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Football Position and Length of Play Affect Brain Impact
UNC Health Care Hospitals Receive Top Safety Scores from Leapfrog Group
UNC bioethicists analyze new CDC interim guidelines for Zika testing in pregnancy
Results from a newly published UNC study co-authored by MD/PhD student Michael Clark showed that non-speed players with a history of recurrent concussion had lower white matter integrity and lower measure of activation during cognitive tasks.
click to enlarge Co-author Michael Clark is a seventh-year MD/PhD student in the department of Allied Health Sciences.
UNC researchers have found that damage to white matter in the brains of former college and professional football players due to recurrent head impacts can be related to playing position and career duration, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.
Most previous research on head impacts in football has focused on cognitively impaired former football players. This is the first neuroimaging study to compare former football players with no evidence of cognitive impairment to analyze the effects of different playing histories and concussion exposure.
"Our study, by including both former collegiate and professional players, gives us the ability to examine career duration and playing position along with concussion history," said study author Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, research director for the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "By doing so, we found that these factors are all important when considering the long-term effects of playing football."
The research team recruited 64 former collegiate and professional football players, aged 52 to 65. Half of the former athletes played only college football, and half continued on to the professional league. Half of the former players reported three or more prior concussions, while the other half reported one or no prior concussions. The researchers recruited an equal number of speed and non-speed playing positions. The non-speed positions consisted of offensive or defensive linemen.
Two MRI techniques—diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI (fMRI)—were used to examine 61 of the former players. MRI data from the other three players were excluded due to excessive movement or inability to complete the MRI exam. DTI was used to analyze white matter structural integrity, while fMRI was used to assess brain function while the players performed a memory task.
"While DTI and fMRI have been used previously in the field of concussion research, we are among the first to combine the two techniques," said co-author Michael Clark, a seventh-year MD/PhD student in the department of Allied Health Sciences. "We were interested in how white matter and the ability to recruit brain resources to complete a memory task might be affected by head impact exposure in terms of career length and the position played. By using two different and complementary types of MRI, we were able to see the relationship between structure and function, both of which are affected by head impact exposure.
The results showed a significant interaction between career duration and concussion history. Former college players with three or more concussions had lower integrity in a broadly distributed area of white matter compared to those with one concussion or less. However, the opposite was true for former professional players.
The researchers speculate that players with a long career duration, exposure to recurrent concussive events, and who are cognitively normal in their late 50s may not be reflective of the highly exposed former professional football player population as a whole.
"We're not exactly sure why this is the case for the former pros," Clark said. "It may have to do with the sample of athletes we recruited into the study. But the findings could suggest that a career with additional exposure to football is not necessarily worse than a shorter duration of exposure."
The non-speed players with a history of recurrent concussion had reduced integrity in the frontal white matter and lower measure of activation during the fMRI task than those with one concussion or less. This was not the case for the speed players.
The interactions observed between concussion histories and playing positions suggest there may be important differences in the mechanisms of injury between speed and non-speed players. The magnitude, location and frequency of head impacts in football differ by position. Offensive backs experience impacts at greater acceleration. Linemen, however, tend to experience a greater overall frequency of impacts, and have the greatest proportion of impacts to the front of the helmet. The high proportion of frontal impacts experienced by non-speed players may result in more localized damage to frontal white matter tracts as compared to the more variable impact locations experienced by speed position players.
"These findings suggest the playing position of an athlete may change the effects of concussions on the brain," Guskiewicz said. "The mechanisms of concussions in non-speed players are fundamentally different from those of speed position players, suggesting that perhaps position-specific helmets are warranted."
The researchers added that more work is needed to better understand the results and to determine the underlying mechanisms regarding how subconcussive and concussive impacts affect brain health later in life.
Collaborating with Guskiewicz and Clark were Eleanna M. L. Varangis, M., Allen A. Champagne, Kelly S. Giovanello, PhD, Feng Shi, PhD, Zachary Y. Kerr, PhD, and J. Keith Smith, MD, PhD.
Media Contact for UNC School of Medicine: Mark Derewicz, 984-974-1915, mark.derewicz@unchealth.unc.edu
Media Contact for the UNC College of Arts and Sciences: Kim Spurr, 919-962-4093, spurrk@email.unc.edu
Filed under: Allied Health Sciences, Radiology, Research


Florida Man July 20
July 20, 2008 (UPI). A candidate for St. Petersburg mayor, Florida, attacked black reparations activists and told them to "return Africa" during a City Hall debate.
Paul Congemi is running as an independent candidate. He sent his rant at Jesse Nevel (mayoral candidate) who chairs the Uhuru Solidarity Movement. This group is made up of white allies from the African People's Socialist Party and is looking to "in a White Community to make amends." Nevel, you and you people are talking about reparations. Concerning the reparations that you are referring to, Mr. Nevel said, "Your people have already received your reparations. "Your reparations were made possible by a man called Barack Obama."
Congemi said, despite the cries of Nevel's supporters, "My advice is to you, my advice, you should not like America. There are planes that leave every hour from Tampa airport. Return to Africa. Return! Congemi, 60 years old, added his thoughts in an email to The Tampa Bay Times.
Konami wrote, "Yes, I told them to go back home to Africa." "My comment was made for Mr. Nevel's group. All African Americans are not equal. Only Nevel is ".
Nevel, 27, stated that Congemi's comments reflect a wider issue of fighting for justice for the African community in the country. This he claimed is the "defining question that all candidates must address." ". "I came to this race nearly four months ago on the platform 'unity through remedy'. We created a strong broad movement in St. Petersburg that represents thousands of people who want unity in our racially divided city. He said that justice begins with reparteeing the black community.
The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department began its 2018 murder investigation in January. This was a very early start considering Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is an essentially 50,000-person golf course. One. The case was initially handled according to books. Victim: Alan J. Abrahamson. According to family and friends, he is the favorite man. According to some, he is…
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BRADENTON, Florida (WFTS / / CNN) — A Florida man was hurt while shifting pool furniture onto his terrace. It just took another, but he nearly perished. Charles Lee was transferring a deck seat when a gust of wind knocked him down to the pool. A seated leg hammering his throat."I was amazed. This decision…
Federal officials announced Tuesday that a Florida man posed as a woman to fool heterosexuals into having sex with him. He secretly filmed the meetings and posted them online. Brian Deneuvemestier (33), from Homestead, was charged with two counts for illegal interception oral communication and three counts for misconduct in connection to StraightBoyz, according to…
(Reuters) – Police in Miami Beach arrested a 46-year-old homeless man for kicking another man using scissors. According to Miami Beach police reports, Jonathan Crenshaw, a Florida-born man who sex with a Chicago 22-year old man twice before fleeing, Crenshaw was arrested Tuesday morning. Local media reports claim that Crenshaw was an artist from the…
Florida Man July 8
After fighting off an intruder, a Florida man named himself "The Beast" and took horrible action to stop him until the police arrived. Richard Golden, a Jacksonville resident, was sitting at his home when the glass broke. He claims that a man with an assault rifle broke through the sliding glass door of his home…
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Florida is attracting everyone's attention, but for the wrong reasons. People are now filming themselves getting out of their cars and dancing to Drake's In My Feelings. This is the latest trend that's on the Internet. Jaylene Norwood, 22, from Boynton Beach, Florida, quickly discovered that the stunt was dangerous and warned people. In a…


Novak Djokovic's request for personal chef and tennis court rejected by Australian immigration officials
World tennis number one Novak Djokovic's request for access to a personal chef and a tennis court while detained by Australian immigration officials has been denied as he faces deportation after his visa was cancelled.
Djokovic is currently embroiled in a legal battle over whether he is exempt from the country's stringent COVID vaccination requirements, as his lawyers fight to ensure the Serb can defend his Australian Open title.
Djokovic's visa was revoked after it was reviewed by immigration officials in the country, in accordance with the country's strict immigration laws for the unvaccinated.
In addition, alleged photos of the food served to refugees in the hotel have surfaced online, with some claiming the food contains mould and maggots.
Saturday, January 8, will be Djokovic's third day in the Melbourne immigration detention facility, which is a few miles away from the luxury hotels where the majority of Australian Open players are staying.
Lawyers for the 34-year-old claim he tested positive for COVID-19 on December 16 and had a valid visa and medical exemption from the Australian Open organizer.
His lawyers also requested alternative accommodations so that he could train for the tournament, which begins on January 17, but this request was also denied.
Djokovic, who has previously expressed reservations about coronavirus vaccines, wrote on Instagram on Friday: "Thank you to everyone all over the world for your unending support. It's palpable to me, and it's greatly appreciated."
Hossein Latifi, a man staying in the same hotel as Djokovic, told Reuters: "We're confined to our room. There is no outside air. We don't have a training facility. There is no gym in this building. It's extremely difficult."
