Researchers in Britain have developed a drug they say could revolutionize the effectiveness of radiation on cancer. Radiotherapy is used to destroy cancer cells by zapping their DNA, thus disrupting their ability to function and reproduce. But like other cells in the body, cancer cells have a sort of DNA repair kit that can minimize these effects. The new drug disables the DNA repair process and allows radiotherapy to target tumors with “deadly accuracy.”
From Newcastle University:
New drug could help target cancer cells with deadly accuracy
A new drug that could revolutionise the impact of radiotherapy on cancer and make treatment much more effective, has been developed by Cancer Research UK scientists at Newcastle University.
The drug, developed by the charity’s clinical unit at the University, has been designed to destroy the protection enjoyed by cancer cells.
Radiotherapy kills cancer cells by causing damage to DNA. But the DNA damage repair kit ? the body’s Sir Lancelot which is present in all cells ? rides to the rescue of the beleaguered cells and can get in the way of effective treatment.
The new drug will, in turn, disable the DNA repair process and allow radiotherapy to target tumours with deadly accuracy, according to research leader Professor Hilary Calvert, speaking at Cancer Research UK’s first annual conference in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
Professor Calvert explains: ‘Our DNA is damaged all the time during life’s daily routine. One cell sustains about 30,000 incidents of DNA damage every day through the oxygen and chemicals circulating in the body. Therefore the DNA damage repair process is invaluable and keeps us from dissolving into a blob of jelly.’
But the downside of this is that the DNA repair kit also comes to the rescue of cancer cells when they are under attack. This has led scientists to search for a weapon to prevent the repair kit from working on tumours.
The most promising prospect in the armoury is a class of drugs known as PARP inhibitors which block the action of DNA repair enzymes called PARPs*. In pre-clinical studies researchers have found that these drugs are highly effective at sensitising cancer cells to radiotherapy.
Professor Calvert says that one of the problems with radiotherapy ? which is the most common way of treating cancer apart from surgery ? is that the dose needed to kill large tumours is often too toxic to be sustained by the body.
‘We have been trying to find something to make tumours more sensitive to radiotherapy. And we hope the PARP inhibitor will prove an effective radiosensitizer which would be a huge benefit to cancer patients.
‘Clinical trials of radiosensitizers have always posed a particularly difficult problem of design because we have to ensure that they are not increasing any side effects to normal tissue,’ he says. ‘Many of the side-effects of radiotherapy are very late and can occur many months or years after the original treatment.’
Professor Robert Souhami, Director of Clinical Research for Cancer Research UK, says: ‘The development and production of the PARP inhibitors mean we have a potentially very exciting new approach to cancer treatment.
‘But there is still much work to be done. We hope clinical trials will start soon but these would take several years to complete before any drug could be licensed for general use.’


Forgetfulness: Knowing when to Ask for Help
Maria has been a teacher for 35 years. Teaching fills her life and gives her a sense of accomplishment, but recently she has begun to forget details and has become more and more disorganized. At first, she laughed it off, but her memory problems have worsened. Her family and friends have been sympathetic but are not sure what to do. Parents and school administrators are worried about Maria's performance in the classroom. The principal has suggested she see a doctor. Maria is angry with herself and frustrated, and she wonders whether these problems are signs of Alzheimer's disease or just forgetfulness that comes with getting older.
Many people worry about becoming forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. Over the past few years, scientists have learned a lot about memory and why some kinds of memory problems are serious but others are not.
Age-related changes in memory
Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, they don't remember information as well as they did, or they lose things like their glasses. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not serious memory problems.
Some older adults also find that they don't do as well as younger people on complex memory or learning tests. Scientists have found, though, that given enough time, healthy older people can do as well as younger people do on these tests. In fact, as they age, healthy adults usually improve in areas of mental ability such as vocabulary.
Keeping your memory sharp
People with some forgetfulness can use a variety of techniques that may help them stay healthy and maintain their memory and mental skills. Here are some tips that can help:
Other causes of memory loss
Some memory problems are related to health issues that may be treatable. For example, medication side effects, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic alcoholism, tumors or infections in the brain, or blood clots in the brain can cause memory loss or possibly dementia (see more on dementia, below). Some thyroid, kidney, or liver disorders also can lead to memory loss. A doctor should treat serious medical conditions like these as soon as possible.
Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can make a person more forgetful and can be mistaken for dementia. For instance, someone who has recently retired or who is coping with the death of a spouse, relative, or friend may feel sad, lonely, worried, or bored. Trying to deal with these life changes leaves some people confused or forgetful.
The confusion and forgetfulness caused by emotions usually are temporary and go away when the feelings fade. The emotional problems can be eased by supportive friends and family, but if these feelings last for a long time, it is important to get help from a doctor or counselor. Treatment may include counseling, medication, or both.
More serious memory problems
For some older people, memory problems are a sign of a serious problem, such as mild cognitive impairment or dementia. People who are worried about memory problems should see a doctor. The doctor might conduct or order a thorough physical and mental health evaluation to reach a diagnosis. Often, these evaluations are conducted by a neurologist, a physician who specializes in problems related to the brain and central nervous system.
A complete medical exam for memory loss should review the person's medical history, including the use of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diet, past medical problems, and general health. A correct diagnosis depends on accurate details, so in addition to talking with the patient, the doctor might ask a family member, caregiver, or close friend for information.
Blood and urine tests can help the doctor find the cause of the memory problems or dementia. The doctor also might do tests for memory loss and test the person's problem-solving and language abilities. A computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan may help rule out some causes of the memory problems.
Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Some people with memory problems have a condition called amnestic mild cognitive impairment, or amnestic MCI. People with this condition have more memory problems than normal for people their age, but their symptoms are not as severe as those of Alzheimer's disease, and they are able to carry out their normal daily activities.
Signs of MCI include misplacing things often, forgetting to go to important events and appointments, and having trouble coming up with desired words. Family and friends may notice memory lapses, and the person with MCI may worry about losing his or her memory. These worries may prompt the person to see a doctor for diagnosis.
Researchers have found that more people with MCI than those without it go on to develop Alzheimer's within a certain timeframe. However, not everyone who has MCI develops AD. Studies are underway to learn why some people with MCI progress to AD and others do not.
There currently is no standard treatment for MCI. Typically, the doctor will regularly monitor and test a person diagnosed with MCI to detect any changes in memory and thinking skills over time. There are no medications approved for use for MCI.
Dementia. Dementia is the loss of thinking, memory, and reasoning skills to such an extent that it seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. Dementia is not a disease itself but a group of symptoms caused by certain diseases or conditions such as AD. People with dementia lose their mental abilities at different rates.
Symptoms may include:
Two of the most common forms of dementia in older people are Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. These types of dementia cannot be cured at present.
In Alzheimer's disease, changes to nerve cells in certain parts of the brain result in the death of a large number of cells. Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease begin slowly and worsen steadily as damage to nerve cells spreads throughout the brain. As time goes by, forgetfulness gives way to serious problems with thinking, judgment, recognizing family and friends, and the ability to perform daily activities like driving a car or handling money. Eventually, the person needs total care.
In vascular dementia, a series of strokes or changes in the brain's blood supply leads to the death of brain tissue. Symptoms of vascular dementia can vary but usually begin suddenly, depending on where in the brain the strokes occurred and how severe they were. The person's memory, language, reasoning, and coordination may be affected. Mood and personality changes are common as well.
It's not possible to reverse damage already caused by a stroke, so it's very important to get medical care right away if someone has signs of a stroke. It's also important to take steps to prevent further strokes, which worsen vascular dementia symptoms. Some people have both Alzheimer's and vascular dementia.
Treatment for dementia
A person with dementia should be under a doctor's care. The doctor might be a neurologist, family doctor, internist, geriatrician, or psychiatrist. He or she can treat the patient's physical and behavioral problems (such as aggression, agitation, or wandering) and answer the many questions that the person or family may have.
People with dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease may be treated with medications. Four medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer's disease. Donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), and galantamine (Razadyne®) are used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (donepezil has been approved to treat severe Alzheimer's disease as well). Memantine (Namenda®) is used to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. These drugs may help maintain thinking, memory, and speaking skills, and may lessen certain behavioral problems for a few months to a few years in some people. However, they dont stop Alzheimer's disease from progressing. Studies are underway to investigate medications to slow cognitive decline and to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease.
People with vascular dementia should take steps to prevent further strokes. These steps include controlling high blood pressure, monitoring and treating high blood cholesterol and diabetes, and not smoking. Studies are underway to develop medicines to reduce the severity of memory and thinking problems that come with vascular dementia. Other studies are looking at the effects of drugs to relieve certain symptoms of this type of dementia.
Family members and friends can help people in the early stages of dementia to continue their daily routines, physical activities, and social contacts. People with dementia should be kept up-to-date about the details of their lives, such as the time of day, where they live, and what is happening at home or in the world. Memory aids may help. Some families find that a big calendar, a list of daily plans, notes about simple safety measures, and written directions describing how to use common household items are useful aids.
What you can do
If you're concerned that you or someone you know has a serious memory problem, talk with your doctor. He or she may be able to diagnose the problem or refer you to a specialist in neurology or geriatric psychiatry. Health care professionals who specialize in Alzheimer's can recommend ways to manage the problem or suggest treatment or services that might help. More information is available from the organizations listed below.
People with Alzheimer's disease, MCI, or a family history of Alzheimer's disease, and healthy people with no memory problems and no family history of Alzheimer's disease may be able to take part in clinical trials. Participating in clinical trials is an effective way to help in the fight against Alzheimers. To find out more about clinical trials, call the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center toll-free at 1-800-438-4380 or visit the ADEAR Center website at www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers. More information is available at www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
For more information
Here are some helpful resources:
Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
P.O. Box 8250
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8250
The National Institute on Aging's ADEAR Center offers information and publications in English and Spanish for families, caregivers and professionals on diagnosis, treatment, patient care, caregiver needs, long-term care, education and training, and research related to Alzheimer's disease.
225 North Michigan Avenue, Floor 17
Chicago, IL 60601-7633
National Library of Medicine
For more information on health and aging, contact:
Visit NIHSeniorHealth (www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. This website has health information for older adults. Special features make it simple to use. For example, you can click on a button to have the text read out loud or to make the type larger.
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Page last updated March 29, 2010


