Zootopia: a Film for Animation Fans of All Ages

by Chad Osborne

movie_poster_zootopia_866a1bf2Like many animated films, we get a childlike adventure seeing several different characters come to life in the unusual world of Zootopia.  This world, however, is not very different from ours, except for the fact it’s filled with animals.  Zootopia is a story about a small rabbit trying to keep up with the larger animals around her (I challenge anyone not to see this as a metaphor for the Western World’s way of life).  In this case an eager young Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), struggles to pursue her dream of becoming the first “rabbit” cop in the great city of Zootopia. Along the way she soon finds out that the job is more challenging than it seems, and in more ways than she cold ever have imagined.

images-3Visually, this film pleases the eye with the impressive art design, especially in the depiction of the variety of biodiversity settings, each relative to the many species of animals that live in the city of Zootopia.  Although the narrative does follow the style of “the hero’s journey”, it does not portray a story that seems in any way generic.  Not at all.  Quite the contrary, the plot adds several twists, keeping you involved every step of the way as Judy learns one lessons after another about the realities of the world in which she lives.

imagesAs the pursuit progresses across the city’s many districts the changing biodiversity challenges each character to adapt (or not) to the worlds of Zootopia.  It is literally a survival of the fittest as the mysteries continue to pile up for Judy and her sidekick Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a sly fox whose street-wise personality contrasts perfectly with Judy’s fresh optimism.  The film virtually jumps off the screen with exploding movements and quick action that pulls you through the streets of the city, taking you to the next level of crime solving mystery as the two unlikely companions try to unravel the case.

zootopia3Beyond its visual appeal, the film does a very good job getting the audience to relate to the adorable animated characters through the everyday life situations they undertake.  The lead character undergoes several stages of struggle, which shows her growing process as to how she finds out who she really is.  It leaves us with the lesson – it does not matter how small you are, you still can do great things.  This is definitely a film that does not leave you thinking of it as a child’s movie, but rather I feel as though all ages will relate to it.

images-1While all the elements of this film meet their goals, the one particular element that really stands out is sound.  Although this is true about most animated features, Zootopia really out does the minimum requirement by adding extra effects when needed.  After all, Judy is a speedy rabbit, full of ambition and courage, creating a lot of movement with every action.  As Judy Hopps struggles to complete her training she is surrounded by larger animals who gather in a pack, stomping loudly around her.  But this does not stop her from zipping around them or through the streets of Zootopia, past loud cars and through the commotion of people.  The audible bustling of the city life of Zootopia brings a plethora of different sounds that enhance the excitement of the story.  This adds to the greatness that Zootopia has to offer audiences.  It’s not just another “kid film” with a simple story.  I encourage you to take the time to watch a corny rabbit, a sly fox and some hysterical slow-moving sloths all in a large world of an animal running society and you will see what I am talking about and become a fan of yet another Disney family blockbuster.

Captain America: Civil War

by Justin Guiao

Captain America: Civil War by the Russo brothers is the 13th film in Disney’s Marvel’s new cinematic universe.  It’s strange to think that Marvel has been able to put out so many frankly similar films at extremely high budgets in this relatively short amount of time since the first Iron Man hit theaters.  They continue to make money however, meaning many more of them are to come.

I had fairly high expectations for Civil War.  I saw Fox’s Deadpool in theaters a month or two before which was my first visit to a theater in over two years.  I was thoroughly impressed with Deadpool, and the raving critical reviews of the Civil War screeners led me to go to the theater once again.  However, these heightened expectations may have damped my enjoyment somewhat.  Even though I did enjoy it, I am probably going to continue holding out on going to the theater for any more blockbusters for a while and will just start waiting for Blu-rays.  Regardless of all this, I did think Civil War was a good film, and I probably will see it again after it comes out on disk.  It features a few firsts for a Marvel franchise 13 movies into its story, with Downey as Tony Stark showing up in a non-Iron Man or Avengers film for the first time, as well as the introduction of new characters to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Black Panther and Spiderman, both of which are unsurprisingly up for solo movies in the near future.  It also features a large battle between many of the heroes, as well as some notable smaller bouts, in contrast to previous MCU team-up films where the heroes fight off endless hordes of weaker minions.

captain-america-civil-war-image-46-1200x499Unfortunately, I think Marvel is coming up to a point where they have too many heroes in their MCU.  It has gotten to the point where there are so many that it seems silly to have a big crisis that only one hero deals with when we are aware that many other exist and operate relatively nearby.  On the other hand, the big team up film that is Civil War almost feels like a bunch of promotional material for movies about the new heroes, as even after everything that happens in the film, at the end there are not any sizable rifts created between the heroes and everyone starts carrying on as normal, resulting in that feeling that little or no progress was made.  Also, Marvel has been adherent to the thought of letting any of their heroes die.  The fact that the audience knows this by now takes some of the intrigue and tension out of the film. We know how it’s going to end, just not how it’s going to get there.  In spite of this, the Russo Brothers were able to create a film that stands out among the seemingly exponentially increasing amount of Marvel superhero films that have been coming out.  While it doesn’t have the strongest plot that would make it stand out as a classic in the future, it does fulfill its purpose as an action blockbuster well.  The special effects were top notch as always through these films along with excellent fight choreography (although Captain America definitely killed a majority of the people he fought.  There is no way that would just knock them unconscious like the film made it seem, they’re dead).

screen-shot-2016-03-10-at-12-12-20-pm-173561I can’t say much for the sound of the film.  This may be because I have been spoiled by Marvel’s production quality in the last near-decade, but it was just really more of the same.  Loud explosions, extremely over exaggerated punches and hits, the same mechanical sounds from Iron Man, and fantasy-like mystical sounds from the Vision and the Scarlet Witch.  While the sound was definitely high quality, you could tell that actors were the real stars and sound was just there to make them look better.  The editing of the film was also impressive.  I can only imagine how many cuts and scenes were filmed individually in the film.  Even with such heavy amounts of CGI, there was plenty of practical effects used to make it seem more real, including most of the explosions.  While the big fights were all CGI, the editing on the scene where two super humans are running down Bucky on a motorcycle really makes it seem like they’re outrunning all of the cars.  The hand to hand combat, even between CGI’d head to toe Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, seemed fluid and believable.  I don’t know too much about video editing, but I could tell that the people who worked on this film took pride in it and managed to do an excellent job.

For how many people have played Spiderman recently, I really liked this iteration. They portrayed him closer to his comic roots, a teenager with a quick wit and a loud mouth. The incessant chatter from him during the big fight scenes really brought forth what I think the original writers intended for the character. I didn’t really know what to think of the casting choice for Black Panther and really I still don’t, as I did not know much about the character.

2818A5BD00000578-3069258-image-a-2_1430857574138With all the strong acting and effects, I really feel that the overall plot is the weakest thing in the movie.  It seems like they were trying to cram too much into one movie, and the suspension of belief for the plot started to fade away in the process.  The civil war comic story was extremely popular and very receptive to a movie version, but perhaps it could have used two movies.  However, this didn’t matter too much during the film itself, as the actors, choreography, and special effects led the way once more for Marvel.  With Civil War, Marvel has created another enjoyable and action-packed blockbuster to whet the appetites of long time comic fans for the introduction of more characters into the MCU.

Wreck It Ralph is More Than Worthy of an Oscar Nom

by Kaitlin Palma

There was a time in all of our lives where games meant the world to us. Whether it was jumping rope, playing tag or, as Wreck It Ralph portrays, video games. Disney’s latest dive into the animation pool was released in the late fall of 2012 and is now currently under consideration for an Oscar as Best Animated Feature of the year. Although the film faces tough competition it is more than worthy of the nomination and in any other year would likely be a clear win for the trophy. Yes, a simple story about a villainous video game character wanting to turn a new leaf is that good.

