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Right now, astronauts on the International Space Station live on periodic supply drops, but if we’re ever going to really live in space, with colonies on other planets or aboard interstellar transports, we’ve got to figure out the food situation. Plants have spent their entire history growing under Earth’s gravity, and biologists know that living in zero-G stresses them out. But to really figure out exactly how plants get stressed meant killing the plant and cutting it open—an herbal autopsy.
On the ISS, says NASA, researchers are growing a strain of genetically engineered plant that glows when and where it gets stressed. With this tool, researchers can track how these plants are affected by living in space without having to cut them down. The researchers are using a heavily researched flowering plant called Arabidopsis thaliana, more commonly known as thale cress. According to NASA, the research is important for learning how plants can grow in preparation for “future long-duration exploration.”
But more than just being about growing plants in space, the scientists want to use the cress to understand the fundamentals of how stressed-out plants might adapt to climate change. So, they’re deliberately trying to stress the cress out, “exposing the plant to extremes of pressure, temperature, and drought.”
This isn’t the first thing we’ve genetically modified to glow-in-the-dark, either. In Japan, says David Biello, researchers used jellyfish genes to make glow-in-the-dark cats. We’ve also got glowing tobacco, that lets you know when it needs to be watered. And a still-ongoing Kickstarter campaign wants your help to grow glowing-plant technology, and they’ll give you a glowing arabidopsis to do so.
More from Smithsonian.com: | <urn:uuid:f09d74e9-64a6-4d88-bc35-fad97d4c2fe0> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 1,748 |
Work to Help People
Human service workers serve people who need various kinds of help. These workers create plans to meet individual circumstances. Human service workers may be employed by either public or private agencies or organizations – such as employment agencies, food banks, legal assistance centers, disaster relief organizations, and others. Their clients might be elderly or young, or might have a physical disability or mental illness, or may be struggling with a personal problem or challenging situation. Human service workers coordinate services to ensure that clients recover and maintain well-being.
The demand for human service workers will increase as the population grows. However, workers in many of these occupations may earn less than others with similar levels of education. The rewards of this work are more likely to be found in the good feelings that come from helping others. Sometimes people are drawn to the human service field by overcoming a difficulty of their own. Their own experiences give them an edge in developing positive relationships with their clients. Other important worker characteristics include:
- interpersonal communication skills,
- both creative and
- analytical thinking skills,
- the ability to work on a team,
Review specific human service occupations and find schools that offer related programs using UtahFutures. | <urn:uuid:0ad624fc-58d6-4374-b359-0e0a0eff8216> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 1,370 |
Congregation B'nai Tzedek will present an encore performance of "The Megillah According to Broadway" at 6 p.m. Sunday. The play is a modern version of the story of Queen Esther. A $3 donation will benefit the Betty Louise Silverman CAJE Scholarship Fund. The congregation is at 9669 Talbert Ave., Fountain Valley. (714) 963-4611.
The Rev. James Dallas will give the Lenten sermon "Knowing What to Do With What We Have" at 8:45 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the United Methodist Church of Laguna Hills. Between services, there will be a "Relating the Meaning of Lent to Our Children" adult forum by Frank Rogers from 9:35 to 10:25 a.m. Rogers is a professor of religion at Claremont School of Theology. The church is at 24442 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills. (714) 837-3414.
A Walk Out of Poverty 5K around Mile Square Regional Park is set for 9 a.m. April 4. The event, sponsored by St. Polycarp Adult Ministry, will hold registration at 8 a.m. at Holy Spirit Church, 17270 Ward St., Fountain Valley. (714) 897-6306.
The Rev. Tari Lennon will continue her "Into the Woods" Lenten series with the message "Jack and the Beanstalk--Jesus and Beelzebub" at 10 a.m. Sunday at Neighborhood Congregational Church. Wednesday morning Bible study will focus on "Our Many Selves" from 10:30 to noon in the library. The church is at 340 St. Ann's Drive, Laguna Beach. (714) 951-7260.
A Voices luncheon sponsored by the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of Orange County will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. Author, historian and Holocaust survivor Gerda Klein, whose "One Survivor Remembers" documentary has won Emmy and Academy awards, will be the keynote speaker. Cost is $50, plus a minimum commitment of $118 to the Jewish community through the Jewish Federation 1998 Annual Campaign. The Hyatt is at 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine. (714) 755-5555, Ext. 222.
The Rev. Jon Dobrer will discuss "After Life and After Lives" at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Fullerton. Religious education for children will be offered. The church meets at Temple Beth Tikvah, 1600 N. Acacia Ave., Fullerton. (714) 871-7150.
Magician Dick Barry will perform at 6:30 tonight at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church. Fellowship and dessert will follow. A freewill offering will be taken. On Wednesday, a one-man drama featuring Wesley Hunt as John the Apostle will be presented at 7 p.m. The church is at 26000 Muirlands Blvd., Mission Viejo. (714) 837-2941.
Presbyterian Church of the Master will host a Faith Renewal Weekend, beginning with a potluck dinner, music and message at 6 tonight. The Rev. Gary Demarest will speak on "The Church in the 21st Century" at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The church is at 26051 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. (714) 582-2670.
Gospel singers Charlotte and Mike Turner will be in concert at 9 a.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Turners have recorded more than 16 albums and have performed in 5,000 concerts. The church is at 902 S. Broadway, Santa Ana. Information: (714) 542-0784.
Annemarie Rawlinson will present a "Walking a Sacred Path" workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Seal Beach Church of Religious Science. There will be an explanation and demonstration of the ancient practice of labyrinth walking as a tool of contemplation and spiritual growth. Tickets are $15. A Seder dinner will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The church is at 500 Marina Drive, Seal Beach. Information: (310) 598-3325.
Rabbi Arnold Rachlis will lead an "Introduction to Reconstructionism and University Synagogue" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University Synagogue. The program is designed for new and prospective members. Reservations are requested. The synagogue is at 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine. Information: (714) 553-3535.
Guest speaker Shabbir Mansure, founding director of the Council on Islamic Education, will discuss "Islam: What is It? Muslims? Who Are They?" at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of South County. A "Choice in Choosing a Health Plan" early bird discussion begins at 9:30 a.m. The church is at 25801 Obrero Drive, Suite 8, Mission Viejo. (714) 581-0245.
The Chapman University Department of Religious Studies will have its "Gender and Love in the World Religions: New Perspectives for the 21st Century" conference from Wednesday through Friday in the Argyros Forum. The conference will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday with a lecture on "Consuming Fire: The God of Love and the Love of God." The conference is open to the public with no admission charge or registration required. Chapman University is at 333 N. Glassell St., Orange. (714) 628-7326.
The Hebrew Academy will have its annual Pesach Extravaganza at 10 a.m. Sunday in the multipurpose room. Students will present stories and musical programs highlighting Jewish traditions. The academy is at 14401 Willow Lane, Westminster. (714) 898-0051. | <urn:uuid:b5b4310d-e38e-4a1c-91b7-cf922d5fb93f> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 4,896 |
This event has ended
Northern Gulf, in collaboration with Farmer Meets a Foodie the Queensland Government, Tablelands Regional Council and presents the “Out Of The Box Farming Tour”.
A bus tour showcasing innovative farmers on the Tablelands doing things differently for good returns.
Covering topics on Biodiversity, Organics and Biodynamics
Sunday following Malanda Small Farm Field Days make a weekend of it
Tickets are $15. To reserve your seat select the following link TICKETS
For more information please contact:
Kathy Rowling, Northern Gulf Resource Management Group 0439 966 936 email@example.com
Or Erica Hughes Farmer Meets Foodie 0488 499 266 firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:8f44010e-2de9-4d6a-a0f5-c560246e369d> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 685 |
I’m a confirmed chocoholic as I’ve previously stated, but occasionally I’ll throw in some nutrition and/or other flavours, such as peanut butter. And with two kids I’m all about saving time, so when I came up with this recipe to make peanut butter cookies that used one dough but made two different types of cookies? Oh yeah, baby! These golden, crumbly, protein-packed Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies can be made with chocolate chips for your classic pairing, or can have mini pb cups in the centres for an extra dose of peanut butter. Either way, COOKIES! *makes happy Cookie Monster noises*
Every year around the winter holidays, I put together cookie tins to hand out to friends and neighbours. This year I gave tins to my parents’ neighbours as well, to thank them for being such good neighbours to my getting-elderly parents. They help shovel and mow, and it’s so appreciated. So delicious cookie (and candy!) filled tins were sent their way, packed full of yummy things like my candy cane bark, holiday pastilles, and these yummy, buttery, crumbly peanut butter and chocolate cookies!
Want to make some yourself? I highly recommend it!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, Two Ways
Use this delicious peanut butter cookie dough to make TWO types of cookies!
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 c. peanut butter
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 c. flour
- splash of vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. chocolate chips
- 12 mini peanut butter cups
- Mix all ingredients except for chocolate chips and chocolate pb cups together.
- Divide dough in half and add chocolate chips to one half.
- On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, place rolled 12 balls of chocolate chip peanut butter dough, and flatten with fingers or a fork.
- On another parchment paper lined cookie sheet, place 12 balls of plain peanut butter dough.
- Bake chocolate chip cookies for 10 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven (or until bottom of cookie is golden brown), then remove from tray and let cool on a cooling rack.
- Bake plain pb cookies for 8 minutes, remove from oven and push a mini pb cup into each cookie. Return to oven for 2 more minutes, or until bottom of cookie is golden brown. Remove from tray and let cool on a cooling rack.
- Bam! Two types of cookies, done!
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g
The cookies you make will look different, depending on the type of peanut butter that you use. If you use natural peanut butter, the surfaces will look a little cracked, as mine do. If you use smooth and creamy peanut butter, the type with added sugar and such, the surface will be smoother. I try to eat as preservative-free as possible, so I use the all-natural type, but you do you, boo!
These buttery, crumbly Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are *chefs kiss* good with a glass of milk (dairy or otherwise). And with the holidays in full swing, save your energy and make two types of cookies with one type of dough! Peanut butter and chocolate is such a classic pairing — you can’t go wrong!
Next Post: Spanakopita Hand Pies — I’m a gonna get this recipe to you, I will, I will! (Eventually. Being a mom of two in a pandemic is busier than I expected, not gonna lie.)
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Stephanie Davis says she was drinking three bottles of wine in the mornings in the grip of her alcohol addiction.
The actress appeared on the ITV chat show Loose Women to talk about her recovery and returning to Hollyoaks after turning her life around.
The soap star, who spent eight weeks in rehab, told the Loose Women panel that she had suffered night tremors and was drinking every day to block out her pain.
Asked about her 'light bulb moment' she told the Loose Women: "You can only do it yourself.
"I was drinking every day, probably three bottles of wine in the morning.
"I got told I had trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder."
Steph, who returned to Hollyoaks last year after three years away from the show, has credited her two-year-old son Caben-Albi for saving her life, describing him as her 'best friend.'
She says a pivotal moment for her was when her mum and auntie discovered her in a particularly bad way.
"I was skin and bone," she explained.
"I was broken and I was scared to say it. I didn't want to live and that's why I was drinking. I wanted to die.
"I was so suicidal and I kept trying to kill myself."
In rehab Steph, who had a tumultuous relationship with Caben's father Jeremy McConnell, says she was made to face up to her problems in rehab without alcohol.
Steph is now enjoying being back on Hollyoaks playing a more mature Sinead, who has been a shoulder to cry on to Lily McQueen who has been self-harming.
And she's now dating her hunky co-star Owen Warner who plays the mysterious Romeo Quinn.
Stephanie, who was a familiar face on Manchester's social scene, was asked to return to Hollyoaks over lunch with producer Bryan Kirkwood.
She was sacked 'with immediate effect' in 2015 when she turned up to the Liverpool set unfit to work because of alcohol consumption.
"Everyone was made up to have me back on Hollyoaks," she said. | <urn:uuid:e6efd895-c55b-43d7-9c06-fe6aa4ce60c8> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,868 |
See, normally I could handle something like this on my own, but having trouble replicating the arm mesh. What did you use to do that? Wanted to maybe do it for Maki as well. Anywho here are the extra sprites I was able to dig up if you ever feel like adding these. https://www.mediafire.com/?nt26dkn4nli9vd1Also there were only like 4-5 pals using the actual mesh. I'll be making more, let me know if you want them. | <urn:uuid:804276ac-70e6-4c7b-8819-212977e8f051> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 415 |
Autumn Term's REAL Project
Are We One?
This is team year 3's first real project and we are aiming high! Our project is based on supporting our local community and making a difference locally. We will be supporting the 'We Are One Foundation' a Grimsby based charity who support both the homeless and people who need to access food banks. To do this we have been visited by Dave and Jean Wells who run the foundation. Additionally we will be holding a harvest festival on Friday 20 October at 9:15am followed by tea and biscuits for the visitors. To find out about support from other sources we will be visiting TESCOs for a 'farm to fork' experience where the children will learn about where food comes from and how TESCO supports the 'We Are One Foundation' with a scheme called fair and share. We would love the children to support the foundation by donating non-perishables (tinned, dried packet food) please.
As a finale the children will be running a cafe- serving, cooking and raising funds for the foundation.
We are currently reading the story of Havelok and Grim and the links to Grimsby. This text is challenging for the children and they are learning new vocabulary and using in various ways. Additionally we are writing journey stories about Scartho linked to Knuffle Bunny a story that the children are using as a model for writing. This is a great picture book that we can adapt an build our writing on. We have looked at our local area and the wildlife. We are writing descriptions of animals at autumn.
We are learning poetry and songs for our Harvest Assembly. The children are learning to perform together as a group and express themselves in a variety of ways. Our favourite poem is Chocolate by Michael Rosen.
All children have a bug club log on that they can access at home and at school.
Starting the term we will be working on place value and really understanding what numbers mean. We will then move on to manipulating numbers through addition and subtraction. We are keen for the children to be able to manipulate number and have a deep understanding of what they are doing. They have been given a number facts sheet that they need to work on throughout the year. Blue facts are year 2 standard and pink are year 3 standard. We have left all times tables on the sheet as we don't want to limit their learning.
P.E is on a Monday and a Thursday. Children will need a full change of clothes for both session and outdoor shoes. As it gets colder warm trousers and a jumper would be beneficial. Please could all earrings be removed before coming to school.
We expect the children to read at home three times a week to be a reading star. Spellings come out on Fridays and will be tested on Fridays.
Children have a homework book that has suggested homework challenges in it. These are not compulsory but the children will be rewarded for completing them.
Twitter @mrsrichardson3R and @mrslyons3L | <urn:uuid:fa2da185-0278-412c-818f-8b3a374775d0> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 2,915 |
Connect using hotel's free Wi-Fi in Fort McMurray
During your stay, you can easily keep up with your workout schedule with 24-hour access to our state-of-the-art fitness centre. Later, cool off in the swimming pool or relax in the hot tub. If you're travelling for business, make the most of extended-stay amenities, such as on-site laundry facilities and the hotel's 3-Hour Express Laundry.
Our hotel's restaurant makes dining in Fort McMurray both delicious and convenient—the on-site Prime Social Kitchen is led by executive chef Billy Malawi and offers extraordinary cuisine made using fresh, local ingredients. For a quieter night in the privacy of your own hotel room, opt for room service until 11 p.m. daily.
Please note that our on-site restaurant will be closed for renovations until Spring 2017. We apologize for any inconvenience. | <urn:uuid:f0f289c6-4588-4e96-89ff-d2c683cdd742> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 842 |
Shakespeare, William: 1564-1616
Sonnets - Additional Information
- Sonnets 1-154 from Shakespeare-online
- First line index
- Text facsimiles
- Basic Sonnet Forms by Nelson Miller
- History of the Shakespearian Sonnet
- Biographical Aspects of the Sonnets
- The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets by Helen Vendler.
- Katherine Duncan-Jones outlines the mystery behind Shakespeare's sonnets. The Open University; October 27, 2005
- Understanding English and Italian Sonnet Forms. | <urn:uuid:2fff4290-8f52-4489-a9e1-eef0ee533e6e> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 472 |
‘Who’s Reading My Book?’ #35 features my good friend, stand-up comedian Gary Gulman. Gary is originally from Peabody, MA and now lives in New York City. He graduated from my alma mater, Boston College, with a degree from their School of Management, like me.
Gary was a finalist on NBC’s ‘Last Comic Standing’ in seasons two and three, and was featured in Dane Cook’s ‘Tourgasm’ series that was on HBO, along with Dane, Jay Davis and Robert Kelly.
He has made multiple stand-up appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as well as The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up show.
Gary also wrote and starred in two one-hour Comedy Central specials, ‘Boyish Man’ and ‘In This Economy.’ | <urn:uuid:388a230d-6e9a-4898-989c-631275422ac1> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 818 |
History of jamaica: a timeline after two major jamaican nationalism was spurred by these events and the previous work done by marcus garvey in the 1920s. Historical analysis of ideology in the 1920s the conflict between evolution and creationism—now recast as intelligent design—once again become a major. Information about the 1920's kkk for kids (ku klux klan in the 1920s) 1920's kkk 1920's kkk - issues - key - main causes and reasons of 1920's kkk - major. Essays - largest database of quality sample essays and research papers on conflicts during the 1920s conflicts during the 1920s major conflicts of the 1920’s. Cultural and political conflict in the 1920s analyze how modernization and changing beliefs led to increased political and social conflicts during the 1920s. America in the 1920's many things accounted for the depression in american agriculture, but pre-eminent was the loss of foreign markets. The antievolution crusade of the 1920s despite widespread criticism of evolution in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, no group mounted an organized crusade against it until after world war i. Rural and urban conflict in the 1920s at the end of world war i, changes in society began to dominate daily lives conflict arose as an increasingly urban, secular society came into conflict with older rural traditions the rise of new ideas and the change into peacetime economy brought problems in both urban and rural environments.
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According to Pierre LeBrun at ESPN.com, the Rangers are not happy that the Rick Nash situation is taking this long to play out and because of that, they are engaging with Anaheim in talks for Bobby Ryan.
LeBrun says that Zach Parise is true to his word and won’t sign with the Rangers.
In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that the chances for a Rangers trade for Rick Nash are “nil unless Howson returns to Planet Earth.”
It was reported that Columbus asked Boston for two players from a group of Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic.
Nash may not be moved until after Zach Parise signs in July.
The price for Nash appears to be two established players and two prospects.
Bob McKenzie tweets, “Teams interested in Rick Nash say asking price remains high and there’s no sense out of CBJ anything is imminent. Likely to be post-July 1.”
7:28PM: On TSN, Scott Howson said, “I would be surprised if a trade happened tonight. The market isn’t what we thought.”
6:10PM: Nick Cotsonika tweets, “Rangers not sure they will trade for Nash. Jackets still want too much.”
6:08PM: James Duthie tweets, “As it stands right now, CBJ doubtful Nash gets traded tonight.Feel market will heat up once Parise signs after July 1.”
Aaron Portzline tweets, “One call can change everything, of course. But the sense now across the #NHL is that Rick Nash will not be traded this weekend.”
He adds, “Nash situation appears headed into free agency and perhaps beyond, say, late July.”
According to Sam Carchidi in the Philly Inquirer, the Flyers are still in discussions with Columbus about Rick Nash and they are also talking to Anaheim about Bobby Ryan.
Ryan is from South Jersey and Stu Hackel writes at SI that his family is good friends with Flyers executive Bobby Clarke.
The Flyers traded Sergei Bobrovsky to Columbus earlier today.
The Boston Bruins are not in the Rick Nash sweeps according to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.
Haggerty says that Boston was asked to part with two from the group of Tyler Seguin, Milan Lucic and prospect Dougie Hamilton, along with other prospects and draft picks.
12:02PM: According to a tweet from Renaud Lavoie of RDS, translated from french, “Camp Rick Nash getting impatient and puts pressure for the transaction to take place quickly.”
Columbus GM Scott Howson has said that he will wait until he gets the right deal to trade Nash.
Lavoie also tweets, “Sens are still talking to Columbus about Rick Nash. Budget question for Ottawa right now.”
According to Larry Brooks in the NY Post, the Rangers are not trading Marc Staal, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh, along with Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi and Henrik Lundqvist, in a deal to acquire more scoring.
Brooks notes that the Ducks aren’t interested in Brandon Dubinsky and while they would have interest in Derek Stepan, the Rangers may not like having Artem Anisimov or Brandon Dubinsky as the second line center.
He writes that the Rangers probably can’t acquire Ryan unless they relent and move some of their younger players. Brooks also notes that the Rangers won’t acquire Rick Nash unless Columbus GM Scott Howson lowers his demands.
In regards to Nash, Brooks writes that Nash’s agent has said that he won’t expand his list of teams and that the Flyers and Senators are not on that list.
According to Jeff Z. Klein of the NY Times, Howson asked for Brandon Dubinsky and a combination of Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin, Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Del Zotto and possibly two first round picks in a deal for Nash at the deadline.
He notes that McDonagh, Kreider and possibly Hagelin are untouchable.
7:47PM: Ken Campbell writes in The Hockey News that the teams on Nash’s list are the Rangers, Flyers, Sharks, Bruins, Pens, Red Wings and Blackhawks.
5:55PM: According to Nick Kypreos, tweets that the Sharks and the Senators are the teams with the most interest in Rick Nash as of tonight.
In a Sharks trade, Kypreos tweets some of the names being speculated are Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Jason Demers and a first round pick.
In a Sens trade, Kypreos tweets that some of the names are Mika Zibanejad, Robin Lehner and a first round pick.
Zibanejad has been mentioned in previous rumors of a Nash to Ottawa deal.
According to Aaron Portzline in the Columbus Dispatch, the Blue Jackets have not set a deadline for when they would like to move Rick Nash and are still waiting for a trade that they deem worthy.
Portzline says that the Blue Jackets are willing to wait pats July 1 to find the right deal and may even be wiling to bring Nash back next season and continue to wait.
He adds that Bobby Ryan becoming available has hurt the Blue Jackets demands for Nash as the price for Ryan is believed to be lower.
Portzline writes, “If a deal isn’t done Friday, the chances increase dramatically that the deal won’t get done until after free agency starts, until a club that doesn’t get Zach Parise becomes desperate to land Nash.”
11:55AM: Dreger tweets, “Nash’s agent, Joe Resnick will meet with CBJ gm Scott Howson this afternoon. Have to think he encourages a trade.”
The Flyers are believed to want Rick Nash. | <urn:uuid:5521862f-1e73-4271-9a2e-e805c0037777> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 5,107 |
Sudden or prolonged exposure to loud noises can damage your ears and cause hearing loss. If you have a profession or hobby that involves prolonged exposure to noise, it is imperative that you protect your ears. Hearing and Audiology Services is proud to offer custom-fitting ear molds, ear plugs and even monitors for musicians!
People Typically Involved in a High-Noise Environment Include:
- Target Shooters
- Construction Workers
- Air Traffic Controllers
- Factory Workers
- Recording Engineers
- Sound Crews
- Band Teachers
- Professional Athletes
- Truck Drivers
- Industrial Workers
Earmolds can be solid or soft, full-shell (for high-levels of noise) or half-shell (for mid-level noise exposure), and come in varying sizes and colors. Off-the-shelf earmolds are available, but may not provide a comfortable or secure fit. Custom earmolds are made to fit the contour of your ear and offer some of the best hearing protection available.
Earplugs are designed to be worn in the ear canal. You can purchase non-custom earplugs over-the-counter. Specialty earplugs are custom-fit to your ear canal, provide more comfort, and even can be equipped with handles or detachable cords. Earplugs are not only for protection from high noise levels. We make custom earplugs for swimmers and those who wish to block out noise while sleeping.
Musicians’ Earplugs and Monitors
Musicians’ come with a unique set of hearing protection needs. They need to protect their hearing from prolonged exposure, but they also need to be able to hear the music they are creating and the sound of other music and voices around them. Conventional earplugs provide too much protection causing voices and sound to be muffled and unnatural. At Hearing and Audiology Services, we provide custom earplugs, non-custom earplugs, in-ear musician monitors and universal-fit musician monitors designed specifically for musicians to provide mid to low frequency protection. They reduce sound to a safe level without distorting natural voices and music around them.
As with any other hearing device, we highly recommend custom-fit earplugs, earmolds and monitors to achieve optimum results and increase the fit and comfort. It is imperative that you work with an experienced audiologist like Dr. Engel to ensure you get the device best suited to your needs with the best possible fit. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. | <urn:uuid:7258dd03-5a63-46a1-b873-f4108cdbb8b9> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,393 |
Together, we can move toward something extraordinary.
To us, travel isn’t just about a place. It’s about a litany of feelings—Anticipation before, exhilaration during, and nostalgia after. That’s why we believe that the true power of digital communication is more than garnering clicks and page views—but sparking emotional connections. To not just attract attention, but to make someone say, “Yeah, I want to go there.”
We have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the travel industry. Our results-driven approach isn’t just for DMOs—it’s for any travel brand that needs to capture the right feelings and convey a memorable story. We discover where your audience lives and deliver a finely tuned message that will move them in more ways than one. Because at the end of the day, our vision is to bring yours to life. | <urn:uuid:b3b97cf8-b560-4df9-a9f9-c976173cb7e9> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 822 |
Property value increases in Point Clare have tracked higher than the NSW average of 6.87% over the last 12 months.
Point Clare,2250 has offered an average of 16.07% return per annum in house price rises to property investors over the last three years.
Point Clare, 2250 is offering NSW ‘s 976th most discounted properties when looking at the average discount being offered by vendors. This puts it in the bottom 30% of discounts offered by this NSW.
On average over the past year, suburb has had 6.08 sales per month, which equates to 73 per year.
Situated 48.83km from the CBD, Point Clare is one of Gosford localities in the postcode 2250.
Property value increases in Point Clare have tracked close to the NSW average of 5.41% over the last 12 months.
Point Clare,2250 was ranked 1395 in Australia by increase in median property value over the quarter.
When looking to buy, or assessing what properties are really achieving at sale, it's essential for property investors to take into account what discounts are being offered in Point Clare, 2250. Typically our figures indicate that -2.22% is being offered, which puts this NSW suburb at 1409th most discounted overall in Australia.
In the last year 15 properties changed hands in Point Clare, which puts it as the 511th most active market in NSW when comparing the number of sales per suburb.
Property investors should expect to get $367.5 weekly from the median priced house in this suburb. | <urn:uuid:c4d2782a-1afe-4896-9a2f-b7e76385b950> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,444 |
Home > Sports > Athens 2004 > India Watch >
India name Chanu as second dope offender
August 20, 2004 13:18 IST
Sanamacha Chanu has been named as the second Indian woman weightlifter to be caught for doping at the Athens Olympics, a top Indian official said on Friday.
Chanu, who finished fourth in the 53 kg category, tested positive for a diuretic. Her 63 kg team mate Pratima Kumari was named on Thursday among seven lifters to be caught during pre-Games dope testing.
"We have been informed by the International Olympic Committee that Chanu has tested positive for a diuretic," Harish Sharma, India's deputy team chief told Reuters from Athens.
Diuretics can be used to cover up use of other banned drugs.
Chanu, who was also caught for doping at the 1994 world championships, could now face a life ban for a second offence.
"The Indian Olympic Association is very concerned by the two doping cases and we will take strict action," Sharma said. India had entered four women lifters at the Athens competition.
The two cases have dealt a blow to India's already low sporting credibility at the Olympics. The world's second most populous nation has won one medal in Athens so far -- a silver in shooting -- while neighbour China has 29, including 14 golds.
"We are very sad the two lifters have tested positive. We will definitely conduct an inquiry into how it happened," Indian Weightlifting Federation president H. J. Dora said on Friday.
The revelations have shocked India, coming two days after trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won his silver.
Indian newspapers and television led reports on Friday with the doping scandal, calling for an official probe to establish whether there was any systematic doping.
"Dopes Shame India" headlined the Asian Age. The Times of India story ran under the title: "After Glory, The Shame".
Of the other two women lifters in competition in Athens, Kunjarani Devi finished fourth in the 48 kg class and 63 kg lifter Karnam Malleswari, who won India's lone bronze in Sydney, pulled out after one failed snatch, citing a back injury. | <urn:uuid:e886c42f-54f3-49db-b6f4-ed5d3f45b8a5> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,076 |
By Ali Hashem
As July 15 was coming to an end in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was on the phone with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, whose government was under the threat of being overthrown by a military coup. Meanwhile, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was on another line with security officials in Ankara. All the while, Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, Iran’s regional military arm, was busy pursuing and reviewing various scenarios that might emerge.
“It’s not a secret anymore,” an Iranian official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “Zarif, Shamkhani and Soleimani were executing higher orders. The whole establishment was too concerned. Turkey is a neighboring state. President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and his government are strong partners of Iran. Our nations enjoy strong brotherly ties, so it’s the least we can do to show solidarity and try to offer any help they might need in such critical times.”
Within hours after the coup attempt began late July 15, the SNSC convened to discuss developments in Turkey. Following the meeting, which was chaired by President Hassan Rouhani, Shamkhani publicly condemned the coup attempt, telling local media outlets, “We support Turkey’s legal government and oppose any type of coup — either [initiated] domestically or supported by foreign sides.” Shamkhani said, “What determined the fate of developments in Turkey were the will and presence of the [Turkish] nation and the vigilance of political parties, whose contribution thwarted this coup. Shamkhani concluded, “Our stance is not exclusive to Turkey either. We have pursued the same stance in Syria too. Our position toward all regional countries is that we always prefer people’s votes [to decide governments] rather than tribal, sectarian and hereditary governments, and this means democracy.”
“A coup in Turkey isn’t something Iran can tolerate,” another Iranian politician told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “It’s true that there are differences over Syria, and sometimes in Iraq. Yet the fact is that there is no direct problem between Iran and Turkey; on the contrary, [bilateral] relations are always advancing for the better. Besides, Iran is opposed to any kind of change by force, and especially when the government [in question] is democratically elected.” The Iranian politician added, “The most important thing is that this experience [the coup attempt] might be an opportunity for Mr. Erdogan to understand the situation in neighboring Syria.”
Indeed, multiple Iranian officials, including Ali Akbar Velayati — foreign policy adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — brought up Syria in their condemnation of the coup attempt in Turkey. While condemning the coup, Velayati — a former foreign minister — said he hopes “the Turkish government will respect the views and votes of the Syrian people and allow them to decide their own government.” It was a clear message from Iran to Turkey regarding Syria and the future of the struggle in the region. For five years now, Iranian officials have on repeated occasions stated that they have been trying to engage the Turks on a path to address the situation in Syria, and while unsuccessful, have never given up on this approach.
But why is Iran so concerned about the coup attempt in Turkey?
“The stability of the region would have been seriously threatened if the coup attempt had succeeded. Turkey is a major player. Besides, there is the fear that such a move might trigger internal strife,” an Iranian official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. He explained that given the past five bloody years in the region, any such development in Turkey “will shake the whole region” in addition to “Europe, Iran and the Caucasus.” The Iranian official added, “Besides the already shaken Arab countries, what about the [various] ethnic groups within Turkey? Has anyone thought about what they might do?”
Some conservative figures and journalists in Tehran have shown a different reaction toward development in Turkey, influenced mainly by the crisis in Syria.
“It was clear that there’s a gap between the street and the government with respect to what was going on in Turkey,” a conservative Iranian political figure told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Many whose understanding of the region is influenced by the war in Syria think the fall of Erdogan would have been a positive development — not only in Iran but also in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. In this vein, the Iranian political source said that many within this camp “were surprised to see the Iranian government reacting before any other government in the whole world and backing the legitimate [Turkish] government.”
It is important to bear in mind the other important reasons why Iran sees the security and stability of Turkey as pivotal to its own national security. With an Islamic-oriented government in power in Ankara, bilateral relations have improved in the past decade, paving the way for common ground despite differences over regional developments. The latter has been possible thanks to Iranian-Turkish proximity in terms of grander objectives and also similarities in their ways of thinking. Indeed, at the height of the nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, Turkey played a vital role in easing the pressure on its eastern neighbor. Erdogan certainly paid the price for the holes he was accused of creating in the web of sanctions imposed on Iran through what came to be known as the “gold-for-oil scheme” — even while economic ties between the two countries greatly expanded in the sanctions era. With the implementation of the nuclear deal, the two countries now plan to triple their trade volume to $30 billion.
So, beside its public condemnations, did Iran play a role in directly thwarting the coup? Did it, for instance, share intelligence that helped Erdogan preserve his reign? Al-Monitor put forward this question to a senior Iranian official who was in direct contact with Turkish officials during the hours of the coup attempt. His answer was short but to the point: “No.”
Another Iranian official saw parallels between the successful coup against Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 and this year’s coup attempt in Turkey. The official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “What we know is that this move was triggered by foreign hands. We went through the same in the past, and because Mr. Erdogan is today looking forward to playing a better role in the region, they want him down.” The Iranian official said, “There was a message that was conveyed to Turkish security officials: Don’t leave the streets. This coup might be made up of several waves; it happened in Iran in 1953. When the first coup failed, they had another one ready — and they succeeded.” | <urn:uuid:7fa2629a-d0e4-4061-ac4b-e87ad3af9c51> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 6,900 |
For this page I used March’s kit from Creative Craft World which featured Imaginisce ‘Soul Sisters’. To be truthfully honest with you when I first received the kit in the post I was a little disappointed it’s not my style and something I really wouldn’t have picked and so I thought I would never use it …….. but when I printed out this photo of Tilly it was the first papers I thought about – strange.
I also used the sketch from Creative Craft World
I’d like to enter this into
Creative Craft World- http://creativecraftworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/may-scrap-map-challenge.html
Bunny Zoes- http://bunnyzoescrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/challenge-24-anything-goes.html
Crafty Boots- http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/
Party Time Tues- http://partytimetuesdays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/ptt70-anything-goes.html | <urn:uuid:a58129d7-9996-4e34-a2ea-cfc88796e72a> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 818 |
Milni Ceremony | Indian Wedding Tradition
Introduction to the Milni Ceremony
The Hindi word ‘Milan’ is derived from a Sanskrit expression meaning “a coming together”, giving the Milni Ceremony its definition as a unification of the two families. This tradition occurs in both Hindu and Sikh weddings before the start of the marriage rituals. After the Groom makes his way through the Baraat procession, the Bride’s closest relatives welcome him by sprinkling rose water and offering Shagun, a token of good luck.
Traditions During the Milni Ceremony
The men from the Bride’s side then welcome the Groom by exchanging flower garlands (which occurs mostly during Sikh Weddings) and gifting cash and clothes, symbolizing the bonding of the two families. Traditionally, they greet the groom in descending order, from the oldest generation to the youngest, filling in familial gaps with cousins. This portion of the Milni Ceremony is also an introduction for guests to see how each key person is related to the Bride and Groom respectively.
Importance of the Milni Ceremony
The significance of the Milni Ceremony is exemplified during the meeting of the two fathers in each respective family – showcasing the acceptance of the marriage and the bond that the families have created. The marriage rituals only begin once the Bride meets the Groom, which happens during the Varmala, the ceremony following the Milni. Although brief, the Milni is a way for both family and guests to witness the two families uniting into one. | <urn:uuid:6a37e589-6956-4e79-81df-df80011428d3> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 1,515 |
BALLOON SINUPLASTY -10 FACTS BY A SINUS DOCTOR
1. Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive technique used to gently dilate blocked openings of the sinuses, relieving such sinus symptoms as headache, congestion, and nasal obstruction.
2. Balloon sinuplasty is safely and comfortably performed by sinus doctors in offices all over the United States and has been since its introduction over a decade ago. Balloon sinuplasty in the office can be done under local anesthesia, local anesthesia with oral medications to help relax the patient, or local anesthesia with IV sedation if the patient does not want to feel any discomfort. This decision is made between the sinus doctor and the patient.
3. When compared to endoscopic sinus surgery, the results with in office balloon sinuplasty are similar. There are some patients who especially are well suited for in office balloon sinuplasty and some are better suited for traditional endoscopic sinus surgery. Make sure your sinus doctor has a strong experience with both techniques so that the right one is chosen.
4. Balloon Sinuplasty Reviews show this procedure to be safe, able to be performed quickly and with little discomfort to the patient, require minimal recovery time, and has excellent efficacy when performed on the right patient.
5. Your sinus doctor will evaluate you for this procedure, usually with a thorough history, physical, nasal endoscopy, and CAT scan of the sinuses. When indicated, allergy testing is often performed.
6. Based on the results of the above tests, and when medical management has not achieved the desired relief of symptoms, balloon sinuplasty may be offered.
7. Balloon sinuplasty cost may seem high when performed in the office. Compared with sinus surgery performed in the hospital, the cost of in office balloon sinuplasty includes the physician services, the facility cost, the cost of the disposable balloon device,, and the cost of anesthesia. When evaluating the total cost of this procedure to the patient, it is usually less than having the procedure performed in any other setting.
8. The three major balloon sinuplasty companies are Acclarent, Entellus, and Medtronic. All three produce excellent devices which are used by surgeons all over the United States. Most surgeons use two or more of the balloon options, as there may be preferences based upon specific clinical and anatomic issues.
9. Stereotactically guided balloon sinuplasty was first performed in the United States in 2014. This adds the extra precision of computer guidance to the balloon placement. This is a very desirable feature in certain situations, especially in revision sinus surgery.
10. Choosing the right sinus doctor is important, just as it would be for choosing a physician in any specialty. Ask your physician how long he has been performing the procedure he is recommending, and thoroughly check out his credentials. Also check out balloon sinuplasty reviews, as they will often describe specific experiences with this procedure. Make sure that you are comfortable not only with the physician, but also with his staff.
