Make Language Learning Child’s Play

Make Language Learning Child’s Play

By Japanese Gabby

“Children are like sponges.” We’ve all heard it before. It’s more than a cliche at this point. Whether it be learning their mother tongue or learning what not to touch in the kitchen, kids seem to have a special ability that enables them to cut the proverbial line of hardship and frustration that anyone who has tried to learn a language is all too familiar with. But what is it about kids that makes them so good at picking up their language? Are they really better than us?

Well, the short answer is, no. They’re not. But the methods they use for picking up a new language aren’t the same as adults’. Ever seen an infant trying to memorize animal names with flashcards? There’s a reason you haven’t.

The good news is a lot of these “techniques” are learnable strategies that can be implemented into your own language-learning adventure, placing you on a fast-track to fluency.

They’re not afraid of making mistakes.

Kids don’t get down on themselves if they say the wrong word or if they’re misunderstood. They learn from the experience and move on. That’s one of the major differences we see between child and adult learners–the older we get, the more we worry about perfection and how what we say is heard by others. Of course, this isn’t always a bad thing, but when it comes to making important progress in your language learning, especially when just starting out, it will only serve as a barrier. So stop worrying, grab a notebook, and make as many mistakes as possible–just try not to make the same one twice!

They start speaking from the get-go.

Children don’t waste time studying grammar rules and spelling when they’re learning their mother tongue–all of that comes later. Right off the bat, they’re making sounds, trying their best to mimic all of the chatter they come into contact with on a daily basis. And as soon as they start to see that what they’re saying is being received and understood by the people around them, it becomes almost impossible to shut them up. Now we’re not telling you to throw out your grammar book–you’ll need that, too. But the natural urge to study first and speak second is going the way of the paper dictionary. So quit waiting and start speaking! You might surprise yourself.

They don’t learn hand-picked words from a textbook.

Kids have the advantage of getting to hear real language spoken by native speakers in a variety of contexts. They’re constantly bombarded with language about everything around them: people, animals, toys, TV shows, music, buildings, vehicles, etc. To put it simply, kids are immersed in their target language. Everything they do is in their target language. Their feelings, their schoolwork, their interests. One of the best ways for adults to adapt this to their own studies is to find a hobby and learn about it in their target language. If you love watching soccer, catch up on the latest news in Spanish. If your dream is to travel to Tokyo, check out a travel blog written in Japanese by a local. YouTube is a great place to find videos about any topic in any language–you’ll find both educational and entertaining videos made for language learners as well as for actual speakers of the language. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

They don’t learn grammar, they learn patterns.

 By mimicking those around them, and focusing more on what to say as opposed to why it’s said, children quickly become adept at picking up on language patterns. And since grammar is the systematic organization of a language’s patterns, when it comes time to communicate an idea that they haven’t heard used before, kids draw on the patterns in their mental database to think of how to express it. The process is entirely unconscious for kids since they navigate a demanding environment daily in their target language. So unless we have a similar, immersive environment to push us, most adults will need to take a more conscious approach. That means being aware of what sentences you encounter along with your studies. When you hear something new that catches your ear, write it down and make a point to use it again in a slightly modified way. Change the object, say it in the past tense, anything you can do to change it will help you start to cement the pattern in your brain. A daily journal is a perfect way to do this.

The process of picking up a new language is anything but glamorous–your journey is certain to be one full of bumps, hiccups, misunderstandings, and (hopefully only mild) embarrassments. But by taking a more proactive approach, learning from the little geniuses around you, and creating as many opportunities to practice as possible, you’ll find yourself on the path to polyglotism in no time! Just don’t forget to enjoy the ride–after all, that’s what being a kid’s all about.


• Kyodo

An ecumenical group of religious leaders from Hiroshima and Nagasaki met with Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday during a visit to Vatican City to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings.

The meeting with the 30-member group took place during one of the pope’s audiences Wednesday with the general public.

Ten years ago, during the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombings, religious representatives from the two cities paid a visit to the late Pope John Paul II.

Representing the group, Mitsuaki Takami, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nagasaki, told the pope that the religious leaders, regardless of their affiliations, have been praying together for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

After being presented with letters from the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the pope said he was happy to meet with people who promote interfaith dialogue.

The group consists of 25 people from Nagasaki, including Chitoshi Noshita, a Catholic priest, and five others from a religious federation in Hiroshima Prefecture, including Gene Nakagawa, a monk from the Buddhist Jodo Shinshu sect.

Before heading home, the group is also scheduled to visit the town of Assisi, a religious center for interchurch dialogue.

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5 things you must do when selling or merging your legal practice

By Rohan Harris|04 April 2017
Rohan Harris

"Looking to sell or merge your legal practice?" asks Rohan Harris.

Don’t let those years of hard work go to waste. Get maximum return on your investment by getting your practice ready for sale or merger.

1. Have your elevator speech prepared

While you must keep your plans low key, there will still be people you need to tell. Can you convince your partners and financiers in 20 seconds or less that a sale or merger is the right thing to do? You need to have compelling answers at the ready because you are about to invest significant time, money and effort in this process.

Those around you need to be convinced that this investment is worthwhile, particularly as the sale or merger may take you away from your fee-earning activities.

You need to be a strong and trustworthy leader of this process.

2. Think outside the square

When considering who you are going to market your practice to, don’t go too narrow. It may be that your merger partner or acquirer wants an established office in a strategic location that they don’t currently service, or you may be able to offer a desirable client panel appointment that they don’t have. A potential buyer or merger partner might operate primarily in another industry, but be looking to diversify.

Don’t rule out buyers or merger partners who offer different services to your practice. Revenue might not be the only attraction of your practice. Your key client relationships, intellectual property and high-performing employees may also add value in the eyes of prospective buyers or merger partners. Do your research and think laterally.

3. Freshen things up

There are many small things you can do to make your practice more attractive. Tidy up your practice premises for potential buyers or merger partners to walk through. A good spruce up before you put it on the market will improve your sale or merger options.

Make sure your financials are also in order. Collect or write off debts and resolve outstanding disputes and legal claims. Check that your practice registrations are current, and that all financial, customer and employee records are in order. Pull back on any unnecessary expenditure.

4. Keep it under wraps

Confidentiality is crucial both in your dealings with interested parties, but also within your practice. Have some lines prepared to use if you get unexpected questions about a proposed sale or merger. These questions could come at any time, so be prepared.

It can be wise to use a third party, like a practice broker, to handle inquiries and pre-screen potential buyers. Only provide more specific information about your practice to parties who have signed a non-disclosure agreement and have undergone a pre-qualification process. You should keep the most sensitive information under wraps for as long as possible, and only disclose it when terms of sale or merger have been agreed upon.

Within your practice, minimise the number of people who know about the deal by using a private email address for communications with your advisors. A good rule of thumb for personnel in your organisation is to operate on a strict ‘need to know’ basis. Leaks within your organisation can be very destabilising for employees and can prompt them to leave. They can also cause uncertainty among your clients.

5. Seal the deal

Don’t rely on a handshake, memorandum of understanding or heads of agreement. If things go wrong, failure to have a legally enforceable contract can be disastrous. Don’t forget to include default and termination procedures in the contract. Avoid ‘agreements to agree’ where further negotiation can be used by buyers or merger partners who may change their mind and decide not to proceed.

In short, it is well worth engaging an experienced lawyer to negotiate and document your deal. Your lawyer should also assist you to devise a detailed list of tasks to complete, following the signing but before the sale or merger is complete.

Rohan Harris is a professional services and business lawyer and principal at Russell Kennedy Lawyers.

5 things you must do when selling or merging your legal practice
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In the current manufacturing set-up, a lot of companies are offering additive manufacturing processes which can be quite overwhelming especially if you are a beginner. Using the right 3D printing service that will cater to all of your production needs and preference is very important.

Now, the all-important question becomes; How do you choose the right 3D printing service? Which criteria should you use and take into account? In this post, we are going to delve in a little bit deeper and choose which is the best option for you and provide you with excellent tips.

Why do you need to choose a 3D printing service?

First, we will tackle what is 3D printing service and why you need to choose one. For those who want to use 3D printing, you have two options; you can purchase a 3D printer or use a 3D printing service to create your parts and products.

The second option is the most affordable and economic one, let look at it this way. Purchase a whole 3D printing machine such as Direct Metal Laser, Selective Laser Sintering 3D printers (or SLS 3D printers), and Sintering 3D printers (DMLS 3D printers) to create excellent parts and products is actually quite expensive. On the other hand, desktop 3D printers using Fused Deposition Modeling is not necessarily the best option as it’s not flexible to accommodate all of your design needs.

So, when it comes to choosing the best 3D printing service, you need to go with the one that it’s the right fit for you and the one you are comfortable working with. Here are some of the selection criteria that you should take into account before making the final decision.

Technology and material available

Every printing material have their own traits and properties, for some they might be excellent for mechanical properties but for others, they are best for artistic and design purposes. Having multiple choices will enable you to print parts/products that cater to and matches all of your needs.

Always go with the material that is cost-effective making the whole production process economical and affordable. Additionally, you also want to use a specific 3D printing material, like for instance for jewelers; you need to go with a printing service that has a wide range of precious metals.