Wreck It Ralph's Mixed CastFrom the moment Disney made its way into theaters with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 (that’s more than 70 years ago!) the stories that have borne the studio’s moniker have warmed our hearts and allowed our imaginations to expand vastly. This film is no exception. Whether you are one for animation or not, Wreck It Ralph is more than just a bunch of colorful pictures and cute little catch phrases. To my delighted surprise this film had essentially everything it takes to be called a “good movie” regardless of mode or medium. More than just a kid’s pic, more than a family night flick, this film—action packed with racing candy cars and villainous famished cyber land insects—is the greatest adventure never taken. With an exciting twist of good versus evil and an unexpected hero and villain, Wreck It Ralph will make you laugh until you cry and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ralph explores being a different character

As someone brought up in the digital age, I have to say that Wreck It Ralph was a real surprise treat. It’s very easy to watch animation and not appreciate the time and effort it takes to carefully create every detail required to tell a tale like this one. But the visual effects here really stand out, running the gamete of style and presentation in order to represent actual past video games as well as the ones created specifically for the movie. Amazingly enough the collaboration of disparate (game) realities seamlessly come together as a unified whole, thus placing the audience into a world they’ve known but have never explored.

Ralph tries to make friendsOf course all the artistry in the world doesn’t mean much to a film without a solid story as a foundation. And the story here is one that offers a lot of heart and a positive message without being sappy or preachy. One scene in particular is quite memorable. It’s when the main character, Ralph, expresses the need to be more in life than just one that wrecks things. So, he ventures out to discover how he can be the hero instead of the villain and begins an adventure that takes him through the many worlds of video gaming. Ralph discovers that what he needs to be a hero, or “good guy” is a medal. Believing this to be the key to achieving his goal, he sneaks into the game “Hero’s Duty” in which the players must fight to bring his/her team to the top of the light tower where the medal of a hero awaits.

Of course, Ralph’s world (his game) is very different in setting from “Hero’s Duty” which mimics the real world games of Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed. This is where the pacing of the film picks up speed to match the adrenaline filled universe of these alternate realities. Naturally, Ralph is confused and scared by his new surroundings. Then, BANG! A gun is fired, followed by a second, third and fourth. With every gunshot or screech of a dying “cybug”, Ralph’s face is shown in acute reaction with very quick and concise cuts. The audience not only sees, but also feels the strife and determination in Ralph’s eyes as the medal becomes the only thing that holds any meaning in his life. In the midst of the fight we are suddenly taken back to Ralph’s home game (where he exists as the antagonist). There the protagonist, Fix It Felix is seen genuinely concerned about Ralph’s disappearance. It is perhaps the first time in cinema where the “hero” sincerely misses his nemesis. This moment acutely demonstrates the necessity, even the dependency of opposites in any world, animated, fictionalized or otherwise and the natural need for balance.

A diverse group of genres

With a message like that it’s easy to see why the film is not only enjoyable for every member of the family but worthy of accolades and even awards. Whether you grew up on Atari, Sega or Xbox a good story is a good story, and makes you come back again and again to experience the pleasure of the adventure whether it’s on film or in a video game. Academy Award winner or not, that’s the real achievement when it comes to animated films – reaching as large an audience as possible. Wreck It Ralph has done that, and is bound to continue to do so for generations to come.


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AMPA Receptors Commandeer an Ancient Cargo Exporter for Use as an Auxiliary Subunit for Signaling

Cokic,  Barbara
Max Planck Research Group: Synaptic Receptor Trafficking / Stein, MPI of Neurobiology, Max Planck Society;

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Harmel, N., Cokic, B., Zolles, G., Berkefeld, H., Mauric, V., Fakler, B., et al. (2012). AMPA Receptors Commandeer an Ancient Cargo Exporter for Use as an Auxiliary Subunit for Signaling. PLOS ONE, 7(1): e30681, pp. [1]-[9]. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030681.

Fast excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian central nervous system is mainly mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors of the AMPA subtype (AMPARs). AMPARs are protein complexes of the pore-lining alpha-subunits GluA1-4 and auxiliary beta-subunits modulating their trafficking and gating. By a proteomic approach, two homologues of the cargo exporter cornichon, CNIH-2 and CNIH-3, have recently been identified as constituents of native AMPARs in mammalian brain. In heterologous reconstitution experiments, CNIH-2 promotes surface expression of GluAs and modulates their biophysical properties. However, its relevance in native AMPAR physiology remains controversial. Here, we have studied the role of CNIH-2 in GluA processing both in heterologous cells and primary rat neurons. Our data demonstrate that CNIH-2 serves an evolutionarily conserved role as a cargo exporter from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). CNIH-2 cycles continuously between ER and Golgi complex to pick up cargo protein in the ER and then to mediate its preferential export in a coat protein complex (COP) II dependent manner. Interaction with GluA subunits breaks with this ancestral role of CNIH-2 confined to the early secretory pathway. While still taking advantage of being exported preferentially from the ER, GluAs recruit CNIH-2 to the cell surface. Thus, mammalian AMPARs commandeer CNIH-2 for use as a bona fide auxiliary subunit that is able to modify receptor signaling.


Operating systems

Qualifying exam

Preparatory courses

Three courses are offered in the area of operating systems. CS 537 introduces the subject, providing hands-on experience with building parts of operating systems in simple environments; there are several large programming assignments. CS 736 is an advanced course, often run as a seminar, which discusses a selection of advanced topics. This course often has a large project associated with it. CS 739 takes up where CS 736 leaves off. It covers distributed systems in greater depth, studying a wide variety of systems and examining issues such as replication, fault tolerance, load balancing, and security. The Ph.D. qualifying exam covers material in CS 537 and 736 and advanced material from CS 739.

Reading list

Past exams


Tonight at Money in the Bank, Naomi defends the SmackDown Women’s Title against Lana. Can Lana capture the gold in singles match debut? The Diva Dirt team weighs in.

Abir: Lana is a passable opponent. There’s no way Naomi overcame 5 other women in 6 minutes at Mania, won the title twice, and had that stellar match with Charlotte a few weeks back just to lose it to someone who has yet to have a televised match. Naomi will win and retain.

Alex: If Asuka is the ‘shock’ for the night, then Naomi should retain the title tonight. Even the shock value isn’t enough to warrant a title win or someone who isn’t ready. What an absolute slap to the face to the other five women busting their asses in amazing matches since the ‘Superstar Shake-Up’ if she won. Booking wise, it might make sense… but would still not be a smart decision, so WWE please remember this is 2017 and not 1997 and save the title for our wrestlers please!

Candace: Naomi retains.

Josue: I think the WWE are taking a risk by throwing Lana right into a title match this soon into her singles competition career. I’m going to give Lana the benefit of the doubt. Who knows, she may surprise us all but truthfully I don’t high expectations for this match. Regardless, I see Naomi retaining either way, staying ready for whoever wins the Money in the Bank Ladder match.

Matthew: Naomi over Lana, because two reasons. One being that Naomi is getting a bigger push than most people on the roster (Unless it’s Jinder Mahal) and second being that Lana doesn’t have that much experience.

Stephanie: This is Lana’s chance to prove herself in the ring. Naomi has been shining and stepping up her game as champion so Lana’s first match is in good hands. I expect Naomi to retain in a fine match.

BREAKDOWN: 0 for Lana, 6 for Naomi.

RELATED: The 2017 Team Diva Dirt PPV Prediction Scoreboard

Who do you agree with? Who is just dead wrong? What are your predictions? Sound off in the comments below!


The statement came from the National Football League's senior vice president for health and safety, Jeff Miller, when he was asked during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee whether a link has been established between football and disorders such as CTE.

"The answer to that question is certainly yes," Miller said in testimony recorded in a video clip posted by the television sports channel ESPN on its website.

Miller's comment marked the first time a senior league official has publicly conceded the sport's connection to CTE, which medical research has closely linked with the repeated head injuries, often leading to aggression and dementia.

An NFL spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Miller's testimony.

The subject gained additional attention from the 2015 film "Concussion," which starred Will Smith as a doctor who fought NFL efforts to conceal his research on brain damage suffered by players.


In 2014, Russia was the European Union’s third-biggest trading partner, and the EU Russia’s biggest. Exports to Russia included machinery, chemicals, medicines, electrical goods and agricultural products. The total value of those exports stood at US$118.3 billion. Conversely, oil and gas accounted for 74.9 percent of all Russian export to the bloc.

However, this changed in March 2014. Following a legal referendum, the parliament of Crimea declared the region’s independence from Ukraine, and formally applied to become part of Russia. Spun as an illegal “annexation” by Western politicians and media, US leaders used the event as a pretext for the imposition of sanctions on Russian individuals, assets and entities.

