against the enemy with anything less than perfect preparation. he subsequently resisted attempts by the lincoln administration to get him to invade eastern tennessee and relieve its unionist populace on logistical grounds, to the point that he alienated the president and many of his supporters. he also routinely returned runaway slaves to their white southern owners, much to the chagrin of many of his own officers and men. " buell continued to believe that his army was an extension of good government and offered the olive branch whenever and wherever he could, " engle writes. " in this he remained true to his belief in limited war for limited goals, even when it became evident that many of his soldiers opposed it. " ( p. 285 ). one byproduct of this limited war philosophy was a warmaking pace which engle rather charitably describes as " horrendously tedious. " ( p. 270 ). how slow was buell? he is surely the only man during the civil war to earn the dubious distinction of being criticized by both george b. mcclellan and henry w. halleck - - two truly outstanding slowpokes - - for his glacial movements. buell ' s leisurely pace drove abraham lincoln to distraction, called into question his competence by colleagues and newspapermen, and in the end severely damaged his army ' s morale. " he is the slowest person i ever had the misfortune to be associated with, and [ he ] tries my patience in the severest manner almost daily, " wrote one angry subordinate ( p. 246 ). his slowness was equaled only by his almost uncanny ability to alienate enlisted men, officers, reporters and politicians alike with what seemed a brusque indifference to their welfare or opinions. it should not have turned out this way ; buell had


his slowness was equaled only by his almost uncanny ability to alienate enlisted men, officers, reporters and politicians alike with what seemed a brusque indifference to their welfare or opinions. it should not have turned out this way ; buell had all the tools for success at his disposal, if only he had known how to use them. a native midwesterner commanding mostly midwestern troops ( many from his home state of indiana ), possessed of a strong military bearing and appearance, and renowned for his personal bravery, he should have made an outstanding leader of men. but the subtle skills of inspiring volunteer soldiers were lost on him. he seemed singularly uninterested in the impression he made on his soldiers or on the politicians who could decide his professional fate. buell was a born bureaucrat rather than a leader, who was " better at managing than waging war and was at his best when it came to bureaucratic red tape " ( p. 191 ). engle argues that, in the end, the civil war simply passed buell by, turning into a political and social revolution which bewildered and dismayed him. he " refused to accept the effective war the union needed to wage " ( p. 320 ). buell ' s extremely lenient policy of reconciliation towards white southerners seemed out of step with the times, and his unwillingness to embrace the more radical war measures of property confiscation and emancipation left him open to charges of sympathy with the enemy. even his one significant contribution to the union victory at shiloh was eclipsed by grant ' s and sherman ' s exploits on that battlefield, a fact which bothered him greatly in the years after the war. he engaged in public and bitter arguments with his former friend sherman and others over his role at shiloh, none of which seemed to matter. " tragically, he died without recognizing that his story had been written in the collective memory of americans who came to believe he was a failure, " engle writes, and " consequently, buell ' s life ended the way it began, in obscurity " ( p. 363 ). engle is remarkably evenhanded in his treatment of these issues, resisting the temptation to write either an apologia for buell or a harsh condemnation of his actions. he also negotiates the blanks and empty spaces in buell ' s life with admirable skill, offering plausible speculation on matters such as buell ' s racial views where there is insufficient evidence for definitive conclusions. engle


of his actions. he also negotiates the blanks and empty spaces in buell ' s life with admirable skill, offering plausible speculation on matters such as buell ' s racial views where there is insufficient evidence for definitive conclusions. engle is a careful, judicious biographer, and while he sometimes presses his speculations just a bit too far - - in his suggestions concerning the influence of french military philosopher antoine henri jomini on buell ' s military philosophy, for example - - such occasions are rare and quite forgivable. on the whole, professor engle has given don carlos buell a solid and fitting biography. copyright ( c ) 2000 by h - net, all rights reserved. this work may be copied for non - profit educational use if proper credit is given to the author and the list. for other permission, please contact h - net @ h - net. msu. edu. if there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the list discussion logs at : http : / / h - net. msu. edu / cgi - bin / logbrowse. pl. brian dirck. review of engle, stephen d., don carlos buell : most promising of all. h - indiana, h - net reviews. copyright © 2000 by h - net, all rights reserved. h - net permits the redistribution and reprinting of this work for nonprofit, educational purposes, with full and accurate attribution to the author, web location, date of publication, originating list, and h - net : humanities & social sciences online. for any other proposed use, contact the reviews editorial staff at email @ example. com.


vitamin d can suppress inflammation and help against various diseases blog : clinician on net date : 2 / 24 / 2012 3 : 08 : 00 pm there has been considerable interest in vitamin d in preventing and suppressing some disease processes. it is said that apart from bone health it helps the patients of asthma, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer and heart disease. researchers at national jewish health have discovered specific molecular and signaling events by which vitamin d inhibits inflammation. in their experiments, they showed that low levels of vitamin d, comparable to levels found in millions of people, failed to inhibit the inflammatory cascade, while levels considered adequate did inhibit inflammatory signaling. they reported their results in the march 1, 2012, issue of the journal of immunology. patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, arthritis and prostate cancer, who are vitamin d deficient, may benefit from vitamin d supplementation to get their serum vitamin d levels above 30 nanograms / milliliter. through a complex series of experiments, the researchers identified a new location where the vitamin - d receptor appears to bind directly to dna and activate a gene known as mkp - 1. mkp - 1 interferes with the inflammatory processes mediated by lipopolysaccharide ( lps ), a molecule associated with bacterial cell walls.


the affection of grebe birds for their offspring what might be expected from an animal that has no consciousness is its leaving its offspring after giving birth. however, on the contrary, animals take all the responsibilities for their offspring to such an extent that they don ' t neglect measures that could protect their broods from dangers they might face in the future. one of the best examples of this is the grebe, a species of water bird. grebes carry their offspring on their backs and, for this reason, the parents become a kind of floating nest for their offspring. the newly hatched youngsters climb onto the back of the father or mother. the mother slowly raises her wings so that her offspring will not fall off and feeds them with morsels she holds in her beak, reaching her head out to one side. however what grebes give to their offspring first is not actual food. grebes first make their offspring eat feathers that they either collect from the surface of the water or pluck from their breasts. each chick swallows a large number of feathers. well, what might be the reason for this interesting diet? the feathers the chicks eat are not fully digested but rather gathered in their stomachs. some of them form a felted plug at the point where the stomach leads to the intestine. fish bones and indigestible parts of other foods accumulate here. thus, sharp fish bones or hard parts of insects are prevented from passing through the stomach and doing harm to the delicate walls of the intestines. this experience of eating feathers will continue throughout the bird ' s life. however, the first feathers it is fed are an important precautionary measure for its very health. 35 it is possible to see in all creatures behavior like that of the grebes, actions aimed at meeting the needs of the offspring and protecting them in every way. every creature on earth assumes every kind of responsibility for their offspring until they reach sufficient maturity to meet their own needs. this kind of behavior seen among creatures in nature nullifies the evolutionists ' claims that " nature is an arena for battle and the survival of the fittest. " it is obvious that the origin of this kind of behavior in creatures cannot be in their intelligence and that a bird, tiger or any other animal cannot act according to the needs of other animals, taking delicate details into consideration. these creatures behave by the inspiration of allah. allah inspires every creature in its behavior and they conform to this perfectly. every one of them obeys allah who