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|Oracle Solaris Administration: ZFS File Systems Oracle Solaris 11 Information Library|
This chapter provides step-by-step instructions on setting up a basic Oracle Solaris ZFS configuration. By the end of this chapter, you will have a basic understanding of how the ZFS commands work, and should be able to create a basic pool and file systems. This chapter does not provide a comprehensive overview and refers to later chapters for more detailed information.
The following sections are provided in this chapter:


Machu Picchu, Peru
Everything about Machu Picchu makes you marvel that it ever came to exist. The lost city of the Incas is built on a saddle-shaped ridge slung between two giant peaks. Near-vertical slopes drop away on either side, down to a massive bend in the Urubamba River. What could have motivated the Incas to undertake such a construction at this remote location in the Andean cordillera? Machu Picchu, built over 700 years ago and hidden by jungle since the 16th century, was rediscovered in 1911. It consists of about 200 buildings, which include dwellings and temples, a central plaza and a royal palace, all flanked by terraces for farming.
The stone for the buildings was mined from a quarry and shaped using bronze tools, then smoothed with sand in order to fit tightly together. No mortar was used in the construction. Even after many centuries of wear and tear, the precision is amazing; It would be impossible to slide a piece of paper between many of the blocks. Machu Picchu is notable for the way that existing rock features were incorporated into the design. Inevitably the craftsmanship on sacred buildings is the finest. For spectacular views, make the steep climb up to Wayna Picchu, the mountain behind Machu Picchu. Alternatively, climb to the top of the less crowded Machu Picchu peak, which catches the first rays of the rising sun. Both mountains overlook the entire site, down to the river below, which puts the Incas· great achievement of construction into perspective.
The Incas worshipped the sun god Inti, so the summer solstice was the most important day in their calendar, and the Temple of the Sun their most important building. In fact, all their temples and sacred sites were designed to mark solar and astrological events. A stone, Intihuatana ('Hitching Post of the Sun'), is the focus of a major religious site where a ritual was performed, in the shortening days before the winter solstice, to prevent the sun disappearing. Similar stones were at other Inca sites, but were damaged or destroyed by Spanish conquistadores. The one at Machu Picchu survived because the site was never discovered. The population of Machu Picchu is believed to have numbered over a thousand, and the people were so distant from other settlements that they would have produced much of their own food. This accounts for the intricately terraced fields, which have survived remarkably intact thanks to the care and skill that went into their construction. Maize and potatoes were grown, and advanced irrigation techniques were used to ensure that rainwater didn't just run off down the hill to the Urubamba River far below.
No-one knows for sure why Machu Picchu was built. Some surmise that it was a royal or religious retreat for one of the Inca rulers. Certainly its remote location and altitude of nearly 2500 metres would seem to rule out any trade or military function. Whatever its use, the obvious effort that went into its construction indicates that it was considered important and held in high regard by those who created it.
All trips to Machu Picchu begin and end in Cuzco. The train journey from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, the town in the river valley below the ruins, takes four hours. Buses go to and from the town to the ruins from 6 am until 5.30 pm. The trains from Cuzco arrive mid-morning and leave late in the afternoon, so the least crowded times at the


Prizes and Celebrations in Brazil
UNESCO Brasilia Office usually promotes national events in partnership with various organizations to celebrate the International Days, Years and Decades proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in order to mark important aspects of human life and history. The Office and its partners also promote national or international prizes in the areas of UNESCO mandate.
List of Prizes, Celebrations and Campaigns
Originally called MERCOSUR Prize for Young Researchers, the Award was created by the Specialized Meeting on Science and Technology of MERCOSUR - RECyT in 1998. Since the 2004 Call, the Award has had the partnership of UNESCO and has changed its title to MERCOSUR Science and Technology Award, comprising two categories: “Young Researchers”, up to 35 years old, and “Integration”, for a team of researchers with no limit of age, involving at least two member countries.
The annual context is organized by UNESCO in Brazil and partnerships in celebration of the World Science Day for Peace and Development, established by the United Nations in 2001 and celebrated every year on November 10. Each year, the context has an specific theme. All secondary education students in Brazil can participate in the context by sending their written works and/or drawings on the theme.
09.04.12 UNESCO International Prizes
UNESCO promotes international prizes to reward international outstanding efforts made in the themes of UNESCO's mandate: Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication and Information, and Peace.
09.04.12 United Nations International Days
The United Nations General Assembly designates a number of "International Days" to mark important aspects of human life and history. UNESCO, in particular, observes the following:
09.04.12 United Nations International Years
UNESCO participates in the celebration of the following International Years proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations:
09.04.12 United Nations International Decades
UNESCO participates in the celebration of the following International Decades proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations:
UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, has designated the Brazilian Dominican friar Frei Betto as laureate of the 2013 UNESCO/José Martí Prize for his exceptional contribution to building a universal culture of peace, social justice and human rights in Latin America and the Caribbean.
UNESCO Brasilia Office Director, Lucien Muñoz, sent a letter to the Brazilian Dominican friar, Frei Betto, congratulating him for receiving the José Martí 2013 Award for his decisive contribution to a culture of peace, justice and respect to human rights in Latin America.