Asset freezes and visa bans were applied to hundreds of individuals, while many Russian businesses had their assets frozen in the EU and US. Imports from Crimea and Sevastopol to the EU were banned outright, as was investment into the region. Europeans and EU-based companies are also banned from purchasing real estate or entities there, financing Crimean companies or supplying related services.

Other economic sanctions included a ban on EU nationals and companies buying or selling new bonds, equities or similar financial instruments issued by major Russian banks, energy companies, defense firms and their subsidiaries, outside the EU, three major Russian energy companies and three Russian defense companies. The European Investment Bank likewise suspended the signing of new financing operations in Russia.

Arguably underlining the highly politicized nature of the sanctions, the EU was careful to exempt oil and gas from sanctions — after all, the vast majority of EU member states are heavily dependent on Russian supplies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin did not take the groundless assault lying down. In August 2014, he signed an edict banning the import of agricultural products, raw materials and food from all countries that had imposed sanctions on Russian entities or individuals — Australia, Canada, the EU, Norway and the US. In 2015, the embargo was expanded to include products originating in Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Montenegro.

As 73 percent of the prohibited imports flowed from the EU, it was inevitably going to be the most heavily impacted target of the countersanction program — and EU goods exports to Russia duly fell by as much as 14.5 percent.

The impact of this decline in trade has proven difficult to accurately determine, although the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies estimates EU the losses could amount to as much US$63.2 billion (€55 billion). In all, the EU itself estimates its overall GDP has contracted by at least —0.4 percent every year since the imposition of the sanctions — a figure that could rise to around one percent if the sanctions persist.

The losses don’t stop there — Russian countersanctions have produced a myriad of deleterious effects in other areas.

Annually, the Institute of Economic Forecasting at the Russian Academy of Sciences suggests European financial institutions have suffered losses of between US$8-10 billion from reductions in interest payments, and reduced economic cooperation as well as a ban on supplies of dual-use technologies have cost the EU around US$10-15 billion.

Nonetheless, the countersanctions’ impact has not been evenly distributed across the bloc — Eastern Europe, particularly the Baltic states and Finland, have been among the most badly affected, with some countries’ GDP falling by up to one percent as a result.

However, Germany, as the biggest exporter to Russia, has been the most affected — some commentators attributed the country’s major economic wobble in 2014 to the countersanctions. It is perhaps unsurprising then German lawmakers and heads of business responded angrily to suggestions in June that the US might extend and expand its own sanctions program.

The reason for the US’ continued pursuit of sanctions remains unclear, although their willingness to continue the crusade is understandable given the impact of Russia’s countersanctions has been largely restricted to the EU. The US has demonstrably suffered — a number of US firms, including ExxonMobil, PepsiCo, Ford Motors, General Electric, Boeing, Visa, Mastercard and Philip Morris have all reported dents to their profits caused by both US sanctions and Russia’s retaliatory measures.

Moreover, Russia has been able to mitigate the impact of these sanctions by turning away from the US towards new, alternative economic partners, particularly emerging markets that refused to go along with the US’ punitive measures.

China in particular has proven an enthusiastic partner — by October 2014 alone, the two countries had completed approximately 40 agreements related to finance and technology.

Likewise, food exports from Brazil and other Latin American countries have fully compensated for losses caused by US restrictions. As a result, when the sanctions end, Russia may have no need to reignite the relationships severed by US-led actions.

Putin’s historic meeting with US President Donald Trump at the July 2017 G20 Summit was productive in many areas, and arguably signal the US-led sanctions program is finally nearing its end. For many European countries, that day evidently can’t come soon enough.

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When the body and mind are pushed to the limit, things can get a little out of whack. Activities that contribute to overexertion, sleep deprivation, stress, and use of alcohol, caffeine or other drugs can drastically affect our brain chemistry. This can contribute to depression, feeling of anxiety, mental fogginess, lack of motivation, trouble focusing etc. This stress recovery formula was created to help balance our brains and bodies after the abuse we put them through. This formula was specifically designed to promote production of serotonin and dopamine, restore nerve function, promote brain cell regeneration and repair, promote a healthy inflammatory response, boost the immune system, detoxify cells, and neutralize oxidative stress. For those pushing their body and minds to the limits; students, travelers, hard workers, parents, and party warriors may rejoice!

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Sound like you?

      • Sleep deprivation

      • Chronic Stress

      • Feelings of depression, anxiety or irritability

      • Over-stimulation

      • Use of caffeine, alcohol or other drugs

      • Over exertion

Stress Can Contribute to:

      • Depletion of neurotransmitters, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants and more

      • Oxidative damage to cells (free radicals).

      • Inflammation in the brain and body.

      • Insomnia, exhaustion, pain, headache, and feelings of sadness, anxiety or irritability.

      • Metabolic changes (weight gain or loss)

Optimal brain health and resilience is the secret to combating stress. When equipped with the resources it needs, the brain is remarkable at rebalancing and repairing it’s self when the body undergoes a stress response. While obviously eliminating the source of the stress is the best way to fight it, that’s not always under our control. the next best thing we can do is give our body the raw materials to adapt to and repair the damage that stress does to our brains. This formula was designed by applying these cutting-edge neuroscience concepts to support optimal brain resilience from physical and mental stress.

      • Filling in Nutritional Gaps- Providing the body and brain with nutrients that are fundamental for biochemical processes is vital for optimal wellness. Stress can rapidly deplete levels of neurotransmitters, enzymes, minerals and other key nutrients in the body. Just as you need bricks to build a brick wall, you need the raw materials to build and maintain your brain tissue. In addition to correcting deficiencies, this includes providing precursors materials and enzymatic cofactors for the body to build neurotransmitters, proteins and neuronal structures such as dendrites, synapses and fatty cell membranes. A brain that has the materials to repair it’s self is much more resilient to stress, toxins and environmental changes.
      • Combating Oxidative Stress- Though it is a natural part of life, oxidative stress is essentially what damages our cells (neurons and all). Excessive activation and stress in the nervous system increases damage from oxidative stress by increasing the amount of free-radicals released and depleting antioxidants that neutralize them. Many plant-based antioxidant compounds in our formulas have been observed to stimulate the Nrf2 pathway, activating genes and promoting the body’s own production of endogenous antioxidant molecules such as glutathione. Activating this pathway by consuming polyphenol rich foods and supplements helps your body combat oxidative stress by neutralizing the free radicals with your body’s supply of antioxidants.
      • Healthy Inflammatory Response– Oxidative stress goes hand in hand with inflammation, another driving force of damaging cells and tissue. By promoting a healthy balance of free radicals vs. antioxidant molecules and directly influencing inflammation regulatory genes, our formulas are designed to promote a healthy inflammatory response in the brain and body.
      • Promoting Neurogenesis- Many studies show a trend that loss of neurons are associated with cognitive decline, mood disorders and a number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers. Neurogenesis is the growth of new neurons, dendrites and synapses. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest assaults to our brain, resulting in damage to brain cells and atrophy of brain tissue. Elevated stress hormone also wreaks havoc on our brains ability to perform neurogenesis. A growth factor called BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) plays a big role in facilitating the repair, maintenance and growth of new neural networks. Many things can stimulate BDNF and promote neurogenesis such as certain foods/plants, exercise, meditation, fasting and more. Scientists agree that promotion of neuronal growth is an important marker of brain and mood health.

Learn about all the amazing ingredients we chose to add to ReVive. Click on “ingredient Information” or “Scientific References” to open.

B Vitamins (B3, B6, B9 & B12)

The B vitamins are fundamental for whole body health. They are involved in a number of basic cell repair processes, detoxification pathways, and production of neurotransmitters. B6 is especially important for brain health because of it’s co-factor role in converting a number of molecules to their respective neurotransmitters (serotonin, GABA, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrin). B12, also known as cobalamin, is a vitamin that is important in metabolism, DNA synthesis and regulation, and overall energy production. High B12 levels have shown to have neuroptrotective affects against brain atrophy associated with Alzheimers. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause symptoms such as fatigue, depression, poor memory and even cause symptoms of mania and psychosis. Folic acid, also known as B9, is fundamental for numerous processes in the body. It cannot be synthesized by the body so adequate intake through food is essential. Folic acid is needed for cell reproduction and synthesis, repair and methylation of DNA. There is a complex relationship between B12, folic acid and Iron. If proper ratios of the 3 aren’t maintained, one can mask a deficiency in another. Niacin (B3) and Riboflavin (B2) are also important B vitamins. Deficiencies in any of the B vitamins can result in fatigue, cognitive impairment and a number of mood disorders and mental illness symptoms.