other animal cannot act according to the needs of other animals, taking delicate details into consideration. these creatures behave by the inspiration of allah. allah inspires every creature in its behavior and they conform to this perfectly. every one of them obeys allah who has created them. this fact is stated in the qur ' an as follows : everyone in the heavens and earth belongs to him. all are submissive to him. ( surat ar - rum : 26 ) flight engines : dragonflies the dragonfly has a flawless flying capacity, so much so that it can stop suddenly and begin to fly in the opposite direction at whatever speed or in whatever direction it chooses. moreover, it can hang in the air in a suitable position to attack its prey. in addition, it can head towards its prey, making agile turns to do so. these are only some of the maneuvering skills of the dragonfly that have provided inspiration for helicopters, the products of today ' s advanced technology. the body of the dragonfly has a helical structure wrapped with a metal covering. the dragonfly, which can have various colors, from ice blue to maroon, has two pairs of wings on its back, one pair in front and the other pair to the rear. the wings work in a coordinated way. in other words, as the two front wings rise, the two wings at the rear descend. the movement of the wings is accomplished by the movements of two opposite groups of muscles. one end of the muscles is attached to extensions in the body in the shape of a lever. while one group of muscles contracts and causes a pair of wings to rise, the other group of muscles loosens to the same degree and causes the second pair of wings to fall. in fact, helicopters that are produced using dragonflies as their model descend and ascend using the same principle. the perfect flight of dragonflies is realized by these four large independent wings carrying its body ' s weight. this feature enables the insect to make sudden maneuvers, increase its speed and fly at a speed that reaches 10 meters ( 33 feet ) per second. 36 the sight capacity of the dragonfly, which can make sudden maneuvers at very high speeds, is also perfect. the eye of the dragonfly is considered, in scientific circles, as the finest insect eye in the world. each of its eyes contains 30, 000 individual lenses. the eyes look like two hemispheres covering half of its head, and they provide a very broad field of vision for the insect. with these extraordinary eyes, the dragonfly can


in the world. each of its eyes contains 30, 000 individual lenses. the eyes look like two hemispheres covering half of its head, and they provide a very broad field of vision for the insect. with these extraordinary eyes, the dragonfly can almost see what ' s happening behind its back. 37 as shown above, the dragonfly has a perfectly structured individual system. the slightest deficiency in any one part of these systems will cause the other systems to become useless. however, all the systems have been created perfectly and the creature survives by means of this. the unique design in the dragonfly belongs to allah. he has the knowledge of all creation. life in the desert extreme heat in the daytime, freezing cold at night, droughts lasting for weeks or even months on end, scarcity of food … all this is part of the environment of deserts. it is very difficult to survive under such harsh conditions. however, in spite of all these hardships, there are many creatures that survive and even thrive in the deserts. when we look at these creatures, we see that all their movements and body structures have been created with the characteristics that are appropriate for living there. allah protects these creatures from heat with unique features he created. when we take a close look at some characteristic examples, we clearly see that the attributes of these creatures couldn ' t have come into existence by chance, but instead were created by a creator who has a superior power. sand vipers ( cerastes vipera ) live under the sand. the viper dives into the sand with a sideways wiggle. it moves its tail from left to right very quickly and then this movement covers the whole body, consisting of three twists, until has the snake buried itself completely, save perhaps one or both of its eyes. this way, the viper lies in wait and so hunts for its prey. but such a strategy runs the risk of the snake ' s eyes suffering harm, since they are kept outside in a place where sandstorms may suddenly whip up. however, because of the design of the viper ' s eyes, this risk is completely eliminated. the eye of the viper is protected against the irritating effects of the sand with an outer " spectacle " made up of a transparent scale. 38 the cream - colored fennec fox, the smallest of the foxes, another desert denizen, has very large ears. these foxes live in the sandy deserts of africa and arabia. its wide ears not only help to determine the location of its prey but also serve to prevent excessive heating


, the smallest of the foxes, another desert denizen, has very large ears. these foxes live in the sandy deserts of africa and arabia. its wide ears not only help to determine the location of its prey but also serve to prevent excessive heating and enable the animal to stay cool. 39 the shovel - snouted lizard, which lives in the desert, moves as if dancing on the sand in order to cool its tail and legs. then, taking support from its tail, it transversely lifts one front and one back foot. after a couple of seconds, the feet switch positions. the lizard almost swims on sand hills by means of its aerodynamically shaped nose and body, and its large feet enable it to run on the sand very rapidly. 40 the desert frog, which lives in australia, is like a water tank. when it rains, the frog fills the pouches in its body with water. then it buries itself under the sand and begins to wait for the coming rains. when they become thirsty, other desert animals find these animals and drink water from them, taking them out of the sand. 41 variety in animal eyes the structure of the eyes of fish enables them to see clearly underwater, while the eyes of birds make it possible for them to see through the air as they fly. the structures of the eyes of other creatures are likewise designed according to their needs. it is obvious that an organ like an eye which has a complex structure cannot acquire its features on it own, features that are different in every creature. any person who examines the examples of this with wisdom and conscience will immediately see the fact that all creatures have been created by allah. the examples given below constitute a way to reflect upon this fact. birds have a sharper sense of sight than humans, and they can scan a broader area in detail. a bird can see a number of images that a man only perceives by seeing in parts, but for a bird they are as a whole at a single glance. for birds, this is a great advantage for hunting. when compared to humans, some birds can see a distance six times farther than our sight. for man, the momentary loss of sight that occurs during the split - second blinking of an eye is not very important. however, this could very well cause a problem for a bird flying very fast at an altitude of hundreds of meters. for this reason, when birds blink their eyes, there are no interruptions whatsoever in their seeing for birds have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. this


problem for a bird flying very fast at an altitude of hundreds of meters. for this reason, when birds blink their eyes, there are no interruptions whatsoever in their seeing for birds have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. this membrane is transparent and it moves from one side of the eye to the other. thus, birds can wink their eyes without completely closing them. in addition, birds that dive into water use this membrane as diving glasses and so protect their eyes from harm. bas another example, the eyes of the camel also have features that provide protection exactly as needed. the hard bones around the eyes protect them from sunlight and against blows. even the strongest sandstorms do not hurt the eyes of a camel because its eyelashes have an interlocked structure and the eyes close automatically at the moment of danger. thus, even a small bit of dust cannot enter the animal ' s eyes. fishes ' eyes look at the world from behind a transparent screen. this curtain resembles divers ' " goggles. " their firm, spherical eye lenses are adjusted to see nearby objects. another reason for a fish ' s lenses being spherical is that light refracts when passing through water. since their eyes are filled with a fluid that is almost at the same density as water, when the images formed outside are reflected in the eye, refraction does not occur. as a result of this, the lens focuses the image of the outside object on the retina perfectly and, unlike humans, the fish can see very clearly under water. the special cooling systems in gazelles ' bodies people have recently invented mechanical cooling systems and, with technological advancements, can bring them up to today ' s modern conditions. yet, we were not the first to discover cooling systems. every warm - blooded creature on earth already has the necessary mechanisms in its body for heat control and was created in possession of this design. we can give the speedy gazelles of africa as an example of this. the gazelle has to run away from its enemies in order to survive, because it has no another defense method. this burst of speed causes a sharp increase in the body temperature of the gazelle. however, in order to survive, the gazelle needs to keep its brain cooler than its body. the gazelle has a unique cooling system in its brain. gazelles and similar animals have hundreds of small arteries that divide and pass through a large pool of blood lying next to their breathing passages. the air they inhale cools this nasal pool, so the blood passing through