Undated (WXOW) - In 2009, the US Preventative Task force recommended against breast cancer screening for women aged 40 to 49.
It said the risks outweigh the small potential benefit in younger women, but a new study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" says these women would benefit from screening the latest turn in the see-saw debate over detecting breast cancer.
The study says screening is helpful for women with a two-fold increase in such risk factors as: having dense breasts, a family history of breast cancer and having had hormone replacement therapy.
The authors acknowledge that false positives can cause needless procedures and increased anxiety, but they say false positives can be reduced by focusing on high-risk patients and using regular instead of digital mammogram's.
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Portrait of Katherine Parr, Queen of England (1512-1548)
English School, Late Sixteenth Century
“As the famous rhyme suggests, Katherine Parr’s record as the last of Henry VIII’s six wives was unique. She survived.”
Oil on panel
21¼ x 15¾ inches, 54 x 40 cm
Possibly William Bryant, sale at Edward Foster’s, London, 15th May 1823 as ‘Holbein’
Archibald Alexander Leslie Melville, 13th Earl of Leven and 12th Earl of Melville
by whom sold, Robinson and Fisher, 29th November 1934 lot 107, as ‘Holbein’
Anon sale Christies London 9th June 1944, Lot 14
1967 J Gold Coll.
Anon Sale Sothebys London 11th July 1983 (lot 37)
English Private Collection
Katherine Parr, by Susan E. James (London 1999) p 421 fig 30, as showing the Queen c. 1546;
Ian Tyers, Dendrochronoligical Survey, 2005;
Inscribed at top, Catharina Regina Uxor Henrici VIII
As the famous rhyme suggests, Katherine Parr’s record as the last of Henry VIII’s six wives was unique. She survived. Though Anne of Cleves, the sad ‘Flanders Mare’ unable to arouse England’s most insatiable monarch, lived on until 1557 it is only Katherine who was neither divorced, beheaded, or died. She was by any standards a remarkable woman: beautiful enough to marry the King of England, despite having neither royal nor court background; shrewd enough to remain his Queen, despite court plots and an attempt on her life; and courageous enough to sustain the Protestant cause, despite Henry’s latent sympathies for the Roman faith. She was Regent of England during Henry’s invasion of France in 1544. And with her publication of religious works such as Prayers or Meditations in 1545, she became not only the first English Queen to publish a work of prose, but the first woman to do so in the sixteenth century.
Katherine became Queen of England in July 1543. Henry was her third husband, but, on this occasion, not her first choice. She had instead fallen in love with the dashing courtier Thomas Seymour, and was understandably wary of Henry’s past form when it came to marital relations. Five wives had failed – what chance did a sixth have of success? Nonetheless, to turn down the King’s offer of marriage was unthinkable. Katherine, a deeply devout woman, determined that if she was to be Queen, she would be Queen with a purpose. That purpose was to further the cause of the Protestant Reformation.
In doing so Katherine, literally, risked her life. Never afraid to exercise her sharp mind, Katherine had become accustomed to discussing religion with Henry VIII. Though this was at first welcomed by the King, the conservative factions of court and church were terrified of any radical words whispered into the Royal ear - that after all was how Anne Boleyn had first led Henry towards Lutheranism. To conservatives like Bishop Gardiner and Chancellor Wriothesley the answer seemed obvious – Katherine should meet the same fate as Anne. At first, Henry, increasingly irascible from ulcerated legs, indicated that Katherine’s days were numbered. An arrest warrant was drawn up, and, amid rumours of ‘a new queen’, arrest could only have been followed by death. But Katherine succeeded in persuading Henry of her good faith and innocent naivety. “Is it even so, Sweetheart?”, said the King, “Then perfect friends we are now again…”[i] Thus did Tudor Royalty kiss and make up.
Katherine’s victory checked any conservative renaissance in the final years of the King’s reign. From now all eyes turned to the future (Protestant) reign of Edward VI. Here, Katherine appears to have been less successful, and for once followed her heart rather than her head. With ill-considered haste, she took Thomas Seymour as her lover within weeks of Henry’s death in 1547, and married him just months later. In doing so she lost any chance she may have had in exercising power during Edward’s minority. And yet, perhaps her final and most enduring success was yet to come, for in helping to restore the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth to the line of succession she had extended the Tudor dynasty by half a century. Katherine died after giving birth to a daughter in 1548.
The iconography of Katherine Parr is of particular interest. It is ironic that so few portraits of the Queen appear to survive, given that she was the foremost patron of portraiture in mid-Tudor England. There are several reasons why the Queen liked portraiture, not least because she evidently liked art. But perhaps the most intriguing reason may lie in Henry VIII’s habit (undoubtedly annoying to Catherine) of repeatedly portraying himself with Jane Seymour. Was Katherine’s jealousy manifested in art? Was her decision to commission the first full-length portraits of Elizabeth and Mary as Princesses, part of her desire to elevate them from illegitimate bastards to heirs of the English crown? Whatever the reasons, her legacy to the advancement of English portraiture cannot be doubted.
There are five recorded certainly known portraits of Katherine Parr that survive. The first is a miniature formerly in the collection of Horace Walpole (now at Sudeley Castle), which is probably by Lucas Hornebolt. The second and third, in the National Portrait Gallery, are a full-length (once erroneously called Lady Jane Grey) by Master John, and a half-length by an unknown artist. A fourth (Lambeth Palace) shows a young Katherine in the 1530s. And now the present example represents a fifth, and shows the Queen towards the end of her life.
And yet, Katherine’s own records show that she commissioned at least more than a dozen portraits of herself; “give me one of your small pictures”, her fourth husband Thomas Seymour wrote, “if ye have any left…”[ii] The contrast between Katherine’s commissions and those extant portraits gives a useful indication of how little survives from the sixteenth century – in this case less than a third. The Queen’s chamber accounts show that John Bettes the Elder painted up to seven miniatures – none survive – and nor apparently do any other miniatures by Hornebolt, aside from the possible Sudeley example.
Records also show that Katherine was painted by Hans Eworth, the Dutch artist considered the closest thing to Holbein’s heir[iii]. Such patronage was an indication of Katherine’s desire to support the new, for Eworth had only arrived in England c.1543. His earliest known work is dated 1549. The almost enamel-like flesh tones and bright colouring of the cheeks in this portrait, together with the distinctive modeling of the eyes, may suggest that the artist of this picture was influenced in some way by Eworth’s now lost original. The accomplished handling of the detail in Katherine’s out-turned collar, and the delicate portrayal of her hair, is also reminiscent of Eworth’s Mary Neville, Lady Dacre (National Gallery of Canada). That the jewelry Katherine wears in this portrait is similar to that recorded in her inventories, not to mention the intelligent depiction of Katherine’s slight physique, further suggests that it is based on a contemporary ad vivum example.


Margaret Woodrow Wilson, the daughter of President at the time Thomas Woodrow Wilson, singing the U.S. national anthem “Star Spangled Banner” in 1915. After her mother’s death in 1914 Margaret served as the First Lady of the United States until her father’s second marriage in 1915. She would go on to make several recordings around 1918. In 1938 she travelled to the ashram of Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry, India where she chose to stay for the rest of her life. She was later known in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram as ‘Nistha’ (Sanskrit for “sincerity”). In 1942, she and the scholar Joseph Campbell edited the English translation of the classical work on the Hindu mystic, Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Swami Nikhilananda, which was published in 1942. She was to die two years later, 6 years after entering the ashram, of a kidney infection aged 57. (Wikipedia)
The lyrics of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” come from “Defence of Fort McHenry”, a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships in Chesapeake Bay 200 years ago this year in the War of 1812. The image above shows the U.S. flag flying above Fort McHenry in 1914. (Wikipedia)
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Life in our towns in the Middle Ages is the main subject of our work. We want to look at it from all points of views, like: history, music, clothing food, law, traditions, markets, churches, building houses, medicine.....
- Subjects: Art, Cross Curricular, Design and Technology, Foreign Languages, Geography, History, Media Education, Music, Special Needs Education
- Languages: DE - EN
- Pupil's age: 7 - 16
- Tools to be used: Audio conference, Chat, e-mail, Forum, Other software (Powerpoint, video, pictures and drawings), Video conference, Web publishing
- Aims: The aim of this project is to get to know the history of the Middle Ages in the hometown, area,... read more
- Work process: Life, traditions, music, food, markets, clothes, building houses, churches, law, medicine in the Middle Ages in my town, area, country.
Each... read more
- Expected results: Historical competence about the Middle Ages beginning in the home town, area, country and learning about the same historical time... read more