Nathan E. Nachlas, MD is a double board certified physician, certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has been a pioneer in the field of nasal and sinus surgery for over three decades. | <urn:uuid:920cf78d-f997-43fd-ae48-0448e9f22619> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,365 |
My name is Monica, I am a qualified and registered nutritionist. I am Italian and lived and worked in many European countries until 2009 when I finally settled in England. I graduated from the Institute of Optimum Nutrition after four years of studying and clinical training. I have also trained under Patrick’s Holford’s Zest4life team qualifying as a weight loss and wellbeing coach. In 2014 I was awarded the Dian Shepperson Mills Prize for “Outstanding Performance in Clinic”.
If you are interested in using Medi Weightloss to slim down, you should live near one of the company’s clinics. After an initial meeting with a doctor, dieters usually agree to weekly in-person meetings for the duration of the weight loss process. This weekly check-in is a cornerstone of the program, so proximity is essential. Clinics are located in 25 states and in most major US cities.
You’ve most likely already tried just about every diet out there, and some! You’ve likely joined a gym (or several over the years), maybe had a personal trainer, tried a bunch of slimming clubs, meal replacement programmes, and maybe some other weird and wonderful ways to lose weight, but it’s battle you’re still fighting and probably feel like you’re never going to win… Despair not, we can help!
Medi Weightloss clinics are located around the country and help dieters to slim down with food plans, counseling, and medication. The physician-monitored program is popular among customers who are comfortable with a structured program and are ready to make significant changes to their diet to lose weight. But not everyone can stick to the plan long enough for weight loss to occur.
Eating healthily will become something you want to do instead of a sacrifice – by learning to value yourself and your body at a whole new level you will want to make sure that you are filling it with high quality fuel. You’ll discover how to balance treats and indulgences with a much healthier overall diet that helps to improve and maintain your health and energy levels without depriving you of all of the foods you love.
You don’t have to be an athlete to notice how nutrition can impact your performance. For you it could be your performance at work, in the gym, or at home with your family. Performance tells us a lot about your physiology. Whenever you feel low or are finding your performance is suffering, your motivation and desire to continue with the recommendations will diminish. | <urn:uuid:75018af2-f3fd-4659-8b8f-c70fa71c45ee> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,449 |
from: Noah [firstname.lastname@example.org]
So, creating whole doors out of glass should not be so difficult. All other committments are exempted.
We write and publish your False-News here, and also submit it to Digg.
And some businessmen are probably working now on its advantages: new products will be needed real soon, if one want to fly, travel to troubled places or avoid long delays in checking points. Clothes are necessary for decency, clean aspect, thermal protection and mostly: for pockets.
With all due respect to Washington and other old timers, it is time to find new faces for currency. The same goes for the roof, engine cover and other parts.
Glass, plastic and air curtains can make them. In that way, every one will be able to spot a suspicious package. It is usually done with the help of a nonprofit consumer credit counseling organization.
flags and a deep fried flag that were removed Wednesday Nov.
It turned out that audited marriages had less contract breaches than non-audited. However, women rushed to get the samples and applied the substance to their face wrinkles.
With all due respect to Washington and other old timers, it is time to find new faces for currency.
from an exhibit at the Customs House Museum. flags and a deep fried flag that were removed Wednesday Nov.
In a city with several millions, like mine, spending time watching the neighbours is quite stupid. We are the ones that usually get ripped off, by non-paying or late-paying customers. This status shall ease the emigration to Standard Countries and the procurement of a job. They will also receive special international help for disasters or emergencies. Children-only marriage: this union is only intended for procreation purposes.
It's interesting that I would get an email from Noah, seeing how he's been playing a minor role in the latest events in my life, including the new Clutch album I recently got in SF.
"Break the glass ceiling and golden parachute on down
The power of the Holy Ghost comes to town
Shadow of the New Praetorian
Tipping cows in fields Elysian
Saturnalia for all you have
The seven habits of the highly infected calf."
-Clutch, Burning Beard
colors: soft pink, orange, white
chant/prayer/mantra: Better get busy. | <urn:uuid:f35a4922-e172-48be-b944-4fb5397a56dd> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,240 |
Life at sea — it sounds far away, like a distant lifestyle reserved for Navy seamen, ocean trawlers and submarine captains. But as shorelines recede, populations grow and property-ownership ideas evolve, designers and architects are prompted to re-think how — and where — we live. Many look to the water.
Shaped like domes and flowers, few of these notions of futuristic dwellings will ever go beyond the design stage. However, this doesn’t mean homes that float, submerge or drift on rivers are the stuff of sci-fi.
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“Just because a design vision is not built yet, does not limit its potential impact,” says Maria Lorena Lehman, Founder of Sensing Architecture, an online forum for architectural design, science and new technologies. “In fact, by proposing new ways of living, including on the water, architectural design is advanced, and in turn, human life is improved.”
Here are five examples of how people might be living on the water someday:
This open-sea eco houseboat is the brainchild of industrial designer Orhan Cileli. Most houseboats have flat bottoms so they rock heavily if they hit big waves. Pearl's design would be stable and efficient out at sea. In fact, the houseboat was actually inspired by a fishing bobber.
There's more to the Pearl than cool-looking design, though. The four-story house, which has a deck and greenhouse, would make use of alternative energy technologies, including wave and solar energy, to move it around and provide electricity. | <urn:uuid:ac7e9411-6424-4078-a6e9-60044c714c37> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,572 |
Much has been made of the two new trade offers the Toronto Maple Leafs received this week, which Leafs general manager Brian Burke described as "solid hits."
Many people have been speculating as to who is involved in this offers; is it Tomas Kaberle? Francois Beauchemin? Mikhail Grabovksi? Another questions is which team; Boston? New Jersey?
Most fans and media members have come to their own little conclusions, saying that Blake Wheeler and/or Jamie Langenbrunner and/or Brian Rolston are all likely being offered to the Leafs. One name that has yet to really surface, however, is Boston Bruins centre David Krejci.
Krejci, who has been centering the Bruins' top line during the absence of Marc Savard, would come with a salary cap hit of $3.75 million. Boston has little to no cap space remaining, something that they need in order for them to take Savard and Marco Sturm off the injured reserve.
A deal sending Krejci out-of-town would likely free up cap space for the Bruins, albeit not enough to bring back both Savard and Sturm.
With the Maple Leafs still in search of a top-six forward, centre or wing, and having just received two "solid hits," it seems likely that Toronto would be the most likely destination for the 24-year-old.
Krejci isn't necessarily a top line centre yet, but he is a very skilled player who is worthy of playing on a team's top-two lines.
The native of Sternberk, Czech Republic has scored just one goal in six games this season but has assisted on six other goals and has a plus/minus rating of plus-three. If acquired by Toronto, Krejci would likely play along side Phil Kessel and Kris Versteeg or Nikolai Kulemin, although he could fit in well on a line with Clarke MacArthur.
My take: Krejci would be a much better option for the Maple Leafs based on present and past performance. If the Bruins are willing to do without his impressive numbers and feel confident enough in Tyler Seguin and Marc Savard, he would also be the right player for Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli to trade.
If acquired by Toronto, Krejci might also be able to get struggling winger Kris Versteeg going again.
Wheeler, a $2.2 million cap hit, is also affordable for the Maple Leafs, but some would argue that he has yet to prove himself as a solid top-six forward. The 24-year-old has recorded just two points, both of which are assists, in six games this season.
**Follow Lukas on Twitter @SportsHazeLukas for breaking hockey news and rumors, as well as Toronto Maple Leafs game updates. You can contact him at email@example.com. | <urn:uuid:d4b049be-9d75-4a73-99d4-5b50226d8087> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,553 |
Posted by Apeksha Mishra
Paper Plane is looking for a self-driven Front End developer for our Fort, Mumbai office.
1. Convert a design mock up to a Light, Clean, Semantic, Scalable, Section 508 complaint interface adhering to W3C standards
2. Work closely with the Team leads and PM's to deliver pixel perfect, bug free interface by writing quality code and within estimated timeline
3. Optimize the interface across various Browsers/Devices/Platform
5. Familiarity with Atomic web design
6. Develop Emailers for different email Clients/Browsers and devices
7. Optimize the page for various search engines by following standard SEO guidelines
8. Test and optimize the page for performance specially using Google page speed and ySlow
9. Work closely with design and backend team to seamlessly integrate a pixel perfect interface with backend code (PHP or any other language /framework)
10.Contribute to build Paper Plane proprietary re-usable code libraries and frameworks.
11.Make Changes/Updates to client websites and online products
1-3 years hands on experience with the following :
5. Chrome developer tool
Apply for this position
Login with Google or GitHub to see instructions on how to apply. Your identity will not be revealed to the employer.
It is NOT OK for recruiters, HR consultants, and other intermediaries to contact this employer | <urn:uuid:ae294621-89f9-4c99-8791-afd4dec69d10> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,347 |
Scientists May Have Finally Found a Solution to Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant superbugs may be the gravest threat to human health in the 21st century. After over-prescribing antibiotics for decades, multiple strains of bacteria are now immune to treatment. Millions of people are infected with these superbugs every year in the US, and tens of thousands die. And that’s just the beginning. We may be in the early stages of the post-antibiotic era, and if this trend isn’t reversed, superbugs may be killing more people than cancer does by the year 2050.
As you might expect, the scientific community has been desperately trying to find a solution to this crisis for some time. And fortunately, scientists have made some significant progress in recent years. In 2016 for instance, researchers from the Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts discovered Teixobactin, the first antibiotic to be found in nearly 30 years. And with that discovery, they figured out an entirely new avenue of research that could bring about many more antibiotics in the near future.
Of course, that doesn’t really solve the problem with antibiotic resistant superbugs when you think about it. It only serves to kick the can down the road. It’s entirely possible that any new antibiotic that is brought to market, will be thoroughly abused by the medical and agricultural communities. New resistant strains of bacteria will emerge, and we’ll be back to square one.
What we really need is a whole new approach to using antibiotics and treating bacterial infections. Preferably, something that bacteria can’t readily adapt to. Fortunately, a researcher by the name of Dr. Bruce Geller has come up with a new treatment method that might just fit the bill.
“Bacteria will develop resistance to any one antibiotic or antimicrobial given enough time,” says Dr. Bruce Geller, a professor of microbiology at Oregon State University. “Because they’ve had a 4 billion year head start in the evolution of mechanisms to adapt to changing environments, they’re very, very good at getting around any antimicrobial they might encounter.”
So rather than just coming up with a new antibiotic, which bacterial strains would surely become immune to, he’s developed a compound that when exposed to bacteria, eliminates their resistance to antibiotics.
Geller’s megaweapon is a PPMO designed to neutralize resistance mechanisms in bacteria, leaving them vulnerable to antibiotics. “This molecule can restore sensitivity to standard, already-approved antibiotics in bacteria that are now resistant to those antibiotics,” Geller says, which eliminates the need to invest time and money in developing new antibiotics. So how does this PPMO work?
A PPMO is a type of synthetic molecule that mimics DNA and can bind to the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of a cell. RNA takes the information stored in the DNA of a cell, translating it into proteins that carry out the various functions of that cell.
Imagine a gene as instructions, written in a letter. Normally, the RNA receives this letter and carries out the instructions, creating the appropriate proteins. The PPMO instead intercepts the letter along the way, replacing it with one that commands the RNA to do nothing. So Geller’s team can create a PPMO that binds to the gene that produces NDM-1 — an enzyme that neutralizes antibiotics — and silences it. Suddenly, the bacterium has no defense mechanism.
Of course, PPMOs aren’t a broad, perfect solution. For instance, Geller points out that a different kind of PPMO would have to be developed for each type of infection. So this method will be mainly used when a doctor knows exactly what is afflicting a patient. Despite that, what Dr. Geller has created is probably the best solution to antibiotic resistance that has been developed so far, and is the best hope we have to stem the tide of the superbugs.
Joshua Krause was born and raised in the Bay Area. He is a writer and researcher focused on principles of self-sufficiency and liberty at Ready Nutrition. You can follow Joshua’s work at our Facebook page or on his personal Twitter.
Joshua’s website is Strange Danger
This information has been made available by Ready Nutrition
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Fun yet functional, the small Robot Nutcracker boasts a colourful, retro design that's sure to put a smile on your face. Made of real beech wood, the cute robot would make a great gift for any nut lover. Simply place your nut in the robot's belly, then twist the key to crack open the shell. - L.M.
Please remember to add postal time (2-3 working days) to obtain a complete estimate of delivery to your door.
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I purchased this for my deaf brother as he is a big nut fan ! His face said it all when he unwrapped it on Christmas Day ! In fact I would say the best gift he got lol it was well built and did crack nuts perfectly delivery was spot on would recommend to anyone who luvs cracking nuts in a fun way
Excellent. Decent nutcrackers are hard to find, they are quite often poor quality and little more than a pair of pliers requiring a great deal of effort to apply sufficient pressure to crack a stubborn not but not so much as to obliterate the shell and nut.This one is a fun theme as well as being good at its job allowing pressure to be applied in a gradual controlled manner, love it. | <urn:uuid:f0594558-f428-4864-86b0-e94c79e5f5cc> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,907 |
What comes to mind first when you think of game theory?
Probably political science, economics, computer science, logic etc. but certainly not biology right?
Well, believe it or not, the versatility of game theory has found its way in a recent cancer biology study!
The prolific mathematician John von Neumann (originally Hungarian but later American) first founded game theory in the early 1920s.
One of the key purposes of its invention was to study strategic decision-making by two players such that both incur minimal losses in a game played by them.
Cancer, needless to say is ubiquitous throughout the world and is one of the most widely studied of all diseases.
Although researchers have been using several state-of-the-art techniques to understand the biological mechanism this fatal disease, yet there are several aspects of cancer that are still elusive even to the well-trained eye. One of these is a competition for survival between different clones of the tumor cells.
The presence of heterogeneity among cells in a tumor poses a challenge as to how to target such variations with drugs.
However, it is an open question as to what maintains the heterogeneity despite the well-known fact that in the competition between different sub-clones of cancer cells for space and resources, only the fittest can survive. This intriguing phenomenon has been the cause of several medical therapy failures targeting tumor growth.
Interestingly, new research from the team of Dr. Gerhard Christofori, Professor at the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Basel, has implemented a rarely used technique- game theory to explain 'social interactions' between cancer cells.
The lead author of the current study Dr. Marco Archetti, a game theorist and biologist himself, says that his unusual background provided him with a motivation to use a game theory approach in understanding the evolutionary biology of cancer cells.
Biologically, a cell produces molecules known as 'growth factors' to promote its own growth. Tumor cells are no exception to the rule and produce growth factors too.
On the other hand, there are clones of tumor cells that actually do not produce any growth factors of their own but still proliferate using the growth factors from their neighboring cells. Then logic dictates that the cooperative production of growth factors by tumor cells should be destroyed and even the free loaders should not be able to survive!
Yet, heterogeneity within a tumor still exists. How is it possible?
In answering this question, the scientists in this study point out that within bacterial cell populations, heterogeneity can exist if in a way, the sub-clonal cells are inter-dependent on each other for survival.
In other words, if there is a defective cell (free loaders) and is unable to produce growth factors due to a mutation, the cell simply survives by free riding on the growth factors from co-operative neighboring cells (producer cells). Although this is not a strict case of inter-dependence, yet the sub-clone would be expected to have increased fitness and would therefore dominate over the other defective clones.
For the first time, Dr. Archetti and his colleagues have demonstrated a similar survival strategy for the cancer cells using a mathematical model from game theory of evolution. Dr. Archetti reports that, "We have shown that cancer cells cooperate with each other by sharing growth factors. These growth factors diffuse around the cells that produce them, so they can also be used by other cancer cells."
Using a model called Public Goods Game, commonly applied in economics in order to analyze the imbalance in the supply of goods, the researchers looked at long-term equilibrium effects of co-operation between the producer cells and the free loaders. Their model predicts that the 'social interaction' between these cells is stable over time.
The authors have verified their theoretical predictions by performing experiments on pancreatic cancer cells.
In future, Dr. Archetti says, "What remains to be seen is whether the same dynamics occur in vivo. Our experiments were only in vitro. The most promising and exciting perspective is to try and apply this knowledge to make a tumor collapse by disrupting the cooperative interactions between the cancer cells."
But for now, we can hope that in future, investigations based on critical insights from this study can beat cancer at its own game of clones.
Credit: Geoff Riley
hariharan chandrasekaran2015-02-22 03:46:08
It is observed that one or more mathematical models have become inevitable for all such inventions. Wishing good luck to Dr Archetti in his attempt to "make a tumor collapse by disrupting the cooperative interactions between the cancer cells".It is quite surprising to note how a defective clone could dominate over other defective clones by gaining increased effectiveness. This is a very good article and could lead to facilitate researchers in identifying the heterogeneity among tumor cells. | <urn:uuid:e449a270-4634-44d6-8729-8f36662f4bc0> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 5,005 |
Yom Hashoah and Jewish Resistance - April 12, 20072007-05-30 09:39:12
By MARK MIETKIEWICZ
This year on the evening of April 15, people will pause to remember the heroism of the millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust. They will also remember the Jews who marshaled what resources they had in order to fight back against Nazi oppression. As Yom Hashoah approaches, a look at Jewish resistance during the Second World War.
There are many sites which do an excellent job documenting the events leading up to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943 such as the Jewish Virtual Library http://tinyurl.com/d8txe and Yad Vashem Magazine. http://tinyurl.com/yues7k
But to get a feel for what it was like to be there, I recommend reading the lengthy memoir written by Marek Edelman, the only surviving leader of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. "The partisans were on the alert everywhere. ... From balconies, windows, and rooftops they showered the moving truckloads of SS-men with hand grenades and with rifle and pistol fire. Once even a truck speeding on the 'Aryan side' was blown up. On one occasion Rozowski and Sziomo, during the course of an area inspection, noticed an approaching German truck. They thought for an instant and then swiftly climbed to a balcony. From here they threw a four-pound powder charge straight down into the truck killing all but five of the sixty SS-men in it." http://tinyurl.com/2cbgyq
Although it was the most famous act of defiance, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was far from being the only Jewish rebellion during the war. As the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum points out, "between 1941 and 1943, underground resistance movements developed in approximately 100 ghettos in Nazi-occupied eastern Europe (about one-fourth of all ghettos), especially in Poland, Lithuania, Belorussia, and the Ukraine." http://tinyurl.com/29ts9n
You can find out much more about those other movements at The Miles Lerman Center for the study of Jewish Resistance http://tinyurl.com/27gwgr and at the Resistance Timeline, part of the Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust created by the University of South Florida. http://tinyurl.com/yt64k8
When you arrive at the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation website, you are greeted with some difficult questions: Would you leave your family? What would you risk? Would you fight back? How far would you go? Then you are invited to "Learn about the tens of thousands of young people who stood up to Nazi tyranny and oppression and saved the lives of thousands of Jews." This excellent site is geared toward young people and is relatively light on text but gets the message across through dozens of gripping video interviews with partisans.
As well, visitors are encouraged to email questions to a panel of six partisans who post their responses on the site. One sample question: "How did you survive the winter's cold?" Frank Blaichman's response: "Outside like an animal. Sleeping on the freezing ground. Went through hail, snow storms, rain storms. When you woke up in the morning I was covered with a blanket of snow many times. Snow was like insulation. It was not cold. Kept you warm a little bit. That is how we survived the first winger 1942-1943. We had no bunkers, they were destroyed in November, and we could not build any more bunkers. The spirit was high. We know we were going to live." http://www.jewishpartisans.org
* * *
I recently focused on websites that look at the challenges and resources available to Jews in prison. Karen Paikin of Jewish Family and Child Service in Toronto wrote to point out that the situation faced by Jewish prisoners in the U.S. is very different from that in Canada. You can learn more about the plight of two Jews behind bars on this side of the border from an article in a Canadian Jewish News which also focuses on the work of chaplain Rabbi Ronald Weiss. http://tinyurl.com/ywkol2 As well, Jewish Family and Child Service has created an overview of its chaplaincy department which services hospital patients, residents of long-term care facilities, as well as Jewish inmates. http://tinyurl.com/2lepy9
* * *
Mark Mietkiewicz is a Toronto-based Internet producer who writes, lectures and teaches about the Jewish Internet. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:445566e8-60da-42d1-8a0f-0b00c142ae43> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 4,278 |
Homeownership Education Class (WHEP-Washtenaw Housing Education Partnership)
Date: November 11, 2014 - November 19, 2014
Time: 6 - 9 p.m.
Location: MSU Extension Office, 705 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Lower level
Contact: Terry Jones, email@example.com, 734-222-3943
This free six-hour class is for potential first time home buyers or those who have not owned a home in over three years. This class fulfills requirements of any government funded programs. This class will highlight available DPA (Down Payment Assistant Programs) as well other available programs for first home buyers. Participants will learn the process of preparing, selecting, and applying for a mortgage. A certificate is provided at the end of the class that is good for one year. | <urn:uuid:49b3df32-5e39-43a5-9b4c-b45eae281381> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 757 |
SUDDEN DEATH is a Jean Claude Van Damme action film. If you feel
like a DIE HARD II type of movie and are ready to switch your brain to
autopilot, this movie will provide an acceptable time at the Bijou.
Sometimes after a hard week at work, you want a little fast paced
albeit highly implausible compendium of chases and shoot 'em ups.
It's the seventh game of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Darren McCord
(Jean Claude Van Damme) is an ex-firefighter who quite years ago after
a frightening rescue attempt of a small girl. He is now a fire
inspector at the big dome stadium where the game will be played. He
has two tickets so he takes his son (Ross Malinger) and daughter
(Whittni Wright) to the game with him.
At the game, renegade government operative Joshua Foss (Powers
Boothe) breaks into the box of the Vice President of the United States.
He calls the president and demands that he transfer zillions of dollars
to foreign banks or he will kill people at the end of each period and
then kill everyone in the stadium at the end of the game. Think about
the title, and you can write most of the rest of the movie yourself
without Gene Quintano's simplistic script. Most of the movie consists
of McCord single-handedly disarming the bombs while Foss's large team
of bad guys try to stop him.
The director (Peter Hyams) has a Spartan approach that sticks to
action (read killing) without much worry about plausibility. I never
realized how many ways there are to kill people in a kitchen. The
lines are broadly written and sometimes funny. When the Vice President
asks Foss what he wants, Foss replies, "What do I want? World peace, an
end to bigotry, and no more mini-malls." The pacing by editor Steven
Kemper is clean and crisp.
This movie is pure escapism and action scenes. Think of it as DIE
HARD II crossed with BLACK SUNDAY. If that is what you want, you could
worse that SUDDEN DEATH. Every once and a while, play-by-play
announcer Mike Lange would come on with such tidbits as, "He hit his
head on the ice. He hit it so hard that his kids will be born dizzy."
Not particularly original, but funny nevertheless.
I find Jean Claude Van Damme a strange actor. He does not have
the charisma of a Steven Seagal or the energy of a Bruce Lee and yet
his low key approach to killing bad guys holds a certain fascination no
matter how ridiculous. Powers Boothe is always good as an evil figure
and here he gives his standard performance. The best scene of all, and
one worthy of a much higher quality movie, is the one where Van Damme
gets to suit up and go on the ice. It is wonderful.
SUDDEN DEATH runs 1:50. It is rated R for massive violence which
sometimes makes you squeamish but more often is more cartoonish than
anything. After you see scores of people killed with little small
bullet holes in the head, it becomes more unreal than frightening. I
think the show is acceptable for teenagers if they are mature. I can
not bring myself to recommend SUDDEN DEATH, but it did provide a nice
diversion albeit a totally forgettable one. I give the film **.
Copyright © 1996 Steve Rhodes | <urn:uuid:7c931ab1-ec9b-423d-9a5a-eead92ab854f> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,087 |
An abandoned tanker carrying 1 million barrels of oil is at risk of spilling its toxic cargo into the Red Sea, a group of concerned scientists is warning.
The authors of the new policy brief, published today in Frontiers in Marine Science, are asking the United Nation and its International Maritime Organisation to address the looming threat “despite political tensions” in the region, as an oil spill would have “disastrous environmental and humanitarian consequences.”
Ironically named the Safer, the 362-metre vessel was abandoned several years ago at the contested port of Hudaydah, Yemen,which is currently being controlled by the insurgent Houthi movement. Civil war began in Yemen six years ago, in which the Houthis have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition. The Yemeni company responsible for the Safer claim they don’t have the resources required to maintain or repair the deteriorating vessel, which is currently being used as a storage and offloading unit.
An oil spill in the coming months would be particularly bad, the authors argue, as strong winter currents in the Red Sea would disperse the oil across a larger area than during the summer. Accordingly, a “regional strategy must be drafted for leak prevention and containment that is specific to the Red Sea’s unique ecosystems, unusual water currents, and political landscape,” the authors write.
The Safer is filled with approximately 1 million barrels of oil, which is more than four times the amount of oil spilled during the catastrophic Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. The ship has been “stranded and deteriorating off Yemen’s coast since 2015, giving the world the most advanced warning ever of a major oil spill,” write the authors. “But this unique opportunity is being squandered.”
The only significant development in this matter came in late November of this year, when the Houthis granted the UN permission to inspect the tanker, which should happen in January 2021. The scientists want the oil removed from the tanker before it all leaks out in a biodiversity hot spot.
“There are over 1,000 species of fish in coastal waters of the Red Sea, of which 165 species are exclusively found in the Red Sea, with an additional 51 species restricted to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden only,” Karine Kleinhaus, a marine biologist from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at Stony Brook University in New York, explained in an email. “As for coral, there are over 360 species, and about 5% of those are endemic.”
A spill has the potential to devastate marine life in the region, gut the fishing industry, and wreak havoc on shipping lanes, which could prevent humanitarian aid from reaching Yemen. The spill could be a particularly acute disaster for the Red Sea coral reefs, which are unique in exhibiting an ability to survive in very warm waters unlike corals elsewhere in the world (though they’re threatened by climate change in other ways).
“Both the immediate effects of oil settling on the shallowest reefs, or toxic elements mixing with the water column to reach deeper down, will result in massive fish and coral die offs, as well as long-term damage to reef health,” Kleinhaus said. “The oil that remains in the sand or sediment will continue to ‘dose’ the reef for many years any time it is stirred up. One can look at detailed outcomes from other oil spills to see the writing on the wall.”
The recent oil spill near Mauritius points to the acute impacts that follow immediately after a spill. But research around the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico show they can linger on a decade after the disaster, including so-called “invisible oil.”
That the Safer could pour its greasy black contents into the Red Sea is a distinct possibility. In May, seawater entered into the ship’s engine compartment, and local news outlets detected an “oil spot” next to the tanker, according to the policy brief. The authors are asking the UN, the International Maritime Organisation, and oil companies to stop dragging their feet and put a plan into action before conditions worsen.
“The Red Sea’s reefs — a global treasure and a major regional economic driver — can be safeguarded in the short term with one concerted move to empty this tanker,” Kleinhaus said. “The UN and the regional governments have had five years to act, and they must stop delaying and act assertively now to pump off the oil and avoid major environmental and economic devastation.”
It’s going to be a tough sell with the civil war and global pandemic going on, but an environmental disaster would only add to the suffering. Action now could stop this from becoming a much bigger, sadder story. | <urn:uuid:99acdc33-b850-4f74-b201-823869d605dc> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 4,647 |
An Australian court has ordered mining magnate and politician Clive Palmer to pay 1.5m Australian dollars ($1.2m; £0.8m) to the record label of heavy metal act Twisted Sister.
In Australia’s 2019 federal election, Mr Palmer used a version of the band’s hit song We’re Not Gonna Take It which featured rewritten lyrics. The resulting song was called Aussies Not Gonna Cop It, Australia’s Federal Court on Friday ruled that it infringed copyright. Justice Anna Katzman said it was “ludicrous” and “fanciful” to suggest that Mr Palmer’s version of the song was not derived from Twisted Sister’s 1984 song.
Lead singer Dee Snider, who wrote the song, tweeted “WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ANY MORE!!” after the judgement was issued. Mr Palmer had claimed his lyrics were not inspired by the song, but by Peter Finch’s character, Howard Beale, in the 1976 film Network, in which he said: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore”. The judgment rejected this claim, as well as Mr Palmer’s contention that Twisted Sister’s label Universal Music did not own the copyright, because the band’s song bore similarities to the Christmas carol O Come, All Ye Faithful.
It also rejected claims that Aussies Not Gonna Cop It was a “parody or satire” of Twisted Sister’s 1984 song. “[Mr Palmer] gave false evidence, including concocting a story to exculpate himself, indicating that the need for both punishment and deterrence is high,” said Justice Katzman. Mr Palmer is a billionaire mining magnate who served as a federal lawmaker from 2013-2016. The colourful businessman was also known for proposing a “Titanic II” cruise ship in 2012, although the project still has not got under way.
He launched a failed attempt to return to parliament in 2019, spending an estimated A$60m on his campaign – more than Australia’s two major parties combined. It was during this campaign that his United Australia Party (UAP) produced a series of ads that used the song in question.
The judgment said it was unclear how much Mr Palmer’s UAP spent on the ads, but that it definitely exceeded A$12m. Nevertheless, the judgement said that the UAP was provided with a quote of A$150,000 to license the song, but Mr Palmer “baulked” at the fee and and his representative made a counter-offer of A$35,000.
The court ordered Mr Palmer to pay A$500,000 for the value of a licence fee and an additional A$1m in damages. | <urn:uuid:6d78a5cb-df59-44db-b88f-6555ffae37cb> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,412 |
The highlight of the summer session this year at PS 37, a special-needs, year-round school in Great Kills, is its baseball-themed "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" program.
The entire school – from lobby to corridors, to classrooms – is decorated with baseball-themed posters and artwork representing New York's two Major League Baseball teams.
"Opening Day Ceremonies" on the first day of the summer found each classroom and each student decked out in Yankee pinstripes or Mets team colors of blue and orange, chosen by lottery drawing. The theme continued throughout the following days, with Fridays designated as "team days" and students could do baseball-themed crafts, art and discuss the iconic American sport.
"We chose a baseball theme for our summer program because there are so many opportunities to align it to New York State's Common Core Learning Standards," explained teacher LoriAnn Volpe, who helped coordinate the program.
"Baseball team loyalty is such a big part of New York City culture that we thought we could use it to teach the students language arts and math skills and weave into other subject areas," she said.
There is a friendly schoolwide competition of "Mets" versus "Yankees" classrooms where students played for their respective teams in gym or decorated their classrooms in team colors.
"The students are exposed to various fiction and informational text about baseball, and are engaged in group activities based on the topic. Teachers are creating unique math lessons using baseball to introduce topics such as ordinal positions, shapes, and even money (to buy snacks at a baseball field). The school is enjoying the baseball theme. It has made our summer program fun, yet still educational," Ms. Volpe reported.
The kids are into it.
Thirteen-year-old Jonathan Hannam said he's a Yankees fan. "I don't really have a favorite player. I like to watch the pitchers and batters," he said.
But eight-year-old Randall Lopez, when asked what his favorite team is, declared "The Mets!"
On Friday, the school hosted its "Take Me Out to the Ballgame Day" in the gymnasium. Students posed for photos with "Mr. Met," the team's mascot, and participated in baseball-themed activities such as pitching a ball through a hoop.
The theme continued Monday with the culminating "PS 37 World Series" in the gym. Scooter the Holy Cow, the mascot of the Staten Island Yankees, walked around greeting children.
"They were walking around, trying everything out, and just having a good time," said assistant principal Deborah Labetti. "All the kids and faculty did a great job. They're all winners." | <urn:uuid:c9d049f1-9929-4ecc-b6c8-d7a9ea735e3e> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,606 |
C HAPTER 5 F ORECASTING M ARKET D EMAND AND S ALES B UDGETS
The importance of forecasting in a firm’s marketing decision support system.
The uses and different categories of sales forecasts.
The two forecasting methods – survey and mathematical – and their different uses.
That the responsibility for approving the final forecast rests at the top management level.
The need for knowledge of computers, because they are used in forecasting and developing sales budgets.
L EARNING O BJECTIVES The process of forecasting helps an organization make decisions; it is necessary for determining information about future markets. This chapter should help you understand:
M ANAGING S ALES I NFORMATION “Our charge is to design, build, and implement decision support systems that help our field and marketing managers make business decisions.” Dan McKee Marketing decision support systems manager for Marion Merrell Dow, Inc.
F ORECASTING M ARKET D EMAND A marketing decision support system (MDSS) is an ongoing, future-oriented structure designed to generate, process, store, and later retrieve information to aid decision making in an organization’s marketing program. It involves problem-solving technology composed of people, knowledge, software, and hardware “wired” into the sales management process.
U SES OF S ALES F ORECASTS A sales forecast is the estimated dollar or unit sales for a specific future time period based on a proposed marketing plan and an assumed market environment.
A sales forecast becomes a basis for setting and maintaining a production schedule – manufacturing.
It determines the quantity and timing of needs for labor, equipment, tools, parts, and raw materials – purchasing, personnel.
It influences the amount of borrowed capital needed to finance the production and the necessary cash flow to operate the business – controller.
It provides a basis for sales quota assignments to various segments of the sales force – sales management.
It is the overall base that determines the company’s business and marketing plans, which are further broken down into specific goals – marketing officer.
A sales forecast is important for at least five reasons:
T HE F ORECASTING P ROCESS The forecasting process refers to a series of procedures used to forecast.
A market factor is an item or element that (1) exists in a market, (2) may be measured quantitatively, and (3) is related to the demand for a product or service. A market index is simply a market factor expressed as a percentage relative to some base figure.
FIGURE 5.2 THE FORECASTING PROCESS
FIGURE 5.3 BASIC STEPS IN BREAKDOWN METHOD OF FORECASTING SALES
Company sales potential is the maximum estimated or potential sales the company may reach in a defined time period under given conditions. The company’s share of the estimated sales for an entire industry is referred to as market share. Industry sales forecast, or market potential, is the estimated sales for all sellers.
S ALES F ORECASTING M ETHODS
Survey methods are qualitative and include executive opinion, sales force composite, and customer’s intention surveys.
Mathematical methods are test markets, market factors, naïve models, trend analysis, and correlation analysis.
Two categories of sales forecasting methods exist:
FIGURE 5.4 THE MORE POPULAR OF MANY FORECASTING METHODS
S URVEY F ORECASTING M ETHODS
Four basic survey methods are
Sales Force Composite
By one seasoned individual (usually in a small company).
By a group of individuals, sometimes called a “jury of executive opinion.”
Executive forecasting is done in two ways:
Key executives submit the independent estimates without discussion, and these are averaged into one forecast by the chief executive.
The group meets, each person presents separate estimates, differences are resolved, and a consensus is reached.
The group approach uses two methods:
Delphi Method Administering a series of questionnaires to panels of experts.
Sales Force Composite Obtaining the opinions of sales personnel concerning future sales.
User’s Expectations Consumer and industrial companies often poll their actual or potential customers.
Build-to-Order Companies build final products only after firm orders are placed.
M ATHEMATICAL F ORECASTING M ETHODS Test markets are a popular method of measuring consumer acceptance of new products.
FIGURE 5.5 CITIES COMMONLY USED AS TEST MARKETS – RESIDENTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO SEE NEW PRODUCTS .
Time Series Projections Time series methods use chronologically ordered raw data.
The trend component.
The seasonal component.
The cyclical component.
The erratic component.
Classical approach to time series analysis:
Naïve Method Next Year’s Sales = This Year’s Sales X This Year’s Sales Last Year’s Sales
Moving Average Moving averages are used to allow for marketplace factors changing at different rates and at different times.
TABLE 5.1 EXAMPLE OF MOVING-AVERAGE FORECAST Period 6 Forecast = 366.6 ? 6 366.6 1100 ( 3) = 450 5 300 900 350 4 750 300 3 250 2 200 1 T HREE- Y EAR M OVING A VERAGE S ALES FOR THREE- Y EAR P ERIOD S ALES V OLUME P ERIOD
E xponential S moothing Exponential smoothing is similar to the moving-average forecasting method. It allows consideration of all past data, but less weight is placed on data as it ages. Next Year’s Sales = a (This Year’s Sales) + (1- a ) (This Year’s Forecast)
Trend Projections – Least Squares Eyeball fitting is simply a plot of the data with a line drawn through them that the forecaster feels most accurately fits the linear trend of the data.
FIGURE 5.6 A TREND FORECAST OF SALES
Regression Analysis Regression analysis is a statistical method used to incorporate independent factors that are thought to influence sales into the forecasting procedure.
FIGURE 5.7 REGRESSION ANALYSIS
FIGURE 5.8 QUESTIONS TO ANSWER TO IMPROVE CHANCES OF HITTING THE FORECASTING BULL’S-EYE
TABLE 5.2 GUIDE TO FORECASTING Accurate if variable relationships stable Essential Needed Short to Medium Regression Analysis Varies widely Desirable Needed Short to long Least Squares Accurate under stable conditions Helpful Minimal Short to medium Exponential Smoothing Accurate under stable conditions Helpful Minimal Short to long Moving Average Limited Not essential Minimal Present to medium Naïve Method Accurate Needed Needed Medium Test Markets Limited Not essential Minimal Short to medium User’s Expectations Accurate under dynamic conditions Not essential Minimal Short to medium Sales Force Composite Limited; good in dynamic conditions Not essential Minimal Medium to long Delphi Method Limited Not essential Minimal Short to medium Executive Opinion A CCURACY C OMPUTER N EED M ATHEMATICAL S OPHISTICATION T IME S PAN F ORCASTING M ETHOD
T HE S ALES M ANGAGER’S B UDGET The sales force budget is the amount of money available or assigned for a definite period, usually one year.