unique cooling system in its brain. gazelles and similar animals have hundreds of small arteries that divide and pass through a large pool of blood lying next to their breathing passages. the air they inhale cools this nasal pool, so the blood passing through the tiny arteries in it is cooled, too. then the tiny arteries come together in a single blood vessel that carries blood to the brain. 42 the interesting point here is that this flawless system cannot come into being by itself, since the non - existence of such a necessary cooling system would spell the end of the gazelle when it makes its very first run. as is seen in the example of the gazelles ' cooling systems, the design of creatures has such complexity that it cannot be explained by the " gradual development " claim of evolutionists. in other words, it is impossible for a creature ' s bodily structures and organs to come into being, over time, through small changes. the bodies of living things are full of structures, similar to that of the gazelles ' cooling system, which will be of no use whatsoever if even a single part is missing. this proves that creatures have not come into being over time, through chance but, on the contrary, have been created perfectly by allah. this is an obvious fact for people of intelligence as also stated in the qur ' an : he said, " the lord of the east and the west and everything between them if you used your intellect. " ( surat ash - shu ' ara : 28 ) 35 - cdavid attenborough, the life of birds, princeton university press, new jersey, 1998, p. 256. 36 - dscience et vie, no. 931, p. 5 38 - evolution encyclopedia, vol. 2, http : / / evolution - facts. org / 2evlch20. htm 39 - michael scott, the young oxford book of ecology, oxford university press, oxford, 1994, p. 49. 40 - international wildlife, november - december 1997, no. 6, p. 53. 41 - maurice and robert burton, encyclopedia of reptiles, amphibians and other cold blooded animals, octopus books limited, 1975, p. 48 42 - lawrence o. richards, it couldn ' t just happen, word publishing, dallas, 1987, p. 108.


the foetus is fully formed at the end of the sixth month. the womb then enters the incubation period. all the baby ' s bodily organs and systems develop fully during that time, and the womb accelerates this growth by providing nourishment for the foetus. this period continues until the baby emerges from the mother ' s womb. the birth canal is normally very narrow and it is difficult for the foetus to pass through it. during birth, however, a number of physiological changes take place in the mother ' s body. these changes allow the foetus to move easily through the birth canal. some of these changes include : the expansion of the joints in the pelvic bones in order to widen the birth canal, the relaxation of the muscles to further widen the canal and the lubrication of the canal with amniotic fluid. 92 these pre - birth changes are described in one scientific source in these terms : as birth approaches, the amniotic fluid embarks on those activities that will be necessary to facilitate that birth. this fluid comprises sacs, which will enlarge the mouth of the womb, thus allowing the womb to assume the dimensions to allow the baby to pass. these sacs also prevent the foetus from being crushed in the womb during birth. furthermore, when the sacs burst and release their fluid at the commencement of birth, the path to be taken by the foetus is both lubricated and sterilised. in this way, birth takes place easier and in a manner naturally free of germs. 93 this series of occurrences is openly indicated in the verse of the qur ' an, " then he eases the way for him. " ( qur ' an, 80 : 20 ) however, it has been possible today to determine these physiological changes - which allah informed us of 1, 400 years ago - only with the use of a number of technological devices.


coyote killing continues on jan. 11, the colorado wildlife commission approved a nine - year, $ 2. 6 million coyote - killing experiment in western colorado. some deer hunters, outfitters and sheep ranchers in the state have lobbied long and hard for coyote control, blaming the predators for a plummeting deer population. deer have declined in colorado for 40 years, and biologists say the population is 15 percent smaller than it should be. the experiment was recommended by a legislature - appointed advisory council, which reviewed state predator - management policies last year. the state wildlife agency plans to compare fawn survival in a coyote - killing area with a non - killing area. coyotes are to be shot from the ground, since poison and leg - hold traps were banned by a voter - approved state amendment in 1996 ; the commissioners hope to defuse opposition by banning aerial gunning. wildlife activists doubt the experiment will prove anything. " this is bad science, bad economics and bad politics, " said mike smith, chairman of the wildlife committee for the colorado sierra club chapter. no study has ever found that predator control substantially bolsters deer herds. biologists say that busy highways and new housing, along with competition from burgeoning elk herds, are more likely causes for deer decline. another problem is fire suppression, which has led to loss of sagebrush habitat. hunters and ranchers agree that deer habitat is in trouble, but some say that predation is easier to remedy. the experiment has secured state funding for its first year, and the plan is to be in place before march 1.


a study of four european regions found that the incidence and prevalence of basal cell carcinoma is underreported compared with that of malignant skin cancer. the incidence of basal cell carcinoma ( bcc ), the most common cancer among the white population, continues to rise worldwide. researchers analyzed the cancer registry database practices of finland, malta, southeast netherlands, and scotland. they examined the records of first and multiple bcc registrations. data from 2009 were examined for finland, malta, and southeast netherlands ; 2006 data were analyzed in the scottish database. for greater accuracy, investigators also checked hospital and pathology databases for possible omissions from the cancer registries. investigators acknowledged the difficulty of logging all bccs, given that many are undocumented because they are not histologically verified, and they are excised without biopsy. compounding this, researchers wrote, is that registry clerks have difficulty discerning between bcc rebiopsies, re - excisions, recurrences, and new tumors that grow in the same location. study results indicated that first primary bcc occurrence was underreported. researchers found 30 % more patients presented with a bcc, and there were 40 % to 100 % more bcc tumors diagnosed than were routinely registered. “ currently, routinely reported first bcc incidence rates [ for the four regions studied ] should be multiplied by a factor of 1. 3 for [ a more accurate ] estimate of the total number of patients diagnosed as having a bcc in a given year, ” researchers concluded. disclosure : the researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.