Requests: If you need specific information on this remedy - e.g. a proving or a case info on toxicology or whatsoever, please post a message in the Request area www.homeovision.org/forum/ so that all users may contribute.
The opium poppy is indigenous to Asia Minor, and awareness of the euphoriant effect of some part of the poppy plant is implicit in the Sumerian records of 4000 BC. Clear accounts exist of its use in the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures. Paracelsus was aware of its usefulness and prepared the first tincture of opium, called laudanum, subsequently simplified by Sydenham.
Friedrich Sertürner (1783-1841) isolated morphine from opium and demonstrated for the first time that a single purified chemical substance could account for the pharmacological effects of a natural product. Sertürner, a reluctant apprentice to a pharmacist in Prussia, was disturbed by the variable potency of available opium preparations and set out to purify and standardize it. Working at a time when neither experimental pharmacology nor the chemistr of natural products were recognized fields of endeavor, Sertürner succeeded in isolating morphine from opium. Using a bioassay in dogs, he established that morphine, as he named the alkaline substance, was the somnifacient principle in opium. His early reports 1803 were either rejected by editors or ignored after publication. He eventually tested his purified preparation on himself and 3 friends, administering 3 doses of 30mg in 45 minutes and observing vomiting, flush, and near coma. This work was finally published in 1817 and attracted the interest of the influential French chemist Gay-Lussac. The work of Sertürner influenced Pelletier and Caventou, and in the same year other pure principles from plant sources were successfully isolated.
The addicting properties of opium have also been important in its history. In China, opium was used only in the treatment of dysentery until the mid-1700s. The English, Portuguese, and Dutch built up a large trade supplying opium to China, and addiction had become so much of a problem by the early 1800s, that the Chinese government acted to bar the importation of opium and reduce the amount of opium-smoking. These acts precipitated a 3-year war terminated by the treaty of Nanking 1842, which gave England Hong-Kong, opened 5 ports to English traders, and specifically authorized continued trade in opium.
The risk of addiction was probably underestimated in the West for some time thereafter. Opium and morphine were widely prescribed and easily available in many patent medicines. Misuse was common until about 1920, but the predominant pattern was one of oral use. Since the laws were changed at that time, the number of people involved has become comparatively small but the narcotic is injected.
Morphine and other naturally occurring narcotics are isolated from opium.
Opium is collected from only one variety of poppy, Papaver somniferum. A few days after the petals fall, the unripe, still succulent seed pod is lighthly incised. A day later the sticky brown gum that has collected is scraped from the surface of the pod. As much as 25% of this crude opium may be made up ofalkaloids. The content of morphine varies from 9 to 14% and is adjusted to 10% in the standardized preparations.
The legal production of opium is regulated by the United Nations. India, Turkey, and Russia are the largest producers of opium from which morphine and other alkaloids are isolated. Morphine is used as such, however, a larger amount is converted chemically into codeine, which occurs in opium in amounts insufficient to meet the needs of medicine.
The illegal production of opium is huge. The large amounts of opium still used in the Orient are produced mostly in Southeast Asia. For many years, the illegal heroin that reached the USA originated as opium in Turkey. Mexican opium is now the primary source of heroin, with smaller contributions from the Orient and Iran.


In my line of work, I get asked the question a lot “What exactly IS a gifted child?” There are a lot of misconceptions and misdiagnoses surrounding this issue. I like to refer to the following two lists that I’ve adapted from College Planning for Gifted Students: Choosing And Getting into the Right College by Sandra Berger, who articulates the myths and truths of this topic very well.
Some common myths about gifted children:
- They are all high achievers and super smart.
- They do not need help and are self-contained.
- They have fewer problems because they are superior to others mentally.
- The future of a gifted student is guaranteed to go well and they will succeed at anything they try.
- They are disciplined and self disciplined.
- They develop socially and emotionally at the same rate as their intellect.
- They are outcasts and loners.
- Their greatest asset is their smarts.
- The gifted student's family always champions and supports them completely.
- They need to be leaders for others and assume that position as part of their lives.
- They are naturally creative and do not need much instruction.
- They are well behaved and role models.
Some truths about gifted children:
- They are often perfectionists who see their academic achievements in direct correlation to their self-esteem.
- They can place unreal expectations on themselves to do well and feel personally responsible as failures if they don’t reach those expectations.
- Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels at any given time.
- Some of them are "mappers" (sequential learners), while others are "leapers" (spatial learners).
- They may always be steps ahead of their classmates and peers, causing them to grow bored within the school setting.
- They are problem solvers and sometimes have trouble being in the academic environment where curriculum is so structured and predictable.
- They often think abstractly, which oftentimes makes studying and test taking difficult for them even though they may know the material.
Dr. Dan Peters, Ph.D., is co-founder of the Summit Center (http://summitcenter.us/), which provides psychological and educational assessments and counseling for children and adolescents, specializing in the gifted, creative, and twice-exceptional.