3D printed chairs

3D printed chairs*

Design assistance

Using a 3D printing service is actually quite simple and straightforward, but here are some few things that you should know. For 3D orienting to be done, you need a 3D model of the object you want to be printed. A 3D model basically is a three-dimensional representation of a part or product created using 3D modeling software.

Using these programs can be quite hard at first, but to make things easier some 3D modeling programs offer training and services assisting you to get a high-quality 3D model for your project.

There are also some 3D printing services that provide you with tools allowing you to optimize your design without help from 3D professional designers. By doing this, you’ll be not only reducing the overall manufacturing cost but also improving the quality of your 3D printed parts.

*Image from


Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they have discovered clues as to why a malaria-related parasite, called toxoplasma gondii, can cause blindness in some people but not in others. This is according to a study published in PLOS Pathogens.

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite that causes a disease known as toxoplasmosis.

Some people with toxoplasmosis can develop encephalitis – a swelling of the brain – or ocular toxoplasmosis – a condition that can lead to blindness.

Toxoplasmosis can be contracted a number of ways. Eating undercooked or contaminated meat can lead to infection, as well as consuming water contaminated with the parasite.

Cat feces can also contain toxoplasma gondii, so coming into contact with this while cleaning a litter tray or touching soil that has been contaminated with the feces may lead to infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 60 million people in the US may be infected with the parasite. But many may not know they are infected, as the human immune system is normally strong enough to stave it off.

However, those with weakened immune systems or pregnant women can experience serious health problems from the infection.

The investigators explain that strains of the toxoplasma gondii parasite that are found in North America and Europe are different from strains found in South America – which appear to cause more severe symptoms regardless of a person’s immune system strength.

To find out why, the researchers infected mouse immune cells – known as macrophages – with 29 different strains of the toxoplasma gondii parasite.

The researchers explain that macrophages are a major target of the parasite, and they also play an important role in the immune response of the host.

After the immune cells were infected, the researchers sequenced all of the cells’ messenger RNA molecules, in order to find out which genes – both in the parasite and the host’s immune cells – are activated the most during infection.

From this, the investigators found that some South American and atypical North American strains of the parasite had a type 1 interferon response. This is an immune reaction that usually occurs during viral infection.

This response prompts a strong inflammation reaction in the host’s immune cells, which the researchers believe could be the cause of the severe effects that these strains produce.

The researchers say that the parasite triggers this immune response once it has been killed by the host cell, meaning that parasite’s DNA and RNA leaks into the host cells.

Explaining this further, Jeroen Saeij, biologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and study author, says:

According to the researchers, toxoplasma gondii is one of very few parasites that are able to infect any warm-blooded animal. They say any parasite that can do this needs to have a large array of molecules that are able to work within any host or cell.

“However, we believe that different strains may have evolved to be able to maintain and reproduce optimally in a specific niche in nature, which may explain why different strains of toxoplasma have such varying effects in different organism,” says Mariane Melo, of MIT and lead author of the study.

For example, she explains that if a strain found in rats has adapted to that environment and stayed in that host a long time, then this could cause a fatal infection in mice, or the other way around, because “it might modulate host immune responses too much or not enough in hosts it is not optimally adapted to.”

The investigators say that further research will look to determine why specific South American strains of the toxoplasma gondii parasite are able to be so effectively killed by the host cells, and why this triggers the type 1 interferon response.

Furthermore, the research team has put all their data into a publically available database in the hope that other researchers will start to study the parasites.

Late last year, Medical News Today reported on a study detailing what toxoplasmosis does once it reaches the brain.


In our last post, we began speaking about the potential impact of inclement weather on determinations of negligence in car accident litigation. As we noted, a finding of liability for a party who causes a gets involved in an accident in inclement weather, but the extent of that person’s liability can certainly be modified both by the weather and the negligence of other drivers.

Last month’s debacle on the Pennsylvania Turnpike highlights that there may be instances where drivers have other parties to blame when inclement weather causes problems on the roadway. As a result of a serious blizzard snowstorm, over 500 vehicles were stranded for nearly 24 hours on a 16-mile stretch of the turnpike. The problems started when two tractor-trailers lost functioning and ended up blocking the lanes. Part of the problem, though, was that weather predictions were seriously inaccurate.

According to a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the agency counted on a forecast of about eight inches of snow. That prediction was given on January 22, around mid-afternoon. The next update, according to the agency, didn’t come until 10 p.m., when the prediction is said to have changed to a foot or two. Lawmakers have pointed out, though, that local news stations were updating predictions throughout the day.

It isn’t clear what consequences, if any, the agency will face as a result of the debacle. Typically, suing a government agency for personal injury liability is a challenging prospect due to legal immunity issues. It is worth pointing out, though, that those involved in any car accident–not only accidents where inclement weather is involved–should work with an experienced attorney to ensure they explore all possible avenues for liability and compensation.


Video encyclopedia

Selection shadow

What is SELECTION SHADOW? What does SELECTION SHADOW mean? SELECTION SHADOW meaning & explanation

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[Wikipedia] Selection shadow

The selection shadow is a concept involved with the evolutionary theories of ageing that states that selection pressures on an individual decrease as an individual ages and passes sexual maturity, resulting in a "shadow" of time where selective fitness is not considered. Over generations, this results in maladaptive mutations that accumulate later in life due to aging being non-adaptive toward reproductive fitness. The concept was first worked out by J. B. S. Haldane and Peter Medawar in the 1940s, with Medawar creating the first graphical model.


Spectroscopy Since 1975

The kilo, the mole and the commutability of a result to activity

Peter J. Jenks, FRSC

The Jenks Partnership

For all of my scientific life, weight has been traceable to a lump of platinum alloy sitting under a series of glass belljars and located in Paris, France. In my early days, amount of substance was expressed as mg L–1 or ppm, in many labs these units are still commonly found. In 1971 the Mole was made the seventh SI base unit and slowly the idea of molar solutions permeated analytical chemistry.

Now, all that is set to change because on 16 November this year the 26th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) voted unanimously in favour of revised definitions of the SI base units, a change that the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) had proposed earlier in the year. The new definitions will come into force on 20 May 2019.

As a direct consequence the kilogram, ampere, kelvin and mole will then be defined by setting exact numerical values for the Planck constant (h), the elementary electric charge (e), the Boltzmann constant (k) and the Avogadro constant (NA), respectively. This brings them into line with the metre and candela, which are already defined by physical constants, subject to correction to their present definitions and does not change the size of any units, so maintaining continuity with existing measurements.

The changes

The kilogram, symbol kg (lower case) is the unit of mass: the previous definition is that it was equal to the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram.

  • 2019 definition: The kilogram is now defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant h to be 6.62607015 × 1034 when expressed in the unit J·s, which is equal to kg·m2·s–1, where the metre and the second are defined in terms of c and ΔνCs.

A consequence of this change is that the new definition of the kilogram is dependent on the definitions of the second and the metre. A second consequence is that a new definition for the mole is required.

The mole, symbol mol, is the SI unit for amount of substance. The previous definition was that it is the amount of substance of a system that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon-12. When the mole is used, the elementary entities must be specified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles or specified groups of such particles.

  • 2019 definition: One mole contains exactly 6.02214076 × 1023 elementary entities. This number is the fixed numerical value of the Avogadro constant, NA, when expressed in the unit mol–1 and is called the Avogadro number.

A further consequence of these changes is that the current defined relationship between the mass of the 12C atom, the dalton, the kilogram and the Avogadro number will no longer be valid.

As the wording of the ninth SI Brochure1 implies, the mass of a 12C atom is exactly 12 dalton then the number of daltons in a gram cannot any longer be the numerical value of the Avogadro number: (i.e., g/Da = NA·mol).

These changes are all very interesting at the academic level, but what do they mean to chemical metrology and the use of reference materials? In truth very little, as they are designed to ensure continuity with all existing measurements that in turn underpin the certified values of the CRMs.

A far greater concern is the issue of commutability, a subject I have touched on in the past. It was the laboratory medicine community who first expressed concern about the commutability of data, but with the move to accredit medical diagnostic laboratories to ISO/IEC 17025 the concept has migrated into the world of general analytical chemistry. Why is commutability so important?

Maintaining accurate laboratory measurements over time is crucial to making data comparable. This is generally achieved by the use of an accredited quality system, typically ISO/IEC 17025, and establishing traceability to a reference system, the SI. Reference materials are key components of such reference systems and for establishing traceability this means that commutability of reference materials is a critical property to ensure they are fit for use.

Commutability is defined as the equivalence of the mathematical relationships between the results of different measurement procedures for a reference material and for representative samples taken from the area to be analysed. This material characteristic is of special importance for measurement procedures that are optimised for measuring analytes directly in real-world samples. It becomes even more important when the reference material is certified for some aspect of biological quantity and not an amount of substance.