this blog post has been contributed by rails - to - trails conservancy to health professionals, planners and transportation experts, active transportation ( i. e. walking and biking as an alternative to car travel ) is a no - brainer. communities that facilitate non - motorized modes as safe and convenient options for getting from a to b simply function better. they have less pollution, their population is healthier, downtown business areas are more vibrant, and real estate values are stronger as their neighborhoods reflect what more americans are demanding of their environments these days - diversity of transportation choices. not only that, but these facilities make economic sense too. a mile of paved trail can cost the same as just a few yards of urban four - lane road, not to mention the associated savings of non - motorized transportation stemming from reduced oil consumption and spending on reactive health care. this is why building environments that encourage walking and bicycling is a key part of the national physical activity plan, and a major component of its strategies. unfortunately, despite the overwhelming support of the public health community, local planners and officials, businesspeople and residents, there are still some political and financial barriers to building these kinds of environments. for example, the transportation enhancements ( te ) program was recently an agenda item during government budget planning. te is the nation ' s largest funding source for trails, walking and bicycling. working with numerous partners, rails - to - trails conservancy ( rtc ) led an effort to ensure our elected leaders knew how important walking and biking options were to their constituents. in the end, vital active transportation programs like te were preserved intact. rtc knows it is important to secure adequate funding for active transportation into the future. so, what we know to be a public health issue - the effort to increase physical activity in our everyday lives - is also an effort of political will. in an era of fiscal constraint, presenting economic benefits could have the most weight when discussing the issue with policymakers. with walking and biking, it is an easy argument to make. biking and walking infrastructure account for less than two percent of the entire federal surface transportation budget, yet account for 12 percent of all trips taken in america. and trail construction projects have been shown to create more jobs, and more local jobs, for every $ 1 spent, than road construction. this is both smart financial investment and good health policy. the voice of the health community, which understands so clearly that investing in walking and biking could translate into a significant reduction in our health care


rheumatic fever is a serious illness, which in new zealand most often affects school - aged children and young adults. this section provides information about what the ministry and the health sector are doing to address rheumatic fever, and provides links to information for health professionals. 14 aug : better public services the government has committed to delivering a set of ten better public services results. one of these is to increase infant immunisation rates and reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever. find out what the ministry is doing to achieve this result. 25 may : rheumatic fever programme expanded the ministry of health ’ s rheumatic fever prevention programme is funding new health services, including school - based sore throat swabbing services, to help with the early detection of throat infections that can lead to this serious disease. about rheumatic fever the usual symptoms of rheumatic fever are : - a warm, swollen painful joint ( or joints ) - stomach pain - sometimes a skin rash or lumps under the skin that aren ’ t itchy or painful - sometimes jerky uncoordinated movements of hands, feet, tongue and face. rheumatic fever occurs when the body produces a strong immune response to a throat infection caused by a particular type of bacteria – group a streptococcus ( ‘ strep throat ’ or ‘ gas ’ infection ). most ‘ strep throat ’ infections get better without developing into rheumatic fever. however, in a small proportion of people, an untreated sore throat can cause the body ’ s defence mechanism ( the immune system ) to react very strongly, causing the heart, joints, brain and skin to become inflamed and swollen. if this inflammation causes scarring on the heart valves the affected person can develop a condition known as rheumatic heart disease. rheumatic heart disease can require heart valve replacement surgery, or even cause premature death. preventing rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease rheumatic fever can largely be prevented by antibiotic treatment of a streptococcal sore throat, to clear up the infection before it can develop into rheumatic fever. presence of streptococcal bacteria can be confirmed by a throat swab ( which a laboratory uses to test for the bacteria ). people who have had rheumatic fever need extra medical care for many years afterwards to prevent further damage to the heart. this includes 10 years of monthly penicillin injections and additional cardiology and dental care for those with rhe


bacteria ). people who have had rheumatic fever need extra medical care for many years afterwards to prevent further damage to the heart. this includes 10 years of monthly penicillin injections and additional cardiology and dental care for those with rheumatic heart disease. rheumatic fever : an overview key facts relating to rheumatic fever in new zealand include the following information. - approximately 160 cases of acute rheumatic fever, or 4. 5 cases per 100, 000 people, are diagnosed in new zealand every year. - school - aged maori and pacific children experience the highest rate of acute rheumatic fever. - rheumatic fever is most common in the north island. - there are significant clusters of rheumatic fever among school - aged children across northland, south auckland, waikato, bay of plenty, lakes, tairawhiti, hawke ’ s bay, and east porirua. what is happening to address rheumatic fever? the ministry of health is working to cut new zealand ’ s incidence of rheumatic fever. the ministry ’ s aim is that no ethnic groups or geographical communities should be disadvantaged with higher rates of rheumatic fever. key areas of work key areas of work that the ministry and health sector are focusing on include : - strengthening of frontline primary health care services, - including community - based sore throat services to very high - risk populations ( eg, school - based services ) - raising community awareness and improving health care worker training - improving our surveillance, monitoring and research for rheumatic fever - working with other sectors on factors that can contribute to throat infections and other infectious diseases ( eg, housing ). what is being done in the priority regions? the ministry is implementing a $ 24 million five - year campaign to reduce rheumatic fever. the rheumatic fever prevention programme has focused on establishing school - based sore throat swabbing services in communities where rheumatic fever rates are high, including parts of porirua, northland, hawke ’ s bay, bay of plenty, lakes district, tairawhiti and south auckland. under the programme children are assessed by health professionals for possible throat infection and where necessary followed - up with a course of antibiotics to stop bacteria developing. when fully implemented, more than 100 schools - with more than 35, 000 children enrolled - will be involved in the swabbing programme, part of a $ 24 million five - year campaign to reduce rheumatic fever. other initiatives being implemented to support the sore throat sw


eyestrain is the discomfort that is caused by fatigue when the eyes become tired and the result is often a headache, particularly if you ’ re prone to migraine. the headache is often accompanied by a dull ache around the eyes and problems with your vision. the eyes themselves are dry and painful. some of the most common factors that result in eyestrain are : - keeping your gaze fixed on an object for a length of time. the eyes are designed to move between near and distant objects and a prolonged period of time spent in a fixed stare at an object like a computer monitor causes strain. this training is worst in the case of objects that are viewed in close - up. - inadequate lighting at your workplace poor lighting forces your eyes to work harder to focus and this could result in strain. - glare at the workplace glare can be direct as in the case of overhead lighting that is too bright or working with the sun in your eyes. indirect glare occurs when light is reflected from surfaces such as a computer monitor. - contrast. contrast is the difference in brightness between what you are looking at and the immediate surroundings. for instance, looking at a computer monitor against a background of a window could cause eyestrain. measures to reduce eyestrain include : – taking a break at work every hour or so to relax the eye muscles. try closing your eyes, blinking vigorously or rolling your eyeballs around. - check out the lighting at your workplace and eliminate all sources of glare. - avoid working at a computer in darkness. you should also avoid watching tv or playing 3 - d games in the dark. - get your vision tested regularly particularly if you wear spectacles or contact lenses - make sure that the contrast setting on your computer screen or your television is not set too high.