Issued in Shanghai, February 28, 1972
President Richard Nixon of the United States of America visited the People's Republic of China at the invitation of Premier Chou En-lai of the People's Republic of China from February 21 to February 28, 1972. Accompanying the President were Mrs. Nixon, U.S. Secretary of State William Rogers, Assistant to the President Dr. Henry Kissinger, and other American officials.
President Nixon met with Chairman Mao Tsetung of the Communist Party of China on February 21. The two leaders had a serious and frank exchange of views on Sino-U.S. relations and world affairs.
During the visit, extensive, earnest and frank discussions were held between President Nixon and Premier Chou En-lai on the normalization of relations between the United States of America and the People's Republic of China, as well as on other matters of interest to both sides. In addition, Secretary of State William Rogers and Foreign Minister Chi Peng-fei held talks in the same spirit.
President Nixon and his party visited Peking and viewed cultural, industrial and agricultural sites, and they also toured Hangchow and Shanghai where, continuing discussions with Chinese leaders, they viewed similar places of interest.
The leaders of the People's Republic of China and the United States of America found it beneficial to have this opportunity, after so many years without contact, to present candidly to one another their views on a variety of issues. They reviewed the international situation in which important changes and great upheavals are taking place and expounded their respective positions and attitudes.
The Chinese side stated: Wherever there is oppression there is resistance. Countries want independence, nations want liberation and the people want revolution-this has become the irresistible trend of history. All nations, big or small, should be equal; big nations should not bully the small and strong nations should not bully the weak. China will never be a superpower and it opposes hegemony and power politics of any kind. The Chinese side stated that it firmly supports the struggles of all the oppressed people and nations for freedom and liberation and that the people of all countries have the right to choose their social systems according to their own wishes and the right to safeguard the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of their own countries and oppose foreign aggression, interference, control and subversion. All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries. The Chinese side expressed its firm support to the peoples of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia in their efforts for the attainment of their goal and its firm support to the seven-point proposal of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam and the elaboration of February this year on the two key problems in the proposal, and to the Joint Declaration of the Summit Conference of the Indochinese Peoples. It firmly supports the eight-point program for the peaceful unification of Korea put forward by the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on April 12, 1971, and the stand for the abolition of the "U.N. Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea". It firmly opposes the revival and outward expansion of Japanese militarism and firmly supports the Japanese people's desire to build an independent, democratic, peaceful and neutral Japan. It firmly maintains that India and Pakistan should, in accordance with the United Nations resolutions on the India-Pakistan question, immediately withdraw all their forces to their respective territories and to their own sides of the ceasefire line in Jammu and Kashmir and firmly supports the Pakistan Government and people in their struggle to preserve their independence and sovereignty and the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for the right of self-determination.
The U.S. side stated: Peace in Asia and peace in the world requires efforts both to reduce immediate tensions and to eliminate the basic causes of conflict. The United States will work for a just and secure peace; just, because it fulfills the aspirations of peoples and nations for freedom and progress; secure, because it removes the danger of foreign aggression. The United States supports individual freedom and social progress for all the peoples of the world, free of outside pressure or intervention. The United States believes that the effort to reduce tensions is served by improving communication between countries that have different ideologies so as to lessen the risks of confrontation through accident, miscalculation or misunderstanding. Countries should treat each other with mutual respect and be willing to compete peacefully, letting performance be the ultimate judge. No country should claim infallibility and each country should be prepared to reexamine its own attitudes for the common good. The United States stressed that the peoples of Indochina should be allowed to determine their destiny without outside intervention; its constant primary objective has been a negotiated solution; the eight-point proposal put forward by the Republic of Viet Nam and the United States on January 27, 1972 represents a basis for the attainment of that objective; in the absence of a negotiated settlement, the United States envisages the ultimate withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the region consistent with the aim of self-determination for each country of Indochina. The United States will maintain its close ties with and support for the Republic of Korea; the United States will support efforts of the Republic of Korea to seek a relaxation of tension and increased communication in the Korean peninsula. The United States places the highest value on its friendly relations with Japan; it will continue to develop the existing close bonds. Consistent with the United Nations Security Council Resolution of December 21, 1971, the United States favors the continuation of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the withdrawal of all military forces to within their own territories and to their own sides of the ceasefire line in Jammu and Kashmir; the United States supports the right of the peoples of South Asia to shape their own future in peace, free of military threat, and without having the area become the subject of great power rivalry.
There are essential differences between China and the United States in their social systems and foreign policies. However, the two sides agreed that countries, regardless of their social systems, should conduct their relations on the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, non-aggression against other states, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. International disputes should be settled on this basis, without resorting to the use or threat of force. The United States and the People's Republic of China are prepared to apply these principles to their mutual relations.
With these principles of international relations in mind the two sides stated that:
--progress toward the normalization of relations between China and the United States is in the interests of all countries;
--both wish to reduce the danger of international military conflict;
--neither should seek hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region and each is opposed to efforts by any other country or group of countries to establish such hegemony; and
--neither is prepared to negotiate on behalf of any third party or to enter into agreements or understandings with the other directed at other states.
Both sides are of the view that it would be against the interests of the peoples of the world for any major country to collude with another against other countries, or for major countries to divide up the world into spheres of interest.
The two sides reviewed the long-standing serious disputes between China and the United States. The Chinese side reaffirmed its position: The Taiwan question is the crucial question obstructing the normalization of relations between China and the United States; the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China; Taiwan is a province of China which has long been returned to the motherland; the liberation of Taiwan is China's internal affair in which no other country has the right to interfere; and all U.S. forces and military installations must be withdrawn from Taiwan. The Chinese Government firmly opposes any activities which aim at the creation of "one China, one Taiwan" "one China two governments", "two Chinas", an "independent Taiwan" or advocate that "the status of Taiwan remains to be determined".
The U.S. side declared: The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all U.S. forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes.
The two sides agreed that it is desirable to broaden the understanding between the two peoples. To this end, they discussed specific areas in such fields as science, technology, culture, sports and journalism, in which people-to-people contacts and exchanges would be mutually beneficial. Each side undertakes to facilitate the further development of such contacts and exchanges.
Both sides view bilateral trade as another area from which mutual benefit can be derived, and agreed that economic relations based on equality and mutual benefit are in the interest of the peoples of the two countries. They agree to facilitate the progressive development of trade between their two countries.
The two sides agreed that they will stay in contact through various channels, including the sending of a senior U.S. representative to Peking from time to time for concrete consultations to further the normalization of relations between the two countries and continue to exchange views on issues of common interest.
The two sides expressed the hope that the gains achieved during this visit would open up new prospects for the relations between the two countries. They believe that the normalization of relations between the two countries is not only in the interest of the Chinese and American peoples but also contributes to the relaxation of tension in Asia and the world.
President Nixon, Mrs. Nixon and the American party expressed their appreciation for the gracious hospitality shown them by the Government and people of the People's Republic of China.


const void * memchr ( const void * ptr, int value, size_t num );
void * memchr ( void * ptr, int value, size_t num );
Locate character in block of memory
Searches within the first num bytes of the block of memory pointed by ptr for the first occurrence of value (interpreted as an unsigned char), and returns a pointer to it.
Both value and each of the bytes checked on the the ptr array are interpreted as unsigned char for the comparison.
- Pointer to the block of memory where the search is performed.
- Value to be located. The value is passed as an int, but the function performs a byte per byte search using the unsigned char conversion of this value.
- Number of bytes to be analyzed.
sizet is an unsigned integral type.
A pointer to the first occurrence of value in the block of memory pointed by ptr.
If the value is not found, the function returns a null pointer.
In C, this function is only declared as:
void * memchr ( const void *, int, size_t );
instead of the two overloaded versions provided in C++.
/* memchr example */
int main ()
char * pch;
char str = "Example string";
pch = (char*) memchr (str, 'p', strlen(str));
printf ("'p' found at position %d.\n", pch-str+1);
printf ("'p' not found.\n");
- Compare two blocks of memory (function
- Locate first occurrence of character in string (function
- Locate last occurrence of character in string (function


The aim of the project - which is in the style of a Wikipedia - is to make the large volume of information that exists on children's rights more accessible, to highlight persistent violations and inspire collective action. Much of the information in the new Wiki is already available on the CRIN website but might not be easily retrieveable.
See the Wiki here: http://wiki.crin.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
We are launching the Wiki with an initial batch of 41 country pages, with more to follow. They are:
Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, Grenada, Guatemala, Japan, Lao, PDR, Macedonia, former Yugoslav Republic of, Mongolia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Serbia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Yemen
The Wiki is a web-based, multi-lingual and interactive project - this means we need your input to ensure the pages are kept up to date. Find out how to contribute below.
Please note that this project is still being tested, if you have comments or suggestions, please email them to email@example.com.
Why are we doing this?
The purpose of making all information about children's rights available in one place is to build a clearer picture of some of the repeated violations of children's rights in a given country. The eventual goal will be to try to match these violations with possible avenues of redress.
We have found that few children's rights advocates are aware of or make use of the full range of opportunities within the UN and regional human rights mechanisms to pursue children's rights advocacy. Yet many of the bodies which are not specifically child rights-focused, such as the UN Special Procedures and the Universal Periodic Review, also issue recommendations on children's rights. The Wiki therefore brings together all recommendations and decisions on children's rights made by these bodies, including courts, to make it easy for advocates to make the most of all available options.
What is in the Wiki?
Each country has its own homepage with the following sections:
In addition, the Wiki contains state-by-state information on ratifications of international human rights treaties, communications/ complaints mechanisms and inquiry procedures.
On the Wiki, read:
Our eventual aim is to make all information about children's rights available in English as well as the official language of the country concerned. Parts of the Wiki which exist in other languages are currently linked to from the English version. If you are planning to translate any sections of the Wiki into your language or are available to volunteer your time to help with this, please contact CRIN at firstname.lastname@example.org


About How to Draw Elephant:
Learning how to draw an elephant is fun, but it can also help kids develop many important skills. These skills, eye-hand coordination, color concepts, picture and number comprehension, form the foundation for early learning success. Enjoy this free, printable how to draw an elephant page!
Use of our How to Draw Elephant page:
Our how to draw an elephant may be used only for your personal, non-commercial use. Parents, teachers, churches and recognized nonprofit organizations may print or copy multiple how to draw an elephant pages for use at home or in the classroom.