B UDGET P URPOSES
TABLE 5.3 SALES FORCE OPERATING COSTS d. Hospitalization c. Stock options 10. Travel b. Retirement plan 9. Entertainment a. Social Security 8. Transportation expenses 3. Other compensation 7. Selling aids 2. Commissions 6. Product samples b. Salespeople 5. Office expenses a. Management 4. Special incentives 1. Base salaries
B UDGETS S HOULD BE F LEXIBLE Sales, costs, prices, or the competition’s marketing efforts are some factors that may be higher or lower than expected.
T HE B OTTOM L INE Because of the growing trend in business to centralize data collections, the job of forecasting has become an integral part of a firm’s marketing decision support system (MDSS). A sales forecast is the estimated dollar or unit sales for a specific future period based on a proposed marketing plan and an assumed market environment. Firms know sales forecasting is never 100 percent correct. Two categories of sales forecasting methods are survey methods and mathematical methods. Because the sales forecast has a major impact on the company, the top executives give final approval. To create a sales forecast, sales managers should know how to use a computer. | <urn:uuid:0d75aaeb-01d3-475c-811a-e52c2de64300> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 8,023 |
Explain Boudary value testing and equivalence testing ?3 3686
How Defect prevention can be accomplished ?2 3429
Main concepts in webpage Testing?1 2642
Explain about Founctionality Testing in webbased application?1 2420
Explain about Usability Testing in web based applications?1 2612
Explain about 'Interface Testing' in Web based Application?1 3664
Explain about "Compatibility Testing" in Web based Application?2 3801
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What is Financial planning? | <urn:uuid:98221791-3a36-463a-956c-8d1d942615e5> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 2,896 |
Cricketers are cherished with Money and Fame, and what most tempts them? Costly Bikes and Cars. Young Indian Cricketers these days are fond of Costly Cars and Bikes and they look forward to buy any new model ones.
We present you Top 10 Indian Cricketers and their cars.
10. Suresh Raina
The left handed Indian middle order batsman Suresh Raina at the 10th place on this list. He is getting well Salary from the Chennai Super Kings and from India Team that made him as a popular cricketer.
He owns a Porsche Boxster and also shared the picture on the social networking site, Twitter. The Cars has awesome features, engine upgrades, and quality of looks. | <urn:uuid:acab1138-37ea-4ea0-9183-47ad12ee3174> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 652 |
In this Learning Zone series, we explore in more detail the newest and most exciting technology on the horizon for the emergency services. In this issue, we’re looking at drones and their application in this environment. Stay tuned over the coming months for insights on augmented and virtual reality, driverless vehicles, robotics, smart cities and artificial intelligence.
The humble drone – how is it helping deliver an emergency response?
Although drone technology isn’t being used across all of the emergency services yet, we’re seeing an increase in its use with very positive results. This is mainly in surveillance, law-enforcement and search and rescue. It’s expected that further uses will be in surveying large or complex fires, road collisions and disaster response, as well as in the delivery of life-saving equipment and supplies.
In the UK, West Midlands Fire Service were the first to operationally deploy drones in 2007. Since then, the number of operational forces using or planning to use drones notably jumped to two thirds of fire services and half of police forces by 2016. This figure has continued to rise subsequently with recent deployments in Suffolk, Lincolnshire and West Yorkshire.
Moreover, according to recent reports, at least 65 people were rescued with support from drones last year. Indeed, a recent report by DJI – a global market-leader in drone technology – found that drones have been used to drop buoys to struggling swimmers, as well as identifying unconscious people in harsh weather conditions in the UK and America. They also found that drones had helped locate distressed persons needing help in rivers, mountains and fields.
Interestingly, this report was collected from a number of news outlets and public safety agencies and includes 27 separate incidents across five continents.
In addition to what’s already been deployed and in use, we’ve seen several high-profile drone trials and pilots for their further development. These have been taking place across the globe throughout the last 18 months. Let’s explore some of the most exciting examples below.
In 2017, Swedish researchers tested drones and ambulances to determine which had the fastest response time in delivering an automated external defibrillator to a patient in cardiac arrest. These defibrillators give instructions to a bystander to use it for checking the heart rhythm and, if needed, to send an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm.
The researchers conducted 18 consecutive flights with the drone, with an average flight distance of 3.2 kilometres, or about 2 miles, comparing the dispatch and travel time of the drone with that of emergency medical services (EMS).
The researchers found that the drone arrived more quickly than EMS in all cases, with an average reduction in response time of about 16 minutes. Furthermore, no adverse events or technical problems occurred during any of the drone flights. During a medical emergency, those minutes can be the difference between life and death. This preliminary study was published in the journal JAMA in June 2017.
Also in 2017, Latvian heavy-duty drone manufacturer Aerones Ltd., together with the fire and rescue team from Aizkraukle, conducted an experiment the world had never seen before. In this experiment, the “Aerones” drone was tested to fight possible fire accidents. The results proved that it is able to reach heights exceeding those of firefighter truck ladders, while the drone also has the capability to operate in hard to reach and dangerous spots.
Search and Rescue
In September of 2017, a number of companies held the world’s first demonstration of an air crash drone rescue at The Emergency Services Show at the NEC, Birmingham, UK. This video sets the scene for this ground-breaking demonstration, showing the art of the possible for future drone search and rescue.
In April 2018, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) also ran a special event to test the use of drones in a variety of real-life search and rescue scenarios, which you can watch here.
In April 2018, the European Emergency Number Association (EENA) and the Chinese drone manufacturer DJI announced a new joint pilot project for using drones for emergency services in Europe. The project was announced at the EENA conference in Slovenia and will be the second partnership between EENA and DJI. For more information on the first phase of the EENA/DJI partnership, you can access a PDF version of the whitepaper here.
The goal of the second project, which will take place in Ireland and Wales, is to understand exactly how drones can be used by emergency services and create legal and operational framework — and to set Europe-wide standards to help more countries adopt emergency drones.
Setting the standards for drones in the UK
Aside from individual trials, there are initiatives taking place at higher levels. These include the Flying High Challenge, which is the first programme of its kind to convene city leaders, regulators, public services, and industry around the future of drones in UK cities.
Since February until June 2018, the Nesta Flying High team are working together with Bradford, London, Preston, Southampton and the West Midlands to develop a single vision for drone systems based on local community needs and ambitions.
Flying High will explore specific drone use cases within cities and hazardous environments and address key technology, infrastructure, regulatory, safety and privacy complexities. The teams will create detailed technical and economic plans that unlock market opportunity through regulatory testbeds, open innovation technology challenges and live, real-world demonstrations. The subsequent phases of the Flying High, through to 2020, will ultimately test drone applications in the partner cities.
We await with interest to read the results of this work later in 2018.
There’s no doubt that drone technology is already adding value to the emergency services and is helping to save lives. It is also clear that drone technology is evolving rapidly for military, commercial and public use, and not only for the emergency services.
Shared learning across the services is crucial in defining operational best-practice for the use of drones going forward. Tangible measurement of their uses and successes will also help develop blueprints for future deployments and development of technology roadmaps for rural, urban and coastal use.
We’ll be watching these developments with great interest and will keep you posted in due course.
Find out more
We develop innovative communications software for emergency and critical control rooms in the public and private sectors. Our solutions deliver critical communications across the transportation sector, multiple international airports and major transportation hubs, as well as supporting police and fire services' control rooms.
From our base in the UK, we serve customers across Europe and the UAE and we're proud to say that one in two UK police forces are using our technology today.
As part of our commitment to innovation, we’re publishing articles about various future technology trends over the coming months. These include:
- Augmented and virtual reality
- Driverless vehicles
- Smart cities
- Artificial intelligence
To find out more about how we can support your critical control room, or to subscribe to our newsletter, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 01482 808300. | <urn:uuid:94e17b45-327c-4ce1-90e2-a56f340e1320> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 7,511 |
All Majors Career Fair
Thursday, September 21, 2023 - 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Main Lounge (1st Floor) & International Ballroom (2nd Floor), Iowa Memorial Union
PREPARE FOR THE FAIR CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS
- No pre-registration is required; however, view all details about the fair in Handshake including a list of employers and keep up to date with changes!
- Tips for Connecting with Employers at an event
- Download a map to your mobile device -map will be available the week of the event
- Update Your Resume - Drop-in hours are M-Th, 10 am - 3 pm, C310 Pomerantz Center or schedule an appointment on MYUI.
- Attend a Prepare for the Fair Session : Do's Don'ts & Donuts! Both sessions are in the lobby of the Pomerantz Career Center (C310 Pomerantz Center), 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.; Monday September 18 and Tuesday September 19.
- Prepare for the Fair Handout
- DEI Resource Guide - Resource guide of employers attending the fair that provided DEI websites + statements for students researching DEI practices at organizations
- Bring your Student ID, copies of your resume and Dress for Success! The event is business casual or professional attire.
- **If you are in need of free business casual or professional attire, please visit the Clothing Closet at Iowa, G200 (ground floor) of the Iowa Memorial Union.
- Make sure you visit the Student Hospitality in Room 245 across from International Ballroom to get final advice from a career coach or print your resume.
- Parking will be busy this day. IMU Ramp and North Ramp most likely will be full. We suggest trying the Old Capitol Ramp and Tower Place Ramp or find street parking.
- Download the Handshake app in advance to navigate the Fair and research employers in advance! (available for download on both iOS and Android)
- Get your free photo taken at the LinkedIn Booth in International Ballroom Lobby (2nd floor)!
- Download the fair map. -coming soon | <urn:uuid:fd77ef12-aae0-46c8-a7e0-2a1f4921e3f2> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,901 |
House Eliminates REAP and Energy Crop Programs
Decision Means Higher Energy Costs for Farms and Rural Businesses
(May 24, 2011) Today the House of Representatives’ Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee will vote to eliminate the popular and effective Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) in its 2012 appropriations bill. REAP is the only federal program successfully helping farmers and rural small businesses fight high energy costs with renewable energy systems and energy efficiency.
“Killing REAP leaves agriculture and rural businesses at the mercy of high oil and electricity prices,” said Andy Olsen, ELPC Senior Policy Advocate.
Each year more farmers and rural businesses have used REAP, with demand far outpacing the available funding. Since 2003, REAP has helped nearly 6,000 farmers and rural businesses in every state in the U.S. with grants and loan guarantees to help finance new clean energy and energy efficiency projects, drive private investment and save many millions of dollars each year on energy costs.
“The House could not be sending a clearer signal that they don’t care about rising on-farm energy prices,” said Mr. Olsen. “This ‘do-nothing” approach strikes at the heart of America’s ‘can do’ attitude.”
Last year Congress sliced total REAP funding by 25%, even as demand for the program continued to increase. This year’s draconian action would be a far more serious setback to energy independence and rural economic development.
In stark contrast, the Subcommittee is planning to maintain funding for the Rural Utilities Service’s major electric cooperative loan program at $6.5 billion, which is $500 million more than the President’s budget request. “These skewed priorities give farmers and rural businesses short shrift,” said John Moore, ELPC Senior Attorney.
The Subcommittee also is planning to cut the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which is producing results in helping farmers grow energy crops for fuel and power. “Eliminating the BCAP and REAP energy programs today is like leaving your wedding before you say ‘I do,’” said Steve Flick, President of the Show Me Energy Cooperative in Missouri. | <urn:uuid:c5fbe976-c37b-42b4-a8ce-a1c279a8c81c> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,148 |
LG Electronics buys webOS technology from HP
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 25, 2013 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
LG Electronics of the
Republic of Korea has acquired the webOS mobile operating system
technology from U.S. IT giant Hewlett-Packard (HP), the two
companies announced on Monday.
"LG has entered into a definitive agreement with HP to acquire
the source code, associated documentation, engineering talent and
related websites associated with webOS," the companies said in a
joint press release.
As part of the transaction, LG also will receive licenses under
HP's intellectual property for use with its webOS products.
LG Electronics said that it plans to use the webOS technology
to enhance its Smart TV product and a range of other consumer
The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, is seen as a salvage
for the ill-fated webOS platform.
The webOS platform was initially developed by U.S. smartphone
manufacturer Palm, and was bought by HP in April 2010 for 1.2
billion U.S. dollars.
In August 2011, HP decided to shut down its webOS tablet and
smartphone hardware business as the devices failed to sell well.
HP announced at the end of 2011 that the company is keeping the
webOS software by making it open source.
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The Most Trusted Residential and Commercial Power Washing Company In Myrtle Beach
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At Clear Water Pressure Washing, this is not just a promise, this is our way of life. We exist to provide a service that will keep our clients happy and satisfied.
As the leading provider of pressure washing in Myrtle Beach we always make it a point to maintain the quality of our services by constantly coordinating with our clients. Clear Water Pressure Washing is all about standing out and making a significant impact on the lives of our clients.
All you need to do is call us today to experience our unique brand of service.
SPEED YOU CAN RELY ON
While we are known to deliver fast cleaning services mainly because pressure washing equipment allow us this luxury, we do not compromise quality. After the first round of pressure washing, we double check for potential residue and make sure to remove them. One main advantage of pressure washing is that you do not need to give up so much of your time to make room for our job to be completed. You can relax within the confines of your home or business office and just let us finish the job seamlessly.
Power washing in Myrtle Beach has never been this good!
Our cleaning technicians are well trained not just in the area of executing their cleaning duties, but most especially in the area of connecting with clients. Our team does not just come and go. We make ourselves available even after the task has been completed to attend to questions and concerns that may arise afterwards.
We are also committed to educating each client as to how they can better preserve the integrity of their properties. Giving helpful tips that are mostly based on actual experiences of the members of our team is freely given. This is our way of showing clients that we care about them and the value of their property.
Our team understands respect for space, time and resources. We work within the agreed parameters of the contract and ensure that our clients are 100% satisfied with our service.
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At Clear Water Pressure Washing, we only commit to use the safest and the most environment friendly cleaning products as our way of contributing to keeping the planet in good condition for future generations. Doing so allows us to keep our clients free from hazardous chemicals that can do more damage than good. This company practice is something that we prioritize because we value people and the environment.
Let Clear Water Pressure Washing attend to your exterior power washing needs today!
Your experience with our pressure washing services are guaranteed to give you your money’s worth. Don’t settle for anything less than the best service providers in the region!
Call us today to book your request! | <urn:uuid:ba1bd9d6-1ae8-404d-abb9-77396f581648> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,368 |
Everything you need to shop to your heart’s content is now in the palm of your hand. Know exactly what you’re after? No problem—a list of stores, a map, and hours are right here. Need some inspiration? Even better. The latest in fashion trends and unique gift ideas are in here too. Pretty much what you’d expect from Ottawa’s leading style centre—St. Laurent Centre. Enjoy!
Make your visit easier and more fun with these great features. And update often—they’ll get better and better!
Our calendar of events that you won’t want to miss!
The latest news from St. Laurent—new store openings, new services. Be the first to know.
Keep in touch while you’re at the mall. Share via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and more.
What’s hot right now? Keep up with the latest trends and where to find them.
A complete list of stores. An easy sort feature will help you plan your visit.
Can’t find it? No problem—the map will show you where you are and where you want to be.
The latest promotions, sales, and offers from St. Laurent.
How can we help? Strollers, wheelchairs, directions, and more.
Movie listings so you can plan your day—and night.
No need to rush—find out when we’re open and when we’re not.
Check your St. Laurent gift card balance via the app—one size fits all!
Hot gift trends and where to find them.
Keep track of the things you love, great ideas, and the deals you don’t want to miss—and store them away for later.
The most up-to-date job listings for the mall. | <urn:uuid:9f4ee1a2-bd27-4659-8c46-3b288cef65f6> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,469 |
Three Birmingham City University School of Jewellery students have been shortlisted as finalists in an annual design competition run by Weston Beamor.
Entrant of the Live Project design competition, which is open to all BCU students in their second year of a Higher National Diploma in Jewellery Manufacturing, had to design a wedding and engagement ring set in Fairtrade gold for the commercial market.
It was stipulated that applicants were to use only commercially available stone sizes/shapes, and submissions had to include an advert, displaying coherent branding.
The three finalists, Hayley Jones, Lorna McNaught and Kai-Blu Triass, will each receive prize money, of various values, and work experience at the Weston Beamor factory.
The judges felt that Kai-Blu Triass’s geometric ‘Dyad’ wedding and engagement ring set, which combines white and rose gold, was commercial and unique whilst his CAD model showed understanding of thickness and tolerances.
The judge praised Hayley Jones for her ‘Odyssey’ ring, with its unusual bubble-like textures, stating that the design concept could be easily developed into a whole suite of distinctive bridal jewellery.
Lorna McNaught’s ‘Entwined’ design, which combines white and rose gold with a brilliant cut emerald, was deemed to be very commercially aware, delicate and straightforward to manufacture. The judges were impressed with the cohesion between the design, brand name and advert.
The winner of the competition will be announced at 2pm on Tuesday February 6 on Weston Beamor’s stand at Jewellery & Watch Birmingham.
While the winning student will receive a cheque for £500, the second place designer will receive £250 and third will be awarded £100.
Weston Beamor’s Ed Hole comments: “We were particularly impressed by the very high standard of this year’s designs. The entries were not only fresh and innovative but were also technically accomplished. All three sets are going to look absolutely terrific once they are made and we hope that visitors to Jewellery & Watch will come to our stand to see what the next generation of designers, with a little help from our bespoke manufacturing team, can achieve.”
“This is a great exercise for our students,” adds course tutor at BCU, Katy Tromans. “Having the chance to visit Weston Beamor, to see and understand their facilities and then to create a design to a live commercial brief is invaluable experience for them, as is the chance to win a week of work experience within the company.” | <urn:uuid:cd5ee9ec-0abe-4948-b488-a6fee5bf5cd3> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,497 |
Using MODIS imagery to diagnose areas of calm winds over water
An interesting large “dark feature” showed up on AWIPS images of the MODIS visible channel (above) over Lake Michigan on 04 June 2009. This dark feature appeared to be shifting slowly southward during the 105-minute period between the time of the Terra MODIS image (16:53 UTC, or 11:38 am local time) and the time of the Aqua MODIS image (18:38 UTC, or 1:38 pm local time).
It is revealing to examine the corresponding MODIS Sea Surface Temperature (SST) images (below), which indicate the presence of a significantly warmer area of SST values located within the region of the “dark feature” that was seen on the visible imagery. MODIS SST values were as warm as 52.4º F on the Terra image, and 57.3º F on the Aqua image (darker green colors) — a good 10-15º F higher than the surrounding cooler waters (39-42º F, darker blue colors). There are only 2 buoys in Lake Michigan — Buoy 45007 in the northern portion of the lake (reporting a water temperature of 39º F), and Buoy 45002 in the southern portion of the lake (reporting water temperatures of 41-43º F) — so the MODIS SST data provided potentially useful information in an otherwise data-void area.
As it turns out, this large dark feature on the visible imagery corresponded to the portions of the lake water that were very smooth. Since high pressure was centered over this region — note that the NAM12 model surface winds (below) were only in the 0-5 knot range — the wind-driven wave heights were minimal, allowing for a nearly flat water surface. The presence of very light winds also allowed the “skin temperature” of the water surface to warm very quickly, as we have seen over Lake Michigan in the past. The warmest SST values were located near the center of the “light winds region”, where the winds apparently had been calm for several hours (or longer).
So, why did this large area of “smooth water” appear darker on the MODIS visible imagery? The answer lies in the fact that with imagery from polar-orbiting satellites such as Terra and Aqua, there is often a significant amount of sun glint off the rough water surfaces below the satellite overpass — these areas of sun glint make the rougher water surfaces appear brighter on visible imagery. However, in the area of the calm winds, the water surface was very flat…and this flat water surface then reflected like a mirror (with all the light being reflected back in one direction — but in this case, that one direction was not directly back toward the satellite!).
This idea is supported by the MODIS 3.7 µm shortwave IR imagery (below) — this particular channel is very sensitive to reflected solar radiation, which makes the rougher waters (which give off a lot of sun glint) appear warmer (darker) on the shortwave IR imagery. The MODIS 3.7 µm IR brightness temperature values were about 20º C colder (denoted by the lighter gray shades) in the region of the smooth water, since there was very little solar radiation being reflected directly back toward the satellite.
Very fine structure in the edges of the “smooth water areas” can be seen by examining 250-meter resolution MODIS true color imagery (below). This AWIPS MODIS true color imagery viewer is available as part of the CIMSS “MODIS Imagery in D-2D” project (currently only over Wisconsin at this time).
One final question remains: why wasn’t this “dark signature” of the calm Lake Michigan waters seen on the “1-km” resolution GOES-12 visible imagery (below)? Once again, the answer revolves around the issue of sun glint: with a geostationary satellite such as GOES-12 (which is positioned over the Equator), the sun glint pattern is generally restricted to the Equatorial regions. The lack of sun glint over Lake Michigan does not allow the GOES-12 visible imagery to be useful for diagnosing areas of calm winds over the water.
A hat-tip to Kathy Strabala and Chris Moeller at CIMSS for bringing this case to our attention, and offering a physical explanation of what was going on!
===== 08 JUNE UPDATE =====
Another good case of this type of “calm winds / smooth water” satellite signature presented itself on 08 June 2009 over the northern Gulf of Mexico. An AWIPS image of the MODIS visible channel (below) shows an elongated dark region that was oriented approximately west to east — but in this case, there was also a large bright spot located within the elongated dark region. Note the orientation of the Terra satellite overpass, as shown in the MODIS Orbit Itinerary Viewer to the left of the MODIS visible image: the satellite overpass was just to the left (west) of the bright spot on the visible image. This was due to the geometry of the sun and the satellite at that time: the sun was still to the east of the satellite position during the late morning hours, which affected the path of the ray of sunlight reflection such that the bright reflection spot seen on the visible image was located to the right (east) of the satellite overpass point.
===== 09 JUNE UPDATE =====
The temporal evolution of the changing satellite image appearance of such an area of calm winds / smooth water is demonstrated on GOES-12 visible and 3.9 µm shortwave IR images (below). This particular region of calm winds and smooth water was located off the Pacific coast of Central America on 09 June 2009. Note how the appearance of the area on visible imagery changes from dark to bright to dark again as the sun’s location passes overhead during the rotation of the Earth — and the brightness temperature on the shortwave IR images gets much hotter (darker black in appearance) as the reflected solar radiation becomes the dominant component in the 3.9 µm IR brightness temperature. | <urn:uuid:0e9954cc-c537-48d0-9723-6a2a5cb1cba7> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 5,727 |
Significant rainfall can quickly flood the ground in a drain field, leaving the soil saturated. Ground flooding can affect the way your septic tank releases wastewater. It results in water backups, raising the septic tank levels. This situation can damage your tank and cause wastewater to flow into your garden. When rainfall gets heavy, your septic tank may experience several issues.
A common sign of a disrupted septic system due to heavy rain is slow drains when too much rain saturates the soil around the drain field. Your septic tank becomes filled with wastewater to the top and fails to drain into the absorption area. Instead, it’s retained in the outlet pipe. Consequently, toilets and sinks take longer to drain, causing frustration and inconvenience in your home or business. Slow drains during heavy rains require regular septic system maintenance by a professional.
Heavy rain can cause sewage backups, which are both hazardous and messy. When the drain field gets flooded, the excess water has nowhere else to flow but back into the septic system. This results in sewage backing up into your sinks, toilets, and other drains on your property. This poses a health concern, in addition to damaging your walls, flooring, and personal belongings.
Nasty odors create an unpleasant environment in your home or business. Heavy downpours can cause your septic tank to overflow. When this happens, it releases foul-smelling gases into the air. These gases permeate your property, leading to discomfort. You should hire a professional septic and drain cleaning provider to pump the excess water and relieve the gases.
Strange Noises From Your Plumbing System
Heavy rain can also lead to gurgling sounds within your drainage systems. For instance, when you flush the toilet, you may hear sounds like an upset stomach. Water doesn’t flow freely within the pipes as it should, causing turbulence and air pockets. This can lead to the production of bubbling noises when using sinks and toilets. You should hire a professional when you notice strange noises in your plumbing system. The rainwater may be overloading your septic tank, causing intense pressure that can cause further problems. An expert will address the issue and restore your drainage to normal functionality.
When it rains heavily, your septic system may experience clogging. Downpours can wash silt, debris, and other materials into the drain field and septic tank. The debris deposits within the system can cause blockage of pipes and inhibit the system’s proper functionality. To prevent clogging resulting from heavy rain, seek professional services.
Drain Field Failure
Drain field failure is one of the most severe consequences of heavy rain on your septic system. The soil around your drain field absorbs too much water, leading to the failure of the system’s primary component. When the drain field loses its functionality, sewage resurfaces on the property. This is hazardous to your health and should be highly avoided. Regular inspections by an expert will ensure that drain field saturation is addressed early enough, ensuring the minimal impact of heavy rains on your septic system.
Damage to Tank Components
The septic tank itself also risks damage when there’s too much rain. When too much water gets into the tank, it causes intense pressure on the walls. This pressure may lead to cracks, leaks, or even structural failure. When you hire an expert, they’ll conduct regular inspections and detect any signs of damage to your septic tank.
How to Choose the Right Company for Septic System Services
When you need a new septic tank or cleaning services for your existing one, you must hire a professional who guarantees quality work and professional insights to help optimize the functionality of your system. Consider these factors when selecting a septic tank company.
Before choosing a company, you must find out how they treat their clients and how they provide their services. One way to determine a company’s reputation is by looking at its customer reviews online. Customer reviews allow you to gauge clients’ satisfaction levels with a company. From those reviews, you can gauge what to expect. If possible, talk to some of your neighbors and ask about their service providers.
A company that has provided septic tank services for years has knowledgeable staff with competent skills and experience. Instead of selecting a new company, an older one with more industry experience is suitable. It would be best to consider technicians who have worked with the company for a long time. Consider looking at a company’s portfolio to get an overview of its previous accomplishments. A company that fails to present its portfolio or doesn’t reassure you of its capability to handle your needs should be avoided. Talk to the people in charge and inform them of your expectations.
Choosing a septic tank provider offering comprehensive services for all your septic system requirements is essential. These services include regular maintenance, septic tank installation, inspections, pumping, and repairs. A service provider with end-to-end solutions can save money, time, and the hassle of seeking services from multiple companies. At Express Septic & Drain Cleaning, we offer professional drain cleaning, septic repair, inspections and tests, and preventative maintenance services within Nampa, Cadwell, and Boise, ID.
Septic systems can experience problems at any time, necessitating emergency repairs. A prompt response from a dedicated company can help prevent further damage caused by these issues. Before settling on a company, inquire about their emergency service availability and response times. It would be best to opt for a service provider who is always accessible and can respond reasonably during emergencies.
Compare Quotes and Service Contracts
When choosing a septic company in Idaho, comparing service contracts and quotes from different companies is essential. Request quotes from at least three companies and evaluate their services. The cheapest option isn’t necessarily the best; therefore, consider each company’s services. Select a company that includes repairs, regular upkeep, and emergency services in their service contract.
Your septic service provider must have insurance coverage to protect you in case of losses or damages that may result during the service. If the septic technician causes unintended harm, you won’t be charged for repairs. The company must be insured in your state, and you should check for any complaints against the company via the Better Business Bureau.
A professional company provides service guarantees. They prioritize customer satisfaction and pay keen attention to their work quality. A product guarantee ensures that if issues occur during septic tank installation, they’re covered without charging you.
Service Delivery Methods
Septic issues may require your service provider to pump out the sludge and scum from your tanks. It’s best to choose a specialist that practices responsible waste disposal. Request the firm’s accreditations that show their stand on environmental values and ask what measures they take to protect the environment.
Handling septic systems requires the experience and knowledge of professional service providers. If you reside in Nampa, Caldwell, or the surrounding areas, you can rely on Express Septic & Drain Cleaning for professional septic services. We offer drain cleaning, earth buster, and enzyme treatment. For more information, contact Express Septic & Drain Cleaning. | <urn:uuid:c339f0f4-81e0-48fe-9775-2ace7629c54a> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 7,544 |
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Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & NewsletterNovember 18, 2008
On this day in 1928, Mickey Mouse made his movie debut in Steamboat Willie, one of the earliest animated cartoons. This seven-minute film, directed by Walt Disney, was the first to combine animation technology with synchronized sound. From this short film, based on a cartoon drawing, Disney created one of the largest media empires in the world.
You can watch some of it here: http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/familymuseum/collection/masterworks/steamboat/index.html
If you could create a friend for Mickey Mouse, what type of character would you create? Write about your character and draw a picture of him/her.
M is for Mickey Mouse. Practice writing the cursive letter m here: http://www.janbrett.com/pdf/alphabet_coloring_tracers_m_cursive.pdf
Do you know the difference between a compound noun and a compound verb? Find out here:
Don’t Forget About The Math Challenge:
For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans | <urn:uuid:ed7e3168-13f2-45b2-85bf-1118c01de331> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 974 |
Newport moved off the bottom of the table with a point gained by a battling team performance playing with 10 men for over 70 minutes.
Mike Kelly had to reorganise his defence from Saturday’s match as Will Quigley, Jared Wetherick and Keelan Walsh were not available for selection. In came Liam Newbold on his return to the club, Spike Pearce back from suspension and Jacob Reynolds at left back.
The match had a lively start as Aiden Sainsbury received a yellow card in the 2nd minute for a strong challenge in midfield. Shortly afterwards Blackfield should have taken an early lead as Plummer broke down the right wing sending in a cross that the unmarked Robinson headed wide. An early warning for the Port.
On 19 minutes an aerial clash left a Blackfield player down followed by a melee of pushing and shoving players. This resulted in a yellow card for Blackfield’s Connor Doe and a second yellow and sending off for Aiden Sainsbury.
The reduction to 10 men did not stop Newport pushing forward and a great run down the left wing by Tattersall fed Mark Taylor on the edge of the penalty area and his stinging shot was deflected away for a corner.
The Watersiders then had a good spell of play as they sought to open the scoring. Liam Robinson had two great chances on the break, one stopped by a timely interception tackle from Jacob Reynolds and the other resulting in a shot straight at Streeter.
Pressing forward down the left hand side a shot from Ryan Oatley outside the box hit the Newport upright and Plummer was the first to the rebound but hooked his shot over the bar.
Just before half time Emerson Tattersall pulled up with an injury and was replaced by Lewis Wright.
Half Time : Newport 0 Blackfield & Langley 0
The second half started with Newport on the attack and Lewis Wright feeding a 30 yard crossfield pass to Josh Younie who cut inside a defender and unleashed a curling shot that narrowly went the wrong side of the post.
Newport continued to get men forward and Mark Taylor shot narrowly over the bar from 25 yards out.
Blackfield brought on new signing Sami Makhloufi for Connor Hoare as they went in search of a winner.
Chances became fewer and far between as the game became concentrated in midfield with referee Dolbear dishing out a rash of yellow cards for Newport’s Newbold, Sampson and Wright and Blackfield’s Poole. The Watersiders goal efforts were now restricted to shots from outside the box but they were either off target or Streeter was well placed to collect.
Blackfield & Langley brought on Joe Butcher for Lerone Plummer but the former Newport man didn’t have much time to make an impact.
The final chance went to Newport’s Connor Kelly on the break but his shot was wide of the target.
Mike Kelly will be pleased to have got his first league point after several cup wins which moved the Port off the bottom of the table on goal average. Newport now head into a series of matches against teams in a similar league position as themselves starting with Petersfield on Saturday.
Full Time: Newport 0 Blackfield 0
Newport: Streeter, Newbold, Reynolds (Powell), Sainsbury, Pearce, Sampson, Josh Younie, Taylor, Urry, Kelly, Tattersall (Wright).
Blackfield & Langley: Snelling, Costello, Oatley, Byrne, Poole, Hoare (Mahkloufi), Robinson, Clarke, Plummer (Butcher), Doe, Griffin.
Referee: Jon Dolbear | <urn:uuid:1752bd32-4fac-49f8-b054-98897cc2164d> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,338 |
The Xue Long (Snow Dragon), a Chinese icebreaker that leads research into the rapidly opening Arctic shipping routes
by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 28th Feb 12
One morning in 1999, the tiny Canadian village of Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean awoke to a surprise. Parked off the coast was a Chinese icebreaker ship, the Xue Long, mocking Ottawa’s pretensions of control over its northern waters. China is not even amongst the eight Arctic countries --- Russia; Finland, Sweden, Norway, the US (Alaska); Iceland, Denmark (Greenland) and Canada itself --- that claim the Arctic’s fabled hydrocarbon reserves, and the rapidly opening Arctic shipping lanes. But Beijing knows that global warming is melting the Arctic ice cap; and it is readying to exploit this, both commercially and militarily.
This growing capability threatens Indian strategy in a war with China. Defence analysts point to India's two-fold strategy: defending the land border in the north with the army and the air force; while using the Indian Navy to block China’s commercial and military shipping in the Indian Ocean. India’s coastal airfields, especially in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and its proximity to the choke points of Malacca and Sunda in southeast Asia and the Straits of Hormuz and Aden in West Asia will allow the Indian Navy to impose a strangling economic blockade on China.
But this is not possible if Chinese shipping transits through the Arctic routes, which bypass the Indian Ocean. Today, at an international maritime seminar in New Delhi, Defence Minister AK Antony expressed concern, saying: “The possible melting of the polar ice caps will have tectonic consequences for our understanding of what maritime domains constitute ‘navigable’ oceans of the world. Specific to Asia and the Indian Ocean Region, there may be a need to reassess concepts like chokepoints and critical sea lines of communication (SLOCs).”
Global warming has created the new SLOCs that Antony refers to. Arctic winter temperatures have risen by more than seven degrees over the last six decades. The resulting thinner ice melts easily during summer. In the unusually warm summer of 2007 the Arctic ice cap shrunk by a million square miles. Advanced scientific models presented at the American Geophysical Union in 2007 anticipated an ice-free Arctic summer by 2013.
The melting ice is opening two Arctic sea routes: the Northwest Passage connects the Northern Atlantic, through Canada’s northern islands, with the Northern Pacific Ocean. In Sept 08, the MV Camilla Desgagnes became the first commercial ship to traverse the Northwest Passage, with the crew reporting that it “did not see one cube of ice.” More relevant to China is the Northern Sea Route, which connects the North Atlantic, passing north of Russia, to the North Pacific and then to the South China Sea. This not just bypasses any Indian ambushes in the Indian Ocean but also reduces the distance from northern Europe to Japan by over 40%, from 21,000 kilometres to just 12,000 kilometres.
In a Financial Times article in January 2008, Professor Robert Wade of the London School of Economics revealed that China “has lately displayed special interest in relations with Iceland, the tiny island in the north Atlantic, which with its strategic location is believed to get a key role in future shipping in the region. China wants to start shipping containers in the north, and sees the deep-sea ports of Iceland as potential port bases.”
China is harnessing a global maritime trend. Just as trans-polar routes revolutionized air travel, the melting of Arctic ice caps is revolutionizing commercial shipping. Shipping companies worldwide have already built close to 500 ice-class ships and more are on order.
But China also recognizes the strategic and military advantage of an alternative route for its commercial shipping. Beijing has set up the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration, to oversee polar research and expeditions. This maintains an outpost, the Yellow River Station, in Norway’s Spitsbergen Archipelago. It bought the Xue Long, just as it bought its first aircraft carrier, the Varyag, from Ukraine and then spent 31 million Yuan ($5 million) to make it polar-capable. The Xue Long has made four major research trips into the Arctic, the most recent one last year.
With competing claims and counter-claims over waters, the Arctic is seeing a growing military presence. Scott Borgerson revealed in Foreign Affairs magazine that, after the UN rejected Russia’s claim to almost half a million square miles of Arctic waters, “the Kremlin dispatched a nuclear-powered ice-breaker and two submarines to plant its flag on the North Pole’s sea floor. Days later the Russians provocatively ordered strategic bomber flights over the Arctic Ocean for the first time since the Cold War.” | <urn:uuid:9b86b75e-a023-4798-a60f-2830640abee1> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 4,831 |
I had a horrible experience with this. it made my hair straw like and the smell reminded me of the hydrochloric acid smell of vomit. That's literally the first thing I thought of when I used this the first time. I had to suppress the feeling of nausea. I decided to try it despite the smell and it felt like I needed more than the normal amount to get enough product in my hair to really clean it. I had maybe shoulder length hair at the time too. It made my hair want to cry
It was drying which is odd for the name being More Moisture. It smelled really weird. It also made my scalp itchy so I just discontinued use. The reason I tried it out is because it's 98.1% natural - silicone, paraben & sulfate free. The conditioner was really thick which is nice but other than that there really are no pros for the shampoo or conditioner.
I've had this for about 2 years maybe... only used about 1/8th of the bottle. Just threw it away today. I don't feel like this even cleanses the hair. You can't even get a lather going. Although it does smell great! Some guys at school were like... "someone's hair smells great." Ehh it just doesn't really do anything, at least not pour moi.
I wash my hair every other day and cuz this shampoo is a 'light' it my hair gets pretty greasy on my 2nd day. It would be perfect for me if i washed it everyday but idk wanna dry out my hair so i cant really use it alot. If u dont get oily fast, i recommend it
WHAT I HAVE: Very dry, damaged shampoo
Sooo... bought this product because its sulfate free, paraben free etc. It's supposed to be a moisture shampoo but it's anything but! Left my hair almost matted with tangles after use... NOTHING moisturizing, would never recommend to anyone who's hair is damaged or actually needs moisture. nooo way will I ever buy a BB shampoo / conditioner again!