thoracic surgery is the repair of organs located in the thorax, or chest. the thoracic cavity lies between the thoracic surgery repairs diseased or injured organs and tissues in the thoracic cavity. general thoracic surgery deals specifically with disorders of the lungs and esophagus. cardiothoracic surgery also encompasses disorders of the heart and pericardium. blunt chest trauma, reflux esophagitis, esophageal cancer, lung transplantation, lung cancer, and emphysema are just a few of the many clinical indications for thoracic surgery. patients who have blood - clotting problems ( coagulopathies ), and who have had previous standard thoracic surgery may not be good candidates for video - assisted thoracic surgery ( vats ). because vats requires the collapse of one lung, potential patients should have adequate respiratory function to maintain oxygenation during the procedure. thoracic surgery is usually performed by a surgeon who specializes in either general thoracic surgery or cardiothoracic surgery. the patient is placed under general anesthesia and endotracheally intubated for the procedure. the procedure followed varies according to the purpose of the surgery. an incision that opens the chest ( thoracotomy ) is frequently performed to give the surgeon access to the thoracic cavity. commonly, the incision is made beginning on the back under the shoulder blade and extends in a curved arc under the arm to the front of the chest. the muscles are cut, and the ribs are spread with a retractor. the surgeon may also choose to open the chest through an incision down the breastbone, or sternum ( sternotomy ). once the repair, replacement, or removal of the organ being operated on is complete, a chest tube is inserted between the ribs to drain the wound and re - expand the lung. video - assisted thoracic surgery ( vats ) is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses a thoracic endoscope ( thoracoscope ) to allow the surgeon to view the chest cavity. a lung is collapsed and 3 - 4 small incisions, or access ports, are made to facilitate insertion of the thoracoscope and the surgical instruments. during the procedure, the surgeon views the inside of the pleural space on a video monitor. the thoracoscope may be extracted and inserted through a different incision site as needed. when the surgical procedure is complete,


and the surgical instruments. during the procedure, the surgeon views the inside of the pleural space on a video monitor. the thoracoscope may be extracted and inserted through a different incision site as needed. when the surgical procedure is complete, the surgeon expands the lung and inserts a chest tube in one of the incision sites. the remaining incisions are sealed with adhesive. the thoracic surgeon may also use a mediastinoscope or a bronchoscope to explore the thoracic cavity. mediastinoscopy allows visualization of the mediastinum, the cavity located between the lungs. the bronchoscope enables the surgeon to view the larynx, trachea, and bronchi. these instruments may be used in a separate diagnostic procedure prior to thoracic surgery, or during the surgery itself. except in the case of emergency procedures, candidates for general thoracic surgery should undergo a complete medical history and thorough physical examination prior to surgery. particular attention is given to the respiratory system. the patient ' s smoking history will be questioned. if the patient is an active smoker, encouragement is always given for the patient to quit smoking prior to the surgery to facilitate recovery and reduce chances of complications. diagnostic tests used to evaluate the patient preoperatively may include, but are not limited to, x - rays, mri, ct scans, blood gas analysis, pulmonary function tests, electrocardiography, endoscopy, pulmonary angiography, and sputum culture. candidates for thoracic surgery should be fully educated by their physician or surgeon on what their surgery will involve, the possible risks and complications, and requirements for postoperative care. patients are instructed not to eat 10 to 12 hours prior to a thoracic surgery procedure. a sedative may be provided to relax the patient prior to surgery. an intravenous line ( iv ) is inserted into the patient ' s arm or neck to administer fluids and / or medication. after surgery, the patient is taken to the recovery room, where vital signs are monitored ; depending on the hospital stay for thoracic surgery depends on the specific procedure performed. patients who undergo a thoracotomy may be hospitalized a week or longer, while patients undergoing vats typically have a shorter hospital stay of 2 - 3 days. during the recovery period, respiratory therapists and nurses work with the patient on deep breathing and coughing exercises to improve lung function. respiratory failure, hemorrhage, nerve injury, heart


publication date : april 2012 review date : april 2014 heart valve disease or valvular heart disease is the name given to problems with one or more of the heart ’ s four valves. in a heart which is working normally, valves keep blood flowing in the right direction and entering or leaving the heart ’ s chambers only at the right time. heart valve disease can develop before birth, in which case it is called ‘ congenital ’. it can also be caused by the effects of certain infections, such as rheumatic fever, or by age - related “ wear and tear ”. symptoms of heart valve disease vary from person to person, and are usually not obvious until the disease is quite advanced and needs medical or surgical treatment. this means we do not know how many people are living with heart valve disease without realising they have it, or what happens to them in the longer term. we interviewed 18 people who were taking part in a new research study which is screening people aged over 65 to find out how common heart valve disease is. 7 of these people were interviewed a second time after they had been for a follow up appointment. at present, screening for heart valve disease is not available to everyone throughout the uk. in this healthtalkonline section people discuss what it was like to be involved, the reasons they took part, the information they needed, and how they felt about their screening results. there are accounts from people who had normal results, as well as people who were told they mild heart valve disease, who were invited for follow up. browse through the ‘ full list of topics ’ on the left side of the screen or select from the key topics below.


this publication, the latest in a series designed to provide students and others with a front - row seat at the frontiers of biomedical research, coincides with one of the most important advances in the history of science. early in 2001, two teams of researchers published the complete genetic readout of humans. they listed all of the chemical letters that spell out the instruction manual for our species. observers immediately hailed the publication of the human genome for both its value to scientists and its potential to speed new medical applications. yet the impact of the human genome project on humanity cannot be described in practical terms alone. as this publication, the genes we share, makes clear, one of the most wondrous revelations of this new field of genomics is that we humans have a genetic plan that is remarkably similar to that of other species. we are much less unique than we once believed. such a revelation reaches beyond science to our concept of who we are. our sense of identity may soon be changed in the same way that the renaissance discovery about the earth revolving around the sun transformed mankind ' s view of its place in the universe. gradually, we humans came to understand that, instead of being at the very center of existence, we live on a planet much like other planets, derived from the same burst of creation. so it is with these new genetic discoveries. we are just beginning to realize that many of the genes that guide our lives are largely the same as those in other creatures, even such simple organisms as worms or yeast. our biological software is more complex, but constructed from a common genetic kit. like our planet, we are part of a larger whole, ensemble players working from a shared evolutionary script. researchers are now routinely logging onto the internet to check whether a genetic sequence has been discovered in other organisms and, if so, what is known about it. beyond the research laboratory, physicians are using genetic tests to determine whether patients are at greater risk for getting certain cancers or other diseases. new " biochips " will improve both diagnosis and treatment for patients whose illnesses appear identical but differ at the molecular level. many other innovations are under development, or will be soon. often, these advances are accompanied by difficult social and ethical questions. should parents test to see whether their unborn child has a genetic defect, and how should they respond if it does? should an insurance company, an employer, or anyone besides a physician and patient be allowed to see the person ' s genetic profile? the new genetic information that is changing our world results directly from our society ' s patient