UK hydrogen cars are coming - if you can fill up
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's hydrogen fuel cell car fleet may hit top gear within five years, but only if there is enough investment in filling stations, the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Association (UK HFCA) told Reuters on Friday.
Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity, with heat and water being the only by-products, with a number of car makers including Toyota, Ford, and Hyundai, pushing to commercialize the low-carbon hybrid fuel cell vehicle by 2015.
"Somewhere around 2015 to 2017 we'll be over threshold and I think we'll see a larger and growing fleet," HFC chairman Dennis Hayter said.
"It's all aligned with the rollout of the infrastructure. In order to get to a semi-ubiquitous availability of hydrogen, then yes, you're talking may billions of pounds, but it doesn't have to come at once."
Hayter said fuel cell cars only take minutes to refill with a range of around 250 miles range. Plug-in electric vehicles take hours to recharge with a range of around 100 miles.
Existing petrol filling stations could be converted, with hydrogen companies possibly leasing some of the pumps, while current hydrogen production capacity is seen as adequate for the next decade.
"You may find there's a deal to be made between the hydrogen gas and petroleum companies. Things are happening in the background and gradually a network is starting to appear," Hayter said.
"At present, the majority of hydrogen is derived from reforming of natural gas for industrial purposes such as refining and in chemicals.
"The quantities currently used and likely to be needed for transport in the next five to 10 years would still be minimal alongside hydrogen consumed for industrial use."
For the long term estimates of hydrogen costs, Hayter believes it will be competitive with petrol, or cheaper. Using U.S. hydrogen prices of $8 a kilogram, it would cost around $32 to fill up fuel cell car with a 250 mile range, he said.
"It's not comparing apples with apples, but if they're the long term costs, then it could be significantly cheaper but it depends on the fuel duty," Hayter added.
The UK HFCA is calling for hydrogen not to be taxed as a transport fuel, as petrol is, to help incentivize uptake.
Britain has around 30 hydrogen fuel vehicles, mostly buses and taxi in London, with two filling stations in the city and another four expected by 2012, the UK HFCA said.
Seen as a way to decarbonise the transport sector, Britain's former Labour government planned to subsidise low-carbon vehicle purchases from 2011, with a grant worth up to 5,000 pounds ($7,584).
(Editing by William Hardy)
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Acidosis is a condition in which there is excessive acid in the body fluids. It is the opposite of alkalosis (a condition in which there is excessive base in the body fluids).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The kidneys and lungs maintain the balance (proper pH level) of chemicals called acids and bases in the body. Acidosis occurs when acid builds up or when bicarbonate (a base) is lost. Acidosis is classified as either respiratory acidosis or metabolic acidosis .
Respiratory acidosis develops when there is too much carbon dioxide (an acid) in the body. This type of acidosis is usually caused by a decreased ability to remove carbon dioxide from the body through effective breathing. Other names for respiratory acidosis are hypercapnic acidosis and carbon dioxide acidosis. Causes of respiratory acidosis include:
- Chest deformities, such as kyphosis
- Chest injuries
- Chest muscle weakness
- Chronic lung disease
- Overuse of sedative drugs
Metabolic acidosis develops when too much acid is produced or when the kidneys cannot remove enough acid from the body. There are several types of metabolic acidosis:
Diabetic acidosis (also called diabetic ketoacidosis and DKA) develops when substances called ketone bodies (which are acidic) build up during uncontrolled diabetes .
- Hyperchloremic acidosis results from excessive loss of sodium bicarbonate from the body, as can happen with severe diarrhea.
Lactic acidosis is a buildup of lactic acid . This can be caused by:
- Exercising vigorously for a very long time
- Liver failure
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Medications such as salicylates
- Prolonged lack of oxygen from shock, heart failure, or severe anemia
Other causes of metabolic acidosis include:
Signs and tests:
- Arterial or venous blood gas analysis
- Serum electrolytes
- Urine pH
An arterial blood gas analysis or serum electrolytes test, such as a basic metabolic panel, will confirm that acidosis is present and indicate whether it is metabolic acidosis or respiratory acidosis. Other tests may be needed to determine the cause of the acidosis.
Treatment depends on the cause. See the specific types of acidosis.
Acidosis can be dangerous if untreated. Many cases respond well to treatment.
See the specific types of acidosis.
Calling your health care provider:
Although there are several types of acidosis, all will cause symptoms that require treatment by your health care provider.
Prevention depends on the cause of the acidosis. Normally, people with healthy kidneys and lungs do not experience significant acidosis.
Seifter JL. Acid-base disorders. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 119.
|Review Date: 11/15/2009|
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-
A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.


[Sex. Syst.—Monoecia, Polyandria.
Gen. Char—See ante, p. 318.
Sp. Char.—Leaves obovate, oblong; obliquely divided into obtuse lobes; segments, oblong entire; cup hemispherical, tuberculated; acorn ovoid, oblong; fruit in pairs.
This tree is less elevated than the Q. tinctoria. It forms, however, a larger and more regularly-expanded head, with numerous horizontal branches. The trunk and branches have a whitish hue, hence the name White Oak. The leaves are of a silvery appearance, with a hoary under surface. The young leaves are covered with a fine silky down.
The bark is rough externally, of a light colour; the effete epidermis being arranged in flat layers On drying, the internal layer becomes brown. It breaks with a stringy fracture. The odour is decided and tan-like; taste astringent and bitter. This bark is used in tanning. For medicinal purposes it is preferred to the black oak.
DECOCTUM QUERCUS ALBAE, U. S.; Decoction of White Oak Bark.—(Take of White Oak Bark, bruised, an ounce: Water a pint and a half. Boil down to a pint and strain.)—Used as the Decoctum Quercus, p. 320.]
The Elements of Materia Medica and Therapeutics, Vol. II, 3th American ed., was written by Jonathan Pereira in 1853.


|NEWSRoom | Source: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center|
Older Adults May Need More Vitamin D to Prevent Mobility Difficulties
Older adults who don’t get enough vitamin D—either from diet, supplements or sun exposure—may be at increased risk of developing mobility limitations and disability, according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
“This is one of the first studies to look at the association of vitamin D and the onset of new mobility limitations or disability in older adults,” said lead author Denise Houston, PhD, RD, a nutrition epidemiologist in the Wake Forest Baptist Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Houston researches vitamin D and its effects on physical function.
The study, published online in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, analyzed the association between vitamin D and onset of mobility limitation and disability over six years of follow-up using data from the National Institute on Aging’s Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. Mobility limitation and disability are defined as any difficulty or inability to walk several blocks or climb a flight of stairs, respectively.
Of the 3,075 community-dwelling black and white men and women aged 70-79 who were enrolled, data from 2,099 participants was used for this study. Eligible participants reported no difficulty walking one-fourth mile, climbing 10 steps, or performing basic, daily living activities, and were free of life-threatening illness. Vitamin D levels were measured in the blood at the beginning of the study. Occurrence of mobility limitation and disability during follow-up was assessed during annual clinic visits alternating with telephone interviews every six months over six years.
“We observed about a 30% increased risk of mobility limitations for those older adults who had low levels of vitamin D, and almost a two-fold higher risk of mobility disability,” Houston said.
Houston said vitamin D plays an important role in muscle function, so it is plausible that low levels of the vitamin could result in the onset of decreased lower muscle strength and physical performance. Vitamin D may also indirectly affect physical function as low vitamin D levels have also been associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and lung disease—conditions that are frequent causes of decline in physical function. Houston said people get vitamin D when it is naturally produced in the skin by sun exposure, by eating foods with vitamin D, such as fortified milk, juice and cereals, and by taking vitamin D supplements.
“About one-third of older adults have low vitamin D levels,” she said. “It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D through diet alone and older adults, who may not spend much time outdoors, may need to take a vitamin D supplement.”
Current recommendations call for people over age 70 to get 800 International Units of vitamin D daily in their diet or supplements. Houston pointed out that current dietary recommendations are based solely on vitamin D’s effects on bone health.
“Higher amounts of vitamin D may be needed for the preservation of muscle strength and physical function as well as other health conditions,” she said. “However, clinical trials are needed to determine whether increasing vitamin D levels through diet or supplements has an effect on physical function.”
This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging; National Institute on Aging contracts N01-AG-6-2101, N01-AG-6-2103, and No1-AG-6-2106; National Institute on Aging grants R01 AG028050, R01 AG029364 and K01 AG030506 (to DKH); National Institute of Nursing Research grant R01 NR012459; and the Wake Forest University Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (P30 AG021332).
Co-authors include: Janet A. Tooze, PhD, Gary G. Schwartz, PhD, Jeff D. Williamson, MD, Stephen B Kritchevsky, PhD, Rebecca H. Neiberg, PhD and M. Kyla Shea, PhD, all of Wake Forest Baptist; Dorothy B. Hausman, PhD, and Mary Ann Johnson, PhD, University of Georgia, Athens; Jane A. Cauley, PhD, University of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Doug C. Bauer, MD, University of California, San Francisco; and Tamara B. Harris, MD, National Institute on Aging.
|Short Link: http://www.news-line.com/?s212392|
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The National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall opened in September 2004. Fifteen years in the making, it is the first national museum in the country dedicated exclusively to Native Americans. The five-story, 250,000-square-foot, curvilinear building is clad in a golden-colored Kasota limestone that is designed to evoke natural rock formations that have been shaped by wind and water over thousands of years. The museum is set in a 4.25-acre site and is surrounded by simulated wetlands. The museum's east-facing entrance, its prism window and its 120-foot-high space for contemporary Native performances are direct results of extensive consultations with Native peoples. The museum's architect and project designer is the Canadian Douglas Cardinal (Blackfoot); its design architects are GBQC Architects of Philadelphia and architect Johnpaul Jones (Cherokee/Choctaw). Disagreements during construction led to Cardinal being removed from the project, but the building retains his original design intent, and his continued input enabled its completion. The museum's project architects are Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects Ltd. of Seattle and SmithGroup of Washington, D.C., in association with Lou Weller (Caddo), the Native American Design Collaborative, and Polshek Partnership Architects of New York City; Ramona Sakiestewa (Hopi) and Donna House (Navajo/Oneida) also served as design consultants. The landscape architects are Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects Ltd. of Seattle and EDAW Inc., of Alexandria, Virginia.