I LOVE this product . this is by far the most wonderful shampoo i've ever used ! i have fine, straight hair and oil scalp but drier at the end . just using this shampoo alone can make my hair super soft and smooth , it is much more moisturizing than some of others sulfate-free shampoo that i've tried ( organix , the body shop .... ) . and the smell is AMAZING ! i'll definitely buy this again !
This stuff is heaven sent! This shampoo will make your hair go through a "DETOX" period the first week of use: it will remove all that gunk from your normal shampoo which contains sulfates, parabens, dimethicone, and alcohols. You know how your normal shampoo leaves your hair slippery and easy to detangle? Well, thats because of all the harmful chemicals I listed above. Shocking, I know.
Burt's Bees More Moisture shampoo replaces the harmful chemicals with natural oils from brazil nuts, raspberries, bergamot, orange peels and honey. It's rich in Omega-3 and helps your hair repair its split ends by providing it with nutrients that will soften it with more volume!
My hair really disliked the changes, but after a week, the waves in my hair weren't heavy from product. They were voluminous and bouncy. I didn't have anymore frizz and my hair smelled wonderful! Mind you, at the bottom of the bottle it says "98.1% Natural", reason being, because they included phenoxyethanol. Of course there are other shampoos out there with 100% organic ingredients, but the prices are over the roof. This bottle cost me $7.99 (for 12oz) and it lasts!
Do your hair a favor and give it the nutrients it needs to shine! It will make it grow longer and become more lightweight. I don't need heat styling products, because I've been blessed with natural waves that style themselves, but for those of you who do use blow dryers and straightners: why cover heat damage with harsh shampoos? Join the trend and switch to natural products, your hair will thank you! :)
SMELLS AWESOME but too Expensive and did not work for my hair. I have quite volumed hair that gets frizzy easily. It's straight but it does has slight waves. This shampoo claims it's suppose to give more moisture and hydration, but honestly it didnt live to what it claims. It does not lather well even for an organic shampoo. I had to rinse and repeat which is quite drying. Speaking of drying, this actually dries my hair :( and added tangles...It's a shame it didnt work for me.
I absolutely LOVE the smell of this shampoo! In my opinion, this shampoo would work very well in the summer months and for people with shorter, oilier hair, because it has a tendency to be a bit drying. My hair knots up while I work it through my scalp, but after using the More Moisture Raspberry and Brazil Nut Conditioner amazingly enough my hair feels pretty soft.
Love it love it love it! :) smells amazing and makes my hair really soft! | <urn:uuid:c551d564-8fd8-47c6-9cdb-305ca335720a> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 4,699 |
New Spin on Stars
The "Angular Momentum Problem" is yet another puzzle of astrophysics. Since the time of Pierre Laplace, scientists have believed that stars collapse from rotating disks of gas. If the disk angular momentum were conserved, a star would spin itself apart before igniting. Where does the angular momentum go? One big clue is the powerful jets seen erupting from infant stars. The jets follow magnetic field lines, as if angular momentum were powering huge electric dynamoes.
In the November 1 issue of NATURE, astronomers from the Anglo-Australian Observatory put forth a model where the jets carry away angular momentum. Infrared observations of protostar HH135-36 in the Carina Nebula show jets extending billions of kilometres. The photo of HH 135-36 is a bit fuzzy because infrared wavelengths are long. This model is also recounted in Space.com. The exact mechanism turning angular momentum to magnetism is still considered a mystery.
Twin jets following magnetic field lines are signs of a Black Hole. Today's Washington Post recounts how astronomers realised that Black Holes are at the centre of galaxies. This conclusion took decades of work. "Something very profound is going on here, and the formation of Black Holes and galaxies is related in some way," states astrophysicist Juna Kollmeier. It may take more decades to figure out that a Black Hole is in the second last place humans would expect. It may be rising in front of our faces every morning.
Like an electron, a Black Hole can be described by just three numbers: Mass, spin and electric charge. In an electron, these numbers are quantized into discrete values. As if they were produced on an assembly line, every electron has the same charge and mass! Researchers like Carl Brannen are hot on the trail of particle masses. Black Holes, on the other hand, can have almost any mass.
Lower than a certain mass Black Holes are prone to evaporate in Hawking radiation. There is almost no upper limit to Black Hole size; they could be huge enough to clear A Hole in the Universe. For that reason Black Holes are likely to form a majority of the "dark" mass. They could be ubiquitous, seeding formation of galaxies, stars and even smaller objects. The protons, neutrons and electrons that form life compose only 4.507034% of the Universe. It is amazing that we add up to that much.
More Space news is in the new Carnival of Space! | <urn:uuid:686a575a-0c51-4b4e-8a09-8d097b728b89> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 2,410 |
Stop!!! Come down!! Wey your phone!!? Open am make I see……
An average Nigerian (youths most especially) at some point will most likely have experienced the scenario portrayed above or at least heard a narration of how security agents at some point attempted or searched through peoples’ phones. Thus, it’s neither a new thing nor is it a fable that at some point in our life we or a person we know or heard of has been a victim of harassment by the security agencies in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Police, particularly the Special Anti Robbery Squad (under whatever guise), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and their likes have been guilty of this trend, even as Nigerians have the right to privacy as enshrined in Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). There is no gainsaying that policing and maintenance of law and order is an arduous task and security agencies are all trying to carry out their duties and roles as provided in the laws establishing them. However, in carrying out these duties so provided, they exceed the limits of their powers as provided for in the laws establishing them. Various reasons ranging from lack of knowledge of the law by security operatives to the lacuna, loopholes and ambiguities in our laws.
For the purpose of this write up, the discussion of the right to privacy and the search of phones by security agents in Nigeria will be limited to Nigerian Police and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission.
LEGALITY OF SEARCH OF PHONES BY THE NIGERIAN POLICE
Section 3 of the Police Act Establish the Nigerian Police Force and their general duties is provided for under Section 4, These general powers are:
- To preserve the law and order;
- Prevention and detection of crime;
- To protect life and property; and
- To enforce all laws and regulations which they are directly charged with.
It must be noted that the police in carrying out the above listed powers are also empowered to carry out military duties within and outside Nigeria as may be required by them.
Moreover, in furtherance of their duties as spelt out by Section 4 of the Police Act, the police may conduct stop and search on persons or property so long as there is reasonable ground to believe that such is an object of crime.
The big question however goes thus; can the Police search through people’s phones on the road or accost them and demand their phone(s) be unlocked?
There is a big clog on the rights the Police have to search, as the privacy of citizens, their homes, their telephone conversations and Telegraphic communications are guaranteed and protected by Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended). It is also important to note that Section 45 of the same constitution limits this right. Thus, it behooves on us to ask certain questions; to what extent is the right limited? On what grounds will the limitations come to force? Does this give the police wide discretion on violating the right to privacy? Section 45(1) of the Constitution provides that in the interest of defense, public safety, public order, public morality or public health and protection of rights and freedom of other persons that the provision of Section 37 shall be limited in relation to any law that reasonably justifies its limitation in a democratic society.
Thus, in relation to the above limitation, does this empower a police officer to stop a person and ask that his phone which is deemed to be part of his private life be ransacked? The provisions of Section 9 of the Administration of Criminal justice Act (ACJA) and Section 29 of the Police Act (which empowers them to conduct search of persons) does justice to the question.
A thorough read of the provision of Section 9 of the ACJA shows that a police officer can conduct search on persons (which include things found on him) without warrant of search, however, same can only be conducted when such person have been arrested. Also, Section 29 of the Police Act allows Police Officers to detain and search a person whom they reasonably suspect to have in his or her possession stolen property or that which is otherwise unlawfully obtained. The combined effect of the of the above provisions shows that a Police Officer can only search a person where there is a reasonable ground to believe that the person have in his possession an unlawful object or object used to commit crime after making it known to the person that he is being detained or arrested on such grounds.
The conclusion that can be drawn from the above provision is that the police ordinarily do not have power to stop a person and search his or her phone nor do they have the power to go through the phone of a private individual except same person has been arrested or detained on justifiable reasonable grounds of having in their possession an unlawful object or object to be use in furtherance of committing crime.
SEARCH OF PHONES BY THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION
Section 13 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004 spells out the duties of the units comprising the commission. Most notable of these functions in relation to this topic is the duty of investigation of assets and properties of persons arrested for committing any offence under the Act. This also aligns with the provision of Section 9 of ACJA which requires that search of apparels can only be done in respect of persons arrested. Section 37 and 45 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is also in line with this requirement as it guarantees privacy.
A thorough consideration of the above stated provisions of various laws, it can be deduced and will be right to conclusively say that Security Agents cannot arbitrarily search mobile phones.
However, in event of a Policeman or any other security agent asking to go through your phones, the following tips are necessary:
- Do not panic.
- Do not struggle with an armed officer.
- Make your point clear with calmness
- Show some respect.
- Ask if a specific petition has been written against you that your phone is being used to commit crime.
- Bring to his notice the right to privacy as enshrined in Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
- If he insists, ask that record be taken as to the time and event culminating to the search of phone.
Written by Muideen O. Adubiaro | <urn:uuid:94aeeabd-022f-4752-bb74-fe2491be5826> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 6,409 |
|Year : 2021 | Volume
| Issue : 13 | Page : 20-26
Comparative evaluation of Air-Q blocker and Proseal laryngeal mask airway in patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia: A randomised controlled trial
Swati Jindal, Ankita Mittal, Lakesh K Anand, Manpreet Singh, Dheeraj Kapoor
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, India
|Date of Submission||03-Oct-2020|
|Date of Decision||19-Oct-2020|
|Date of Acceptance||25-Dec-2020|
|Date of Web Publication||20-Mar-2021|
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh - 160 030
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
Background and Aims: The Air-Q blocker (Cook gas LLC, Mercury Medical, Clearwater, FL, USA) is a relatively new supraglottic airway device (SAD) with capability to serve as a conduit for intubation. As there is limited data on Air-Q blocker, the present study was performed to compare the efficacy of Air-Q blocker and Proseal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) in patients undergoing elective surgery. Methods: A total of 90 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II patients were randomly allocated to Air-Q blocker or PLMA group. Oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP), insertion success, insertion time, ease of orogastric tube (OGT) insertion, fibreoptic visualisation of the glottis, haemodynamic and ventilation parameters, and complications at emergence and postoperatively were investigated. Results: OLPs were higher in PLMA group as compared to Air-Q blocker group (P = 0.002). Still, the OLP (27.5 ± 5.8 cm H2O) was clinically effective in Air-Q blocker group.The mean time for successful insertion was significantly shorter for Air-Q blocker than PLMA (P = 0.019). The number of attempts to insert both the devices was comparable (P ≥ 0.05). Air-Q blocker provided a significantly better fibreoptic score than PLMA (P = 0.038). The two groups were comparable in terms of ease of OGT insertion, haemodynamics and ventilation parameters, and complications at emergence and postoperatively. Conclusions: Air-Q blocker provides a clinically effective OLP though PLMA provides a slightly better sealing function in patients undergoing laparoscopic and non-laparoscopic surgeries under general anaesthesia requiring neuromuscular blockade. Air-Q blocker has shorter insertion time and a better fibreoptic view of glottis as compared to PLMA.
Keywords: Air-Q blocker, general anaesthesia, laryngeal masks, proseal laryngeal mask airway
|How to cite this article:|
Jindal S, Mittal A, Anand LK, Singh M, Kapoor D. Comparative evaluation of Air-Q blocker and Proseal laryngeal mask airway in patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia: A randomised controlled trial. Indian J Anaesth 2021;65:20-6
|How to cite this URL:|
Jindal S, Mittal A, Anand LK, Singh M, Kapoor D. Comparative evaluation of Air-Q blocker and Proseal laryngeal mask airway in patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia: A randomised controlled trial. Indian J Anaesth [serial online] 2021 [cited 2021 Apr 18];65:20-6. Available from: https://www.ijaweb.org/text.asp?2021/65/13/20/311598
| Introduction|| |
A supraglottic airway device (SAD) requires lighter levels of anaesthesia and causes less haemodynamic upset, coughing, breath holding, sore throat, laryngospasm, and hypoxia, both during insertion and removal and a higher operation theatre turnover. Its role in the management of either anticipated or unanticipated difficult airway is highly recommended.,Proseal LMA (PLMA; Teleflex Medical Europe Ltd., Co Westmeath, Ireland) is an established reusable second-generation SAD with a high oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP).
The Air Q blocker (Cook gas LLC, Mercury Medical, Clearwater, FL, USA), developed by Dr. Daniel J Cook in 2004, is a relatively new polyvinyl chloride single-use SAD designed for system-wide use. It has a pre-curved shorter and wider airway tube for ventilation and conduit for intubation with standard endotracheal tubes (sizes 5.0–8.5). It has another specific integrated channel for placement of an orogastric tube (OGT) to suction, vent, and block the upper oesophagus. Its keyhole-shaped airway outlet without grill and elevation ramp directs the endotracheal tube in the midline and towards the laryngeal inlet.,It has been used successfully in the delivery of anaesthesia and in the management of the difficult airway.
So far, as per our knowledge, only two studies have compared Air-Q blocker with PLMA with differing results., The primary objective of our study was to compare the OLP of Air-Q blocker and PLMA in patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia (GA). The secondary objectives were to compare both devices for device insertion success, ease of OGT placement, fibreoptic visualisation of the laryngeal inlet, haemodynamic and ventilatory parameters and perioperative pharyngolaryngeal complications if any.
| Methods|| |
This prospective randomised controlled study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee and registered in Clinical Trial Registry of India. The study followed the principles of the 2013 Declaration of Helsinki. The study took place at a tertiary care hospital from May 2016 to May 2017. Ninety patients, aged 18–60 years, of either sex were included after obtaining informed consent. They had American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I or II. Patients with anticipated difficult airway (Airway Difficulty Score >8), upper respiratory tract infection, increased risk of regurgitation and aspiration, body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m2, history of radiotherapy to the neck and pregnant patients were excluded.
Monitoring of basic physiological variables i.e., pulse oximetry, electrocardiography, heart rate, non invasive blood pressure, end-tidal carbon dioxide, and respiratory variables (compliance, resistance, minute ventilation, and peak airway pressures) using spirometry (Aespire View; GE Healthcare, Madison, WI, USA) was started before induction of anaesthesia. Standard anaesthesia plan for induction and maintenance was followed.
The patients were allocated to Air-Q blocker or PLMA group based on computer-generated randomisation table, and allotted concealment was ensured using an opaque sealed envelope by a technician not involved in the study. An experienced anaesthesiologist with at least 20 successful insertions of study devices conducted the study. Another anaesthesiologist recorded the data.
The size of SAD, based on the patient's weight,,and the insertion technique was in accordance with the manufacturer recommendations. After adequate preparation, Air-Q blocker was introduced with the digital method, and PLMA was introduced with a metal introducer. Both devices were advanced through the oropharynx and pushed back until resistance was met, and the introducer was removed in PLMA group. The cuff was inflated with air to an intra- cuff pressure of maximum 60 cm H2O. Correct placement was identified by the bilateral rise of the chest wall, chest auscultation and end- tidal carbon dioxide waveform trace on the monitor.
The number of insertion attempts was recorded. Failure to insert SAD in two attempts was considered a failure. The time taken from facemask removal to the appearance of square wave capnography trace determined the time taken for insertion.
After SAD placement, an OGT was passed through the drain tube of both the devices with maximum two attempts, and aspiration of gastric contents or epigastric auscultation was used to confirm the correct placement of OGT. The flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope was passed through the airway tube, and anatomic position of SAD was determined using an established scoring system.
After positioning and fixing the SAD, OLP was determined by transiently stopping ventilation and closing the adjustable pressure-limiting valve up to 30 cm H2O with a fresh gas flow of 3 L/min. The OLP was the pressure in the circuit when the pressure manometer dial reached its stability., Intermittent positive pressure ventilation was resumed after measurement of the OLP. Haemodynamic variables such as heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were noted at baseline, after induction, just after device insertion and at 5, 10 and 15 minutes thereafter. Ventilation variables (peak airway pressure, minute ventilation and airway resistance) were also noted for the same period of time.
At extubation, the study SAD was inspected for the presence of visible blood. Post-operatively, the anaesthesiologist blinded to the allocation group assessed the patient for sore throat, dysphagia, and hoarseness at 0 hour, 2 and 24 hours thereafter.
Our sample size was based on the results of our pilot study where in OLP of Air-Q blocker came out to be 23 ± 5 cm H2O. OLP of PLMA was 28 ± 6 cm H2O based on a previous study. With a difference of 5cm H2O in OLP and a standard deviation of 6.0 cm H2O, the sample size came out to be 38 patients per group at a power of 95% and confidence interval of 95%. We decided to include 20% extra patients to account for possible attrition; hence, 45 patients were recruited in each group.
Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, version 22.0 for Windows). All quantitative variables were represented using measures of central location (mean, median) and measures of dispersion (standard deviation and standard error). Kolmogorov Smirnov tests were used to check the normality of quantitative data. For normally distributed measurable data (age and BMI), group means were compared using Student's t-test. Mann-Whitney test was applied for skewed data i.e., rest of demographic data, OLP, number of insertion attempts, insertion time, fibreoptic view, number of OGT insertion attempts, ease of OGT insertion and haemodynamic parameters. Frequencies and proportions were used to describe qualitative or categorical variables. Proportions were compared using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, depending on their applicability for the two groups. All the statistical tests were two-sided, and P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
| Results|| |
Ninety patients meeting eligibility criteria were randomised into two groups of 45 each. In three patients (two patients in the Air-Q blocker and a patient in PLMA), the surgery proceeded with endotracheal intubation despite successful SAD placement, and these were excluded from analysis. Endotracheal intubation in these three patients had to be performed after removal of the SAD because of unanticipated difficult ventilation with high airway pressures. The data of 87 patients were subjected to analysis [Figure 1]. The statistical analysis revealed that the demographic profile of the patients was comparable between the two SAD groups [Table 1].
As shown in [Table 2], the mean OLP was significantly lower in Air-Q blocker group than PLMA group [27.5 ± 5.8 cm H2O and 31.9 ± 6.5 cm H2O, respectively] (P = 0.002).
The first attempt success rate in patients with eventually successful SAD insertion was higher for PLMA 95.5% (42 out of 44) as compared to 90.7% (39 out of 43) in Air-Q blocker. The overall success rate in both groups was 100% in two attempts. The difference in the rate of successful placement of SAD was, however, statistically insignificant (P = 0.434). The maximum number of insertion attempts was limited to two to avoid undue trauma to the airway. Folding of the cuff tip in two cases made Air-Q blocker insertion difficult and required the second attempt. In another two cases, the second attempt with the smaller size Air-Q blocker was required due to the larger cup size with drain tube in relation to the oral cavity's inner volume, which posed difficulty in insertion.
Time to successful insertion of the Air-Q blocker was lesser and ranged from 10 to 28 s with a mean device insertion time of 16.4 ± 3.4 s, whereas that of PLMA ranged from 12 to 30 s with a mean device insertion time of 18.1 ± 3.3 s (P = 0.019). Fibreoptic scores were better for Air Q blocker as compared with PLMA (P = 0.038) [Table 3]. The ease of OGT placement was comparable for the two SADs [Table 2].
|Table 3: Fibreoptic scoring system involving a four-point assessment of the view of the vocal cords and epiglottis|
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In our study, no significant statistical difference was found in the two groups in terms of haemodynamics and ventilation parameters. However, the difference in airway compliance 15 min after device insertion showed statistical significance (P < 0.05) [Figure 2].
|Figure 2: Airway compliance measured after device insertion at 5, 10, 15 min in PLMA and Air-Q blocker groups|
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At emergence, 2.3% of patients in Air-Q blocker group and 4.5% of patients in PLMA group had a blood-stained device on removal. Three patients in the Air-Q blocker and four patients in PLMA group complained of sore throat at 0 hours postoperatively. After 2 hours in post anaesthesia care unit (PACU), one patient in Air-Q blocker group and two patients in PLMA group had sore throat, but this difference was not significant [Table 2].
| Discussion|| |
The results of our study demonstrate a significantly higher OLP with PLMA than with the Air-Q blocker. However, the Air-Q blocker provided a significantly shorter mean time for successful insertion and a significantly better fibreoptic view of vocal cords than the PLMA.
In the present study, PLMA provided higher values of OLP than Air-Q blocker probably due to the larger ventral cuff of PLMA that secures the proximal pharynx and the dorsal cuff, which pushes the ventral cuff more thoroughly into the periglottic tissues. Our results corroborate with the study of Youssef et al. wherein OLP in PLMA was higher as compared to Air-Q blocker (23.7 ± 1.5 versus 22.4 ± 1.3 cm H2O, respectively). On the contrary, Gupta et al. found higher OLP in Air-Q blocker compared to PLMA in a study on healthy adults undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (31.5 ± 2.4 versus 29.4 ± 2.1 cm H2O, respectively). Brimacombe et al. stated that any SAD providing higher OLP than 10 cmH2O can be deemed safe enough. In our study, OLP of Air-Q blocker was well within the acceptable clinical range. Thus, Air-Q blocker can provide protection against aspiration and be used for positive pressure ventilation.
In our study, the first attempt success rate for Air-Q blocker was 90.7%, which was comparable to the study by Attarde et al. (88.3%), but that for PLMA was higher (95.5%) similar to a study by Tham et al. (97%).,
The shorter mean device insertion time for Air-Q blocker in the present study as compared to PLMA (16.4 ± 3.4 versus 18.1 ± 3.3 s, respectively) could be due to its hyper-curved airway tube that makes it more flexible and could affect subjective ease of placement. The removal of the dedicated metal introducer in PLMA before cuff inflation adds an extra step. Youssef et al. also reported shorter insertion time for Air-Q blocker as compared to PLMA (18.4 ± 3.8 s versus 23.4 ± 3.5s, respectively). Contrary to this, Gupta R et al. found that Air-Q blocker had a longer insertion time than PLMA (25.6 ± 5.7 and 18.7 ± 3.2 s, respectively) due to easy gastric tube–guided insertion of PLMA.
In our study, PLMA group had 100% first attempt success rate of OGT insertion, whereas in Air-Q blocker group, it was 90.7%. The low first attempt success rate in Air- Q blocker was probably due to coiling of OGT after crossing distal end of the drain tube in the peripharyngeal tissues. Our results are supported by Gupta et al. and Brimacombe et al. in which OGT placement in PLMA group was 100%.,OGT insertion rate in Air-Q blocker in our study closely coincides with the results of the study of Gupta et al. and Youssef et al. in which the success rate was 86.4% and 93.3%, respectively.,
Fibreoptic scoring is used to evaluate the anatomical positioning of the SAD. It has been shown that the higher grades correlate to an improved seal, reduced work of breathing, and easier intubation. In our study, the Air-Q blocker gave more favourable fibreoptic views compared to PLMA. This could be attributed to the absence of grill at its ventilating orifice and to the elevation ramp that elevates epiglottis and centres the larynx, maximising space of tracheal tube and breathing conduit. The presence of a hole on top of the keyhole at the distal end prevents epiglottis from getting suctioned into it, thus improving airway alignment. The inferior fibreoptic views in PLMA may be due to the narrower airway tube and epiglottis down-folding. Despite this variation, the two devices provided satisfactory ventilation without the requirement of any further airway manipulations.
In our study, no significant statistical difference was found in the two groups in terms of haemodynamics. The ventilation parameters play an important role in determining whether a SAD can be used for surgeries that require increased pressures like laparoscopic surgeries. In our study, no critical factual distinctions in the ventilatory parameters were found except in compliance at 15 min of device insertion, due to creation of pneumoperitoneum in some laparoscopic surgeries within 15 min of device insertion.
In our study, a blood-stained device was noted in 2.3% (1/42) patients in Air-Q blocker group and 4.5% (2/42) patients in PLMA, similar to Gupta et al. findings (Air-Q blocker 4/36 and 2/42 in PLMA group). Incongruently, Youssef et al. reported a higher incidence of 10% in Air-Q blocker and 13.3% in PLMA with blood on the device.
In our study, the two groups were comparable for postoperative complications. Galgon et al. observed that a greater number of patients had sore throat in Air-Q ILA compared to PLMA, probably due to cuff hyperinflation leading to mucosal injury. Gupta et al. also reported a higher incidence of sore throat in Air-Q blocker due to its longer time for insertion, more attempts, and less ease of insertion.
There are a few limitations of our study. Firstly, we studied the use of SADs in healthy young adults in elective cases, so the results may not be generalised to patients with poor lung compliance, elderly, obese patients, and in emergency scenarios. Also, the primary investigator involved was not blinded to the type of SAD used adding a source of possible bias. To abate it, the postoperative outcome assessor and the patients were blinded to the group assignment. Thirdly, as SAD insertion was done using a muscle relaxant, the results may not be the same for patients without muscle relaxation. Fourth, OLP was not measured in trendelenburg/lithotomy or with extreme neck positions, and at different times during surgery., To define a future place of Air-Q blocker in the armamentarium of SADs, studies in different clinical situations especially in emergencies, need to be carried out. A better fibreoptic view of vocal cords could make Air-Q blocker a good option as a conduit for tracheal intubation, if required in emergency scenarios.
| Conclusion|| |
Air-Q blocker has a clinically effective OLP with shorter insertion time as compared to PLMA in patients undergoing laparoscopic and non-laparoscopic surgeries under GA using neuromuscular blockade.
Declaration of patient consent
The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form, the patients have given their consent for their images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patients understand that their names and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal their identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed.
Financial support and sponsorship
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References|| |
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Gupta R, Mahajan R, Jatinder M, Gulati S, Mehta A, Nazir R. A comparison between ProSeal laryngeal mask airway and Air-Q Blocker in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol 2019;35:340-7.
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Darlong V, Biyani G, Baidya DK, Pandey R, Punj J. AirQ blocker: A novel supraglottic airway device for patients with difficult airway and risk of aspiration. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol 2014;30:58990.
Youssef M, Lofty M, Hammad Y, Elmenshawy E. Comparative study between LMA-Proseal™ and Air-Q® blocker for ventilation in adult eye trauma patients. Egypt JAnaesth 2014;30:227-33.
Janssens M, Hartstein G. Management of difficult intubation. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2001;18:3-12.
Cook TM, Lee G, Nolan JP. The Proseal laryngeal mask airway: A review of the literature. Can J Anaesth2005;52:739–60.
Keller C, Brimacombe J, Puhringer F. A fibreoptic scoring system to assess the position of laryngeal mask airway devices. Interobserver variability and a comparison between the standard, flexible and intubating laryngeal mask airways.AnasthesiolIntensivmedNotfallmedSchmerzther 2000;35:692-4.
Solanki SL, Johnson JE, Samantaray A. Supraglottic airway devices: Placement and pharyngeal seal matters! Indian J Anaesth 2020;64:649-52.
Uppal V, Fletcher G, Kinsella J. Comparison of the i-gel with the cuffed tracheal tube during pressure-controlled ventilation. Br J Anaesth 2009;102:264-8.
Anand LK, Goel N, Singh M, Kapoor D. Comparison of the Supreme and the ProSeal laryngeal mask airway in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A randomized controlled trial. ActaAnaesthesiol Taiwan 2016;54:44-50.
Brimacombe J, Berry A, Brain AI. Optimal intracuff pressures with the laryngeal mask. Br J Anaesth 1996;77:295–6.
Attarde VB, Kotekar N, Shetty SM. Air-Q intubating laryngeal airway: A study of the second generation supraglottic airway device. Indian J Anaesth 2016;60:343-8.
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Tham HM, Tan SM, Woon KL, Zhao YD. A comparison of the Supreme laryngeal mask airway with the Proseal laryngeal mask airway in anesthetized paralyzed adult patients: A randomized crossover study. Can J Anaesth 2010;57:672-8.
Mahajan R, Gupta R, Gulati S, Nazir R. Reinforcing of the blocker tube of air-Q blocker device. J Clin Anesth 2016;34:414-5.
Brimacombe J, Keller C. The ProSeal laryngeal mask airway. A randomized, crossover study with the standard laryngeal mask airway in paralyzed anesthetized patients. Anesthesiology 2000;93:104-9.
Galgon RE, Schroeder KM, Han S, Andrei A, Joffe AM. The air-Q(®) intubating laryngeal airway vs the LMA-ProSeal (TM): A prospective, randomised trial of airway seal pressure. Anaesthesia 2011;66:1093-100.
Thakur DP, Malde AD. A study of effect of lateral position on oropharyngeal seal pressure of i-gel® and ProSeal™ LMA in children. Indian J Anaesth 2020;64:125-30. [Full text]
Sidhu GK, Jindal S, Mahajan R, Bhagat S. Influence of head and neck positions on oropharyngeal seal pressure with Baska mask versus Igel. A randomised clinical study. Indian J Anaesth 2020;64:675-80. [Full text]
Jagannathan N, Sohn LE, Sawardekar A, Shah R, Ryan K, Jagannathan R, et al
. A randomised comparison of the self-pressurised air-QTM intubating laryngeal airway with the LMA Unique™ in children. Anaesthesia 2012;67:973-9.
Shehata JI, El-Refai NA, MI Yousef, Dobal NA, Mohamed AA, Abo El Ella KM, et al
. A prospective randomized comparative study between the self-pressurized Air-Q with blocker and Air-Q Blocker in female patients undergoing minor gynaecological procedures. J Anesth Clin Care 2020;7:1-6.
[Figure 1], [Figure 2]
[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3] | <urn:uuid:c949128c-f899-4af2-a029-524ff5183235> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 24,189 |
The path to commercial success for device companies is fraught with complexity. Often developers of novel products do not consider the obstacles they will encounter as part of the commercialization of their product. Yet, reimbursement and payment are absolutely critical to their success.
Not only do these companies have to obtain FDA market approval, they also need to receive positive coverage decision from payers. While the most obvious payer is CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), companies should also plan to work with the many private insurers in the country.
Regulatory and Commercialization strategies must be supported by the reimbursement strategy
A well-thought-out strategy informs the regulatory pathway and the design of the product. In the end, a product no-one wants to pay for cannot be successful and will fail to help the patients for whom it was designed.
To be successful, a medical device company has to become familiar with the concept of health-economics and the many relevant stakeholders that can positively or negatively influence the successful commercialization of your product:
- Patients: a patient community demanding your product.
- Physicians: physicians eager to prescribe the device because they see the possibility of improved outcomes for the patient.
- Hospitals and clinics: willing to change internal procedures, train personnel, purchase inventory, to improve their financial performance.
- Professional Medical Societies: modifying or adding the use of your device to the existing standard of care
- CMS and AMA: to create the required codes in support of the novel device.
- Payers: who accept the health economic data supporting the new device and issuing positive coverage decisions.
No different than anywhere else, in the US, no reimbursement can be obtained without a billing code. These codes are issued by CMS and AMA (American Medical Association).
The US healthcare system provides separate reimbursement and payments for physicians and healthcare facilities.
Physicians will receive different rates depending on where the procedure was performed (hospital, clinic or office). The AMA sets the physicians reimbursement rates and codes.
Different facilities are treated differently for reimbursement purposes. Hospitals, Outpatient Hospital Centers and Stand-alone Ambulatory Surgical Centers work from different reimbursement schedules.
Because CMS covers all adults over 65, manufacturers will try and obtain CMS coverage of their device. Furthermore, many individual private insurers follow CMS’s lead. Manufacturers can try and fit under an existing code. Or they can request a new code (in case the existing code does not allow sufficient reimbursement for the new device).
Health Economic Data
Providing health economic data to the various stakeholders requires that manufacturers carefully collect this data in support of their product. You must plan for this early on. The results should be available for dissemination as soon as the regulatory approval has been obtained. Therefore, it is important to collect, analyze and interpret the Health Economic Data beforehand.
Unfortunately, we often see that the data presented to the various stakeholders is woefully inadequate, leaving the payers to issue negative coverage decisions.
As hospitals receive only a single payment per DRG code, they have a major incentive to ensure patients do not return. Reducing length of stay, readmission rate or procedure time are powerful incentives. Only data proving these benefits will convince the stakeholder.
It’s obvious that carefully designed studies must provide the kind of Real-World Evidence stakeholders crave. The real-world environment is quite different from the RCT study that supported your FDA approval.
Medical Device companies must align their regulatory, reimbursement and commercialization strategies to speed up time to market and improve chances of success.
When entering foreign markets these requirements often overlay the requirements of your domestic market. Sometimes the domestic and foreign market requirements are extremely disparate. And in that case it becomes nearly impossible to shoehorn the device made for one market into another. Unless you purposely design the device to meet both markets from the very get-go.
Companies wanting to commercialize products in multiple markets should pay extra attention to streamline their strategies across the different markets they want to enter. | <urn:uuid:70a879af-e085-429c-b7a9-f627d646b605> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 4,486 |
Hello! Our Sengled Snap bulbs use a standard E26 light bulb base, however, the bulb is a PAR38 style bulb which does make it larger around and may not fit into fixtures not meant for flood lights. Thanks! Sengled USA
Hi Dylan, The motion detection on the Snap is based on pixel differentiation. This means, the Snap will register a basic motion detection event when it realizes what it is looking at has changed. Because of this, the detection range of the Snap is subjective. Since it does not have the limitation of hardware based motion detection, there is no set maximum feet at which the Snap may detect motion. The range at which the Snap detects motion will also depend on the motion detection settings you have chosen and the angle at which the Snap is positioned. We hope this helps. If you need anything else, please feel free to contact us directly at Support@sengled.zendesk.com Best Wishes, Sengled Support (USA)
Switch must be on at all times.
This camera works with both Alexa and the Proprietary App.
The LED is rated for 25,000 hours. Once the bulb burns out, if it is still within the one year limited warranty we will be happy to replace it. The LED is covered within the warranty. Because the Snap cannot be taken apart to insert a new LED we would need to replace the entire unit.
This camera cannot be directly connected to a PC. It requires a working wifi connection.
The bulb is designed to work between -20 degrees Celsius to +40 degrees Celsius.
The bulb does work on 5G but we recommend that it be put on 2.4G because the distance that 2.4G covers is greater than 5G.
NEED THE MANUAL | <urn:uuid:12587d75-0af0-4241-86e5-bda673ffb784> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,610 |
Schwinn Turismo Swivel Wheel Jogger Review
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Schwinn Turismo Swivel Wheel reviews say this jogging stroller provides a very smooth ride no matter the terrain. With the front swivel wheel in its locked position for jogging and two large rear wheels, the stroller handles the unevenness of paved surfaces and dirt trails, report Schwinn Turismo reviews at Amazon, where it also earns plaudits for user-friendly action when the swivel wheel is left to actually swivel -- that is, for non-jogging purposes when turning at right angles and maneuvering through cluttered sidewalks is par for the course. Parents who posted Schwinn Tursimo Swivel Wheel reviews at Target also appreciate the option of loading this model with an infant car seat, a feature that eliminates the need for a travel system stroller. One user reports that a toddler much prefers this jogging stroller to the alternatives, like an umbrella stroller.
Many users seem to rely on the Schwinn Turismo Swivel Wheel (starting at $176, Amazon) for casual walk-abouts and family activities rather than for jogging, partly for the comfort and partly for the easy pushing. A Schwinn Turismo Swivel Wheel review at Schwinn Bikes, indicates that the stroller shows up at soccer games and practices as well as fishing expeditions, asserts that it clearly outperforms a regular stroller for walking on country roads and well-maintained trails. Still, we came across some grumbling about the seemingly frequent need to fill the tires with air and about its 31-pound bulk.
The front swivel wheel measures 12 inches in diameter and the rear wheels boast a 16-inch girth; for the best performance while jogging, lock the front wheel in place. All three wheels come off for folding and storage, and the two rear wheels are fitted with individual foot brakes. The Schwinn Turismo boasts a height-adjustable 5-point safety harness, multi-position seat that's padded and reclines to flat, and an adjustable canopy. There's a spring suspension on an aluminum frame, a rubberized handle that can be adjusted for the adult's height, a parent tray, and a swivel activity tray for the rider. Additional features include a built-in MP3 sound system and an under-seat storage basket.
The majority of Schwinn Turismo Swivel Wheel reviews touch on the comfort afforded both passenger and jogger/walker. This model also scores high for overall value given its rich array of features, versatility, and strong performance. This is a good choice for parents who prize multi-purpose functionality. | <urn:uuid:86a939bb-311f-43a5-a7b2-645e5efe53c0> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,547 |
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The gaps between the three detectors in both GMOS cause gaps in the spectral coverage, see the data examples. The size of the gaps in wavelength space depends on the grating used, but is typically a few nanometers. If continuous spectral coverage is essential for your program, consider using two configurations of the grating with central wavelengths 3-5 nm different.
The width of each fiber in the IFU is only 5 unbinned pixels. Thus, it is recommended to always have the Y-direction of the detectors unbinned. The spectral resolution of the IFU is equivalent to a slit with 0.31 arcsec width (3.88 unbinned pixels for Hamamatsu, 4.26 unbinned pixels for e2v), thus you may consider binning in the spectral direction if your object is very faint.
You will have to decide if your science targets are best observed in IFU 2-slit mode or IFU 1-slit mode. The 2-slit mode gives you a larger field on the sky at the expense of spectral coverage. The 1-slit mode gives you larger spectral coverage, but half the field of view on the sky compared to the 2-slit mode. In 2-slit mode you will have to use one of the color filters in order to avoid overlap between the spectra, see the spectral overlap page for details. In 1-slit mode you may have to use a filter to avoid 2nd order contamination.