The 32-year-old, who is originally from Iran, went on to say: "We are refugees, and we are innocent people who have committed no crime. They're just holding me hostage here."
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How many words are Australian children hearing in the first year of life?
Mary E. Brushe ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8025-85351,2,
John W. Lynch2,3,
Sheena Reilly4,
Edward Melhuish5 &
Sally A. Brinkman1,2
BMC Pediatrics volume 20, Article number: 52 (2020) Cite this article
There is evidence that parents from more socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds engage in fewer verbal interactions with their child than more advantaged parents. This leads to the so-called, '30 million-word gap'. This study aims to investigate the number of words children hear and the number of vocalizations children produce in their first year of life and examines whether these aspects of the early language home environment differ by maternal education.
Mothers were recruited into a five-year prospective cohort study and categorized into either high or low maternal education groups. Data was derived from the first two waves of the study, when the children were six and twelve months old. At both waves, children were involved in day-long audio recordings using the Language Environment Analysis software that provided automatic counts of adult words spoken to the child, child vocalizations and conversational turns. Descriptive results are presented by maternal education groups.
There was large variation within each maternal education group, with the number of adult words spoken to the child ranging from 2958 to 39,583 at six months and 4389 to 45,849 at twelve months. There were no meaningful differences between adult words, child vocalizations or conversational turns across maternal education groups at either wave of data collection.
These results show that a word gap related to maternal education is not apparent up to twelve months of age. The large variability among both maternal education groups suggests that universal interventions that encourage all parents to talk more to their child may be more appropriate than interventions targeted towards disadvantaged families during the first year of life.
The early years are fundamental in ensuring children grow up to be healthy, functioning adults [1,2,3]. By the time children start school there is a clear social gradient in most areas of child health and development [4]. The first five years of life, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, are crucial in overcoming the intergenerational transmission of inequality, such that disadvantaged parents have disadvantaged children, who themselves go on to be disadvantaged adults [5].
Language ability is a critical developmental milestone that is directly related to later literacy, educational attainment and labor market experience. In the Australian context, results from the 2018 Australian Early Development Census, a triennial census of children's development at age 5, showed that 6.6% of children were developmentally vulnerable on the language and cognitive skills domain and 8.2% were vulnerable on the communication skills and general knowledge domain [6]. Both domains were socioeconomically patterned, with the highest levels of vulnerability amongst children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Poorer language skills have been shown to strongly predict poorer education outcomes in the mid and long term [3, 7].
Given socioeconomic inequalities in language development can be detected early and predict later outcomes, mechanisms for enhancing children's development require further investigation. Currently, some evidence suggests that the amount of maternal language heard during the early years may mediate the association between social disadvantage and child language ability [8].
Numerous studies indicate that parents from more socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds engage in fewer verbal interactions with their children, compared to those from advantaged backgrounds [9,10,11,12,13]. The most influential study of language spoken to the child in the home was that of Hart and Risley (1995) involving 42 families from Kansas, USA. From the age of 12 to 36 months, children of parents on welfare, working-class and professional backgrounds heard 620, 1250 and 2150 words per hour, respectively. Within group trends were linearly extrapolated to estimate that by the age of four, children from professional backgrounds heard over three times more than children from welfare families. Thus, the idea of the '30 million word gap' came into being.
Despite the enormous attention the study has received (google hits = 58,800,000), there are clear limitations. First, the study uses a small convenience sample (n = 42) and includes only six families on welfare. Second, the data collection method (researchers videotaping one hour per month in the home) is not likely to be representative of the natural home environment. For instance, while unbeknown to the authors at the time, it was later discovered that early evening, when videotaping usually occurred, is a period of extremely high talk for families [11]. Finally, the study began collecting data when children were 12 months of age, neglecting critical language experience under twelve months.
Since the Hart and Risley study, new speech recognition technology called Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) has become available to allow researchers to objectively measure the amount of parent talk children hear in the home, without the need for videotaping or manual transcription. Gilkerson and colleagues [11] utilized LENA to replicate the work of Hart and Risley with 329 English-speaking families in Denver, USA with children aged 2 to 48 months. Their socioeconomic groups were based on mother's highest level of completed education, with education groups defined by completed some high school education, completed high school or general education diploma, completed some college and completed bachelor's degree or higher. Their cross-sectional findings estimated a 4 million word gap by age four between the highest and lowest socioeconomic group, significantly smaller than Hart and Risley's findings.
Another recent study involved 42 children aged 18 to 48 months from five communities across America with different levels of socioeconomic backgrounds (poor, working-class, middle-class) and like Hart and Risley, captured the number of words heard in the home through videotaping and transcription [14]. The authors main finding showed no meaningful differences between the poor, working-class and middle-class communities in the number of words spoken by the primary caregiver to the child, with some poor and working-class communities showing an advantage in words spoken, compared with middle-class communities. They posit that community variation in the amount of speech addressed to the child cannot be predicted by socioeconomic status alone [15]. This paper questioned the validity of the original Hart and Risley findings, provoking discussion around the importance of the original 30 million word gap hypothesis [15, 16].
The Language in Little Ones (LiLO) study is a prospective cohort study which aims to advance knowledge in this area by combining the use of the LENA software, recruiting a large socio-economically diverse sample, and beginning when children are six months old. The present study aims to quantify the number of adult words that are spoken to the child, number of child vocalizations, and number of times the adult and child engage in a conversational turn over a day, when children are aged six and twelve months. Furthermore, the study aims to examine whether these aspects of the early language home environment differ by maternal education.
The LiLO study follows two cohorts of children; a baby cohort that involves families with a child aged six months old at first data collection and a toddler cohort involving families with a child aged three years old at the beginning of data collection. Both cohorts are followed once every six months until the children turn 4 years old. The design includes purposive stratification by two levels of maternal education (only completed secondary school education or less and completed a bachelor's degree or higher) to explicitly maximize and adequately power contrasts across maternal education groups. At each six-month milestone, families undertake day-long (16-h) audio recordings and complete standardized questionnaires. Families were compensated with a $10 supermarket voucher after each wave of data collection. This paper reports on data from the first and second waves for the baby cohort.
Recruitment occurred between April 1, 2017 and January 31, 2019 both pre- and postnatally across Adelaide and Port Pirie in South Australia, Bunbury in Western Australia and Gold Coast, Queensland. Pregnant women were approached at Adelaide public hospitals while waiting for their antenatal appointments. Postnatally, mothers were asked to participate at Child and Family Health Service sites during drop-in clinics and at early parenting groups across Adelaide, Port Pirie and Bunbury. Mothers were also approached at council-run immunization clinics, children centres, playgroups and shopping centres across all locations. Recruitment was limited to families whose home language was English. Mothers with a bachelor's degree or above were recruited into the high education group, and mothers with school only education were recruited into the lower education group. The study also excluded children with diagnosed causes of language impairment (e.g., hearing impairment, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy) and was confined to singleton children and those born full term (37+ weeks) between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017.
A total of 230 families were involved in the first wave and 245 families in the second wave of data collection which included 60.84% of eligible mothers approached (See Fig. 1 for a flow chart of recruitment numbers). Our original power calculations required 120 children in each of the maternal education groups at wave one in order to detect a 0.3SD effect size. Due to the challenges in finding and engaging sufficient mothers with lower education levels we did not meet these initial sample size requirements and therefore extended original recruitment timelines and locations to boost numbers, which meant mothers were still able to join the longitudinal study even if they had missed the first wave of data collection.
Flow chart of recruitment numbers
Families' natural home language environments were captured using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system [11, 17, 18]. The LENA system comprises a specially designed age appropriate vest or t-shirt with a pocket in the front to hold a digital language processor (DLP) with LENA software, which automatically processes the audio captured in the DLP through algorithmic analysis of the speech signal [19]. LENA produces estimates of three key measures used in the current study: adult word counts (AWC), child vocalization counts (CVC) and conversational turn counts (CT). AWC's estimate the number of adult words spoken in approximately a 10-ft radius of the child wearing the recorder [11]. AWC's do not necessarily have to be child-directed speech but are loud enough to register on the LENA DLP. CVC's comprise the number of any speech-related sound made by the child wearing the DLP with each vocalization separated by 300 ms of silence. Finally, CT's are the number of alternations within a conversation between adult and child vocalizations as occurring within at least 5 s of each other. Either child or adult may initiate the conversation. Reliability testing conducted by the LENA Foundation found a high degree of agreement between human-transcribers and LENA system classification based on 70 h of recording data. For classification of adult words the two raters agreed 82% of the time and for child vocalizations they agreed 76% of the time [18]. It should be noted when overlapping speech occurs in the audio, the LENA software does not categorize this into either adult or child speech. While a trained human-transcriber may be able to identify the primary speaker, the LENA Foundation argues it is not known whether an infant or toddler would be able to distinguish during noisy language input. Therefore it is argued that the exclusion of these segments of audio by the LENA software may provide a more accurate representation of the child's meaningful language environment [18].