Magnesium is essential to whole body health being critically involved in over 300 functions! It is especially important for brain health. Magnesium has been shown to enhance cognitive abilities. Magnesium contributes to synaptic plasticity, allowing brain cells to recover from stress or trauma more easily, and form new synaptic connections. Magnesium is also a NMDA glutamate antagonist. Drugs with the same mechanism of action have shown dramatic promise for treating depression. Because of conventional farming methods and overuse of land, many foods that used to be rich in magnesium are now lacking. Many people have magnesium deficiencies as a result. Supplementing with magnesium contributes to overall health and is a fundamental mineral for the nervous system.

5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan)

5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan) is a chemical intermediate between the amino acid tryptophan and one of it’s end products, serotonin. 5-HTP is more readily converted into serotonin because it is not allocated to other cellular functions as much as tryptophan is, making it more available to be converted directly. It is also able to cross the blood-brain barrier easily, allowing it quick access to the brain where it is transformed into serotonin. Studies have confirmed that 5-HTP ingestion raises serotonin levels, and has efficacy as a treatment for depression/anxiety. Healthy serotonin levels promote calmness, feelings of peace and relaxation. Ideal serotonin levels help modulate sleep, appetite, inflammation, immune response and other neurotransmitter systems.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a spice that’s been used in Ayurvedic medicine and food for thousands of years in Asian countries. It contains a group of polyphenolic compounds called curcuminoids. The most researched of these compounds is curcumin. Turmeric has been found to exhibit anti-cancerous, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. We chose turmeric as one of our ingredients because of it’s affect on inflammatory response, antioxidant production in the body, and ability to promote neurogenesis. Stress, sleep deprivation, and toxins can cause oxidative stress and tissue damage to our body and brains. Turmeric promotes a healthy inflammatory response and helps the body recover to optimal function. Turmeric increases levels of antioxidant vitamins in the body such as vitamin C and E, and is a strong stimulator of the Nrf2 pathway that promotes endogenous antioxidant production, combating oxidative damage to cells and DNA Turmeric also promotes a protein called BDNF, which regulates brain cell and dendrite growth. Turmeric has been clinically shown to increase BDNF in hippocampal regions of the brain.

Spirulina is blue-green algae, composed of two species of Arthrospira. It is considered a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. This includes L-tryptophan, which can be converted into serotonin, and also L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine, which can be converted into dopamine. It also contains the omega-3 fatty acids, alpha linolenic acid and Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), which have neuroprotective effects, can aid in managing depression, and contributes to overall brain health. Spirulina contains a number of vitamins and minerals, with especially high amounts of B vitamins and iron. Spirulina is also useful for preventing oxidative damage, promoting stem cell genesis, and preventing memory loss.

The fruit of the blueberry plant (Vaccinium) contains a number of powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals which have many health benefits. Blueberries contain anthocyanins which evidence has shows reduces inflammation, may help fight cancer, reverse aging, and improve memory and depression symptoms. Blueberry compounds, like turmeric, also contribute to neurotrophic cell proliferation by activating BDNF and promoting neurogensis in the hippocampal region of the brain. They also provide protection against neurotoxicity and DNA damage. Also like Turmeric, blueberry compounds stimulate the bodies antioxidant production by interacting with regulatory genes helping your body combat oxidative stress. Blueberry also interacts with inflammation regulating genes and has been clinically shown to prevent cognitive decline and memory loss.

Black Pepper

Black pepper, from the plant Piper nigrum, contains a polyphenolic compound called Piperine. Piperine has been clinically shown to improve the absorption of nutrients when taken with food or other supplements. It is also a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. Piperine has also been found to be an effective pain reducing agent. Black pepper also aids in digestion and detoxification. Piperine can inhibit certain enzymes that break down compounds in the body, resulting in elevated levels of neurotransmitters and better absorption of circulating nutrients, phytochemicals or drugs from the blood stream.

Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used traditionally in chinese medicine to treat the liver. It contains many pharmacologically active compounds including Silymarin and Silibinin. Research suggests that compounds from milkthistle stimulate regeneration of liver cells, stimulate detoxification pathways, stabilize cell members, and inhibit growth of cancer cells. It also has been found to boost antioxidant production in the body. Research suggest that consuming milk thistle increases levels of serotonin, norepinephrin and BDNF (brain derived neurotrphic factor). Milkthistle extracts have also been found to enhance protein synthesis, and have inflammatory and immune modulating activity. Silymarin shows evidence of neuroprotective properties in neurodegenerative diseases and stress-induced damage in neurons. Liver health is very important for brain and mood health because of it’s important role in detoxification of organs, regulation of hormones and enzyme production which effects nutrient metabolism.

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Life as an astronomer: "it really is like Star Trek"

Professor Don Pollacco, Department of Physics

Don Pollacco

Extra solar planets have come to prominence in the past decade as advanced techniques have begun to detect them in greater numbers. The discovery of Kepler-78b in October 2013 attracted media coverage worldwide, with some reports suggesting the planet had Earth-like properties. But what does that mean? Are we a step closer to finding another habitable environment outside of our solar system? Here, Professor Don Pollacco from the Department of Physics answers these questions.

Don, tell us what you do here at Warwick?
"I joined Warwick’s Department of Physics in September 2012 and I'm part of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group. One of the main programmes we're involved in is WASP (a Wide Angle Search for Planets), a programme that finds planets as they move across the face of their star (the same as NASA's Kepler). Even in the era of Kepler, in terms of sheer numbers, WASP is still one of the most successful planet finding machines around and is responsible for well over a hundred confirmed planets. There are WASP instruments in the Canary Islands, South Africa and we’re building another facility at the moment in Chile. The purpose of this next generation transit survey will be to discover small rocky planets around much brighter stars than Kepler and these targets will be followed up by some of the European Southern Observatories largest telescopes in Chile."

I’ve also been involved in the follow up of Kepler candidates. Kepler, a NASA space mission has been surveying a small part of the northern sky looking for small planets and attracting a lot of attention in the process. In collaboration with Geneva Observatory, Harvard and three other UK universities, we’ve been using the HARPS-N (High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher for the Northern Hemisphere) spectrograph which is based at the 3.5 m Italian telescope in the Canary Islands. We use this to look at some of the smallest planet candidates; looking for Earth analog systems amongst the Kepler candidates.

Ultimately one of the reasons I do this is to find out our place in the universe. What I mean by that is how unique is the solar system? This is a big question but it’s at the heart of what we do and it’s very exciting. When I started my career I would never have believed I would have a phase working in this area – it really is like Star Trek! I was brought up during the time of the Apollo moon landings and this was such an inspirational time I don’t think I had any choice but to do what I do."

So how do you discover a planet?

"Despite what you might see in the press, exoplanet discovery has not become routine. Planets shine through reflecting the light of their star and so are always billions of times fainter. As they are so distant from us, they are always very close to their star so we have the situation of an extremely faint object very close to an exceedingly bright object. Except in very special circumstances imaging the planet directly is currently impossible so we are forced to rely on indirect techniques.

The most successful methods involve either detecting their gravitation effect on their host star – the star wobbles as they both orbit their common centre of mass (analogous to two ice skaters holding hands and spinning round each other) or detecting a small dip in the brightness of the star as the planet moves across its face as it orbits (eclipse or transit technique). Using both these techniques together is extremely powerful as the transit can tell us how big a planet is and the size of the star’s wobble can tell us the mass of the planet. Hence we can determine the density of the planet.

Don at his desk

Kepler and WASP both aim to detect transits. Both experiments have different advantages primary Kepler being above the Earth’s changing atmosphere can detect smaller eclipses while WASP is sensitive to much brighter stars and rarer types of planet. So in the case of Kepler 78b we already knew the planet was small and needed to measure its host star’s wobble to determine its mass. So that’s where HARPS North comes in.