In 1-slit mode the central wavelength you specify will be interpreted as the desired wavelength at the center of the detector array. In 2-slit mode, the central wavelength you specify will be the wavelength at the location of the two pseudo-slits.
If your science target cannot be detected in imaging mode in one of the GMOS filters in about 5 min of exposure time, you will need to supply coordinates for a nearby brighter target (R<19 mag. and preferably a point source) and accurate offsets between that brighter target and your science target. The accuracy of blind offsetting is better than 0.1 arcsec for offsets less than 20 arcsec. For the blind offsetting to work it is essential that the same guide star can be reached for the bright object and the science target.
If your science target is fainter than about R=18, you will have to supply a finding chart at the time of Phase II submission.
Are the Baseline Calibrations sufficient for your program? If you need accurate telluric line removal, you will need to add telluric standard stars to your program. If you need radial velocity standards, these need to be added to your program. Also if you need very accurate velocity calibration and you are observing in the blue where not many skylines are available from which to bootstrap your daytime CuAr, you may need to request CuAr calibrations be taken on the sky with your science observation.
IFU Target acquisition is done by taking a GMOS image of the field using the sub-region of the CCDs that contains the IFU fields. An IRAF task in the Gemini package can overlay the IFU fields on the image and calculate the offsets to the desired position in the IFU field-of-view. Another task does rapid IFU image reconstruction to verify the placement of the target in the IFU. The following information is needed to define an IFU observation:
- One-slit or two-slit mode. If in one-slit mode, then one can choose which slit to use (IFU Right Slit (Red) recommended for both GMOS-N and GMOS-S).
- Coordinate to be centered in the desired IFU field.
- Position angle (PA) to track. Note that the long axis of the Object field changes by 90 degrees between one and two-slit modes.
- Whether beam-switching is needed
- Blocking filter
- Central wavelength at the position of the pseudo-slits.
- CCD binning (no binning recommended).
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toilet with blue water
Photo by VIN
“Don’t let the cat drink the blue toilet water” was a statement that some may remember from their childhood, if that childhood was more than 30-35 years ago. Back then it was true: the dyes used in many toilet bowl drop-in products were quite toxic, not only to cats, but to dogs and people as well. This wasn’t unique because back in the day, many household products were quite hazardous: pine oil-based cleaners could rot your liver, household bleaches could cause serious respiratory and oral damage, and toilet bowl drop-in products contained toxic dyes that could damage red blood cells. Poisonings of humans, mostly children, by common household cleaners resulted in legislation limiting the types and amounts of toxic products that could be in many of these cleaners. Our pets benefit as well from these less toxic compounds.
So today, our pine cleaner still smells perfectly piney without the high concentrations of pine oil, our household bleaches are much more dilute, and toilet bowl drop-in products (tablets, cakes) make pretty blue water that poses no harm to anyone’s red blood cells. That is not to imply that these compounds are innocuous, or that all household products have been rendered less toxic, as automatic dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, drain openers, oven cleaners and fabric softeners all pose significant hazards to humans and pets if ingested.
What it does mean is the repercussions of the cat or dog taking a slurp out of the toilet, or a lap out of that bucket of mop water with diluted floor cleaner, are much less severe than in the past.
If that’s the case, then why does the product labelling say that you should contact a poison control center if anyone ingests it? Because that’s a pretty standard warning on most household product labels (really, check the labels) since these products were designed to clean toilets and floors, not gastrointestinal tracts.
What might happen if the dog or cat were to indulge in sipping the pretty blue toilet water? Well, they’re basically going to ingest the equivalent of some mildly soapy water, and that might cause some stomach upset (nausea, vomiting); in a worst-case scenario, with a very large ingestion you might also see some diarrhea, although that’s pretty rare. Pets with cast-iron stomachs might not even burp, while those with more touchy tummies may have some pretty good vomiting.
To try to avoid gastrointestinal upset, the ASPCA Poison Control Center recommends giving your blue-bowl drinking pet a bit of some milk or fresh water to further dilute the toilet water. If vomiting occurs, don’t let the pet eat or drink anything for two hours to allow the stomach an opportunity to rest (dogs, especially, like to run to the water bowl after vomiting and refill their stomach, which just results in a vicious cycle of vomiting and drinking). Reintroduce water first and take it away if they start to guzzle; then when they’ve held water down for more than an hour, they can be put back on their normal food and water routine.
Although the blue water from the toilet bowl isn’t a huge issue, should the pet ingest or lick the tablet itself we could see chemical burns in the mouth and throat from the alkaline corrosive compounds in the concentrated tablet. Licking, chewing or ingesting toilet drop-in tablets or cakes would constitute an emergency and should trigger a trip to the veterinarian after giving some milk or water to try to wash any residual tablet material down into the stomach, where the mucus lining offers some protection. The burns that occur from alkaline corrosives can take several hours to develop (sort of like a sunburn where you get sun exposure in the afternoon, but the full burn doesn’t show up till later that evening), so just because the pet appears fine immediately after exposure doesn’t mean that bad things won’t develop later on.
So while there are good reasons to discourage your pet from drinking the blue toilet water (one, they might puke; two, even clean toilets may harbor harmful bacteria, and three, eew!), if it should happen, it’s not likely to be a serious problem. While your pet may not mind the pretty blue water, your plumber probably does. A television show asked plumbers what their customers' biggest mistakes are, and one of them, as you guessed, is use of those dissolved tablets: "Ditch the drop-in tank toilet fresheners. You may love the blue water it makes in your toilet bowl, but these tablets often contain chemicals that wear out working parts inside the tank,” the plumber explained. “Plus, as these tablets disintegrate, they can get stuck in the flush valve and prevent the toilet from flushing."
Sure, we all worry more about our pets' health than the plumbing, but corroded plumbing pipes are not a fun way to spend your hard-earned money. Use that money to go on vacation with your pet!
May 25, 2019 | <urn:uuid:a50e2e32-9e2c-4e5d-9b6e-735fc13b4249> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 4,911 |
A solderless cable kit from Sinasoid with 12 plugs, 12' of wire and 1 screwdriver.
Assembly is simple: insert the cable into the plug so it's centered and seated firmly, then drive a grub screw through 'til it's snug and tight. Angle the cable or keep it straight. Do what you need to do. It'll get there. | <urn:uuid:afe1a2ba-026f-47ae-b074-3fb93cb0860a> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 305 |
Global shipments of Ultrabook laptops will account for 13 percent of overall notebook shipments in the second half of this year and the figure is expected to climb to 35 percent in 2016, according to forecasts by the Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute (MIC, 產業情報研究所).
MIC said in a report on Friday that the prices for Ultrabooks were still higher than those of mainstream notebooks, a factor that has hindered mass market uptake of the devices.
However, more big name vendors are expected to join the pool of Ultrabook productions, MIC analyst Brian Chen (陳彥合) said.
In addition, Ultrabooks with touch functions will create more diversified demand for notebooks, while there is a growing trend for 14-inch and 15.6-inch larger-screen models, Chen said.
Organizers of the Taipei Computer Application Show, which will be held from Thursday through Monday the following week, said 14-inch and 15-inch notebooks were hot-selling items at last year’s expo.
“The trend will be carried over to this year,” the organizers said in a statement.
After Intel Corp rolled out its Ivy Bridge processors, which offer enhanced computing and graphics capabilities, Ultrabooks have become the focus in the PC sector, the organizers said.
Ultrabooks that will be displayed by big name vendors in the computer application show include Acer Inc’s (宏碁) Aspire S series and M series; Asustek Computer Inc’s (華碩) Ultrabook S series and Zenbook series; Fujitsu Ltd’s Lifebook U772; Gigabyte Technology Corp’s (技嘉) Ultrabook X11 and U2442; Lenovo Group Ltd’s (聯想) IdeaPad U310/U410 and ThinkPad X1; and Toshiba Corp’s Ultra U840W and Z930. | <urn:uuid:31b808f1-4cc9-4c6f-a1df-56b3a7374a2b> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,624 |
What Happens if You Don’t Have Flood Insurance? SBA Disaster Loan.
Sept. 19, 2013
As we quoted in a previous post, FEMA stated that only about 22,000 homeowners in the entire state of Colorado have flood insurance. An SBA Disaster Loan may be what you are looking for!
So what do you do if you don’t have flood insurance, and you are one of the thousands of victims of the recent Colorado flooding?
One of the options you have is applying for a disaster loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration. There are 4 types of disaster loans the SBA offers, all are low-interest, long term loans.
Home and Personal Property Loans
Business Physical Disaster Loans
Economic Injury Disaster Loan
Military Reservists Economic Injury Loans | <urn:uuid:a2f0fcdc-9c56-4b4b-ab1f-9754f640eba3> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 735 |
These are the organizations, associations and clubs to which we sponsor.
We regularly support the SOS Børnebyerne that provides an amazing effort for children all over the world.
Read more about the SOS Børnebyerne here: www.sos-borneby.dk.
BOS Danmark International
Our company CEO has a soft heart for animals and the orangutan in particular. Larko donates money to BOS Danmark for their efforts for orangutans in Indonesia.
Read more at: www.orangutang.dk. | <urn:uuid:b1670724-d70e-4790-b0dc-af8ffaf1c95e> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 459 |
As you could see in many of these articles, numbers can have different vibrations, and like humans, they can be good and evil, but of course, things in life are not so simple and black and white (more time things are grey). Same as for humans, no one is a horrible and evil person without any good trait, some just make a wrong decision, and numbers also have some terrible vibrations, besides many other qualities.
Many of us are convinced, and that opinion is rooted deep in our minds that the number 666 has bad vibrations, the worst of all numbers and that everything that is connected to this numbers is evil and unlucky. We unconditionally accepted as such, without any consideration, is that number 666 is the number that denotes the Satanic, hostile forces, the forces that resist and rebel against the Creator.
In many places that number 666 is mentioned (for example religious texts), these forces are manifested in the form of several beasts, and they are based on a dogma that number 666 is Satanic.
Many numerologists tried to decipher this numerical code; even the Catholic Church has done some research and eventually connected this number with Satan and evil forces. Sometimes these decipherments are more convincing and sometimes very believable, but numerologist offers more than this, they try to give more to the meaning of the number.
Because if we know that all numbers are certain messages from the angel realm, how can there be the evil message? Well, there cannot be, and we will discuss message that is behind the number 666 in the last section of this article, and we will start in denoting this number by explaining its complexity, the characteristics that it gives to its “owner.”
Angel number 666 – what does it mean?
To be the “bad” number in angel numerology doesn’t mean by default that life of that person who is under this vibration is going to be bad, it just means that his life is blessed/cursed with a significant amount of energy and difficulties and that he is not like other people.
Here, like in every other number, all depends on how possibilities in life are going to be used – we can make something destructive or something that can change the world and make our lives better.
Angel number 666 is a person who is different from his environment, he looks and feels differently, and he rarely fits in society. He has many inner demons, in a sense that he can fall into deep thinking which can turn into hardcore depression which can last for days. He is an undeniably intelligent person, with the sharp mind and futuristic imagination – when he dreams he falls into deep states, and he lives that other, dream world.
For others, it is tough to understand their way of thinking, and number 666 doesn’t try to explain himself to the others, some people naturally follow him, because he has charisma.
Because of all of these traits, he might seem like a weird person who is a misfit, but he has many interests and talents, and he is the best at them – if he sings he has an angelic voice if he swims he is the fastest; number 666 can be inventor or researcher. For angel number there is no middle in anything, he is a person of the extremes.
He can be in certain situations a master of manipulation; he knows how to distract attention and create illusions that serve to shape people’s consciousness and care for their needs. Because usually when number 666 wants something, there is no possibility that he doesn’t do it, no matter what are the circumstances. In those situations he forgets about all moral and human codes, even common decency, he just pushes things to the extremes and has no problem.
Emotionally, we cannot say that they don’t have love, cause they do, it is just they have a problem in expressing it, they think of sensitivity like something that is entirely unnecessary and weak. Number 666 wants to be seen as a person who is dominant and durable, which he is, indeed.
Advice to them is to try to overcome, not such their weaknesses, but their temperament and to try to see that others can suffer because of their deeds, and that is not ok.
Secret meaning and symbolism
It can be said, that in the honest and fundamental look at number 666 and his metaphor, that there are two hidden meanings in one number; or that there is a representation of the number that can be seen in two different ways and we end up with two opposite numerical symbols – numbers 666 and 999. So, we cannot understand one without the other number.
Numerologists say that we can understand the number 666 by looking it as an opposite of the number 999.
Number 999 is under the influence of the triple power of the number 9, which some say that represents perfection and ultimate virtues in human. Honesty, intellect, altruism, kindness, sensitivity are attributes of the number 9, and in number 999 they are enhanced to the maximum.
Number 666 is the number of imperfect humans, but God created these people also with the purpose of improving – he wanted to prove that we are all God’s children. The number 666 is symbolically the number of the deviated man, who can become better if not perfect number 999.
According to the angel numerologists, the Creator made people, and he created them inherently good, and they should strive to perfection – from 666 to 999.
The demonic part of the number 666 symbolically represents the enemies of the man (and those who suppose to Creator). These “bad influences” want to prove that man is fundamentally corrupt and jealous, unworthy of what the Creator ordered him. They want to show that God’s plan for a man is a failure, and that man is not worthy of the place that is intended for him. That’s 999 (inverted, distorted 666).
Of course, we all have these evil urges and impulses in ourselves, but it is up to all of us to fight them as hard as we can.
Number 666 and Love
Angel number 666 is in love, like in every other aspect of his life, very egocentric; he primarily wants to fulfill his needs and desires, and then everything else. Number 666 numerologists describe like the worst person to be in a love relationship, and some go to the extreme in their behavior.
Self-extinguishing auto-destructors, who cannot afford to cope with their own, so they have to pull another 100 people behind. Number 666 is followed by a label of jealously possessive partners, who continuously cheat and have many affairs; also some say that this number is very deviant in sex.
Number 666 are emotionally immature, unconscious, submissive, vengeful and corrupted brats who do not refrain from anything. They are temperament and can be very angry when some hurt their feelings, at that moment they can love you, in next they want to hurt your feelings. Regardless of age, maturity or gender, when you genuinely scratch below the surface, of the number 666 you will find an intelligent, dangerous and cunning partner, who is an emotionally immature person.
Of course, even number 666 can be changed and loved; all humans are created so they can experience the revelation – a certain person in certain circumstances can influence number 666, so he becomes more loving and giving a partner.
Watch Youtube Video About Angel Number 666:
Interesting Facts about number 666
In nowadays people say that number 666 appears everywhere, and that is mainly in the monetary system, which is considered to be the way that devil control and corrupts people. This thesis is very interesting in modern times, cause money is the new God whom most of the world’s population worship and prays.
It is said that number 666 appears on every barcode of every product in the market; the first three digits of the international financial card system are 666, the “World Bank” code is 666, the number 666 is embossed on the lines of the Israeli lottery.
Throughout History, especially after the birth of Christ, number 666 takes his today’s form – as an evil, devil number. This connotation stayed for many centuries, even today, people don’t like this number, and besides the number 13, it is a number with most notoriety.
In Roman numbers, number 666 is written as DCLXVI and researchers claim that if we read it from right to left in an evenly growing series that ends with D (which represent D as spirituality, that is, a spiritual man). They explain this further, claiming that this number is merely the number of an imperfect human; number 666 represented in Roman numerals shows the symbolic evolutionary path of man.
In Arabic symbolism number 666, or three sixes have similar meaning, symbolizing development, evolution; number 6 signifies the creation of the soul so that the entire symbolism of number 666 is: “the evolution of the Creator’s creation and the soul of man.”
What to do when you see number 666?
Even to the modern day’s number 666 has horrible connotation – number 666 has entered and stayed in our mind as a number that brings bad luck, and it is a sign of the devil, and people don’t even want to look at this numbers with their eyes, let alone think of this number or to use it daily.
But, somehow Angels are sending us this message, and they never do anything to hurt or harm people, just to help them and advice them. So, if you saw this number, if you have feeling that it follows you, you need to be warned and no matter how hard it is you need to accept this message.
The angels want something to tell you, to whisper you in your ear – this is why we sending you specific messages, so you can know what are right and what is false.
Unfortunately, people often let their fear rule them, along with misconceptions, and they are don’t let themselves to see beyond the numbers 6-6-6. This message is so strong because angels want to use it as advice that in life you never get seduced by false gods and evil. Instead, you should listen to the wise words of Angels and their words.
You need to show that you have the will, the effort and the desire to realize ultimate virtue, no matter what circumstances might be.
Numerical formula “666”, in which is the sign of satanic dominance, and that it can represent the obstacle to receive to truths and virtues because it can manipulate you, leave you confused and disoriented.
Number 666 in Angel numerology is no sign of the Beast or the Devil, but a man himself with all of his negative characteristics. So it can be concluded that number 666 represents our negative side, which we all have, and which we all have to fight against with our hearts, angels are saying. | <urn:uuid:13d4bcb1-ac03-4f80-a204-7e2ec4258432> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 10,481 |
Limits young children to parent-approved programs and Web sites. Easy to configure and use. Can prohibit use of CD/DVD and printer. Can block pop-ups and out-of-domain links.
Kids can circumvent security and get access to all programs and files through the USB AutoPlay pop-up or File | Open menu. Redirection (as with Google-sponsored links) beats out-of-domain link blocking. Static backyard doesn't engage kids.
With Peanut Butter PC you can give your little ones computer playtime without worrying that they'll disable Windows or delete your important documents. Its protective shields aren't quite perfect, but with a little work it will be a good choice for the preschool set.
The Big Breakout
PBPC, like NoodleNet, allows the children to play any games or use any software that you specifically allow. The company doesn't offer specific adviceyou're in charge of choosing the programs. PBPC shares another NoodleNet trait, but it's a flaw: Children can easily stumble on choices that poke holes in the program's protection. For example, from the File | Open dialog in Microsoft Paint (or any other program), they can actually access any file on the entire computer. In fact, accidentally right-clicking a folder and choosing Open or Explore is enough to give full access to every file and program on the computer via Windows Explorer. At this point, a young explorer could delete your tax returns, overwrite the draft of your novel, launch an unrestricted browseranything! In a similar fashion, the AutoPlay menu that appears when you insert a USB key can give a child full access to every file and program.
You also need to check carefully the Web sites you let kids visit, as any link to other sites might indirectly open up the entire Internet, porn sites and all. Many sites include a search option with a checkbox to search the site or the entire Webfrom a destination like that, your curious adventurer can go absolutely anywhere. KidZui boasts a database of 600,000-plus kid-safe Web sites and denies access to any unapproved sites. NoodleNet also restricts kids to prescreened age-appropriate sites. PBPC doesn't include any kinds of content-based filtering, and the company doesn't supply a list of kid-safe sites. Instead, you, the parent, must enable the "Block Links to Other Sites" option as necessary.
Alas, the program's ability to block out-of-domain links isn't perfect. PBPC won't prevent access to a link that starts off within the same domain but then redirects off-site (for example, a sponsored link on a Google search page). If your child clicks on a sponsored link to an inappropriate site, the software will allow the redirect and will now prevent linking to anywhere but that site. It's just not safe to allow the kids access to search sites.
Fortunately, the product isn't meant to constrain behaviors of preteen hackersif it were, it would be laughably ineffective. The company specifically offers it for children 3 to 6 years old. That seems more realistic than the age ranges specified by KidZui (up to 12) and NoodleNet (up to 11). Peanut Butter Software president J. R. Benning observes that once kids start school and see what they can do in an unfettered Windows environment, they'll chafe at PBPC's restrictions. I completely agree.
Peanut Butter PC does need a little work. The backyard should be more engaging, the program needs to exercise more control so the kids can't accidentally gain access to Windows Explorer, and the link-blocking feature should handle redirects. But with a few tweaks the product will be a nice, simple solution for the 3- to 6-year-old crowd. | <urn:uuid:56d95259-9187-4ce1-9541-bdf3f9c11f7e> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,614 |
One of the Forum's pioneering initiatives to improve health at work has been shortlisted for a prestigious Department of Health award.
The Work Fit project, an online lifestyle improvement programme targeting men developed by the Forum, BT, Roche and the National Obesity Forum, joins a shortlist of just four projects for the prestigious NHS Live Award category in the DH Health and Social Care Awards 2006.
A judging panel chaired by Harry Cayton, the department's national director for patients and the public selected Work Fit from some 1300 entries.
The NHS Live Award winner will be selected in a different way to all the other categories in the event. Delegates attending the NHS Live National Event on 26 February will cast their votes during the event itself. Videos of the finalists' projects will be shown during the ceremony, and the audience, voting on interactive keypads, will then decide on a winner at the end of the evening.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine will host the ceremony which will be attended by the secretary of state for health, Patricia Hewitt. The audience will consist of national finalists and their guests, ministers, representatives from award category endorsers and from across the health and social care arena.
'I am delighted,' said MHF CEO Peter Baker. This is a huge endorsement of the hard work and effort put into making Work Fit such a success and, whether we are fortunate enough to win or not, will help enormously to highlight the project and the Forum to other potential audiences.'
The MHF delivered Work Fit in partnership with BT, the National Obesity Forum and Roche. More on Workfit and how to bring it to your workplace here.
Page created on February 15th, 2007
Page updated on December 1st, 2009 | <urn:uuid:c65761f3-a50d-46d9-a09d-ebfad85a98e7> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,742 |
When accidents happen with chemicals, medicine, or household items, call Poison Help. Get help right away from a local poison expert.
If someone is unconscious or has trouble breathing, call 911.
Prescription drug abuse among teens is common, and very dangerous. In addition, the misuse of inhalants, alcohol, tobacco, and other dangerous substances is also a common cause of poisoning among teens in this country. Parents and adults should closely monitor the use of these substances. Remember that there are trusted adults at poison centers that can give free and confidential information about the use and abuse of prescription drugs and other potential poisons.
Also, teenagers often work as babysitters for young children. If you are watching young children, learn how to avoid common poisons and keep children safe. Poisoning is one of the most common childhood injuries.
Before parents leave you in charge of a child, be sure you have the following basic information: | <urn:uuid:a05ee968-cbc0-43b1-94c3-7418cf7f6224> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 974 |
Working Load Limit: 22,600 lbs. Approved by OSHA for overhead lifting. All chain embossed with GRADE chain marking. Available in multiple legs, sizes, and lengths. Adjustable Single leg with oblong.
Master link and grab hook one end. Sling hook with latch one end. Chain made in USA with US or Italian components. WARNING: Never exceed working load limit.
Hardware can vary in color. The item "5/8 X 20 FT Grade 100 Chain Slings Type ASOS- OSHA Approved" is in sale since Monday, March 28, 2016. This item is in the category "Business & Industrial\Material Handling\Hoists, Winches & Rigging\Cranes & Hoists\Other Cranes & Hoists". The seller is "susquehannawirerope" and is located in Butler, Pennsylvania.
This item can be shipped to United States. | <urn:uuid:8f2808d2-bbf8-4870-815e-0127ec7431ac> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 750 |
The two main sex hormones in women are estrogen and progesterone. Both are produced in men and women, although in different quantities. Progesterone is made from pregnenolone, which in turn comes from cholesterol.
Production of progesterone occurs at several places. In women, it is primarily produced in the ovaries just before ovulation and increases rapidly after ovulation. It is also produced in the adrenal glands in both sexes and in the testes in males. Its level is highest during the ovulation period (day 13-15 of the menstrual cycle).
If fertilization does not take place, the secretion of progesterone decreases and menstruation occurs. If fertilization does occur, progesterone is secreted during pregnancy by the placenta and acts to prevent spontaneous abortion. About 20-25 mg of progesterone is produced per day during a woman's monthly cycle. Up to 300-400 mg are produced daily during pregnancy. During menopause, the total amount of progesterone produced may decline to less than 1% of the pre-menopausal level.
Progesterone in addition to being the precursor to estrogen is also the precursor of testosterone and the all-important adrenal cortical hormone cortisol.
Cortisol is essential for stress response, sugar and electrolyte balance, blood pressure and general survival. In short, progesterone serves to promote survival and development of the embryo and fetus. It acts as a precursor to many important steroid hormones and helps to regulate a broad range of biological and metabolic effects in the body. During chronic stress, progesterone production is reduced as the body favors cortisol production to reduce stress. This is an important point which we will look into later.
Progesterone acts primarily (opposite to) estrogen in our body. For example, estrogen can cause breast cysts while progesterone protects against breast cysts. Estrogen enhances salt and water retention while progesterone is a natural diuretic. Estrogen has been associated with breast and endometrial cancer, while progesterone has cancer preventive effect.
Some of the functions of progesterone include:
- Helps Use Fat for Energy
- Facilitates Thyroid Hormone Action
- Natural Anti-depressant
- Natural Diuretic
- Normalizes Blood Sugar Levels
- Restores Libido
- Normalizes Menstrual Cycles
- Normalizes Zinc & Copper Levels
- Normalizes Blood Clotting
- Protects Against Breast Fibrocysts
- Precursor for Cortisone Production (Arthritis)
- Stimulates Osteoblast Cells (they are necessary for the bone-building process)
Progesterone and Osteoporosis
For many years, estrogen was given routinely with the hope that it would prevent osteoporosis. It is now well established that estrogen replacement therapy does reduce osteoporotic fractures by 50 percent. Estrogen works by preventing increased bone resorption during menopause.
However, estrogen has no effect on bone formation; therefore, it does not reverse osteoporosis. Furthermore, when estrogen is discontinued, the rate of bone resorption resumes and the rate actually is accelerated. To be successful, estrogen replacement should be started early (before significant bone loss has occurred) and be maintained indefinitely.
It is important to note that a lack of estrogen does not cause osteoporosis. For example, it is proven that there is significant bone loss during the 10 to 15 years before menopause, despite an ample supply of estrogen during this period. But during that same period, there is often a shortage of progesterone. Although estrogen inhibits the bone-destroying osteoclast cells, it cannot rebuild bone. Progesterone, on the other hand, is a bone builder. It does so by stimulating the osteoblast cells that rematerialize and restore bone mass. Supplementing with bio-identical progesterone has proven useful in the prevention and reversal of osteoporosis. In other words, progesterone is the key to healthy bones, in addition to magnesium (and not calcium alone).
For reliable, affordable, at-home testing check our AdvancedPlus Hormone Panel | <urn:uuid:2791d80e-d427-4fe0-a99b-a8fcb9efd7e4> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 4,030 |
Membrane independent activation of fibroblast proMMP-2 by snake venom: novel roles for venom proteinases
Saravia Otten, Patricia
Gutiérrez, José María
MetadatosMostrar el registro completo del ítem
ProMMP-2 activation by Bothrops asper venom was investigated in mouse gastrocnemius muscle, mammalian cell culture and a cell-free system. Zymography revealed an increment of latent and activated forms of MMP-2 in muscle homogenates 1–3 days after venom injection. To clarify if venom can induce expression and activation of MMP-2, independently of the inflammatory response, venom was added to cultured human fibroblasts, endothelial and skeletal muscle cells, which expressed proMMP-2 constitutively. Venom activated proMMP-2 without promoting its expression. Venom also activated and degraded proMMP-2 in supernatants collected from fibroblast cultures, indicating that cells are not required for this activation. Pretreatment with EDTA increased MMP-2 activation and reduced degradation. Venom serine proteinases activated proMMP-2, whereas BaP1, a P-I metalloproteinase, predominantly degraded the latent and active forms of MMP-2. Moreover, pretreatment of conditioned medium with serine proteinase inhibitors greatly reduced the venom-induced activation, suggesting that venom proteinases activate MMP-2 via a serine proteinase secreted by fibroblasts. Venom also directly activated and degraded purified proMMP-2, albeit requiring a high concentration. Thus, B. asper venom proteinases activate and degrade proMMP-2 without inducing its synthesis. Serine proteinases play a dominant role in the activation, whereas metalloproteinases predominantly degrade MMP-2. Activation of proMMP-2 by snake venom proteinases, independently of the MT1-MMP/TIMP-2 pathway, extracellular matrix degradation or apoptosis, represents a novel mechanism in human fibroblasts.
Enlace externo al ítem10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.08.002
- Microbiología | <urn:uuid:5e515e47-bd37-4233-bf26-f217b5c5dd59> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,930 |
One of my favorite songs in Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods is the finale, Children will Listen. The opening lyric says, “Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn.” That song could have easily been about me as a child. I soaked up everything around me, whether it was books, music, or television. From a very early age, I would put on performances of the things that I learned. My mother likes to tell a story about me as a two year old, sitting on her lap at the doctor’s office, reciting nursery rhymes. Once I realized that the other people in the waiting room were listening, I quickly jumped off her lap and took my rightful place center stage to entertain my captive audience. As much as I loved my nursery rhymes, cartoons were my absolute favorite. I knew all the catch phrases of my favorite characters and would even do the voices. FYI- I had a pretty mean “I tawt I taw a putty tat”.
One morning when I was about five years old, I was watching a cartoon, and one scene struck me as particularly amusing. I rushed into the kitchen to show my mother my interpretation of it. Looking up at her, I did my best Al Jolson impression, even though I had no idea who Al Jolson was, and my five year old brain didn’t understand why she didn’t find it funny. Maybe she didn’t understand the joke. So, I explained it to her. I explained that I had said “mammy” instead of “mommy”. That’s why it was funny. I waited for her to get it, but she didn’t. That’s when it was her turn to explain something to me.
For those of you who don’t know who Al Jolson is, allow me to educate you, much in the way that my mother educated me that day. Al Jolson was a singer and actor who came to fame through minstrel shows. Minstrel shows were very popular in 19th century and early 20th century America. They consisted of skits and music performed by white people (and sometimes Black people) in blackface, portraying Black people. This kind of performance promoted racial stereotypes and depicted Black people as stupid and lazy. Jolson was proclaimed “the king of blackface”. To give you an idea of how popular blackface and minstrelsy were in America, in the 1920s, Jolson was America’s highest paid entertainer. At one point, he was even known as the world’s greatest entertainer.
That day in our kitchen, my mother taught me about racism. She also taught me about how the entertainment industry is used to perpetuate it. It took me a few decades of personal experience to fully get that one, but she at least laid the groundwork. Let’s be real. America was founded on the principle of white supremacy. That principle is constantly being reinforced by our popular culture. Sadly, that includes our children. There’s a song in the musical South Pacific called “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught”. It’s about how racism is something that is taught and cultivated. Unfortunately, in America, that cultivation begins at a very early age. Looking back as an adult, it’s mind blowing for me to realize just how much innocuous racism was baked into the cartoons that I grew up with. In Disney alone, there’s the crows in Dumbo, the Indians in Peter Pan, and don’t even get me started on Song of the South. But Disney was not the only culprit. Bugs Bunny cartoons made during World War II featured a Japanese character with squinty eyes, buck teeth, and stereotyped accent, and the other characters referred to him as a “Jap”. In Tom & Jerry, Tom’s owner was often depicted as a mammy character, with a child who always followed her named Honeychile. Regardless of company, the most ubiquitous racist cartoon trope was when something would blow up in a character’s face, instantly putting them into blackface, leading to a minstrel show moment like the one I had with my mother.
You know who else understands that hatred has to be taught? The KKK. In 1990, the Missouri Klan chapter decided to target kids with racist phone messages. The recordings had someone impersonating Mr. Rogers from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. They even used some of the sound effects and music from the show. The recording starts with the Faux-Rogers pointing out a Black child on the playground as a “nigger drug pusher” and ends with the aforementioned child being lynched.
The pervasiveness of casual racism and the depths of venomous hatred embedded in American culture are indeed disheartening, but there is cause for hope. Just because our society started with racism, that doesn’t mean we are forever bound to it. Change is possible. Indeed, change has long been a part of our story. For instance, in 1968 United Artists pulled eleven of the most offensive Warner Brothers cartoons from circulation. These cartoons, widely known as the Censored Eleven, were basically animated minstrel shows and included titles such as Goldilocks and the Jivin’ Bears and Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs.
In 1969, at the height of the Civil Rights movement, when towns all over the country were closing public pools, rather than integrate, Mr. Rogers stepped up. He aired an episode that featured a Black police officer, Officer Clemmons. In this episode, on a hot day, Mr. Rogers and Officer Clemmons took off their shoes and soaked their feet together in a wading pool. While we’re talking about Mr. Rogers, I have to note that when he found out that the Missouri KKK was using his show to spread racism, he took them to court and won. The result was that they had to stop playing the racist messages and actually destroy the recordings.
This progress has continued through the years. In 2001, after they had acquired the rights to all of the Bugs Bunny cartoons, Cartoon Network pulled twelve shorts from its Bugs marathon, due to issues of racial insensitivity. Yes, kids, Bugs did blackface too. It’s sad but true. According to a New York Times article by John Leland, when questioned about the decision to omit these shorts, Mike Lazzlo, senior vice president of programming at Cartoon Network said, “My great fear is that a 6-year-old stumbles upon one of these cartoons and doesn’t have the wiring to understand the environment these cartoons are made in.’’
Disney has also joined in this progress. In the ’90s, when a song in Aladdin drew criticism about a lyric, they changed it. They also removed Song of the South. It hasn’t been seen on American TV since 2001 or anywhere since 2006. In the aftermath of the George Floyd protests in 2020, Disney even decided to redo the Splash Mountain ride, due to its use of racial stereotypes. In recent times, they have even started airing disclaimers before certain episodes of The Muppet Show.
Before we continue, I need to make something clear: None of these things should simply disappear. They need to be recorded and preserved for the sake of history. If we just erase them and leave no trace, that creates a void and a false narrative of our reality. That would not only give cover to virulent racists who could claim that such bias never existed, but it would also prevent future generations from knowing about the battles that we have waged in the name of racial equality. All of these racist cartoons should be preserved, but the context in which they are presented is of the utmost importance. They should be acknowledged, but not celebrated. The best parallel I can give is the fact that Germans have two kinds of monuments: Denkmal and Mahnmal. One commemorates things they are proud of and want to celebrate, and the other represents things they are ashamed of and want to ensure never happen again.
In the same spirit as those changes, Seuss Industries recently decided to remove six books from publication. This announcement brought a surprising amount of push back. There was much yelling, screaming, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. People loudly shouted of cancel culture and railed against the woke mob. This push back really made me think. What was so upsetting about this? Why were people so bothered? After a great deal of thought, I arrived at a conclusion. From my perspective, there are three groups of people who were upset by this turn of events:
Group 1: Bad Actors
This is a group of people who know exactly what happened, but they have decided to misrepresent it in order to benefit their personal agendas. A prime example of this is Tucker Carlson. He took to his show on Fox News to fervently defend Dr. Seuss in an attempt to decry cancel culture. In his segment, his go-to book is The Sneetches, a book that was NOT among the six books that we are talking about. I should also note that during the entire broadcast, he doesn’t mention ANY of the books on this list. In his segment, he lauds Dr. Seuss as the epitome of mid-20th century American values, that praise meritocracy and color-blindness. Not only that, but he goes on to say how mid-20th century America eschewed hatred and judged people on the content of their character. Apparently, Tucker’s American history classes never covered Jim Crow or the Civil Rights Movement.
Group 2: Secret and Not So Secret Racists
This group of people actually sees white supremacy as something to aspire to. To their way of thinking, diversity and multiculturalism are the real racism. That’s why removing these racist images from circulation makes them feel like they are losing something. It’s because they are. Every child that doesn’t see a dehumanizing image of a Black or Asian person will eventually become an adult who doesn’t believe that white people are superior to everyone else on the planet. These people are legitimately looking at the possible end of their point of view, and they’re scared. I get it. Beyond that, I have to say that there is a large overlap between this group and the first group. Tucker is an excellent example of that.
I am quite aware that appealing to either of these groups is a waste of my energy. The last four years have taught me to pick my battles, and that is why I have chosen to focus my attention on the third group.
Group 3: The Uninformed/Misinformed
These are the people that we actually have a chance of getting through to. They either saw a headline and made a knee jerk reaction or have only been exposed to false narratives. I get that. In the 24/7 news cycle, we are constantly bombarded with information, and social media has conditioned us to make snap judgements, even when we don’t have all of the information about a situation. I have definitely been guilty of this in the past. Also, since we live in the age of “fake news”, it’s entirely possible for people to have 100% incorrect information because they put their trust in the wrong source.
In the name of full disclosure, please allow me to present the facts of this particular situation. There was no woke mob behind this. It was 100% the idea of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. They released a statement that they would no longer publish the six titles in question because “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.” They made this decision after consulting teachers and experts. This makes absolute sense to me. At the end of the day, Seuss Enterprises chose progress. They understand the need for change and are taking the necessary steps to help move us all forward, even if that means letting go of a part of their past. Are you willing to do the same? Careful how you answer. Children are listening. | <urn:uuid:b7c99378-bbc9-4521-b68e-a9fb131a9118> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 11,374 |
Lunches at St. Patrick’s School are provided by the Oneida City School District
**HOT LUNCHES FOR ALL STUDENTS ARE FREE FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR!
For more information Contact:
School Lunch Manager
MY SCHOOL BUCKS INFORMATION
My School Bucks is now available for St. Patrick’s parents to use!
It is a way of keeping track of your child’s lunch account balance, and putting money on your child’s lunch account via credit/debit card. (There is a small convenience fee to put money on the account). If you want to set up an account for your child(ren) just go to www.myschoolbucks.com and sign up! They also offer an app for your smartphone to easily check balances, and they can email you if your student’s account is low on money!
Choose Oneida City School District, then Saint Patrick’s School, add the child’s name and ***birthdate.