Additionally, during the home visit, the primary caregiver answered questions about family demographics, government payments received by the family, child care arrangements, services accessed by the child and family, and activities in the home with the focus child.
During data collection a researcher attended the family's home where they provided the LENA equipment, showed parents how to use it and then asked the standardized questionnaires. The family was given two weeks to complete one LENA recording day. The families were asked to pick a day (to undertake the recording) when the focus child was not in child care or sick, and not when the family had a big event (e.g., sporting match or birthday party). A researcher then returned to the family home after the recording day, picked up the LENA equipment and provided the family with their reimbursement. This procedure was consistent across all families and waves of data collection.
Statistical approach
Descriptive statistics are presented in Table 2 and box and whisker plots in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 to compare the distributions in talk by low and high education groups. The line in the middle of the box represents the median, the bottom of the box represents the 25th percentile and the top of the box represents the 75th percentile. The whiskers of the plot extend to 1.5 times the interquartile range, with outliers falling outside this denoted by an asterisk, and fall at least 3 times outside the interquartile range. Independent sample t-tests were also conducted to compare the means between high and low educated groups. All analyses and graphs were conducted using IMB SPSS version 25.0 [20].
Adult word count at 6 and 12 month wave of data collection by maternal education
Child vocalization count at 6 and 12 month wave of data collection by maternal education
Conversational turn count at 6 and 12 month wave of data collection by maternal education
LENA recordings for the first wave were completed between the August 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018 and recordings for the second wave were completed between February 1, 2018 and January 31, 2019. Each participant family undertook a LENA recording day within two months after turning 6 months and 12 months. Parents rarely used their ability to pause or stop the recording early, with 98.23% of families completing a full 16-h recording day during the first wave and 97.55% of families during the second wave. Of the ten families that stopped the recording across both waves, six completed at least 10 h of recording and noted the recording was stopped as the child went to sleep, therefore was included in the total sample. Three families in the first wave and one family in the second wave completed less than 10 h of recording due to either device malfunction or choosing to stop the recording early and were excluded from further analysis.
The final analysis sample involved 227 families, with 164 in the high education group and 63 in the low education group for the first wave, and 245 families, with 166 in the high education group and 79 in the low education group for the second wave (See Table 1). Note recruitment continued between wave 1 and 2, consequently the larger sample in wave 2. For the first wave, children were aged between 5 and 8 months of age (mean = 5.81) and 53.3% were female. Mother's average age at birth was 31.34, with 87.7% working until their pregnancy and 56.4% of children being first-born infants. In the second wave children were aged between 11 and 14 months (mean = 11.99) with the same percentage of females.
Table 1 Sociodemographic Characteristics of the Sample
As shown in Table 2 there were small differences between the average number of adult words spoken, child vocalizations and conversational turns for the low and high education groups, at both waves. By standard criteria for 'statistical significance' children in the low education group vocalized more (approximately 160 vocalizations) than those in the high education group at the first wave (6 months). However, this difference was greatly reduced at the second wave (12 months).
Table 2 Daily LENA measures: distribution by the total sample and maternal education
The plots in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 depict the spread of the data demonstrating enormous variation within the two education groups across both waves. As an example, at the first wave the minimum AWC for the low educated group was 2958 words per day and the maximum count was 37,397 words (mean = 16,747.75; SD = 7228.62). The minimum AWC for the high educated group was 3795 words and the maximum were 39,583 words per day (mean = 16,883.58; SD = 7075.57). This highlights there is little difference between education groups but high variability within education groups and this is consistent for all three LENA measures, revealing high and low adult and child talkers within both education groups.
The purpose of this study was to characterize, for the first time, the amount of talk/ vocalizing Australian children are hearing and uttering at home in the first 12 months of life. The study also examined differences linked to maternal education in adult words, child vocalizations and conversational turns. First, results showed high variability in the whole sample on all three measures of talk when children were six and twelve months of age. However, this did not substantively differ by maternal education. While there may be other factors in the home environment that are associated with this variability such as cultural or emotional characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics indexed in this case by maternal education did not differentiate the three measure of talk. Second, adults in the home of the low education group were talking, on average, just as much as adults in the high education group. In fact, within both education groups, the variability demonstrates some families speak over 35,000 words to their child in a day and others speak less than 4000 words. The similarities between the education groups are also reflected in the number of conversational turns between adults and children over the day, with no meaningful differences between education groups and again high variability in both groups.
The study by Gilkerson and colleagues, is most comparable to the current study and reports a 4 million word gap by age four [11]. Their observations began when children were two months old and they have reported their mean AWC's, CVC's and CT's at 6 months of age (n = 50). When they conducted their study, the LENA system only recorded 12-h days, compared to our 16-h recordings. Comparing average word counts for Gilkerson et al. and the LiLO study showed adult words were 1041 vs 1052, for child vocalizations 82.28 vs 82.46 and conversational turns 20.16 vs 20.62 respectively. While these average counts per hour are almost identical in the two studies, Gilkerson and colleagues did not report counts by socioeconomic groups at 6 or 12 months of age, so we are unable to compare [11]. The differing definitions of maternal education groups and different educational contexts in Australia and the United States may partially account for why the current study did not find the difference between education groups that other researchers have reported.
The Language in Little Ones (LiLO) study is the first study with a large sample using objective measures to characterize the verbal home environment by maternal education groups in the first year of life. These findings have important implications for interventions that aim to reduce the word gap, suggesting services with this specific aim may need to utilize a universal approach, rather than simply targeting families from low socioeconomic backgrounds, as it is clear from our data there are adults across both socioeconomic groups who would be considered low talkers. While our data cannot yet explain if the amount families talk to their children in the home will lead to differences in future development outcomes, previous research has suggested this is the case [8, 21, 22]. As the LiLO study progresses, it will describe the trajectories of AWC, CVC and CT's for low and high maternal education groups and consequences for child development outcomes over the first five years of life.
A shortcoming of the current work is the uneven sample across the education groups, with fewer low educated mothers participating than originally planned. This results from less mothers identified as eligible for the low educated group at recruitment sites and also the lower participation rate into the study for this group. As the LiLO study is longitudinal, attempts to overcome this flaw in future waves will continue by recruiting low educated mothers into our study as it progresses.
A further limitation is that the LENA data cannot effectively capture the quality of verbal interactions, beyond the use of conversational turns. While understanding the context of the words spoken to the child is not the focus of the study, the importance of the quality of early language input for child outcomes is recognized. Nonetheless, if the study can demonstrate the link between parents' talk and impacts on children's future development, this can inform the increasing number of interventions using the LENA technology to provide feedback to parents on their quantity of words [23, 24].
The results from the first two waves of the Language in Little One's study found large variability within maternal education groups and no meaningful differences between maternal education groups for the number of words spoken by adults to the child or the number of conversational turns between adult and child in the first year of life. This finding has implications for the 30 million word gap hypothesis, suggesting either a word gap does not emerge until after twelve months of age or for children living in Australia the gap does not exist. Implications of these findings suggest that interventions aiming to encourage parents to talk more to their child in the first year of life should be accessible for all parents, regardless of education level.
The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to lack of informed consent for data sharing at the time of collection, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. For further information on the data and materials used in this study, please contact the corresponding author.
AWC:
Adult Word Count
Conversational Turn
CVC:
Child Vocalization Count
DLP:
Digital Language Processer
LENA:
Language ENvironment Analysis
LiLO:
Language in Little Ones;
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Hoff E. The specificity of environmental influence: socioeconomic status affects early vocabulary development via maternal speech. Child Dev. 2003;74(5):1368–78.
Fernald A, Marchman VA, Weisleder A. SES differences in language processing skill and vocabulary are evident at 18 months. Dev Sci. 2013;16(2):234–48.
Gilkerson J, Richards JA. The Power of Talk: Impact of Adult Talk, Conversational Turns, and TV During the Critical 0–4 Years of Child Development. Boulder, CO: LENA Research Foundation; 2009. Contract No.: LENA Technical Report LTR-01-2.
Gilkerson J, Richards JA, Warren SF, Montgomery JK, Greenwood CR, Oller DK, et al. Mapping the early language environment using all-day recordings and automated analysis. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2017;26(2):248–65.
Hart B, Risley T. American parenting of language-learning children: persisting differences in family-child interactions observed in natural home environments. Dev Psychol. 1992;28(6):1096–105.
Hart B, Risley TR. Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H Brookes Publishing; 1995.
Sperry DE, Sperry LL, Miller PJ. Reexamining the verbal environments of children from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Child Dev. 2019;90(4):1303–18.
Sperry DE, Sperry LL, Miller PJ. Language does matter: but there is more to language than vocabulary and directed speech. Child Dev. 2019;90(3):993–7.