For example, how do we produce reference materials for use in DNA measurements? The measurement of specific DNA fragments to demonstrate the presence, or absence, of a biological entity has become a key part of food quality measurement and is creeping into microbiology, food, environmental and clinical. Many will recall the 2014 adulteration of beef with horse meat. As a direct consequence, LGC developed new reference materials to underpin the detection of alien species within a defined processed meat. The materials were analysed using three different approaches—DNA sequencing, a PCR-based method and an immunoassay method—to confirm the expected meat species in the samples and the absence of possible species cross-contamination. The limit of detection is below 1 % of one meat species in the presence of another. The Reference Materials were produced by weighing out previously verified pure meat and mixing them in the defined proportion. No subsequent analysis was made. When using Sanger sequencing it is common to use mitochondrial genes, for example MT-RNR1 which encodes RNA 12s and MT-CYB which encodes cytochrome b. Ultimately the identity of the genes is validated against known DNA Sequence Databases.

It seems to me that traceability to a proprietary sequence database is a long way away from traceability to the SI and that the new definitions for amount of substance mean little in this context. The question remains unanswered, just how can traceability and commutability be maintained when an assay of a complex biological material is validated by comparing a sequence with data on a database, most probably supplied by the instrument maker?

  1. Draft of the Ninth SI Brochure. BIPM (5 February 2018). https://www.bipm.org/utils/en/pdf/si-revised-brochure/Draft-SI-Brochure-2018.pdf [accessed 22 November 2018]
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How to Explain What You Really Do, Graphic Designer Edition

November 18th 2020

Nika Simovich Fisher

Fonzy Nils

In many social situations, you're bound to run into the inevitable, "So what do you do?" question. Usually, "I run a small design and development studio, and I teach about design," is sufficient. Still, it will sometimes pose enough curiosity that the earnest question-asker will continue, "What kind of design?" which eventually leads to the pinnacle of tricky questions, "What is graphic design?"

My least favorite aspect of being a graphic designer is explaining what I do to non-designers.

It's a valid question, too. You can't expect everyone to understand your line of work, and a big part of being a designer is being a successful communicator, so what's the problem?

The frustration comes from the fact that there isn't a short answer, and there are some misconceptions around design at large that are important to address to provide an honest and informational response.

I'll begin to explain what graphic design is through three common questions and comments.

"So, do you make logos?"

This question is usually accompanied by an eager-eyed stare from someone ready to describe their new business idea in great detail.

Yes, sometimes graphic designers make logos, but it's important to note that a logo is an execution and part of a bigger story – a brand. The way this question is framed implies that a designer would simply draw up a logo from their imagination and call it a day.

Designers differ from illustrators because their work is usually not a one-off asset. Typically, the design is part of an overarching narrative that fits into a broader context – whether it's a brand, an article, or a website. In the logo's case, the logo is part of a brand story, a system of typography, colors, and visual motifs that then become realized across both printed and digital assets. The research process, project development, typography, graphic elements, and visual design principles (color, alignment, texture, rhythm, hierarchy) unite them under the same umbrella.

Some designers may choose to specialize in one type of design, such as: product design, branding, exhibition design, or motion graphics. While these types of jobs vary in the end result, they share a similar process and are all fundamentally graphic design.

This can be confusing because a website and a tote bag might look very different from one another. Still, for both, a designer had to carefully think about the contents of each, research a visual strategy, evaluate how it will be used, and develop the design components that will work within that context.

Most design pieces go through a planning phase, an experimental phase where variations are explored, and then a testing phase where the design is evaluated and improved upon. Good designers will continue refining their work and making changes once they can interact with it in a finalized setting.

"You must be a photoshop wizard!"

This statement is usually excitedly shared when someone has discovered your skillset and is about to ask you to work on a flyer for their upcoming yard sale.

It's not an incorrect statement. Designers have a strong understanding of the trade's professional tools, but it's essential to recognize that tools do not define the profession. You're still a designer, whether you're designing with chalk or with photoshop.

In a recent class I taught, I asked my students to create a series of posters using free, online tools like glitter text generators, 3d rendering makers, and online drawing programs.

While using these tools had some obvious challenges, the students could still create a cohesive and engaging poster series. The students first developed a strong idea for their work and experimented with the tools. They embraced the limitations of the programs and found ways to create unifying design treatments. Even using this unexpected method of image-making, It was apparent that a designer had created the posters because there was a sense of control and intentionality.

Having a clear objective and developing a methodology to communicate defines a designer, much more than the tool itself. Intentionality is everything.

"It must be fun making things pretty all day."

This comment is frequently delivered by someone who doesn't know what else to say. While well-intentioned, this comment feels the most reductive and misleading about what a graphic designer does.

"Pretty" is wildly subjective and too ambiguous. People who share this comment usually mean that you're successful at polishing other people's content off and making minutia changes to make it ready for a broader audience to purchase it.

This is not totally off-kilter, but it bothers me for two reasons: first, it diminishes the process and strategy that gets invested into a project by reducing it to arbitrary choices based on aesthetics; and second, it implies that a designer is always working on other people's content and not their own, with the primary intention of making it marketable.

Design starts with research, continues into planning, extends into experimentation, and ends with something that starts to feel complete. Critical thinking, being resourceful, and an ability to break down a project into a series of steps will take you a lot further than merely having an eye for design. Strong visual sensibilities are essential to the profession, too, but without a process and a plan, the skillset gets lost. It's the difference between being a graphic designer and simply an extra set of hands.

If it isn't apparent by now, graphic designers have a varied skillset that feels much more like a framework or philosophy than a job title. For this reason, designers are successful at developing a visual representation of an idea and the idea itself.

Many designers are excellent strategists, copywriters, and art directors because they can communicate through a variety of content and create a common theme throughout all of these executions.

Selecting who to work with, what order items will be positioned in, what kind of message should be emphasized, and researching photographers are all "invisible design choices" that significantly impact a project. For the sake of efficiency, it can be best to collaborate with a team, but never underestimate what one individual is capable of doing.

Anything can be graphic design. We frequently associate it with consumer-based products because that's where many people experience it first hand, but it's not confined to something that can sell products. The design process can help you be a better communicator and perhaps teach others something new. Design can also be used for personal expression, self-publishing, or providing information to an audience that might not access it. The possibilities are endless.

So, as you can see, describing what a designer does can be a little lengthy and leave the inquirer feeling like they got more than what they asked for. Next time you get asked this, be prepared to sit down and chat for a while!

About the author

Nika Simovich Fisher is a multi-disciplinary graphic designer, educator, and writer based in New York. She is currently a partner at Labud, a design and development studio she founded in 2018 and teaching at Parsons School of Design and the University of Pennsylvania.

November 18th 2020

Nika Simovich Fisher

Fonzy Nils


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The Best and Worst Countries for Environmental Democracy

These three fundamental rights are known as environmental democracy—and not all nations provide it to their citizens.

The new Environmental Democracy Index (EDI) is the first-ever online platform that tracks and scores 70 countries’ progress in enacting national laws that promote transparency, accountability and citizen engagement in environmental decision-making. The analysis, based on 75 indicators, identifies the best and worst countries for environmental democracy. The results may surprise you.

The Top Countries with Strong National Laws for Environmental Democracy

The top three countries are all former Soviet states—Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. Many of their relevant national laws were enacted as part of democratization reforms in the 1990s and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) legally binding Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters. Lithuania and Latvia have both ratified this convention and strengthened their legislation after doing so, such as Lithuania’s amendments to its Law on Environmental Protection and Latvia’s passage of its Environmental Protection Law.

Russia in particular may stand out to some as surprising, especially in light of several environmental activists recently fleeing the country out of fear for their freedom and safety. Therein lies a powerful lesson: Countries’ national laws may be quite progressive on paper, but the enforcement of those laws is oftentimes weak or subject to corruption.

All of the top 10 performers have statutes to support the public’s right to access government-held environmental information such as forestry management plans or mining permits, and all of them require at least a majority of government agencies to place environmental information like air and drinking water quality information in the public domain. While public participation scored the lowest across the index, all of the top 10 countries provide the public with the right to participate in major, national environmental decisions, such as infrastructure projects, forest management planning, pollution permitting and more. Lithuania stands out for having the highest score on the justice pillar. Its Civil Procedure Code and Law on Environmental Protection provides for communities to bring environmental cases in the public interest.

What’s also interesting about the top 10 performers is that wealth is not necessarily the defining factor of strong environmental democracy laws. Panama and Colombia are resource-strapped nations, and South Africa is an upper middle income country; nevertheless, they’ve committed to enacting strong environmental laws.

The Lowest-Scoring Countries for Environmental Democracy

Haiti, Malaysia and Namibia scored lowest on the index. Of the bottom 10 countries, some had right-to-information laws, but most lacked provisions requiring that government agencies proactively make environmental information public. In countries like Philippines, Republic of Congo and Pakistan, citizens need to go through time-consuming or expensive information requests to obtain crucial information like statistics on air or drinking water quality. The government may or may not honor these formal requests.

Many of the bottom performers also lacked requirements on collecting environmental information and monitoring compliance. National governments in Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Bangladesh and Thailand do not actually ensure that factories, mines and other facilities aren’t harming people or the planet. And requirements for public participation in these countries are almost always limited to environmental impact assessments, leaving out other important decisions such as the development of forest management plans, protected area policies or environmental protection laws.

One positive note is that even at the bottom of the list, Saint Lucia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Republic of Congo allow an individual to file lawsuits in the public interest. Otherwise, the right to challenge or appeal government or private sector decisions is not as well established in these countries.