***THE BIRTHDATE HAS TO BE ENTERED IN AS 01/01/2000.
Then you have to have your child’s ID number. Please call the school or send in a note to get their 4 digit code.
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH INFORMATION
It is important to fill out these forms before the school year begins. The state gives our school monies and special services based on the amount of students receiving free or reduced lunch. Please take the time to fill out these forms when they come home in your summer packet in June. Income eligibility guidelines are included in the packet.
YOU MUST RE-APPLY EACH YEAR! | <urn:uuid:5eaba3c4-cd9d-4f19-9daf-46dd734ec04b> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,415 |
Officials said that bail has been set at $250,000 for a 17-year-old Jersey City boy facing murder charges on Tuesday, The Jersey Journal reports.
Anthony Alvarado Jr., 17, is charged with the 2009 murder of Alterik Perry, 31, on Corcoran Street. Alvarado is accused of shooting Perry in the back of the head and leg as Perry and others left a house party about 1 a.m., officials said. He was arrested in May 2010.
Alvarado will be tried as an adult even though he was 16 years old at the time of the killing after an appellate court ruling.
Full story from The Jersey Journal:
Jersey City boy soon to turn 18 will be tried as adult for murder committed when he was 16 | <urn:uuid:fa123ee1-4a93-4c80-ac8e-a27797fef849> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 667 |
Home Sports Local Sports Baker quarterback transfers to Oregon City
Baker quarterback transfers to Oregon City
When Baker opens training camp for the 2014 Greater Oregon League football season it will be without senior quarterback Thomas Hamilton.
The 6-foot-3 Hamilton has transferred to Class 6A Oregon City.
A story in The Oregonian and on www.oregonlive.com said Hamilton will move to Oregon City this week and jump into the mix for the Pioneers’ starting quarterback position.
The story said Hamilton began thinking of transferring during the spring, then visited Oregon City in June.
He notified Baker coach Dave Johnson of his decision last Tuesday.
Hamilton completed 146 of 241 passes for 1,470 yards and a dozen touchdowns last season. | <urn:uuid:fa5b933a-c4e2-4c4c-8bb8-497db56bd204> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 745 |
Double strike at Italian airports. On 17 July, air traffic controllers and ground staff temporarily stopped working. In addition, cabin crew and pilots of various low-cost airlines are on strike.
The strike is scheduled for 2pm to 6pm.
- The airports affected are Milan, Rome, Brindisi, Padua, Bologna, Lamezia Terme, Naples, Perugia, Pescara, Brindisi, Ciampino and Turin Caselle.
- Strike Ryanair, Easyjet, Malta Air and Volotea and CrewLink (the company provides cabin crew for low-cost airlines).
- Ministry of Transport: Flights between 7am and 10am, 6pm and 9pm will take place on Sunday.
The situation at European airports is at maximum tension this summer due to staff shortages in check-in and security control. In Italy, more than 7000 flights had to be cancelled in recent weeks. Despite this, wages have been cut and jobs eliminated.
On Sunday, those affected are protesting against shift work overload, staffing problems and flight schedule chaos. According to the Italian Ministry of Transport, flights between 7am and 10am and 6pm and 9pm will take place as planned on Sunday.
- Olive oil from Italy - All about the green gold
- Where everyone wants to go! - The 10 most popular cities in Italy
According to Italian strike law, a minimum amount of work must be done even during strike periods. Air traffic in Italy will not come to a complete standstill. However, flight cancellations and delays must be expected.
At the flight control centres in Milan, Rome, Brindisi and Padua and at the airports in Bologna, Lamezia Terme, Naples, Perugia, Pescara, Brindisi, Ciampino and Turin Caselle nothing goes on Sunday between 2 and 6 p.m., according to the ENAV union. This is when the unionised air traffic controllers and ground staff are on strike.
Following a call by the unions "FILT CGIL" and "Uiltrasporti", pilots and flight attendants of low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet, Malta Air, CrewLink and Volotea will also go on strike on Sunday. The action is to take place nationwide.
Already in June, airport employees had stopped work twice - without achieving any improvements in the working situation.
Advice to travellers
Keep your nerve: Be prepared that everything will take a few hours longer. Check online in advance whether your flight will take place at all. For organisational reasons, there may also be delays before and after the strike period. If you want to travel with less headache and have a flexible ticket - rebook...
P.S. By the way, train fares in Italy have dropped by more than 10 per cent this year.
- 8 reasons why Italy is particularly beautiful in winter
- FRIAUL-JULIAN-VENETIA - Free train tickets with booking
Current Stories from Italy
- Olive oil from Italy - All about the green goldItaly and the olive trees, an ancient love story. Italian cuisine without olive oil is unimaginable. Today, olives are a billion-dollar business.
- Where everyone wants to go! - The 10 most popular cities in ItalyForewarning: Could get fuller, especially in summer! The 10 most popular cities and places in Italy: This is where many people would like to go (at least) once in their lives...
- TOP 10 with money - The richest women in ItalyWhile Italy's super-rich men make no secret of their billions, see Silvio Berlusconi, the richest women in the country are much more discreet.
- Italy's Metropolis - All You Need to Know about MILANItaly's economic engine, fashion metropolis, seven universities, gourmet paradise and financial centre: Milan has an incredible number of faces.
- EXQUISITE CUISINE - Record! 385 Michelin stars for ItalyA shower of stars for Bella Italia! In the new Michelin Guide, more stars than ever before go to Italy. Almost 400 Italian restaurants have been awarded.
- PASTA-QUIZ - How well do you know Italian pasta?Lasagne, spaghetti, penne, cannelloni or tortellini: How good do you taste pasta from Italy? Are you a real connoisseur or do you eat everything on your plate?
first published 13 July 2022
Sources: UILTRATRSPORTI (uiltrasporti.it); FILT CGIL (filtcgil.it); ENAV (enav.it).
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Out-of-control peak loads, power outages, and billions of dollars losses are often faced in hot and humid seasons through extensive fossil-fuel based electrical operated building air-cooling systems, barely capable of meeting the rising energy demand. The resulting fossil energy use and CO2 emissions are expected to increase continuously. However, the fact that peak cooling demand are associated with high solar radiation offers an excellent opportunity to exploit the use of combinations of passive climate design mitigation strategies with building integrated micro-energy generation systems that can match heat-driven space cooling strategies. Those are of particular interest in urban areas where adverse outdoor conditions of high outdoor pollution and the urban heat island effect, encourage the use of air-conditioning with a direct negative impact on peak loads. Suitable energy efficient building integrated hybrid technology such as combined solar assisted cooling and heating, decoupled dehumidification and air supply systems can help alleviate the problem as it is already increasingly practiced in the US, Europe and Asia. This paper will assess from the architect's point of view research results of US, European, and Asian innovative projects with solar micro-regeneration systems for combined production of electricity, heating and cooling for 5 to 2000 kW applications. | <urn:uuid:ff9a648b-5361-439f-b959-43f749ee1bd3> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 1,390 |
I’ve noticed recently, that there’s a great deal of interest in the idea of dropping seed balls from drones and planes, with the intention of restoring degraded land. So I’m asking you to play with me for a moment, while we consider if this is effective as part of a solution to global warming.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a wonderful practice, when it’s done over receptive soil, with help of adequate rain to coax the seedling to life and sustain its growth. But I’m also noticing in our desire for a quick fix for a big challenge, that we’re not all thinking about the conditions required for growth of the trees to maturity.
Think of it this way. Have you ever planted, with the BEST OF INTENTIONS, a garden from seeds, that for one reason or another (oops, I forgot about them while I went on vacation), withered instead of flourished, in your beautifully prepared soil? Or perhaps you’ve tried planting seeds of something you love, that didn’t appreciate the soil conditions they were sown in?
It’s not just the color of you thumb. It happens all the time in large scale planting projects without soil preparation, adequate water and field maintenance. Here’s a bit of history we don’t need to repeat…
Of the 50 million seedlings planted every year in the 11 northern Nigeria states worst effected by desertification, 37.5 million wither and die within two months, environmental officials say. Read more…
On the other hand, have you experienced planting seeds in good soil that were well cared for before being transplanted to the soil outdoors? Did they take off and thrive? YES!
So while that’s an over simplification, keep it in mind as you learn about some of the different ways seed balls are being used around the world.
Here’s a really informative post about how the idea of making seed balls was originated by Masanobu Fukuoka, for restoration of pastures.
Seeds balls are an ancient technique for propagating plants from seeds without opening up soil with cultivation tools such as a plow.
The rediscovery and popularization of seedballs (or “Clay Dumplings” as he called them) in modern times is typically ascribed to Japanese natural farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka. Read more…
Here’s a sweet video about using seed balls to plant wildflowers on banks of streams in Texas, that works beautifully under those conditions…
Here’s a post about tree seed balls being planted by hand in receptive areas, and providing maintenance afterward, that seems to be working well in India.
“We began to mix the seeds with mud and cow dung,” Vikas says. “We made little balls of them, sort of like laddus and they helped to bring down the mortality rate of trees by 50%. The cow dung helps to keep animals and pests away, and we see to it that we plant them in area.” Read more…
And then we have a seed bombing method developed by someone at Lockheed Martin.
Peter Simmons, from Lockheed Martin said: “Equipment we developed for precision planting of fields of landmines can be adapted easily for planting trees.” Read more…
Here’s a report about using tree seed balls to plant degraded land in Kenya, by helicopter that’s gotten a lot of buzz lately, via video that’s been going viral on Facebook!
“We just planted 20,000 tree seeds in less than 20 minutes.” Read more…
Here’s a report about the potential for large scale mangrove restoration with seed balls planted by drones, in Myanmar. And I highly recommend watching the video produced after the article quoted below was written. Click on the drone image below and start at 13 min for the section on Myanmar.
Armed with a drone and the capacity to fire 5,000 seeds an hour, can this new technology be the way forward for Myanmar’s mangrove crisis? Read more…
This is an exciting test run for a potentially wonderful planting method for wetlands, while it’s too early to see the results. Their team is going back in August to do a very large planting, and we’ll look at the results of the first planting later this year and next.
Mangroves, because of the moisture, are the very likely places for drone plantings to survive. Biocarbon Engineering recognizes this by stating they only plant wetlands, in their FAQ. This is very good!
And, while the BioCarbon Engineering speaker on the video, made the claim that seeds planted this way in March would create a living shield that would grow to protect the villages from cyclones this year, it’s not possible. The hosting organization knows this since their hand planting experience has shown that it took three years for transplants to reach the size that’s being claimed as achievable in months from seed.
I truly hope this drone planting method for mangroves produces great results without any needed exaggeration for effect!
Time will tell…
Meanwhile, I’m still motivated to help humans learn how to bring soil back to life using organic practices, grow trees from native seeds to saplings, and earn a fair wage to plant them in the field, and take care of them until they become a forest once again. The photos below are from a two year progress report of trees we sponsored in 2011. I can hardly wait to go back to see how big they are now!
A new dimension of the work has been added to the Rainforest ECO offerings: Forestscaping. Working with the Miyawaki Method of afforestation, in collaboration with Shubhendu Sharma, we now offer consulting and forestscape design for urban areas.
This TEDtalk by Shubhendu gives you a clear idea of what’s entailed in the process:
2018 UPDATE: The time spent in Paris last year (2017) changed the trajectory of my work, by expanding it greatly. I now have a website hosted by the French OpenTeam: www.openteam.co/alanalea
And thanks to OpenTeam, I was able to participate in COP23 in Bonn, where I became the producer of a side-event for Project Drawdown.
Beyond that, in the interest of bringing this post up to date, French President Emmanuel Macron has been in the United States for the last few days, offering the symbolic planting of a tree on the White House grounds, and giving a rousing talk to the US Congress.
2017: You’ve probably seen this clip by now, and heard these words, spoken within hours after the US withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement by Emmanuel Macron, President of France.
“To all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision of the president of the United States, I want to say that they will find in France a second homeland,” he continued. “I call on them: come and work here with us. To work together on concrete solutions for our climate, our environment. I can assure you, France will not give up the fight.”
I could leave for Paris as soon as this month to begin working on behalf of a multitude of small projects –– citizen initiatives like iGiveTrees –– who were also recognized by the French Ministry of Environment for their efforts, and are struggling for funding. OpenTeam writes:
“Open Team recognizes her as a “pollinator” who is able to share resources and build collaborative networks, among players that do their part to mitigate the effects of climate change. As such, we’d value her consultation with us here in Paris, to help us build the pollinator network with the aim to develop the platforms outreach strategy and implementation, boost the support that it brings to projects and thereby multiply the impact of each project.”
Alana Lea – Founder iGiveTrees Project
Laureate of “100 Projects for the Climate”
with support of the French Ministry of the Environment, Energy and the Se
Continuing the momentum of COP 21, “100 projects for climate” aims to speed up the emergence of citizen-led initiatives to combat global warming. This new participative step, building on the valuable discussions of the Paris-Climate Conference, will enable the 100 most innovative solutions from around the world to become a reality.
~ French Ministry of Ecology
Earth Day 2017 – I was invited to give a talk at the beautiful Manzanita School in Topanga, California. Now we’d like to share a few highlights of the talk with you…
The Power of Cookies – be sure to see the photo at the bottom…
Brazil is Home to 33% of the World’s Remaining Rainforests
Rainforest Regeneration is Possible
Former Coffee Country
Planning an Urban Food Forest
The Abundance of the Earth
More on the 4 per 1000 “A 4‰ annual growth rate of the soil carbon stock would make it possible to stop the present increase in atmospheric CO2.”
So what are we waiting for? Let’s do this.
With gratitude for the awesome cookie baking moms who helped the project grow in 2011. Some of them were in the audience, taping and editing the video for this talk at Manzanita. I was there at the invitation of the young man seen with me in the photo above, the boy seen in the bottom right of the photo below…
With gratitude to Nutiva for providing CHOCOLATE snacks in 2017 🙂
You will note, that Van Jones “liked” the link above when I shared it on Facebook 🙂 so I hope you’ll like what it represents here!
Seriously, this book, Drawdown, is filled with verifiable good news. And since returning from participation in COP22, the iGiveTrees project has refined focus to 4 of the Top 30 solutions to global warming:
Ever since we were invited to participate in 100 Projects for the Climate by Mission Publique, I could feel the direction of the wind had changed. It was now at our backs, rather than blustering at gale force in front of us. It’s a lot easier to move forward now.
We placed as #64 out of 100 projects, and then participated in a survey of needs to assess what’s needed to increase capacity. If you’re interested in the results of the survey, just click here or on the image to be directed to a fascinating collection of statistics, pie charts and word clouds! I learned that as a North and South American female over 50, I am most definitely in the minority among the contestants.
The French Ministry of Environment, Energy and Sea launched this global initiative with the following criterions:
Projects led by citizens
Repeatable at a broader scale
Already in activity or close to be
In relation with climate change
It appears that we all need two of the same things: funding and visibility. So a series of webinars is being offered during the month of October, through the French Ministry, to help us to develop and share our resources.
And those of us who are able to raise funds to participate in COP22 will meet in Marrakesh this November. I’m nearly there, so if you’d like to help sponsor my full on participation, please feel free to make a NON tax-deductible donation right here, or to mail a check to our fiscal sponsor, the EarthWays Foundation before the end of September.
I’ll be back with more news as it reveals itself to me…
Q. When Trees are Planted in the Forest, Do They Make Music?
A. They do if iGiveTrees raised the money to plant them!
When you contribute by clicking on the photos or orange banners on the right column, you receive downloads of music from recording artists who support this campaign!
Since our beginning, the project has attracted a range of supporting recording artists: Rickie Byars Beckwith (founder of the Agape International Choir), Faith Rivera (Emmy-winning Singer, Songwriter), Daniel Nahmod (Humanity Music Co.) and Nimo (Empty Hands Music) are among them.
Today we’re so pleased to share the news of 500 more trees that have been planted in the Atlantic Rainforest due to our fundraising efforts! These trees were planted at SINAL the inspiring environmental education center I first visited after Rio+20 in 2012.
A group of undergraduates from Harvard were part of the learning journey.
As part of a generous donation made to SINAL thanks to the iGiveTrees Campaign, we were able to plant 500 trees in some of the most degraded lands of our property. This planting was particular special because we were able to obtain saplings from two highly threatened tree species that are nearly extinct – Jussara and Jacaranda Caviuna. Jussara trees have little blue berries, similar to the acai berry, that are edible; however, the tree has been brutely cut down for years for its palm heart, that while delicious, is deadly to the tree. In fact, the tree has become so endangered that it is actually a federal crime to cut down a tree and can land one in jail. Yet somehow, it continues to happen.
The process of planting these trees was quite special as well because of several reasons. Firstly, in our search for the 500 saplings, we took several journeys to different nurseries in the area. Specifically, we discovered that the state water treatment company has reforestation projects throughout the area where they produce saplings. They understand that the forested hills of the Mata Atlantica are what allows the entire city of Rio de Janeiro to have fresh water – therefore, restoring the degraded lands is absolutely essential to them. We visited two different nurseries, each with a different variety of species. Therefore, we were able to maximize the biodiversity of the 500 trees we planted.
Secondly, throughout the process of the tree planting, we were able to include many diverse groups of people to planting. From local community members in the town of Santo Antonio, to international volunteers, to a group of undergraduate Harvard students who came for a learning journey at SINAL, many hands and hearts were part of the planting. It was very touching to see how inspired people were to be able to be part of the planting – there is something very special about getting to plant a tree in the Mata Atlantica. We are very, very grateful for the donation and are honored to have been able to be part of it.
The following is a list of species from the Mata Atlantica that we planted:
Garcinia sp. (bacupari),
Jacaratia spinosa (mamao do mato),
Eugenia brasiliensis (grumixama),
Spondias morbin (caja mirim),
Inga vera (inga),
Zeyheria tuberculosa (ipe felpudo),
Dalbergia nigra (jacaranda caviuna)*,
Senna sp. (aleluia),
Cedrela fissilis (cedro),
Cassia leptophylla (falso barbatimao),
Schinus molle (aroeira salsa),
Citharexylum myrianthum (pau viola),
Ceiba speciosa (paineira rosa),
Handroanthus sp. (ipe cascudo),
Albizia sp. (angico pururuca),
Licania tomentosa (oiti),
Pterocarpus violaceus (aldrago).
Great work team SINAL, we’re looking forward to planting more with you! And I’ll share more about SINAL’s upcoming events in a future post, but wanted to share this fresh news with iGiveTrees supporters right away!
Rainforest ECO Enterprises and the iGive Trees project and are both honored to be among the signatory organizations of this Declaration of Support for the Initiative 4 per 1000: Soils for Food Security and Climate. We look forward to meeting with the other global citizen initiative representatives in Marrakesh at COP22 this November.
The Initiative has set itself the goal of helping address the following three issues:
We were included thanks to recognition by the French Ministry of Ecology for our citizen initiative projects in Brazil.
As an artist, I was inspired to translate the Declaration of Intention into the font TREE created by Katie Holton, in symbolic commitment. What you see planted on the right is a transcription of the words you see on the written on the left.
May these words take root and grow.
2017 UPDATE: To see photos of the actual banner and its international signers at COP22, visit my blog post on Medium.
ANALYSIS: The world’s biggest conservation groups have embraced a human-centric approach known as “new conservation.” But is it up to the task of saving life on Earth?
Read Part 1 of Conservation, Divided: Mongabay’s four-part series investigating how the field of conservation has changed over the last 30 years.
Source article: Has big conservation gone astray?
by Mongabay reporter Jeremy Hance | photo by Rhett A. Butler
One of the things you discover as an environmental journalist is just how quickly scientists and conservationists are happy to bash — off the record, of course — big conservation groups. These include four of the world’s largest wildlife and wild-lands-focused groups with a global footprint: WWF, Conservation International (CI), the Nature Conservancy (TNC), and at times, though to a much lesser extent, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Together these four groups employ over ten thousand people in nearly a hundred countries and have a collective annual income of around $2 billion. In many parts of the world, if not most, one of these four groups is likely to be seen as the public face of conservation efforts.
Over the years former employees have regularly dished the dirt to me about missed opportunities, misplaced values, and projects that seemed to fail as often as they succeeded, while current employees often sounded like public relations officials speaking in staccato. Outside conservationists often complained that the big NGOs took credit for their hard work and bungled local relationships. The same concerns would come up repeatedly: an obsession with the organization’s brand at the expense of success, a corporate-mimicked hierarchy, cushy relationships with some of the world’s biggest environmentally destructive corporations, radio silence on so many environmental issues, and an inability to respond to crises that are appearing with ever-more regularity.
Clippings from a Reuters article titled “Why Brazil has a big appetite for risky pesticides” last year:
<<In 2012, Brazil passed the United States as the largest buyer of pesticides. This rapid growth has made Brazil an enticing market for pesticides banned or phased out in richer nations because of health or environmental risks.>>
<<At least four major pesticide makers – U.S.-based FMC Corp., Denmark’s Cheminova A/S, Helm AG of Germany and Swiss agribusiness giant Syngenta AG – sell products here that are no longer allowed in their domestic markets. … Among the compounds widely sold in Brazil: paraquat, which was branded as “highly poisonous” by U.S. regulators.>>
<< Brazilian regulators warn that the government hasn’t been able to ensure the safe use of agrotóxicos, as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides are known in Portuguese. In 2013, a crop duster sprayed insecticide on a school in central Brazil. The incident, which put more than 30 schoolchildren and teachers in the hospital, is still being investigated. >>
<< Screenings by regulators show much of the food grown and sold in Brazil violates national regulations. Last year, Anvisa completed its latest analysis of pesticide residue in foods across Brazil. Of 1,665 samples collected, ranging from rice to apples to peppers, 29 percent showed residues that either exceeded allowed levels or contained unapproved pesticides. >>
<< Since 2007, when Brazil’s health ministry began keeping current records, the number of reported cases of human intoxication by pesticides has more than doubled, from 2,178 that year to 4,537 in 2013. The annual number of deaths linked to pesticide poisoning climbed from 132 to 206. Public health specialists say the actual figures are higher because tracking is incomplete. >>
<< “This is a giant laboratory for the worst of industrial-scale agriculture,” says Raquel Rigotto, a physician and sociologist at the Federal University of Ceará in Fortaleza, the state capital. Rigotto says her research team has found traces of many pesticides in water taps in the area, and a higher rate of cancer deaths there than in towns nearby with little farming. >>
<< In 2013, the last year figures are available, Brazilian buyers purchased $10 billion worth, or 20 percent of the global market. Since 2008, Brazilian demand has risen 11 percent annually – more than twice the global rate. >>
It could be Zika. Or… it could be any one or many of the more than a dozen highly toxic and controversial pesticides–most of which are banned around the world, but not in Brazil. It could be Zika, or it could be Paraquat, or it could be Furadan, or any number of other poisons contaminating the soil, the water, the food and the air.
— Marco Cáceres
This was clipped from Source article: Calm down Zika people, calm down | <urn:uuid:4ae5eee0-2b77-4289-97c0-106755573309> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 20,166 |
IMPOSSIBLE TRIVIA: One in Every Seven Adults Has Made This Costly Mistake at Least Once?
Play Lite Rock Impossible Trivia weekday mornings at 7:20am on the Lite Rock Morning Show. If you’re the first to answer the question, you’ll win… the prize and gain the respect of the entire South Jersey listening audience! OK, maybe that’s overstating it a bit, but we will all be very impressed with you, I guarantee.
This week on Lite Rock Impossible Trivia, win concert tickets to see singer Colbie Calliat Saturday, March 23rd, live at Caesars Atlantic City. The two-time Grammy award winner has spent her entire life around the music business. Her father, Ken Calliat, is a music producer known for his work on albums such as Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours”.
Colbie now has three albums of her own and she brings her bright, acoustic music to Caesars Atlantic City and Lite Rock would like to send you to the show!
Play Lite Rock Impossible Trivia this week at 7:20am to win on the Lite Rock Morning Show with Eddie Davis.
This morning’s question: One in every seven adults has made this costly mistake at least once? What is it?
The answer? We had some guesses today that came very close to the answer…but not close enough! Try your best guess and hear a helpful hint Thursday at 7:20am | <urn:uuid:ab2c7c4a-31b7-484c-b710-66dab54b0561> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,277 |
“When I graduated from college, I had a net worth of perhaps $200,000,” he said in his 1987 autobiography “Trump: The Art of the Deal,” written with Tony Schwartz. (That’s about $1.4 million in 2015 dollars.) “I had my eye on Manhattan.”
More than 8,000 miles away, John McCain sat in a tiny, squalid North Vietnamese prison cell. The Navy pilot’s body was broken from a plane crash, starvation, botched operations and months of torture.
As Trump was preparing to take Manhattan, McCain was trying to relearn how to walk.
The stark contrast in their fortunes was thrown into sharp relief Saturday when Trump belittled McCain during a campaign speech in Iowa.
“He’s not a war hero,” Trump said of McCain.
“He’s a war hero because he was captured,” Trump said sarcastically. “I like people that weren’t captured.”
Trump’s comments drew scorn from his fellow Republican presidential contenders. But The Donald didn’t back down.
“When I left the room, it was a total standing ovation,” he told ABC News in reference to his already infamous Iowa speech. “It was wonderful to see. Nobody was insulted.”
In fact, a lot of people were insulted.
“John McCain is a hero, a man of grit and guts and character personified,” Secretary of State John F. Kerry said in a statement. “He served and bled and endured unspeakable acts of torture. His captors broke his bones, but they couldn’t break his spirit, which is why he refused early release when he had the chance. That’s heroism, pure and simple, and it is unimpeachable.”
If Trump doesn’t think that that’s heroic, then what, exactly, is admirable in his eyes?
And what was he doing while McCain was locked up in the infamous prison that POWs sarcastically dubbed the Hanoi Hilton?
The answer reveals deep divides in the two men’s lives and claims to leadership. They may similarly embrace free enterprise, but when it comes to character, the two GOP presidential hopefuls could hardly be more different.
McCain famously followed his father and grandfather — both admirals — into the Navy. He has said his role model was Teddy Roosevelt, the barrel-chested, bear-hunting war hero turned president. He also saw his grandfather and father as heroes, too, as he wrote in his autobiography, “Faith of My Fathers.”
“My grandfather was a naval aviator, my father a submariner. They were my first heroes, and earning their respect has been the most lasting ambition of my life.”
Growing up in Queens, Trump’s role models were more … theatrical.
“Two of the people I admired most and who I kind of studied for the way they did things were the great Flo Ziegfeld, the Broadway producer, and Bill Zeckendorf, the builder,” he told the New York Times in 1984. “They created glamour, and the pageantry, the elegance, the joy they brought to what they did was magnificent.”
McCain grew up in a military household. Trump grew up in a home dominated by his hard-charging, penny-pinching businessman father.
Both young men had rebellious streaks. At the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, McCain was known as a “tough, mean little f——” who “was defiant and flouted the rules” but never enough to get kicked out, according to Robert Timberg’s “The Nightingale’s Song.”
McCain entered the Navy in 1958. Around the same time, Trump was sent to the New York Military Academy to straighten him out after his own youthful transgressions. ”He was a pretty rough fellow when he was small,” his father told the Times in 1983.
But the similarities stopped there. Despite a successful stint at the military school, Trump doesn’t seem to have been eager to enlist. It was 1964, and the Vietnam War was escalating.
He considered going to film school in California. “I was attracted to the glamour of the movies,” he said in “Trump: The Art of the Deal,” adding that he “admired” Hollywood’s “great showmen. But in the end I decided real estate was a much better business.”
Instead Trump attended Fordham for two years before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, where he took economics courses at its famed Wharton School. (According to a book by Gwenda Blair, Trump was allowed to transfer into the Ivy League school because of family connections, and has exaggerated his performance at Penn.)
During his time in school, Trump received four student deferments from the draft.
“If I would have gotten a low [draft] number, I would have been drafted. I would have proudly served,” he told ABC News. “But I got a number, I think it was 356. That’s right at the very end. And they didn’t get — I don’t believe — past even 300, so I was — I was not chosen because of the fact that I had a very high lottery number.”
As Trump was enjoying the Ivy League and avoiding the war, McCain was about to become one of its most high-profile casualties.
The lieutenant commander had been flying for months, conducting targeted strikes on North Vietnam. He had already been injured in an aircraft carrier fire that killed 134 fellow sailors. And he had already made a name for himself as a pilot.
On Oct. 25, 1967, McCain had destroyed two enemy MiG fighter planes parked on a runway outside Hanoi. He begged to go out the next day, too.
But as he flew into Hanoi again on Oct. 26, his jet’s warning lights began to flash.
“I was on my 23rd mission, flying right over the heart of Hanoi in a dive at about 4,500 feet, when a Russian missile the size of a telephone pole came up — the sky was full of them — and blew the right wing off my Skyhawk dive bomber,” he wrote in a 1973 account of his ordeal. “It went into an inverted, almost straight-down spin. I pulled the ejection handle, and was knocked unconscious by the force of the ejection.”
McCain regained consciousness when his parachute landed him in a lake. The explosion had shattered both arms and one of his legs. With 50 pounds of gear on him and one good limb, he struggled to swim to the surface.
North Vietnamese dragged him to shore. Then stripped him to his underwear and began “hollering and screaming and cursing and spitting and kicking at me.”
“One of them slammed a rifle butt down on my shoulder, and smashed it pretty badly,” he wrote. “Another stuck a bayonet in my foot. The mob was really getting up-tight.”
He was interrogated for four days, losing consciousness as his captors tried to beat information out of him. But he refused.
As the voluble Trump was already making a name for himself sweet-talking deals for his dad’s real estate developing company, McCain was clamming up in his filthy prison.
And as Trump drove around Manhattan in his father’s limo, McCain was refusing to mention his dad for fear of handing valuable intelligence to the enemy.
McCain might have died from his injuries had the North Vietnamese not found out on their own that his father was an admiral. Instead, they moved him to a hospital and performed several botched operations on him. They sliced his knee ligaments by accident and couldn’t manage to set his bones.
“They had great difficulty putting the bones together, because my arm was broken in three places and there were two floating bones,” he wrote. “I watched the guy try to manipulate it for about an hour and a half trying to get all the bones lined up. This was without benefit of Novocain.”
That Christmas, as Donald Trump was celebrating the holiday with his family, McCain was starving in a prison camp called “The Plantation,” a satellite POW site near the Hanoi Hilton.
“I was down to about 100 pounds from my normal weight of 155,” he wrote. “I was told later on by [cellmate] Major Day that they didn’t expect me to live a week.”
McCain survived, however, slowly regaining his strength. By the spring of 1968, he had taught himself to walk again. Not that there was anywhere to walk. He was in solitary confinement inside a hot, stifling, windowless cell.
Trump, meanwhile, was taking Manhattan by storm. He had already made a small fortune — $200,000 then is almost $1.4 million today — working for his father during college.
In his autobiography, Trump describes these early years as fraught with danger: a quick learning curve for the soon-to-be-celebrity CEO as he went around learning the business. “This was not a world I found very attractive,” he wrote in “Trump: The Art of the Deal.”
“I’d just graduated from Wharton, and suddenly here I was in a scene that was violent at worst and unpleasant at best.”
The danger? Collecting rent.
“One of the first tricks I learned was that you never stand in front of someone’s door when you knock. Instead you stand by the wall and reach over to knock,” Trump wrote of collecting for his father, who owned low-income housing blocks. “The first time a collector explained that to me I couldn’t imagine what he was talking about. ‘What’s the point,’ I said. The point, he said, is that if you stand to the side, the only thing exposed to danger is your hand.”
“There were tenants who’d throw their garbage out the window, because it was easier than putting it in the incinerator,” he wrote in horror.
Meanwhile, McCain languished in a genuine hell. When he wasn’t being tortured — several times his interrogators rebroke his mended bones — he was battling everything from dysentery to hemorrhoids.
The prisoner of war survived on watery pumpkin soup and scraps of bread. He saw several fellow prisoners beaten to death, yet McCain refused to sign the confession that would have granted him a speedy release (and a publicity coup to the North Vietnamese).
Trump was living large — maybe not by today’s Trump standards but larger than most Americans. He ate in New York City’s finest restaurants, rode in his father’s limousines and began hitting the clubs with beautiful women.
“The turning point came in 1971, when I decided to rent a Manhattan apartment,” he wrote. “It was a studio, in a building on Third Avenue and 75th Street, and it looked out on the water tank in the court of the adjacent building…. I was a kid from Queens who worked in Brooklyn, and suddenly I had an apartment on the Upper East Side…. I got to know all the good properties. I became a city guy instead of a kid from the boroughs. As far as I was concerned, I had the best of all worlds. I was young, and I had a lot of energy.”
That energy went into signing some of his first real estate deals — and into partying.
“One of the first things I did was join Le Club, which at the time was the hottest club in the city and perhaps the most exclusive — like Studio 54 at its height,” he wrote. “Its membership included some of the most successful men and the most beautiful women in the world. It was the sort of place where you were likely to see a wealthy 75-year old guy walk in with three blondes from Sweden.
“It turned out to be a great move for me, socially and professionally. I met a lot of beautiful young single women, and I went out almost every night,” he added. “Actually, I never got involved with any of them very seriously. These were beautiful women, but many of them couldn’t carry on a normal conversation.”
He was so good looking, he said, that the manager of the club “was worried that I might be tempted to try to steal their wives. He asked me to promise that I wouldn’t do that.”
As McCain remained in solitary confinement, tapping messages on the filthy walls to his fellow POWs in Morse code, Trump was out partying at legendary nightclubs.
Several years later, Trump was frequenting “Studio 54 in the disco’s heyday and he said he thought it was paradise,” Timothy O’Brien wrote in “TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald.” “His prowling gear at the time included a burgundy suit with matching patent-leather shoes,” O’Brien wrote.
“I saw things happening there that to this day, I have never seen again,” Trump told O’Brien. “I would watch supermodels getting screwed, well-known supermodels getting screwed on a bench in the middle of the room. There were seven of them and each one was getting screwed by a different guy. This was in the middle of the room.”
As Trump made plans to buy and refurbish bankrupt hotels, McCain was staving off death in Hoa Lo Prison, a.k.a. the Hanoi Hilton.
And as McCain continued to refuse special treatment, Trump actively courted it.
“The other thing I promoted was our relationship with politicians, such as Abraham Beame, who was elected mayor of New York in November of 1973,” he wrote in “Trump: The Art of the Deal.” “Like all developers, my father and I contributed money to Beame, and to other politicians. The simple fact is that contributing money to politicians is very standard and accepted for a New York City developer.”
McCain refused to meet with most visitors for fear of being used as a puppet by the North Vietnamese. But back in the United States, Trump was too eager to manipulate the press.
“At one point, when I was hyping my plans to the press but in reality getting nowhere, a big New York real estate guy told one of my close friends. ‘Trump has a great line of s—, but where are the bricks and mortar?’” he wrote. “I remember being outraged when I heard that.” (Expletive deleted by The Post, not by Trump.)
If Trump was used to dining well, the only decent meal McCain had during his five years in prison was the night before he was released.
It was March 14, 1973. McCain arrived back in the United States a physically broken man, but also a hero.
That word has yet to be applied to Trump.
That same year, the Department of Justice slapped the Trump Organization with a major discrimination suit for violating the Fair Housing Act.
“The Government contended that Trump Management had refused to rent or negotiate rentals ‘because of race and color,”’ according to the New York Times. “It also charged that the company had required different rental terms and conditions because of race and that it had misrepresented to blacks that apartments were not available.”
Trump at first resisted signing a consent decree, according to the Times. He hired his friend, Roy Cohn, the lawyer and former right-hand man to U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. “Mr. Trump said he would not sign such a decree because it would be unfair to his other tenants,” the Times reported. “He also said that if he allowed welfare clients into his apartments … there would be a massive fleeing from the city of not only our tenants but the communities as a whole.”
Trump would weather the scandal, of course, and go on to build his fortune to its present day tally of $4 billion.
McCain, in contrast, received a Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. He would become a U.S. senator and run for president.
Whether Trump can triumph where McCain came up short remains to be seen.
More on Donald Trump: | <urn:uuid:a1b3a32d-97e8-41eb-b1ca-8e75ad599f90> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 14,657 |
Anyone can become an entrepreneur and experience their own unique entrepreneurship journey. However, some teenagers do not believe that they have skills that are marketable, or an idea that they can turn into a business, which creates a barrier to entrepreneurship for them.
The first step on the journey towards becoming an entrepreneur is to look at your strengths and think about how those strengths might be assets to the business community.
I started studying music when I was about three years old. I studied piano, bass guitar, harp and flute over the years. An important thing to remember to succeed as an entrepreneur is that you must be passionate about what you’re doing. I realized I had a talent for music, and I decided to turn what I loved into a business. I work as a harpist and play at various events such as weddings, memorial services, and fundraisers.
Teenagers thinking about becoming entrepreneurs are going to face various challenges throughout their journey, but they just have to push past them by finding solutions one step at a time. Throughout my entrepreneurship journey, I have faced various challenges. A big challenge that I believe applies to everyone is marketing my business. I normally get gigs through other harpists in the area, but I’ve only had two that I brought in on my own. I have been able to get my name out by playing at various events which helps me to market my services. This is a challenge for me since I am not marketing business effectively.
Although it is an uphill climb, I have learned that entrepreneurs should take every opportunity they can to let people know about their business, build a network of connections and gain more experience. When opportunities arise, I think entrepreneurs should make sure to take advantage of them. Volunteering my services as a harpist helps me in many ways — it’s a way to advertise my services, gain experience, and build confidence. I don’t tend to turn down opportunities even though they might not be as lucrative as I would like because I know they will help me in the long run.