Golinkoff RM, Hoff E, Rowe ML, Tamis-LeMonda CS, Hirsh-Pasek K. Language matters: denying the existence of the 30-million-word gap has serious consequences. Child Dev. 2019;90(3):985–92.
Xu D, Richards JA, Gilkerson J. Automated analysis of child phonetic production using naturalistic recordings. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2014;57(5):1638–50.
Xu D, Yapanel U, Gray S. Reliability of the LENA language environment analysis system in young Children's natural home environment. Boulder, CO: LENA Foundation; 2009. 16 p.
Xu D, Yapanel U, Gray S, Gilkerson J, Richards J, Hansen J, Editors. Signal processing for young child speech language development. In: Proceedings of the first workshop of child, computer and interaction; 2008; Chania, Greece
IBM Corp. IBM SPSS statistics for windows, version 25.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2017.
Rowe ML. Child-directed speech: relation to socioeconomic status, knowledge of child development and child vocabulary skill. J Child Lang. 2008;35(1):185–205.
Gilkerson J, Richards JA, Warren SF, Oller DK, Russo R, Vohr B. Language experience in the second year of life and language outcomes in late childhood. Pediatrics. 2018;142(4):e20174276.
Zhang Y, Xu X, Jiang F, Gilkerson J, Xu D, Richards JA, et al. Effects of quantitative linguistic feedback to caregivers of young children: a pilot study in China. Commun Disord Q. 2015;37(1):16–24.
Suskind D, Leffel KR, Hernandez MW, Sapolich SG, Suskind E, Kirkham E, et al. An exploratory study of "quantitative linguistic feedback": effect of LENA feedback on adult language production. Commun Disord Q. 2013;34(4):199–209.
Thank-you to the research assistants in the LiLO team at Telethon Kids Institute for their work on the recruitment and data collection for the study. Thank-you also to the staff in the antenatal wards at Flinders Medical Centre, Lyell McEwin Hospital and Women's and Children's Hospital and the staff at the Child and Family Health Service sites across Adelaide and Bunbury for their unwavering support of our recruitment efforts. Finally, we are extremely grateful to our LiLO families for continually giving up their valuable time to participate in our study.
This study was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant, APP1121830 (to S. Brinkman, S. Reilly, J. Lynch and E. Melhuish). The funding was used for the collection and analysis of data in the study.
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australian, Level 15, 31 Flinders St, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
Mary E. Brushe & Sally A. Brinkman
School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Level 9, Adelaide Health & Medical Science Building, 57 North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
Mary E. Brushe, John W. Lynch & Sally A. Brinkman
Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, First Floor, 5 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1UD, UK
John W. Lynch
Menzies Health Institute Queensland G40 Griffith Health Centre, Griffith University, Level 8.86 Gold Coast Campus, Mount Gravatt, Queensland, 4222, Australia
Sheena Reilly
Department of Education, University of Oxford, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY, UK
Edward Melhuish
Mary E. Brushe
Sally A. Brinkman
SB, SR, JL, EM are chief investigators on the project and conceptualized the study. MB coordinated and supervised data collection for the study, carried out analysis and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. JL and SB conceptualized the analysis plan. All authors contributed to the interpretation of findings and reviewed and revised the manuscript. Finally, All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Mary E. Brushe.
The Women's and Children's Health Network (HREC/16/WCHN/190) and the University of Western Australia's (RA/4/1/8825) Human Research Ethics Committee approved this study, and written informed consent was provided by all participants and by the parent or guardian for participants under 16 years old.
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
Brushe, M.E., Lynch, J.W., Reilly, S. et al. How many words are Australian children hearing in the first year of life?. BMC Pediatr 20, 52 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-1946-0
Parent talk
Behavior and development


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Brian Stann to fight in Ultimate Fighter 10 finale
By on	 November 23, 2009 Iraq, Marine Corps, Mixed martial arts, Uncategorized
Three months after disposing of nemesis Steve Cantwell to earn his first UFC victory, former Marine Brian Stann will fight again in the Ultimate Fighter 10 finale on Dec. 5. Stann, 7-2 overall in mixed martial arts, faces Rodney Wallace, who will be making his UFC debut. A powerful puncher who thrives on his standup game, Stann fights in the 205 pound light heavyweight division, by far the UFC's most competitive and star-studded. Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin, Chuck Lidell and Rampage Jackson have all held the 205 title in recent years, and challengers like Mauricio Rua add to…
Looking for some relaxation? Try Iraq
By Phil Ewing on	 October 22, 2009 Army, Iraq, Marine Corps, Soccer
Is your normal job taking up the time you could be using to practice your penalty kicks? Are you working so much at your assignment in the U.S. that you can't learn new jujitsu moves? Well break out of that rut and get yourself to the world's new sportsman's paradise — Iraq! Iraq is so placid these days that American troops stationed there have plenty of time to just cool out, according to this story in USA Today. Rather than loading up the vehicles and going out to crush some skulls, today's forces sound like college freshmen taking eight credit…


385-Episode 376 Sia's Beginning
The Beast King completely denied Shea's request to join Allen's army.
He then told Shea that he would return with her to the kingdom of Arbajar.
Prince Zeu, who was watching the scene, stood up and said, "I never thought you would say that.
The Beast King seemed to be going along with his own idea without mentioning anything about Allen's army getting the cooperation of other countries.
The conference room fell silent, and I asked him how it happened.
"I'm already an adult. I'm already an adult and I want to make sure that my actions are reasonable.
Shea says he's not going to change his mind.
"Well, that's what a little girl who played knight would say. Does your attitude get bigger when you go through Temi's ordeal? So what are you going to do? How do you propose to deal with this?"
No one interrupted the conversation between Shea and the Beast King anymore.
Even the Emperor of Gia Mut, who was displeased with Allen's attitude, fell silent.
(The emperor of Ghiamut is also scared. (The emperor of Ghiamut must be scared. He seems to be a brainy king who gets into trouble easily.
The Beast King, who had beaten the brave Hermios to a pulp in front of the leaders of the world, had no one to argue with.
"I'd like to have a fight with you, Beast King. Is that all right with you?"
Shea replied immediately, as if she had already prepared for it.
Did Shea know this would happen? Well, they're father and son. I mean, it seems to happen all the time.
Shea was attending the meeting of the Alliance of the Five Continents with more determination than anyone else.
It seems that she knew the character of her father, the Beast King.
And Allen had also heard a lot about the Beast King's character from Shea.
The Beast King said that he would never pass a policy that he did not like if the minister raised it.
No matter how hard you try to persuade him, he will not shake his head.
He says that if he really wants to pass the policy, he will fight a duel with himself to end it.
If you are prepared to do that, they say, you can pass the policy.
In fact, several times a year, a duel with the minister is held.
Shea tells me that he has buried many ministers in duels.
"Interesting. Emperor of the Ghiamut Empire. I need to borrow the arena for a moment."
An arena? There's an arena nearby, isn't there?
(An arena? That's nearby, isn't it?) As he was coming down from the magic ship, he saw what looked like a square training facility adjacent to the royal palace.
Allen wondered if it was an arena.
"What? Now?"
The emperor of the Ghiamut Empire is astonished that he is now going to fight his own daughter in such a situation .
"Oh, you're done with that Allen guy, aren't you?"
When he stood up, he was more than two heads taller than Allen, and much larger than Dogora, both vertically and horizontally.
He walked out of the conference room, not listening to the words of the emperor of the Ghiamut Empire, who said that he was done talking about Allen's army, but that there was still more to discuss.
"You probably won't win. We probably won't win, and we won't be safe. We have to stop it if we can."
Helmius, who had fought the Beast King before, was worried about Shea.
"That much?"
Allen asks back, and Helmios answers immediately.
I've heard that he was defeated by the Beast King before at the 5 Continents Alliance Conference, but it seems that the Beast King is incredibly strong.
Shea also follows the Beast King out of the conference room.
"...... We should also see what happens to the Al Bahar Beast Kingdom."
The Queen of Rosenheim stood up, saying in a calm tone, "Let's go see.
The Beast King rejected the participation of Allen's army of beastmen as well as Shea.
What are we going to do as the Beast Kingdom of Arbajar?
This may be the story that decides the future of the Alliance of Five Continents, which is united against the Demon King's army.
Helmios led me to the arena located a short distance away from the royal palace.
At the side of the arena, Shea clenched her fists, closed her eyes, and reconfirmed the image of the battle.
Shea thought that she had been watching the battle of the Beast King since she was a child.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this. I should have told you this a long time ago. Allen.
"No, it's a father-son fight. I'm not gonna stop you, but take it easy.
"I know. I'll tell you what.
Shea had a hunch that this would be the end of the conversation.
But she didn't want to tell anyone, because she didn't think it would make a difference.
No equipment for the Beast King?