There’s Room for Improvement Across the Board

Even in countries that scored relatively well, there’s still room for improvement. Almost 50 percent of the countries assessed, for instance, are not making real-time air quality data available online for their capital cities. And while nearly half of the countries require agencies to monitor environmental compliance, 64 percent of those with laws on the books do not release any information to the public on emissions or wastewater discharges, pollutants that can impact human health and the environment.

And even if countries have strong laws on the books, it doesn’t mean that they are adequately enforced. EDI measured countries based on the existence of national laws, not implementation. However, supplemental to the legal index, EDI includes 24 indicators on environmental democracy in practice. These indicators are not comprehensive, but they do provide some key insights to allow some comparison with legal scores.

National laws aren’t the only way to improve environmental democracy, but they’re an important first step. EDI can help governments who want to promote transparent, inclusive and accountable environmental decision-making by providing an index to benchmark progress, as well as examples of good practices from around the world. It’s time to give citizens a voice—for the good of the planet, and for the good of communities around the world.

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Any investor should have an idea of what they want to see from their money. It is no good putting your savings somewhere and simply hoping for the best. You must have a plan for them.

What is your investment goal?

Part of that plan is having an expected return. The goal with any good investment should be that at the end of it your money is worth more than when you started. That means that it needs to grow faster than the rate of inflation. This is something that unfortunately many investors overlook. Your wealth is actually only increasing if it is growing faster than your cost of living.

Inflation calculations

At the recent launch of its annual Long-Term Perspectives outlook, the Old Mutual MacroSolutions boutique illustrated just how inflation erodes your buying power. If inflation is at 6% a year, R10,000 today would be worth the equivalent of just R5,558 in 10 years. In 20 years, it would only be worth R3,118. That is why it is critical that you don’t just try to preserve your capital over the long term, but invest in growth assets such as equities and listed property to ensure that your wealth actually increases in real terms.

Returns above inflation

Since 1929 South African equities have delivered annualised real returns – that is returns above inflation – of 7,5%. Conversely, local cash investments have only produced real returns of 0,6%. Put another way, if you had invested in the stock market over this period you would have doubled your real investment value every nine years. To do the same in cash would have taken you 92 years. The trick, however, is that equities are not always the best investment from one year to the next, and cash isn’t always the worst. Sometimes their positions are entirely reversed.

Having a well-diversified portfolio in these times means that you will be spreading your risk while also getting returns from different places. That gives you peace of mind that you have some protection in place, and that you are likely to still outperform inflation over the long run.

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Archive for the ‘Moneytree Spokane’ Category

How is pre-approval dissimilar to approval that is conditional?

Mittwoch, Mai 20th, 2020

How is pre-approval dissimilar to approval that is conditional?

If you wish to money tree aurora begin really interested in a house, your offer shall be stronger in the event that loan quantity happens to be conditionally approved. For those who have discovered the house for you personally and also had it respected, you may be pre-approved for the mortgage loan additionally the home all at once.

I have found a property and I also’m prepared to make a severe offer – exactly exactly exactly what now?

In the event that you curently have conditional approval, ahead go right! You are able to put an offer that is conditional on the house to secure it.

You want to make an offer on, getting pre-approval is the way to go if you don’t have a conditional approval but have already found the property. Start by using on the web!

Are you able to get numerous pre-approvals or conditional approvals?

When looking for just the right product that is financial the attention price the advice should be to ‘shop around’, nevertheless when you make an application for mortgage loan pre-approvals the exact opposite does work. Trying to get numerous conditional or pre-approvals may have an impact that is negative your credit history. (mehr …)


Mole Concept Definition Chemistry | itspanishautoinsurancemax.live

The mole was defined by International Bureau of Weights and Measures as "the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon-12." Thus, by that definition, one mole of pure 12 C had a mass of exactly 12 g. The four different definitions were equivalent to within 1%. 10.06.2016 · Class 11 Chemistry - Some basic concepts of chemistry To get full access, visit:. Molar Mass Some basic concepts of chemistry Chemistry IIT JEE Class 11 Avanti Gurukul. Stoichiometry is one of the most important subjects in chemistry. Here's the definition of stoichiometry in chemistry with examples of calculations. You must master the following chemistry concepts to solve stoichiometry problems: Balancing equations;. Use molar proportion to determine unknown quantities of moles. The mole concept is one of the topics with which you leave your preparation of physical chemistry in class 11. One of the reasons for it being taught earlier is that the concept of mole will be required in almost every other topic of physical chemistry that you study later, irrespective of. chemistry mole concept- relative atomic mass 3,612x10^23 mole concept exam and solutions another way to measure relative atomic mass mole concept examples sample problems of mole concept mole concept element examples of mole concept Chemistry Mole tutorials 3 examples of mole.

09.02.2020 · The gram formula mass GFM of a substance is known as the mass of one mole. Relative atomic masses of selected elements can be found in the SQA Data Booklet.These can be used to. The molar mass of carbon is 12.0107 g/mol. Therefore, 1 mole of CO 2 contains 12.01 grams of carbon and 32 grams of oxygen. To learn more about the mole concept and other related concepts, such as the law of definite proportions, register with BYJU’S and download the.

The mole abbreviate mol and sometimes called Avogadro‘s number is a conversion number that allows a chemist or chemistry student to move from the microscopic world of atoms, ions, and molecules to the macroscopic world of grams, kilograms, and tons. The mole conversion is used in reaction stoichiometry to predict how much product can be []. 04.08.2017 · This Mole Concept video is made for revision purpose. After learning tips and tricks, formulas, concept and numericals in this video, you will be able to understand and do any mole concept. 17.08.2018 · Don’t Memorise brings learning to life through its captivating FREE educational videos. To Know More, visitNew videos every week. T. Mole Concept – Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry – Class 11 One gram atom of any element contains the same number of atoms and one gram molecule of. 14.01.2020 · It is defined as exactly 6.02214076×1023 constitutive particles, which may be atoms, molecules, ions, or electrons.The definition was adopted in.

Mole Concept A mole is the amount of a substance that contains as many elementary entities atoms, molecules or other particles as there are atoms in exactly 0.012 kg or 12 g of the carbon-12 isotope. The term mole has been derived from the Latin word ‘moles’ which means a ‘heap’ or a ‘pile’. The Mole Concept Exams and Problem Solutions The Mole Concept Exam1 and Problem Solutions The Mole Concept Exam2 and Problem Solutions The Mole Concept Exams and Problem Solutions Online Chemistry Tutorials.

Kerala State Syllabus 10th Standard Chemistry Solutions Chapter 2 Gas Laws Mole Concept Gas Laws Mole Concept Text Book Questions and Answers. Gas Laws Mole Concept Exam Oriented Questions and Answers. Very Short Answer Type Questions Score. Mole Concept In chemistry the mole is a fundamental unit in the Système International d'Unités, the SI system, and it is used to measure the amount of substance. This quantity is sometimes referred to as the chemical amount. In Latin mole means a "massive heap" of material. It is convenient to think of a chemical mole as such. Source for information on Mole Concept: Chemistry: Foundations.

The study of atoms and its related traits lay the foundation for chemistry. Atomic mass is the concept related to a single atom, whereas molecular mass relates to a group of atoms. If you are planning to proceed with this concept, then it is necessary to gain precise knowledge about molecular mass and mole concept. Let us proceed! Suggested Videos. Below are some important points to get clear mole concept, definition of mole chemistry and mole units.Mole can be define as,The atomic mass, molecular mass, ionic mass or formula mass of a substance expressed in grams is called mole of that substance. Mole Concept What is the Mole Concept? Most of our routine items are sold in specific numerical quantities along with definite names. For instance, soda cans come in a pack of six. For this purpose, the mole is used, which seems to be very important for modern chemistry. One mole of a substance is equal to 6.022 × 10²³ units of that substance such as atoms, molecules, or ions. The number 6.022 × 10²³ is known as Avogadro's number or Avogadro's constant. The concept of the mole can be used to convert between mass and number of particles.

So, to solve this issue, the mole concept was developed to establish a fixed quantitative value. Mole is an SI unit of amount of substance. The accepted definition of mole is described below: Previous Definition: according to, previous definition, the value which we used. On the other hand, one mole of any substance contained exactly as many molecules as one mole of any other substance. As a consequence of this definition, in the SI system the Avogadro constant N A had the dimensionality of reciprocal of amount of substance rather than of a pure number, and had the approximate value 6.02 × 10 23 with units of. IB Chemistry notes on stoichiometry and the mole concept. Molecules are made up of two or more atoms chemically bonded together. Ions are specialised atoms or groups of atoms chemically combined together that have lost or gained electrons and posess an overall electrical charge. Filed Under: Atoms and Molecules, Class 9 Tagged With: avogadro's number, mole, mole concept, mole of atom, mole of molecules, moles of substance, number of moles About Mrs Shilpi Nagpal Author of this website, Mrs Shilpi Nagpal is MSc Hons, Chemistry and BSc Hons, Chemistry from Delhi University, B.Ed I. P. University and has many years of experience in teaching. Definition. The mole n, abbreviated as mol, is a fundamental chemical quantity that characterizes the amount of substance. It is defined that 1 mole of any substance contains 6.02x10 23 particles atoms, molecules, ions, electrons. 6.02x10 23 is a unique number, called Avogadro’s number. Amedeo Avogadro was the first scientist to determine the actual number of particles in a mole.