I am a typical teenager and there are plenty of teens out there just like me that would take on the challenge of entrepreneurship if they knew it was a possibility and have support and encouragement. High Schools could provide this support and encouragement by organizing entrepreneurial clubs where teens could help each other in solving the entrepreneurship challenges they are facing. Formal classes in entrepreneurship at high school covering basic steps and skills would be helpful for teens. A system for mentorship of teens by business people in the community would help with problem solving, generating new ideas and networking.
When I first started out at the end of 2017, I wasn’t sure that I’d be very successful; however, I have pushed past the first barriers in my entrepreneurship journey, and I will continue to push past the rest.
Nicette Scott is a Grade 12 student at St. Joseph’s High School. She is completing a co-op placement at WEtech Alliance where she will gain exposure to the tech community. Nicette works with youth as a camp counselor and volunteer group leader, and she tutors other students. She plays several instruments and volunteers as a harpist at non-profit events. Nicette plans to pursue post secondary education and a career in STEM. | <urn:uuid:6fe994c0-4e7d-4285-be92-102b76ec68e9> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,351 |
Q & A with Reilly Morse – attorney behind MS housing victory, HUD's new Katrina program
North Gulfport, Mississippi - Yesterday Governor Haley Barbour, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Mississippi housing advocates represented by Reilly Morse, announced a major agreement that makes $133 million available to assist low-income Mississippians in repairing their Hurricane Katrina-damaged homes.
The agreement was reached after five years of advocacy and a lawsuit brought by Mississippi community groups and residents against the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The lawsuit contested HUD's approval of the state of Mississippi's plan to spend $600 million on expanding the port of Gulfport - money that had been appropriated by Congress to rebuild low- and moderate- income people's homes after Katrina.
Bridge The Gulf asked Reilly Morse of the Mississippi Center for Justice, the lead attorney representing the Mississippi residents and advocates, about the victory.
Interview conducted by Bryan Parras and Ada McMahon. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Can you tell us about the victory today?
A: This was a collaboration that was a mutually shared victory. We made space available for the state, and HUD, and us housing advocates, where we could really talk about the practical unmet needs. And it is always so hard when you are in litigation to get past the litigation and get into the practical problem solving. That was the real breakthrough.
For us it is very, very gratifying. It is also saddening, in that it is coming five years late. But the overall shape and size and direction of it is just what we had wanted.
Q: Why will this be more inclusive than the initial housing assistance programs [created after Katrina]?
A: The initial programs would not help folks who had hurricane wind damage.
You have historically racially segregated neighborhoods, and then you have a railroad which separates them, functions as a racial dividing line; And then you have a tidal surge that causes a lot of the damage, and if you’re not touched by the tidal surge because you are on the wrong side of the tracks, you end up with no assistance.
So there were clusters of unmet housing needs, that were wind-damaged. They were predominantly low-income, they were predominantly African American. They’re now going to be assisted.
But the other advantage of this is, this is not purely a racialized outcome, this is helping low-income folks of any form or description that need the assistance.
Q: Last question: How are you feeling?
A: I am having an out of body experience. It’s been very, very strange.
It’s been very, very difficult even up through the last week to get to this point. And we’ve done it, and it’s a tribute to lots, and lots, and lots of people.
They put a person up at the front, but there were scores of organizations, hundreds of people behind those organizations. And it just, it’s… it’s just raw egotism to say “Reilly did this,” it’s not how this happens. It happens by people power.
[Some other advocacy and community groups that helped bring about this victory include Mississippi State Conference NAACP, Gulf Coast Fair Housing, North Gulfport Community Land Trust, and the Steps Coalition. Please indicate in the comments if I missed your group!] | <urn:uuid:5d8b92c7-5c0d-4051-9ca9-87dbd0012650> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,298 |
Marvel comics are quite famous among the readers because of their remarkable characters. Time to time they keep on creating wonderful characters. Many fictional characters are launched by the comics and designers were more than one including Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and many more.
On the initial basis there were few successful characters those who made this comic very successful including spider man, Captain America, Iron Man, Dead pool and many more. The counting is still going on. The first hero of the story was Human Torch. The best part is that every character received a huge attention and appreciation from audience and the popularity of the Marvel Comics kept on increasing.
Mixture of characters
The interesting fact is that not every super hero is equally powerful in the Marvel Comics. You can find the fact that some characters are not that much powerful. For example, back widow character. On the other hand, some characters are shown with powerful background and super natural elements in them. For example, Thor in the series has many super natural powers and he is given heavenly powers like God. The other powerful character that you can visit in the Marvel series is the Captain America.
The entire story is created in a very interesting manner and he has said to be given many super natural and other powers which common people cannot even image in their real life. Along with this, you can also find that some super heroes may have wonderful stories but they are shown in a different manner. No doubt, their stories are quite interesting and fascinating but still you will feel that they are poor.
Internal fight among the super heroes
The other interesting fact about the characters of the Marvel series is that you can see some of them are having internal fight. You will be amazed to see their performance. The magical effects are created in a very beautiful manner that everyone wants to read them repeatedly.
You will find that after going through a particular story some people don’t prefer to read them. But here the situation is completely different. Even after reading the story for the one time, you will love to read that story again without any boring. Every part of the Marvel series is a masterpiece and people of every age group can get engaged by it.
Creation of the avengers is the most interesting part of the Marvel Comics. It got huge success. Many super heroes are put together in this particular series and this got great attention from every one. Before this particular series, it is hardly possible that other people have seen so many super heroes at a single place. But in this place you can find that many were struggle to save the earth together. One usual question that people ask that why the wolverine was not a part of it. It is fact that at that time they were not having the rights to show it on the big screen. So in movies that was not shown in the leading avengers. | <urn:uuid:a1d26580-1d7e-4ef4-b332-74f8e6fc2051> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 2,935 |
Just like Cadbury’s ‘gorilla’ Dairy Milk ads, Honda has come up with an idea that is as barmy as it is brilliant.
The commercial will be shown during the Channel 4’s dinner party series Come Dine With Me at around ten past eight. It’s going to last for 3 minutes 20 seconds and will (hopefully) show a group of skydivers spelling out a message to viewers.
Speaking about the ambitious project Mike Parker, Head of Strategic Sales, Channel 4 says: “Honda is walking the talk with this ad launch; it is bold, daring and very difficult. Honda are not just satisfied with launching new creative work, they want to make it un-missable and what better way to create that 'must see' than to create the first live ad event on TV.”
So, watch tonight and see history in the making. This could be a giant leap for advertising or car-crash TV. Honda will obviously be hoping for the former. | <urn:uuid:d0f0818d-9643-4ef4-99a5-2587ed63a4c2> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 878 |
Adopting an analytical approach
Knowing what information to put aside and what to retain requires a more disciplined appraisal than the more wide-ranging approach you will have followed in your initial reading. Asking certain questions may help you to focus on what is important to your topic. For example:
Who are the key actors in a sequence of events?
What are the important or necessary factors that explain particular situations?
What explanations support a particular view?
What patterns can be identified, for example, short-, medium- and long-term factors?
From your reading and note-making you will begin to find that different authors make similar or contradictory points.
As you begin to identify the different schools of thought or approaches to an issue, you should begin to cross-reference your notes so that you can group authors who subscribe to the same or similar viewpoints.
University work needs more than simple reproduction of facts. You need to be able to construct an argument and to support this with evidence. This means that you need to draw on the literature that you have read in order to support your position. In some instances, dependent on the topic and discipline, it may be appropriate to present differing viewpoints and evaluate arguments one over the others, and, if appropriate, address counter-arguments to these. What is important is to present a tight, well-argued case for the view you finally present as the one you favour.
Once you have evolved your own response to the task you have been set, you then need to place this within a framework that presents your response in a way that is well structured.
Explore the full range of available material. In the early years of university study many students follow the same practices as they used at school, often with too much reliance on handouts and notes from a single core textbook. At university you will be expected to read more widely by identifying source material beyond titles given as a basic starting point. It is worthwhile exploring your library on foot to browse in the areas related to your studies, where you may find a whole range of material that potentially expands your reading and understanding.
Spend time reading. This is a vital part of the writing process, but you should recognize the dangers of prolonging the reading phase beyond your scheduled deadline. This is an avoidance strategy that is quite common. Students may delay getting down to planning the structure and moving on to the writing phase because they are uncomfortable with writing. Facing up to these next phases and getting on with them is usually much less formidable once you get started, so it’s best to stick to your time plan for this assignment and move on to the next phase in the planned sequence.
In the process of marshaling information for a writing task you will probably obtain some interesting and potentially useful material that proves to be irrelevant to the current writing task.It is well worth keeping this in your filing system because this topic may come up again at a later date in a subtle way. In exam revision, this personal cache of information could be useful in revitalizing your knowledge and understanding of this topic.
For more help with your academic assignments, you can visit classof1.com | <urn:uuid:a195d322-fdb9-4afe-8225-af7bdcc13089> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 3,307 |
Sup! Here in the following months Im planning on getting a 80-100 gallon tank and would really like to put cichlids in it. With doing some research I think Malawain species would be best for me as I read they tend to get along with each other easier than the other species.
This is along the lines of how I would set the tank up, feel free to critique :)
-Sand instead of gravel
-Driftwood or River Rocks...or both
In the 20 gallon I currently own, I have a pleco that Ive had since my 5 gallon. Hes bout 6 years old and I would hate to keep him in that small of a tank when theres a bigger one available, I'm pretty sure that hes a Sailfin Pleco. Would the pH lvl be too harsh for him and would the cichlids get along with him?
Are there certain plants that I wiill need to use to accomidate the high pH? If so what kind?
What kinds of Malawain cichlids are there? as Im not familiar with them
I cant think of any other questions atm so feel free to throw in any other advice! I appreciate any feedback :) | <urn:uuid:ecc46c20-221d-497b-8ff9-a8ccce93298c> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,006 |
Lansing police ID body found in Grand River Saturday
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on May 29, 2012 at 11:10 AM, updated May 29, 2012 at 11:13 AM
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VALLEJO, Calif. – Hundreds gathered at Glen Cove, Calif., last weekend for a closing ceremony to celebrate what Native American activists and their allies are declaring an historic victory.
It was a victory over a city-park development that would have bulldozed the area for parking lots, plumbing and paved paths -- on one of the last undeveloped ancient burial sites of indigenous people remaining in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Although their 108-day occupation of the land the Ohlone people called "Sogorea Te” had ended, the protest group hoped the action marks the beginning of a new chapter for the 15 acres of land surrounding an inlet of water now known as Glen Cove along the Carquinez Strait. The cove connects the Sacramento Delta to the San Francisco Bay.
Just beyond the “sacred fire” -- built on the first day of the occupation and burned continuously until it was allowed to extinguish last Saturday – activists here had erected two large tepees. Rising 20-feet tall, they stood in contrast to the modern homes and apartments perched on the hillside above, the closest ones only yards from the camp.
During their occupation, camping tents and teepees lined up in an open field of tall grass overlooking the calm waters of the cove.
Dozens of people had been sleeping in these tents as long as the fire burned, occupying the land in a last-ditch effort to protect it from a city-park development. That project would have bulldozed hillsides to build the park, with bathrooms and modern conveniences, on top of and through the land where Bay Area tribes had buried their ancestors for nearly 4,000 years.
The occupation of the land at Glen Cove began on April 14, and lasted three-and-a-half months, but the seeds of the struggle were planted years ago. Occupation was not the first path chosen, but the final card played by a group of people who had nothing more in their hand.
“It’s been a 12-year and 7-month battle with the City of Vallejo, and with GVRD,” explained Wounded Knee De Ocampo, an elder and a veteran of American Indian activism. According to De Ocampo, officials from GVRD (Greater Vallejo Recreational District) first approached the Vallejo Intertribal Council in 1999, asking for approval to raze the land and proceed with their park development.
Although GVRD and the city hold title to the land at Glen Cove, the area had long been verified as an ancient Native American burial ground by surveyors and anthropologists from the University of California, Berkeley. Over the years they have unearthed a number of ancient remains and cultural artifacts of the numerous tribes who once used the area.
“Twelve years ago, the GVRD approached the Vallejo Intertribal Council, a community group of people from different tribes, asking them permission if they could come in and do this work,” said Corrina Gould, a Karkin and Chochenyo Ohlone.
One of several lead organizers of the Committee to Protect Glen Cove, she continued, “That just wasn't the right process to go through. There are actually laws that protect burial grounds, and what they needed to do was to contact those who were most likely descended from this area.”
“Likely Descendants” of Those Buried
The problem, according to GVRD general manager Shane McAffee, was that the activists who were most vocal about opposing the park development lacked that official designation as “Most Likely Descendants” -- despite their Ohlone and Miwok ancestry, two tribes that historically were present at Glen Cove.
“On one side, even if we wanted to talk to the protesters, they are not an organized, official group with authority,” said Shane McAffee, general manager of GVRD. “They weren’t organized enough to sign a binding agreement.”
In 2003, GVRD began discussions with the Yocha Dehe and Cortina band of Wintun Indians, two federally recognized tribes, who the Native American Heritage Commission of California had designated as the people “most likely descended” from those buried at Glen Cove.
Those tribes however, were not immediately involved with the Native American activists who originally took up the cause of protecting the cove, and plans to move forward on the project stalled.
Inaction was the status quo until last April, when, according to Gould, the activists learned that GVRD had abruptly decided to end discussion on their master plan and move forward. GVRD would bulldoze the site, said Gould, beginning on April 14, only one week after having spoken to the activists and mentioned nothing of this plan.
Gould stated, “After discussing with them for 12 years how we didn’t want them to desecrate this area by putting parking lots and grading hills and doing those things, they decided they were going to go ahead and do the work anyway. They treated us basically like we had no rights. Collectively, we decided it was time for us to be on the land.” She added, “This was the last option.”
The number of activists occupying the site quickly grew to scores of Native and non-Native people as word of the action spread from coast-to-coast, by word of mouth and with the help of a website set up by volunteers.
“It was time for indigenous people across this country to take a stand and say ‘no more’ to desecrating the sacred sites of our ancestors,” said De Ocampo. “No more digging up our ancestors and putting them in garbage cans and in garbage bags, no more digging up our ancestors and putting them in museums and leaving them in cardboard boxes and gym lockers and taking their artifacts and their sacred objects.”
De Ocampo stressed that UC Berkeley has 13,000 remains stored, “and some of those remains came right from this sacred site called Sogorea Te.”
A Cultural Easement
After three months of occupation, things were at a virtual standstill on July 14, when 30 activists and supporters went to Vallejo City Hall to speak about their cause at a council meeting. The stream of testimony that night caused Mayor Osby Davis to declare, “We’re either going to have an easement, or we’re going to give staff direction to enforce the law. That’s the bottom line.”
On July 20, after 98 days of occupation, GVRD and the City of Vallejo opted for compromise over conflict, agreeing to a “cultural easement” proposed by the Yocha Dehe and Cortina tribes to end the standoff.
The legally binding agreement established a committee consisting of GVRD, the City of Vallejo and the Yocha Dehe and Cortina tribes, to jointly govern the 15 disputed acres. Any future decisions regarding development on the land will now need a unanimous vote from all parties to proceed.
Although the activists’ occupation and protests pressured the city to agree to the cultural easement, it was money – $100,000 that the Yocha Dehe and Cortina tribes paid to the cash-strapped City of Vallejo – that may have forced the final settlement. The two tribes agreed to pay the city $100,000 to be included in the "cultural easement" agreement, allowing them to have a say in the project.
“Both of those are gaming tribes, and we know that the City of Vallejo is in dire straits for financial help,” said Gould. “So one of the key things is, [the city] said, ‘If you want to partner and be a part of this, then you need to also pay into it.’”
According to McAffee, the $100,000 payment was also an insurance policy of sorts, just in case GVRD was faced down the line with legal fees to give the protesters an injunction to get them off the land.
Luckily for all involved, it never came to that.
In addition to accepting the cultural easement, McAffee said city officials have already agreed to change four things in their master plan to appease the protesters: 1) The elimination of permanent bathrooms, 2) a downsizing of the proposed parking lot, 3) changes to the paved trail plan for a more water-permeable pathway and 4) an agreement to not tear up an existing concrete driveway that the activists fear will disturb buried remains.
Even though parties to the settlement are yet to work out some details, such as how much the city will scale down the parking lot, McAffee commented, “From our perspective, we’re still achieving what we wanted to do.” Especially important, he said, will be preserving the site, while also providing people a park with access to the water.
Setting a Precedent
At the closing ceremony, the activists who held peaceful vigil at Glen Cove since April expressed an even greater sense of victory, emphasizing that the cultural easement brokered between Native Americans and a city government might have larger implications, beyond Vallejo.
“This is a landmark decision. It sets a precedent,” said Gould, “because something like this has never been done within city limits or with a park district within a city.”
In the past, she went on, California merely allowed American Indians to make recommendations that developers could ignore. “This particular document stops that from happening all together. Even if the property changes hands, the easement is in place, and so forever the tribes will have that designation,” Gould said.
Gould and her fellow activists hope victory will breathe life into similar struggles for the recognition of indigenous sacred sites and burial grounds across the United States. The importance of protecting such sites from desecration has become a major cause of indigenous peoples across the country and even globally in recent years.
In 2008, American Indian Movement cofounder Dennis Banks and other Native American activists organized The Longest Walk 2, an 8,200 mile prayer walk across the United States, largely to raise awareness about the importance of protecting of sacred ancestral lands.
"There are people all over working to protect sacred sites, who were looking at this to see how it would turn out," said Gould. She explained that only a few of the 425 burial mounds, called shellmounds, that once ringed the Bay Area, and none of them really exist now.
She added, “Sagora Te is one of the last burial grounds still on open land where we can actually touch our feet to the ground and say our prayers the way we're supposed to and pass that teaching on to the next generation.”
Even now, activists are calling attention to another sacred site-protection effort, this time in Arizona. The San Francisco Peaks, near Flagstaff in northern Arizona -- sacred to the Navajo and Hopi tribes -- are being considered for the construction of wastewater pipelines that would be used to produce fake snow for Arizona’s Snowbowl ski destination.
"If the indigenous people don’t stand up to protect these sacred sites and burial grounds of our ancestors, there will be no more places where we can go and sing our songs and offer our medicine and our prayers to our ancestors, who stood up for us,” said De Ocampo.
The struggle for Glen Cove, he said, represents something deeper still.
“Our ancestors were crying, and the people answered the call. There have been other events, like Alcatraz that happened in 1969. And in 1973 there was a stand at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Now, there is Sogorea Te. It brought light back to indigenous people to stand up and say, ‘Enough is enough!’ It was a spiritual gathering here. It was a spiritual victory.”
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While there are many family traditions I hope to pass down to my children one… | <urn:uuid:af93cfdb-da77-44d3-97bf-334a45f560b3> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 11,748 |
One head at a time
Our story goes back to 2016
Curtis Miller is the founder and CEO of Heirs LLC barbershop in Pittsburgh Pa. The vision for Heirs LLC was birthed through a myriad of experiences, lessons, and a lifelong passion for helping others. In the midst of a season of trials and tribulations Curtis wrestled with the idea of professional growth versus personal fulfilment. Shaped by lessons from the past, conversations with youth, and community service the idea of Heirs was born. Curtis began his hair cutting journey at the young age of ten. Curtis wasn’t able to afford haircuts and when he was bullied because of haircuts given by his Mom he became solution focused. He saved up and bought his first pair of clippers. In the early stages of his career Curtis practiced on his brother, neighborhood children, and it evolved into cutting communities. For over 30 years Curtis has been cutting hair. Throughout Curtis’s career journey as a social worker he’s uttered the words “ I hear you” and “ how can I help” while listening to the struggles of young people. Heirs LLC is simply a hopeful response to a few of those concerns. Our aim is to form different pathways for individuals that can lead to collective success for communities.
Heirs, LLC is a startup, upscale barbershop for all people but with a strong social work aspect that focuses on having a positive impact on children and surrounding communities. Our motto which is "changing lives one head at a time". Heirs LLC will provide hair care services that are second to none with competent stylist and barbers offering the latest innovative services in the industry. Heirs LLC will not only offer services that help people look good but we focus on 5 key areas for community building. Barbering, Entrepreneurship, Mentorship, Mental Health and community building through an array of services. Heirs LLC is invested in helping those we serve find solution focused answers to their own unique experiences. Heirs offers individuals from any walk of life a place where they can relax and experience a nice vibe, a welcoming atmosphere and a therapeutic feel. Barber shops are naturally relaxing places where people come to look good, feel good and leave even better. Heirs LLC embodies this mindset. Thanks for visiting our site!
*No Call No Show - Full Price*
*Cancellation Fee $15*
EXCELLENT WITH KIDS
"DOPE HAIRCUTS PROVIDES QUALITY SERVICE"
RELAXING WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT
CHECK US OUT ON
CHANGING LIVES ONE HEAD AT A TIME
Changing lives one head at a time! What does that mean? Not only providing professional hair care services but, inspiring entrepreneurs, barbers, future leaders and business owners of tommorow . Heirs LLCs unique approach aims to help the community not only look good but feel good as well. How? Barbershops and beauty salons are naturally therapeutic but we offer more through mentorship, programming and trade skills which can be a direct path to ownership. Behind the vision of the owner who is both a licensed barber and therapist (LSW) we will combine both in order to mentor, train, and provide services for the community we are a part of. It is the goal of Heirs LLC not to start a business off by being in debt so these funds would help with initial start up cost, programs for children, discounted hair cuts and meeting state requirements. We pray that you help Heirs by giving whatever you can and helping to push us through the tape. Heirs LLC is focused on helping the youth and communities of tommorow assume their role on the throne. Founder Curtis A Miller who goes by the handle the Barber Therapist has put skin in the game by giving his complete savings and resources towards this dream and now we are reaching back to our village for help. I ask you to join me in giving to a cause that will give back ten-fold! Please consider donating $50 or whatever you can today and thank you in advance | <urn:uuid:15e1bb60-2208-454c-9b25-fda8eee785d4> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 3,904 |
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In today’s fast-paced environment, keeping excellent posture is frequently overlooked, resulting in a variety of health concerns and pain. Your posture is important whether you work long hours at a desk or are constantly on the go. Fortunately, Dotmalls has the right solution: the Dotmalls Posture Corrector Bra. This unique garment seamlessly mixes elegance and usefulness to help you attain improved posture.
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Written June 25, 2014
Very disappointed in the movie. The movie was given 3.5 stars in our local paper. I had a hard time giving it 2 times. I spent the first 90% of the movie trying to figure out where it was going. The only suspense was the end, as well as waiting for the movie to end. BIG WASTE of my money.
Written June 23, 2014
LIVED UP TO ALL THE HIPE !!! Rob Pattinson was very good. Had a surprise ending, was like "WOW".
Written June 22, 2014
An intense, violent and surprisingly emotional film. Guy Pierce's understated performance sets the tone for a film whose message, while simplistic, still holds it's audience for the entire movie.
Written June 30, 2014
The Rover is absolutely amazing in every way, not just the beautiful cinematography and landscapes but the acting as well. Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson are stunning in these roles, which reminds me of what great acting really is. It's violent, amazing, emotional and gorgeously shot. A MUST SEE!!!
Written June 20, 2014
Boring, bad acting too. Not recommended! | <urn:uuid:5ceb0186-c114-4a42-be48-2dc2c5f413ce> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,034 |
This blog was supposed to help me sustain blogging by dumping out casual bullshit. Unfortunately the initiative seems to have gone in vain (drain). Yesterday I felt that this is now too much and I should write some crap here. I was kind of busy recently, quite a lot of travel in December 2014, personal work stuffs, but not that busy that I even couldn’t make one post. The main concern is the main blog, that needs some food. I hope this post “breaks the ice” (as “they” say) in this blog. Although I do not know what will break the “ice” in the main blog (or it is not ice, maybe it is steel).
Adding a new tag: “rant” , (sigh!) | <urn:uuid:e9fadf28-a960-41fc-a11b-803a46e96286> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 631 |
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Payments are sent every Monday via PayPal. | <urn:uuid:720dd123-f7ad-427b-910a-f211ad9ba136> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,040 |
Distinct species of Leishmania, a protozoan parasite of the family Trypanosomatidae, typically cause different human disease manifestations. The most common forms of disease are visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Mouse models of leishmaniasis are widely used, but quantification of parasite burdens during murine disease requires mice to be euthanized at various times after infection. Parasite loads are then measured either by microscopy, limiting dilution assay, or qPCR amplification of parasite DNA. The in vivo imaging system (IVIS) has an integrated software package that allows the detection of a bioluminescent signal associated with cells in living organisms. Both to minimize animal usage and to follow infection longitudinally in individuals, in vivo models for imaging Leishmania spp. causing VL or CL were established. Parasites were engineered to express luciferase, and these were introduced into mice either intradermally or intravenously. Quantitative measurements of the luciferase driving bioluminescence of the transgenic Leishmania parasites within the mouse were made using IVIS. Individual mice can be imaged multiple times during longitudinal studies, allowing us to assess the inter-animal variation in the initial experimental parasite inocula, and to assess the multiplication of parasites in mouse tissues. Parasites are detected with high sensitivity in cutaneous locations. Although it is very likely that the signal (photons/second/parasite) is lower in deeper visceral organs than the skin, but quantitative comparisons of signals in superficial versus deep sites have not been done. It is possible that parasite numbers between body sites cannot be directly compared, although parasite loads in the same tissues can be compared between mice. Examples of one visceralizing species (L. infantum chagasi) and one species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis (L. mexicana) are shown. The IVIS procedure can be used for monitoring and analyzing small animal models of a wide variety of Leishmania species causing the different forms of human leishmaniasis.
23 Related JoVE Articles!
Using Coculture to Detect Chemically Mediated Interspecies Interactions
Institutions: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .
In nature, bacteria rarely exist in isolation; they are instead surrounded by a diverse array of other microorganisms that alter the local environment by secreting metabolites. These metabolites have the potential to modulate the physiology and differentiation of their microbial neighbors and are likely important factors in the establishment and maintenance of complex microbial communities. We have developed a fluorescence-based coculture screen to identify such chemically mediated microbial interactions. The screen involves combining a fluorescent transcriptional reporter strain with environmental microbes on solid media and allowing the colonies to grow in coculture. The fluorescent transcriptional reporter is designed so that the chosen bacterial strain fluoresces when it is expressing a particular phenotype of interest (i.e.
biofilm formation, sporulation, virulence factor production, etc
.) Screening is performed under growth conditions where this phenotype is not
expressed (and therefore the reporter strain is typically nonfluorescent). When an environmental microbe secretes a metabolite that activates this phenotype, it diffuses through the agar and activates the fluorescent reporter construct. This allows the inducing-metabolite-producing microbe to be detected: they are the nonfluorescent colonies most proximal to the fluorescent colonies. Thus, this screen allows the identification of environmental microbes that produce diffusible metabolites that activate a particular physiological response in a reporter strain. This publication discusses how to: a) select appropriate coculture screening conditions, b) prepare the reporter and environmental microbes for screening, c) perform the coculture screen, d) isolate putative inducing organisms, and e) confirm their activity in a secondary screen. We developed this method to screen for soil organisms that activate biofilm matrix-production in Bacillus subtilis
; however, we also discuss considerations for applying this approach to other genetically tractable bacteria.
Microbiology, Issue 80, High-Throughput Screening Assays, Genes, Reporter, Microbial Interactions, Soil Microbiology, Coculture, microbial interactions, screen, fluorescent transcriptional reporters, Bacillus subtilis
High-throughput Fluorometric Measurement of Potential Soil Extracellular Enzyme Activities
Institutions: Colorado State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Colorado.
Microbes in soils and other environments produce extracellular enzymes to depolymerize and hydrolyze organic macromolecules so that they can be assimilated for energy and nutrients. Measuring soil microbial enzyme activity is crucial in understanding soil ecosystem functional dynamics. The general concept of the fluorescence enzyme assay is that synthetic C-, N-, or P-rich substrates bound with a fluorescent dye are added to soil samples. When intact, the labeled substrates do not fluoresce. Enzyme activity is measured as the increase in fluorescence as the fluorescent dyes are cleaved from their substrates, which allows them to fluoresce. Enzyme measurements can be expressed in units of molarity or activity. To perform this assay, soil slurries are prepared by combining soil with a pH buffer. The pH buffer (typically a 50 mM sodium acetate or 50 mM Tris buffer), is chosen for the buffer's particular acid dissociation constant (pKa) to best match the soil sample pH. The soil slurries are inoculated with a nonlimiting amount of fluorescently labeled (i.e.
C-, N-, or P-rich) substrate. Using soil slurries in the assay serves to minimize limitations on enzyme and substrate diffusion. Therefore, this assay controls for differences in substrate limitation, diffusion rates, and soil pH conditions; thus detecting potential enzyme activity rates as a function of the difference in enzyme concentrations (per sample).
Fluorescence enzyme assays are typically more sensitive than spectrophotometric (i.e.
colorimetric) assays, but can suffer from interference caused by impurities and the instability of many fluorescent compounds when exposed to light; so caution is required when handling fluorescent substrates. Likewise, this method only assesses potential enzyme activities under laboratory conditions when substrates are not limiting. Caution should be used when interpreting the data representing cross-site comparisons with differing temperatures or soil types, as in situ
soil type and temperature can influence enzyme kinetics.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 81, Ecological and Environmental Phenomena, Environment, Biochemistry, Environmental Microbiology, Soil Microbiology, Ecology, Eukaryota, Archaea, Bacteria, Soil extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs), fluorometric enzyme assays, substrate degradation, 4-methylumbelliferone (MUB), 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (MUC), enzyme temperature kinetics, soil
Helminth Collection and Identification from Wildlife
Institutions: Purdue University, Helm West Laboratory.
Wild animals are commonly parasitized by a wide range of helminths. The four major types of helminths are "roundworms" (nematodes), "thorny-headed worms" (acanthocephalans), "flukes" (trematodes), and "tapeworms" (cestodes). The optimum method for collecting helminths is to examine a host that has been dead less than 4-6 hr since most helminths will still be alive. A thorough necropsy should be conducted and all major organs examined. Organs are washed over a 106 μm sieve under running water and contents examined under a stereo microscope. All helminths are counted and a representative number are fixed (either in 70% ethanol, 10% buffered formalin, or alcohol-formalin-acetic acid). For species identification, helminths are either cleared in lactophenol (nematodes and small acanthocephalans) or stained (trematodes, cestodes, and large acanthocephalans) using Harris' hematoxylin or Semichon's carmine. Helminths are keyed to species by examining different structures (e.g
. male spicules in nematodes or the rostellum in cestodes). The protocols outlined here can be applied to any vertebrate animal. They require some expertise on recognizing the different organs and being able to differentiate helminths from other tissue debris or gut contents. Collection, preservation, and staining are straightforward techniques that require minimal equipment and reagents. Taxonomic identification, especially to species, can be very time consuming and might require the submission of specimens to an expert or DNA analysis.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 82, Helminths, eukaryotic parasites, worms, nematodes, cestodes, trematodes, acanthocephalans, wildlife
Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Institutions: Case Western Reserve University.
Coexistence theory has often treated environmental heterogeneity as being independent of the community composition; however biotic feedbacks such as plant-soil feedbacks (PSF) have large effects on plant performance, and create environmental heterogeneity that depends on the community composition. Understanding the importance of PSF for plant community assembly necessitates understanding of the role of heterogeneity in PSF, in addition to mean PSF effects. Here, we describe a protocol for manipulating plant-induced soil heterogeneity. Two example experiments are presented: (1) a field experiment with a 6-patch grid of soils to measure plant population responses and (2) a greenhouse experiment with 2-patch soils to measure individual plant responses. Soils can be collected from the zone of root influence (soils from the rhizosphere and directly adjacent to the rhizosphere) of plants in the field from conspecific and heterospecific plant species. Replicate collections are used to avoid pseudoreplicating soil samples. These soils are then placed into separate patches for heterogeneous treatments or mixed for a homogenized treatment. Care should be taken to ensure that heterogeneous and homogenized treatments experience the same degree of soil disturbance. Plants can then be placed in these soil treatments to determine the effect of plant-induced soil heterogeneity on plant performance. We demonstrate that plant-induced heterogeneity results in different outcomes than predicted by traditional coexistence models, perhaps because of the dynamic nature of these feedbacks. Theory that incorporates environmental heterogeneity influenced by the assembling community and additional empirical work is needed to determine when heterogeneity intrinsic to the assembling community will result in different assembly outcomes compared with heterogeneity extrinsic to the community composition.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 85, Coexistence, community assembly, environmental drivers, plant-soil feedback, soil heterogeneity, soil microbial communities, soil patch
High Yield Purification of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites For Use in Opsonizing Antibody Assays
Institutions: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, University of Melbourne.
merozoite antigens are under development as potential malaria vaccines. One aspect of immunity against malaria is the removal of free merozoites from the blood by phagocytic cells. However assessing the functional efficacy of merozoite specific opsonizing antibodies is challenging due to the short half-life of merozoites and the variability of primary phagocytic cells. Described in detail herein is a method for generating viable merozoites using the E64 protease inhibitor, and an assay of merozoite opsonin-dependent phagocytosis using the pro-monocytic cell line THP-1. E64 prevents schizont rupture while allowing the development of merozoites which are released by filtration of treated schizonts. Ethidium bromide labelled merozoites are opsonized with human plasma samples and added to THP-1 cells. Phagocytosis is assessed by a standardized high throughput protocol. Viable merozoites are a valuable resource for assessing numerous aspects of P. falciparum
biology, including assessment of immune function. Antibody levels measured by this assay are associated with clinical immunity to malaria in naturally exposed individuals. The assay may also be of use for assessing vaccine induced antibodies.
Immunology, Issue 89, Parasitic Diseases, malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, hemozoin, antibody, Fc Receptor, opsonization, merozoite, phagocytosis, THP-1
Using Fluorescent Proteins to Monitor Glycosome Dynamics in the African Trypanosome
Institutions: Clemson University Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center.
is a kinetoplastid parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, and a wasting disease, nagana, in cattle1
. The parasite alternates between the bloodstream of the mammalian host and the tsetse fly vector. The composition of many cellular organelles changes in response to these different extracellular conditions2-5
Glycosomes are highly specialized peroxisomes in which many of the enzymes involved in glycolysis are compartmentalized. Glycosome composition changes in a developmental and environmentally regulated manner4-11
. Currently, the most common techniques used to study glycosome dynamics are electron and fluorescence microscopy; techniques that are expensive, time and labor intensive, and not easily adapted to high throughput analyses.
To overcome these limitations, a fluorescent-glycosome reporter system in which enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) is fused to a peroxisome targeting sequence (PTS2), which directs the fusion protein to glycosomes12
, has been established. Upon import of the PTS2eYFP fusion protein, glycosomes become fluorescent. Organelle degradation and recycling results in the loss of fluorescence that can be measured by flow cytometry. Large numbers of cells (5,000 cells/sec) can be analyzed in real-time without extensive sample preparation such as fixation and mounting. This method offers a rapid way of detecting changes in organelle composition in response to fluctuating environmental conditions.
Infectious Diseases, Issue 90, glycosomes, trypanosomes, flow cytometry, kinetoplastids, fluorescent protein, peroxisomes
A Protocol for Conducting Rainfall Simulation to Study Soil Runoff
Institutions: University of Maryland Eastern Shore, USDA - Agricultural Research Service, University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Rainfall is a driving force for the transport of environmental contaminants from agricultural soils to surficial water bodies via surface runoff. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of antecedent soil moisture content on the fate and transport of surface applied commercial urea, a common form of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, following a rainfall event that occurs within 24 hr after fertilizer application. Although urea is assumed to be readily hydrolyzed to ammonium and therefore not often available for transport, recent studies suggest that urea can be transported from agricultural soils to coastal waters where it is implicated in harmful algal blooms. A rainfall simulator was used to apply a consistent rate of uniform rainfall across packed soil boxes that had been prewetted to different soil moisture contents. By controlling rainfall and soil physical characteristics, the effects of antecedent soil moisture on urea loss were isolated. Wetter soils exhibited shorter time from rainfall initiation to runoff initiation, greater total volume of runoff, higher urea concentrations in runoff, and greater mass loadings of urea in runoff. These results also demonstrate the importance of controlling for antecedent soil moisture content in studies designed to isolate other variables, such as soil physical or chemical characteristics, slope, soil cover, management, or rainfall characteristics. Because rainfall simulators are designed to deliver raindrops of similar size and velocity as natural rainfall, studies conducted under a standardized protocol can yield valuable data that, in turn, can be used to develop models for predicting the fate and transport of pollutants in runoff.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 86, Agriculture, Water Pollution, Water Quality, Technology, Industry, and Agriculture, Rainfall Simulator, Artificial Rainfall, Runoff, Packed Soil Boxes, Nonpoint Source, Urea
Purifying the Impure: Sequencing Metagenomes and Metatranscriptomes from Complex Animal-associated Samples
Institutions: San Diego State University, DOE Joint Genome Institute, University of Colorado, University of Colorado.