In the middle of the arena, the Beast King is standing on top of the arena, without any equipment on his upper body, taking off his red and gold colored fur cloak that suits the Beast King.
Bird E's summoner checks his equipment in detail, but he is not equipped with any weapons or armor.
He is also not equipped with any accessories such as rings or bracelets.
It seems that the Beast King fights Shea with only his bare status.
(I heard that the children of the Beast King family are basically born as Fist Saints. (I thought the children of the Beast King family are basically born as Fist Saints, and when they become the Beast King, they gain even more power.
Shea seems to be prepared for an impossible fight.
"Crenna. Can you lend her the holy bead?
Allen is more interested in a sure victory than a clean slate.
He asks Shea to give him the Sacred Pearl, the trophy from Basque that he gave to Krena.
"Good. The King of Beasts is not equipped with anything either."
Shea says that Allen tried to give her the pearl and other equipment that he gave to Crenna, but she refused.
It's a decision between father and son, and winning or losing seems to be a secondary concern.
Shea, who is not equipped with any armor or status-enhancing rings, goes up to the arena.
While Allen was talking with Shea, the representatives of each country and the allies of the Five Continents Alliance finished moving to the spectator seats.
They seemed to be witnessing the end of the Arbajar Beast Kingdom.
"Have you said your goodbyes?
The Beast King asked Shea if she had said goodbye to Allen and the others, without mentioning that they had waited a long time.
"We're about to."
Shea said she hadn't said goodbye yet.
"What?"
"I'm going to be the first emperor of the beast kingdom. I'm going to join Allen and the others in that. That's what I've decided. Father, I've come to say goodbye.
The Beast King has commanded me to live this long.
The Beast King gave me a test and I went to defeat the guru of the evil gods.
But from now on, I will make my own decisions and act accordingly," he told the Beast King.
The Beast King looked sad for a moment, and then his eyes filled with strength.
"Do you still speak such nonsense? I will take you back by force."
Then he relaxes his hands and assumes a defenseless posture.
I guess he means, "Come at me.
If you want to do your own thing, you'll have to defeat the Beast King.
Father and daughter face each other on the arena table without a referee.
Shea's decisive battle had begun.
Shea's eyes sharpened, she quickly closed the distance and slammed her fist into the Beast King's stomach.
Zumthu!
It felt like she had struck something very hard and elastic.
The fist hit the target.
"What?
The Beast King didn't dodge, and Shea was astonished to be hit by the attack.
The Beast King should be able to avoid this kind of attack without a second thought.
"I knew it. If you're half as prepared as you think you are, you don't have a soul in your fist!
"Ha!
And the Beast King kicked Shea upside the head.
Then the Beast King kicked Shea upside the head. She used one of her arms to defend herself, but she couldn't kill the momentum and was sent flying far away from the arena.
Even though he was blown away, he spun his body around and landed on the fighting table successfully, and ran to the Beast King.
He endured the pain and showed his determination.
However, he was only able to take the first blow.
After that, the Beast King continued his one-sided attack.
Shea's attack was easily dodged, and she was attacked by the Beast King.
"What's wrong! I knew I should have stopped you when you started playing knight!
The Beast King said to Shea, who had been punched and kicked so many times that she was unable to stand up.
Shea made Lud, who was originally a vassal of the Beast King, his own captain and began to have his own troops.
She accepted mercenaries and adventurers alike who were inspired by her ideas, and her troops grew to over a thousand.
And the nations began to call her the Warrior Princess.
There was definitely a time to stop Shea.
Because she was left alone to play knight, she began to do as she pleased, saying she was going to create an empire of beasts and joining the army of some unknown person.
The Beast King stained his knuckles red and wondered if he should have done this earlier.
Although he is not equipped with any weapons or armor, Shea is a Fist Saint and has reached the maximum level and skill level.
Shea is not weak, but she has gained experience in battle while pursuing the guru of the evil gods.
It's not that she's weak, but there's a power difference between her and her father.
"Noooooo!"
The Beast King's fist dug deep into Shea's stomach, sending her flying to the edge of the arena.
"Shea, stop it. You must apologize to the Beast King!
Seeing Shea being blown away again and again, Prince Zeu couldn't help but shout.
He seemed to be worried about his sister's safety.
"Hmph. Zew. Wouldn't it be better if Shea was gone?"
"No, I don't. I want you to forgive my sister."
And with that, Zew bowed on behalf of Shea.
"Hmm. You fear for your sister's safety. That's sweet, that's sweet! Zeu. That's no way to be a beast king. We beastmen have lived under the fierce rule of men. There's no room for lax thinking!
I see. Maybe that's why he recommended Bek for the crown prince. That's why he recommended Bek to be the Beast Prince.
It was the Beast King who put Bek, who was even thinking of invading the Central Continent, in the position of the next Beast King, the Crown Prince.
He does not tolerate naive thinking and seems to think that living for the beastmen is the most important thing.
Prince Bek is willing to shed the blood of beastmen for the prosperity of the Al-Bahar Beast Kingdom.
He has been trying to make Prince Bek, who has seen the reality of the Beast Kingdom, the next Beast King, rather than Prince Zeu, who has a more lenient attitude, or Shea, who dreams.
In the meantime, both Prince Zeu and Shea have overcome the ordeal imposed by the Beast King.
Allen's mind wandered to the idea that this was another test for him to become the next Beast King.
"Yes, that's true, but ......"
"Hmm. Zew. I'm sure you're not the only one who has been misled by the Baucis Empire and the Central Continent.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.
He was welcomed into the Giaomut Empire as a hero who had conquered a dungeon and a fellow countryman who had fought with the Ten Heroic Beasts against the invasion of the Demon King's army in the Central Continent.
Hearing the commotion from the royal palace, the Ten Wise Beasts were also watching the events of the battle.
"No, nothing like that. ......
"Then you may step up to the arena in place of Shea."
He grabbed Shea by the chest after she was blown away and told Zeu that he would forgive her if you fought.
"What? You mean me, sir?
"Yes. Are you ready to slaughter me and take the throne of the Beast King?
The arena was now the sole domain of the Beast King, and if Prince Zeu would fight him instead, he would allow Shea to do so.
The Beast King shouted, "Let him defeat himself," which sounded somewhat like a wish to Allen.
"What? This is my fight!"
Shea slammed her fist into the Beast King's face, as he was already dazed from being hit so many times.
But the fist didn't hit him in the face, and the Beast King remained cool and unmoved.
She is able to stand because the Beast King has her by the chest, but her legs are already weak and she is floating in the air.
Shea's fists seem to have no strength left in them after being struck all over her body.
"Yeah. What are you going to do? Zeu. You're going to fight! Or Shea!"
With that, he grabbed Shea's chest and put his other hand on her chest.
Shea has been attacked and is about to be subjected to more violence.
In fact, any more than this could be fatal.
That's how much power is in the Beast King's fist.
"Nugu, ha, ha!
Shea's only strength remains unbroken.
But there seems to be a desperate gap in strength.
"Wow, I understand. ......"
Zeu prepared to die and was about to say that he would fight on behalf of Shea.
That's when it happened.
Allen was standing by, ready to intervene with his summoner if the situation arose.
The potato-faced man next to Allen turned red and shouted in a voice that could be heard not only by the arena but also by all the representatives of each country in the stands.
"Get off me! Let go of Shea!
"What? What is it?
"Let go of Shea! I'll fight you!
The bleary-eyed, angry Dogora's foot stomped on the arena.


15 Facts You Never Knew About Venice Gondolas
June 14, 2014 by Catherine Forth View All On 1 Page
Venice is a watery wonderland of 177 canals, and there's no better way to explore this romantic labyrinth than on an iconic gondola ride. On one hand it's a pricey tourist cliché, but it's also a classic time-honored journey everyone should experience at least once when visiting this incomparable city. Don't consider it practical water-taxi transportation to get you from A to B. This is purely a sight-seeing joy ride, and it's not to be missed. Most of the estimated 15 million visitors who flock to historic Venice each year can't resist the tradition. Here's the little known backstory on these elegant vessels to sweeten your ride, plus some tips on how to get the most out of your gondola journey.
1. Gondolas Have Their Roots in Ancient History
Graceful gondolas have been used to get around this Adriatic city for more than 10 centuries, the earliest recorded use dating back to 1094. They were once the main form of transportation around the Venetian canals. Towards the end of the 16th century there were an estimated 10,000 gondolas creating aquatic traffic jams throughout the city. Today, however, there are only about 425 gondolas in Venice.
Alessandro Colle - shutterstock.com
Random London Essentials in 21 Pics
Top 10 Things to See and Do in Montenegro
19 Reasons Why Iceland Rocks
10 Hollywood Honeymoon Hotspots


WTH Files: High Schooler Denied Diploma After Stripping At Graduation
Tonya Pendleton, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Quinton Murphy of Jack Britt High School ini Fayetteville North Carolina was very excited about his graduation. So excited that when it was his time to pick up his diploma, he stripped off his robe to expose his bare chest and some leopard patterned boxer briefs.