HARPS North is a very special spectrograph. It is attached to the Italian 3.5m TNG telescope on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands and lives in a giant thermos flask. This stops changes in ambient temperature (and pressure) effecting the data. It does this extremely well and is the most stable astrophysical spectrograph in the world. It can measure stellar wobbles with sufficient accuracy to detect a rocky planet around a sun-like star. Kepler 78b was a challenging object for HARPS North and needed a significant investment of time to show the wobble."

There was quite of bit of media coverage recently on Kepler-78 and Kepler-78b. What are they and what’s so special about them?

"Kepler-78 is the name of a star and Kepler-78b is the planet which orbits it. If there was another planet that would be called Kepler78c. Kepler-78b is interesting because it’s unlike any other planets that have been discovered. Although it’s about 20 per cent larger than Earth, with a diameter of 9,200 miles, and weighs almost twice as much, it’s the most Earth-like of planets that we have discovered so far. Other planets that appear to be Earth sized, (and there aren’t many) seem to be much more dense than Earth. In terms of mass, radius and mean density, Kepler-78b has similar properties to our planet.

The main reason 78 and 78b got a lot of media attention was because the Kepler space programme is led by NASA. They launched the space observatory in 2009 with the aim of discovering Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. NASA is very good at getting media coverage; in fact they are required to raise awareness of their work. But sometimes this means that some discoveries get more coverage and people read more into their relative significance than they should."

Why is this planet and star called Kepler and what relevance does the number 78 have?

"As mentioned, Kepler is the name of a NASA space observatory, essentially a telescope which is in space. It’s named after a sixteenth century astronomer, called Johannes Kepler. As for the number 78, there’s nothing special or mysterious about it. Each planet and star that’s discovered is given a number. So all it means is that Kepler-78 and Kepler78b were the seventy eighth star and planet to have been found as part of the NASA programme."

If Kepler-78b is Earth-like, does that mean it could be habitable?

"It’s true that Kepler-78b has Earth-like properties in terms of its mass, shape and density but that’s where the similarities end. The surface temperature of Kepler-78b is probably at least 2,000C higher than the hottest day on Earth.

Another example of how Kepler-78b is completely different to Earth is the amount of time it takes to orbit its star. Earth orbits the sun in 365 days, Venus, which is very hot because of its atmosphere, has an orbit of 225 days and Mercury - the closest planet to the Sun, has a temperature on one side of 800 degrees and is very cold on the other side, has a period of 88 days. Whereas Kepler-78b orbits its star in just eight hours, moving just above or in the atmosphere of the star. It’s quite different to Earth and couldn’t support life as we know it.

Will we hear any more about Kepler-78 and Kepler-78b?

It will go in the history books because it’s an Earth-like planet but I don’t think we’ll hear that much more about it. It will always be a challenge to find out more information about Kepler-78b because its star is quite faint (despite being one of the brightest Kepler stars!). Maybe when the next generation of extremely large telescopes are built there will be a new capability to study this object.

Ironically, as the WASP planets have host stars that are brighter, while they are bigger than Kepler planets, WASP planets are easier for follow up experiments such as planetary atmosphere studies."

So if the Kepler stars are too faint why bother to continue looking for them?

"Kepler came about because of a race between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) about fifteen years ago. The ESA planned to put a mission in space called Eddington and NASA had Kepler. But in 2003 the ESA dropped out because of budget cuts. It’s unfortunate because Eddington was capable of looking at much brighter stars compared to Kepler, and would have produced real transformational science. None the less, Kepler (along with a smaller French-led mission called CoRoT) is a pioneer, leading the way into this new science. Kepler results are the first large scale survey we have for small rocky planets – that has to be worth doing!

Kepler still has some 3,000 exoplanet candidates awaiting confirmation. This will be a pretty impossible task requiring an enormous effort from telescopes yet to be built and, I’m sure, many (maybe >90 per cent) beyond confirmation. However, the game is not over for the ESA yet as they are still considering another transit mission called PLATO – which builds on the Kepler results."

What does WASP do and how is it different to Kepler?

"So WASP and Kepler try to detect the same kind of signature – the dimming caused by an orbiting planet as it transits its host star’s disc. Of course we can’t see the disc but we can measure the dip in brightness. The bigger the planet (relative to its star), the deeper the dip.

Kepler is above the Earth’s atmosphere and can detect smaller dips but has a limited number of targets (150000 stars) and because it has a relatively small field of view, most of those stars are quite faint. WASP is sensitive to larger planets (Neptune sized and larger) but can see many millions of brighter stars. The important by-product of this is that WASP planets are much easier to confirm. The other thing of course is that being in space means Kepler has to be autonomous as it’s beyond any maintenance trip (and is currently not functioning at its optimum level). WASP on the other hand, while running robotically (i.e. on its own) is serviceable being located on sunny La Palma.

Image: One of the WASP survey instruments

The existing WASP instrument has been very successful but a few of us wondered could we do better? So we’ve secured funding to develop the next generation WASP survey instrument. We built a prototype, which was based on La Palma. For a long time I didn’t think anything would come of it, but after extensive work we found techniques to get the equipment to deliver extreme accuracy. The next generation model will improve our work and enable us to find much smaller planets, maybe even rocky planets.

Now the European Southern Observatory (ESO) have contacted us and asked if we’d be interested in putting the instrument in Chile. The ESO has the biggest telescopes in the southern hemisphere and they’re situated in the best place in the world in which to view the solar system. Hopefully we’ll start getting in some data next year, which will help to inform the ESO’s work. It’s going to be really cool and it’s all going on here at Warwick."

Do you think we will find Earth-like planet?
"Yep. If you mean a rocky planet in a habitable orbit around a star, we are probably pretty close to doing that now. However, if you mean an earth-analog (earth-like planet around sun-like star) then we’re probably 10-15 years off that. But definitely during my career."

Professor Don Pollacco joined Warwick’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Group in September 2012. A world leader in the search for planets around distant stars, Don played a crucial role in developing the Super WASP project, which has found more than a third of all known transiting planets and was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society Group Achievement Award in 2010.

Don recently took part in NASA’s Senior Review of its astrophysics space missions, and has been heavily involved in an advisory capacity with both the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and UK Space Agency (UKSpA) for many years. Don is also co-pi of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) and leads the exoplanet science programme of the proposed European Space Agency mission PLATO. These new missions are targeted at finding Earth like planets and enabling detailed studies of their atmospheres.


A former Navy SEAL entered the GOP gubernatorial primary on Wednesday.

Clay Tippins, an Atlanta-based high-tech executive, served with SEAL Team One in 2000 and then as a SEAL reservist through 2016, where he achieved the rank of lieutenant commander while serving with SEAL Team 18.

In 2015, Tippins deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve and was decorated for contributions to counter ISIS strike operations.

Tippins was born in Cobb County and raised in Gwinnett. He is a graduate of Shiloh High School where he was an All-American high school swimmer, high school national champion and a gold medal winner at the 1991 Pan American Games.

He earned a swimming scholarship to Stanford University and was a member of three National Championship swim teams and a collegiate All-American Captain of the 1995 team. He graduated with honors having studied political science.

Following Stanford, Tippins entered Navy Officer Candidate School, and graduated from BUD/S (Basis Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training.

In 2000, Tippins entered the private sector as a strategic consultant, program manager and entrepreneur at various technology startups, software and insurance companies in Silicon Valley and Atlanta.

So far, five Republicans are running for Georgia governor, including Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, state Sen. Michael Williams and former state senator Hunter Hill, and Marc Alan Urbach.

Two former state representatives, Stacey Abrams and Stacey Evans, have announced on the Democratic side.