The accessibility of high-throughput sequencing has revolutionized many fields of biology. In order to better understand host-associated viral and microbial communities, a comprehensive workflow for DNA and RNA extraction was developed. The workflow concurrently generates viral and microbial metagenomes, as well as metatranscriptomes, from a single sample for next-generation sequencing. The coupling of these approaches provides an overview of both the taxonomical characteristics and the community encoded functions. The presented methods use Cystic Fibrosis (CF) sputum, a problematic sample type, because it is exceptionally viscous and contains high amount of mucins, free neutrophil DNA, and other unknown contaminants. The protocols described here target these problems and successfully recover viral and microbial DNA with minimal human DNA contamination. To complement the metagenomics studies, a metatranscriptomics protocol was optimized to recover both microbial and host mRNA that contains relatively few ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences. An overview of the data characteristics is presented to serve as a reference for assessing the success of the methods. Additional CF sputum samples were also collected to (i) evaluate the consistency of the microbiome profiles across seven consecutive days within a single patient, and (ii) compare the consistency of metagenomic approach to a 16S ribosomal RNA gene-based sequencing. The results showed that daily fluctuation of microbial profiles without antibiotic perturbation was minimal and the taxonomy profiles of the common CF-associated bacteria were highly similar between the 16S rDNA libraries and metagenomes generated from the hypotonic lysis (HL)-derived DNA. However, the differences between 16S rDNA taxonomical profiles generated from total DNA and HL-derived DNA suggest that hypotonic lysis and the washing steps benefit in not only removing the human-derived DNA, but also microbial-derived extracellular DNA that may misrepresent the actual microbial profiles.
Molecular Biology, Issue 94, virome, microbiome, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, cystic fibrosis, mucosal-surface
Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
Institutions: San Diego State University, University of California San Diego.
Here we introduce a series of thoroughly tested and well standardized research protocols adapted for use in remote marine environments. The sampling protocols include the assessment of resources available to the microbial community (dissolved organic carbon, particulate organic matter, inorganic nutrients), and a comprehensive description of the viral and bacterial communities (via direct viral and microbial counts, enumeration of autofluorescent microbes, and construction of viral and microbial metagenomes). We use a combination of methods, which represent a dispersed field of scientific disciplines comprising already established protocols and some of the most recent techniques developed. Especially metagenomic sequencing techniques used for viral and bacterial community characterization, have been established only in recent years, and are thus still subjected to constant improvement. This has led to a variety of sampling and sample processing procedures currently in use. The set of methods presented here provides an up to date approach to collect and process environmental samples. Parameters addressed with these protocols yield the minimum on information essential to characterize and understand the underlying mechanisms of viral and microbial community dynamics. It gives easy to follow guidelines to conduct comprehensive surveys and discusses critical steps and potential caveats pertinent to each technique.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 93, dissolved organic carbon, particulate organic matter, nutrients, DAPI, SYBR, microbial metagenomics, viral metagenomics, marine environment
Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assays for the Species-specific Detection of Eimeria that Infect Chickens
Institutions: Royal Veterinary College, London, Research Institute of Biopharmacy and Veterinary Drugs.
species parasites, protozoa which cause the enteric disease coccidiosis, pose a serious threat to the production and welfare of chickens. In the absence of effective control clinical coccidiosis can be devastating. Resistance to the chemoprophylactics frequently used to control Eimeria
is common and sub-clinical infection is widespread, influencing feed conversion ratios and susceptibility to other pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens
. Despite the availability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tools, diagnosis of Eimeria
infection still relies almost entirely on traditional approaches such as lesion scoring and oocyst morphology, but neither is straightforward. Limitations of the existing molecular tools include the requirement for specialist equipment and difficulties accessing DNA as template. In response a simple field DNA preparation protocol and a panel of species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays have been developed for the seven Eimeria
recognised to infect the chicken. We now provide a detailed protocol describing the preparation of genomic DNA from intestinal tissue collected post-mortem, followed by setup and readout of the LAMP assays. Eimeria
species-specific LAMP can be used to monitor parasite occurrence, assessing the efficacy of a farm’s anticoccidial strategy, and to diagnose sub-clinical infection or clinical disease with particular value when expert surveillance is unavailable.
Infection, Issue 96, Loop-mediated isothermal amplification, LAMP, Coccidiosis, Eimeria, Chickens, Diagnostics, Field tools
Genetic Manipulation in Δku80 Strains for Functional Genomic Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii
Institutions: The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.
Targeted genetic manipulation using homologous recombination is the method of choice for functional genomic analysis to obtain a detailed view of gene function and phenotype(s). The development of mutant strains with targeted gene deletions, targeted mutations, complemented gene function, and/or tagged genes provides powerful strategies to address gene function, particularly if these genetic manipulations can be efficiently targeted to the gene locus of interest using integration mediated by double cross over homologous recombination.
Due to very high rates of nonhomologous recombination, functional genomic analysis of Toxoplasma gondii
has been previously limited by the absence of efficient methods for targeting gene deletions and gene replacements to specific genetic loci. Recently, we abolished the major pathway of nonhomologous recombination in type I and type II strains of T. gondii
by deleting the gene encoding the KU80 protein1,2
. The Δku80
strains behave normally during tachyzoite (acute) and bradyzoite (chronic) stages in vitro
and in vivo
and exhibit essentially a 100% frequency of homologous recombination. The Δku80
strains make functional genomic studies feasible on the single gene as well as on the genome scale1-4
Here, we report methods for using type I and type II Δku80Δhxgprt
strains to advance gene targeting approaches in T. gondii
. We outline efficient methods for generating gene deletions, gene replacements, and tagged genes by targeted insertion or deletion of the hypoxanthine-xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HXGPRT
) selectable marker. The described gene targeting protocol can be used in a variety of ways in Δku80
strains to advance functional analysis of the parasite genome and to develop single strains that carry multiple targeted genetic manipulations. The application of this genetic method and subsequent phenotypic assays will reveal fundamental and unique aspects of the biology of T. gondii
and related significant human pathogens that cause malaria (Plasmodium
sp.) and cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium
Infectious Diseases, Issue 77, Genetics, Microbiology, Infection, Medicine, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, Genomics, Parasitology, Pathology, Apicomplexa, Coccidia, Toxoplasma, Genetic Techniques, Gene Targeting, Eukaryota, Toxoplasma gondii, genetic manipulation, gene targeting, gene deletion, gene replacement, gene tagging, homologous recombination, DNA, sequencing
Determination of Microbial Extracellular Enzyme Activity in Waters, Soils, and Sediments using High Throughput Microplate Assays
Institutions: The University of Mississippi.
Much of the nutrient cycling and carbon processing in natural environments occurs through the activity of extracellular enzymes released by microorganisms. Thus, measurement of the activity of these extracellular enzymes can give insights into the rates of ecosystem level processes, such as organic matter decomposition or nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization. Assays of extracellular enzyme activity in environmental samples typically involve exposing the samples to artificial colorimetric or fluorometric substrates and tracking the rate of substrate hydrolysis. Here we describe microplate based methods for these procedures that allow the analysis of large numbers of samples within a short time frame. Samples are allowed to react with artificial substrates within 96-well microplates or deep well microplate blocks, and enzyme activity is subsequently determined by absorption or fluorescence of the resulting end product using a typical microplate reader or fluorometer. Such high throughput procedures not only facilitate comparisons between spatially separate sites or ecosystems, but also substantially reduce the cost of such assays by reducing overall reagent volumes needed per sample.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 80, Environmental Monitoring, Ecological and Environmental Processes, Environmental Microbiology, Ecology, extracellular enzymes, freshwater microbiology, soil microbiology, microbial activity, enzyme activity
Toxoplasma gondii Cyst Wall Formation in Activated Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages and Bradyzoite Conditions
Institutions: University of Wisconsin.
is an obligate intracellular parasite that can invade any nucleated cell of warm-blooded animals. During infection, T. gondii
disseminates as a fast replicating form called the tachyzoite. Tachyzoites convert into a slow-growing encysted form called the bradyzoite by a signaling process that is not well characterized. Within animals, bradyzoite cysts are found in the central nervous system and muscle tissue and represent the chronic stage of infection. Conversion to bradyzoites can be simulated in tissue culture by CO2
starvation, using medium with high a pH, or the addition of interferon gamma (IFNγ). Bradyzoites are characterized by the presence of a cyst wall, to which the lectin Dolichos biflorus
agglutinin (DBA) binds. Fluorescently labeled DBA is used to visualize the cyst wall in parasites grown in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) that have been exposed to low CO2
and high pH medium. Similarly, parasites residing in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) display a cyst wall detectable by DBA after the BMMs are activated with IFNγ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This protocol will demonstrate how to induce conversion of T. gondii
to bradyzoites using a high pH growth medium with low CO2
and activation of BMMs. Host cells will be cultured on coverslips, infected with tachyzoites and either activated with addition of IFNγ and LPS (BMMs) or exposed to a high pH growth medium (HFFs) for three days. Upon completion of infections, host cells will be fixed, permeabilized, and blocked. Cyst walls will be visualized using rhodamine DBA with fluorescence microscopy.
Microbiology, Issue 42, bone marrow-derived macrophages, fluorescence microscopy, parasitology, Toxoplasma gondii, bradyzoite development, cell culture, cyst wall
Estimating Virus Production Rates in Aquatic Systems
Institutions: University of Tennessee.
Viruses are pervasive components of marine and freshwater systems, and are known to be significant agents of microbial mortality. Developing quantitative estimates of this process is critical as we can then develop better models of microbial community structure and function as well as advance our understanding of how viruses work to alter aquatic biogeochemical cycles. The virus reduction technique allows researchers to estimate the rate at which virus particles are released from the endemic microbial community. In brief, the abundance of free (extracellular) viruses is reduced in a sample while the microbial community is maintained at near ambient concentration. The microbial community is then incubated in the absence of free viruses and the rate at which viruses reoccur in the sample (through the lysis of already infected members of the community) can be quantified by epifluorescence microscopy or, in the case of specific viruses, quantitative PCR. These rates can then be used to estimate the rate of microbial mortality due to virus-mediated cell lysis.
Infectious Diseases, Issue 43, Viruses, seawater, lakes, viral lysis, marine microbiology, freshwater microbiology, epifluorescence microscopy
Diagnosis of Ecto- and Endoparasites in Laboratory Rats and Mice
Institutions: Charles River, Charles River, University of Washington.
Internal and external parasites remain a significant concern in laboratory rodent facilities, and many research facilities harbor some parasitized animals. Before embarking on an examination of animals for parasites, two things should be considered. One: what use will be made of the information collected, and two: which test is the most appropriate. Knowing that animals are parasitized may be something that the facility accepts, but there is often a need to treat animals and then to determine the efficacy of treatment. Parasites may be detected in animals through various techniques, including samples taken from live or euthanized animals. Historically, the tests with the greatest diagnostic sensitivity required euthanasia of the animal, although PCR has allowed high-sensitivity testing for several types of parasite. This article demonstrates procedures for the detection of endo- and ectoparasites in mice and rats. The same procedures are applicable to other rodents, although the species of parasites found will differ.
Immunology, Issue 55, rat, mouse, endoparasite, ectoparasite, diagnostics, mites, pinworm, helminths, protozoa, health monitoring
An Optimized Protocol for Rearing Fopius arisanus, a Parasitoid of Tephritid Fruit Flies
Institutions: US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center.
(Sonan) is an important parasitoid of Tephritid fruit flies for at least two reasons. First, it is the one of only three opiine parasitoids known to infect the host during the egg stage1
. Second, it has a wide range of potential fruit fly hosts. Perhaps due to its life history, F. arisanus
has been a successfully used for biological control of fruit flies in multiple tropical regions2-4
. One impediment to the wide use of F. arisanus
for fruit fly control is that it is difficult to establish a stable laboratory colony5-9
. Despite this difficulty, in the 1990s USDA researchers developed a reliable method to maintain laboratory populations of F. arisanus10-12
. There is significant interest in F. arisanus
, especially regarding its ability to colonize a wide variety of Tephritid hosts14-17
; interest is especially driven by the alarming spread of Bactrocera
fruit fly pests to new continents in the last decade18
. Further research on F. arisanus
and additional deployments of this species as a biological control agent will benefit from optimizations and improvements of rearing methods. In this protocol and associated video article we describe an optimized method for rearing F. arisanus
based on a previously described approach12
. The method we describe here allows rearing of F. arisanus
in a small scale without the use of fruit, using materials available in tropical regions around the world and with relatively low manual labor requirements.
Developmental Biology, Issue 53, Biological control, Tephritidae, parasitoid, French Polynesia, insectary
Selection of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites for Cytoadhesion to Human Brain Endothelial Cells
Institutions: University of Edinburgh.
Most human malaria deaths are caused by blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum
parasites. Cerebral malaria, the most life-threatening complication of the disease, is characterised by an accumulation of Plasmodium falciparum
infected red blood cells (iRBC) at pigmented trophozoite stage in the microvasculature of the brain2-4
. This microvessel obstruction (sequestration) leads to acidosis, hypoxia and harmful inflammatory cytokines (reviewed in 5
). Sequestration is also found in most microvascular tissues of the human body2, 3
. The mechanism by which iRBC attach to the blood vessel walls is still poorly understood.
The immortalized Human Brain microvascular Endothelial Cell line (HBEC-5i) has been used as an in vitro
model of the blood-brain barrier6
. However, Plasmodium falciparum
iRBC attach only poorly to HBEC-5i in vitro
, unlike the dense sequestration that occurs in cerebral malaria cases. We therefore developed a panning assay to select (enrich) various P. falciparum
strains for adhesion to HBEC-5i in order to obtain populations of high-binding parasites, more representative of what occurs in vivo
A sample of a parasite culture (mixture of iRBC and uninfected RBC) at the pigmented trophozoite stage is washed and incubated on a layer of HBEC-5i grown on a Petri dish. After incubation, the dish is gently washed free from uRBC and unbound iRBC. Fresh uRBC are added to the few iRBC attached to HBEC-5i and incubated overnight. As schizont stage parasites burst, merozoites reinvade RBC and these ring stage parasites are harvested the following day. Parasites are cultured until enough material is obtained (typically 2 to 4 weeks) and a new round of selection can be performed. Depending on the P. falciparum
strain, 4 to 7 rounds of selection are needed in order to get a population where most parasites bind to HBEC-5i. The binding phenotype is progressively lost after a few weeks, indicating a switch in variant surface antigen gene expression, thus regular selection on HBEC-5i is required to maintain the phenotype.
In summary, we developed a selection assay rendering P. falciparum
parasites a more "cerebral malaria adhesive" phenotype. We were able to select 3 out of 4 P. falciparum
strains on HBEC-5i. This assay has also successfully been used to select parasites for binding to human dermal and pulmonary endothelial cells. Importantly, this method can be used to select tissue-specific parasite populations in order to identify candidate parasite ligands for binding to brain endothelium. Moreover, this assay can be used to screen for putative anti-sequestration drugs7
Immunology, Issue 59, Plasmodium falciparum, cerebral malaria, cytoadherence, sequestration, endothelial cell, HBEC-5i
Cercarial Transformation and in vitro Cultivation of Schistosoma mansoni Schistosomules
Institutions: Case Western Reserve University .
Schistosome parasites are the causative agents of schistosomiasis, a chronically debilitating disease that affects over 200 million people globally and ranks second to malaria among parasitic diseases in terms of public health and socio-economic impact (1-4). Schistosome parasites are trematode worms with a complex life cycle interchanging between a parasitic life in molluscan and mammalian hosts with intervening free-swimming stages. Briefly, free-swimming cercariae infect a mammalian host by penetrating the skin with the aid of secreted proteases, during which time the cercariae lose their tails, transforming into schistosomules. The schistosomules must now evade the host immune system, develop a gut for digestion of red blood cells, and migrate though the lungs and portal circulation en route to their final destination in the hepatic portal system and eventually the mesenteric veins (for S. mansoni
) where male and female worms pair and mate, producing hundreds of eggs daily. Some of the eggs are excreted from the body into fresh water, where the eggs hatch into free-swimming miracidia (5-10). The miracidia infect specific snail species and transform into mother and daughter sporocysts, which in turn, produce infective cercariae, completing the life cycle. Unfortunately, the entire schistosome life cycle cannot be cultured in vitro
, but infective cercariae can be transformed into schistosomules, and the schistosomules can be cultured for weeks for the analysis of schistosome development in vitro
or microarray analysis. In this protocol, we provide a visual description of cercarial transformation and in vitro
culturing of schistosomules. We shed infectious cercariae from the snail host Biomphalaria glabrata and manually transform them into schistosomules by detaching their tails using an emulsifying double-ended needle. The in vitro
cercarial transformation and schistosomules culture techniques described avoid the use of a mammalian host, which simplifies visualization of schistosomes and facilitates the collection of the parasite for experimental analysis. in vitro
transformation and culturing techniques of schistosomes have been done for years (11, 12), but no visual protocols have been developed that are available to the entire community.
Immunology, Issue 54, Schistosoma mansoni, schistosomiasis, schistosome, cercariae, schistosomula, schistosomula, in vitro culture, parasite, bloodfluke
A Protocol for Computer-Based Protein Structure and Function Prediction
Institutions: University of Michigan , University of Kansas.
Genome sequencing projects have ciphered millions of protein sequence, which require knowledge of their structure and function to improve the understanding of their biological role. Although experimental methods can provide detailed information for a small fraction of these proteins, computational modeling is needed for the majority of protein molecules which are experimentally uncharacterized. The I-TASSER server is an on-line workbench for high-resolution modeling of protein structure and function. Given a protein sequence, a typical output from the I-TASSER server includes secondary structure prediction, predicted solvent accessibility of each residue, homologous template proteins detected by threading and structure alignments, up to five full-length tertiary structural models, and structure-based functional annotations for enzyme classification, Gene Ontology terms and protein-ligand binding sites. All the predictions are tagged with a confidence score which tells how accurate the predictions are without knowing the experimental data. To facilitate the special requests of end users, the server provides channels to accept user-specified inter-residue distance and contact maps to interactively change the I-TASSER modeling; it also allows users to specify any proteins as template, or to exclude any template proteins during the structure assembly simulations. The structural information could be collected by the users based on experimental evidences or biological insights with the purpose of improving the quality of I-TASSER predictions. The server was evaluated as the best programs for protein structure and function predictions in the recent community-wide CASP experiments. There are currently >20,000 registered scientists from over 100 countries who are using the on-line I-TASSER server.
Biochemistry, Issue 57, On-line server, I-TASSER, protein structure prediction, function prediction
A Genetic Screen to Isolate Toxoplasma gondii Host-cell Egress Mutants
Institutions: Boston College.
The widespread, obligate intracellular, protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii
causes opportunistic disease in immuno-compromised patients and causes birth defects upon congenital infection. The lytic replication cycle is characterized by three stages: 1. active invasion of a nucleated host cell; 2. replication inside the host cell; 3. active egress from the host cell. The mechanism of egress is increasingly being appreciated as a unique, highly regulated process, which is still poorly understood at the molecular level. The signaling pathways underlying egress have been characterized through the use of pharmacological agents acting on different aspects of the pathways1-5
. As such, several independent triggers of egress have been identified which all converge on the release of intracellular Ca2+
, a signal that is also critical for host cell invasion6-8
. This insight informed a candidate gene approach which led to the identification of plant like calcium dependent protein kinase (CDPK) involved in egress9
. In addition, several recent breakthroughs in understanding egress have been made using (chemical) genetic approaches10-12
. To combine the wealth of pharmacological information with the increasing genetic accessibility of Toxoplasma
we recently established a screen permitting the enrichment for parasite mutants with a defect in host cell egress13
. Although chemical mutagenesis using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) or ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) has been used for decades in the study of Toxoplasma
, only recently has genetic mapping of mutations underlying the phenotypes become routine16-18
. Furthermore, by generating temperature-sensitive mutants, essential processes can be dissected and the underlying genes directly identified. These mutants behave as wild-type under the permissive temperature (35 °C), but fail to proliferate at the restrictive temperature (40 °C) as a result of the mutation in question. Here we illustrate a new phenotypic screening method to isolate mutants with a temperature-sensitive egress phenotype13
. The challenge for egress screens is to separate egressed from non-egressed parasites, which is complicated by fast re-invasion and general stickiness of the parasites to host cells. A previously established egress screen was based on a cumbersome series of biotinylation steps to separate intracellular from extracellular parasites11
. This method also did not generate conditional mutants resulting in weak phenotypes. The method described here overcomes the strong attachment of egressing parasites by including a glycan competitor, dextran sulfate (DS), that prevents parasites from sticking to the host cell19
. Moreover, extracellular parasites are specifically killed off by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), which leaves intracellular parasites unharmed20
. Therefore, with a new phenotypic screen to specifically isolate parasite mutants with defects in induced egress, the power of genetics can now be fully deployed to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying host cell egress.
Immunology, Issue 60, Genetics, Toxoplasma gondii, chemical mutagenesis, egress, genetic screen
A Parasite Rescue and Transformation Assay for Antileishmanial Screening Against Intracellular Leishmania donovani Amastigotes in THP1 Human Acute Monocytic Leukemia Cell Line
Institutions: University of Mississippi, University of Mississippi.
Leishmaniasis is one of the world's most neglected diseases, largely affecting the poorest of the poor, mainly in developing countries. Over 350 million people are considered at risk of contracting leishmaniasis, and approximately 2 million new cases occur yearly1
. Leishmania donovani
is the causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the most fatal form of the disease. The choice of drugs available to treat leishmaniasis is limited 2
;current treatments provide limited efficacy and many are toxic at therapeutic doses. In addition, most of the first line treatment drugs have already lost their utility due to increasing multiple drug resistance 3
. The current pipeline of anti-leishmanial drugs is also severely depleted. Sustained efforts are needed to enrich a new anti-leishmanial drug discovery pipeline, and this endeavor relies on the availability of suitable in vitro
and axenic amastigotes assays5
are primarily used for anti-leishmanial drug screening however, may not be appropriate due to significant cellular, physiological, biochemical and molecular differences in comparison to intracellular amastigotes. Assays with macrophage-amastigotes models are considered closest to the pathophysiological conditions of leishmaniasis, and are therefore the most appropriate for in vitro
screening. Differentiated, non-dividing human acute monocytic leukemia cells (THP1) (make an attractive) alternative to isolated primary macrophages and can be used for assaying anti-leishmanial activity of different compounds against intracellular amastigotes.
Here, we present a parasite-rescue and transformation assay with differentiated THP1 cells infected in vitro
with Leishmania donovani
for screening pure compounds and natural products extracts and determining the efficacy against the intracellular Leishmania
amastigotes. The assay involves the following steps: (1) differentiation of THP1 cells to non-dividing macrophages, (2) infection of macrophages with L. donovani
metacyclic promastigotes, (3) treatment of infected cells with test drugs, (4) controlled lysis of infected macrophages, (5) release/rescue of amastigotes and (6) transformation of live amastigotes to promastigotes. The assay was optimized using detergent treatment for controlled lysis of Leishmania
-infected THP1 cells to achieve almost complete rescue of viable intracellular amastigotes with minimal effect on their ability to transform to promastigotes. Different macrophage:promastigotes ratios were tested to achieve maximum infection. Quantification of the infection was performed through transformation of live, rescued Leishmania
amastigotes to promastigotes and evaluation of their growth by an alamarBlue fluorometric assay in 96-well microplates. This assay is comparable to the currently-used microscopic, transgenic reporter gene and digital-image analysis assays. This assay is robust and measures only the live intracellular amastigotes compared to reporter gene and image analysis assays, which may not differentiate between live and dead amastigotes. Also, the assay has been validated with a current panel of anti-leishmanial drugs and has been successfully applied to large-scale screening of pure compounds and a library of natural products fractions (Tekwani et al.
Infection, Issue 70, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Pharmacology, Leishmania donovani, Visceral Leishmaniasis, THP1 cells, Drug Screening, Amastigotes, Antileishmanial drug assay
Separation of Plasmodium falciparum Late Stage-infected Erythrocytes by Magnetic Means
Institutions: Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Acharya Nagarjuna University, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP).
Unlike other Plasmodium species, P. falciparum
can be cultured in the lab, which facilitates its study 1
. While the parasitemia achieved can reach the ≈40% limit, the investigator usually keeps the percentage at around 10%. In many cases it is necessary to isolate the parasite-containing red blood cells (RBCs) from the uninfected ones, to enrich the culture and proceed with a given experiment.
When P. falciparum
infects the erythrocyte, the parasite degrades and feeds from haemoglobin 2, 3
. However, the parasite must deal with a very toxic iron-containing haem moiety 4, 5
. The parasite eludes its toxicity by transforming the haem into an inert crystal polymer called haemozoin 6, 7
. This iron-containing molecule is stored in its food vacuole and the metal in it has an oxidative state which differs from the one in haem 8
. The ferric state of iron in the haemozoin confers on it a paramagnetic property absent in uninfected erythrocytes. As the invading parasite reaches maturity, the content of haemozoin also increases 9
, which bestows even more paramagnetism on the latest stages of P. falciparum
inside the erythrocyte.
Based on this paramagnetic property, the latest stages of P. falciparum
infected-red blood cells can be separated by passing the culture through a column containing magnetic beads. These beads become magnetic when the columns containing them are placed on a magnet holder. Infected RBCs, due to their paramagnetism, will then be trapped inside the column, while the flow-through will contain, for the most part, uninfected erythrocytes and those containing early stages of the parasite.
Here, we describe the methodology to enrich the population of late stage parasites with magnetic columns, which maintains good parasite viability 10
. After performing this procedure, the unattached culture can be returned to an incubator to allow the remaining parasites to continue growing.
Infection, Issue 73, Infectious Diseases, Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Immunology, Medicine, Parasitology, Plasmodium falciparum, Cell Culture Techniques, Hemozoin, Magnetic Beads, Schizont Purification, paramagnetism, erythrocytes, red blood cells, malaria, parasitemia, parasites, isolation, cell culture
Forward Genetics Screens Using Macrophages to Identify Toxoplasma gondii Genes Important for Resistance to IFN-γ-Dependent Cell Autonomous Immunity
Institutions: New York Medical College.
the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular protozoan pathogen. The parasite invades and replicates within virtually any warm blooded vertebrate cell type. During parasite invasion of a host cell, the parasite creates a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that originates from the host cell membrane independent of phagocytosis within which the parasite replicates. While IFN-dependent-innate and cell mediated immunity is important for eventual control of infection, innate immune cells, including neutrophils, monocytes and dendritic cells, can also serve as vehicles for systemic dissemination of the parasite early in infection. An approach is described that utilizes the host innate immune response, in this case macrophages, in a forward genetic screen to identify parasite mutants with a fitness defect in infected macrophages following activation but normal invasion and replication in naïve macrophages. Thus, the screen isolates parasite mutants that have a specific defect in their ability to resist the effects of macrophage activation. The paper describes two broad phenotypes of mutant parasites following activation of infected macrophages: parasite stasis versus parasite degradation, often in amorphous vacuoles. The parasite mutants are then analyzed to identify the responsible parasite genes specifically important for resistance to induced mediators of cell autonomous immunity. The paper presents a general approach for the forward genetics screen that, in theory, can be modified to target parasite genes important for resistance to specific antimicrobial mediators. It also describes an approach to evaluate the specific macrophage antimicrobial mediators to which the parasite mutant is susceptible. Activation of infected macrophages can also promote parasite differentiation from the tachyzoite to bradyzoite stage that maintains chronic infection. Therefore, methodology is presented to evaluate the importance of the identified parasite gene to establishment of chronic infection.
Immunology, Issue 97, Toxoplasma, macrophages, innate immunity, intracellular pathogen, immune evasion, infectious disease, forward genetics, parasite | <urn:uuid:779788d3-99d3-442f-95d1-6baa457567b4> | HuggingFaceTB/smollm-corpus/tree/main/fineweb-edu-dedup | smollm-corpus | eng_Latn | 52,425 |
Ink Deformulation Testing Labs
Avomeen’s expert scientific staff includes Ph.D. chemists with decades of deformulation experience with inks, dyes, stains, and polishes. This expertise can be highly valuable when companies need to:
- Research and compare competitive products
- Identify batch to batch variations in their products
- Identify new ingredients for advanced formulations
- Receive expert witness testing reports for patent infringement or trade secret investigations
Avomeen formulation chemists used advanced testing methods such as FT-IR, HPLC, LC/MS, GC/MS, ICP-MS, and AA to identify and quantitate organic and inorganic compounds in ink samples. Our chemists then utilize their reformulation expertise to develop trial batches for new products, including specialty inks and dyes for medical or industrial applications.
Case Study – Competitive Product Analysis
Industry: Consumer Products
Problem: Japanese competitor sold a better product
Solution: A ballpoint pen manufacturer wanted to know why the ink from a competing Japanese ballpoint manufacturer dried faster and had a brighter color. The problem called for a detailed deformulation of the competing product, which involved separation of the various components using a series of solvent extractions and preparative chromatographic techniques. The ingredients were identified using NMR, GC/MS and FT-IR spectroscopy. While most of the ingredients in the competing ink were chemically similar to those in our client’s product, the competing product contained a metallic compound as identified by ICP-MS. The metallic compound served as a catalyst in the curing process, which caused the ink to dry faster. We also identified the additive responsible for the brightness.
For More Information Or A Free Quote, Please Request An Ink Deformulation Quote Or Call (800) 930-5450 Today. | <urn:uuid:8b975847-b270-41c2-b378-28023da40e03> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,853 |
Ron Paul to Sean Hannity: Stop with your Sharia!
Ron Paul on Monday night dismissed Sean Hannity’s fear that Sharia law is coming to the United States.
In a somewhat contentious interview with the Fox News host, Paul asserted that Hannity’s perspective on American relations with the Muslim world is far from reality. Discussing the run-up to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Paul told a perturbed Hannity that “the 9/11 Commission recognized there was a blow back phenomenon from the fact we were over there and had a base in Saudi Arabia.”Continue Reading
Hannity then shot back with the concern — often floated by conservative talkers like Glenn Beck — that Islamic leaders are seeing to created a new, worldwide caliphate.
“If they were at war with us for a decade, do you not agree there is a desire among Islamic extremists to have an Islamic caliphate, Sharia law?” an incensed Hannity asked.
“I think because we are over there, their numbers grow,” Paul responded. “You have radicals in all religions, if there is some way to incite them, their numbers will grow.”
The two revisited their fight over Sharia when Hannity needled Paul for defending the Imam who wanted to set up a near Ground Zero in New York.
“You are not concerned about the families of 9/11 and what happened?” Hannity asked.
“This means you blame the religion, you don't want to blame the religion,” Paul responded. “The principle here is a private property principle. We shouldn't have governments building buildings and telling people where to build. It should be a private property issue.”
Get reporter alerts | <urn:uuid:45cfae12-fcf2-4c25-81a9-5de59d086d25> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 1,588 |
All of the nutritionists agree that taking in fish oil tablets are the very best technique to accomplish daily dose of omega-3 as the addition of consuming some fresh fishes. Omega-3 fats are taken into consideration as important because the human body needs them to life, however it can not generate them. So, it is very important for individuals to have enough for a healthy life.
supplements containing the omega-3 fats EPA and also DHA provide a variety of possible benefits for boosting mental wellness, treating inflammatory illness, or even for cancer precaution. Yet with so numerous different fish oil to pick from, just how do you know which one is right for you?
Fish Oil from Bauer Nutrition is one of the ideal fish oil supplements out there. Do not acquire any fish oil prior to you review this Fish Oil reviews: the very best fish oil products in the marketplace that will certainly offer you information about exactly what is Fish Oil, does it function, the advantages, how does it perform, the dosage, and can we order fish oil products available online in Lexington US.
Just what is healthy capsule Fish Oil
Fish Oil is capsules that can aid you in enhancing the brain function, softening the skin, improving the vision of the eye and also improving your overall wellness. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, which is naturally found in fish such as Salmon, Mackerel, Trout, and Herring. Those acids are categorized as necessary since they can not be created within the body. Fish Oil tablets are the most effective method to boost the intake of these essential substances, without the commitment to consume lots of fishes. They are likewise pure and also without impurities.
Fish oil is utilized for numerous conditions. It is usually made use of to deal with lots of conditions associated with the blood and heart system. Many individuals in Lexington US usage fish oils to reduced triglyceride levels or blood pressure. It additionally has actually been used for preventing stroke and also heart illness. The clinical proof discovered that this tablet could really decrease high triglycerides, assistance stop stroke and also heart problem when eaten as recommended dose.
Does tablet for healthy preventive Fish Oil help me
Is your mind getting all the nutrients it requires? Is your skin looking completely dry as well as weak? Are you stressed about your vision? If this is your worry, you come to the ideal area. Here comes the solution called Fish Oil pills that will help you solve those troubles.
Below are some vital facts concerning Fish Oil:
- It is that fish oils are very great for the mind and also efficient for mind feature. By supplementing with fish oils each day, you will certainly have the ability to think clearer and you can boost your memory.
- Fish oils can be vital for smooth and soft skin. By having essential fish oils each day you will certainly have the ability to make your skin softer as well as much more rich looking.
- Vital fish oil taken daily could help stop vision destruction in old life, it additionally can improve your vision in the short-term.
The profit as well as how does Fish Oil pills act
Fish Oil offers numerous advantages when consumed, particularly when the quantity of omega-6 and also omega-3 fats inside the body is virtually well balanced. The typical foods such as eggs and also red meat are plentiful in omega-6, that is the reason this pill is suggested to be taken in for stabilizing the fat ratio. A balanced ratio is connected to reduced lipid quantity, healthier blood vessel, and also reduced a possibility for plaque development. Fish Oil supplements likewise can decrease the danger of some cancer cells types such as breast cancer and also diabetic issues.
a whole lot of the fish oil prosperity come from the omega-3 fats that it consists of. Surprisingly, the body does not generate its very own omega-3. Neither can the human body make omega-3 from Omega-6 fats. a lot of study has actually been done on DHA and EPA, two kinds of omega-3 acids that are typically consisted of in fish oil capsules. This research shows that fish oils act mostly with Eicosanoids, that is signifying particles. The well balanced amount of omega 6 as well as 3 will handle which Eicosanoids is eliminated in reaction to stress and anxiety.
By consuming Fish Oil, individuals in Lexington US could gain many extra benefits as listed below:
- Lower the threat of heart problem and stroke
- Lower blood pressure
- Highly recommended for pregnant and also nursing females
- Improve general wellness
You should know that fish oils additionally could reduce triglycerides level in people that have high triglyceride. Yet, it could enhance the cholesterol, so the awareness must be worried before making use of fish oils for this objective.
Fish oils have actually been consumed to protect against from stroke or heart illness, chest pain, clogged up arteries, bypass surgical treatment, irregular heart beat, fast heart beat, cardiac arrest, embolism, as well as high blood stress. It is likewise used to heal several kidney troubles such as kidney failure, kidney disease, as well as kidney difficulties such as cirrhosis, diabetes, and also heart hair transplant.
Fish oil could obtain the credibility as mind supplement since lots of people in Lexington US eat fish to help from bipolar affective disorder, depression, interest deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychosis, developing coordination condition, Alzheimer, epilepsy, migraine, schizophrenia, message- traumatic anxiety problem, and psychological disability. While Some people consume fish oils for cataracts, completely dry eyes, glaucoma, as well as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a really normal problem in old individuals that could cause extreme view issues.
For your details, most effects of fish oils happen over in some durations of days even weeks and not promptly.
The best ways to use omega-3 pills Fish Oil
For functioning efficiently, Fish Oil consists of the natural components such as Fish Oil as well as D-Alpha Tocopherol. While the capsule shell produced from Jelly, Glycerin, and also Water.
It is really basic to consume Fish Oil. Eat one pill each day with food or a beverage, and also you will certainly gain the benefits of consuming this supplement. The fish burps could be averted by consuming this product with food or freezing the supplements prior to supplements.
Purchase fish oil capsules in Lexington US
Fish oils is a common term utilized to describe two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and also docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These omega-3 fats are usually discovered in some fishes such as mackerel, herring, tuna, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, and seal blubber, animal solutions, and phytoplankton. Fish oil is recommended as a resource of these omega-3 fats as they are the least expensive and most usual resource of them.
This Fish Oil tablet gives a minimum of 1,000 mg DHA+ EPA omega-3 every serving. It is sustainably produced, as well as licensed by reputable laboratories to ensure the purity, potency, and quality. If you are interested in getting Fish Oil, here are the tariff in Lexington US:
|Fishoil Product||Best offer price||Buy Now|
|30 days supply
|3 months supply
(2 bottles + 1 free bottle)
|6 months supply
(3 bottles + 3 free bottles)
Ensure to acquire Fish Oil just from the legitimate web site. By buying from there, you will gain top quality fish oil to enhance your health and wellness. There also many deals such as multi order deal order 2 get 1 totally free and also purchase 3 obtain 3 free and also in particular time there are several price cut code making you conserve even more fund. You could acquire Fish Oil 1000mg with self-confidence due to the fact that it is backed by a no-risk, no-hassle 60-day cash back assures, in situation this tablet does not work for you. So, just what are you waiting for?, keep your young and healthy life with healthy and balanced capsules Fish Oil. | <urn:uuid:f5a399eb-a479-4c76-9a14-a0246eb1a081> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 8,018 |
KG missed a last-second jumper that could have tied the Celtics-Knicks game Sunday. It looks like his former teammate/current Knicks guard, Bill Walker, talked some trash to him after the brick. Garnett responded by briefly choking Walker.
A few reporters said Garnett will not be fined or suspended for the incident. We can’t understand why. Is the NBA saying it’s OK to act like you’re choking another player? Maybe a suspension would have been overboard since it was so brief, but at least hit him with a $50,000 fine given his history. Garnett may say he’s not a dirty player, but we would say otherwise. It’s incidents like this that led one player to call KG a coward and punk. | <urn:uuid:91671d52-50af-4d26-91be-c5f0f6a5bcef> | HuggingFaceFW/fineweb/tree/main/sample/350BT | fineweb | eng_Latn | 683 |
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