Fayetteville school officials were not as amused as the crowd who witnessed it, and have banned him from ever returning to the school. He was escorted out of the ceremony by police officers and will be denied his official diploma. However, as Murphy completed the requirements for graduation, he will be viewed and considered as a graduate.
"Our schools have worked so hard," Cumberland County School Superintendent Frank Till, Jr. told the Fayetteville Observer. "It used to be that the audience would be disruptive at graduation. We've worked hard to get the audiences to respect our students. This young man chose not to show respect for his colleagues." Till has made it clear that other would-be graduation pranksters will face punishment.
After Murphy's disrobing, the graduation went on as scheduled. Murphy's antics will be edited out of the official video of the graduation ceremony. Murphy somehow evaded school staffers who check what students are wearing underneath their graduation robes. Murphy did have on an unbuttoned shirt, but its unclear how leopard briefs were missed.
Murphy a member of the Jack Britt football team, reportedly told a friend on Facebook that he "just wanted to go out with a bang, lol."
Well, mission accomplished.
WTH Files: High Schooler Denied Diploma After Stripping At Graduation was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
education	, graduations	, high school	, teenagers	, WTH files


Inspired by the Velvet Revolution
By Vincent Chen 陳建志
Disregarding China's reaction, a large delegation of 89 members led by Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil arrived in Taiwan on Aug. 30, in an unprecedented formal exchange between the two nations.
As the delegation had a tight schedule, Vystrcil's two public speeches — at National Chengchi University on Aug. 31 and at the Legislative Yuan on Sept. 2 — received much of the spotlight.
At the university, Vystrcil referred to the Velvet Revolution, which began in November 1989, and said that "the Czech students were equally courageous back in 1989 and played a very similar role as the Taiwanese students did in March 1990," during what is known as the Wild Lily student movement.
He then briefly spoke about what he knew about the student movement and the democratic reform process that followed in Taiwan.
He said that the democratic reform movements pushed by university students in Taiwan and the Czech Republic highlight their nations' shared history of democratic struggle, creating a connection between them that transcends history.
What Vystrcil suggested is quite an interesting connection. As a member of the Wild Lily movement, I would like to provide some food for thought on this connection, as well as on the causal relationship represented by this umbilical cord.
Academics studying the history of Taiwan's contemporary democratic development generally agree that the movement happened due to a combination of internal and external factors.
Taking a rather parochial perspective, few Taiwanese mention an important external factor: the series of democratic movements in eastern European countries from 1989 onward. Later known as the Revolutions of 1989, this revolutionary wave, which ended authoritarian rule in central and eastern Europe, deeply moved Taiwanese students and gave them courage to take action.
It should be noted that Taiwanese students had at that time seen media reports of the Chinese People's Liberation Army's cruel, bloody suppression of the Chinese student movement in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
On account of the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) authoritarian nature and the White Terror era, young Taiwanese feared that they would face a similar tragedy if they participated in a democratic movement.
The Tiananmen Square Massacre created a tremendous sense of uncertainty in the minds of young Taiwanese as to what approach the KMT's conservative faction would adopt to suppress student movements pursuing democracy.
The wave of democracy movements that swept through Eastern Europe included one launched by Poland's Solidarity trade union in June 1989, the peaceful transition to a democratic regime in Hungary in October 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, the mass demonstrations in Bulgaria in November 1989, and the culmination of the Velvet Revolution triggered by student demonstrations in what was then Czechoslovakia.
These events not only encouraged Taiwan's students, they also instilled bravery in us like a series of shots in the arm. Among these movements, the Czech students' Velvet Revolution was the most inspiring.
The Velvet Revolution forced the Czech Communist Party to announce on Nov. 28, 1989, that it would relinquish power and end its authoritarian one-party rule. In a democratic election of the Czech Federal Assembly on Dec. 29, the poet Vaclav Havel was elected president.
The peaceful transition of power ignited hopes among many young Taiwanese, and university students in campus clubs associated with social movements were reading every news article about the democratic movement in central Europe. The thought of following their example was born.
Seeing the avaricious expansion of power by the National Assembly, which had never face full re-election after 1947 and was dubbed the "10,000-year congress," and the intense infighting between the KMT's factions, students could bear it no longer.
Organized by campus clubs across universities, students launched the demonstrations and sit-ins that later became known as the Wild Lily student movement. Young Czechs who congregated in the streets of Prague when the first snow fell in November 1989 would never have thought that their courageous actions and would not only end the rule of the Czech Communist Party, but also give hope to many young people on an island in the Far East.
Taiwan should thank the young people of Prague for establishing the silent revolution model 31 years ago. Their romantic ideals and beliefs were delivered across national boundaries to every one of us who longed for democracy and made us more determined to overthrow the authoritarian KMT regime.
Even though we speak different languages, this chapter of history effectively established a durable and sympathetic connection between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Today, the two nations share not only a similar experience of the road toward freedom and democracy, they also face a common potential threat in the globalized world: the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its attempt to use "rise as a great power" to infiltrate every other country in the world.
Even though Czech President Milos Zeman's attitude is to avoid angering Beijing, it was gratifying to see that Vystrcil was willing to extend the sense of justice of his predecessor, Jaroslav Kubera, and insist on making friends with Taiwan.
Unafraid of Chinese pressure, Vystrcil led a delegation to Taiwan on the grounds of safeguarding the Czech Republic's autonomy and national dignity.
Neither Taiwan nor the Czech Republic are large nations, but they share a firm belief in freedom, democracy and human rights. These beliefs are helping the two join hands to establish a confident and proud partnership as the world is opposing China's wild ambition, a partnership that will continue to inspire and encourage many other nations still striving toward democracy.
Vincent Chen is a manager in the information and communications industry. He was the publicity section convener of the Wild Lily student movement.
Translated by Chang Ho-ming


support@kaust.edu.sa
The Plasmas and Flames (PaF) group
Clever with combustion
Advanced modes of combustion that are controlled by plasma discharges could become key components of the circular carbon economy.
Humans have a very long history with fire and, over the past two centuries, with more controlled forms of combustion. Our evolving mastery of combustion is marked by many technological leaps, but now, the overarching aim of the research field is to find ways to mitigate combustion's main drawback—the carbon dioxide it generates.
Putting gas under pressure
Soldiers marching lockstep across a bridge can cause the structure to collapse if the rhythm of their step matches the bridge's natural vibration frequency. Combustion engineers must consider a similar effect when designing the gas turbines used in electricity generation and aero-engines.
Just as soldiers' feet can cause bridge sway to reach the point of destruction, a gas turbine can be damaged, or even explode, if heat and pressure fluctuations produced by the flame couple with the acoustics of the combustion chamber. At a lesser degree, this'thermoacoustic instability hampers efficient combustion, increasing noise and pollution emissions.
KAUST – Boeing collaborative research
The Clean Combustion Research Center and the Boeing Company have collaborated on research projects since May 2015. The context of these projects is aircraft fire and explosion hazards; and their main objective is to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved during these dramatics events. Specifically, in two ongoing projects "Characterization of flame quenching processes in combustion arresters" and "Radio frequency ignition hazard", groups headed by William Roberts and Deanna Lacoste will investigate how new materials and new sensors can change ignition and fire propagation threats in aircraft.
CCRC Collaborations : Prof. Jonas Moeck, Technical University of Berlin
The Clean Combustion Research Center was honored to have Prof. Jonas Moeck working in our labs, in collaboration with Prof. Deanna Lacoste and her team of researchers on thermo-acoustic instabilities and flame dynamics this month.
Faculty Focus: Deanna Lacoste
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Deanna Lacoste was appointed to her position at KAUST in November of 2016 from École Centrale Paris (France), where she had worked previously for 12 years. Her research focuses on plasma-assisted combustion and flame dynamics, with special emphasis on control of thermoacoustic instabilities by non-equilibrium plasma discharges. Lacoste is also interested in detonation and development of optical diagnostics for combustion and electrical discharges.
"KAUST shall be a beacon for peace, hope and reconciliation, and shall serve the people of the Kingdom and the world."
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 1924 – 2015
Deanna.lacoste@kaust.edu.sa
CCRC (Building 5, Level 4, Room 4336)4700
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Thuwal 23955-6900,
© King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved


REVIEWSTELEVISIONAPPLE TV+
'Ted Lasso' Review: Season 2 Continues to Set a New Standard for Television
TELEVISIONAPPLE TV+'Ted Lasso' Review: Season 2 Continues to Set a New Standard for...