The doctrine of purgatory is revealed through certain scriptural texts which speak of a burning fire – cf. 1 Cor 3:15, 1 Pet 1:7. Though there are certainly other passages of the Bible which can be drawn upon (e.g. Job praying for his dead children, the Judas Maccabeus praying for the dead), the Tradition of the Church has principally relied upon the passages referring to fire – this is especially noticeable in the declarations of Florence and Trent.
Hence, we come to a very important question: If the Church discovered the doctrine of purgatory through meditating upon the scriptural images of a purifying fire, ought we to hold that there is material fire in purgatory? With the help of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the great Thomistic theologian Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, we may succeed in shedding some light upon this question.
Not a clear teaching of the Church
That there is fire in purgatory is not a clear teaching of the Church – Garrigou-Lagrange considers it a sententia probabilissima (the most probable doctrine), but not a defined teaching of the Church. He notes that the Council of Florence did not condemn the Greek schismatics who denied the existence of fire in purgatory, though it does favor the common Latin opinion affirming the presence of material fire there.
On the other hand, it is important to mention that the Church has not rejected the possibility of material fire in purgatory. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1030-1032) refers to the fire and flames of purgatory twice, never indicating that these flames are metaphorical. Thus, the Church seems to feel bound to at least allow for the possibility of a strictly literal interpretation of the purifying fire and uses the language of fire and of flames without any hint that this is meant metaphorically.
How can a disembodied soul suffer from material flames?
Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, following St. Thomas Aquinas, affirms that it is possible for spiritual beings to “suffer” from material flames – this is called the pain of sense. It is a clear doctrine of the Church that the souls in purgatory undergo the pain of sense, at least spiritually – even if there are no physical flames in purgatory, the souls there suffer in their spiritual senses. The chief pain of purgatory is the delay of the beatific vision, but in addition to this there also the pain of sense.
A disembodied soul cannot suffer from material flames in the same way a body or even an embodied soul can suffer from them. The separated spirit suffers insofar as it is bound to the material flames and hindered from acting as it would and where it would. There is a certain humiliation inflicted upon the soul since it is made to depend upon a material creature (i.e. the fire). A loose analogy is seen in a paralyzed person who cannot act as they would.
Are there material flames in purgatory?
Here we will cite the words of the venerable father Garrigou-Lagrange: “After long discussions and wide historical researches on this particular point, it seems wise to conclude with St. Robert Bellarmine and Suarez as follows, ‘Although the existence of fire in purgatory is less certain than that of fire in hell, the doctrine which admits a real fire in purgatory must be classified as a sentential probabilissima. Hence the contrary opinion is improbable.’
“This view rests on seven reasons: first, the consent of scholastic theologians. Second, the authority of St. Gregory the Great (Dial. 4, 39). Third, the authority of St. Augustine. Forth, the concordant testimonies of St. Cyprian, St. Basil, St. Caesarius, of the liturgy, which begs refreshment of these souls. Fifth, the unanimous decision of the Latin fathers at the Council of Florence. Sixth, the very probable foundation found in 1 Corinthians 3:15. Seventh, particular revelations, for example those of St. Catherine of Ricci. She suffered forty days to deliver a soul from purgatory. A novice, touching her hand, said, ‘But, my mother, you are burning.’ ‘Yes, my daughter,’ she replied, ‘this fire is not seen, but it consumes like a burning fever.’” (from Life Everlasting)
Throughout the next couple of weeks, I will post on several additional questions regarding the nature of purgatory. Let us all pray for the Poor Souls during the next month!


January 10th, 2004 01:15 AM
Yeah, arbitrary precision is very confusing. I've tried to make my own like that with huge string allocations (acturally char arrays) and compare numbers one by one. I don't know what happened to it, but I probably never completed it anyways.
And that recursive function looks really....recursive. I don't see any code to exit out of the loop, IE it will continue to call it self over and over until the program finally kills the heap/stack or something. I don't quite know what it is...
Also, even if it wasn't a static, it would still always be zero (if you managed to get an answer out of it since it loops forever). Why? Since there is no checking to see if X is less than or equal to 1. Without that it would multiply it by 0 when x = 0, and thus the answers would be cleared.
Well the only reason I can acturally comment on it is because I have my C book here with an example of a recursive function to calculate factorials... heh. Sadly I don't think I'm *allowed* to post the code up. Sorry.
The next best thing - Using Linked Lists of Integers to store the factorial of 1000... http://www.codeguru.com/algorithms/factorial.shtml I don't happen to think that the code there is easily understandable though...
January 10th, 2004 01:32 AM
Tim_axe, sorry to be pedantic, but if you look at his code, x would never be zero, that wasn't the issue. The fact is that it is pointless even having the x if you set total to 0 at the start because total will never increase, and that's even if you ignore that there is no way to exit the recursion.
Also, because total is a local variable and you are not sending it as an argument, total would have died at the beginning of each recursion in any case. A slightly more functional function, if still not very good would be:
Please note that even that code is completely useless :P I just felt like correcting the other code (too tired to check who it was that posted it, and I can't see just now anyway :P)
void genFactorial(int x, int t)
int total = t; // you probably wouldn't even need total now
void main(void) // yes, I know it isn't totally correct
Oh god that makes me look sad.
 Tim_axe, I'm sorry. I realise what you are saying now (couldn't really see it properly, my contact lenses are fscked atm). I left what I said in incase someone already had seen it so that you know I was apologising [/edit]
January 10th, 2004 04:07 AM
Don't worry about it gothic_type, I can see where I sort of rambled on in my post and just messed up what I was trying to point out.
I'll work off of your code since it has the basic framework and I want to save typing...
*Opens up DevC++*
*Finds C Programming Book*
*Returns to Open Window*
Okay, this following code compiles, and works fine for me. If not, please debug it yourself. :P Also, don't give it an integer bigger than 14. It will crash or mess up something (Integer Overflow). Same goes for letters, and decimal numbers. Integers only...
Enjoy. Also, it won't do your 100 or whatnot. Only up to 14... Check the link in my previous post to find code for bigger numbers. I haven't tried it myself...
using namespace std;
unsigned int genFactorial(unsigned int x);
cout<<"Blah. Give me an Integer or I'll crash: ";
cout<<"\nI think that is: "<<genFactorial(fact)<<endl;
cout<<"If that's wrong, it's 42!"<<endl;
unsigned int genFactorial(unsigned int x)
x *= genFactorial(x-1);
January 10th, 2004 08:33 AM
Tim_axe, nice prog; appears to work correctly (despite the fact that I attempted to get gcc to compile it to begin with which made it unhappy )
Now all we need to do is edit the program so that it can do 100, but still using integers :P.
BTW -- Tim_axe, I think we must be the only people sad enough to have kept on posting to this topic...I think everyone else bailed :P
January 12th, 2004 07:27 PM
well you guys are using recursion, which isnt going to be good when you are computing 100 because you will run out of space in RAM.
Support your right to arm bears.
^^This was the first video game which i played on an old win3.1 box
January 12th, 2004 10:26 PM
White_Eskimo, the only reason I (and I think Tim_axe as well) was using recursion was because Striek had suggested it. His code was really messed up, so I was trying to "fix" it while also attempting to point out the multiplying by zero error.
Anyhow. Since no-one else really suggested/posted another method, at least it's something. :P
January 13th, 2004 12:31 AM
Well I guess we could continue it... Anyone else want to help out?
So we can scrap the recursion idea because the program would eventually run out of heap/stack or something on really big numbers... But as to how will we use integers to store numbers that are over 32bits long... We might have to borrow from the code @ http://www.codeguru.com/algorithms/factorial.shtml by somehow adopting use of linked lists of integers. Although the code there already uses it to compute factorials...
So, I guess it would be like this (insert really bad program outline here):
Use types in number, ie 60.
Allocate 59/60/61 integers (array), put numbers 60 to 1 in them. (we will somehow multiply them later on, which is what factorials do)
Then we can allocate some more integers, say 1000 to be safe for now, and set each element to 0. This will hold our output, with each integer holding a single digit. 1000 here would mean we can store a 1000 digit answer for a factorial. My guess is that is the factorial of 150 or so?
We then multiply the last two integers from the first array, ie with values 60 and 59.
Store this result, ie 3540, in a temporary integer. We then seperate it into thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones, etc., and put it into the answer in those respective places in the answer array.
This gets messy. We seperate the next integer into ones and tens, and then somehow multiply the answer array and this next integer, ie 58, and deal with carrying over numbers to keep a single digit to the answer. Move that into the answer, and repeat that process. The link does that somewhere, but with linked lists instead of arrays of integers.
This technique could work well up until getting the factorial of about 65537, since 65537 * 65536 is a number over 32bits, the largest we could hold in an unsigned integer / long value on a normal 32bit PC... (first multiplacation step)
It is sort of reinventing the wheel I guess since there is already code to do it. I could probably work on it when I'm not studying for finals this week. Hopefully we can figure this one out, lol.
January 13th, 2004 04:55 PM
Wow. I looked at that "algorithm"...I couldn't even have begun to think about coding that (mainly because I've never learned about linked lists and I don't know as much as I should about c++).
January 14th, 2004 03:38 AM
I tried to come up with my own code and it is useless. I can't get it to carry numbers over right and multiply them together the way I need to. It ended up using only the first unsigned long in the array of about 1000 of them.
Anyways, I read through the comments of that tutorial, and came across this one. Man the person (Krishna Kumar Khatri) is good... Saves me from ripping out anymore of hair trying to get my own version to work.
January 14th, 2004 03:47 PM
lol. That code's still too confusing for me to understand without reading it over a couple of times :P.
If you could somehow devise a way to multiply parts 1 to n in an array to output them without having to store them in a variable, then I've got a program that solves this problem. But I guess that was the whole problem in the first place :P
Anyhow. I'm just annoyed that I couldn't think up a solution myself