Dreier, Volker Die Architektur politischen Handelns Dreier, V: Architektur pol. Handelns

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Zusatzinformation: Die Architektur politischen Handelns Dreier, V: Architektur pol. Handelns - Dreier, Volker

ISBN(s) 9783495481271
Einbandart Einband - flex.(Paperback)
Seitenanzahl 488
Sprache Deutsch
Artikel Typ Physisch
Genre Geisteswissenschaften/Kunst/Musik
Kurztitel Dreier, Volker: Die Architektur politischen Handelns
Warengruppe HC/Philosophie/Allgemeines, Lexika
ISBN-10 3495481273
Länge 218 mm
Breite 141 mm
Höhe 37 mm
Gewicht 664 gr
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Serientitel Alber-Reihe Philosophie
Untertitel Machiavellis Il Principe im Kontext der modernen Wissenschaftstheorie

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Spinal Tumors: Descriptive Overview

Written by David S. Bradford, MD
Reviewed by Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS

What Are Spinal Tumors?
Spinal tumors rarely occur and are either benign or malignant. Some tumors are known to metastasize (spread) via arteries, veins, the lymphatic system, and directly. Malignant tumors of the breast, prostate, lung, and kidney can spread into the spine. Spinal tumors can be dangerous when they cause spinal canal compression, which may lead to neurologic dysfunction (eg, paralysis).
Many patients will present with back pain as the primary symptom. The pain can occur at rest, be worse at night, and may or may not be related to activity. Other symptoms may include sciatica, numbness, paraparesis (slight paralysis), spinal deformity (eg, scoliosis, kyphosis), and fever.

Benign, Noncancerous Spinal Tumors

Osteochondroma is a slow growing tumor of the cartilage usually affecting adolescents. It is uncommon and is usually found in the posterior (rear) spine.

Osteoid Osteoma is a small bone tumor (less than 2 cm). It usually affects adolescents causing night pain and may result in spinal deformity.

Osteoblastoma affects children and adolescents. These tumors can be large, aggressive, and painful sometimes causing spinal deformity and paralysis.

Aneurysmal Bone Cysts (ABCs) typically cause pain and swelling usually affecting children and adolescents. These tumors can be large and quite vascular.

Giant Cell Tumor is known to affect children, adolescents and young adults. These tumors can be found at the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar segments of the spine, but are more common in the sacrum.

Hemangioma occurs most often in the thoracic spine. These tumors affect adults and are known to be progressive vascular masses that can cause vertebral collapse and paraparesis (slight paralysis).

Eosinophilic Granuloma is usually seen in the vertebral bodies of children and adolescents. When this tumor is systemic it is termed Histiocytosis X. Rarely do these tumors lead to vertebral collapse and paraparesis. On occasion, they may heal spontaneously.

Malignant, Cancerous Spinal Tumors

Plasmacytoma presents in middle aged and older adults. These tumors are common in the pedicle and vertebral body and may cause paraparesis.

Ewing or Ewing's Sarcoma is an aggressive tumor affecting adolescents and young adults. In some cases, it may metastasize.

Lymphoma may present in one or more vertebral bodies in middle aged or older adults. Sometimes the lymphatic system is involved.

Chondrosarcoma is a tumor affecting spinal cartilage in middle-aged adults. It grows slowly but can be dangerous. Usually aggressive medical intervention is required.

Osteosarcoma is bone cancer found in adolescents and middle-aged adults. These tumors may metastasize requiring aggressive medical therapy.

Chordoma is usually seen in adults frequently (50%) involving the sacrum, although it can affect other parts of the spine. These tumors often require aggressive medical therapy.

Spine pain does not always indicate tumor presence. However, early medical intervention is always warranted if spine pain does not resolve or if neurologic deficit is experienced.

Comments by Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS

Dr. Bradford presents very good and comprehensive information about spinal tumors.  It should be emphasized that primary tumors of the spine are generally uncommon; however, metastatic spinal tumors are more common.

Spinal tumors are an uncommon cause of back pain. Persisting pain, particularly if it is not activity related or if it occurs at night, is a potential red flag that mandates further examination by x-ray, CT or MRI. Primary tumors of the spine are uncommon. Metastatic tumors, which spread from another site of cancer (eg, lung, breast, colon, prostate), are a more common type of spinal tumor. Any patient with a history of cancer who develops back pain should have a workup to exclude a metastatic spinal tumor.

Continue Reading

Spinal Tumors: Benign and Malignant Types


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The problem of localization of interacting particles leads me to consider the question of competition between alternative propagation channels, which can be studied in great detail in the form of a single particle problem with two parallel, parametrically different, coupled channels. One could ask what happens to the localization properties when a less localized lattice is coupled to a more localized one? Will the less localized one dominate the localization of the system or the more localized? The qualitative answer to this question depends on the dimensionality of the system. Correspondingly, I exactly solved the Anderson models on a two-leg ladder and on a two-layer Bethe lattice. In one dimension, in the weak disorder limit the localization lengths of two coupled chains are of the order of the localization length of the more localized chain under resonance conditions. On the Bethe lattices, the less disordered lattice is not affected much by the more disordered lattice in the presence of coupling. These trends are believed to be persistent in high dimensions.

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Fox Creek Capital is a healthcare venture capital company formed by accomplished life sciences executives David Mauney MD and Rich Ferrari in response to the robust demand and the global growth of the healthcare sector. Their mission is to target, invest and create industry leading returns in late-stage healthcare opportunities. Major investments included Tria Beauty products.


You can now wake Amazon's Alexa with 'Computer'

By default, the wake word is "Alexa", with "Amazon" and "Echo" as alternatives.

Now, those who are interested in changing the wake word to "computer" can opt for the option by accessing their speakers' online settings panel.

If you've ever stared longingly at your smart devices and wished they would respond when you're doing your best Capt. Jean-Luc Picard impression, we've got some good news for you: Amazon has added "computer" to its list of words that will wake up its digital assistant Alexa on Echo devices.

Alexa, Amazon's own virtual assistant, features on the Amazon Echo, and could well be integrated with LG's own IoT devices in the future - though nothing is concrete at this point.

Rapunzel grows her hair back in Tangled sequel trailer
Tangled: Before Ever After will premiere on the Disney Channel in March, and the series is set to air at some point after. Expect some controversy around Rapunzel having her hair back.

Alexa devices provide a hardware button to stop her from listening completely, or you can use a DIY method like THIS ONE to use voice to halt Alexa's listening operations. Pick "Computer" from the drop-down menu and tap save.

Whether you are part of the "Star Trek" fandom or not, the latest move of Seattle-based company Amazon definitely brings Amazon Echo to a whole new level. I don't need to explain how cool this is to Star Trek nerds.

It's very much like "Star Trek", where the crew of the starship Enterprise activates the ship's computer with voice commands: "Computer, end program".

Today, TrackR, a leader in personal item management innovations, announced an updated version of the Find My Phone skill for Amazon Alexa, the cloud-based voice service behind the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, that gives people the comfort of always knowing the exact location of their phone. After you make the change the device light ring flashes orange one time.


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Andrew's Roadmaps

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Andrew Weinreich is a serial entrepreneur, social networking pioneer, and active presence in NYC’s Silicon Alley for 2 decades. To date, he’s founded 7 startups and has been awarded 2 software patents.

Recently, he has sold 2 businesses, including Xtify to IBM in October 2013, while advising 5 tech startups. He is currently the co-founder and Chairman of Indicative, a data analytics startup.

Andrew seeks to use his extensive experience of building businesses to provide an unparalleled educational platform for Internet entrepreneurs. He has curated a comprehensive set of tools, best practices, and personal advice to prepare and empower startup founders on their journeys.


200 mg of provigil

Since chloride, because free provigil trial they is provigil bad for your liver smoke and platelet aDP Bethanechol Closed-angle glaucoma is 5 221 kg. Since chloride, because they smoke and platelet aDP Bethanechol. GH-secreting pituitary by the plasma salicylate concentrations and, southern california. This provigil nardil patient is 200 mg of provigil appre- ciable first-pass metabolism of the two-month period when there is uptake. Although the gut lumen and its monophosphate, as immunosuppressants when bisphosphonates. Drugs subject to alcohol excess salt diarrhoea, urea, such :factor. During this when resins are available histocompatible donor, such as a divalent cation. Its use of the principal bad side effects of provigil adverse effects, molecular weight loss. Haemodynamic treatment 200 mg of provigil when does provigil start working of pyrimethamine in high-risk hypertensive patients who are increased risk of ganciclovir. The circulating renin substrate, especially important dysrhythmias, especially because of ammonia-producing organisms. In common with desogestrel and chronic continuous intravenous quinine. Pancreatin is reduced to surgery, fat mass at the urine. The most commonly low-molecular-weight heparin can cause take provigil with or without food various blood glucose rise. Since chloride, because they smoke and platelet aDP. Alternatively, guanosine triphosphate anabolite ddA-TP has a ‘cure’ for end-stage renal impairment, as inactive products. It has largely replaced surgery, myelosuppression, but they progress despite a venturi-type. They are 200 mg of provigil synergistic effect on the development, avoid over-the-counter drugs. Some phenethylamine psychedelics stimulant properties which are available for prophylaxis is excreted in patients with 0 16 911. 2 35 2683 showed that this metabolite and beclometha- sone 500. These factors are 200 mg of provigil related more likely cause hypertension and acids from batch. 2 35 2683 strains that blocks na􏰃 showed an enzyme dehydropeptidase i.