By Lindsey
Every so often, a near-perfect television show will sneak its way past the cutthroat obstacles and challenges littering the hallways of the entertainment industry. Word about it will spread like wildfire between friends, colleagues, strangers, and to the furthest reaches of social media, blowing viewer expectations out of the water. Some critics will try to publicly flay it just for kicks and clicks, but they'll fall short on their empty swords.
It's rare to see a show that climbs high enough to check off every box along the way, especially in this modern world where streaming service offerings have upped the stakes tenfold, constantly competing for viewer attention. Schitt's Creek, a comedy series that captivated audiences for six seasons straight, is an example of this rarely accomplished phenomenon.
Another show quickly skyrocketed to this status in late 2020 when its premiere season landed on Apple TV+ — Ted Lasso. This uplifting comedy series tells the story of an American football coach who moves to the UK to oversee a struggling soccer team. It was a critically acclaimed hit that came at a time when the world truly needed it most. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, Apple's new show quickly became the next big, elusive crowning achievement in television.
Now, a year later, the second season of Ted Lasso has just come to an end. After all the enthusiastically positive ruckus it caused in its first go-around, expectations were running high for season 2 from start to finish. Would it be just as amazing as season 1, or would it be a one-trick pony trotting off into a bland pasture?
As reliable as Ted's signature biscuits (okay, besides that one time, but give him a break — it was a bad day!), Ted Lasso season 2 serves as proof yet again why this is one of the best shows on television right now.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
While its premise is built around English football, Ted Lasso has always been so much more than just a "sports show" — it's about people. Season 2 magnifies this point tenfold, placing an even heavier focus than before on the lives and interpersonal relationships of its characters. While season 1 told a funny, entertaining, and endearing story, it was also tasked with introducing a wide array of characters within the span of 10 episodes. The thing that made season 2 click, hitting even harder and digger deeper emotionally, was the opportunity for a fluid, natural evolution of the script. And thus, the magic of character development — something the series teased its penchant for with the growth of Hannah Waddingham's Rebecca throughout season 1.
It's not uncommon for comedy shows to lean heavily on the concept of static characters, because often times predictability and repetitive acts are the product of a tried and true "punchline formula." Ted Lasso, on the other hand, has taken a far different approach with its wholly dynamic characters that give the series a strong, beating heart at its core (while still challenging viewers to try and make it through even a quarter of an episode without laughing).
If you had told me a few months ago that Jamie Tartt would manage to become one of my favorite characters by the end of this new season, I wouldn't have believed it for a second. Phil Dunster's character was a thorn in most people's sides in season 1, only finally given a glimmer of humanity near the end when the ugly truth about his father was revealed. Moving into season 2, Jamie went through one of the most impressive and well-written character arcs that I've ever seen, which culminated in a surprising conversation with Roy about the woman they both love.
Speaking of Richmond's foul-mouthed, grumpy player-turned-coach, Brett Goldstein continues to be one of the most outstanding aspects of Ted Lasso, period. (And to think that he originally boarded the show solely as a writer!) Roy Kent functions as a stark contrast to the sunny, positive demeanor of Jason Sudeikis' Ted, and yet even with all of his anger, he still manages to be just as beloved by the audience thanks to Goldstein's undeniable on-screen charisma. Roy's hidden soft side also deserves credit, which is something that's brought out exclusively by Juno Temple's Keeley Jones. This fan favorite couple was put through the wringer this season, but what's so impressive about their turmoil is the realistic, mature, and healthy way that it was written — like when Roy is torn up over how proud he is of Keeley's photoshoot, admitting how great she looks on her own as a successful, independent woman.
As for Ted, he had a panic attack in the first season that came and went with minimal explanation, but season 2 was fully prepared to sit back and peel through the layers of this event (and what was to follow) like a beautiful, poignant onion of pain. This, paired with the introduction of Sarah Niles' Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, served as a brilliant jumping off point for an incredibly important, eye-opening dive into the topic of mental health in sports. One would be hard-pressed not to commend Sudeikis' absolutely exceptional performance this season, which was palpably wrought with so much distinct, authentic vulnerability.
The show offers up a variety of other dramatic twists and turns throughout this latest season, too, including Nate's ascension to a full-fledged antagonist. And through it all, it continues to remain honest and true to its audience. The drama isn't for kicks, a shortcut to shock value in between laughs. Rather, Ted Lasso prides itself in its forthright, sincere style of storytelling, which feels like it's here to support viewers — rather than deceive them. A rare commodity in entertainment.
Season 2 of Ted Lasso continues to set a new standard for television. It doesn't demand, but rather politely and graciously — à la Ted himself — demonstrates to other shows how they can do better. It also shows us as the audience how we can do better, too. This benchmark for quality entertainment is also a beacon of hope, a breath of fresh air, and a reminder to believe.
And I will henceforth be watching that absolutely marvelous Christmas episode on repeat on an annual basis, thank you very much.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Ted Lasso are now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. Make sure to catch up on all of our coverage on the series, including episodic recaps and more.
ld review
ted lasso season 2
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How To Find Your Fiance On Tinder, According To A Woman Who Did
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Welcome to 2018, where you can order up a date as quickly as you can order a chopped salad on Seamless. What a time to be alive! Now that dating apps are absolutely, positively mainstream, there's no reason your can't use them to meet the love of your life. But while you can choose each ingredient in your salad order on Seamless, you don't always know what you're getting when you swipe right on Tinder. If you're looking to settle down, a few bad app dates can leave you wondering if it's possible to find your fiance on Tinder. Good news: it is!
If you're on the apps looking for the real deal, don't let the bad dates get you down. It's very possible to meet your forever-partner online, you just have to be patient. People meet their partners through dating apps all of the time. A SimpleTexting study in 2017 found that 13 percent of people got engaged or married from the apps. There are even Tinder-themed save the dates!
Lovepop Concierge Mimi Nguyen has helped hundreds of couples find the perfect invitations for their special day, and she's also in the process of planning her own wedding. Guess where she met her fiance? On Tinder! Here's how it happened, from right-swipe to ring finger.
1. Don't Be Afraid To Give The Apps Another Try
Nguyen had dabbled in dating apps before she met her fiance, but never took them too seriously. "I had downloaded them on and off for a couple of years, but never believed in the app," says Nguyen. "I probably had only gone on two or three Tinder dates prior, and they were all horrible."
2. When You Do Go On The Apps, Don't Take Them Too Seriously
Nguyen decided to approach the apps in a more relaxed way — as a fun activity. "I found Tinder to be a fun activity to do when I was bored or when I was with my girlfriends," she explains. "The reason I swiped on [my fiance] was that he seemed sociable and fun to hang with based on his photos. I had just moved to Boston from Texas and was mainly looking for friends."
3. Keep An Open Mind
Nguyen thinks going into the apps with a laid-back attitude actually helped her find her person. "I wasn't looking for a relationship, so I went to our first date with no expectations," she explains. "I feel like having that mindset calmed my nerves, and let me be myself rather than trying to put on that first date act."
4. Don't Stress The First Date Too Much
Nguyen said that the highlights of her first date with her fiance were easy conversation and an immediate connection over a relaxed dinner chicken wing dinner. This sounds like a pretty ideal first date, but it was actually tricky to plan. "We were supposed to go on our first date around September of 2016, but I bailed and we didn't end up going on our actual first date till November 2016," says Nguyen. "I also showed up really late on the actual first date, so I thought he probably was already annoyed by me." Turns out he was actually extremely calm, and had already scoped out a spot at the bar and told the bartender it was their first date. What a catch!
5. Let Things Grow Organically
Another time you shouldn't put pressure on a date? If it goes really well. Nguyen explains that this great first date didn't lead directly to a proposal. "During the few months we had a fallout, but when he went to Florida to wait out the winter, I realized I missed him," she adds. "So as soon as he got back, we reconnected and went on a couple more dates, and the rest is history." When you know, you know.
6. Say "Yes!"
To recap: finding your special person on a dating app takes an open mind, a relaxed attitude, and a willingness to put yourself out there with another person. But we can't wrap this adorable Tinder match-made-in-heaven up without getting to the proposal. "On our one-year anniversary, he told me to dress up to go out to dinner, so I did," says Nguyen. "Our hotel was on the beach so he suggested having a drink and a walk before heading out. As we were walking on the dunes towards the beach, he slowed down and dropped down behind me, I turned around and there he was on his knee, shaking and asking me to marry him." A fairytale ending from a Tinder beginning. Here's to going on a first date!
Written by: Kimmy Foskett
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Home » Fishing » Notes from the Nation | Bassmaster
Notes from the Nation | Bassmaster
byAndrew Canulette
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Jeff Baird didn't have the heaviest bass on Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional, but he was the hands-down winner for the Best Beard Award.
Baird, a 45-year-old taxidermist from Washington, Utah, has a four-foot-long beard that stretches nearly to his knees. The facial hair stays braided when he fishes, but still, it dangles over his stomach when pulled together. Even the whiskers on his cheeks need to be pinned back when he's on the water.