should they respond if it does? should an insurance company, an employer, or anyone besides a physician and patient be allowed to see the person ' s genetic profile? the new genetic information that is changing our world results directly from our society ' s patient investment in basic science. researchers have devoted lifetimes to studying the genes of yeast and flies. their work may have seemed pointless or obscure to nonscientists, but now everyone can see the payoff. the genetic knowledge that scientists developed so painstakingly about small organisms turns out to be directly applicable to humans. basic biomedical science has taken off like a rocket over the past half - century and now, as it converges with equally remarkable advances in computer science, it is providing us with both profound insights about life and the promise of improved medical care. our capacity to see the world with scientific eyesto ask questions and evaluate evidence, to make hypotheses and test conclusionssets us apart from the yeast, worms, flies, and mice whose genes we share. we have the wisdom to understand that the discoveries described in this publication are not a challenge to our humanity but, instead, an opportunity to celebrate our place on earth with a deeper appreciation of who we really are. thomas r. cech, ph. d. howard hughes medical institute top of page thomas r. cech photo : kay chernush


november 13, 2008 microrna " safety switch " prevents spread of cancer researchers have found a tiny snippet of rna that acts as a molecular “ safety switch, ” to prevent the spread of many cancers. without the rna switch keeping it in check, a cancer - promoting enzyme is freed to trigger the spread of prostate cancer. researchers suspect the rna may have similar effects on breast, brain, ovarian, lung, and colon cancers. diagnostic tests for levels of this safety switch, called microrna - 101 ( mir - 101 ), in tumors might predict the likelihood that cancer will spread. it might even be possible to revert tumors to a less aggressive state by reintroducing mir - 101 into cells, the researchers said. “ for treatment purposes, our studies suggest that replacing mir - 101 in solid tumors that have lost it could reduce their metastatic properties. ” arul m. chinnaiyan led by howard hughes medical institute investigator arul chinnaiyan, the researchers published their findings november 13, 2008 in science express, the early online version of the journal science. chinnaiyan is at the university of michigan medical school, and other co - authors were from the michigan center for translational pathology, the national cancer centre in singapore, and the genome institute of singapore. the discovery of the microrna switch sprang from the researchers ' interest in an enzyme called ezh2. the chinnaiyan laboratory and others had previously established that ezh2 levels are elevated in aggressive metastatic prostate cancers and other types of cancer. the enzyme triggers a genetic program that promotes the survival and spread of tumor cells. the enzyme does this by repressing the activity of certain genes by attaching methyl groups to the packaging proteins known as histones, which control access to dna. the attachment of methyl group can activate or silence the expression of genes. “ because of the importance of ezh2 in cancer progression, we began looking for a control mechanism that might explain how or why it is disregulated in cancer, ” said chinnaiyan. “ we looked at obvious mechanisms, like amplification of the gene, but we couldn ' t find anything suggesting that ezh2 itself was aberrant in cancer. so, since micrornas have been implicated in the regulation of many genes, including some cancer genes, we began to look for evidence of that mechanism of control, ” he said. micrornas are tiny segments of rna far shorter than the messenger rna ( mrna ) molecules that serve as blueprints for proteins


many genes, including some cancer genes, we began to look for evidence of that mechanism of control, ” he said. micrornas are tiny segments of rna far shorter than the messenger rna ( mrna ) molecules that serve as blueprints for proteins in the cell. micrornas control gene activity by attaching themselves to target mrnas, suppressing or activating their function. to pinpoint a potential microrna controller of ezh2, chinnaiyan and his colleagues used computer programs to identify micrornas that are likely to target a given gene. these programs yielded two candidates. one of them, mir - 101, had been associated with prostate cancer progression in studies by other researchers, who found that low levels of mir - 101correlated with more aggressive cancers. when they tested mir - 101 in the lab, chinnaiyan and his colleagues found that it attaches directly to the regulatory segment of the ezh2 gene. they also found that adding extra mir - 101 to breast and prostate cancer cells reduced the level of ezh2, as well as the proliferation and invasiveness of those cells. both of those characteristics help researchers categorize the aggressiveness of the cancer. reducing mir - 101 had the opposite effects. they also found that enhancing mir - 101 suppressed ezh2 ' s ability to repress genes by attaching methyl groups to histones. when chinnaiyan ' s team compared how enhancing mir - 101 or suppressing ezh2 influenced broad patterns of gene activity, they found very similar effects. this demonstrated that mir - 101 and ezh2 were operating as part of the same gene control program, chinnaiyan explained. the researchers also explored the role of mir - 101 in human tumors. “ interestingly, we found a significant association in prostate cancers between the loss of mir - 101 and prostate cancer progression, ” said chinnaiyan. “ we saw that as we went from benign prostate tissue to clinically localized disease to metastatic cancers, mir - 101 expression tended to be lost and ezh2 elevated. ” by analyzing published genetic data, the group found evidence that the gene for mir - 101 is frequently compromised in prostate, breast, ovarian, and colon cancers, as well as specific forms of brain and lung cancers and leukemia. the findings could have important implications for diagnosing and treating cancers, said chinnaiyan. “ for prognostic purposes, if you could measure the level of mir - 101 in solid tumors, you might be able to distinguish those likely to aggressively


vat savitri vrat, or vat savithri poornima, is a fast observed by married hindu women in vat savitri vrat fasting is for three days and it begins on the trayodashi day and ends on amavasi or purnima. some sections of hindu society observe the vrat during amavasi ( new moon ) and others during purnima ( full moon ) in the hindu month of jyeshtha ( june – july ). the fast is observed for three nights and is broken on the fourth day. the number of days the fast is observed depends on the person who is observing it. nowadays, many women only observe the fasting on the important day of purnima. there are no rigid rules regarding any hindu fast. pregnant women, those women having any ailments or diseases and those who have just delivered a baby usually skip this fasting and they just concentrate on prayers. working women also avoid the fasting. on the trayodashi day, after morning activities, women apply paste of amala ( indian gooseberry ) and gingli ( sesamum ) and take bath. women then worship the banyan tree ( vat vriksha ). after praying to the banyan tree, a red or yellow colored thread is tied around the tree. then water, rice and flowers are offered as part of the puja. women then go round the tree and chant prayers. vat vraksha or banyan tree symbolically represents the trimurtis – brahma, vishnu and shiva. the root is brahma, the stem is vishnu and the upper portion is shiva. the whole tree is also symbolically taken as savitri. at home, a painting of banyan tree is made on a plate or wood using sandalwood paste or turmeric. pujas are done to the painting of banyan tree for three days. special dishes are also prepared during the occasion. the routine is followed on the trayodashi, chatrudashi and amavasi or purnima. the fast is broken on the fourth day after offering water to moon and prayers to savitri. apart from this all fasting women take the blessings of elders and other married women. special dishes are prepared on the day and distributed among friends and relatives after the pujas. many people also distribute food, clothes and money to the poor during vat savitri. finally, never torture one ’ s body in the name of customs and traditions