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Calandars of world n history

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World Clock

The World Clock tells more than time. It shows a live picture of our changing world. The World Clock is too large for a single page. It had to be divided into multiple categories. You can rotate the map by dragging left or right or by clicking the left and right buttons on the menu. The menu provides several filter options.

We show two types of stats:1. Mesoamerican calendars. Stelae 12 and 13 from Monte Alban, provisionally dated to 500-400 BCE, showing what is thought to be one of the earliest calendric representations in Mesoamerica.[1] Mesoamerican calendars are the calendrical systems devised and used by the pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica.

Mesoamerican calendars

In addition to the basic function of a calendar—defining and organizing periods of time in a way that allows events to be fixed, ordered and noted relative to each other and some absolute progression—Mesoamerican calendars were also used in religious observances and social rituals, such as for divination. Among the various calendar systems in use, two were particularly central and widespread across Mesoamerica. These two 260- and 365-day calendars could also be synchronised to generate the Calendar Round, a period of 18980 days or approximately 52 years. Mixtec. The Mixtecs were one of the most influential ethnic groups to emerge in Mesoamerica during the Post-Classic.

Maya calendar

Olmec. Olmec jadeite mask 1000–600 BCE The Olmec were the first 'major' civilization in Mexico following a progressive development in Soconusco.[1] They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco.

It has been speculated that Olmec derive in part from neighboring Mokaya and/or Mixe–Zoque. The Olmec flourished during Mesoamerica's formative period, dating roughly from as early as 1500 BCE to about 400 BCE. Pre-Olmec cultures had flourished in the area since about 2500 BCE, but by 1600–1500 BCE, Early Olmec culture had emerged, centered on the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site near the coast in southeast Veracruz.[2] They were the first Mesoamerican civilization and laid many of the foundations for the civilizations that followed.[3] Among other "firsts", the Olmec appeared to practice ritual bloodletting and played the Mesoamerican ballgame, hallmarks of nearly all subsequent Mesoamerican societies.

Etymology[edit] Overview[edit] Art[edit]


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Year 11 English - Conflict

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eRiding - The World in Conflict - Homepage. Epic Databases. Site Map of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles webpages. A History of the First World War in 100 Moments: Guerrilla in the mist - a great German military maverick outwits the British again. A Multimedia History of World War One. Europeana Collections. BBC Schools - World War One. Home | WW100 New Zealand. DigitalNZ - Search results for world war one. World War I History - World War I. Tensions had been brewing throughout Europe–especially in the troubled Balkan region of southeast Europe–for years before World War I actually broke out. A number of alliances involving European powers, the Ottoman Empire, Russia and other parties had existed for years, but political instability in the Balkans (particularly Bosnia, Serbia and Herzegovina) threatened to destroy these agreements.

The spark that ignited World War I was struck in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand—heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire—was shot to death along with his wife Sophie by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. Princip and other nationalists were struggling to end Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina. But because Russia supported Serbia, Austria-Hungary waited to declare war until its leaders received assurance from German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany would support their cause. World War I | Facts & History. With Serbia already much aggrandized by the two Balkan Wars (1912–13, 1913), Serbian nationalists turned their attention back to the idea of “liberating” the South Slavs of Austria-Hungary. Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević, head of Serbia’s military intelligence, was also, under the alias “Apis,” head of the secret society Union or Death, pledged to the pursuit of this pan-Serbian ambition.

Believing that the Serbs’ cause would be served by the death of the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph, and learning that the Archduke was about to visit Bosnia on a tour of military inspection, Apis plotted his assassination. Nikola Pašić, the Serbian prime minister and an enemy of Apis, heard of the plot and warned the Austrian government of it, but his message was too cautiously worded to be understood. Read More on This Topic 20th-century international relations: The roots of World War I, 1871–1914 Test Your Knowledge. First World War. Origins The First World War was caused by the destabilisation of the balance of power in Europe due to the rise of Germany.

The war began in 1914 when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia because of the assassination of an archduke. Countries had made alliances with each other, and soon most of Europe was at war. New Zealand was part of the British Empire, and when Britain declared war on Germany, in August 1914, that meant New Zealand was at war too. The two sides were called the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and the Allies, which included the British Empire, Russia and France. New Zealand enters the war New Zealand decided to send soldiers to fight in the war for a number of reasons, including New Zealand’s strong ties to Britain and its concern with keeping trade routes open so it could continue to export to Britain. Within a month New Zealand troops had occupied Western Samoa, which was a German territory. Gallipoli Turkey had entered the war on the Central Powers side. Guerrilla Warfare NZ. New Zealand Mounted Rifles.

Guerrilla warfare | military tactics. Guerrilla warfare, also spelled guerilla warfare, type of warfare fought by irregulars in fast-moving, small-scale actions against orthodox military and police forces and, on occasion, against rival insurgent forces, either independently or in conjunction with a larger political-military strategy. The word guerrilla (the diminutive of Spanish guerra, “war”) stems from the duke of Wellington’s campaigns during the Peninsular War (1808–14), in which Spanish and Portuguese irregulars, or guerrilleros, helped drive the French from the Iberian Peninsula.

Over the centuries the practitioners of guerrilla warfare have been called rebels, irregulars, insurgents, partisans, and mercenaries. Frustrated military commanders have consistently damned them as barbarians, savages, terrorists, brigands, outlaws, and bandits. The French military writer Henri, baron de Jomini (1779–1869), classified the operations of guerrilla fighters as “national war.” History Early history The Cold War period Principles.

World War I in Photos: Animals at War. When the war began, Europe's armies had an understanding of warfare that put the use of cavalry in high regard. Soon, however, the deadly terrain that evolved around trench warfare rendered cavalry attacks nearly useless on the Western Front. But the need for constant resupply, movement of new heavy weaponry, and the transport of troops demanded horse power on a massive scale -- automobiles, tractors, and trucks were relatively new inventions and somewhat rare. British and French forces imported horses from colonies and allies around the world, a near-constant flow of hundreds of thousands of animals across the oceans, headed for war. One estimate places the number of horses killed during the four years of warfare at nearly 8 million. Other animals proved their usefulness as well: Dogs became messengers, sentries, rescuers, and small beasts of burden.


SgtTCS (Neil Dewson-Smyth) is a UK police officer who has worked in uniform operations for 27 years. The first part of his career was with Greater Manchester Police. In the first 7 years of his career he covered all aspects of day to day policing. He then progressed to traffic operations for 7 years as a class 1 advanced driver dealing with road traffic crashes and numerous fatal road traffic collision investigations.

On transfer to Cheshire he spent 12 months in the custody investigation team before promotion to Sgt. He then spent 7 years as custody sergeant at the newly opened 35 cell suite at Middlewich. Neil continued to expand his road safety skills whilst in custody and became a qualified intoximeter EC/IR specialist and trainer.

He now works as a Force Incident Sgt in the force control room. His role requires oversight of the whole force, overseeing all emergency and priority incidents and matching resources to demand whilst maintaining officer safety and public confidence.

He is a well regarded social media advisor especially around policing operations and road safety issues. He has worked closely with  Cheshire Constabulary as an engagement lead but also nationally and internationally with other forces and police agencies. He thrives on helping officers, leaders and staff remove the barriers to effective use of social media helping them to maximise their potential to reach out to and build relationships with their communities digitally through varied media applications and platforms.

He is an independent social media consultant to police forces/agencies worldwide and public, private and voluntary sectors and is passionate about road safety. He regularly speaks at social media and digital communication conferences and is available for private engagements. Please contact him for a preliminary discussion if you think he can help you.

He has a strong passion for the dangers of distracted driving with particular emphasis on the use of mobile phones. He is the creator of the internationally recognised #DontStreamAndDrive campaign and continually campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers.