Atoms and molecules are very small and the mole concept allows us to count atoms and molecules by weighing macroscopic amounts of material. What is the definition of a mole in chemistry? Chemistry is the scientific discipline involved with elements and compounds composed of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, properties, behavior and the changes they undergo during a reaction with other substances. In the scope of its subject, chemistry occupies an intermediate position between physics and biology. It is sometimes called the central science because it. This high values note brings you a highly organized set of information of mole concepts, recent updates in the definition, and various problem solving approaches in mole concept and concentration.

Mole is also called Avogadro constant which is denoted by N A. As per definition- One mole is the amount of a substance that contains as many particles or entities as there are atoms in exactly 12 g of the C-12 isotope. Learn the mole concept table. After an extensive consultation with the chemistry community, and following a review and critical evaluation of the literature, IUPAC is recommending a new definition of the mole based on a specified number of elementary entities: The mole, symbol mol, is the SI unit of amount of substance. In chemistry, molar concentration also called molarity, amount concentration or substance concentration is a measure of the concentration of a solute in a solution, or of any molecular, ionic, or atomic species in a given volume. Definition - Molar concentration or molarity is most commonly in units of moles of solute per liter of solution.

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Is The Shiruto Clinically Proven By The Medical Development And Science Researches Department?

Shiruto can be a medical formula that helps in improving the functionality of the immunity process. This time around pandemic period of time immune system technique is the foremost and principal goal for each man or woman. Shiruto features any substances that really help in increased appetite and defense action figure process in our body. Its content has-

•The wheat or grain concentrated amounts, that are obtained from your amazing fermentation approach which is the major ingredient to enhance the immune system.

•The formula also offers essential vitamins for immune cellular material, vital for nutrition to man health insurance and system.

So, we are able to clearly point out that the principle focus on: of Shiruto would be to increase the resistance method in our body for good health.

Functioning procedure of Shiruto

As we human beings are ingesting and breathing in millions of probable pathogens daily in our life. This is the major reason behind the health problems and ailments within our human body, which can be very severe and hazardous to overall health. These pathogens contain unwanted organisms, malware, dust particles, substances, microorganisms, fungi, various other dangerous cellular material.

Moreover, as we all know that your body includes a very innovative and simple defense mechanisms, which actually works as being the Shield and shield our system for 24 hours. In addition, it offers you safety against pathogens plus removes the unnatural tissues in your body. Even so, when you face any problems with regards to the immune problem, you might be recommended to eat the Shiruto. You may also browse the shiruto overview from your on the internet system for more satisfaction and know item top quality. They will give you the detailed information. Individuals could also discover the state website of medication.

Making process

Shiruto was developed by way of a distinctive and copyrighted process since it is created specifically to ensure your optical performance of the entire body and increase your immunity mechanism. It can also help enhance the efficiency of Ip address-PA1. There are lots of more other activities which can be avoided through the Shiruto-

•Hair growth

•Painful Throats

•Eliminate abnormal immune cellular material

•Lessen high-cholesterol and many others

Continuing to move forward, if you want to get great health and better science, then you are advised to decide on the Shiruto. Especially in covid-19, it helps you enhance your immunity mechanism and keep your lifestyle from your deadly infection.


ac0c04175_si_001.pdf (957.6 kB)

Improving Immunoassay Performance with Cleavable Blocking of Microarrays

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journal contribution
posted on 11.12.2020, 14:42 by Yuri M. Shlyapnikov, Ekaterina A. Malakhova, Elena A. Shlyapnikova
Among the key issues that are commonly associated with the development of microarray-based assays are nonspecific binding and diffusion constraints. Here we present a novel strategy addressing both of these challenges simultaneously. The essence of the method consists in blocking the microarray surface with a blocking agent containing a perfluoroalkyl chain and a disulfide linker. The resulting surface is hydrophobic, and no immiscible liquid layer remains on it upon cyclically draining and replenishing the sample solution, ensuring an efficient mass transfer of an analyte onto a microarray. Prior to the signal detection procedure, disulfide bonds are chemically cleaved, and the perfluoroalkyl chains are removed from the microarray surface along with nonspecifically adsorbed proteins, resulting in extremely low background. Using conventional fluorescent detection, we show a 30-fold increase in signal/background ratio compared to a common epoxy-modified glass substrate. The combination of this technique with magnetic beads detection results in a simple and ultrasensitive cholera toxin (CT) immunoassay. The limit of detection (LOD) is 1 fM, which is achieved with an analyte binding time of 1 h. Efficient mass transfer provides highly sensitive detection of whole virus particles despite their low diffusion coefficient. The achieved LOD for vaccinia virus is 104 particles in 1 mL of sample. Finally, we have performed for the first time the simultaneous detection of whole virus and CT protein biomarker in a single assay. The developed technique can be used for multiplex detection of trace amounts of pathogens of various natures.


Potato harvest

Remember Heffanutt planting potatoes in spring? Now it`s time to see if he got something to harvest.

Heffanutts paws are perfect for digging.

Look! A potato!

And as he digs his little heap of potatoes grow.

Heffanutt digg deeper…

…and deeper…. B: Heffanutt! Where are you going?

B: I`m sorry for interrupting the story, I have to help our little friend.

B: What happened? You were not supposed to dig that deep.

H: Hole in the pot.


Can Damage To The Central Nervous System Be Repaired?

What is the symptoms of nerve problem?

What Are the Symptoms of Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage?Inability to sense chest pain, such as angina or heart attack.Too much sweating (known as hyperhidrosis) or too little sweating (known as anhidrosis)Lightheadedness.Dry eyes and mouth.Constipation.Bladder dysfunction.Sexual dysfunction..

How can I repair my nervous system naturally?

Can you repair a damaged nervous system?

A new University of Virginia study proves that a damaged peripheral nervous system is capable of repairing itself — when healthy cells are recruited there from the central nervous system.

Is central nervous system damage reversible?

Damage control Severe injury can halt the passage of signals through axons. Because nerve cells of the CNS are unable to regenerate, any resulting loss of motor or sensory function will be permanent.

Why can’t nerves in the CNS regenerate?

Axon regeneration in the CNS fails for two reasons. First because the environment surrounding CNS lesions is inhibitory to axon growth, and second because most CNS axons only mount a feeble regeneration response after they are cut.

How do you restore your nervous system?

Make sure to get adequate sleep between training sessions as this is the best way to let your central nervous system recover fully. Diet is also a way that has been shown to reduce CNS fatigue from setting in and allowing it to recover faster.

How do you strengthen your central nervous system?

Can nerves grow back?

Damage to nerves may result in reduction or a complete loss of sensation, weakness and dry skin. When one of your nerves is cut or damaged, it will try to repair itself. The nerve fibres (axons) shrink back and ‘rest’ for about a month; then they begin to grow again. Axons will regenerate about 1mm per day.

Can stress cause neurological symptoms?

Why is it difficult to repair the CNS?

Why can’t the central nervous system repair itself after injury? … Unfortunately, some cells of the central nervous system are so specialized that they cannot divide and create new cells. As a result, recovery from a brain or spinal cord injury is much more difficult.

What happens if there is damage to the central nervous system?

How do you know if your central nervous system is damaged?


Triple N Lease Agreement

Net triple leases can increase the tenant`s operating costs and may be at the helm for deductibles on insurance policies, and they may also be responsible for property damage that is not covered by the insurance company. A three-time net lease (or “nnn”) is a form of lease in which the tenant or tenant is responsible for the running costs of the property, including property taxes, property insurance and maintenance, in addition to the payment of rent and incidental costs. A net triple lease is less complicated than it looks. Often referred to as NNN leasing, a triple net rental agreement is an agreement whereby the tenant pays either a portion or all the operating costs of an office, in addition to the basic rent. These current expenses include property taxes, real estate insurance and maintenance costs. A triple net rental agreement (Triple-Net or NNN) is a rental agreement for a property by which the tenant or the taker agrees to pay all property taxes, real estate insurance and maintenance payments (the three “networks”) on the property in addition to the normal costs to be provided under the agreement (rent, incidental costs etc.). In the case of such a tenancy agreement, the tenant or tenant is responsible for all costs related to the repair and maintenance of a common space (also known as CAM – Common Area Maintenance). CAM fees are usually negotiated in advance in the form of a dollar-set amount per square metre. A “ground leasing” is another variant of a net lease. As part of a basic lease, the landowner leases the land to the tenant, giving the tenant the opportunity to build a building.

The tenant then has an interest in the lease in the property. Under a basic lease, the tenant usually pays for the same items he paid for under a Triple Net Lease or Bondable Lease. As a general rule, ownership of the building will be returned to the owner after the lease is completed. [5] Now, several “extension” instructions have been provided for this selection, allowing you to quickly report the details of each authorized extension. The first two lines of one of these excerpts provide for the start date of the initial extension period. The next two rooms available ask you to submit the last date of the calendar to which the renewed tenancy is in effect (the termination date). The last two voids require that the amount of rent that is applicable for each “extension period” be passed on to the area concerned. In some cases, especially on large land, the owner can rent the property as two or more separate premises. If this is the case, the landlord must solidify the percentage of the base area that the tenant rents on the basis of the total area of the entire property under the control of the owner.