a programme established by the US government in 1947 to give economic help to Europe after World War II. It was named after George C. Marshall, who was the US Secretary of State. Thousands of millions of dollars were provided for rebuilding cities, roads, industries etc
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A/Prof. Dirk Van Helden
|Work Phone||(02) 4921 5623|
|Fax||(02) 4921 7406|
Principal Research Fellow
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
The University of Newcastle, Australia
|Office||MS405, Medical Sciences|
Investigations are being made on cellular rhythms including those in lymphatics, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, heart and specific mood-associated brain nuclei. We have discovered a new mechanism that it is driven by intracellular Ca2+ stores that allow groups of cells to self pace and hence become rhythmic. We are now exploring the relevance of this mechanism in a range of tissues. We are also interested in specific proteins involved in the pacemaker mechanism including inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors, ryanodine receptors, store operated calcium channels and TRP family proteins. These studies may influence future therapies to control lymphedema, digestive disorders, heart arrhythmias and brain mood states.
We also have a recent patent relating to use of a topical ointment as a first aid treatment against snakebite. This was a surprising outcome that arose from studies investigating whether snake venoms enhance lymphatic pumping and hence accelerate their own delivery. Our preliminary trials indicate topical application of the ointment slows lymphatic transport by some 350% with no obvious adverse effects. The cream will be of particular use for bites to the torso where pressure bandaging is ineffective. It may also be useful as a first aid treatment against bites from other venomous creatures.
- PhD, University of New South Wales
- Bachelor of Engineering, University of New South Wales
- Cellular physiologist
- gastrointestinal physiology
- heart pacemaking
- smooth muscle
Lymphatic and gastric pacemaking: Pacemaking in the lymphatic and gastric systems are the basis for our discovery of store pacemaking and calcium phase waves. We are now unravelling the finer details of these mechanisms. Importantly, as for all good research, there can often be unexpected yet important serendipitous outcomes. One in case is that this work has led to development of a first aid treatment against bites from venomous animals whose venoms transit the lymphatic system and we have a patent application on this finding under review.
Heart pacemaking: Traditionally, this has been considered to operate through a clock in the cell surface membrane of pacemaker cells. However, recent evidence from our pilot and modelling studies and from the work of others indicates a significant role of calcium stores. This introduces the possibility that the heart pacemaker model is only part of the story and that pacemaking involves an intracellular clock (i.e. store pacemaking). We are investigating this hypothesis, which if upheld will change the text book model for heart pacemaking and help change present understanding of specific heart disorders and their treatment.
(National Health and Medical Research Program Grant -NHMRC PG Cardiac Pacemaking, 2007-2009).
Brain rhythms: Brain rhythms function in most areas of the brain and while fundamental to life and our psyche remain poorly understood. We are testing the hypothesis that specific rhythms in the Locus Coeruleus, a brain stem nucleus known to be associated with mood states, are generated by store pacemaking. Evidence that the rhythms are generated by store pacemaking could provide a new framework for interpreting drug action in the treatment of mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder, as all three main drug classes used in its treatment have the common mode action of inhibiting calcium stores.
(Australian Research Council Discovery Program Grant Investigation of a Brain Rhythm 2005-2007).
Uterine pacemaking: Astonishingly, there is still no clear understanding of the pacemaker mechanism that initiates and times uterine contractions. Pilot studies we have undertaken suggest this to be mediated by store pacemaking. Proof for this hypothesis would herald a mechanistic description for uterine contractions and may provide new insight into associated dysfunctions such as premature birth.
(NHMRC PG Rhythmicity and synchronicity in uterine smooth muscle, 2007-2009).
Fields of Research
|020599||Optical Physics Not Elsewhere Classified||50|
|110399||Clinical Sciences Not Elsewhere Classified||30|
|111699||Medical Physiology Not Elsewhere Classified||20|
Centres and Groups
Body relevant to professional practice.
- Faculty member - Cardiovascular Physiology/Circulation of 'Faculty of 1000 Biology'
- member of council - Australian Physiological society
- Chair, Research Committee - HMRI Cardiovascular Group
- Member of Editorial Board 2001-2005 - the British Journal of Pharmacology
- Member - The British Journal of Pharmacology
- member - Australian Physiological Society
|01/01/2001 - 01/12/2011|
NHMRC Senior Research Fellow
University of Newcastle (Australia)
|01/01/1990 - 01/12/2000|
Senior Brawn Fellowship
University of Newcastle (Australia)
Hunter Medical Research Institute (Australia)
2004 Hunter Medical Research Institute Sparke Helmore/ NBN Award for Research Excellence from a field of ~350 scientists in the University and Area Health Sectors
Gordon conference, United Kingdom (Conference Presentation - non published.)
Department of physiology
University of Western Australia, Australia (External Reviewer - Departments.)
Research policy (e.g. Archetect of the Brawn Fellowship Scheme at the University of Newcastle)
Honours and Postgraduate students
- Cellular Physiology