on this day in 1998, the brand - new daimlerchrysler began trading its shares on the new york stock exchange. the company had formed five days earlier, when the american chrysler corporation merged with the german conglomerate daimler - benz ag. as a result of the merger, daimlerchrysler became the world ' s fifth - largest automaker ( behind general motors, ford, toyota and volkswagen ). in january 1886, a german inventor named karl benz patented the first true motor car : the benz patent motorwagen, a three - wheeled machine with a four - stroke gasoline engine. in 1888, benz ' s company, a manufacturer of industrial machines called benz & company rheinische gasmotoren - fabrik ( benz & cie. for short ), began to sell the motorwagen to the public. the next year, german engineers gottlieb daimler and wilhelm maybach began to sell the world ' s first four - wheeled automobile powered by a gasoline engine. they formed the company daimler - motoren - gesellschaft in 1890. ( in 1900, d - m - g sold the first mercedes car to austrian racer emil jellinek. ) in 1926, benz & cie. and d - m - g officially merged, forming a new company called daimler - benz ag. in 1925, american machinist walter p. chrysler bought detroit ' s 20 - year - old maxwell motor corporation and renamed it the chrysler corporation. in 1928, chrysler expanded its holdings by buying the dodge brand and creating the new desoto and plymouth marques. by 1936, chrysler was the second - largest car company in the united states. in 1979, after a half - century of ups and downs, chrysler had to petition congress for a $ 1. 5 billion bailout to avoid bankruptcy, but by 1983 — thanks mostly to its invention of the minivan and the fuel - efficient k - car — it had repaid that loan in full. the daimler - chrysler merger, for which daimler - benz ag paid $ 36 billion, was supposed to create a single powerhouse car company that could compete in all markets, all over the world. ( daimler - benz was known for its high - quality luxury cars and sturdy trucks, while chrysler ' s minivans and jeeps had a big chunk of the growing sport - utility vehicle market ; meanwhile, the american company seemed to have mastered the art of high - volume, low - cost manufacturing. ) however, things did not quite work out that way


35 - the philosopher ' s toolkit : aristotle ' s logical works peter discusses aristotle ’ s pioneering work in logic, and looks at related issues like the ten categories and the famous “ sea battle ” argument for determinism. you are missing some flash content that should appear here! perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly. • j. hintikka, time and necessity. studies in aristotle ' s theory of modality ( oxford : 1973 ). • w. leszl, “ aristotle ' s logical works and his conception of logic, ” topoi 23 ( 2004 ), 71 – 100. • r. smith, " logic, " in j. barnes ( ed. ), the cambridge companion to aristotle ( cambridge : 1995 ), 27 - 65. • s. waterlow, passage and possibility ( oxford : 1982 ). on the " sea battle " problem : • g. e. m. anscombe, “ aristotle and the sea battle, ” in j. m. e. moravcsik ( ed. ), aristotle : a collection of critical essays, ( 1967 ), reprinted from mind 65 ( 1956 ). • d. frede, “ the sea - battle reconsidered : a defence of the traditional interpretation, ” oxford studies in ancient philosophy 3 ( 1985 ). • j. hintikka, “ the once and future sea fight : aristotle ’ s discussion of future contingents in de interpretatione 9, ” in his time and necessity ( see above ).


spring has officially sprung, gardens are bright with early flowers and enthusiasm for the new growing season is running high. to help nurture that eagerness to get growing, here are two new books for your consideration. grow your own for kids, by chris collins and lia leendertz ( mitchell beazley, 112 pages, hard cover, $ 16. 99 ). this just - published book is a charmer. every page is filled with colour photos showing children doing fun stuff like sowing seeds for leafy greens along lines forming a child ' s initials in a pot of soil. the greens are shown sprouting, then being cut for use. the last photo is of the greens regrown and ready for another cutting. with each photo are simple directions or a commentary. a pizza herb garden shows children planting and tending a circular bed divided by white stones into wedges, one for each herb. " gorgeous garden waste " shows kids how to make " health food for your garden " by composting. in this book, young readers will see other children sowing seeds indoors and out, watering and fertilizing, digging potatoes and carrots, eating peas out of the pod, creating a herb - filled window box and a strawberry pyramid, and growing tomatoes in hanging baskets. they feed birds and house bees, save seeds, grow new plants from cuttings, and learn how to deal in environmentally benign ways with common pests like aphids, slugs and snails. ideal for children age five to 11, grow your own for kids guides and inspires in its 30 green gardening projects with their easy, step - by - step instructions. the complete idiot ' s guide to small - space gardening, by chris mclaughlin ( alpha books, 345 pages, soft cover, $ 21 ). features that make this an excellent quick - reference guide are a finely detailed index and an eight - page table of contents that outlines each section of every chapter. whether you ' re interested in creating a " compost sandwich " raised bed atop a piece of lawn, arranging vining flowers, fruits and vegetables against walls and fences, finding suitable plants for really hot spots, or gardening on balconies, fire escapes and rooftops - it ' s all here. chapter 9, small - space vegetables, explores useful strategies like inter - planting, succession planting, incorporating edibles into the ornamental garden, and growing in hanging baskets and bags of soil. there are instructions for using vertical structures ( tepees, a - frames and more ) and


vegetables, explores useful strategies like inter - planting, succession planting, incorporating edibles into the ornamental garden, and growing in hanging baskets and bags of soil. there are instructions for using vertical structures ( tepees, a - frames and more ) and a guide to miniature vegetables. chapter 11, flower gardens and borders, includes tips for growing roses in small spaces and containers, with a list of roses suited for containers. the final three chapters profile annuals and perennials ; climbers, ground covers and grasses ; trees and shrubs for small spaces. a section titled good gardening practices has a simple guide to assessing soil quality and extols the many virtues of compost. fertilizer terminology is explained, with organic fertilizers receiving the author ' s nod of approval. recommended also is the art of luring beneficial insects, both predators and pollinators, into garden spaces. organic controls for insect pests and weeds are highlighted. although it is framed as an " idiot ' s " guide, this is one smart, thorough book. virags meeting. the victoria rock and alpine society will meet on tuesday at 7 : 30 p. m. at the gordon head united church, 4201 tyndall ave. doors open at 7. david sellars, well known plantsman specializing in alpines, will speak and share his photographs on the topic chaos in the rock garden : putting theory into practice. visitors are welcome. orchid meeting. the victoria orchid society will meet on tuesday at 7 : 30 p. m. at the garth homer centre, 813 darwin ave. calvin wong, owner of tropical gardens orchids, will speak about neofinetia falcata, known as the wind orchid or samurai orchid, whose compact size, long history, mystique, fragrance and variety of leaf forms and flower colours have created a craze among orchid growers around the world. view royal meeting. the view royal garden club will meet on wednesday at 7 : 30 p. m. in the shoreline community school, 2750 shoreline dr. mark hedger of scent - sational plants will present a show and tell on maximizing enjoyment of the " off - season " garden. he will bring plants to sell. there will be a juried minishow and a sales table. visitors are welcome. information at 250 - 220 - 5212.