The National Personal Finance Challenge (NPFC) is a nationwide competition that provides high school students the opportunity to build and demonstrate their knowledge of money management. Teams showcase their expertise in the concepts of earning income, buying goods and services, saving, using credit, investing, and protecting.

National Semi-Finals will be scheduled by region to be held on one day between May 6-May 26. This round asks teams to answer online multiple-choice questions.

National Finals will ask students to create a financial plan for a detailed fictitious family scenario (case study). Students will present to and answer questions from an expert panel of judges comprised of economists and financial professionals. This round will be held June 3rd.

Top-performing teams at the National Personal Finance Challenge will receive a trophy, banner, and cash prizes for each student member corresponding to their team’s rank in the National Finals:

1st place: $2,000
2nd place: $1,000
3rd place: $500

The National Personal Finance Challenge is a program of


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Can You Save Some Cold Pizza?

Riddler Express

From Dan Levin comes a hazardous riddle for the ironclad and eagle-eyed:

The U.S. Open concluded last weekend, with physics major Bryson DeChambeau emerging victorious. Seeing his favorite golfer win his first major got Dan thinking about the precision needed to be a professional at the sport.

A typical hole is about 400 yards long, while the cup measures a mere 4.25 inches in diameter. Suppose that, with every swing, you hit the ball X percent closer to the center of the hole. For example, if X were 75 percent, then with every swing the ball would be four times closer to the hole than it was previously.

For a 400-yard hole, assuming there are no hazards (water, sand or otherwise) in the way, what is the minimum value of X so that you’ll shoot par, meaning you’ll hit the ball into the cup in exactly four strokes?

Riddler Classic

From Dean Ballard comes a pernicious pizza puzzle:

Dean ordered a personal pizza that was precisely 10 inches in diameter. He ate half of it, and he wants to save the remaining semicircle of pizza in his refrigerator. He has circular plates of all different sizes, so to save space in his fridge, he’ll place the pizza on the smallest plate that holds the entire semicircle (i.e., with no pizza hanging off the plate).

Unfortunately, the smallest plate that can hold half of a 10-inch pizza is just a circle with a 10-inch diameter. So much for saving space.

But Dean has a thought: If he cuts the pizza, he can squeeze both of the resulting pieces onto a smaller circular plate — again, with no pizza hanging off the plate and without the pieces lying on top of each other.

If Dean makes a single straight slice, what is the diameter of the smallest circular plate onto which he can fit the two resulting pieces?

Extra credit: Dean wants to save even more space in his fridge. So instead of one straight slice, he will now make two straight slices. First, he will cut the semicircular pizza into two pieces. Then, he will take one of those pieces and make his second slice, giving him a total of three pieces. What is the diameter of the smallest circular plate onto which he can fit all three pieces?

Solution to last week’s Riddler Express

Congratulations to 👏 Graham E. McGrath 👏 of Boston, Massachusetts, winner of last week’s Riddler Express. (This problem might have hit a little too close to home for Graham, who is a lab technician and uses centrifuges for a living!)

Last week, you were doing your best not to break a microcentrifuge, a piece of equipment that separates components of a liquid by spinning around very rapidly. Liquid samples were pipetted into small tubes, which were then placed in one of the microcentrifuge’s 12 slots evenly spaced in a circle.

Animation of a centrifuge with 12 slots spinning around.

For the microcentrifuge to work properly, each tube had to hold the same amount of liquid. Also, importantly, the center of mass of the samples had to be at the very center of the circle — otherwise, the microcentrifuge would not be balanced and likely break.

You needed to spin exactly seven samples. In which slots (numbered 1 through 12, as in the diagram above) could you have placed them so that the centrifuge was balanced?

Balancing centrifuges is certainly not a new problem, and was previously addressed on the Numberphile YouTube channel, with Holly Krieger explaining the solution.

In the case of 12 slots, it was always possible to balance the centrifuge for any even number of tubes. All you had to do was arrange them into pairs and place each pair on diametrically opposite ends of the circle. The center of mass of each pair was at the center of the circle, which meant the total center of mass was also at the center.

Alas, the problem asked how you could place seven tubes, and seven is not an even number. Several readers suggested adding an eighth tube, which was against the spirit of the puzzle.

As for odd numbers of tubes, balancing a single tube was not possible. However, it was indeed possible to balance three tubes by arranging them evenly around the circle so they were the vertices of an equilateral triangle (e.g., in positions 1, 5 and 9 in the diagram above). It was further possible to balance five tubes by again arranging three so they formed an equilateral triangle (e.g., in positions 1, 5 and 9) and another two on opposite sides (e.g., in positions 2 and 8). Again, because the centers of mass for both the trio and the pair were at the center of the circle, their combined center of mass was also at the center of the circle.

Returning to the original puzzle, it was possible to balance seven tubes by arranging three in an equilateral triangle, another two on opposite sides and the last two on a different pair of opposite sides. (Alternatively, some solvers noted that placing seven tubes was equivalent to choosing the five slots that didn’t have tubes, which was essentially the same problem as placing five tubes.) There were several correct answers here — more on that in a second — one of which was slots 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 12, found by solver Alicia Zamudio.

For extra credit, you had to find the total number balanced arrangements for seven tubes. It turned out that there were exactly 12 arrangements, all rotations of each other. Solver Reece Goiffon verified this by finding all the ways seven vectors on a unit circle could add up to zero:

Meanwhile, in what I believe is a first for The Riddler, Chris Sears wrote code in Commodore 64 BASIC, checking all 792 (i.e., 12 choose 7) ways to place seven tubes in 12 slots.

The general version of this problem, with N slots and k tubes, was addressed in the aforementioned Numberphile video and was further proven by T. Y. Lam and K. H. Leung back in 2000. As for how many arrangements there are for given values of N and k, there’s an OEIS sequence for that! (Thanks to solver Eric Thompson-Martin for spotting it.)

When N = 12 and k increased from 0 to 12, the number of balanced arrangements was 1, 0, 6, 4, 15, 12, 24, 12, 15, 4, 6, 0 and 1. If you look closely, you’ll see that the sequence is symmetric, since placing k tubes was exactly the same problem as choosing where not to place k tubes.

I encourage readers to verify these results for themselves. But not the grad students or technicians out there. I don’t need angry lab directors emailing me about broken centrifuges.

Solution to last week’s Riddler Classic

Congratulations to 👏 Lowell Vaughn 👏 of Bellevue, Washington, winner of last week’s Riddler Classic. (Lowell is finally joining his son in the winner’s circle.)

Last week, you were introduced to an online game, Guess My Word, in which you tried to guess a secret word by typing in other words. After each guess, you were told whether the secret word was alphabetically before or after your guess. The game stopped and congratulated you once you had guessed the secret word.

The secret word was randomly chosen from a dictionary with exactly 267,751 entries. If you had this dictionary memorized and played the game as efficiently as possible, how many guesses should you have expected to make to uncover the secret word?

Most solvers recognized that the most efficient strategy was a binary search, where you first guessed the middle word in the dictionary. If the secret word came later, you then guessed the middle word in the second half of the dictionary. But if the secret word came earlier, you guessed the middle word in the first half of the dictionary. With each guess, you narrowed the possibilities by approximately half, and there was also a chance that the guess itself was the secret word.

The sequence of guesses could therefore be structured as a complete binary tree whose top node was your first guess (the exact middle word in the dictionary). If the secret word came earlier in the dictionary, you moved to the right; if the secret word came later in the dictionary, you moved to the left. Eventually, you’d find the secret word.

Now that you had the optimal guessing strategy, all that was left was calculating the average number of guesses. In your binary tree, one word — the middle word in the dictionary — would be guessed on the very first attempt. Two words required two guesses, four words required three guesses, eight words required four guesses, 16 words required five guesses, and so on. For each additional guess, there were twice as many words.

It turned out that the number of words in the dictionary, 267,751, was 1 + 21 + 22 + 23 + … + 216 + 217 + 5608. And each term in the sum required one more guess than the term before it. To find the average number of guesses, you had to divide each of these terms by 267,751 and then multiply by the corresponding number of guesses. In the end, the average was approximately 17.042 guesses.

Several solvers, like Michael Branicky, Josh Silverman and Rajeev Pakalapati, generalized this method, finding a formula for the expected number of guesses for a dictionary with any number of words. Meanwhile, Emma Knight went in a completely different direction — recursion — still arriving at the same solution.

Thanks again to Oliver Roeder for introducing Riddler Nation to this fun word game. (If only it weren’t so darn addictive.)

Want more riddles?

Want to submit a riddle?

Email Zach Wissner-Gross at


Vonage is a communications provider that is one of the pioneers in the VoIP industry, and the company has been taking many steps over the years to improve customer experience. One of the ways that they keep their customers happy is by delivering a comprehensive support experience. This past week, we had the opportunity to sit down with Ken McMahon of Vonage to talk about Vonage support.

Mr. McMahon is the SVP of Client Operations, and he was able to give us a peek into how Vonage tackles multichannel customers, self-service, and third-party software. He even gave us some insight into turnaround and daily support processes. Let’s get to it!

What channels can customers use to reach Vonage support? Hours? Devices? Locations?