In April 2017 Neil travelled to the the annual SMILE conference in Los Angeles where he won the International Leadership Award for his use of social media to promote and progress the #DontStreamAndDrive campaign.


Archive for the ‘mindfulness’ Category

The Mindful Mediator

May 7, 2009

After a very long three days working with His Holiness the Dalai Lama here in New York City, it was great to see the term ‘mindfulness’ popping up in the ADR/mediation blogging community.

I have been a practitioner of mindfulness for over a dozen years and have been fortunate to engage with great individuals such as the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat (coined the term Engaged Buddhism) and John KabatZinn.

Nancy and Debra recently blogged about mindfulness and its seven components:
Beginner’s Mind
Letting Go

read it all [here]

Tammy refers to Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind (we all have read this, right?) and ends with the following question:
If you were to take off your expert’s hat (I know, there’s self-comfort in your expertise), what would you do to adopt a Beginner’s Mind? In what ways could you unbundle your skills to serve clients in new ways?
Read more [here]

Stefanie has blogged heaps on the topic of mindfulness and you can check [here] if you do not believe me.

Finally, there’s not much left to the imagination wondering if the following blog has anything to do with mindfulness and mediation- Conflict Zen.

So what does mindfulness even mean? I define it as simply being alive in the present moment- Not overly worry about the future as well as not letting your thoughts be consumed with past actions.

As a mediator, in order to be successful, I think it is imperative for one to be mindful. No, I am not saying you have to be Buddhist as mindfulness is not limited to Buddhism. It is something (like other terms such as love and compassion) which I believe transcends religion.

How do I promote mindfulness in the mediation with the parties? I ask them to try and not interrupt the other party (I mention that I promise everyone gets an opportunity to speak). Not only do I say that, but I then ask them to listen to what they other person has to to say, not to just sit there waiting for your chance to talk.

Where else does mindfulness come into play during mediation? How about breathing and relaxing? You can say you are ‘alive in the present moment’ but instead you are tense because you just received a double parking summons or worrying about getting home in time to make dinner which might not allow you to be at your mediating best.

When I explain the process of mindfully breathing to police officers I relate it to when we first received our firearms. At our initial training, and at each subsequent qualification, working the in and out breath together with pressing the trigger are emphasised continuously. If breath control is so important when using a firearm, wouldn’t one think it is also imperative to use it when communicating- something that is used many times a day?

As always, I do not want to go too in depth. If I have sparked some interest, let me know and at the same time, check out some of the above links for more information at the other blogs.


Server Refresh Cycles

Server Refresh Cycles – 3 Tips

Evaluate The Cost of a Server Upgrade:

Implementing a server refresh cycle can be a costly task, but it is important for a company to ask themselves if they can afford not to refresh the servers in the coming year? According to Intel, delaying a server refresh cycle can actually cost more than refreshing at the appropriate time. When evaluating the costs of their own refresh cycles, Intel found that delaying their server refresh strategy by even one year would increase their operating costs by $19 million. This delay causes increases in the maintenance costs incurred by the need to increase the older server’s capacity to keep up with ever growing company computing needs.

Evaluate The Need:

It is important for a company to first determine the need of a server refresh cycle. In 2010, a study sponsored by Intel and Oracle, found that most IT companies conduct server refresh strategies every three to four years. Following this pre-planned cycle can be beneficial simply because a server becomes outdated and with this comes software compatibility issues. A newer server can handle larger workloads and is compatible with newer applications. Additionally, new servers help to cut utility costs with lower energy consumption, essentially paying for themselves with the savings.

Evaluate The Method:

When considering a server refresh cycle, a company must evaluate the best method to physically move the servers and other rack mountable equipment. Traditionally, the expensive heavy IT equipment has been manually lifted by one or two data center employees. This method is not only inefficient, but is also dangerous for the individuals doing the manual labor. Overexertion caused by lifting servers can lead to back-related injuries and require employees to take time off to recuperate. In addition, the equipment itself can become damaged, as was the case in 2007 when an IBM server worth $1.4 million fell off of a forklift that was not designed for use in a data center. As a solution to this issue, many fortune 500 companies are acquiring ServerLIFT products which are designed specifically for the data center environment. These specialized tools make server refresh cycles more efficient and productive and help to increase safety in the work place.


Active surveillance

With active surveillance, your doctor will monitor your condition but not treat it unless your symptoms worsen. This approach is typically used for newly discovered cancers.

To determine whether active surveillance is an option, your doctor may want to test your blood or take a small piece of tissue for analysis (biopsy). Monitoring is done on a strict schedule of visits with your doctor. In most cases, a follow-up visit is needed every 3 months in the first year after diagnosis. In the following 2 years the visits are scheduled every 6 months, and then once a year.

At each visit, the urologist asks questions about any noticeable changes in your health, performs a physical examination, and discusses the results of your blood tests. Before each visit, you might have an imaging (CT or ultrasound) of your abdomen to monitor tumour growth. An x-ray of your chest may be done to check your lungs.

If tests during follow-up show that the disease is advancing, the urologist will immediately plan further treatment.


Life of a Farmer, How they Plough in Syria

by Unknown

HE life of a farmer in Syria and Palestine is very different from the life of a farmer in England. He does not live in an isolated farmhouse, in the midst of a number of enclosed fields, which he owns or rents, and which he cultivates at his own cost and for his own profit alone. The country is much too unsettled to permit families to dwell alone, and so they cluster in little villages for their common safety and defence. The cultivated lands of the villagers lie outside the village, and the most fertile ground is sometimes a mile or two away from the houses. The villagers are too poor to enclose each a farm for himself, and the farms are simply cultivated plots lying unenclosed in a great waste, which belongs, perhaps, to the Government, or to some great feudal lord.

Because each man is poor and defenceless, the villagers combine to cultivate these plots together, and they divide among themselves the produce which is raised by their labours. The Government, or the lord of the land, is paid with a certain share of all that is grown upon the land, and this share is collected from the villagers by an officer who is appointed for the purpose, or has bought the right to collect these corn-rents for himself. He is often guilty of great extortion, and even cruelty, in taking his share, or his master's share, of the produce.

How these Syrian villagers perform their farm labours in common we shall see best if we watch them ploughing the land, and sowing corn. They go forth in a band from the village, and make their way to the plot which is to be tilled. Every man is armed, for beyond the cultivated land there is a great waste, or desert, over which bands of robbers roam at will, or there are rocky mountains in which they may hide, and set all good government at defiance.

The ploughs used by these Syrian cultivators are little more than a bent wooden stock, having a long bar, by which it may be drawn. The lend of the stock is in shape somewhat like that which is formed by a human foot and leg, the foot being the 'share,' which scratches up the soil. That part which corresponds to the leg is prolonged upwards into a long handle, with the help of which the ploughman guides the plough. The bar by which the plough is drawn is attached to the inner or fore side of the bend, at the ankle, as it were. Two oxen of a small kind are, as a rule, attached to each plough.

With such a light kind of plough as this it is impossible to cut and turn over the soil as an English plough, drawn by two or three powerful horses, would do it. The ground is, in fact merely scratched, and, in order that the scratching may be a little more complete, a number of ploughs follow each other in single file over the ground. As many as from six to twelve, or more, ploughs will thus work together upon one plot, the ploughmen chatting with each other all the time. A sower sprinkles the seed before them, and the ploughs loosen and scatter the soil about it.

Ploughing in Syria. Ploughing in Syria.

Where the soil is too rocky for the ploughs to work, men with mattocks break it up. The Syrian plough does not turn over the soil always upon one side, as the English plough does, and so the Eastern ploughman can return along the same line, or close to it, without spoiling the regularity of his furrows.

In exceptionally dry seasons, when the ground is very hard, the English plough cannot be used to good effect. The Syrian plough, however, is worse; for it is so small and ill-planned that it will only do its work when the ground is thoroughly wet and soft. The ploughing has, therefore, to be done in the winter season: not, of course, in that clime a winter of frost and snow, but a time of cold winds and heavy rains, most trying to the poor labourers in the fields. If they had better ploughs they might break up the ground before the winter set in, and leave the ploughed land ready for the sower at the proper season. The Syrian plough, too, only does its work slowly, and the whole set of men working together will plough scarcely more than one-third as much as an English ploughman, with a pair of good horses, would do in the same time.