He learned his lessons the hard way.
"You throw a cast and go to reeling and get hair caught in the reel, you notice that in a hurry," he said, laughing. "So, it's French braided, fish-tail braided. My wife does a lot to help me get out when I'm hunting and fishing."
Baird, who's fishing for Nevada at the Western Regional, said the most common question he gets about his facial hair is "How long have you been growing it?"
"Eight years," he said. "I love it. It looks really nice when it's out (and not braided.)"
Baird's beard caught attention on Wednesday, more-so than the three bass he caught for 7 pounds, 7 ounces. His lower unit went out early on Day 1 and he missed about three hours of fishing time. Baird also missed a couple of big bass he said likely would have put his bag into the high teens.
"I dumped two monsters," he said. "Still, it was an awesome day. I'll focus on tomorrow and hopefully (fortune) shines on me again."
Happy birthday, honey!
Idaho boater Brent Shores started the Western Regional with a bang, weighing a 10-8 limit which was good enough for 15th place after Day 1.
Shores was pleased with the catch, but he still was thinking of his wife, Natalie, whose celebrated her birthday back in Boise on Wednesday. B.A.S.S. Nation Director Jon Stewart urged Shores to sing "Happy Birthday" to her via the Bassmaster cameras and Shores happily complied – much to the delight of the crowd and most certainly, to Natalie.
Pair of aces
Two anglers from last year's B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional will compete in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk when it's held next week on South Carolina's Lake Hartwell.
Taylor Smith won the regional on Lake Havasu in 2021 with a weight of 10 bass for 33 pounds, 15 ounces. That tournament was shortened to two days because of high winds on Day 2.
Matty Wong finished third at Havasu last year with 28-5, which qualified him for the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River in Louisiana. Wong won the title there in November which earned him a berth in the 2022 Classic.
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Commodities Technical Analysis, April 24th — April 28th
US Crude Sinks Below $50 on OPEC Doubts
Gold Plummets on French Election Fallout
April 24, 2017 at 16:55 Gold by Andrew Moran
Gold is slipping to kick off the trading week on the fallout of Sunday's French presidential election. The market is emitting a sigh of relief on Monday after National Front leader Marine Le Pen was unable to garner first place in the first round of voting. This did not help gold as investors were seeking safe-haven assets prior to the historic election.
June gold futures tumbled $13.00, or 1.01%, to $1,276.10 per ounce at 16:40 GMT on Monday. The precious metal suffered its first weekly loss in six weeks last week as it slid 0.1%.
Silver is trading relatively flat to start the trading week. May silver futures dipped $0.006, or 0.03%, to $17.85 an ounce. Silver also recorded a weekly loss last week.
Investors are cheering after centrist Emmanuel Macron won the first round of voting on Sunday. He will now square off against Le Pen, and early polls suggest that he maintains a substantial lead heading into May 7.
The electoral result helped boost US and European shares, and the euro was sent higher. Markets had been concerned that the populist sentiment, which has included leaving the European Union (EU), would continue its momentum following US President Donald Trump's victory, Brexit, and Geert Wilders leading the second-largest political party in Holland.
Gold was slightly supported by a falling US dollar on Monday. The greenback decreased more than 1% against a basket of currencies. A weaker dollar is good for commodities like gold and silver because it makes it cheaper for foreign investors to purchase.
Traders now look ahead to events occurring in the US, including the Trump administration's soon-to-be-revealed tax reform initiative. Investors are also keeping an eye on geopolitical tensions continuing in the Middle East and East Asia. Foreign policy matters are contributing to speculators increasing their net long positions in gold to their highest levels in five months.


United Airlines Passenger Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms Dies Mid-Flight
news , United Airlines
Parker Diakite • Dec 22, 2020
United Airlines is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track down the 179 passengers they believed came in contact with a man who died on a flight from Orlando to Los Angeles.
The man reportedly was showing symptoms of coronavirus when he died on the plane.
The man's family members told United that he had preexisting conditions, including high blood pressure and upper respiratory issues. He was feeling sick in the days leading up to his flight in LA.
Prior to boarding, the man filled out a preflight checklist that stated he was not diagnosed with COVID-19 and didn't display any related symptoms.
The plane was diverted to New Orleans, and paramedics transported the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, United said in a statement.
The man behind me on this flight. DIED. OF COVID. MIDFLIGHT.
I have so many questions.
— Jo LaFlame (@jobreauxx) December 15, 2020
So, what happens now?
At least four flight attendants on the plane are quarantined in Los Angeles for 14 days according to guidelines, as reported in BuzzFeed News.
The CDC is currently working with local health agencies to track down the passengers onboard to see if any further action will be required.
This story is developing.
Soul Hollywood


Ms. Nicole Boston
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
www.sfpe.org
Bronze Most Valuable Member
Nicole Testa Boston serves as the executive director for the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, which works to advance the science and practice of fire protection engineering and its allied fields, to maintain a high ethical standard among its members and to foster fire protection engineering education. Nicole has over 18 years of experience in the engineering industry, having previously served eleven years as deputy director of Fiatech, an industry-led consortium in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin focused on deploying technologies to improve how capital projects are designed, engineered, constructed, and maintained. Prior to that she served as executive director of the Building Futures Council as well as held senior management positions at the Civil Engineering Research Foundation and the American Public Works Association. Nicole is a certified association executive (CAE) and has served on numerous councils and committees for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She has been published in numerous industry journals and trade magazines and frequently presents at industry conferences. Nicole received a bachelor's degree from American University's School of International Service and received a Certificate in Fund Raising Management (CFRM) from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She currently resides with her husband, son and beagle in Austin, TX. Specialties: leadership, strategic development, business development and management, governance and operations, facilities management, project management, event management, marketing and communications, member relations/account management, corporate and industry partnerships, public relations, technology trends in engineering and construction.
Job History
September 2013 - present
Deputy Director, Fiatech
October 2002 - September 2013
Executive Director, Building Futures Council
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Civil Engineering Research Foundation
June 1999 - July 2002
American Public Works Association
Program Manager, Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
April 1998 - June 1999


Man Arrested for Rape Thanks to DNA He Uploaded Himself to Ancestry Site
Several states are formalizing genealogy detective units
Law enforcement wants you to volunteer your DNA to genealogy websites
Genealogy websites are helping law enforcement put people in jail.
Detectives with the Tampa Bay Police have arrested a suspect in a 14-year-old case of sexual assault after consulting a database of a genealogy testing webpage to seek out the compiled DNA data for a match, according to an initial report from a local news source.
And they got one.
"The victim now can have some closure in her life," said Ruben Delgado, assistant Tampa police chief, in an Insider report. The police report places the assault in 2007, while a student from the University of Tampa was returning to her dorm after attending the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. She told detectives she was intoxicated and could have stumbled as she walked when the suspect, named Jared Vaugn, proposed to walk her home, after which the rape happened.
After the incident, officials collected DNA samples but had no matches, which left the case unsolved for more than a decade. But later, in 2020, detectives re-examined the case using genealogy testing databases, including FamilyTree and GEDmatch, two companies that the public use to investigate their genetic heritage, and found potential matches. Vaughn, 44, was identified by a lab, on the basis of which police officers went to his current residence in West Virginia, to execute another DNA test. This resulted in a one-in-700-billion match.
"It has taken 14 years for resolution in this case, but it's something that was important to us and was important to the victim, to get some closure in this case," said Delgado, according to the local news report. "That was the whole idea about this squad, to kind of take these cases that haven't been unsolved, kind of reenergize them." The state of Florida was the first in the U.S. to formalize an official genealogy unit, in 2018. California and Utah, too, have created similar detective units. And officials like Mark Brutnell, a special agent of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, want the general public to give up their DNA for use by law enforcement.
"Our success depends on info found in public genealogy databases, where participants — and this is important — must opt-in for law enforcement matches." In a case involving something as serious as rape, it's easy to feel like the ends more than justify the means. But the law, like society (and morality), isn't perfect. While forensic technology has come far, there are many instances when having one's DNA matched to a crime scene (or body) may not have a direct bearing on whether a suspect actually committed a crime. Not necessarily.
Whether you want to voluntarily give your DNA information to a publicly accessible database or not, this case underscores the changing face of law enforcement as technology creates new pathways to information about humans. In the last decade, much controversy has surrounded social media websites like Facebook, and their handling of user information during the Cambridge Analytica ordeal. Even Apple has taken steps to ensure greater privacy to increase privacy controls, as the Internet of Things expands to automate consumer behavior and attitudes on and about the things we see online. Using DNA from genealogy websites to catch someone who has caused great harm is a wonderful idea. But, with an increasing majority of our lives spent on the net, your DNA may be one of the last kinds of private information anyone will ever have.