Ken: Today’s ultra-connected customers expect answers and solutions to their questions and issues when they need it and where they need it. At Vonage, we are making sure we are available and ready to connect with our customers wherever and whenever they need us. We have multiple channels available for the customers to reach us, including a community portal, where customers can access our Support Site, external knowledge base and find answers to common questions in links to guided assistance workflows.

For immediate assistance, we have AI chatbots available 24 hours per day, while live voice agents are available from 7 a.m. to midnight EST from Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST over the weekends – for a truly 24×7 customer service experience. Customers can also create a case through our support site at their convenience and receive a prompt solution from our care team. Our live agent chat service is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST throughout the week and will be expanding to weekend service soon.

Does Vonage offer customer support via SMS?

Ken: Although we do not offer SMS support at this time, customers looking for support options available from their mobile device can use our Vee chatbot and create a case via the Vonage mobile app.

What channel seems to be the preferred channel for customers reaching out to Vonage support?

Ken: The preferred channel seems to be related to the type of customer issue, i..e. The more technical the issue the more likely the customer will want to speak to a phone agent.  For simpler issues, like how to use a feature or questions on their bill or status, chat is a popular option. Chat currently averages about 13% of our total customer contacts

In your opinion, what support channels are going to be the most popular in the next decade?

Ken: While there will always be customers who prefer the phone, we anticipate that use of our digital channels (chatbot, live chat, online support articles and step by step guides, and live chat) will continue to grow. Using chatbots, we are able to answer more than 60% of customer questions, eliminating the need to speak to an agent and providing them with immediate answers. Similarly, we are deploying natural language processing in our IVR, and providing the ability to complete simple tasks using IVR-provided instructions or receiving a link to a step by step guide.  We anticipate that, as customers become more confident with these tools and as the tools themselves continue to evolve, these AI tools will become the preferred channel for non-technical issues.

What’s the average turnaround time for a live chat support session?

Ken: The average handle time for chat sessions is currently less than 20 minutes.

Do you find this channel to be more efficient for customers needing support? What kinds of issues aren’t handled as effectively?

Ken: While live chat gives the customer immediate access to a customer support agent and is approximately 35% more efficient due to multi-session handling, technical issues are handled better when using live voice.

How does multi-session handling work at Vonage?

Ken: Chats are routed to chat agents based on the type of issue the customer has specified.  If a customer has a technical issue, the agent will receive only that chat until he or she has completed the session.  For customer service type issues (e.g. feature-related) multiple chats will be directed to an available agent (up to 2 concurrently) as these are easier to manage via multi-session.

What are the best times that a customer might have an easier time calling in to support?

Ken: During core business hours, our live voice agents definitely receive more inquiries. During those times, if a customer has a simple request that can be handled by the live chat agent, they may prefer to take that route. Before and after core business hours when volumes decline, customers may find it easier to reach a live voice agent. That said, our customer service team is ready and able to support our customers no matter when they need us.

Do you have dedicated reps for each of your support channels?

Ken: Yes, we have dedicated reps or queues for customer service, technical support, billing, porting, retention, chat and VIP with managed overflow for priority queues.

How does Vonage ensure that its customers are routed to the correct agents or groups of agents?

Ken: We use skills-based routing as well as automatic number identification (ANI) to identify specific customers, their segment, and any special handling, in addition to asking them in the IVR what they are looking to accomplish. This information dictates the queue to which they are routed, with additional rules in place should there be a longer than usual wait time.

Explain how Vonage support reps provide a high level of customer satisfaction.

Ken: As a business services provider who has acquired multiple technology companies over the past several years, we continue to work to consolidate and optimize our infrastructure. While this can impact our customers from time to time, our Support team works closely with our internal technology and engineering teams to make sure we communicate and support our customers effectively during any changes and upgrades.

What are Vonage customers saying about the support experience?

Ken: Because we generate customer surveys upon completion of agent interactions, we have countless examples of our agents going above and beyond.

Here are some examples of what our customers are saying:

  • “Thomas’s mad skills were amazing. I wanted to match an already recorded auto-receptionist message with options – one for me, two for voicemail. After initially thinking a costed option was the only solution, he worked the problem and found the perfect answer. It was outstanding customer service.”
  • “He was very professional and patient with me. I appreciated him giving me details while we waited. He also helped me set up the Vonage app on my mobile while we waited for the desk phone to finish setting up. I couldn’t have been more pleased with his efforts.”
  • “Setting a great example on how a call should be handled from start to finish. He was well informed on the product, courteous, friendly and eager to ensure our technical questions were answered and I was satisfied…and he did it swiftly. Great job! You guys know how to serve your customers, keep it up please!”

Number porting can vary by provider and case. Please share some lesser-known insights as to what a customer can do to make the process easier.

Ken: Issues with porting most often stem from incomplete or inaccurate information provided in the Letter of Authorization (LOA). In some circumstances, we’ve seen issues with inconsistent processes supported by smaller local carriers. Customers taking extra care as they complete the porting request or ask questions before submitting makes the process easier.

What are some issues that many of your customers face that could easily be solved by your self-service portal?

Ken: In many cases, our customers choose to speak or chat with a live agent when they could easily add or change services – with guided assistance – via self-serve. At the same time, we’ve seen measured reduction in calls with live agents regarding topics for which we’ve implemented guided assistance workflows through our self-service portal.

For what issues or purposes are customers more commonly using the self-service features?

Ken: Some of the most common uses of self-service are account setup questions and flows, such as adding users, setting up extensions, configuring the Virtual Receptionist, or setting up their devices.

Can you share which channels have the highest number of agents for support?

Ken: Our customer service and technical support live voice channels have the highest number of agents and call volume.

Where exactly are all of your customer service departments based? We know there’s one in NJ, where else?

Ken: Vonage is a global company and we have support teams throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and APAC. In North America, for example, we have customer service and technical teams located in Atlanta, GA and Scottsdale, AZ, as well as Holmdel, NJ.

Does Vonage provide customers with hands-on support for third-party integrations? If so, to what extent?

Ken: Our support team offers assistance with setting up integrations with third party business applications such as Salesforce, Bullhorn, Office 365, ZenDesk, GSuite and many others.

Agents are available to assist with items such as account settings, configuration tools, user integrations, reporting and workflow settings to fully integrate our customers’ mission-critical business applications and CRM tools into their Vonage communications solutions for enhanced productivity and a more seamless overall experience.

What makes Vonage support unique compared to other providers?

Ken: Our online guided assistance workflows continue to gain adoption and demonstrate an increasing ability for the customer to effectively self-serve. With over 70 production workflows related to customers’ most common support requests and self-serve interactions increasing by over 200% last year, we’re continuing to invest and fine-tune this highly valuable technology.

We’re also continuing to leverage our own Vonage contact center capabilities to enhance the customer experience, including our IVR and voice AI technologies.

How is voice AI making it easier for Vonage customers to achieve self-service results?

Ken: Voice AI allows us to understand the customer’s issue, and in some cases, present the answer within the IVR via chatbot.  It also allows us to provide customers with permalinks via SMS for some of our most common workflows.

How does your team deal with customer language barriers?

Ken: We have multi-lingual personnel within our support teams to assure we are ready and able to assist customers in any language as circumstances require.

We appreciate the time that Ken took to help us find out more about Vonage and its customer service practices. Customer satisfaction is an essential metric for any business, and it’s good to see that Vonage has such a strong commitment to delivering strong customer experiences via a comprehensive support structure.

It’s also encouraging that Vonage has a multichannel structure that provides live chat and phone support. It’s all about providing customers with options that can make the contact experience comfortable, and Vonage is clearly taking the right steps. Vonage is one of the UC brands that really delivers features, so check out how it stands out as a Nextiva alternative.


Centimeter Ruler Clipart

Centimeter Ruler Clipart

S Shaped Ruler Printable Page – Would you possess a Printable Ruler and do not understand what to complete with it? Keep reading to find out the best way to use this essential device in almost any venture you undertake.

Printable Rulers For Preschool - Bing Images | Bible Crafts

There are many Printer available right now and most of them come using the fundamental functions. You’ll be able to select a smaller sized model that prints only on black ink or even a larger one that prints on the wide variety of colors. With these 2 in your hands, the two questions which are in your thoughts will be how you can utilize them and exactly where to utilize them.

With all the abilities of present-day printers, one of the most important resources will be the paper and this may be used for simple makes use of or for complicated requirements. To start out with, make use of the printable ruler to ascertain when the color from the ink around the paper matches that from the colors you need to print around the wall. If it does, print the web page and lower it out, fold it carefully, and location it next to the wall where you will need it the most.

Rulers appear in different styles and dimensions. Because of this they can provide several reasons, especially if you are going to utilize them outside. The need for any greater Ruler is critical if you are likely to produce a format with special elements including columns and little photos. In the event you do not have a big adequate Ruler, create a short term chart and trace it within the surface area of the huge Ruler.

Rulers can be utilized for decoration, whether or not you’re making a small or huge format. In the event you would like to add some text to your wall, commence by tracing the lines of the ruler onto the surface area in the paper using the identical color as your selected text.