with oil prices rising, the u. s. government has decided to tap into its strategic petroleum reserve to help make sure that people who use oil to heat their homes will have plenty and that the price will not be too high. president clinton authorized the department of energy, which manages the reserve, to release up to 30 million barrels of oil in a swap with oil companies. the companies will take the oil in fall 2000 but will have to return the oil by fall 2001. the government hopes that the companies will use the oil to keep supplies adequate this winter. the strategic petroleum reserve is the united states ' emergency oil stockpile, and it is the largest emergency petroleum supply in the world. the reserve stores about 570 million barrels of crude oil in underground salt caverns at four sites along the gulf of mexico. a barrel contains 42 gallons or 159 liters of oil. to create the caverns, workers drill into a salt dome and then put water into the hole to dissolve the salt. each cavern is about 2, 000 feet deep and holds about 10 million barrels of oil. the government uses salt caverns because it costs less than storing oil in aboveground tanks and because the pressure from the earth will seal up any leaks that might develop. the energy department also says that the temperature difference in the caverns, which are 2, 000 feet below the surface of the earth, keeps the oil circulating so that the petroleum maintains its quality. the government chose to put the oil near the gulf of mexico because there are many oil refineries nearby and because shipping is readily available. the sites are bryan mound near freeport, texas ; big hill near winnie, texas ; west hackberry near lake charles, la. ; and bayou choctaw near baton rouge, la. the reserve could store up to 700 million barrels. most of the oil in the reserve comes from mexico and the north sea. it costs the federal government $ 21 million a year to maintain the oil reserve, and about 1, 150 people work for the oil reserve. about 125 are government employees, and the rest are contracted workers. in the coming budget year, the energy department will get about $ 157 million to buy oil for the reserve. the united states started the petroleum reserve in 1975 after oil supplies were cut off during the 1973 - 74 oil embargo. the embargo was a shock to the u. s. economy, and the government decided that the country should never be caught short again. the united states uses almost 19 million barrels of petroleum every day, and more


refineries built in the 1950s to 1970s used all welded piping for both process and utility services. the specifications used during that time are often applied to retrofits, expansions and turnaround projects. but this reliance on the traditional specifications does have a downside. scheduling, safety and constructability are three major factors in turnarounds. they are also the impacting factors that affect welding activities. however, alternatives, such as grooved mechanical piping, have been slow to gain acceptance due to the perception that the joining method wont work and a reluctance to use a gasketed joint. this article will compare the primary pipe - joining methodswelding, flanging, threading and groovedand discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method as used in the hydrocarbon processing industry ( hpi ). the misconceptions over grooved piping will be explained and corrected, and how this method can speed project completion, and improve constructability and safety, making it an ideal pipe - joining method for plant utility services. history of hpi pipe joining during the wave of refinery construction in the 1950s to 1970s, over 99 % of the hpi facilities elected to weld all piping. everything was based on process piping. even utility piping systems were designed to the same material class as process piping. many engineers didnt differentiate between piping classes. nonprocess piping was over - engineered and over - constructed for perceived safety reasons. at present, during retrofits, expansions and turnarounds, the specifications of the mid - 20th century are still used. there is a mindset of if it aint broke, dont fix it. welding is certainly not broken. but when it comes to utility piping, it may not be the best choice, given this methods shortcomings as it relates to construction, maintenance and safety. reliability and maintainability needs several factors that are important during construction projects typical of existing refineries and chemical plants include : - constructability, reliability and maintainability of equipment and systems. whereas welding is typically very reliable when performed by an experienced and highly skilled welder, the method does not promote quick project completion. it lacks in the constructability and maintainability of piping systems, and is inherently unsafe, particularly in the presence of volatile, toxic and explosive chemicals. its also simply unnecessary for low - risk, nonprocess oriented utility services such as domestic water, plant water, plant air and compressed air. other major pipe - joining


inherently unsafe, particularly in the presence of volatile, toxic and explosive chemicals. its also simply unnecessary for low - risk, nonprocess oriented utility services such as domestic water, plant water, plant air and compressed air. other major pipe - joining methods also have their challenges. other methods equally have their pros and cons in plant piping systems : this pipe - joining method produces a high - strength, permanent joint, which is usually very reliable. with the ability to use the joining method on just about any piping service, welding has become the standard by which all other methods are compared. the strength and reliability of welded joints are essential for critical high - temperature, high - pressure process piping. however, for utility services, weldings disadvantages outweigh the advantages. safety. first, safety concerns are considerable during welding activities. welding by its very nature is dangerous. it is one of the most dangerous industrial activities. when welding is done in a potentially volatile environment, the risks become even greater. welding produces flames, sparks and fumes ; all introduce the risk of fire or explosion. welding requires a fire watch during and following the work, which can slow the construction schedule. furthermore, welding exposes workers to noxious fumes and particulate matter, as well as potential burns and eye damage. time - consuming activity. second, welding is a time - consuming process. welders must cut, bevel and prepare the pipe lengths ; align and clamp the joint ; and then undertake two, three or more passes using the selected welding method at each joint. a single 4 - in. carbon steel pipe joint can take up to 2. 25 hours to weld ; a 12 - in. joint can take 4 hours or longer, based on values found in the mechanical contractors association of americas labor estimating manual ( rev. 2 / 98 ). once the weld is complete, an x - ray may be required for quality inspection. in the case of a failed x - ray inspection, the re - work increases facility downtime. the challenges, time and risk associated with welding galvanized pipe are even greater. complex method. third, the maintenance of a welded system is difficult. welded systems convert individual pipe sections into a single unit, making it much harder to access a specific point within the system. if not accessing a welded system at a flange, the pipe would have to be cut in place to provide access. skill shortage. finally, the quality of welding is declining. many of the highly


to access a specific point within the system. if not accessing a welded system at a flange, the pipe would have to be cut in place to provide access. skill shortage. finally, the quality of welding is declining. many of the highly skilled welders with years of experience are reaching retirement age. the need for welding is unlikely to drop as quickly as the number of skilled welders available to do the work. result : a shortage of skilled labor is quite possible, which could affect the quality of work. allocating skilled labor to critical process systems and using alternative joining methods for noncritical utility systems are strategies to mitigate this challenge. this pipe - joining method is a mechanical method that uses a series of bolts and nuts to compress a gasket between two flat - faced, flanged pipe ends. flanging also produces a strong and reliable joint. unlike welding, it provides a means for system access, but requires more maintenance to support joint integrity. union maintenance. the bolts and nuts of a flanged union and gasket absorb and compensate for system forces. over time, the bolts and nuts can relax due to surges, system working pressure, vibration and expansion and contraction. when the bolts lose tension, the gasket can slip, which can result in a leak. flange gaskets can take on compression over time, also resulting in leakage. to prevent or stop leaks, routine bolt and nut tightening is required. galvanization. joint integrity may also be affected by the galvanization process. under normal process conditions, galvanization may result in a zinc buildup on the flange, thus producing a flange face that is no longer flush. such conditions can cause the flange to be more prone to leaks. although flanges provide system access, performing maintenance can be a time - consuming process because each of the bolts needs to be loosened and removed. in some cases, the gasket needs to be scraped off the flange and then replaced. the same bolt - tightening sequence required upon initial installation is also required upon reconnection of the flanges. welding issues. finally, because flanges are typically welded onto the pipe ends, this method carries the same issues associated with welding, including safety risks and lengthy installation time. in threading, a process that is typically used to join small - diameter pipe involves cutting conical spiraling male or female channels into the inside or outside of pipe or mating components. the joint is quick and simple