Blank Ruler Template For Kids | Printable Ruler, Ruler

Once you find the most effective design, you’ll be able to erase the excess paper and spot the Ruler around the paper. Go away the ruler around the surface of the paper until finally you are ready to remove it. Attract a line around the Ruler for dividing the surface area of the paper into five equal parts. Mark from the very first mark, and repeat the procedure within the other four marks.

This can be a extremely straightforward concept and will assist you to conserve time when you have to draw a line around the wall. When you find yourself satisfied with all the end result, all you’ve to do is connect the Ruler for the line and attract the appropriate traces.

Centimeter Ruler Clipart

Lastly, when you find yourself concluded drawing the lines around the wall, just consider your Ruler and reduce it out. This helps make a fantastic Instrument to make use of in any project you undertake!


What Are The 4 Theories Of Art?

Are there theories in art?

Theories of aesthetic response or functional theories of art are in many ways the most intuitive theories of art.

At its base, the term “aesthetic” refers to a type of phenomenal experience and aesthetic definitions identify artworks with artifacts intended to produce aesthetic experiences..

Who started the aesthetic trend?

The movement started in a small way in the 1860s in the studios and houses of a radical group of artists and designers, including William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, reformers who explored new ways of living in defiance of the design standards of the age as revealed in the 1851 Great Exhibition at Hyde Park, …

What is the relationship between art and philosophy?

Philosophy is theoretical from beginning to end, whereas art is sensuous and imaginal. Philosophical thought reflects its subject-matter in concepts, in categories; art is characterised, on the other hand, by emotional and imaginal reflection and by transformation of reality.

What are the 4 components of aesthetics?

Who is an Aesthete?

What are the 8 forms of art?

What are the philosophies and theories of art?

Who is the father of aesthetic?

Oscar WildeThe Aesthetic Movement was an artistic movement in the late 19th century where artists adopted an attitude of “art for art’s sake” rather than art driven by socio-political themes. Q: Why is Oscar Wilde considered the father of the Aesthetic Movement?

What is mimetic theory of art?

Mimesis, basic theoretical principle in the creation of art. The word is Greek and means “imitation” (though in the sense of “re-presentation” rather than of “copying”). … Therefore, the painter, the tragedian, and the musician are imitators of an imitation, twice removed from the truth.

What is the highest form of art?

LiteratureLiterature – the highest form of art.

What are the 5 philosophies of art?

Five Philosophies of Art (Theories of Art)Art Aesthetics & Criticism.Art Criticism- An organized approach for studying a work of art.Street Art Chalk Murals. Graffiti Artwork: Public Pedagogy Some artists create graffiti in order to send positive visual messages to a larger and more.Emotionalism.

What are the three theories of aesthetics?

These three aesthetic theories are most commonly referred to as Imitationalism, Formalism, and Emotionalism.

Who is the father of art?

What are the 3 theories of art?

The three aesthetic theories of art criticism are most commonly referred to as Imitationalism, Formalism, and Emotionalism. on realistic representation. of art using the principles of art.

What are the 7 different forms of art?


Protein space and the emergence of proteins on primordial Earth

Proteins share similar amino acid segments with one another. Such 'reuse of parts' has clear evolutionary advantage over ‘design from scratch', which often generates segments that cannot even fold, let alone be active. The best characterized form of reuse involves ‘domains’, where the shared segments are of 100 amino acids on average. It is, however, conceivable, that proteins reuse even smaller segments. If so, such segments can be regarded as the basic evolutionary units of proteins. To study this eventuality, we searched among two large and representative sets of proteins (~15,000 domains and ~20,000 full chains) for elongated amino acid segments that are similar in sequence and structure. Using an in house methodology that was tailor made for this study, we presented the results as a similarity network, where the proteins/domains were shown as nodes, and the edges connected proteins/domains that are similar, i.e., evolutionarily related. Indeed, this network view showed that protein space features a large connected component of domains that share smaller segments with each other, as well as many isolated ‘islands’, each corresponding to specific architecture (see figure below). We observed reuse of amino acid segments of variable lengths, and called the reused parts ‘themes’ (as in ‘variations on a theme’). Very complex patterns emerged, where the same amino acid can appear both within a short reused theme, shared by many proteins, or within a longer theme, shared by few. This study suggests a recursive model of protein evolution, in which themes of various lengths, typically smaller than domains, ‘hop’ between contexts, and those that are fit remain, leaving traces for us to detect.

Networks of similarity among protein structural domains. Edges connect nodes that correspond to similar domains, such as the two at the center, sharing similarity in the cyan segment. Considering networks based on increasingly lax thresholds to identify similarity relationships is analogous to moving back in evolutionary time. Image courtesy of Varda Wexler of the multimedia unit of the faculty of Life Sciences.

In another project we aimed to shed light on a key mystery in protein function evolution: how did protein-ligand binding and recognition emerged, and how have they continued to evolve? To study these questions we focused on proteins that interact with adenine-containing enzyme cofactors, such as ATP, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), etc. We chose these cofactors because they have been present on Earth since the beginning of life. We designed a computational pipeline, ComBind, which superimposed the structures of ~1,000 proteins based on their adenine-containing cofactors, and then compared the patterns of hydrogen bonds between protein and adenine. This analysis showed that, in contrast to previous suggestions, evolution has maximized protein-adenine binding interactions by using all three faces of adenine. Furthermore, we found that these interactions are mediated by short linear sequence motifs on the protein side. While such motifs have been previously identified, we significantly expanded the list of these motifs. As anticipated, homologous proteins shared similar adenine-binding motifs, but occasionally, proteins that do not share evolutionary origin, nevertheless shared similar adenine-binding motifs. Most interestingly, we found a link between adenine binding motifs and protein themes: specific themes are often involved in adenine binding (see figure on the right). By searching the UniProtKB database for these themes, we identified over a million proteins of unknown structure that are predicted to bind adenine. This is the first step in our attempt to establish a functional alphabet for proteins based on themes. Overall, our analysis highlighted the opportunistic nature of evolution and suggested that adenine binding emerged more than once. It offered a possible scenario for the emergence of protein function, where primordial peptides with minimal biological activity (e.g., ligand binding) gradually evolved into current proteins.

Membrane proteins

Membrane proteins fulfil key biological functions on the cellular and physiological levels, they are involved in numerous diseases, and accordingly, they constitute prime targets to pharmaceutical drugs. Studying membrane proteins is particularly challenging, especially on the structural level, because of their complex environment. Our research of membrane proteins has been focusing both on specific proteins and on principle aspects of protein-membrane interactions. Currently, we are mainly studying Cation/Proton Antiporters (CPAs), which play a crucial role in maintaining cells pH levels and salt concentrations. With more than 100,000 entries in UniProt, CPAs comprise one of the largest protein superfamilies. We exploited evolutionary data to predict the functional traits of CPA. Because of the multitude of CPA sequence homologues, their evolutionary relationship is complex and challenging to reconstruct, but for the exact same reason it can be very informative. We conducted the most extensive evolutionary analysis of CPAs carried so far, encompassing ~6,500 protein homologs. The analysis identified an eight-amino acids sequence motif, which not only distinguishes the two main groups of CPAs, but also seems to determine both their electrogenicity (i.e., whether they pass one or two proton per each cation) and cation selectivity (Na+ vs. K+). Furthermore, the analysis provided a new way to classify CPAs, and showed that contrary to previous suggestions, the distinction between the two main CPA groups only partially correlates with their electrogenicity. This allowed us to identify specificity-determining residues in this family (see figure on the right), and based on this, to modify CPAs function and also recover activity in an inactive CPA mutant (both verified by the Padan laboratory, HUJI). We intend to further investigate these interesting transporters using simulations and other computational techniques, where our long term goal will be to provide a detailed atomic model of the transport mechanism.

Jointly with the Mayrose and Pupko labs, we have been developing ConSurf, an automated tool that accurately predicts the evolutionary conservation of amino acid positions in proteins, and also presents the conservation on the structures of these proteins as a color map (see figure on the right). This type of analysis is of great importance to biologists, as protein positions that are functionally important tend to change much more slowly during evolution compared to those that do not have specific function. Thus, ConSurf can help protein scientists to identify functional positions in new proteins. It can also assist protein engineers finding positions within proteins that can be safely mutated to increase their activity or to change their specificity towards their substrates. While there are other methods that calculate the evolutionary conservation of proteins, ConSurf does it very accurately because it uses statistically robust approaches (Bayesian or maximum likelihood).

Rational Drug Design

Traditional high throughput screening is a laborious and costly research, which typically is out of the scope of the academy. We use computational methods to screen large combinatorial libraries for novel drug candidates. The search algorithm finds compounds with good stereochemical fit to the structure of the protein binding site.

An example is our collaboration with the Azem Lab, where we target the Hsp60 chaperonin, which is implicated in multiple cancers. The Azem lab has determined the structure of Hsp60 in complex with its co-chaperonin Hsp10, obtaining a complex with a football-like shape. We screened a database of several million compounds, fitting each compound to the nucleotide binding site of Hsp60 and calculating the binding energies. The different compounds were ranked according to that energy. From the top ranking compounds we selected 10 compounds to be tested in empirical binding assays.

The proposed binding pose of a candidate binder within the nucleotide binding pocket of the Hsp60 chaperonin.

The George S. Wise Faculty
of Life Sciences
Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics